Anxiety relief without benzos

[waitingforgodot]

Hi, so I'm new to the board. My story is basically that I have suffered from anxiety disorders (and what was finally diagnosed as) Bipolar I Disorder for at least half my life. (I'm 30.) I have also struggled with anorexia nervosa since I was a teenager. While I still meet the diagnostic criteria for AN, it is nowhere close to being as severe as it was before the mood disorder (after a decade of trial and error with medication cocktails) was finally brought brought under control. I currently take Lamictal 200 mg, Seroquel XR 800 mg, and Wellbutrin XL 300, which, in combination, have made me the most functional I've ever been in my life

 

What is NOT under control is my anxiety. I wake up every morning with an overwhelming sense of dread that subsides only a little as the day goes forward. (I have to measure my vitals in the morning for an unrelated illness and my pulse is over 100 from the second I open my eyes.) The most basic interactions with others make me jumpy and, even though I'm usually pretty articulate, I have problems with stuttering and word retrieval around new people (which, of course, makes me more anxious). I do not live an "objectively" stressful life. In fact, I should be LESS anxious than usual right now because my semester just ended. But, frankly, it's made no difference. My brain always finds SOMETHING to worry about.

 

(Good grief...this has gotten so long. No one is going to read this...)

 

Perhaps this is a bit naive, but the thought occurred to me yesterday that if I could just manage this anxiety as I do the mood disorder, I could live an almost normal life. The health professionals and even my family seemed to have accepted that I will live a marginal existence given the number of years I've already been ill; the sheer number of psych (for medication overhauls and ECT) and eating disorder hospitalizations; the fact that the only reason I'm really able to work is that I am the office manager at my fiance's office and he obviously allows me to have very flexible hours. (I've even found out by accident that my mother has started a trust fund for me in case I'm unable to support myself after she is gone. Obviously, this is exceptionally generous, but it also made me feel like she's given up on my ever being self-supporting.) But, frankly, I don't want to be complacent, and I don't the people around me to accept my permanent disability as a foregone conclusion. 

 

So back to the point...I don't want to just lie back and accept that my anxiety is going to dictate the rest of my life. At the moment, the only thing that helps is my PRN Klonopin, which I only use when I am complete losing my mind, because I don't want to build a tolerance to it and have it become completely useless.

 

In case anyone is just skimming this, my question is, "What medications (other than benzos) have you taken that have successfully managed your anxiety (either by itself or as part of a cocktail for comormid conditions)?" I'd also love to hear about your less conventional successes (acupuncture, yoga, etc.). I really feel like this is one of the last pieces of the puzzle, particularly because I feel like my eating disorder is primarily anxiety-driven. Not that it would just go away if I were less anxious but that it would be easier for me to engage in conventional treatments if I weren't for, instance, terrified of treatment professionals.

 

I see my p-doc tomorrow and I know I should have posted this days ago (but I just made the appointment today) and I was just wondering if there is anything that you would suggest that I mention.

 

Thank you in an advance to any kind soul who takes the time to read this.   

 

[cosima]

have you tried any sort of therapy to manage or treat your anxiety?

[melissaw72]

Welcome to CB!

 

 

Have you tried propranolol?

Edited May 21, 2015 by melissaw72

[tryp]

I hear you - it's really not a nice feeling to be wondering if your issues will cripple the rest of your life.

 

Personally I have had a lot of success with mindfulness meditation and (to a lesser extent) yoga.  I don't think it would have been enough by itself - and I couldn't do it for years because it made me so anxious that I was unable to even start.  This year I got the Headspace app on my phone and it's working really well for me.  I don't enjoy it or find it relaxing but I find it helps a lot in the day-to-day anxiety levels.

 

Anxiety can be a real catch-22 because you get too anxious to do the things that would help with anxiety.

 

DBT and CBT have both been helpful therapies for me in the past.

[San]

Welcome to CB.

 

I do yoga for relaxation. It's cheaper than therapy (had a bad tdoc, fired her) and it's relaxing, and good for your mind and body. The studio I go to focuses on mindfulness, staying in the moment, and being aware of body and mind. I do gentle yoga (which is mostly elderly people, one man is 92! And he's more flexible than I am! He's amazing) or level 1. At the start and end we do relaxation, the final relaxation is called "savasana" (Sha-va-sin-a, since I butchered the spelling) and I leave really calm, and sleep better later. And everyone is welcoming and the instructors are great. I was anxious at first, but they welcomed me immediately, even though I was much younger than everyone in the gentle class. There is also restorative yoga. 

