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View Full Version : Meds that really work???



Brownie
19-01-04, 19:05
Hi all,
I was just wondering if any of you guys have actually found any meds that really worked completely taking the anxiety away??? Are there any meds that even do this???I'm on xanex xr and celexa which help alot but i still have alot of anxiety.

-Christie[:I]

stimpy
19-01-04, 22:02
I found Lustal Sertraline excellent.
How ever it doesn't suit everyone, and you still have to work to beat the anxiety.

Love, light and Best wishes
Liz xxx

[:p] Panic Monster & Scatty Eccentric

blossom
05-02-04, 17:03
Dear Radar I have been on Citoalpram for 5 months, and have not found it to be at all useful for the anxiety and panics, and am very weepy, I was on 20 mgs, but told my doctor they were not helping me very much, so he put me down to 10mgs to take at night, however I did this for two days, and the anxiety was drastic, so I upped them to 15mgs to try and ease the withdrawal syptoms, this I have been doing for 8 nights, and feel drastic, can you tell me how long it takes to come off them the best way. Last friday we received a letter from the surgery, asking us to find another doctor, as he seems to think there is a breakdown in our relationship, regarding the tablets, and he has been very bad tempered with me on two occasions, he even threw a book at me and told me to choose a tablet myself, I was astonished at his behaviour, however, we have to find another doctor by tomorrow,
. Problem is we have sold our house, and are in the midst of buying a bungalow, so none of the doctors will take us, until we have moved into the new house, so I am at my wits end. I am addicted to diazepam for over 30 years 20mgs, so how do we go on about getting a new prescription. We phoned the family practioner for Hertfordshire, and he said that if we did not find one, he may be able to help, but this is very worrying. I am agoraphobic, Monophobic, and panic attacks for over 40 years on and off, During the last 4 years, I have been taken off Seroxat cold turkey, and this is when the trouble really became bad. Would you please help me to know the safest way of withdrawing from Cipramil, as I feel so bad with the withdrawal, and the anxiety state I am in. I have spoken to the chat room about this, Please help me. thankyou Blossom.

benoo5
05-02-04, 17:38
hi blossom,

i found your post so distressing,that i just had to reply,i hope you dont mind!

firstly...there is no way,should anyone be prescribed valium for 30yrs!

coming off seroxat cold turkey,is a definite NO NO!

coming off any drug,has to be done very slowly,and under supervision...my sister was addicted to valium for 2yrs,and her doctor told her to just stop...so i had a quiet word in his ear...and i weaned her off,over a period of eight weeks...but i phoned her every nite,to check up on her.

no doctor would throw a book at any of my family..he needs reporting to your area health authority...he/she gets very well paid for seeing patients,and needs a reprimand.

you should be able to go to any doctor blossom..and sign on as a temporary patient..until your settled.

please dont run out of tablets...ime sure meg,will give you the right advice...thinking of you ..bryan xxx.

sarah
05-02-04, 18:50
Hiya Blossom

Im so sorry that you are having so much trouble. I agree with bryan, you can see a doctor as a temporary arrangement. Just explain the trouble you have had with your current one and tell them your past history with withdrawal and state that you need a new prescription so you can wean yourself off slowly.

Coming off these tablets needs to be done slowly for best effects and you need to be taking for example....
15mg monday, wednesday, thursday, friday, saturday, sunday and
10mg on the tuesday for 2 weeks

15mg monday, wednesday, thursday, saturday, sunday and
10mg on the tuesday and friday for 2 weeks

15mg monday, wednesday, thursday, saturday and
10mg on the tuesday, friday and sunday for 2 weeks

and keep going like this till you are off them, or at least stable on a lower dose.

this is just an example and I dont know if Meg (radar) would agree with me or if its too fast or too slow, but I have been slowly weaning myself off them for the last few months and am now on 10mg a day everyday and have not been that much worse than usual.

I hope this helps Blossom. I really do.

keep in touch

Love Sarah
xx

Meg
05-02-04, 18:59
Dear Blossom,

Regardless of what has or hasn't been done over the last time period you need to find a source of whatever you are on now as you mustn't stop any of them suddenly, although I hope you have a couple of weeks supply at least, so the 'tomorrow' isn't really as vital as it sounds.

You need to ring your FHSA office who will be able to allocate you a doctor near your new house and ensure you get registered there.It's one of their jobs to do this. Just tell them that you're moving and need to change doctors. If your current doctor is really refusing you care, he will need to let the FHSA know why this is when he sends your records back so they will be aware there are issues.

Equally, these records will be forwarded to wherever you go next so it is in your interest to get there and make a good impression before your records arrive.

When you visit you new doctor - try to make life easy for them . Take with you a sheet of paper with your recent - 3 years - medical history typed on it and what tablets you've been on etc
Tell them that you want to have your medications reviewed and would like to aim to come off your valium and ciprimil eventually and would they help you do this as you know it will be difficult.

Blossom, you will have to help yourself enormously. You will have withdrawal and you will have to put up with feeling awful in the short term. There is no other way to do it. Every day you feel grotty , it is a day closer to feeling better without being on the medication.

You will also have to push yourself to overcome your phobias and make some progress towards independence which may be difficult for you . If you are not prepared to do this, then it is not worth even discussing it with him.
You'll need to find some ways of motivating and distracting yourself to help you succeed.

If you are, then ask for some CBT help , a referral to the local mental health nurses team for some support and make a concerted effort. It's even harder to do this when you can arrange your life so you don't need to push yourself too hard so it is up to you to decide which choice to make.

The safest way of coming off Ciprimil is by being slow and consistent so from 20 once a day go to 10 twice a day for about 2 weeks, then 10 once a day and 5 once a day for about 2 weeks and so forth but this will need to be under a doctors guidance. He may prefer to get your valium down to 10 or 15 a day first as that's the one that is really causing the problems . But that choice is up to you.

I'm sorry if this sounds like I'm being hard, but it's realistic and it's totally your choice which way you'd like your new doctor to work with you.

Literally many thousands of people have been addicted to valium and have managed to come off it. You can be one of those people too but it will not be a walk in the park until you're off them.

Let us know what you decide and how you do.





Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

babs26
08-02-04, 18:45
Hi,
I am taking sertraline (lustral) and have found it has helped, but I started on 50mg in November and have had to up the dose to 150mg and am scared it will have to go up again as I am starting to get panic attacks again.

I was also on seroxat but fell pregnant and stopped cold turkey, boy it was awful with the nausea, panic, shaking and head shocks. I suffered really badly with panic at the end of my pregnancy and had to be put on sertraline as I was beginning to become agoraphobic and my hubby had to give up work to help me as I wasnt capable of functioning normally. Since my baby boy has ben born (he is now 8 weeks old) I have felt ok but the past two nights I have started to have panic attacks again and had to take diazepam which is something I am not happy about as I am terrified of becoming addicted to them.

I want to get better but dont want to rely on medication. I tried hypnotherapy and it helped a bit but i am at my wits end and dont know what to do.

stimpy
14-02-04, 03:32
I started taking Sertraline in September, a starting dosage of 50mg, then up to 100mg and now up to 150mg, to be reviewed in 3 months time.

So far I've tried Seroxat and venlafaxine both of which made me really ill.

Diazepam is a most magic medication, at one point I was taking 30mg a day.
Because it works so well it is easy to become dependant on it, and eventually it stops working and so you feel the need to take more and more to get the same effect.
Hence it is addictive, my Aunt has been trying to get off it for years.
As long as you take it with care and when you really need it, you shouldn't have a problem with it, and the more effective it will be when you really need it.

Think of medication as a support to help you through the difficult times.
Once you begin to feel well again, your doctor will start to reduce it and you may never need it again.

If you are still having problems at night, try leaving the hall light on and listening to talk radio, it may help you the same way as it helps me.

Love, light and Best wishes
Liz xxx

[:p] Panic Monster & Scatty Eccentric

blossom
14-02-04, 23:47
from Blossom
I was found a new doctor last week, by the \Family practioner for Hertfordshire, and unfortunstely, had to make an urgent appointment to see him last Friday 13th Friday, what a day to remember, it was not lucky for me. Well I told the new doctor that Citalopram after 5 months had not helped me at all, so he gave me a prescription for Escitalopram, ( Cipralex ) I was told by him that it was a different drug to Citalopam, but looking on the net, it appears to me just slightly different on some sites, but on one site, I noticced that the makers of the pill LUNDBECK were sued and lost the case, as they said the 20 year patent had finished on this pill, and had renamed it to Cipralex, Radar, can you please find out for me, as the side effects are really long and the same reading as Citalopram, I took my first one this morning, have been rough all day. I was too afraid to say too much to him being a new doctor, please can you post me what you know about this Cipralex ( or Escitalopram ) The panics have been awful today, and he never mentioned about the diazepam, but gave me some more, Please can you post on Medication or e mail me to blossombargh@hotmail.com so worried.

Meg
18-02-04, 22:09
Hi Blossom,

Escitalopram is virtually the same as Citalopram . It was hoped that the one change they made in the formulation would lead to it being more potent and being faster in starting to work but the research hasn't been conclusive in supporting this.

You're correct in thinking that it was launched as the patent ran out ....






Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

cathy
23-02-04, 15:18
Hello, is there anyone who can advise me? I have had anxiety all my life, together with emetophobia and depression. Two years ago the anxiety suddenly got a lot worse, due to great stress and I now get terrible nausea and diarrhoea after any stressful situation which, given my phobia, is no joke.
At Easter I have to go abroad, by plane, and I need desperately to know for certain if I can wholly trust Diazepam to stop this nausea happening. Just how good is it? (I've never taken it before).
Cathy

sarah
23-02-04, 18:39
Hi Cathy

I only suffer with nausea occasionally with my panic, but its enough for me to feel rough sometimes. Im mainly a heart beats fast and funny kind of girl.
However, I went to Ibiza in october and I was so convinced I wasnt going to make it on the plane...I truly was scared to death. I went to see my doctor and he gave me some diazapam 2mg tablets. My flight was at 10pm and I felt really nervous the minute I woke that morning. Anyway, I took one 2mg at noon, one 2mg at 5ish and one at 9.45 as we were boarding and bizarely enough, I had a great flight, was laughing and smiling and looking foreward to my holiday.
So I guess from my experience it did work, I sometimes take one tablet if im going on a big night out and manage to stay to the end.

My advice... ask your doctor and tell him how you feel, they commonly give out diazapam for nervous flyers, and get to the airport early so you can sit near the loo's if you think you need to.

Good luck and hope you have a great time. Let us know how you get on?

love Sarah
xx

Meg
23-02-04, 19:44
Cathy,

Try a very carbonated soft drink like tonic water (not just fanta or sprite ) when the nausea first starts and induce a good burp or two. This usually stops the real nausea progressing .



Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

pauline
23-02-04, 20:21
Hi Blossom

Just thought i'd tell you what my councellor said today about Escitalopram which she is thinking that perhaps i might try as i to have been on 10mg of Citalopram for about 6 weeks and they have not helped me at all. She said that Escitalopram is supposed to be a newer drug than Citalopram and has had more success in treating anxiety and panic than citalopram. Could you cut your tabs up and start really low dosage thats what i did with citalopram and the side effects were not to bad. Have to say hate taking tabs so anxiety is always higher after taking meds.

Sarah i loved your post i would need tranquillers to get me on plane to but i like the bit where you said when you woke up how nice is it that you slept i tell ya i would not sleep for a week if not longer if i new i was going on a plane.

Take care
Pauline

pjpriest

sarah
23-02-04, 21:43
Pauline

When I say sleep, I think I meant I passed out through nervous exhaustion...lol

love Sarah
xx

cathy
24-02-04, 13:36
Hello Sarah
Thanks so much for your reply - I'll definately take the Diazepam and just knowing it really does work has made me feel a lot easier about the flight already.
Ta again, Cathy

sarah
24-02-04, 16:46
Hi Cathy

No probs, I just hope you have a good time and relax.

love Sarah
xx

fran
08-04-04, 15:28
blossom - i have just started this week to reduce my 20mg a day cpiralex - my doctor has told me to take 20mg one day and then 10 the next, alternating each day, for 3 weeks. hv only been doing this since monday so dont know yet how i am going to feel.has anyone else come off cipralex because they feel they are getting better, and if so how did it go. i still suffer from agraphobia,but i am pretty good if someone is with me when i go out but if on my own dont stray too far. have managed one stop on a bus on my own. a big milestone for me, although i can go shopping on my own as long as its not too far away from home. driving is alot better than it was - at my worst i couldnt even get in a car. listening to you blossom i know how you feel - perhaps you can reduce the diazepam a bit as it only masks the problem instead of getting to the route of it. i found an excellent book which i worked through called feel the fear and do it anyway by susan jeffers - my husband bought it for me - and i still refer to it sometimes. i write down my successes however small every day in the form of a diary and hv been doing this for eighteen months now.:D
quote:Originally posted by blossom

Dear Radar I have been on Citoalpram for 5 months, and have not found it to be at all useful for the anxiety and panics, and am very weepy, I was on 20 mgs, but told my doctor they were not helping me very much, so he put me down to 10mgs to take at night, however I did this for two days, and the anxiety was drastic, so I upped them to 15mgs to try and ease the withdrawal syptoms, this I have been doing for 8 nights, and feel drastic, can you tell me how long it takes to come off them the best way. Last friday we received a letter from the surgery, asking us to find another doctor, as he seems to think there is a breakdown in our relationship, regarding the tablets, and he has been very bad tempered with me on two occasions, he even threw a book at me and told me to choose a tablet myself, I was astonished at his behaviour, however, we have to find another doctor by tomorrow,
. Problem is we have sold our house, and are in the midst of buying a bungalow, so none of the doctors will take us, until we have moved into the new house, so I am at my wits end. I am addicted to diazepam for over 30 years 20mgs, so how do we go on about getting a new prescription. We phoned the family practioner for Hertfordshire, and he said that if we did not find one, he may be able to help, but this is very worrying. I am agoraphobic, Monophobic, and panic attacks for over 40 years on and off, During the last 4 years, I have been taken off Seroxat cold turkey, and this is when the trouble really became bad. Would you please help me to know the safest way of withdrawing from Cipramil, as I feel so bad with the withdrawal, and the anxiety state I am in. I have spoken to the chat room about this, Please help me. thankyou Blossom.


fran

Caitlyn89
30-05-04, 02:32
How do you induce burping. I cant do it lol even after drinking pepsi...the only time i do it is right b4 i puke. With me being an emetophobic burping is very ummm SCARY!

twister
30-05-04, 12:44
If I drink Pepsi or Coke I burp very easily!

Emily

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit
Understanding is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad

nomorepanic
30-05-04, 16:25
Meg swears by tonic water so you could try that instead of Pepsi or Coke.

Just an idea.

Nicola

blossom
10-07-05, 21:58
Blossom

I am still on 20 mgs of Valium a day, and know when the dose I took previously is wearing off, so I have never had the nerve to come off the, after 35 years, I think its a bit late now to try, as I still have the panics, and now depression has set in. I also still take 10mgs of Cipralex, is anyone on the Cipralex that has helped them. I go to my doctord, and he doesnt want to know, also been put on 160mgs of Propranalol a day for high BP, but since I have been on them, always got a muzzy head, any hints please.

Kitty M
14-07-05, 22:19
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">Blossom

I am still on 20 mgs of Valium a day, and know when the dose I took previously is wearing off, so I have never had the nerve to come off the, after 35 years, I think its a bit late now to try, as I still have the panics, and now depression has set in. I also still take 10mgs of Cipralex, is anyone on the Cipralex that has helped them. I go to my doctord, and he doesnt want to know, also been put on 160mgs of Propranalol a day for high BP, but since I have been on them, always got a muzzy head, any hints please.

<div align="right">Originally posted by blossom - 10 July 2005 : 20:58:42</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">I'm new here, and don't know how to Post Correctly! I just wanted to send you Hugs, Blossom!

(((((((Blossom)))))))

<div align="right">Originally posted by Kitty M - 14 July 2005 : 21:15:39</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">