Crippling Anxiety and Panic but can't tolerate SSRIs - need advice.
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Anonymous
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Since being pregnant and delivering my now 18-month old I have had severe anxiety attacks and panic attacks. These episodes include tachycardia, blood pressure spikes, feelings of depersonalizations, irritability, and shaking. I've had full work ups done for thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal tumors, cardiac EKG and echocardiogram, also hormones, and all have been within normal ranges. My doctor and I are at a loss. We have tried SSRI drugs but I cannot tolerate them at all and they make the symptoms flare up even at 1/4 of the starting dose (I have tried lexapro, zoloft, and amitriptyline). None worked. All aggravated the panic. The only thing that helps with the physical Attacks and symptoms is a beta blocker but it makes my bloodpressure sooo low when I am not having anxiety (100/53).
For anyone with GAD and panic disorder, what have you tried that isn't an SSRI that has worked? I really don't want to become dependent on benzos like Ativan. Plus they make me feel kind of loopy. Could this be hormonal? I am 41 and had my third child at 39, which is when this whole mess started. I cannot help but wonder if it's related to the pregnsncy somehow. I am not typically depressed. Just anxious. But feel like I am in a downward spiral and drugs aren't working. |
Anonymous
| OP again - to add, I also get weird adrenaline rushes, night sweats and tachycardia, and extreme symptoms around ovulation and PMS. What is going on here? And what can I do about it? |
Anonymous
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I've generally responded better to atypicals than SSRIs. Wellbutrin was best for me because it helped depression too. Effexor was probably the most effective, but it messed up my brain in other ways (just never felt right) and is extremely extremely hard to get off of. Physical dependence is insane and it took me a year to wean off. I'd only recommend it as a last resort.
I also take a low-dose benzo as needed (klonopin) and that's honestly been the only thing that's reliably helped and that I felt comfortable using. Antidepressants have always had strange side effects for me and take a while to leave your bloodstream. Klonopin once or twice a week doesn't have any of the awful side effects, and I like knowing I can take it when I need it but it also leaves the bloodstream quickly and doesn't take time to wean off. I don't have an addictive personality so this has worked for me, but might not be a good idea for someone prone to addiction. |
Anonymous
Another thing - most antidepressants that I've tried have increased my anxiety and made me kind of manic. Not credit card spending gambling sex with strangers manic, but a can't sit still, always have to be doing something manic. So, I've pretty much given up on antidepressants. |
Anonymous
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What about Xanax? I was on it several years ago for GAD. i
It was great, stopped that near-constant physical feeling of anxiety (the adrenaline rush feeling, especially ). I took it 4x a day for a while, then weaned off, then as-needed for a while. I took it for about 2 years. |
Anonymous
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Ask your doctor (preferably a psychiatrist) about clonidine. It's a blood pressure medication that's also commonly prescribed to people with anxiety. (including for soldiers w/ PTSD)
[i]{disclaimer: i am not a doctor}[\i] |
Anonymous
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Wellbutrin did not help me with anxiety at all. I think it made it worse. It did help with depression though.
Are you seeing a psychiatrist or a GP for meds? |
Anonymous
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Sounds exactly like what happened to me at menopause. I started taking Paxil, an ssri, but I had to start at the tiniest possible dose and increase it slowly while also taking Ativan to get up to a therapeutic dose. And when I say slow: started at 5 mg once a day and went up by only 2.5 mg every week. It took well over a month before the panic subsided but when it did I was able to go off the Ativan with no problem.
I firmly believe it was hormonally related in my case. |
Anonymous
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I have been taking SSRIs and/or Wellbutrin since 2001. I am currently off all of them because the SSRI that I was taking is driving up my blood pressure and the effectiveness is wearing out. I have a hard time switching SSRIS and have a history of serontonin syndrome. So the doctor suggested that I stop taking them and I have stopped.
I am coping with the anxiety and depression through meditation and a lot of exercise. I meditate 10-15 each morning. I exercise every day. I also did a brief round of cognitive behavioral therapy to get ready for the switch and to pinpoint some of the sources of my anxiety. It was helpful. I have a hard time just meditation because I have crazy brain and it goes all over the place. The mediation that I have found most helpful for keeping calm and centered is a metta mediation. There's an explanation of it here: http://www.mettainstitute.org/mettameditation.html For exercise, I alternate running days with yoga days. Besides promoting strenght and flexibility, yoga promotes mindfulness which also helps alleviate anxiety. Any exercise though will burn off some of the nervous, anxiety energy. |
Anonymous
Wellburtirn is not an anti-anxiety drug. It is an anti-depressant. It improves mood and energy level. It is a mild stimulant. In patients that are already anxious, it can ramp their anxiety through the ceiling. It's counter-indicated for patients who have anxiety as their primary problem. |
Anonymous
| Buspirone |
Anonymous
| Beyaz or Yaz is the only thing remotely helpful for me and let's me still feel like a human being. |
Anonymous
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A couple of things:
Have you been checked for anemia? Can cause anxiety. Are you doing cognitive behavior therapy? Perhaps you could do Klonipin for a very short period of time while you start to get it under control with CBT, and then reserve the Klonipin for full on attacks. Klonipin is the mildest of the benzos. My DD has anxiety for which no SSRI has worked. She is on an anti-psychotic, Zyprexa, which she says helps. I am extremely unfond of this drug, which has all sorts of side effects (you can read up on it), but she is over 18 so I have no say. Dissolvable Zyprexa can actually be used to deal with an anxiety attack if benzos are contra-indicated. Apart from this limited use I consider Zyprexa as something of a last resort drug, although psychiatrists IME are all too willing to prescribe. You could consider for your circumstances, trying out first as a kind of rescue drug when you have an attack. My DD is in the about 0.5% of users who have not gained weight on this drug. |
Anonymous
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I've had GAD and panic disorder since I was a young woman.
The only thing that really, PERMANENTLY helped was cognitive behavioral therapy. That, and a "just in case" prescription for ativan that I've literally never used (but of course, is a relief to know if I need). |
Anonymous
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Do some research on Magnesium Deficiency. Most of us are deficient in magnesium and pregnancy can make it even worse. It's hard to get enough from our food, so take a supplement (I take Jarrow Magnesium Optimizer 2-4/day) and get it through my skin with Magnesium Oil spray (also have lotions). I do 5-10 sprays on my legs and arms before going to bed. You can also take an Epsom Salt bath.
Also look into GABA. They have ones you can put under your tongue that can help with panic attacks. Or you can take a supplement 2-3 times per day. I found using the Amen Clinic in Reston was great when I was having severe Depression. Their docs have a great understanding of all available meds, but also use non-traditional supplements like GABA. |