Anti-Anxiety Medication?

[Marlene]

Glad they helped you Kevin,this forum gives us free speech on what we find works and what we don't,mine was not good,I don't force my views on anyone,just my opinion to these meds.don't believe anxiety would be around me this day if not been placed on them,as I didn't go to my dr for anxiety to begin with,had 2 lots of skin cancer,plus a neck tumor in past 3 yrs ,that's not bothered me,took those 3 lots of bad news in my stride. Didn't even raise my anxiety up higher either.lots I don't agree with,but I appreciate it's there personal opinion Kevin,just as yours is.

 

[Telis]

It would be interesting to hear from anyone that went on them temporarily, and successfully tapered off.

My opinion is that they are a temporary fix, but as you come off them your initial issue is now uncovered again but now amplified from the withdrawal. The reason you were on them in the first place comes back now with vengeance as your mind and body go into shock and lack of serotonin. Hence the reason people seldom get off them.

And yes any Ad poops out and looses it's affect. People think it is still working because of the misery associated trying to get off them. This is withdrawal! Now your condition is worse than when it started, but you may of had a good run! I'm sure cocaine and pcp would give you a nice run too, but when do you pay the piper?

I could be wrong but I don't think I am!

And in no way am I trying to criticize anyone for taking ADs, or anything for that matter, this is a nightmare spot to be in at times. I would just say definitely proceed with caution and be aware of the risks involved.

 

[Kathi]

Is it bad that ive been on a low dose of klonopin for two years .5 like two days a week if that and still feel euphoria from it? Like if i have a bad anxiety day and i take one it still makes my thinking positive and calms my body to where im able to take control and feel like a sense of everythings gonna be okay. --- kills my anxiety. Guess thats what its suppose to do right? Do you still feel the effects from your xanex?

By saying 'euphoria' I meant that I do not get 'high' like someone who uses drugs recreationally. Your klonopin is doing what it should do--makes you feel positive and not anxious. I don't feel any effects of my Xanax --I just know it's working because I am not anxious and I haven't had a panic attack since I started on it. I also do not worry and obsess over life's problems anymore. It has also helped me get used to my T. If you are worried talk it over with your doctor but I don't think there is a problem as long as you are getting benefits from taking it.

 

[Ken219]

I agree totally erik. I take xanax, went through CBT, exercise and try to get 7-8 hours sleep a night. I am way better than I was--I have my life back and habituation is starting. Tonight I'm going out to dinner with my girlfriends! That wouldn't have happened if I didn't take care of my anxiety.

My doc explained that I may take a low dose of xanax or something like it for the rest of my life. My brain doesn't make enough of something it needs not to be anxious and the meds take care of that. As long as one takes the prescribed dose--no more--than there is no problem. The therapeutic effects-- continue to work long term. I have not developed a tolerance other than I don't get tired from the meds anymore and I don't get any kind of euphoria. I am just myself--like I was before life's stressors of the last three years and the onset of T last November. My doc took a complete history before prescribing to insure that I didn't have any kind of addiction problems in the past--some people have addictive personalities.

T 24 years a few relapses. To habituate I take Prozac morning xanax 3 times a day. Sleep 10mg of Ambien. . After full habituation .25 xanax and prozac am and .25 xanax at night. That is maintenance for the rest of my life. No ill or side effects. This is my experience on how to cope with T.

 

[Stina]

It would be interesting to hear from anyone that went on them temporarily, and successfully tapered off.

My opinion is that they are a temporary fix, but as you come off them your initial issue is now uncovered again but now amplified from the withdrawal. The reason you were on them in the first place comes back now with vengeance as your mind and body go into shock and lack of serotonin. Hence the reason people seldom get off them.

And yes any Ad poops out and looses it's affect. People think it is still working because of the misery associated trying to get off them. This is withdrawal! Now your condition is worse than when it started, but you may of had a good run! I'm sure cocaine and pcp would give you a nice run too, but when do you pay the piper?

I could be wrong but I don't think I am!

And in no way am I trying to criticize anyone for taking ADs, or anything for that matter, this is a nightmare spot to be in at times. I would just say definitely proceed with caution and be aware of the risks involved.

