Meds for Non-combat PTSD

[Summer]

What are most common drugs offered for beginning treatment?

[tryp]

It's probably going to depend on what specific issues are troubling you the most.

I started off with a benzodiazepine (a common anti-anxiety/insomnia drug) because I was super keyed up and having a lot of trouble sleeping.

I also had a lot of trouble with depression, so I was later given an anti-depressant. Since anti-depressants can help with anxiety AND depression, depending on the anti-depressant, they can be a good choice. SSRIs are the most common first-line anti-depressants as far as I know. That's stuff like Prozac, Celexa, Lexapro, Zoloft.

[AirMarshall]

Well, drugs aren't classed by type of trauma. We don't have specific meds for combat, non-combat, dog bite, car crash, etc....

The full spectrum of drugs may be used e.g. anti depressants, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, anxiolytics.

However, the primary treatment is going to be psychotherapy.

Good luck! a.m.

[weary]

I took a drug called prazosin. It's an alpha blocker that supposedly has the off label side effect of stopping the 'jumping up screaming or swinging' type of nightmares that come along with ptsd. I took 3 mg. for a little while, but had to stop due to the migranes it gave me. It did seem to lessen the nightmares, but most folks are on a higher dose, like up to 15 mg. Might be worth a try for you. Just a thought.

[Velvet Elvis]

beta blockers are where a lot of the research is right now.

[mudpuppy]

Prazosin can help with nightmares significantly *IF* [and it's a big if] your nightmares occur between sleep stages.

Typically with PTSD, this is where the trauma nightmares do occur. This is why so often people attack their spouses during nightmares- they are occuring during non-REM sleep, and thus they are not paralyzed as they would be during REM sleep.

Occassionally, they occur during REM sleep [as in my case]. If your nightmares are happening during REM sleep, Prazosin won't help you.

Prazosin works by increasing the duration and frequency of REM sleep.

For those folks who have nightmares between sleep stages, this is a blessing, as it reduces the amount of times you switch between sleep stages by keeping you in REM sleep.

For those rare PTSD'ers that have nightmares IN REM sleep... it doesn't work.

On the bright side, the effects wear off the day you stop taking it, so, if you take it, and it makes your nightmares worse, you quit. Too easy.

[Stickler]

I was told that Zoloft was first ssri to be officially labeled for use on Ptsd cases.

I liked it a lot, but had strange side-effect for me that prompted me to switch.

[mika]

Depends on your symptoms. I am on Lithium for mood stabilizing, Risperdal (aap) for suicidal thoughts and crazy thoughts, Ativan (benzo) for anxiety and Seroquel (aap) for bad flashback anxieties...both prn, and Inderal (beta blocker) for the for physical anxiety like the shakes.

[crtclms]

I was already being treated for Bipolar illness when I was first beaten by an ex, then held up at gun point in an unrelated incident. I had no meds added, but did therapy twice a week at a battered women's shelter. I obviously did not have a terrible case of it, but it worked very well for me.