What meds do you guys take, if any for anxiety?
Does it work? How does it make you feel?
If you don’t, why not?
Meds : What meds do you guys take, if... - Anxiety and Depre...
Meds
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vp_tx210
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62 Replies
•
I use Ativan. It definitely does work, but it can make you drowsy.
It works, but benzos are addictive as hell. Be careful. I love Lorazepam-my holy grail. But I’m becoming more dependent on it every day.
I use lorazepam to but. I whined myself off of one does. I just take it at night to sleep. What I learned that you need to control the pill and not let it control you.
Yes, benzos must be used carefully. You can't just stop them "cold turkey" or you run the risk (according to my doc) of withdrawal symptoms and a possible seizure. My doc told me that to get off them you must taper down gradually over a 10-day period to avoid any problems.
Everyone seems to respond a little differently to these meds. Someone said on here that Ativan actually made his or her anxiety worse! Personally, I've tapered off Ativan in the past with no ill effects when I no longer needed it.
• in reply tojkl5500
I thought you could only have them for 5 days max ? I'm so confused why I haven't been prescribed these when my anxiety has been so bad
jkl5500• in reply to
I am not a doctor, so I am not an expert on these meds. But as far as Ativan goes, I have been taking it for months (with my doc's approval, or she wouldn't keep writing the scripts) as needed, with an eye towards eventually tapering off it when things improve. I've tapered off of it in the past, and I'm slowly doing so again now.
• in reply tojkl5500
I'm really questioning my healthcare now, more than ever. I keep reading all the meds people have been given and psychotherapy etc ... I've had no quality of life for as far back as I can remember, I have learnt so much from this forum, one thing I have learnt is my healthcare has been appalling, I thought unless I took antidepressants which I had dire side effects from, there was nothing more they can do, the only reason I know about benzos now is because a mental health nurse wrote in my notes that I was clearly requesting benzos. For the absolute audacity, I thought only the hospital could prescribe the tablet they gave me when I couldn't cope. I live in daily pain from my anxiety, have to avoid almost everything I used to like to do, have no social life, don't see my friends, quit about 6 jobs, almost lost my house, and all along there was a medication that would have given me a lifeline when my anxiety became unbearable. The most I ever thought was possible was asking for a one off zopiclone sleeping tablets prescription to pull me out of the pits of despair and financial ruin, usually after I have sat in my house for months after quitting a job and suffering in silence. Even that 'luxury' got pulled from me when I changed my GP. Every time I think about the mental health nurse writing that I was 'clearly requesting benzos' my heart feels like it's going to pop out of my chest.
jkl5500• in reply to
I'm PM'ing you.
likachika• in reply to
I’m in the same boat, Onlyme. I had to quit college, and switch to online. I haven’t left the house in weeks (besides doctors and psychiatrists appointments). If you have had a history of substance abuse in the past (for example opiates), they won’t prescribe you benzos. Also any suicide attempts that have left you in the hospital is also unlikely. When talking to psychiatrists, you have to word everything carefully. Any hint of severe depression and they will not prescribe it. You also need to describe your anxiety and how bad it is to the fullest extent. Do not hold any of your symptoms back. If you do have depression that is not caused by anxiety; I don’t think benzos are the way to go. Also, not sure if you’ve ever tried it, but beta blockers mask a lot of the physical symptoms of anxiety (racing heart, dizziness). I’d ask your GP about that, perhaps. I hope all goes well for you!
• in reply tolikachika
I've never done substance abuse, the most I have done is tried weed almost 20 years ago and that was very short lived because it made me an anxious wreck. I've also never tried to commit suicide or even so much as threatened it, my depression comes from my anxiety, my life history should be a huge indicator as to why I have anxiety, statistically I would be expected to be an alcoholic or drug addict by now, when I read up on how certain life events can affect people. I've had seizures from my anxiety it's been that bad. I'm not a whnger, I don't run the doctor's every 2 minutes with every problem I face. I just crack on with it, I have tried propranalol it does help with the physical symptoms, but it worsens my insomnia, so it's a vicious cycle. I need to know exactly what I have been diagnosed with as far as I know it is depression and anxiety from my old GPS. I don't think my old gp ever referred me to a psychiatrist or psychologist, but I can't be certain. What I do know is, I have never spoken to someone long enough to explain everything that's going on with me. When I did get 2 hours with a private psychiatrist he believed I had ADHD, I struggled to understand it, and because he asked me to gather information from my childhood and life, it sent me into a frenzy, because I spend my life blocking out all the things that have happened. So I ended up not going back to him, when I finally accepted that he could be right, after researching ADHD and monitoring my own behaviours and reactions, but my GP and me to a CMHT and refused to give me sleeping tablets or anything for my insomnia which resulted in me convincing myself I was bipolar again. They put me on antipsychotics without even trying me on anti anxiety meds and something to help me sleep or refer me to an ADHD specialist. So basically it seems they didn't even try to treat to my anxiety and insomnia they left me to turn delusional from lack of sleep and then gave me anti psychotics after I explained, what had been happening.
