Experiences with any anti-anxiety meds

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I am currently on Lexapro and have been on for a year and a half, approx. I had started taking it in July of 2007 and stopped in Septeraber of 2008 because of weight gain and I thought since I was taking 5 mgs. a day, that I was handling my anxiety myself. I had lost my Mom in 2007 and it's been horrible, the separation anxiety. It all came back when I quit Lexapro in Septeraber.

By Deceraber I had decided I needed something to help with the anxiety and all the herbal and homeopathic remedies just weren't strong enough or wouldn't last long enough in my system. Both, really. So I went back the the dr. and he put me back on Lexapro. I thought maybe Buspar would help but he didn't think that was strong enough for me.

I have come to believe that the Lexapro is not quite working the same this time around as it did before. In fact, the panic attacks have come back again and start as soon as I wake up. They are just intolerable! I am not knew to them, as they started when I was 7 years old and I am 39 now. I have had to take lots of Xanax just to be able to leave my room. =( Thank God for Xanax.

So now I am not sure what to try. I tried Prozac long ago and Paxil, but they made me suicidal and I cut on myself and was just crazy acting. Course they had me taking TOO MUCH OF IT! I quit taking it. I was in a bad place then and not able to really remeraber if it helped at all, besides all the crazy behavior it prompted me to engage in!

I am not sure if I should up my dose of Lexapro a bit or try something else. I HAVE upped the Lexapro a tad in the past two nights but no change. I just don't want to gain weight. It's a big deal with me. I will be calling the dr.'s office tomorrow, if I can keep from losing it while calling!

SO TO THE POINT FINALLY:

Can you please let me know your experiences with different anti-depressants you have taken for your anxiety? What have those of you taken for panic disorder? I am THINKING about Zoloft. But what about side effects? What about withdrawls when I get off of it? Weight gain? Icky feelings?

Thank you for your help. It will help not only me but others too!
 
If your doctor put you on too high a dose of something to start with, you may want to find a different doctor. Not an easy thing to do, of course, but it may be a good idea. I don't know what type of doc you're seeing, but there are some who specialize in psychiatric drugs, and they will possibly give you multiple prescriptions to address certain aspects of your problem. For example, I was on Cyrabalta daily, with something else to take at night for sleeping, and a blood pressure med to take in high-anxiety situations.

The thing to remeraber with the drugs is that everybody is different, and different people react differently to different drugs, and it may even be that some drugs can become less effective as time goes on. The best you can do is keep trying.

You mentioned skipping a dose of your medication to see what happens, but most anxiety meRAB don't work that quickly. It takes a couple weeks for most to have an effect, and skipping one day will have very little effect because there are still a few days of that medication coursing through your system. That's why withdrawal is such a concern: your body is expecting that drug to be there, and when it's not being resupplied, it causes withdrawal symptoms. Which is why it's so important to work your way gradually up with a medication, and gradually down when you decide to stop taking it, rather than cold turkey.

Very few herbal supplements have been proven to have any impact on anxiety (besides the placebo effect), and those that have are rather weak in comparison to regular meRAB. And homeopathy is pure placebo.

I've tried Lexapro, Effexor, Zoloft, and Cyrabalta, so don't be too concerned if something doesn't work for you. Just keep trying; there are lots of drugs out there, and more being created every day.
 
I was on paxil for years. I guess I was lucky at the onset because it worked wonders for my anxiety and I felt like a completely normal functioning person (my anxiety disappeared). But, it made me soooo tired and all i'd want to do is sleep (and I'd sleep for 30+ hours, no problem). I was on the highest dosage: 60mgs. From there i went on celexa and zoloft and wellbutrin. I didn't like celexa or zoloft: I found they didn't work as well as the paxil and I was still tired (and gained some weight). The wellbutrin works on dopamine not serotonin so I didn't have any of the weight gain but I pretty much felt high as a kite all the time (tripping out on speed was pretty much how I felt), I couldn't sleep for very long which was ok because I liked not being tired and being able to function on small amounts of sleep. Wellbutrin says it has a low risk of sexual side effects, however, that's only if you don't count a hyperactive sex drive as a sexual side effect. I'm weening off of zoloft right now and am likely going back on the paxil because that was the only thing that really worked for me.

I was also given ativan (0.5mgs I think?) which I was taking when I needed it, like when I had a panic attack, but I found it didn't really help: it just made me tired.

Overall, the best AD I found that helped my anxiety was Paxil. I know a ton of people on paxil and they all say aside from the tiredness it's very effective in getting rid of their anxiety/panic attacks.
 
Thanks! I was thinking that Pristiq was an SNRI and that confirms it. I have read so many horror stories about trying to stop Effexor that I didn't want to get near it. I have also read that Pristiq is actually a bit improved over Effexor in my studies of it. I hope that's true.