 

I'm not sure where you live, but in the US, medical clinics offer yoga therapy (my instructor brought back a pamphlet she found in Florida offering yoga therapy) or a yoga studio can do one-on-one yoga therapy. Personally, I'd rather be in a group, but it's something to look into if you don't want to be in a group. Therapy and yoga at the same time! I know I probably sound obsessed with yoga, but it's really helped me calm down and stay in the moment, and get to sleep (though I still take sleeping meds, you don't want to throw out all your meds and go into yoga thinking it'll fix everything. It's just another tool in your treatment)

 

Therapy is good if you get a good therapist. I've had a couple great ones and a few bad ones. You have to sort of "interview" them on the phone or at the first meeting, to see if you "click".

 

CBT is helpful, you really have to get into it. It can be a lot of work, but its got benefits. It helps you retrain your brain in a way, to things in life. Things like "Black and white thinking" are called cognitive distortions, and you work to change the distorted though into what is actually happening. I do it on paper, I write out the thought, I write out the distortion (I made cards with the different distortions on them and keep them with my notebook) and then I write out the reality, or positive thought, to what I "should have" thought) . I hope that makes a bit of sense.

 

As for medication, Gabapentin is good for anxiety, it's also used off-label for bipolar disorder as a mood stabilizer. (It sent me into a mixed episode, not the med for me, but I know of many people that love it and you can go to really high doses and not be a zombie, it's relaxing, not sedating) SSRI's like Luvox or Lexapro (in my experience) are good, and I believe Cymbalta is approved for anxiety, which is an SNRI.

 

Beta blockers are sometimes used for anxiety, I know musicians that take beta blockers before big performances, but if you have low blood pressure, you can't take them, as they lower blood pressure. I've never been "allowed" to take them for side effects or anxiety because my blood pressure is low, and drops when I stand up, sometimes.

 

There are a lot of things to try. Taking medication can be useful in starting out therapy, and then you may find you don't need that particular med anymore after you've really got into therapy. Personally, I've never done this. 

 

I hope these suggestions have helped you, and I hope you can work out the anxiety, it's a terrible feeling, 

 

I noticed you're on Wellbutrin. Wellbutrin isn't used for anxiety, and can actually cause anxiety. I've been off and on it a few times, and once I was so anxious I was having ice cold showers to try to break out of it, and taking PRN benzo's. However, I got back on it and now the anxiety isn't there (weird eh?).

[jt07]

Probably not good for bipolar disorder, but I've had a lot of success with citalopram. I've also had success with a beta blocker which in my case was Atenolol. Buspar helps some people, but it never worked for me. If Buspar works, it works well. If it doesn't work, it's just a placebo with side effects.  I agree that CBT is good for anxiety. ACT might be helpful also.

[Phoenix_Rising]

Welcome to Crazyboards! San did a great job of summing up available treatments.

I use gabapentin and a beta blocker along with a benzo and CBT to manage my anxiety. I think CBT is probably the most helpful b/c it helps "correct" your thinking. Rather than going down the rabbit hole, CBT techniques help you reframe your issues.

Edited May 21, 2015 by Phoenix_Rising

[waitingforgodot]

First of all, I am amazed by how quickly you all have responded. I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to reply.

 

cosima, tryp, San, and jt07, I had weekly talk therapy consistently between the ages of about 17 and 25 and even more intensive therapy while I was in various inpatient and residential (eating disorder) programs. At around the age of 25, I began to feel like I was kind of "talked out" and discontinued talk therapy completely. I did a bit of DBT at one of the residential facilities and found some elements of it useful - I know a lot of people who swear by it - so that is something I will definitely look into. I've also done some CBT in the past, although most therapists who say they are CBT-oriented are really more eclectic. I've never done any ACT. Do you think any of the self-help DBT/CBT/ACT books are useful or would I necessarily have to see someone who specializes? If you think seeing someone is better, would you recommend individual therapy or a group?

 

tryp and San, I would also like to try meditation or yoga at some point, but recent attempts have actually made me more anxious. Especially with meditation, I try to find a calm space in my mind and end up feeling anxious that I'm not doing it right. It's exactly like tryp said, "Anxiety can be a real catch-22 because you get too anxious to do the things that would help you with anxiety." So, I hope I can try these things somewhere down the line, but right now, it's a little too much.