My mother took Effexor for a year after battling with severe depression and anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. She was around 35 at the time. She did have quite severe withdrawal effects (dizziness, nausea etc.). The depression left after that (also due to CBT) and hasn't come back. She is now 50.
My father took Valdoxan a couple of years ago due to sleeping problems. He has not taken it 2 years and hasn't had major problems with sleep anymore.
My sister has a personality disorder that can't be treated and she has been taking Cipralex for quite some time now without increasing the dose. There is also a limit to how much you can increase the dose - you cant start on eg. 5 mg and end up on a 100 mg.
However these are only case studies and don't give a statistical overview. From what shrinks have told me antidepressants better the connection between the nerves in the brain, eg. it actually treat depression. However in many cases antidepressants cant help because very little is known about depression. But its the best chance we have nowadays.
All Im saying is that with a good doctor and collaboration ADs are not necessarily dangerous and ont even have to have side-effctss (I had none with Coaxil and yet it helped fix my anxiety attacks and sleeping problems). If they do not fit normally your body gives signs and then they can be changed. of course there are negative case, but no drug suits everyone.
As a sufferer of arthritis Ive heard numerous stories about the drug Ive been taking for years (Methotrexat). Luckily as I kid I didnt google. But now I have actually read forum where people do not take the drug because other people there say that it destroys your body. Yes it can have side-effects but it doesn't have to and its nothing compared to the fact what arthritiss does to your body. Therefore there is no point in scaring people stating personal opinions or experience as a fact.

 

[Telis]

My mother took Effexor for a year after battling with severe depression and anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. She was around 35 at the time. She did have quite severe withdrawal effects (dizziness, nausea etc.). The depression left after that (also due to CBT) and hasn't come back. She is now 50.
My father took Valdoxan a couple of years ago due to sleeping problems. He has not taken it 2 years and hasn't had major problems with sleep anymore.
My sister has a personality disorder that can't be treated and she has been taking Cipralex for quite some time now without increasing the dose. There is also a limit to how much you can increase the dose - you cant start on eg. 5 mg and end up on a 100 mg.
However these are only case studies and don't give a statistical overview. From what shrinks have told me antidepressants better the connection between the nerves in the brain, eg. it actually treat depression. However in many cases antidepressants cant help because very little is known about depression. But its the best chance we have nowadays.
All Im saying is that with a good doctor and collaboration ADs are not necessarily dangerous and ont even have to have side-effctss (I had none with Coaxil and yet it helped fix my anxiety attacks and sleeping problems). If they do not fit normally your body gives signs and then they can be changed. of course there are negative case, but no drug suits everyone.
As a sufferer of arthritis Ive heard numerous stories about the drug Ive been taking for years (Methotrexat). Luckily as I kid I didnt google. But now I have actually read forum where people do not take the drug because other people there say that it destroys your body. Yes it can have side-effects but it doesn't have to and its nothing compared to the fact what arthritiss does to your body. Therefore there is no point in scaring people stating personal opinions or experience as a fact.

Yeah maybe I'm getting a little hasty and opinionated here. Sorry, not my intention.

 

[Nich]

Benzos (your Sobril) can cause dependency. This side effect increases with increased dose and length of use. It should not make your T worse and some studies report klonopin (a different benzo) can decrease the intrusiveness of T (mixed data on that point).Benzo tapering and discontinuing usage is not bad at all for most if you use relatively low doses and don't stay on it for more than a month or two of consistent usage.

SSRIs or SNRIs are not addictive nor do they cause dependency. They do not solve depression or anxiety but for about 1/2 the people with mild to moderate symptoms they provide some relief of symptoms. They should not increase Your T. If you taper off an SSRI as directed then for most it is not associated with any serious side effects. Some experience marked increase in depressive/anxiety symptoms for a week or two and this almost always resolves. Tapering off an SNRI can be a little more tricky. The vast majority of people have no serious symptoms and do well. Some experience increased anxiety or depressive symptoms that resolve in a week or two. A very few people experience severe anxiety when withdrawing the drug and may take more time to recover.

There's a lot of misinformation on this thread. All of these drugs are extensively prescribed, are generally well tolerated, and can be discontinued with no to minimal symptoms in the vast majority of people. If you are depressed or have anxiety that is interfering with your daily life and your doctor feels you can safely take one of these drugs then you will most likely be fine. I have several friends on SSRIs/SNRIs that have tremendously benefited from them. And klonopin (a benzo) basically saved my life as I used to have random, serious panic attacks that became nearly debilitating. I have not had one of those terrible panic attacks in 7 years or so because when I have prodromes I take a klonopin and it dramatically lowers the intensity of the attack. Even with the onset of my T the panic attacks then we're a shade of what I used to have. And for me klonopin reduces the level of my T.
I'm not a psychiatrist but I am a doctor and I've only ever seen one patient on an SSRI / SNRI have serious issues with discontinuing when tapering down as directed. I've never seen someone on low dose benzos for less than a couple months have bad issues with discontinuation when they tapered down as directed.

