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Anxiety Medication VS Anti Depressents

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Posted 11/11/2006 6:41 AM (GMT 0)
I have been taking anxiety medication Ativan 1 mg's Dissolvable type under the tongue.

I have been dealing with this issue for many years since i was 18 and i am now 32, I find that the ativan works great when i have a panic attack but each time i go in to get the perscription refilled they want to put me on antidepressants.

 

The last time that happened i was on effexor, i went through many many antidepressants and was hard to get one with not many side effects but with this i was still having to take ativan for anxiety attacks, now why do i need to be on antidepressants if i am not depressed when in the end i still take these ativan anyways? Has anyone else had a same type of experience, or know of what works well? I am new to this forum and havent done alot of reading as of yet, but any output would be great.

 

:-)  Thanks Sweety :-)
Posted 11/11/2006 7:42 AM (GMT 0)
Yes I have.

But I know many on benzo type drugs (ie; xanax, ativan, klonopin) and they don't take the antidepressents and they still feel panicky if they don't have one with them all the time.

I take Lexapro (SSRI/antidepressent) and Ativan, and am now not so dependant on the Ativan. I started out taking 1 mg a day, and today I didn't have to take any.

I think the Lexapro is working. I didn't have too many side effects from it when I started on it.. other than waking up in the morning with my heart racing... which lasted about a week and subsided.

Good luck.

Twiggygal~
Posted 11/11/2006 4:00 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Sweety32,

 

Welcome to HW were so happy you have joined us here. You will find pleanty of careing and supportive members here you will soon be calling us your friends.

 

I am being treated for anxiety and depression and a few other health problems so the ssri's and the antidepressants balance me out so I don't experiance the panic attacks. I think I have only had a few attacks. My anxiety levels are way up there but I can usually pull myself out of it before I get a full panic attack as long as I take my meds correctly. I wish you luck hun.

Posted 11/11/2006 11:46 PM (GMT 0)

antidepressants are being heavily promoted as the only proper cure for anxiety and panic attacks, but it can be very difficult to find 1 that works for you and has side effects that arent too severe

you dont need to be depressed for them to work for panic attacks

many do well enough on benzos, but the risks of addiction are overstated often as a way to promote antidepressants. the promoted antidepressants are still patented and very profitable, the benzos are all out of patent and not very profitable eyes

you should also be learning CBT copinbg skills for the anxiety and panic attacks

Posted 11/12/2006 12:21 AM (GMT 0)
Harry -- I think this is interesting. Neither my psychiatrist nor my Primary Care Physician will prescrible xanax anymore. What's up with that? My PCP is new but he took over for my old one and should be able to easily access my records to see that I am not addictive nor did I ever go over my prescribed amount. I have often wondered why the docs also prescribe the latest designer drugs and whether or not they are getting a kick-back. I get chronic migraine. My Mom swears by Elavil but my pdoc said "I don't prescribe Elavil."
Sweety32, I don't suffer from panic attacks but I do suffer with anxiety - sometimes severe - shaking inside my body. I have been told and I have read that Lexapro is good for Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Posted 11/12/2006 5:48 PM (GMT 0)
I do not take ssri'i at all only the anxiety meds
I totally agree with Harry on this
Yes docs do get kick backs off of RX's
At least here in Canada
Welcome to HW
Lyn
Posted 11/12/2006 7:22 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah I had this same problem. Fortunately my doctor doesnt just dictate what I take and listens to my suggestions. I got put on Lexapro 10 mg for about 2 months. The panic attacks definitely subsided, but overall I didnt feel any better and still needed to take klonopin 0.5mg to keep my nerves calm. Unfortunately my sex drive was reduced by about 75 percent so I decided that the Lexapro wasnt right for me. My doctor then switched me to Wellbutrin 300mg and within 3 days I was having suicidal thoughts and severe depression. Tried to stick it out but by the 8th day I had to get off it. I went back and asked for Xanax XR (2mg) and was given it. Im lucky my doctor does prescribe what I ask for because it has completely eliminated panic attacks and about 80 percent of my anxiety (but I guess everybody has anxiety to some point so Im assuming Im at a healthy level now).
Posted 11/13/2006 12:19 AM (GMT 0)
I think what i have is more anxiety attacks, i dont really know the diffrence, sweating heart million miles an hour most of the time on set is at night time when ihave time to actually think about things "hence no sleeping" I am on atitvan and clonazepam 30mg for sleep, i only take the atitvan a few times a week MAYBE as needed so i am definatley not addicted to it, but i do find that i went from 0.5mg to 1-2mg to control my attacks i think that is because i wait till its gotten way out of control and by that time its hard to control it even with medication.

I have been on about 10-12 diffrent medications and the side effects were way too much for me to be able to handle effexor worked but the weight gain was depressing all in its self, why take an antidepressent if you get depressed from the out come of the medication? I think i am doing fine without the added stuff, but insomnia is something that i havent been able to get under control for 5 years now, i just dont sleep unless i take something to make me sleep.
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