November 11, 2008 - 11:53pm
Hey everyone. Im a regular to this site, but a new member. I have some questions and worries that maybe someone here can help me with. So here it goes..
In July of 2007 (Friday the 13th) my father had passed away. I took it really hard and eventually was put on Zoloft 50mg (later increased to 100mg) for depression and Inderal LA 40mg (later increased to 80mg) for lifelong anxiety. Now, the reason they gave me Inderal LA (which is usually prescribed for blood pressure problems) as an off-label use is because I had a problem with Xanax in the past and my doctor knew it. He only knew it because I had told him in hopes that I would be put on it or something similar. Now, I know what you're all thinking...that I was just trying to get Xanax for my "own use". But you couldn't be more wrong if you do think so. At first, I took one in curiosity but I liked the effects. The first time I had only taken one or two 1 mg so it wasn't the "high" effects I was liking because I didn't really feel "high". The effects I liked were how it allowed me to "open up" a bit more. Eventually, I was taking too many because the way I saw it, the more I take, the less anxious I will be. But soon enough I was addicted for taking too large of amounts for almost every other day for one whole year. So, that being said and the doctor knowing so, he put me on Inderal LA (becase he didn't want me taking any Benzos) which worked just fine but is really for stage fright anxiety. I've been off of both Zoloft and Inderal for a a good six or seven months. However, the anxiety is still making me mad and getting worse. I am unable to talk to new people, make new friends, have a fear of not being able to be married (since I cant talk to anyone new!, and the list can go on. But really, it's just that I don't think people would like me or that I would say something stupid or whatever I said, noone would even care. I'm very self-concious and have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder (which I really think my be Chronic Anxiety), and Insomnia (which I am taking Trazadone 50mg for).
The questions I have are what do I do to be able to receive any anti-anxiety medicine? What can I say to the doctor so he will prescribe something made specifically for anxiety issues? Do you think the doctor would change his mind or would I have to find a new one?
I only ask for anti-anxiety meds specifically because, like I said earlier, they actually worked. Inderal did also in a way, but not in a way such as the Xanax.
If anyone could help somehow, that would be great. Sorry so long.
Also, just for your information, I am in college now (18 years old) and have not abused a pill in well over four or five months now.
November 12, 2008 - 8:32am
#2
OCD
Though I don't have any major anxiety issues, nor do I take anti-anxiety medication, I just wanted to share a little about OCD. I have a very mild case of it, probably so mild in fact that some could debate it! But I have found ways to make it WORK for me. Concerning school and classes, I have found certain ways to study that ease the OCD and really work (things like notecards, studying at certain hours, etc). I obviously am not a doctor or medical professional, I am just trying to offer you a little advice until you see your physician. Everyone is different, but maybe to ease your OCD at least, you could try little tactics like that!
I hope everything works out for you!
November 12, 2008 - 10:00am
#3
My advice is that if you
My advice is that if you absolutely don't have to take benzos, then don't. If you start out on them at age 18 for chronic anxiety, you likely will become dependent on them, and chances are you will will need higher and higher dosages as time goes by. Then you have to deal with not being able to get them... doctor goes out of town, doctor goes out of business, you move to another city, doctor just decides not to give them to you anymore, and so on and so on.... just read on here about how many people have problems with addictive meds, particularly narcotics and benzos, who have to go through horrible withdrawals, embarrassing moments at doctor offices, and depressing moments when they have no where to turn for the drug that has helped them for so long. Dramatic, maybe, but it happens constantly... you don't want that for yourself.
That being said, if you feel that benzos are the only thing that will help you, then I would just be honest with my doc about it. If you are not happy with the course your current doc is taking, then you have every right to go to another doctor. However, being young myself, I believe most doctors would not be so willing to (long-term) prescribe a benzo to an 18 year old, (although it does happen,) but would be more likely to prescribe something non-abusable such as Paxil or Remeron or whatever they prescribe
:)
November 12, 2008 - 10:38am
#4
Thanks
Thanks for all the help and advice. Any more would be appreciated. Also, if Benzos arent the way to go, does anyone know what non-benzo anxiety med has close to the same effects as the benzos?