 

melissaw72, San, and jt07, I am actually (happily) surprised that you all mentioned beta blockers of different sorts, because that's actually one of the few things I haven't tried AND it has been used to treat a heart condition that I happen to have. I would be nice if I could actually "take out two birds with one stone." If my p-doc is not comfortable prescribing it (as it's not technically a psych med), I could probably get her to confer about it with my cardiac electrophysiologist.

 

San, I will definitely ask her about gabapentin, which is also one of the few things I have not tried. I've tried pretty much every SSRI and SNRI, and they all either did not help (and had side effects) or were way too activating.

 

...

 

Again, thank you all so much for your thoughtful responses.

[waitingforgodot]

Welcome to Crazyboards! San did a great job of summing up available treatments.

I use gabapentin and a beta blocker along with a benzo and CBT to manage my anxiety. I think CBT is probably the most helpful b/c it helps "correct" your thinking. Rather than going down the rabbit hole, CBT techniques help you reframe your issues.

 

Hi, Phoenix_Rising, thanks for your response. You basically summed up all the things I will be talking to my p-doc about tomorrow. I'm curious how much these treatments have helped you. Do you think your anxiety is still high but manageable, or is it close to what "normal" people experience?

[koa]

There are some herbs and supplements including GABA, magnesium, passionflower, holy basil, chamomile, and Valerian that have helped me in the past.  Kava can work but there are some reports of it causing liver toxicity so I would avoid it.  Especially I would say try GABA, passionflower and magnesium.

 

Often if you can do something to address the physical symptoms of anxiety then it can break the cycle of symptoms and lead to your emotions improving also.  Progressive relaxation is good... basically tensing each muscle, breathing deeply, and then relaxing each muscle as you breathe out... beginning with your toes and going up each muscle group to your face.  Deep breathing, mindfulness and meditation can be good.  Additionally Gabapentin and some antidepressants such as lexapro may be helpful for anxiety.  I've also been on cogentin and beta blockers to counteract anxious feeligns that were side effects from an antipsychotic I used to take.

Edited May 22, 2015 by koa

[jt07]

I personally don't find self-help books too helpful, but I did have one on ACT that did seem to help me out. I didn't really get all that into doing the exercises, but it did give me some interesting take-away ideas that I've found helpful over the years. The most important (to me) idea from ACT that I took away was that thoughts are just thoughts and that just because I think something doesn't mean it is or will become reality. Thus, there is no reason for me to get upset or anxious at thoughts.

 

Unfortunately, I've forgotten the name of that ACT book. 

[larkspur]

Low-dose typical antipsychotics are great for anxiety. I just started taking Stelazine (trifluoperazine) 1mg in the morning and 2mg in the evening, and it calms me down without sedating me. In the past, I have used 50mg Thorazine (chlorpromazine) as needed for anxiety, but the Thorazine is quite a bit more sedating than Stelazine, IMO.

 

Risk of movement disorders is dose-dependent, and at these low doses there is not much of a risk of TD.

 

ETA: Also, antihistamines can be a great alternative to benzos for anxiety. Vistaril (hydroxyzine) is the most common one used.

Edited May 22, 2015 by larkspur

[larkspur]

I personally don't find self-help books too helpful, but I did have one on ACT that did seem to help me out. I didn't really get all that into doing the exercises, but it did give me some interesting take-away ideas that I've found helpful over the years. The most important (to me) idea from ACT that I took away was that thoughts are just thoughts and that just because I think something doesn't mean it is or will become reality. Thus, there is no reason for me to get upset or anxious at thoughts.

 

Unfortunately, I've forgotten the name of that ACT book. 

 

 

I am thinking it was probably Get Out of Your Mind & Into Your Life: The new Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. That's the one that was recommended to me, and it is a workbook with exercises to do at home or with a therapist.

[Wonderful.Cheese]

I,hope,you can find some good relief for your anxiety. I take a benzo myself but in the past have found more sedating or anxiety AD's helpful. Like Zoloft lexapro or Effexor. Unfortunately they make me manic. So I can no longer take AD medications. But I also see you are on Wellbutrin which was very anxiety provoking. For me.

I too have a resting heart rate of over 100. I didn't know it was anxiety related.