Hope that helps.

 

[Nich]

Also to respond to the question of AD or benzos covering up a problem you have to later deal with...
You can't think of mental distress as a fixed point event that you are dampening with drugs. Your normal brain chemistry fluctuates from very happy no anxiety to mild depression and mild anxiety. When something happens in your life that causes your thoughts and emotions to predominantly shift toward depression/anxiety then AD or anxiety meds can alleviate some symptoms while time helps to move you back to your previous mental state. Actually these drugs are MOST EFFECTIVE in people who have a life trigger that initiates there symptoms (say like the onset of a chronic illness like T). Usually after some time people then can discontinue the drugs and be back into their normal range of emotions. Who the drugs don't work well for are those who have deep-seated, internalized causes of depression/anxiety or long standing, untreated severe depression and anxiety.

 

[LadyDi]

Thanks for your very informed opinion, @Nich. I will pile on here with my own experience:

I was terrified to take alprazolam (Xanax), a benzo, when my tinnitus first started. But my anxiety was insane, to the point that I really doubted I could continue living life with rolling panic attacks. Yes, I tried meditation, exercise and CBT and they helped. But it wasn't enough. What happened to me is exactly what Nich described above: while I may have had some underlying anxiety, I never had an anxiety disorder and never took a single pill for anxiety until my tinnitus starting talking to my limbic system. Suddenly, I was in full panic mode.

Alprazolam made it possible for me to make it through the day and keep working -- and living. I take it under the care of a psychiatrist, not a family physician, who monitors me carefully and knows I want to stay on the lowest dose possible. Today, one year later, I take this med only as needed during the day -- I probably average a total of about .5 mg A WEEK now. I still do a very low dose at night to help with sleep, but have tapered way back and we now are moving toward other options. I get little anxiety flutters sometimes, which I usually can kick with breathing exercises or meditation. But otherwise, found cutting back very painless. My guess is I probably will have moments, from time to time, when I need this medication, or one like it, for the rest of my life. But I take it rarely.

So why I think you need to respect the potential for harm with benzos and ADs, and use it under the guidance of an appropriate professional, you absolutely should not be afraid of them. They can save you. They did me.

 

[Grace]

They saved me also. They made me able to go back to work when i was off for panic/anxiety attacks. I couldnt even walk into a grocery store without having a panic attack. Definally not fun.

 

[Lisa88]

Thanks for your very informed opinion, @Nich. I will pile on here with my own experience:

I was terrified to take alprazolam (Xanax), a benzo, when my tinnitus first started. But my anxiety was insane, to the point that I really doubted I could continue living life with rolling panic attacks. Yes, I tried meditation, exercise and CBT and they helped. But it wasn't enough. What happened to me is exactly what Nich described above: while I may have had some underlying anxiety, I never had an anxiety disorder and never took a single pill for anxiety until my tinnitus starting talking to my limbic system. Suddenly, I was in full panic mode.

Alprazolam made it possible for me to make it through the day and keep working -- and living. I take it under the care of a psychiatrist, not a family physician, who monitors me carefully and knows I want to stay on the lowest dose possible. Today, one year later, I take this med only as needed during the day -- I probably average a total of about .5 mg A WEEK now. I still do a very low dose at night to help with sleep, but have tapered way back and we now are moving toward other options. I get little anxiety flutters sometimes, which I usually can kick with breathing exercises or meditation. But otherwise, found cutting back very painless. My guess is I probably will have moments, from time to time, when I need this medication, or one like it, for the rest of my life. But I take it rarely.

So why I think you need to respect the potential for harm with benzos and ADs, and use it under the guidance of an appropriate professional, you absolutely should not be afraid of them. They can save you. They did me.

@LadyDi may I ask how you tapered from daily use to just one .5mg per week? As mentioned before on another thread, I am on .5mg lorazepam per day for the past 4 months. Thinking of using the titration method with water or milk. But because xanax and lorazepam are such short acting benzos, kinda thinking how is it possible to cut down one .5mg per day tab without getting severe withdrawals. Cheers, Lady Di.

