Help Recommendations for anxiety meds?

[Pancake1230]

What meds have worked or at least bettered yall's anxiety?

I've suffered from anxiety for about 10 years now, and started trying meds for it (and depression) about a year or 2 ago, with no success.

So far I've tried, Zoloft/sertraline, Remeron/Mirtazapine, Seroquel/Quetiapine, and currently Venlafaxine. They've either made me almost ctb or gave me bad side effects.
(I've also tried klonopin and wellbutrin xl, but that was only for 2 weeks when I was in the ward, had little to no effect.)

 

[divinemistress36]

Everyones brain chemistry is so different. Ive tried it all havent found anything that works

 

[DoubleUp8]

The stronger benzos work the best. Xanax and Valium. But doctors less and less want to prescribe them. Rule of thumb in pharmaceuticals: If you didn't have to twist the doctor's arm to get him or her to write the prescription, it's probably not gonna work very well. Like pain meds. Whatever they least want to prescribe will work the best.

 

[byebyeblondie]

I was given diazepam for a few months (until I ODd and have not been aloud them again). They worked quite well but, apparently, it's not something they like to prescribe long term because it's classed as highly addictive. (Well at least that's what I was told in the UK).

I now get prescribed propanonol. I guess it takes the edge off …

I hope you can find something that works for you.

 

[divinemistress36]

The stronger benzos work the best. Xanax and Valium. But doctors less and less want to prescribe them. Rule of thumb in pharmaceuticals: If you didn't have to twist the doctor's arm to get him or her to write the prescription, it's probably not gonna work very well. Like pain meds. Whatever they least want to prescribe will work the best.

Benzos work best in short term. You build up a tolerance quick and then withdrawl is hell

 

[ferrie]

Like divinemistress said, everyone's brain chemistry is different. I've personally been on escitalopram, amitriptyline, sertraline, hydroxyzine, and lorazepam. The combo of sertraline and hydroxyzine actually worked really well for me. Currently I'm on buspirone, mirtazipine, and lithium which isn't working for me at all. Some people do well with their anxiety on buspirone though. I also wouldn't write off the klonopin or wellbutrin if you were only on them for two weeks, usually it takes around 6 weeks to see if a psych medication is effective. I'd recommend talking to your psychiatrist about trying meds with different methods of action to see what works best for you. If you have any family that have been on anxiety medications, people often do well on the same meds as family members. This is also kind of experimental, but I know a couple of people who have been able to get their insurance to approve genetic testing that helps match what types of medication work best for you & had a lot of success with the meds recommended from the findings

 

[Little_Suzy]

I enjoy Lamictal, but medicine does not work alone.

You must first address the underlying causes of your anxiety.

 

[_AllCatsAreGrey_]

Buspar has been helpful for me. I wish I could get Valium. It helped a lot in the past. But as others have mentioned, it's hard to get it prescribed now.

 

[Contraband]

valium but it's difficult to get short erm, almost impossible long term

 

[Pancake1230]

Like divinemistress said, everyone's brain chemistry is different. I've personally been on escitalopram, amitriptyline, sertraline, hydroxyzine, and lorazepam. The combo of sertraline and hydroxyzine actually worked really well for me. Currently I'm on buspirone, mirtazipine, and lithium which isn't working for me at all. Some people do well with their anxiety on buspirone though. I also wouldn't write off the klonopin or wellbutrin if you were only on them for two weeks, usually it takes around 6 weeks to see if a psych medication is effective. I'd recommend talking to your psychiatrist about trying meds with different methods of action to see what works best for you. If you have any family that have been on anxiety medications, people often do well on the same meds as family members. This is also kind of experimental, but I know a couple of people who have been able to get their insurance to approve genetic testing that helps match what types of medication work best for you & had a lot of success with the meds recommended from the findings

Genetic testing sounds pretty interesting! I'll have to ask my pysch about it. I know some people online who had a good experience with wellbutrin, so I probably should try those 2 again just to see

 

[UKscotty]

Valium for me, super addictive though.. ends up being expensive habit

 

[ferrie]

Genetic testing sounds pretty interesting! I'll have to ask my pysch about it. I know some people online who had a good experience with wellbutrin, so I probably should try those 2 again just to see

The science behind it is pretty cool & it really seems to work, the hard part is just the insurance. Definitely talk to your psych to see what options they recommend & good luck with whatever route you choose to go

 

[Rubypie41]

Valium for me, super addictive though.. ends up being expensive habit

How often do you take Valium? Are you addicted to it, or do you take them infrequently to avoid tolerance/addiction/withdrawals?

 

[DoubleUp8]

A doctor used those exact words with me 1 time about withdrawals being hell. I never took em all that much so never experienced physical dependency. But everyone who has experienced both says definitely worse than opiate withdrawal and I don't think there is anything like methadone or buprenorphine to take the edge off.

 

[Freedomatlast24]

Valium for me, super addictive though.. ends up being expensive habit

Wish I knew how to get hold of them in the UK. Clearly you're paying for them, no?

 

[DefinitelyReady]

What meds have worked or at least bettered yall's anxiety?

I've suffered from anxiety for about 10 years now, and started trying meds for it (and depression) about a year or 2 ago, with no success.

So far I've tried, Zoloft/sertraline, Remeron/Mirtazapine, Seroquel/Quetiapine, and currently Venlafaxine. They've either made me almost ctb or gave me bad side effects.
(I've also tried klonopin and wellbutrin xl, but that was only for 2 weeks when I was in the ward, had little to no effect.)

I've tried all of those and they were awful. Zoloft was okay. I took the highest dose though (400mg.) along with diazapam and that (plus wellbutrin) was the only time I ever felt any type of relief. I will say, generics matter! They are not supposed to, but they do... I was given diazepam for a few months so the zoloft could take effect. I've tried buspar and hydroxyzine. Might as well take benadryl for those as they are included for allergies. Diazepam is the only thing from letting myself go lie down on the freeway in the country at night. Dextromethorphan is new. I have good bp but was having a high heart rate (as well as head aches) and propranolol helped more than this other blood pressure med. They give those for anxiety as well because they are stingy with valium and xanax, and those are supposed to be short-term. Not a fan of xanax but never tried it. Luckily I've been on diazepam for a couple of years, still lower dose though. Good luck.

 

[ClownWorld2023]

I'm not sure if it's the same as anxiety or similar, but I'm in a situation where I enter the fight-and-flight state often, everyday.
It's caused by my other health conditions and I have no control over it, nor can I overcome it anyway or get out of this situation.
I'm pretty much disabled.

It really wreaks havoc on my mind and body. It also happens often when I'm tired and ready to go to sleep.
Then I'll have one of those events, and it messes up everything. I'd end up in a situation where I am unable to fall asleep properly, yet tired.

Sometimes, Mirtazapine helped with it. It would allow me to fall asleep properly.
I also remember one time I woke up after taking it.
I had this nice feeling over the body, like similar to being hugged, but it's constant and somewhat nourishing.
I also remember the feeling originated from the bottom of my spine.

It's interesting, because I also became aware of the change in feelings I had.
Like I became aware of the way my body's hormonal state got wreaked and then changed after taking the medicine.

Anyway, it helped me fall asleep sometimes, and in one case, actually restored me to a state where I could go to sleep normally for multiple days in a row.

But in one case, it only lasted a day, before my problem returned with full intensity.