November 12, 2008 - 11:54am
#5
sorry to hear that
thats too bad i wouldnt of told your doc you had a problem with them in the past if u really needed them...nor why would u wanna be on something that brought you problems in the past...i suffer from social anxiety(punkd around alot when i was younger) anyways from what i read and what my doc tells me is that they dont want people on benzos anymore and are switching to ssri's or snri's....me personally i hate ssri's but my doc also perscribes me .5 ativan for when my anxiety gets bad...why not ask for ativan not only does it work it doesnt make you look like u just want to get high aka xanax considering that the most abused benzo
November 12, 2008 - 11:55am
#6
2 cents
Some medications like certain SSRIs, tricyclic antidepressants, MAOIs, and the newer atypical antidepressants are used to treat anxiety. Ive also heard that Buspar works well. My father takes seroquel and trileptol off-label for anxiety and says they are working good. He should be on a benzo but due to addiction problems they are unable to put him on one. sorry for getting off topic. hope this helps.
November 12, 2008 - 12:00pm
#7
seroquel ?
i wouldnt want to be on seroquel regardless that just makes you a walking zombie why would anyone want to be on that....but hey if its working all the power to him!
November 12, 2008 - 12:08pm
#8
I have been on many anxiety
I have been on many anxiety med's over the years, and I would have to disagree about Remeron and Paxil not being habit forming. After being on Remeron for several years, and gaining 50 lbs., it took almost a total year to ween off it, with my Dr's help. I have been prescribed xanax for 6 plus years, up to 3mg a day prn, and have never built up a tolerance, or addiction. I usually have one prescription last 6 months or more. As long as you use the benzo's as prescribed by your Dr. and use self control, benzo's can, and are used safely. Not everyone will become an addict from these drugs, they are safe and effective. Just use caution, and always listen to your Dr's directions. It seems when people start changing their dosages themselves, is when they start running into problems.
November 12, 2008 - 12:14pm
#9
To be honest
Benzos work the best for anxiety IMO. I know how everyone says ohh you get horrible withdraws and so on. I have panic disorder and im Rx'd klonopin and I may be dependent on them but they work. Just think about it will the side effects out weigh the relief you get from benzos? Everyone makes it seem like its impossible to get off benzos but thats not true they can be easily tapered. So, my advice to the OP is try a low dosage lorazepam for a short period of time see how it works and then go from there. LoL I have no idea how my father takes seroquel during the day i would be a walking dead zombie too.
November 12, 2008 - 12:42pm
#10
Let me rephrase what I said
Let me rephrase what I said earlier... You can get "dependent" on Paxil and Remeron and such, but those drugs are less taboo than Benzos b/c xanax and ativan and like drugs are abused heavily... that's why some doctors will prescribe those non-benzo drugs in a heartbeat... not to be negative, but my experience with doctors is that they do not prescribe anti-anxiety (and pain) meds necessarily based on what is best for you, but rather on what will not make them look bad... for example, most docs will give you tramadol with no problem b/c it's non-narcotic, but its still VERY addictive and has (in my opinion) worse withdrawal effects than hydrocodone.. but in the same breath they will tell you its ok just b/c our society has not yet lumped it in with Mainstream abused drugs (although its getting there.) The first time I went to see my regular physician, he wanted me to get on Remeron for "quite some time" without even knowing me just b/c i told him I had 2 panic attacks over a year apart from each other... I researched Remeron and saw a lot of bad opinions about it, including increased anxiety... same with paxil... I have heard the withdrawals are terrible... But these meds are very easy to get a prescription for... b/c they are not taboo... however, this doc would not prescribe a benzo b/c people happen to abuse it, thus giving it a bad rep.
You may or may not have a hard time getting off of Benzos.. but I have seen the withdrawal effects on people and it is bad... And just b/c you take something the way it is prescribed does NOT mean that you will not become dependent and have a hard time getting off of it. Anyone who thinks that is naive.
November 12, 2008 - 12:45pm
#11
From my experience ativan
From my experience ativan made me feel loopy. I am on klonopin .5mg twice a day but I only take it about once every 3 days. Klonopin seems to work much better for me and does not give me the loopy feeling ativan did. It has a long half life and I have not once felt "high" or any euphoric effects from it which is good becasue there will be less temtation for addiction or dependence. It does however make me pretty sleepy, so I usually only use it after a really stressful day such as a big exam or something which creates a panic attack.
