What can I do about my anxiety disorder if SSRIs increase my RLS

[gordeo]

I have been taking Zoloft 200 mg for severe anxiety disorder for over 20 years with good success. About 2 years ago I started getting RLS. Last spring, I cut back to 50 mg over a 3 month period and the RLS went away. I was sleeping 7 hrs a night and felt great.

Then, all of a sudden, I started getting panic attacks and could not sleep at all. Terrible anxiety and no sleep for days. Went to sleep doc and he put me on klonopin and told me to go back up on the Zoloft. Got a little better for a while but the RLS is back and the Zoloft no longer works. I get terrible side-effects from the klonopin and lack of sleep from RLS. I need something to re-balance my brain chemistry. This is the worst I have ever felt, and I have been thru some bad stuff.

Sorry to post so much but I think I am getting better info here than from my sleep doc.

[Hidden]

I realise how difficult it is to deal with excessive anxiety in your life. I also have suffered generalised anxiety for many years. It seems to be part of my nature.

Luckily, it has been at its most worst only when events have exacerbated it so I have only resorted to medication for my anxiety on a few occasions and even managed without on other occasions i.e. divorce.

I have written on here several times that really, long term use of antidepressants is neither recommended nor advisable and actually, in the longer term, counterproductive. Using antidepressants rather than learning strategies for dealing with anxiety is, in some respects too easy and also causes dependence.

You will become aware of this dependence when you try to reduce any long term medication you're using. It's easy to confuse withdrawal effects with "relapse".

On the other hand it does require great effort, I think, to change ourselves and the way we react to life generally. I understand that.

However, I would suggest that if at the moment there are no significant negative events in your life that you do try to find ways of managing your anxiety.

I would suggest you look into trying some psychological therapy.

In particular you may find CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) and Mindfulness CBT of particular value.

I'm afraid there is no easy answer.

I'm not suggesting you entirely and immediately stop taking an antidepressant. It may be that you can find one however, that hasn't such a drastic effect on your RLS.

Trazodone is a possible alternative to the more commonly used antidepressants which some say doesn't affect RLS. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how effective it is for anxiety and in addition it has some qjuite worryiong side effects of its own.

Another antidepressant commonly suggested as RLS safe is bupropion, known as Wellbutrin in the US.,

Yoiu may receive other suggestions as well.

I would still try some psychological therapy as well.

The other thing is finding a RLS medication that's effective for you.

I note you only recently started taking gabapentin and perhaps you need to give this more of a chance to work for you. As well as relieving RLS it can relieve anxiety.

[Highlighters in reply to Hidden]

Your manerva, I think we are on the same level, would luv to get to know u better?

[DicCarlson]

This is an interesting thread on Phoenix Rising regarding supplements to alleviate anxiety... forums.phoenixrising.me/thr...

[Sampsie in reply to DicCarlson]

B vitamins, magnesium and vitamin C are all used by the body for stress and anxiety and needed to prevent it so it's well worth adding these as supplements and checking you get them in your diet.

All the best.

[SMPR]

Citalapram started off my Restless Legs. I had to wean myself off the drug because my legs were so bad. Doctor told me that ssri's were no longer an option and put me on an older antidepressant called Nortriptyline. Was on that for a couple of years but found it wasnt really helping with my anxiety. I take one clonazapam. 0. 5mg every eve which makes me sleepy. I find it calms my nerves and makes me less anxious. I've been on the low dose now for nearly 3 years. I've been told that CBD oil can help with anxiety. I've been given a link to a company in the Midlands, England. Ive had good feedback, I'm going to try and see if it helps me. Propranolol, a beta blocker can help anxiety too. Doctor can prescribe a low dose.

[Hidden]

That was a difficult choice for me. Fluoxetime (Prozac and it is also marketed here in the USA as Serafem for premenstrual syndrome) was the first selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and was introduced to general medical use in 1986. I had a horrible major depressive episode and started on Prozac in 1996, Within in a week, I felt wonderful. I had highs and lows like everyone else but that horrible dark cloud that had been following me for years just vanished. I did not equate the increase in RLS with the Prozac until I read something about it 5 years later.

Other SSRI's include sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro) paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva, Brisdelle). and fluvoxamine (Luvox). I have tried each one of these drugs except Luvox and had side effects from them. All of them make my RLS worse; additionally, Zoloft delayed orgasm uncomfortably and Paxil made me anorgasmic no matter what I did.

I was finally started on bupropion HCL XL (Wellbutrin XL). It did not augment my RLS and is know not to do that. I feel different on it, though. With Prozac, I felt all warm and fuzzy. I do not feel that way on Wellbutrin. I am not depressed but it is more of a cold prickly mental state rather than a warm fuzzy mental state. It is worth it to not have the depression and not to have my RLS increased.

I do agree that the less medications I need to take the better. That said, I do not feel like a failure because I have been unable to come off antidepressants. I have tried a number of times and the depression comes back despite having a great life with a loving husband and few worries in my life. There is something wrong with my brain chemistry and these drugs do help for me. If I had type 1 diabetes, I would never consider dropping my insulin. It is the same thing with my depression and antidepressants.

Hope this helps.

for what it is worth . . .

Jerold in Citrus Park, FL USA