[melissaw72]

 

I too have a resting heart rate of over 100. I didn't know it was anxiety related.

 

I think it can be because of anxiety, but sometimes not ... I've had a resting heart rate over 100 also and it wasn't anxiety; it was just my resting pulse.

[iaawal]

Same here with the heart rate, it's calmed down a bit. I remember I went to the doc for something completely unrelated and they ended up doing an EKG on me because my heart rate had always been so high. 

[lysergia]

since beginning this last course of ECT i've been using clonidine (a blood pressure medication) to lower my baseline anxiety so that we can limit the use of benzos when we have to without leaving me too anxious to function.  it does help.  i know most people get more anxious on wellbutrin - i'm the opposite, it helps too (i'm missing it right now, can't take it again until ECT is over).  there's also the idea of adding a small dose of another antipsychotic besides seroquel - i've taken small doses of zyprexa while on a larger dose of seroquel for that reason in the past.

 

i wish you the best of luck - i think you're absolutely right to tackle this as you would the bipolar, it has just as much an impact and deserves to be addressed.  

[mick29]

Zoloft 200mg (AM)

Lithium 450mg (AM & PM)

Lithium 300mg (AM)

Klonopin 1mg (AM)

Metoprolol 25mg (AM)

Remeron 15mg (PM)

 

Ativan as needed 1mg

 

Panic Disorder, Bipolar 2.... seems like the Zoloft doesn't work anymore... however i'm always just tired, anyone experience that on all these meds ?? normal ??

[waitingforgodot]

I am still amazed by all the thoughtful responses you guys have given. Again, thank you so much.

 

Koa - It never occurred to me to go the herbal route. (Well, I do drink gallons of chamomile tea every day...) I will definitely look into the ones you recommended. I also need to explore alternate routes, i.e., progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, etc, although, for some reason thinking about that makes me a bit anxious. Go figure. I'm weird. Lexapro makes me manic, but I'll look into Gabapentin and Cogentin and also beta blockers, now that about half of you have mentioned them.

 

Larkspur - Typical APs are another thing I've never tried. I'm a bit embarrassed to ask this, but I know they're associated with weight gain and I was curious if you think this is true at very low doses, as well. Vistaril sounds promising (from the little research I just did). Do you know if it's habit-forming?

 

Wonderful.Cheese - Zoloft, Lexapro, and Effexor all made me manic. I may look into stopping the Wellbutrin because I only started taking it to quit smoking, and I haven't smoked in months. Your high heart rate may or may not be due to anxiety. Mine just happens to skyrocket when I'm anxious. YMMV.

 

lysergia - I'll take a look at Clonidine. I've wanted to try Zyprexa for years, but I'm scared to death of the weight gain potential. Does this happen on a low dose? Thanks for the good wishes.

 

mick29 - I'll take a look at Metoprolol. I loved Lithium but it made me shake so much I couldn't take it any more. Remeron has worked in the past but it caused really rapid weight gain even though I wasn't eating more than usual.

 

For the umpteenth time, thank you all for taking the time to respond to my question.

[larkspur]

Larkspur - Typical APs are another thing I've never tried. I'm a bit embarrassed to ask this, but I know they're associated with weight gain and I was curious if you think this is true at very low doses, as well. Vistaril sounds promising (from the little research I just did). Do you know if it's habit-forming?

 

You're thinking of atypical antipsychotics. Typical APs are not known to be weight gainers. Haldol, for example, has the lowest weight gain of any AP. I take Stelazine and it has helped with weight loss. With typicals, the main risk is EPS, but if you keep your dose low, odds are you'll avoid them.

 

Vistaril is not habit forming in the least. It's an antihistamine, kind of like Benadryl, but has more of an anxiolytic effect. It is unequivocally impossible to become addicted to Vistaril. 

Edited May 28, 2015 by larkspur

[waitingforgodot]

 

Larkspur - Typical APs are another thing I've never tried. I'm a bit embarrassed to ask this, but I know they're associated with weight gain and I was curious if you think this is true at very low doses, as well. Vistaril sounds promising (from the little research I just did). Do you know if it's habit-forming?

 

You're thinking of atypical antipsychotics. Typical APs are not known to be weight gainers. Haldol, for example, has the lowest weight gain of any AP. I take Stelazine and it has helped with weight loss. With typicals, the main risk is EPS, but if you keep your dose low, odds are you'll avoid them.

