Personal experience with anxiety meds

[Mx12345]

Hi! I’m a 31 year old single female. I have a great job, make good money, have great friends, workout five times per week, and I would consider myself above average attractively.

 

There are two things in my life that cause my anxiety to go through the roof: dating and my family life. I was wondering if anyone could share their personal experience with having anxiety and then taking prescription medication and how it helped. I guess it would help to mention a little about what gives me anxiety. Most of the time I am fine. Four years ago I was in a relationship that was emotionally and verbally abusive. I basically just had anxiety every day for those two years we were together and just tried to deal with it on my own. After we broke up I took steps to calm my anxiety, mostly I started working out all the time. For the next few years my anxiety was mild and working out helped. But also I did not date often and just focused on improving myself. I traveled to a few countries and got a dog.

 

This past year I decided to try to really get back in the dating game. I felt like I was very happy with myself as a person so I would be ready to open myself up and find someone to be with long term. Since this has happened though my anxiety has gone back through the roof again. Working out is not helping. Reading self help books is not helping. I’m finally to the point where I think I may want to try medication to stop the unnecessary worrying. For example I have been on 5/6 dates with this great guy. We are not exclusive but we get along amazingly and I really like him. These past two weeks I have had the most anxiety I’ve had in a very long time. I’m starting to worry about things that I don’t need to worry about at this point. I’m starting to have negative thoughts, not about him but about him eventually hurting me. And he has not done anything to make me have these thoughts. I dated someone a few months ago and the same thing happened. It consumed me and I eventually just broke it off with him (kinda like hurt him before he hurts me type of situation.) am I ever going to be able to date without having these worries especially at the beginning? The second I realize I actually like a guy, the worry sets in. I don’t want to ruin things with this new guy just bc I have anxiety.

 

My family life (mostly my mother who can not support herself and I worry about her well being) also gives me anxiety. But that has been managed these past few years with the exercise.

 

Does anyone have first hand experience with having anxiety then taking meds to help? Did it help? Do you feel better? I’m looking to try to get to the dr by the end of the month. Thank you in advance for any advice!

[carhill]

Me, I went straight to the anti-psychotics

 

Back when I had my home drug store, I recall a couple of marked experiences. ExW took Effexor for about six months and she loved it for awhile. She even said people 'liked' her more and she felt less anxious and more comfortable. The hard part came when she plateaued and decided to go off it. Even following the reverse titration to the letter, the side effects going off, mood swings being one, were challenging. The worst was short-term memory loss, something she dealt with for almost a year.

 

My other experience was with a benzo, Xanax. Tip: Don't give a benzo to a dementia patient even if their doctor rx's it. Yikes. Watch out for benzodiazepines in general.

 

That's my limited experience. Good luck!

[CautiouslyOptimistic]

I have experience with anxiety meds, but my anxiety is a bit different than yours, in that I get anxious over really dumb crap that's not normal to get anxious about. In your case, I would recommend talk therapy before going straight to anxiety medication. You have REAL issues that would cause many people anxiety (past abuse, the situation with your mom). I think therapy could particularly help with your relationship issues.

[LivingWaterPlease]

Mx12345, you are so wise to ask for experience before trying anti anxiety drugs. Am sure you'll receive varied feedback.

 

I had a horrible experience with benzos (benzodiazepams, klonopin) after taking the smallest dose pill broken in half regularly for a few weeks. I may have taken it twice a day, can't recall now as it's been eight years ago.

 

After taking them this way I had a seizure type episode which was both physical and emotional, and which I'd never had before, one day. I rushed in and took half a pill and within a short time was fine.

 

At that point I realized I needed the pills to stay normal, that my body had become dependent on them.

 

I went to the Dr. who prescribed them asking how to get off of them and he told me to just quit taking them, which I couldn't do because if I skipped a day I'd have a seizure. He also wouldn't give me a plan to titrate off them but wanted to put me on a different drug to get me off that one.

 

What I did was to stay on the same amount of drug and titrate down over a two week period. I couldn't find a Dr. to help me through it without giving me another drug and by this time I was distrustful of mood altering drugs.

 

I did the two week titrate and went off the drug but the year after was pure hell. My body went through withdrawal for about a year.

 

During that year I had about twenty different things happen to my body. Things like stabbing feelings in my eyes, large (4" X 8-10"X 1/8")painful swollen red whelps would appear on my leg or torso and would last thirty minutes or so, 24/7 feeling of raw nerves to the point rain on the roof or the birds singing were unbearable, nausea, a feeling of being smothered that never left, etc etc etc.

 

After about six months the symptoms began to abate but they were pretty bad for a year total. I thought I'd never be normal again. For several years i'd have flashback periods of anxiety withdrawal (different feeling than regular anxiety) that would hit anytime anywhere.

