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Thread: Anxiety medication - what’s your experience?

  1. #1
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    Anxiety medication - what’s your experience?

    Hi everyone,

    I have been battling with health anxiety for so long and It’s been worse after having COVID over a month ago. I feel like I should get on some type of anxiety medication to at least take the edge off and help get rid of the adrenaline and fast heart beat feeling.

    Any recommendations? I am going to speak to my doctor but I’ve always been the type to be scared of taking any new medication.

    What have you taken? How was your experience? Is there anything low dosed that can at least help take the edge off? Any side effects?

    Thank you!

  2. #2
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    Re: Anxiety medication - what’s your experience?

    Quote Originally Posted by anxious_thoughts View Post
    I feel like I should get on some type of anxiety medication to at least take the edge off and help get rid of the adrenaline and fast heart beat feeling.
    A beta-blocker such as propranolol should ease the epinephrine, aka adrenaline, surge and associated increased heart and respiration rates of the flight-or-fight response, however, they don't directly affect anxiety and there are better treatment options, imo.

    Any recommendations? I am going to speak to my doctor but I’ve always been the type to be scared of taking any new medication.
    Anxiety disorders (also depression) are the emotional symptoms of a brain dysfunction, atrophy of the two hippocampal regions of the brain caused by high brain stress hormone levels, mostly cortisol, killing hippocampal brain cells and inhibiting the growth of new ones. It is arguably an auto-immune reaction. Both antidepressants and the cognitive, behavioural (CBT, REBT) and mindfulness therapies stimulate the growth of new hippocampal neurons. It is these new neurons and the connections they form which produce the therapeutic response.

    Is there anything low dosed that can at least help take the edge off?
    For a more direct effect than that of propranalol, you could try the prescription antihistamine hydroxyzine which has fairly good anti anxiety properties (hydroxyzine comes in two forms, hydroxyzine pamoate (Vistaril) and hydroxyzine hydrochloride (Atarax). Anecdotally, the pamoate form is claimed to be the more effective for anxiety). Benzodiazepines such as diazepam (Valium) should be avoided as they can have the same affect on hippocampal neurons as cortisol (as does alcohol and the THC in cannabis, btw).

    However, imo, antidepressants and/or therapy are the better treatment options.

    Any side effects?
    Both propranolol and hydroxyzine can be sedating and propranolol may reduce the heart rate and impact physical activity to some extent. Antidepressants may have more severe side-effects at the beginning although this is by no means a certainty as most have none to mild symptoms, but these can be mitigated by starting on a low dose and ramping it up by small increments over a few weeks to the recommended starting dose.

    The important thing is to get the anxiety under control as unrelieved stress has long-term impacts on health.
    __________________
    The opinions expressed above are based on my observations and, where applicable, interpretation of cited data and are general in nature. Consult your physician before acting on anything stated.

  3. #3
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    Re: Anxiety medication - what’s your experience?

    Quote Originally Posted by panic_down_under View Post
    A beta-blocker such as propranolol should ease the epinephrine, aka adrenaline, surge and associated increased heart and respiration rates of the flight-or-fight response, however, they don't directly affect anxiety and there are better treatment options, imo.



    Anxiety disorders (also depression) are the emotional symptoms of a brain dysfunction, atrophy of the two hippocampal regions of the brain caused by high brain stress hormone levels, mostly cortisol, killing hippocampal brain cells and inhibiting the growth of new ones. It is arguably an auto-immune reaction. Both antidepressants and the cognitive, behavioural (CBT, REBT) and mindfulness therapies stimulate the growth of new hippocampal neurons. It is these new neurons and the connections they form which produce the therapeutic response.



    For a more direct effect than that of propranalol, you could try the prescription antihistamine hydroxyzine which has fairly good anti anxiety properties (hydroxyzine comes in two forms, hydroxyzine pamoate (Vistaril) and hydroxyzine hydrochloride (Atarax). Anecdotally, the pamoate form is claimed to be the more effective for anxiety). Benzodiazepines such as diazepam (Valium) should be avoided as they can have the same affect on hippocampal neurons as cortisol (as does alcohol and the THC in cannabis, btw).

    However, imo, antidepressants and/or therapy are the better treatment options.



    Both propranolol and hydroxyzine can be sedating and propranolol may reduce the heart rate and impact physical activity to some extent. Antidepressants may have more severe side-effects at the beginning although this is by no means a certainty as most have none to mild symptoms, but these can be mitigated by starting on a low dose and ramping it up by small increments over a few weeks to the recommended starting dose.

    The important thing is to get the anxiety under control as unrelieved stress has long-term impacts on health.
    Thanks so much for the informative response!!

  4. #4
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    Re: Anxiety medication - what’s your experience?

    [QUOTE=anxious_thoughts;2036715]Thanks so much for the informative response!!

    Benzodiazepines like Valium shouldn’t be avoided if you need them because taken only when really really needed they are a life saver when it comes to anxiety, if someone feels anything other than being a bit calmer than they were before they took them they are taking to much.

    I have been taking Valium only when really really needed for 9 years and have never did anything like the stupid things I have did while being drunk.

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    Re: Anxiety medication - what’s your experience?

    [QUOTE=Sandra1980;2037065]
    Quote Originally Posted by anxious_thoughts View Post
    Thanks so much for the informative response!!

    Benzodiazepines like Valium shouldn’t be avoided if you need them because taken only when really really needed they are a life saver when it comes to anxiety, if someone feels anything other than being a bit calmer than they were before they took them they are taking to much.

    I have been taking Valium only when really really needed for 9 years and have never did anything like the stupid things I have did while being drunk.
    How about Ativan? My doctor just prescribed me some. I had major night time panic last night and didn’t sleep at all. Was thinking of trying one tonight to get some sleep

    My stomach keeps getting the roller coaster sensation and it wakes me up right when I drift to sleep.

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    Re: Anxiety medication - what’s your experience?

    Weird one for me..

    I was on anxiety meds (Citalopram) in the early 2000s with no problem. That is until I started to mix them with alcohol, and then I got a bit bolshy..

    My doc put me back on the same medication in 2017 and this time I reacted badly to them. Turned out I have MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity) but they worked Ok for me first time. Of course, they didn't sort out the root cause of my anxiety/depression (meds generally can't do that) but they helped me to function a little better, but I do recall those first few weeks being a bit funky on the brain..

    As I said to you on the other thread, meds can be helpful for some people but not others. The only way you will find out if they are right for you is to take one but understand that there may be an initial surge of anxiety symptoms and for a few weeks. For this reason, I wouldn't take your first pill at bedtime. Take it earlier in the day and see how you react?
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    Re: Anxiety medication - what’s your experience?

    Quote Originally Posted by Laurenregina View Post
    My GP also won’t prescribe me this for my anxiety. I am devastated because it’s changed my mums life for the better.
    to NMP,

    Pregabalin is one of a number of meds which work well for some, but not for most. While your mother's positive experience increases the chances you will also benefit from it this is by no means a certainty. Antidepressants (ADs) are generally a better option.
    __________________
    The opinions expressed above are based on my observations and, where applicable, interpretation of cited data and are general in nature. Consult your physician before acting on anything stated.

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