Nearly Constant State of Anxiety

[ahalo]

Lately (2 wks) I've felt like I'm in a nearly constant state of anxiety. Xanax is like a sugar pill and I have to use my Clonazepam to sleep, so I don't have anything to cover the periods of the day where I feel this way. And sometimes my Adderall (??) helps, maybe because I'm able to focus on something like TV rather than my anxiety. But for the most part I just can't get rid of the feeling and it's exacerbated this week by some family issues.

I don't have insurance so what I need is something that's not too expensive (under 50) but that might actually work. Lithium covers my depression really well, and nothing in the SSRI dept ever really helped my anxiety. I am not looking for med advice just, maybe, what has worked for you when even Xanax won't. That's supposed to be good :'(

[Indigo 'n dye]

Anxiety, at least in my life's experience, responds best to intensive therapy. In my experience meds often fail in the face of anxiety but the "tricks" learned in therapy can coral, contain, and minimize anxiety. That is my goal. I understand that anxiety is simply a part of living life in this century, but I adore having the skills to control it.

Best wishes, Indigo

[creepy]

I would have suggested a beta blocker but youre on clonidine. Are you sure youre not mistaking akathisia (abilify?) for anxiety?

Otherwise if benzos arent working and youre looking for something cheap you may want to consider depakote or replacing abilify with a typical AP.

I agree with the therapy suggestion too. This works very well when you have a trigger that you can repeat easily. Its much harder when there is general anxiety present.

[ahalo]

I'm actually going to ask my pdoc for a referral to a counselor; I get state funding and can only go to one place and I think he'll know who could best help me. Honestly there isn't a trigger to the anxiety, there are things that exacerbate it though. I'm also actually starting to think what I thought was akathisia was actually anxiety- I didn't get akathisia symptoms last time until I was on 25 mg of abilify. So idk.

I get state funding and they pay for some things (so far cover Lithium, clonazepam, remeron, cogentin but not xanax, adderall, abilify, or clonidine). I thought about asking for a typical AP instead of Abilify since some day the samples could run out. I just don't know anything about them.

Anyway back to the anxiety-- Clonazepam does work, but I use it up at night to sleep and I'm prescribed Xanax for during the day. Does not do a thing. And I have to pay for it so I'd love to find something to replace that basically. That I can afford or that is covered by the state. If anything exists.

[mj1127]

Gabapentin (Neurontin) can work really well for anxiety, and it's pretty cheap. I'd ask your pdoc about it.

I always feel less anxious after I take my Adderall, and I think it works that way for many ADHD folks.

[gizmo]

In addition to many other things, I had extreme anxiety while on Abilify. Turned out I suffer from akathisia from it. Getting on another AAP really reduced my anxiety. I still take my benzo on a mostly-daily basis, but that controls it and I'm not out-of-my-mind anxious.

[kelly430]

I have been on so much meds for my panic/anxiety that I got so depressed. I was becoming phobic again & not wanting to do anything. 90 mg of cymbalta finally the pdoc got me to try abilify, I was nervous as I had so many really bad reactions to some of the meds. It was a godsend for me!!!! Within a week people were noticing a drastic change in me: I was my old self again. I felt better, NO panic or anxiety attacks, tons of energy, the only drawback I couldn't sleep more 3 hours a night!!! But I was full of energy the next day. So the pdoc told me to take it in the morning when I take the cymbalta. Today was the 1st day & for most of the morning I felt sedated & sick, & anxious,but now feel better. So I am hoping after being on it a few days in the morning this too shall pass.