Anxiety medication reccomendations

IHL - do you want an anxiety med that you take regularly every single day to reduce it overall, or just the kind you take in the moment when it's really bad?

It's true, these medications are so different based on the individual. For me personally (for a quick fix), I have taken Xanax and Ativan. I do not like the Xanax, I became dependent on it quickly and they started to lose their effectiveness really soon. Ativan was always a good one for me.

I'm doing OK dancingbear. Just feeling like a crazy person most of the time. And in alot of pain. Headaches and my leg is giving me trouble along with monstrous cramps.

I'm not sure if I want to medicated all the time. Lately I've anxiety from the time I wake up until my head hits the pillow at night. My dreams are even really bad! Most of the time I'd just like something to take the edge off.

I've always been really against anxiety meds. Right now though I'd do anything to make it stop. I had some leftover alpralozam (no idea what that is, maybe xanax?) and i took one one day and it made me feel better. I took another one yesterday and it didnt help at all, I ended up having a terrible day. The first day I fell asleep in the middle of the day which is really weird. And yesterday I was super wound up and angry. It seemed to have the opposite effect that I was going for.

Are there any sure fire anxiety meds? Ones that work for pretty much everybody and don't cause dependance? And what about side effects?

I use Xanax. Probably not the best thing, and I'm really careful when to use it when I absolutely need it, like when I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack from my anxiety. Runnergirl is right, it loses its effectiveness after time....

I take doxepin. It helps with anxiety and sleep. It also helps me eat. I do take Xanax as needed, which is only once or twice a week.

Imiprimine is supposed to be another good one. Same class as doxepin.

Doxepin is a tricyclic antidepressant - that sometimes works for anxiety. I think you take that everyday, not as needed.

IHL - have you tried valerian? I was using it to help me get to sleep before lyme diagnosis for a few months, as I was having these anxiety attacks just as i was falling off to sleep. It did help.
You probably have tried it already.

I'm sorry IHL! Don't be so hard on yourself.

I'm currently looking for a solution for my anxiety. I'm strongly leaning towards taking something. I put it off and put it off. I might try something. But what is right for you might be different. I just want to calm my mind so I can focus on healing and not on feeling edgy all the time. I may try something like Psy-Stabil before I try a prescription. I just could not find very much info on whether it helped anyone.

I also wanted to issue a warning on Valium. Everyone's different. So make up your own mind of course. It was the single worst drug I have ever taken. I don't think it did much for my anxiety.

Stopping it made me very ill. I was not mentally dependent on it. But my body was physically dependent. It made me sick. I'm on as little as possible in terms of extra meds due to what I experienced.

If you take it here and there, I'm sure it would not be as bad. If you do want to try it, by all means. I'm not trying to scare you. I just wanted to share my 2 cents. I'm not trying to push you one way or the other.

Hope you feel better soon!!! I'm really sorry you're having such a hard time. HUGS!

I don't have "the" answers. Don't be embarrassed talking to your dr at all!

I'm like that too - Some days are better than others. Overall, I have major anxiety that needs to be addressed. I think I might try something more minor like the Psy-Stabil. i don't think it is supposed to carry the same drawbacks as a pharmaceutical anti-anxiety med. Who knows? Maybe it will help enough.

I took Lexapro before and had no issue whatsoever stopping it. I did not have any noticeable side effects. It did not seem to make a dramatic difference. It was more subtle - like I was not noticing as many issues. It might, however, be totally different for you. Everyone seems to respond so differently. The type of anxiety I'm having now seems very different.

It's worth talking to your doc. I hope you can figure it out. :)

I see.... My Mom took ativan while she was dying of COPD. It really helped her, but I don't think that's something that I would need. It seems to strong and I don't want to get myself addicted to anything. I don't like that valium takes an hour to work, but I could probably handle that. If it's lasting all day long what's an hour?

I don't think I could go in and just tell my doctor what I wanted, especially having no experience with any of these drugs. He is a naturopath so I'm guessing he will try me on some natural stuff first. But you never know? I'll just go with his suggestion. Thank you for all of your replies, I feel like I can make a much more informed decision now.

You guys are the best!!

I had a severe reaction to taking Xanax recently. So badly, I ended up in a locked psych ward. Yep. Not fun.

Be careful, and if you do take any of these meds, I strongly suggest you let someone in your life close to you know not just what you take, but when, and how much. Just to be on the safe side.

Or keep a log, and let someone know where it is.
It could help if your body has a reaction.

Good luck.

My anxiety has gotten so so bad. When I do have to leave the house to go someplace which requires me to be social like My childs school functions or even to like my parents house, or wife's family's house - both of who I love dearly, I have to take a large does of Valium just so I don't have panic attacks and/or irrational anger and I hate it. I have an appointment with an LL Psychiatrist in NJ but I couldn't get in until June, made the appointment last month. Hoping he will be able to get me to where I can at least go to family functions and my daughters school and sports events without feeling like I'm going to flip out or have a heart attack.

If medical Marijuana was legal in my state, I would opt for that in a second. Soooo much safer. I may be preaching to the choir here, but not alll strains of the plant are good for treating everything. There are certain strains that will be sort of an upper (possibly adding to stress), and others that will mellow you out. If you haven't already, I would discuss your issues with a knowledgeable person at your dispensary to make sure your getting the right strain/medicine to treat your symptoms. I know several people treating Lyme and symptoms with medical MJ with great success and most take two, even three different strains. For example they are taking one kind in the AM that lifts up energy levels and helps pain, one strain at night to aid in sleep, and one strain when needed for anxiety. May be worth looking into. You may just be getting the wrong type for your symptoms.

Good Luck IHL. Hang in there. Its certainly not fun and I feel for ya.

IHL-

Your anxiety could be from several reasons. Lyme, what abx does to the chemical nuero balance. And any separate detox pathway issues (genetic mutations). If the liver cant detox well on ABX from genetic mutations, anziety can get much worse that normal.

Obviously figuring out the above questions, takes time, but you want relief now. Drugs and some natural herbs cover the issue rather quickly. Fixing the cause takes a little more time. That said, are your liver enzymes elevated?

Do you have Gilberts Syndrome (high billiruban, liver related). Having that with heavy ABX will create anxiety- A Dr explained this to me with methalation detox maps. Its complicated, and tied to the natural nuero amino acids (brain function).

You could test this to see how much difference it will make. SAM-e is good for Gilberts Syndrome, or during high liver enzyme counts, - it aids in liver detox and therefore increases serotonin. Its best to start low, 200mg. Then there is GABA amino acid, not all are created equal. This is a shortcut serotonin delivery to the brain, will not address the liver, or what abx is doing to it, but has a good chance of helping IF your liver is strong. I understand Kavience Gaba is the best when others dont cross the blood brain barrier. High coSt though. Could try a smaller count size first. I have not used it, but it was explained to me. Cheap Gaba does nothing.

Somehow molybdemum helps some people with this too, and its cheap. By itself I dont think it is something easily felt though. I dont remember the details. Yasko is big on moly.

I put all the above in "laymans" terms. I like to Keep It Simple. So any experts with long fancy words could find my explanations lacking, and I get that, since I'm no expert in this area of detox methalation. A gene Dr explained this to me, so its not my opinion, its a Drs opinion.

Hope some of this helps.

If they had a slow release valerian root, that could be a great temporary band aid. That stuff hits hard and is short lived. ZZZZZZzzz. Doesnt fix the cause though.