What anti anxiety medications are out there that I could try next?

[netsavy006]

What anti anxiety medications are out there that I could try next?

Here's a list of ones I know I can't take that I can remember:

• Neurontin
• Lyrica
• Inderal
• Vistaril / Atarax
• Benadryl
• Buspar
• Benzodiazapines (ex. Ativan, Xanax, Valium, Klonopin)
• Paxil / Pexeva / Seroxat
• Zoloft / Lustril
• Cymbalta
• Zyprexa
• Seroquel
• Risperal
• Invega
• Abilify
• Geodon

If there's another that you mention that I cannot take I will let you know.

Thanks,

Andy...

[SashaSue]

Considering the enormous number of anti-anxiety meds you've failed, you're really probably going to have to have a pretty lengthy conversation with your pdoc about exactly what you mean when you say you're anxious, what you're expecting from your meds, and what kinds of therapy it might make sense to try instead of, or in addition to, meds. Maybe part of what you need to work on would be learning that not every emotion, however negative it might be, is going to be medicated away. A certain amount of anxiety is just part of life. Maybe you'd be better off worrying about how you manage and interact with your own emotions, than about making endless med changes.

Why are you looking for a new anti-anxiety med, anyway? Are you having any actual problems with your current anti-anxiety meds, or is this just part of your usual obsessing? I don't think I'm the first to suggest that your med changing obsession is a symptom of your MI, and engaging with you on the subject of med reductions, or other changes, really isn't helping you at all.

[jarn]

You're ON at least one of the medications 'you know you can't take'. (Ativan)

When you get a p-doc, talk to them. They have a medical degree. You do not.

Can you work on finding ways to redirect your med obsession? It isn't helping you.

[Ophelia]

Considering the enormous number of anti-anxiety meds you've failed, you're really probably going to have to have a pretty lengthy conversation with your pdoc about exactly what you mean when you say you're anxious, what you're expecting from your meds, and what kinds of therapy it might make sense to try instead of, or in addition to, meds. Maybe part of what you need to work on would be learning that not every emotion, however negative it might be, is going to be medicated away. A certain amount of anxiety is just part of life. Maybe you'd be better off worrying about how you manage and interact with your own emotions, than about making endless med changes.

This point that Sasha made, well, I think that you have to read it a few more times, netsavvy.

[Velvet Elvis]

What they said. I'm on a pretty large cocktail (2 ADs, 1AP, 1 Stim, 1 AC, 1 benzo) and I'm still pretty fucking miserable most of the time. The meds get me to point where I'm sorta capable of doing work to earn money (mostly what I do here on the boards) and not be constantly suicidal or stuck in thought loops all day. I gave up on getting more than glimpses of feeling good a long time ago. Sometimes those glimpses can be intense enough that they make the rest of it worthwhile. The 5-6 times a year I'm actually happy are magical moments I've learned to cherish and live to experience more of.

You might have better luck with learning coping skills in therapy because meds aren't ever going to make your MI symptoms go away completely. They just take the edge off so you can live in your own skin.

[Bribarian]

Benadryl works for anti-anxiety?

[Velvet Elvis]

It helps with EPS, and to a lesser degree may help with anxiety.

[netsavy006]

Well I don't know the exact terminology but I'm having some type of cranial thing done next month. I'm told it helps increase blood flow to the brain. Maybe it will help some of my symptoms.

[leopard]

What they said. I'm on a pretty large cocktail (2 ADs, 1AP, 1 Stim, 1 AC, 1 benzo) and I'm still pretty fucking miserable most of the time. The meds get me to point where I'm sorta capable of doing work to earn money (mostly what I do here on the boards) and not be constantly suicidal or stuck in thought loops all day. I gave up on getting more than glimpses of feeling good a long time ago. Sometimes those glimpses can be intense enough that they make the rest of it worthwhile. The 5-6 times a year I'm actually happy are magical moments I've learned to cherish and live to experience more of.

I really like a lot of what you said here. Accepting certain limitations can be liberating.

BTW VE, as i look at your med list, I only see one AD.. wellbutrin. Do you consider the dexedrine to be the other one? Just curious.

As for the OP, is that a list you are unwilling or unable to take? I've never seen anyone try a list like that and not have one work. It almost defies logic.

If i was on your current med combo, no way in the world i'd be anxious.

[netsavy006]

To revisit my list:

Neurontin - Deregulates my mood. Makes me more mood unstable than when on it. Also caused sleep problems.

Lyrica - One night and my mom says it caused me to be "at war in my sleep" (I was only on 25mg)

Inderal - took it for several days but inbetween doses it felt like I was having a stroke.

Vistaril / Atarax - makes my heart race. My pulse goes up above 130bpm

Benadryl - makes me more hyper. I tried to use this in college to calm me down (2 25mg pills every 4 hours) and I was asked by several people if I had ADHD.