 

Vistaril is not habit forming in the least. It's an antihistamine, kind of like Benadryl, but has more of an anxiolytic effect. It is unequivocally impossible to become addicted to Vistaril. 

 

 

Oh, okay, thanks. For some reason I had it in my head that typicals cause weight gain, too. But looking at Haldol and Stelazine, at least, you're totally right.

 

 

There are some herbs and supplements including GABA, magnesium, passionflower, holy basil, chamomile, and Valerian that have helped me in the past.  Kava can work but there are some reports of it causing liver toxicity so I would avoid it.  Especially I would say try GABA, passionflower and magnesium.

 

Often if you can do something to address the physical symptoms of anxiety then it can break the cycle of symptoms and lead to your emotions improving also.  Progressive relaxation is good... basically tensing each muscle, breathing deeply, and then relaxing each muscle as you breathe out... beginning with your toes and going up each muscle group to your face.  Deep breathing, mindfulness and meditation can be good.  Additionally Gabapentin and some antidepressants such as lexapro may be helpful for anxiety.  I've also been on cogentin and beta blockers to counteract anxious feeligns that were side effects from an antipsychotic I used to take.

 

I bought GABA today. Do you happen to know how much you take each day?

[IcePrincess88]

I'm curious to how your psych app went? What did they say about the anxiety? Did they put you on anything?
I have pretty bad anxiety and I have to use Xanax when it's really bad. I also take Celexa, which seems to keep it lower throughout the day. I take Seroquel XL too, I'm not sure how or if it works on my anxiety but I'm significantly calmer in the morning while the medication is at a higher level in my system. I'm not currently on, but I have take Propranalol as well. Also took Neurotin( Gabapentin) . I actually took it for pain, I had no idea it worked for anxiety as well. Yoga does wonders for me for anxiety. I hope your all sorted out now and everything is good.

[Wooster]

 

 

I bought GABA today. Do you happen to know how much you take each day?

 

That's a fantastic question to ask your doctor.

 

GABA is not currently a regulated substance in the US, so it's really quite difficult to know exactly how much you are getting in a supplement. The bioavailability of GABA and how it will affect you is determined by your weight, gender, metabolism, other meds you take, etc.

[melissaw72]

 

Vistaril is not habit forming in the least. It's an antihistamine, kind of like Benadryl, but has more of an anxiolytic effect. It is unequivocally impossible to become addicted to Vistaril. 

 

 

Lark ... is vistaril prescription only or OTC?

[larkspur]

Rx only, I believe. Generic hydroxyzine pamoate is pretty cheap.

[melissaw72]

Thanks.  I might ask pdoc for that.

[Sloane]

I have not posted in this topic (of course until now lol), but I have been following it. I have suffered from severe Social Anxiety and Selective Mutism since childhood (and found out some of my anxiety was actually hyperactivity/restlessness).

 

I've tried SSRIs, Atypical ADs, Benzos, Atypical and Typical APs - now looking for alternative treatments to handle my anxiety (instead of just "dealing" with anxiety with med-go-rounds and side-affects). I'm now taking Buspirone for the 'physical' anxiety manifestations (stuttering, sweating, heart fluttering/pulse, sweating/clamminess), CBT/DBT combo for dealing with the mental anxiety/paranoia, and vitamins/supplements for calming effects/imbalances/deficiencies/supplements.

 

 

 

 

I bought GABA today. Do you happen to know how much you take each day?

 

That's a fantastic question to ask your doctor.

 

GABA is not currently a regulated substance in the US, so it's really quite difficult to know exactly how much you are getting in a supplement. The bioavailability of GABA and how it will affect you is determined by your weight, gender, metabolism, other meds you take, etc.

 

 

I wanted to add that GABA, although is in fact a natural amino acid found in the central nervous system (a neurotransmitter), taken as an oral supplement is kind of a 'hit and miss' because it has difficulty breaking the blood-brain barrier (so when you take it it goes through your system, but doesn't actually get to your brain to calm the nerves). 

 

Not saying "it won't do anything" - i'm just saying staying don't stop other medications in the process of trying it. It's also important that even though "supplements" like GABA are not prescription, it's still important to tell your psychiatrist what OTC medications you are taking because they can interact with your prescription medications.

 

Also: because GABA is technically a "natural calming neurotransmitter" in the brain, it's the most advertised. But there are other calming supplements and vitamins that DO break the blood-brain barrier - like Magnesium and L-Theanine.  

Edited June 3, 2015 by Sloane

[larkspur]

I agree with Sloane. Magnesium is probably the supplement with the best evidence to back it up as helping mental illness. 

[KillBytes]

I get bad anxiety and panic attacks too. I don't mind staying on klonopin as a preventative med. I have tried many non benzos and I will be completely honest with you. After benzos the best results I have found was from zoloft and hydroxypine. Both did way better then say buspar.  Zoloft is a antidepresant but it has worked the best for me from the dozen or so AD's I've tried. I was very skepticle that a antihistamine would be effective at all! But have to admit hydroxypine is the closest thing I ever found to a benzo. It effects the central nervious system in such a way as to act as a mild sedative. It can be talking as needed. I take about 3 some times 4 a day at 25mg. No side effects for me. This along with Zoloft is a very good alterenative to benzos. Worth talking to your pdoc about it.

[Sloane]

I get bad anxiety and panic attacks too. I don't mind staying on klonopin as a preventative med. I have tried many non benzos and I will be completely honest with you. After benzos the best results I have found was from zoloft and hydroxypine. Both did way better then say buspar.  Zoloft is a antidepresant but it has worked the best for me from the dozen or so AD's I've tried. I was very skepticle that a antihistamine would be effective at all! But have to admit hydroxypine is the closest thing I ever found to a benzo. It effects the central nervious system in such a way as to act as a mild sedative. It can be talking as needed. I take about 3 some times 4 a day at 25mg. No side effects for me. This along with Zoloft is a very good alterenative to benzos. Worth talking to your pdoc about it.

 

I agree here on the point that Benzodiazepines work amazingly to treat anxiety - enhancing the neurotransmitters GABA! Especially compared to such things as Buspar, antihistamines, etc (considering...they don't). However when you are talking about medications like Buspar and antihistamines, you're discussing medications primarily controlling the physical manifestations of anxiety (like tension, restlessness, pulse, etc.). Which is important because the physical anxiety exasperates the anxious thoughts, which exasperates the physical anxiety, which exasperated the anxious thoughts, etc. And Benzodiazepines is able to effect the brain in ways the other medications are not designed to do; they have hypnotic, sedative, muscle relaxant, and Anticonvulsant properties - all of which antihistamines and Buspar just...don't.

 

So comparing Benzos and Antihistamines, or even Buspar and any Antidepressant is just kind of...like oranges and apples. You cant expect to pop a Buspar and it have the same affect as Prozac, or take Vistaril and it have the same effect as a Xanax. The point of taking medications like Buspar or Vistaril, is not taking them alone for anxiety relief or 'complete anxiety control', but rather as a conjunction medication to a larger treatment plan (and usually second to a therapy structure, or a secondary medication).

[KillBytes]

I was referring to hydroxypine when I said take as needed. Not buspar or AD's. I apologize if I was not clear enough.

 

You can indeed take hydroxypine 3x day or as needed, however your doc prescribes them. I took the capsoles which release faster.

 

It is hydroxypine that also effects the central nervious system and why they also use it as a pre-anastasia sedative. It acts like a sedative without the addicting properties. It is completely different then buspar or AD's. Buspar does not do any thing with the central nervious system. Nor does AD's. Benzo's and hydroxypine do, and why I said hydroxypine is closest alternative to a benzo. Cloest to a ALTERNATIVE to benzo does not mean they are exactly the same

 

I was verry skepticle at first. But can not argue with the results and clinical studies.

[waitingforgodot]

I have not posted in this topic (of course until now lol), but I have been following it. I have suffered from severe Social Anxiety and Selective Mutism since childhood (and found out some of my anxiety was actually hyperactivity/restlessness).

 

I've tried SSRIs, Atypical ADs, Benzos, Atypical and Typical APs - now looking for alternative treatments to handle my anxiety (instead of just "dealing" with anxiety with med-go-rounds and side-affects). I'm now taking Buspirone for the 'physical' anxiety manifestations (stuttering, sweating, heart fluttering/pulse, sweating/clamminess), CBT/DBT combo for dealing with the mental anxiety/paranoia, and vitamins/supplements for calming effects/imbalances/deficiencies/supplements.

 

 

 

 

I bought GABA today. Do you happen to know how much you take each day?

 

That's a fantastic question to ask your doctor.

 

GABA is not currently a regulated substance in the US, so it's really quite difficult to know exactly how much you are getting in a supplement. The bioavailability of GABA and how it will affect you is determined by your weight, gender, metabolism, other meds you take, etc.

 

 

I wanted to add that GABA, although is in fact a natural amino acid found in the central nervous system (a neurotransmitter), taken as an oral supplement is kind of a 'hit and miss' because it has difficulty breaking the blood-brain barrier (so when you take it it goes through your system, but doesn't actually get to your brain to calm the nerves). 

 

Not saying "it won't do anything" - i'm just saying staying don't stop other medications in the process of trying it. It's also important that even though "supplements" like GABA are not prescription, it's still important to tell your psychiatrist what OTC medications you are taking because they can interact with your prescription medications.

 

Also: because GABA is technically a "natural calming neurotransmitter" in the brain, it's the most advertised. But there are other calming supplements and vitamins that DO break the blood-brain barrier - like Magnesium and L-Theanine.  

 

Thanks for clarifying that. I've been doing more research on non-prescription supplements, and there seems to be a lot of debate about whether GABA crosses the blood-brain barrier. The most reliable information that I found indicated that, while GABA does not cross the blood-brain barrier, some of its derivatives (phenibut, for example) can. Also, there seems to be a consensus that L-theanine crosses the blood-brain barrier and increases natural GABA levels.

[Appleberry]

I really recommend Lyrica (pregabalin) for anxiety.  Its closely related to gabapentin,  It has a really low side effect profile and doesn't seem to be addictive.  A also quite like that it lasts for a short time, like 5-6 hours because you feel more in control of how much and when its affecting you, (if that sort of thing bothers you).   Although its not something you can take as PRN because it takes like 2 hrs to properly kick in.  I take 75mg 3x a day, and its improved me, but not  got my anxiety under control but I'm still increasing.  As a bonus it also helps with my pain which means I don't have to take as much codeine, yay.

[Cinnamon]

I really recommend Lyrica (pregabalin) for anxiety.  Its closely related to gabapentin,  It has a really low side effect profile and doesn't seem to be addictive.  A also quite like that it lasts for a short time, like 5-6 hours because you feel more in control of how much and when its affecting you, (if that sort of thing bothers you).   Although its not something you can take as PRN because it takes like 2 hrs to properly kick in.  I take 75mg 3x a day, and its improved me, but not  got my anxiety under control but I'm still increasing.  As a bonus it also helps with my pain which means I don't have to take as much codeine, yay.

Okay, thanks! That's another thing I'll look into.

Btw, I originally wrote under the name waitingforgodot, but I just remembered that I have this older account...but I'm the same person.

So, I know I'm resurrecting an old post here, but I'm feeling a little bit of a time crunch here. So far, I've tried a few alternative therapies and my pdoc upped my Lamictal, which was useless. But school is on the horizon, I'm anxious as hell, and now I'm anxious about how my anxiety level is going to increase once school starts, if that makes sense. I am going to suggest an atypical, although she's a younger pdoc and they sometimes get freaked out by the "oldies," I think because they're being cya about tardive diskinesia. But, anyway, for those of you who have tried typical APs for anxiety, did you take them regularly or PRN. Were they relatively low doses? (That might freak out my pdoc less.) I really need something to kill this anxiety. I'm crawling out of my skin.

[Ash19]

I really recommend Lyrica (pregabalin) for anxiety.

I second this. I was on pregabalin while inpatient and it worked wonders for anxiety.

[melissaw72]

Have you tried propranolol?  That will get anxiety under control for me if I need to take it.

[KarateKid]

If you aren't looking for benzos to help calm you down, the following have been proven to work:

Neurontin (gabapentin)

Lyrica (Pregabalin) - however, lyrica's full effects take 4 to 6 weeks to develop so you have to be on it consistently before you start seeing improvements.

Inderal (Propranolol)

Vistaril (hydroxyzine)

Elavil (Amitriptyline) - usually prescribed for night use, however, if you take it during the day you will need to take really low doses because it is a potent sedative at doses of 50 mg and above - it will knock you out

Remeron (Mirtazapine) - very good but beware of unwanted weight gain - craving for sweets is one of its top side effects.

 

Edited May 31, 2016 by KarateKid