Medications with Anxiety
 

My doctor - who knows that I am in recovery from drug addiction - wants to put me on a med similar to valium for my anxiety. Another point is that a medication that I started 6 weeks ago, (let's call it "B") has a side-effect of anxiety (but only for a few %).

I am limited to what "B" drugs I can take, and they all have various side-effects. I need this medication to live.

Do I take a valium type med with my current "B" drug? or Do I switch "B" drugs, and lose that option for a med later...

I really don't want to be on some mind-altering medication just to survive my "B", and I don't want to just give on "B" to start something else that will create new side-effects.

Help.
(yes, I am going to talk to my sponsor about it, but he's not familiar with anxiety much)

Wreck,

I assume you´re in AA because you have a sponsor and you´re working the steps, right?

In my country there are certain anxiety drugs you can take and others you can´t take if you´re a recovering alchoholic. Valium is one of the drugs I cannot take.

Can you speak to a doctor or counsellor in a rehab clinic? They should be able to tell you what you can take and what you cannot take.

I am not a drug counseillor so I cannot really help you there, but I´m sure you will find a solution to this problem.

Love and light,

Hi Wreck,

All I can tell you is that I had severe anxiety attacks for years and when I quit drinking they became intolerable. I would have one in a grocery store or places out in public...needing to get away out by myself. My doc first had me on Ativan and then switched me to Xanax. He felt like he could trust me to take these meds as he directed which I did because I always worried I wouldn't get to refill a prescription if I used it up too soon. Drugs have never been a problelm with me. I am a basically responsible woman except when it comes to alcohol.

I have decreased my Xanax from 1.0 mg three x a day to 0.5 mg twice a day prn. I hardly ever use it now but do take one if my anxiety is building up.

I am no doc so think you should ask your doc about this. I advise writing your questions down to take to the doc so you remember what you want to ask.

kelsh

Just my 2 cents....take with a grain of salt.

If it is 'similar to valium' in that it is from the same med family (Librium, Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, etc), then you might want to ask about it, since that family isn't usually given to people in recovery (outside of detoxing), because of a risk of dependence and/or abuse.

If it is 'similar to Valium' in that it can take the edge off, but isn't in the same family....something like Buspar, then that would make a lot more sense. Risk for addiction, OD, and whatnot is much less.

You should ask your doc his/her rationale with the meds. If he/she doesn't regularly work with addiction or psych meds, you may want to see someone else....since both areas are quite particular in how they should be handled.

I'm glad it worked for you, though neither of those are typically given in that situation because of abuse and OD potential. (They both work on the same receptors as the alcohol, but in a different way, so if you combined the two it will increase the effect....and if you take too much of one or both, then there can be some serious repercussions)

-p