 

Thankfully, I found on the internet Heather Ashton, I believe both a Phd and an MD who taught neurophysiological classes in England, I believe, who was familiar with the withdrawal symptoms I was experiencing and who had established a clinic for people experiencing benzodiazepam withdrawal.

 

You can google her and see what she has to say about these drugs and trying to get off of them. She posts a very long list of the physical reactions a person may experience when trying to get off benzodiazepams.

 

Dr. Ashton also connected me with a person in my country who had experienced what I was going through as kind of a mentor.

 

I believe you can go to youtube and see videos of people going through benzodiazepam withdrawal. It isn't a pretty sight but I can assure you that as badly as the folks in the videos appear to be feeling, the actual experience is much worse.

 

That's just my experience. YMMV but I always tell people who are close to me to stay away from them. I have thought of writing an article or even a book to chronicle the experience I had with them. When I have shared with others what I've gone through I began to hear similar stories from them, which I'd never heard before. I also began to hear stories of people who are on them and can't seem to get off of them, though they want to.

 

Again, am sure there will be posters respond that they had an OK experience with them. It's just that, before you begin taking them you don't know which person you'll be, the one whose body becomes dependent on them and has to go through a hellish and extended withdrawal period or the one who doesn't seem to have problems with them.

 

Here are some things you can do to help manage your anxiety without taking drugs.

 

1. Exercise (which you already know about and isn't working well for you now).

 

2. Stay away from caffeine.

 

3. Use Valerian Root Powder (the non addicting herb Valium is made from) instead.

 

4. Passion Flower Root herb, similar to Valerian Root, can take them together for extra help.

 

5. For me, as a believer, daily morning meditation in the Bible and prayer.

 

6. Nutraceuticals - one I've heard is very good uses NeuroReplete and CysReplete. It's a program overseen by health care professionals that resets your brain for dopamine and serotonin. Not sure that will come through when I post but if you PM me I'll give you the website you can go to that tells where the treatment centers are. It's a pretty simple program.

[carhill]

OP, how are you sleeping? Do you wake up with fits and starts and worries or sleep soundly all night? What are first thoughts upon waking after an otherwise sound sleep?

 

If you have access, yeah I'd hit a psych for an evaluation before going straight to the meds. Medication should be a possible part of a treatment plan like with any health issue. Diagnose, then treat.

 

How are things with your female friends? Are you confident in those friendships and experience little worry or anxiety there? Other?

[LivingWaterPlease]

Just noticed where Carhill and CO both recommended counseling. I would encourage you to go this route rather than to meds.

 

Some psychiatrists, I understand, use hormone therapy rather than meds to treat anxiety and depression. That might be a good direction to go if you can find one who does. Maybe try this after going to a psychologist or other therapist for counseling.

[Els]

It depends on which anxiety meds you get - I honestly don't know why they keep prescribing benzodiazepines (Or similar) when those are not meant to be taken long term but only as acute treatment of panic attacks. I personally take a tricyclic antidepressant - most antidepressants double as anti anxiety drugs and are safe to take long term. It did help me tremendously when I needed it. There are a few minor side effects like making weight loss difficult, but it's more than worth the benefits

 

A thing to note is that medications for anxiety are meant to be taken alongside cognitive behavioral therapy with a psychologist. The main problem with this is that CBT tends to be MUCH more expensive than meds and much less likely to be covered by universal healthcare (or, if you are in the US, insurance), so lots of people just take the meds by themselves unfortunately. But that isn't how they were intended to be used.

[CautiouslyOptimistic]

Yeah, I would not at all recommend benzos either. I've only ever been prescribed Xanax once in my life, and I stretched a 30 day supply over 6 months. I used it only in dire situations and then the "stuff" I was going through (a new job) passed.

 

I have heard horror stories about benzo withdrawal .

 

I take Zoloft.

[Mx12345]

Mx12345, you are so wise to ask for experience before trying anti anxiety drugs. Am sure you'll receive varied feedback.

 

I had a horrible experience with benzos (benzodiazepams, klonopin) after taking the smallest dose pill broken in half regularly for a few weeks. I may have taken it twice a day, can't recall now as it's been eight years ago.

 

After taking them this way I had a seizure type episode which was both physical and emotional, and which I'd never had before, one day. I rushed in and took half a pill and within a short time was fine.

 

At that point I realized I needed the pills to stay normal, that my body had become dependent on them.

 

I went to the Dr. who prescribed them asking how to get off of them and he told me to just quit taking them, which I couldn't do because if I skipped a day I'd have a seizure. He also wouldn't give me a plan to titrate off them but wanted to put me on a different drug to get me off that one.

 

What I did was to stay on the same amount of drug and titrate down over a two week period. I couldn't find a Dr. to help me through it without giving me another drug and by this time I was distrustful of mood altering drugs.

 

I did the two week titrate and went off the drug but the year after was pure hell. My body went through withdrawal for about a year.

 

During that year I had about twenty different things happen to my body. