Meds for constant anxiety

[mikiglen]

thanks for the info.
unfortunately, i HAVE to be able to function at the drop of a hat, so i told my doctor, sorry, no go.
went back to straight prozac, i just have to remember to take the damn thing every day.
but, hey, i did sleep well on it for the first time all week

[Ten Chips Down]

Cool beans miki.

[shutterbug]

Miki...i'm no one to say, but probably both. That'd be my 'guess'.
As for non-addictive that can be taken at onset....it's VERY mild, but my pdoc prescribed me an antihistamine called.....Vistaril. I can take anywhere from 25mg to 100mg. It helps calm me...but that's because it has a sedating property to it. And since I fight over-sleepiness on a daily basis...then taking it for anxiety during the day is just not an option for me. Instead rather...sometimes I take it at night when I need to make myself go to bed at a decent time (and some docs prescribe it just for that reason).

Like I said it's mild, but definetly non-addicting...so if you don't have the extreme tiredness issues I do you might ask your docs about it.

Ten Chips....okay smartie britches....lol...."But again, that's . . .anyone could tell you that." YEAH RIGHT! ;P

Codienaddict...thankx for that link!

[shutterbug]

Originally Posted by mikiglen

thanks for the info.
unfortunately, i HAVE to be able to function at the drop of a hat, so i told my doctor, sorry, no go.
went back to straight prozac, i just have to remember to take the damn thing every day.
but, hey, i did sleep well on it for the first time all week

If the prozac doesn't work...you could think about Effexor maybe. It has saved me from my depressions and also helps with anxiety....and it'll let you know if you've missed a dose (which is why most people don't like it...but is also the only way I ever got myself totally med compliant since i'm horrible about taking meds). Just a thought.

[Ten Chips Down]

"and it'll let you know if you've missed a dose (which is why most people don't like it...but is also the only way I ever got myself totally med compliant"

LOL! That's one perspective which never crossed my mind buggie. LOL Certainly another way to look at it!

Originally Posted by Ten Chips Down

This being December's birthday, i had another appointment with my shrink today. (Marking eight weeks now on 20mg Celexa. The stuff is just remarkable for me. LOL But that visit is for another thread. i'll post a linky to it went it goes up)

As promised http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ml#post1121780 (Progress update: Celexa + 8 weeks!)

And ARGH!. Shutterbug out-witted me. I'd forgot all about hydroxyzine, aka Vistaril, aka Atarax. Quite mild - but still. Certainly a nonaddictive option.

Beats the snot out of me why it's not avail. OTC Chemically it's not all the different from diphenhydramine or Benadryl; yet you must go to a damn doctor and ante up big bucks just because it's an Rx med. Makes no sense.

Ten

[mikiglen]

thanks guys
actually, i did try atarax, and it just didn't do anything...maybe once my benzo tolerance is gone.
i tried effexor once also, and thought it was supposed to be one of those energizing meds....knocked me flat out.
couldn't keep taking that either. the only med i've found that doesn't make me tired at the onset is prozac.
i've upped the dose, maybe that'll do the trick

[Ten Chips Down]

Originally Posted by mikiglen

thanks guys actually, i did try atarax, and it just didn't do anything...maybe once my benzo tolerance is gone.

Bingo. It is my considered opinion that the benzo virgin is more blessed than he or she may ever know. Once acclimated to these meds longterm and tolerance (hence some degree of tissue dependence; aka, addiction) has set in, we are forever accursed from the bite of the benzos. Now that's NOT saying we can't recover completely; just saying in my opinion and experience that 1) we ought never return to them once weaned to 0mg and 2) other drug options like buspirone (BuSpar) or hydroxyzine will never be quite the 'acceptable' substitute. The brain wants its GABA clefts filled. The brain wants its benzos. LOL

The addicted brain has a very long memory for its drug of choice. This is why we ought never toy with that to which we were once actively addicted.

i tried effexor once also, and thought it was supposed to be one of those energizing meds....knocked me flat out.

LOL, know what you mean! No that might have been Wellbutrin (bupropion) you were thinking about, which is as much a mild stimulant as anything. It acts in a way no SSRI or other AD does, instead influencing norepinephrine and possbly dopamine reuptake.

Ten

[mikiglen]

thank you, ten, you seem very wise
definitely no more benzos for me, i will have to go back to atarax or something, though, if my panic attacks get out of control again.
funny, i though effexor was supposed to be an energy drug. maybe i need to try a switch to wellbutrin
i appreciate all your comments

[Krys_wyo]

Thought id just jump in and say i have been on Buspar since i quit drinking almost 6 months ago, I take it a bedtime so i dont get the drowsie effect in the daytime.
I miss grapefruit but oh well.......lol
It is non addicting so i can go off anytime but i think ill stay on at least a year till i know i am strong enough.

[mikiglen]

see, that's so weird, I"M so weird....buspar had me crawling on the ceiling
not a pretty sight, i'll tell ya
i agree, when you need to be on meds, you NEED to be on meds. some people do, and that's just a fact of life.
i know a lot of people that don't agree with me on that, it's just my opinion
misti

[Krys_wyo]

When i first started taking it i took 10mg that had me crawling to, so now i take 5mg and its great......if i know i have a stressful day coming up i take 10mg and that helps get me through stuggles,
like on Thanksgiving i knew it would be hard sober for the first time in years but the extra 5 mg worked like a charm.

[Ten Chips Down]

Misti-

You get panic attacks? See, I don't have any experience with that disorder (PD for short). But I do know of popularly used treatments for it and believe it or not, many antidepressants are used very successfully to control PD.

Definitely ask your doctor about that as a solution (sorry if you've already told us you're on them, it's hard for me to keep up!)

Also, just general info re., buspirone: This medicine is indicated for the control of generalized anxiety and not PD.

Misti thanks for the nice comments and just glad to be of help. :tongue2:

TCD...
Ten?
TenChips...
No wait wot about Joh-



Someday, i will decide who the hell I really am. LOL

[mikiglen]

lol, actually i suffer from PTSD, just also get the benefits of GAD and PA.
what a screwup, heh
my doc really wanted me on the symbyax, but he understands that i have to be able to be awake and functional at any given second
i think the prozac is doing well now that i am not using....if any of you have read "my" thread in SA, you'd know that two weeks ago, no way could i have sat up in the dark with my "idiot" stalking me, and not been having a panic attack.
i'm doing pretty well now!
just curious, ten, do you post in any other forums? i think what you have to say is of value, and would like to read your words of wisdom in other situations as well
nite all
misti

[Ten Chips Down]

Misti, so happy to hear you're coping well. I am stretched for time and tryng my best to spread out more and participate in other forums, yes definitely. I've many areas of interest and love to share the knowledge I've aquired over the years.

Cheers,
Ten

[historyteach]

For what it's worth, Mikiglen, Welbutrin can cause panic attacks. I stopped taking it precisely because of that reason. I've not had one since I stopped last May.

Shalom!

[mikiglen]

i had no idea about that, thanks for the info

[IMHomerSimpson]

50 mgs zoloft keeps my panic at bay along with 1mg klonopin if im drinking or 3-6 mgs if im not drinking,im makin my own dose regimen,not good i know but im so messed up right now it dont matter to me at this time.