I was given ativan and felt tired. I’m currently not taking anything... I’ve tried several before and didn’t like it
Seroxat and Xanax. Have some minor side effects but it tremendously helped me. I honestly don’t know how I would push trough if I wasn’t prescribed meds.
I took Prozac before but stopped due to severe side effects which made me hospitalized
what were the side effects
I know the struggle. I've been searching for the correct meds to tackle my anxiety and it feels like a neverending battle. I finally got myself off of Effexor which wasn't helping me and had ridiculous withdrawal symptoms. Hopefully we both find medication that works for us!
• in reply toKittenNugget
Hi
I noticed you said that you've got off venaflaxine , how did you do this , I'm really struggling, still on 18.5g .
Thanks
I take Buspar. It works good. Still have anxiety but much less. I quit the bipolar ones. They comatose me and are very risky.
Antidepressants won't help anxiety.
Elfje• in reply to
True
Lm92• in reply to
I have to disagree. I've taken both Zoloft and Lexapro at various times over the last 20 years and the effect on my Generalized Anxiety Disorder was and has been extremely successful.
are you dependent on them?
I'm not dependent on them as in an addiction. I've come off them at various times over the years by tapering off with my doctor's help, but for me and my GAD, it works best for me to stay on an antidepressant continually. Everyone is different, but SSRIs like the medication I'm on is far different from benzodiazapenes like Xanax and Ativan that are highly addictive.
• in reply toLm92
If you've been on the anti depressants for years do you class that as dependency or addiction ? They both work for anxiety and they are both taken for anxiety, what's the difference between dependency and addiction on medication that works ?
Thicks75• in reply to
Sertline has both. For depression and anxiety
Ativan and Medical Marijuana.
how does medical marijuana feel do you take oil? smoke it or something else?
If MMJ is done correctly, you don’t take enough to get “high”. A small micro dose of vaporized marijuana relieves physical and mental symptoms of anxiety and stress for me for a limited time. So, it feels like less anxiety and stress. Use it too much, and it stops working.
prozac in the morning and it helps til night time. THen I take trazodone at bedtime not only is it antidepressant it helps with my insomnia. Was on Buspar but the dr i'm seeing told me that it doesnt really work.
I was given klonopin, it’s easier on the kidneys & long acting so you really have to take often or a high dose, also magnesium works.
Klonopin here too. It does make me tired so I generally take it at night.
What dose?
I'll take one 0.5 mg for anxiety, two of them at night for sleep. I mostly take it for sleep.
Oh okay...I was gonna say .5 gets the job done pretty good, I sometimes would even split the .5
I sometimes split the 0.5 too for social anxiety. It is if I'm going to be in a situation that makes me uncomfortable.
Yeah I have agoraphobia with major panic disorder
I have to take my meds. I take lamictal (a life changer for me), Cymbalta and ambien.
What happens if y’all stop taking your meds??
• in reply tovp_tx210
Bad moods. Mine is a mood stabilizer. I feel restless and pissy.
The anxiety comes back. So far I've never really had any other side effects from being off the medication.
That's different depending how you stop them. Any mental health meds have to be weaned off. Effexor is horrible if you don't taper. I have PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety. I take regular daily meds. It helps the PTSD and anxiety if I stay leveled daily, the PTSD and anxiety isn't as bad. I take Wellbutrin, effexor, trileptal, and trazadone and prozasin to sleep. Sleep is vital, if you are sleeping well or long anxiety and such will be worse. That's why daily meds help me. Good luck!!
Hugs!!
Darla-VA
• in reply toTech4hokies
This is what I was told about quetiapine, I had no side effects at all, just the original problem why I took them insomnia and anxiety, my anxiety and emotions were all over the place when I was on them, I was crying non stop, now the tears have stopped, the memory loss has stopped, the swelling has started to go down, my skin picking has stopped. I was also told the same about zopiclone, I had no side effects coming off them either, I just got mega busy to exhaust myself. I couldn't have felt any worse than what I did whilst on quetiapine. I actually got that scared on them, I started to wonder if they could alter my brain to make me think I was suicidal, I knew that I wasn't and never would be, but thats how scared I was of losing my mind on them. I would never touch an antipsychotic again and I would never take a head med that I have to continue taking daily ever again. I think the tipping point came when I told my daughter to get her mum, and I couldn't remember significant dates and I got careless when looking after my grandson, not putting things out of reach etc ..things that my anxiety had usually come in handy for.
