What anxiety medicine works best? Please help

I have recently been diagnosed with GAD . I have tried buspar and celexa with no success . My doctor wanted to put me on effexor and I read the withdrawal symptoms and horror stories so that's something I don't wanna do. I have a feeling like my doctor doesn't care much . He is giving out prescriptions without explaing them . I was wondering if anyone had any good experience with meds . Anyone tried trazadone for anxiety ?? And I know xanax would help but that is short term . I am looking for a long term solution . Thanks for the help.

Hi SMU and welcome.

Trying to find the right medication for you as an individual can be a challenging process.

You are right to do your research and make an informed decision...however, even after reading up on a particular med, and getting other's experiences...you will ultimately just need to try it yourself and see how you react to it.

Typically SSRI/SNRIs are prescribed for GAD. While they do carry the risk of side effects, most are mild, and fade out after the initial build up and leveling off period anywhere from 4-10 weeks approx.

Trazadone is usually prescribed more for moderate to serious depression, and benzodiazapines such as Xanax are used more when accute panic is indicated with the anxiety.

I don't have personal experience to share regarding meds...so hopefully you will get more responses here from others...keep checking back.

Until you make your decision and start to get some relief, I invite you to check out our Resources on the main page here. In it you will find a lot of self-help ideas to help you manage your anxiety through coping skills that could prove really helpful.

Keep posting with us if you find it helpful. There is a lot of understanding and support here.:)

Scaredy Cat

SMU,

Here's a rundown of the meds I've been on also....

Ativan: Didn't like it. Seemed to make me feel hung over the day after I took it, and didn't work that well for me.

Paxil: Made me feel like a zombie and I gained 60 pounds in a year

Zoloft: This was my "magic pill" for years. Worked great, took it 4 times, the first 3 at 50 mgs and no other meds and no weight gain. The 4th time on it, it didn't seem to work for me. Maxed out at 200 mgs, also had to take xanax 3 times a day with it, and had a weight gain of 30-40 pounds in a year.

Prozac: Made me feel really strange and increased my anxiety.

Wellbutrin: Horrible for people with anxiety in my opinion. This should be taken as an anti depressant only as it increased my anxiety like I haven't felt in years!

Lexapro: This is what I am on now, only been on it for about 2 months total, and not done titrating up to 20 mgs yet, but so far it seems to be helping.

Xanax: Also still on this, have been for almost 3 years now. I am supposed to take it 1 mg three times a day, but I actually take .5 mg twice a day unless I get anxious mid day then I'll take another.

Like SC stated, you have to find the right med for yourself. Everyone is different, and has different reactions to these meds, it's basically a trial and error thing when it comes to finding the right mix, and it might take a while, but you'll get it right.

Hope this helps,
Fox

Zoloft-I took for years and it work I would say about to the age of 24&then I started to not get help I was in need of.

Prozac-Doctor took me right off of zoloft after years of taking it,and it cause me to freak out,and I spent 2days on the 10th floor&in a crisis center for 4days and they would put me on seroquil&traxadone&vistril with it as need. That combo sent me to the hospital yet again,with real bad anxiety&panic that was so bad. I had to stay in the hospital again for 4more days.

&took off prozac&seroquil &put on xanax day and night and cekexa in the day with ambien.

Celexa,xanax and ambien worked but had me over druged and it was bad the psyc dictor said that xanax wasn't good for anyone because you could get to piin

The doctor started me at 20mg of celexa and I was suppose to increase it after 2 weeks. I lasted about a week on it I couldn't handle the nausea.

And I agree about Wellbutrin. It should just be for people with mild depression. It didnt make me feel worse but it didnt help either. Just made me gain weight.

When I first started taking remeron I was so excited. I felt like I was on top of the world. I didnt care that I was eating us out if house and home. As long as I wasn't so panicky and having OCD attacks I didn't care. Plus it helped with the anxiety induced nausea. But after a month I had to increase. I'm at 30 mg now, max is 45 and it only helps through the night. When I wake up I have anxiety again. I wish it would keep working. But everything I read about it says it has a quick poop out. So I have to stop taking it for awhile so it'll help me again. I wish there was another pill like it.