Right Reasons...?

[DrK]

Hello Y'all.

I'm wondering what you think about this. My anxiety at the moment isn't killer but it (as always) could be better. I'm feeling so high strung and worried about everything. You know that kind of anxiety, where it's not just one specific thing, but instead it's just like everything suddenly is your concern? Yes that is how I feel.

I was thinking I should ask my psychiatrist if we could try an SSRI to help me calm down and feel less anxious. If it's pretty mild do you think it would be worth it?

Also, I'm looking for opinions from y'all about Lexapro vs Zoloft. I know my psychiatrist loves Zoloft, she was originally going to put me on it, but I think I might want to try Lexapro. 

Thanks,

DrK

[CeremonyNewOrder]

In my personal experience, I found an antidepressant really worked to cut my anxiety in half AND THEN I was able to use the skills (mindfulness meditation, cognitive behavioral therapy) I was taught in therapy. If you just have moderate anxiety, you might just try therapy at first and if that doesn't work try medication.

[DrK]

6 minutes ago, CeremonyNewOrder said:

In my personal experience, I found an antidepressant really worked to cut my anxiety in half AND THEN I was able to use the skills (mindfulness meditation, cognitive behavioral therapy) I was taught in therapy. If you just have moderate anxiety, you might just try therapy at first and if that doesn't work try medication.

I've gotten to this point thanks to therapy. I think it's truly some kind of witchcraft haha. 

[melissaw72]

Have you tried a low dose benzo or beta blocker (propranolol)? 

I agree with lowering your anxiety before working on skills in therapy.  Personal experience, if I go into pdoc (he is my tdoc also) and am just stressed out and out of sorts in a big way, the entire time is spent on getting me back to calming down as much as possible.  If I had gone in there not as stressed out, we could have talked about other things that would have been more helpful.

[melissaw72]

I was just reading this post that you posted here:

Quote

Vyvanse 30mg ADD

Amitriptyline 25mg Sleep/IBS

Propranolol 20mg PRN for Anxiety

Zofran up to 24mg Nausea

Linzess 290 mcg IBS

 

^^ And I realized you are already on some meds ... one of which is propranolol ... that says helps you with anxiety.  Does it help?

[DrK]

4 hours ago, melissaw72 said:

Have you tried a low dose benzo or beta blocker (propranolol)? 

I agree with lowering your anxiety before working on skills in therapy.  Personal experience, if I go into pdoc (he is my tdoc also) and am just stressed out and out of sorts in a big way, the entire time is spent on getting me back to calming down as much as possible.  If I had gone in there not as stressed out, we could have talked about other things that would have been more helpful.

I doubt my psychiatrist would prescribe me a low dose benzo for anything other than flights to and fro locations. And yes I agree, therapy is great as long as you don't get off on a tangent about something. I had to redirect my therapist from helping me with ADD coping skills, which I didn't need at the time, to helping with my anxiety, which was much needed. I feel like that happens too often

4 hours ago, melissaw72 said:

I was just reading this post that you posted here:

 

^^ And I realized you are already on some meds ... one of which is propranolol ... that says helps you with anxiety.  Does it help?

Ahhh~ It doesn't help with the mental symptoms of anxiety, just physical ones that perpetuate the mental ones. I used to take it daily, but it kills the motivation I get from Vyvanse, so I had to stop (which is also a shame because it steadied my hands because of shaking from Vyvanse). 

You're very active on the forums (35k Posts O:), you must know everyone like family! haha

[jt07]

I can only say what helps me, and citalopram (Celexa) helps me a LOT with anxiety. Citalopram has the same psychoactive molecule as es-citalopram (Lexapro) so I'm guessing that Lexapro would be just as good for anxiety. I find that citalopram is nearly as good as a benzo for anxiety.

[DrK]

10 minutes ago, jt07 said:

I can only say what helps me, and citalopram (Celexa) helps me a LOT with anxiety. Citalopram has the same psychoactive molecule as es-citalopram (Lexapro) so I'm guessing that Lexapro would be just as good for anxiety. I find that citalopram is nearly as good as a benzo for anxiety.

Thanks~ A friend of mine told me she was on Celexa for a couple of years and it really helped to pull her out of some dark situations. Thanks for responding