I take Prozac, buspar and trazadone. Trazadone is really good for sleep but doesn’t have much effect on anxiety. For the most part Prozac and buspar help. But I still have days where nothing helps. I’ve even purchased Ativan illegally and it doesn’t help sometimes.
Me Xanax but don't really help me maiby my maiby my doses is too low I don't know
I've tried several, I finally found one that's helping (Mirtazapine). Before this medication I couldn't eat, I forced one boiled egg and a cup of V8 juice a day and that stomach ache, went looking for a gun, didn't feel like living. Now I have a appetite and don't feel like Killing myself. Don't get me wrong, I still have issues, but it's something. I feel fine, no side effects. But someone else said they got addicted to it? I was off my meds for several days,. I didn't feel it?
I take effexor but no med supplement for anxiety as needed. I've used ativan in the past and it worked for what I needed at the time. Back then I was dealing with extreme agoraphobia so it was an absolute necessity. Now I'm trying to Hi use CBT and mindfulness techniques for my every day GAD. Though, if I were required to fly at some point I'd ask my Dr for an ativan Rx to deal with my sheer fright.
Hi,
I took Citalopram 10mg then 30mg for about 3 months - then I felt well enough to do without them. I just used them to help me dig my way out of the hole I was disappearing into - I felt they did that well. I manage well without them now. I still have bad days, but they are now outweighed by the good ones - whereas before it was the other way round.
Sue
Hi..I have had PTSD OCD depression and anxiety due to traumatic life events..I've never taken meds..have had councilling creative art therapy and CBT which has really helped..I'm not free of anxiety as it is a natural emotion as is anger and sadness ...I know how to manage my anxiety with the mind tools I was given by my therapist.no one will be completely rid of anxiety as we would jumping of roofs etc with no fear of our actions..to a certain extent it keeps us safe but when on overdrive it's not nice x
I have been on Zoloft for six years now. I started with the lowest dosage given. It was 25mg daily. I was soon increased to 50 mg. I now take 75 mg daily. I have been on this dose for 3 years now. They can give up to 200 mg daily. I am not a pill taker. I will never increase. I am a big talker. No matter the drug nor dose. There is no wonder drug to heal the pain with PTSD. It requires lots of talking. The Zoloft made me very drowsy at first. I finally started drinking coffee again and it helped. The caffeine keeps me awake. It just takes time for the drug to adjust and the drowsiness is not so bad. I find this drug helps me to not obsess over food. I was an Anorexic for 40 years. I have recently recovered. It helps to deal with the 50 years of repressed memories of why I became ill at 14. The new childhood rape memories. I will always be on Zoloft.
I take Xanax XR and Pristiq. But I’m currently coming off the pristiq. Nothing seems to work except for the Xanax. I have terrible anxiety and insomnia.
The Fact Of The Matter Is, There Are So Many Meds Out There That Work For & Against People Differently . Everybody's Body Chemistry Is Different... & EVERYTHING [ even something as simple as water or food ] Has Somekinda "Side Effects" On The Body...
Thank you all for sharing and continue to share this information... I’m not one for anxiety but my anxiety has it’s really bad days and I second guess my decision on taking meds. I’ve used cbd in the past and have always been able to recover to my normal life without panic attacks for years. But it’s getting a little hard this time. Once again, thank you all for sharing.
Xanax or muscle relaxers 
I use sertline and lorazepam. They work well.
I was taking xanax for a while. Then one day I walked in a gym... now I dont take any meds guess I got blessed.
xx
I take 20Im daily of Cipralex (Lexapro) and Trazadone at night for sleep. Sleep is essential to address issues. Also, CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy).
I used to take Paxil but my Dr. switched me to Ciprolex which helps with depression and mild anxiety. I tried mirtrazapine but it is very sedative. For severe anxiety, I was on clonazepam to break the anxiety hamster wheel but I'm not taking it anymore because any benzodiazepine (benzos) can be highly addictive. I see a reluctance in those struggling with mental health to take or remain on anti-depressants as if doing so is a failure on their part. But, if you had a physical illness such as diabetes, you would advocate prescribed medicine; possibly because we still feel the stigma around mental illness. I have stopped taking anti-depressants only to slide into a deeper depression so I have accepted that I need to stay on them.
Lexapro works really well for anxiety. It’s a new-ish drug, so there aren’t too many side effects.
Yes I take an anti anxiety anti depressant escitalopram. It seems to be helping. My anxiety is not as bad.
I currently take Zoloft (sertraline) and Klonopin (clonazepam) for my anxiety and it helps me get out more as I'm agoraphobic
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