November 12, 2008 - 12:49pm
#12
ok well ide say find a new
ok well ide say find a new doc explain ur situation ativan is my savior stays in the system alot longer also... most likely he will put you on ativan
November 12, 2008 - 12:53pm
#13
also if you had 2 panic
also if you had 2 panic attacks in 1 year im pretty sure seeing a phsycologist would be the best way why would you want to be on medication when you dont really need it
November 12, 2008 - 2:35pm
#14
I went to a medical doctor
I went to a medical doctor to for a physical and mentioned the panic attacks to him during the exam. I wanted to make sure it didn't stem from something medical, seeing that the panic didn't seem to come from stress, but just out of nowhere both times. I never took the medication, b/c you're right, why would I take a med I didn't need.
November 12, 2008 - 3:46pm
#15
I'll just answer and reply
Yeah, it was a bad idea to tell him about the problem when they were working fine and doingwhat I have always wanted. But about the doctors not wanting to prescribe any benzos much anymore, I think this may be true. A family member of mine recently went to the doctor for anxiety and they put him on Paxil. I thought this was just an antidepressent but since Inderal was an off-label use of anxiety, I can understand how Paxil could actualy help. Also, isnt Ativan a benzo too?
I havn't heard much about Buspar other than it's the non-benzo form of Xanax.
Just to throw this in, but I have talked to more than one person before that has actually suffered a seizure the next day after taking too many Xanax. I'm assuming, or hoping for people's sake, that this wouldnt happen if you were to have to stop taking the medication after being on it a long period of time at high-dose.
I'll go to the doc and see what he will do this time. If nothing, I may need to find a new doctor. But don't they keep records of past medications and notes that they pass to a new doctor?
What I really need is something that just calms me down, allows me to talk more, and just be myself. I have been unable to do this since I entered Jr. High. However, there probably isn't a single medication that can do such things. Maybe I have something completely different? I don't know. I think I should just go to the doc and explain everything in detail and just see what he says.
November 12, 2008 - 3:58pm
#16
Sounds like you are a smart
Sounds like you are a smart person, and will make the right decision before starting a new medical treatment. Good luck on finding relief.
November 12, 2008 - 4:15pm
#17
Good luck... it's always
Good luck... it's always best to be honest to your doc about things. Personally, I think doctors are very helpful when you get in a car crash and you're bleeding and need help, but as far as diagnosing illnesses and such, they x*#&... not their faults, but I just don't agree with mainstream Western Medicine... If you can deal with your anxiety outside of a medical practice, I would do so... I don't know if you're interested, but maybe research alternative methods and natural remedies. Many people are opposed to this, and to some it doesn't help at all, but many people have very positive outcomes.
Yes, ativan is a benzo... and yes, you can have seizures after getting off long-term use of benzos. The withdrawal symptoms are usually described as the closest thing to ???$* by people I have known personally... this doesn't mean EVERYONE who takes them go through this... usually, people are tapered off to lessen withdrawals, but there are too many cases which people are not so lucky...
There is no "permanent record" that is passed from one doc office to the next... if you bring your medical records in, then the new doc will have them... if you do not, then he/she will not. If you do not list the previous doctor, then you shouldn't have to worry about that.
There is not going to be a magic cure for anything that is functional... mental... the point of prozac, paxil, zoloft, ect is to "clear the cobwebs from your mind" if you will, while working on the root of the problem, and then getting off the drug once the problem is resolved. Really, you should be in therapy while on these drugs, but people see them as instant gratification, thinking that the drugs are solving the problems, when really they are just masking them. Medical doctors who prescribe such medicines without providing therapy are not doing anyone any favors except the drug companies and possibly themselves.
Again, Good luck
November 12, 2008 - 5:01pm
#18
Thanks for everything
Thanks for everything everyone! I'll see what happens and what I can do. The only thing I am worried about now is having my mother think sheis raising two brothers who happen to need medication (or have needed in the past) for psychological/anxiety problems. Agains, thanks!
Oh and sorry if I posted this topic in the wrong area.
Well tell an ER Dr. what you're experiencing when it comes to how you feel when you have anxiety. And if you suffer from panic attacks then explain to the Dr. of how you feel. And the ER Dr. will usually prescribe you Xanax to calm you down in order for you to have something that'll work for a few days til your appointment with your PCP or your Psychiarist or whomever. And then pick up the records from the ER before heading to your Dr. appointment and provide that to the Dr. then you will be placed on what you need for your anxiety and panic disorder if you have it. Xanax is usually prescribed more so for panic disorder from my experience. Look up the symptoms and see what others have said and see if they correlate with what you're experiencing.