Buspar - made me suicidal (was only on 5mg HS)

Benzodiazapines (ex. Ativan, Xanax, Valium, Klonopin) - Klonopin I can't take because it sets me right into mania in one .5mg dose. Valium I became so tolerant to, 25mg/day doesn't work anymore. Ativan at 1mg QID is not working as well either. Xanax is the only thing that mom says calm me down, but for how long? I've been on Niravam and that made me suicidal (taking it .5mg TID)

Paxil / Pexeva / Seroxat - Didn't work and made me suicidal and have crying spells.

Zoloft / Lustril - Makes me irritable/agitated. I yell, scream, holler at people for no reason.

Cymbalta - Made me daydream all day and lose my ability to focus. (30mg HS)

Zyprexa - akathisia

Seroquel - causes hallucinations even on one 100mg dose and didn't calm agitation and didn't help me sleep.

Risperal - gave me tics 6 weeks into treatment

Invega - akathsia and not covered by insurance any more

Abilify - akathisia and dysphagia.

Geodon - only on 20mg after dinner and caused 8 side effects, 2 being morning akathisia and rash.

[leopard]

hey andy,

can you take lexapro? I was on that for a spell and it really wiped my anxiety clean.

I'll keep thinking.

You keep some serious records, my friend. Impressive.

[netsavy006]

Nope. I was on Lexapro for 2 years and was doing well, but then all of a sudden I got manic and the doctors in the hospital determined I got antidepressant induced mania and discontinued the lexapro in the hosptial.

But that was taking it 20mg/AM. I want to see if taking it 10AM/10HS would have the same effect since before switching from 10BID to 20QD, I didn't have problems with Lexapro.

[Velvet Elvis]

What they said. I'm on a pretty large cocktail (2 ADs, 1AP, 1 Stim, 1 AC, 1 benzo) and I'm still pretty fucking miserable most of the time. The meds get me to point where I'm sorta capable of doing work to earn money (mostly what I do here on the boards) and not be constantly suicidal or stuck in thought loops all day. I gave up on getting more than glimpses of feeling good a long time ago. Sometimes those glimpses can be intense enough that they make the rest of it worthwhile. The 5-6 times a year I'm actually happy are magical moments I've learned to cherish and live to experience more of.

I really like a lot of what you said here. Accepting certain limitations can be liberating.

BTW VE, as i look at your med list, I only see one AD.. wellbutrin. Do you consider the dexedrine to be the other one? Just curious.

As for the OP, is that a list you are unwilling or unable to take? I've never seen anyone try a list like that and not have one work. It almost defies logic.

If i was on your current med combo, no way in the world i'd be anxious.

I'm also on Luvox. I haven't updated it in a while.

[jarn]

Andy, you're going to have to reconcile yourself to side effects. A lot of the akathisia/dysphagia type side effects can be treated with other medications - that's what I do.

You might also want to try certain meds for longer to see if the side effects go away/calm down - that can often happen. Some of those meds it appears you tried only one dose of.

[Velvet Elvis]

Andy: What happens if you take more topamax? That could help with anxiety.

[Velvet Elvis]

Andy: What happens if you take more topamax? That could help with anxiety.

[netsavy006]

Well I could take more because I was on more and tolerated it well. I asked mom when I was on the higher dosage how was my mood and she said it was good and that was before the Lithium.

I'm debating staying/going off of Lithium for this reason: when i go to gdocs needing medications they search their database and Li comes up as an interaction. That doesn't help me when I'm needing a treatment.

Although I do remember when titrating the Li, it did help the anxiety state. So I don't fully know what to do...

[rowen]

I'd stay on the Lithium. Mental health trumps all.

[netsavy006]

I have been thinking all this time from when I left program till tonight and I think the only thing I want to change is my Topamax. Instead of taking 50mg BID for seizures, take 100mg BID for both seizure control and mood stability in combination with Lithium. As long as my sleep problem re-regulates since I'll be getting up earlier, maybe I won't need too many med changes. I must admit, I truly am more stable than I was over 6 months ago.

[jarn]

That sounds like you're thinking about your meds a lot more healthier than you have been! And it's good you can recognize when you're more stable too

[ChemistryExperiment]

Andy, just because it comes up as an interaction at gdoc's doesn't mean its going to happen or is necessarily a very harmful reaction. It could just be that the meds combined intensify each other's effects. I have interactions that come up too, but after talking to a pharmacist, they said that they were minor interactions, like intensifying each others effects. And nothing to be worried about.

[netsavy006]

Oh I understand what your saying but they use some type of device that they input medications and if two come up that don't "agree" with each other, then they don't prescribe it. May save lives, but even for a minor drug-drug like you said, still will not pass the device that they use.