 

[Lisa88]

We do need to be careful with long term daily use of benzos to treat t.
Short term use has helped so many with t.
But in many cases, long term use does not allow our natural GABA to fight t. Tolerance of the benzo may often set in. And withdrawal symptoms can create worse t in the long term.
We are all different. And not all will experience this. But for new t sufferers, it is good to get the facts on this drug first.
The US dishes benzos out like candy for t. They do not warn patients of the consequences and how it may effect t in long term use. But if a UK doctor initiates a prescription for long term benzos (more than 4 weeks), he can get into legal trouble. There must be a reason for this.
Read Benzobuddies and the Ashton Manual for more details on benzos and tinnitus.

 

[Grace]

We do need to be careful with long term daily use of benzos to treat t.
Short term use has helped so many with t.
But in many cases, long term use does not allow our natural GABA to fight t. Tolerance of the benzo may often set in. And withdrawal symptoms can create worse t in the long term.
We are all different. And not all will experience this. But for new t sufferers, it is good to get the facts on this drug first.
The US dishes benzos out like candy for t. They do not warn patients of the consequences and how it may effect t in long term use. But if a UK doctor initiates a prescription for long term benzos (more than 4 weeks), he can get into legal trouble. There must be a reason for this.
Read Benzobuddies and the Ashton Manual for more details on benzos and tinnitus.

When my tinnitus was severe, in my personal opinnion and in my case, i wasnt thinking about how my natural gaba wont be able to fight T.. I was thinking either take one of these to calm the hell down, or take 50 to end it right now.. The thought of having that loud ring for the rest of my life thats how it made me feel. Thankfully my T mostly went away and i dont take benzos like candy anymore but like i said if mine were to get bad again im just sayin i know i would have to be on a high dose of my AD and take a benzo everyday to cope until i get help and even after the help im sure id choose to stay on both. Either that or id be taken to the er everyday and they would end up giving me meds anyway... ( i have a history of severe panic attacks way before T, and GAD too) ofcorse if your strongwilled and think you can do it on your own then great ...everyone knows the dangers of benzos, but sometimes its the only way to cope for some. Ofcorse take with caution but i dont want anyone to be afraid to take these if there on them by there doctor cause they saved my life a few times.

 

[Lisa88]

When my tinnitus was severe, in my personal opinnion and in my case, i wasnt thinking about how my natural gaba wont be able to fight T.. I was thinking either take one of these to calm the hell down, or take 50 to end it right now.. The thought of having that loud ring for the rest of my life thats how it made me feel. Thankfully my T mostly went away and i dont take benzos like candy anymore but like i said if mine were to get bad again im just sayin i know i would have to be on a high dose of my AD and take a benzo everyday to cope until i get help and even after the help im sure id choose to stay on both. Either that or id be taken to the er everyday and they would end up giving me meds anyway... ( i have a history of severe panic attacks way before T, and GAD too) ofcorse if your strongwilled and think you can do it on your own then great ...everyone knows the dangers of benzos, but sometimes its the only way to cope for some. Ofcorse take with caution but i dont want anyone to be afraid to take these if there on them by there doctor cause they saved my life a few times.

I needed them too. And I am really glad I went on them. Could not have coped with t without them - they halved my sounds and got me to sleep at first, when before I had none. But if I was informed on possible effects on t of DAILY LONG TERM use, I would have tapered sooner. I would have wanted ALL the information. We are all different, and reach tolerance at different stages. But I think people at least need to be informed. Take these if you need them, by all means, especially in the early stages. But be aware of long term effects, especially where t is concerned. The Ashton Manual is an unbiased, scientific, informative site where people can find out more: info: http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha01.htm

 

[Marlene]

There's been a lot of fuss ,if you can call it fuss ,in British papers for this Benzo issue . Lisa correct about Drs being made accountable as to there issuing them long term .i wish this had been in practice few years ago ,so many on them for years and years in UK ,now these patients are coming forward saying they'd ask there Drs to gradually stop them and it's fallen on deaf ears ,over time . Now Goverment are stepping in on this ,after so many patients letters of complaints to there using them .
Yes if you need them and want them then take them .you know you .One prescription don't fit all.
We don't know everyone's health background ,but I know mine ,what's okay and what's not ,so reading posts on this subject I try not to judge anymore ,we've all got our own life stories .Me they will be no go area ,been there done that,made me more anxious and made T far worse since I took them ,never ever had anxiety prior .
So go with how you feel ,what's right road to go down ,if you feel better ,then that's for you ,but on other foot don't decry people on the other hand who are not into them ,for there health reasons ,that comes across as judging us .