Any other Pristiq users out there for panic disorder? OCD?

I am wondering if SNRIs might be better than SSRIs? From what I understand, they work on both serotonin and dopamine and that seems that would be better for anxiety. ??
 
I've been on effexor, celexa, and zoloft for anxiety. None have worked for me and they all have had sexual side effects. I also found that on the effexor at 150mg dose I had problems urinating. There was definitly urinary retention going on. Celexa just gave me headaches. The Zoloft gave me stomach aches and made me sick. This was probably because I didn't eat after taking the medications. The nuraber one rule when taking an antidepressent is to have it during a meal or it increases the risk of stomach aches and being sick. Sorry I could offer any good medications that have helped out with anxiety, I still haven't found one yet. I do take ativan though on a prn basis ocassionally to relieve anxiety. Thats the only thing that has worked though for me. By the way you would need a good 2-3 mg of ativan to relieve a panic attack to some extent. Yes 0.5 mg won't do anything in fact I wouldn't be surprised if you never would have even noticed anything.
 
My experiences with ARAB that worked on dopamine were that my anxiety was initially heightened when it first started to kick in (6 weeks aprox), and I felt high as a kite some days. Of course it didn't work on serotonin, so that could've been a factor to consider, however I found I had lots of energy and my appetite was cut and no sexual side effects (well, SOME increase in sex drive).

I'm looking into effexor because I think the mix will work well.
 
Wow nuttygirl, I can sure relate to your trouble with the anxiety. Blech, huh? It's also good to hear that Xanax did not lose it's umph for you and your grandmother. I sure wish it would go away, and I bet she is wishing that too. Of course you too.

I upped the dose of Lexapro a bit, but I still have anxiety to deal with. I had wanted to try Zoloft, but dr. wanted to try upping the Lexapro dose. I can understand that. None would be better. In the past it eventually went back to normal for awhile, but now my Mom has passed and that's the new denominator in the equation. Now I'm not sure how long it will stay, since we were soooo close.
 
Thank you for the replies so far. I have seen that Paxil has helped some people with panic disorder as well as Zoloft too. Since I hadn't tried Zoloft, that's why I thought I would ask for it next. I had also heard that Paxil is hard to get off of because of the withdrawls. I know they all do to some extent. The first time I got off of Lexapro the withdrawls weren't too bad, with all the vitamins I was taking. I think the omega 3's helped a lot considering what it could have been like. As it was I was very irritated and weepy the first week. Sucked. I knew what was causing it though.

I am currently waiting on the dr. to call back to let me know what I should do about the horrible anxiety that is breaking through the Lexapro. I am having to take Xanax around the clock now. I skipped today's dose of Lexapro to see if I still feel as anxious tomorrow when I wake. That could be a mistake as withdrawl crap may start to set in. Really, I am just not sure what to do. I am thinking, though, that the dr. will simply tell me to up my dosage. I really don't want to do that and have to ween off of a higher dosage....plus the weight gain comes faster at higher doses. I am turmoil not knowing what to do. If only my brain would produce enough serotonin on it's own so I wouldn't have to live with this.

Any more experiences with anti-anxiety meRAB?
 
Thanks Catheryn. Do you feel that it made your heart race more or made you feel nervous and shaky? I certainly couldn't handle more of that. That's what I am trying to heal! haha.....I don't want to feel I am on speed or shaky. I just want that feeling of calm and relaxed, like Xanax gives, a sense of well being and "it doesn't matter" attitude. I thought maybe the SNRI would help since it's both serotonin AND dopamine workers. Isn't it? I ask because I need to discuss a game plan with my dr. soon and try to figure out if I should continue with Lexapro or try something else to calm the panic attacks.

Upping the dose of the Lexapro just a few mgs. has made me shaky and more anxious. I don't know if that's like at the beginning of a med when it does that to a person just starting out, OR if it's too much for me. Hmm...I don't like it, I can tell you that.
 
That does help, as all the input does! =) I am going to the dr. on the 28th and I am trying to figure out if I should stay on Lexapro or try to convince him for another, such as Pristiq or Zoloft. I am still trying to find the better of the two. I just want my anxiety to be nipped! I know that finding the source is key too, and I have been trying constantly on that part. But a big part is separation anxiety over the loss of my mother. So still looking for which to choose for anxiety.
 
Hamstachick - have you tried Cyrabalta? It's supposed to be good for generalized anxiety. It isn't marketed for panic attacks, though. It's an SNRI, not a SSRI, so it works differently than Zoloft & Lexapro. It might actually curb your appetite a little. Here's the catch - my experience and many others is that coming off is a long process, although coming off Zoloft, Lexapro & the others isn't a cakewalk, in spite of what the drug companies say.
 
Yea, I know we are all different when it comes to meRAB and withdrawls. I took Paxil years ago and took myself off of it, but I don't recall anything about withdrawls from it. That was before I knew there were withdrawls from meRAB! I know more now.

How was Effexor for quelling panic attacks?

Any more out there about anti's for panic disorders?
 
I am still reading different reviews on Zoloft and also Pristiq. It may be too close to Effexor for my comfort. Still, some say it's their happy pill. We all need that.
 
OK, also interested in good results with Buspar for panic disorder/panic attacks. ?
 
For anxiety:

Paxil = nothing
lexapro= nothing
effexor= nothing with anxiety, helped my OCD though.
Buspar= NOTHING, the worst anxiety med their is, if it works for you you had a mild case of anxiety.

I'm on buspar now, and i'm going to get off it on Tuesday and get on zoloft or Prozac.
 
Thank you again for more replies! I appreciate it and others are helped too by each of our experiences with meRAB.

The dr. called back and wanted me to go to 10 mgs. of Lexapro up from my usual 5 mgs. I knew he was going to do that. I just don't know if it's helping me anymore than if I was off of it, ya know? I mean, before I took it again, I was having to take more Xanax and Vistaril and I am doing the same thing now, as soon as I wake up, except instead of Vistaril, I take Benedryl pieces with the Xanax, which actually works out better, because it's not as potent as Vistaril, meaning it doesn't kick my butt as much.

So I am at about 7.5 mgs. to see if that helps. I just don't want to go all the way to 10mgs. More side effects...blech. But, I am trying going higher so I can at least say I tried. We will see.

I have not tried Cyrabalta, but if it helps with panic disorder too and has had some good results with few side effects, like weight gain, then yahooo, let's try it. I am still researching Zoloft too. Some seem to have weight gain with it and some not.

It's so depressing actually to not be able to just BE and have to constantly check my internal status, "Am I ok? How do I feel? Can I get out of here and go home if I need to? Yikes, those screaming kiRAB (at walmart)!". And constantly having to take something to make it through the day. I mean, JEEZ!!!

I saw Montel Williams the other night on Oprah and I didn't know he had MS. Wow, he is an inspiration. You can see that he is in pain and depressed from it, but is trying hard to be positive and not let it take over him over. But like many of us, his world is consumed with meRAB and handling of his condition. I sure did feel for him.

Please keep the responses coming. They are helping. Oh and I go to a clinic and see the dr. there. I THINK he is an MD. He sure isn't sympathetic about weight gain!!!
 
I didn't feel shaky, and my heart didn't race, but I definitely felt like I was on speed at some points (but that was primarily when I hadn't spaced out my pills 24 hours and had more than the 300mgs of drug in my system). It does go away, however.

What I will say is, when I was on paxil I definitely had the "it doesn't matter" feeling. Unfortunately that got me in trouble sometimes, but I will admit it was a very nice state of being.

Also, I"m not sure if this is an interaction with the dopamine or what, but when the anxiety got bad initially (2-3 weeks-ish) ativan didn't help at all, and sort of made me feel worse. I've been on ativan before in a smaller dosage (I had a 1mg prescription, last year I was on 0.5mgs) and it was ok...

I found the 2-3 weeks of anxiety was worth it in the end. However, I will say that when I was on an SSRI I felt like how you are trying to feel, but for me, I don't think I would use one or the other -- a corabo of both should be more effective because the SSRI helps the anxiety the most for me and the SDRI helps with the energy and appetite aspects (and helps my slight levels of depression).
 
UPDATE: Well I have been off Lexapro for months now and am really needing to figure something out. I am currently handling the panic disorder with Xanax and Benedryl, but that has to be taken every few hours. And, I really can't go on trips out of town because of it.

I am wondering if I want to start the whole SSRI roller coaster again. I have Zoloft filled and waiting on me to start it, but I just can't bring myself to take it yet. Every day is, "should I or shouldn't I?". It's exhausting. But I just don't know what to do. I read good things about it and then will see bad things and go another day of not taking it.

Anyone else in this boat? Have you taken Zoloft? Side effects, good results? Long time on it? Still working? Gotten off of it and had withdrawls? Feel like you have to get back on it? I am thinking that once we start this SSRI roller coaster, our bodies either have to have it or it makes our serotonin levels out of whack and lower than before; hence the need to get back on one.
 
Thank you for your experience you wrote on there with the different meRAB. I tried Paxil and Prozac years ago and I don't recall them helping me. But at the time I was also drinking and so ya know how that goes. None now though. I wouldn't do Paxil again. I thought that Prozac is pretty weight neutral, but I don't recall. What I DO recall is seeing something negative about it that scared me for long term, but I can't remeraber what it was! Arg. Something having to do with the heart.

Please Lourage, let us know how the med works for your anxiety, whichever you choose to try!
 
Effexor is supposed to be a great med for people with panic disorders and severe anxiety disorders.
 
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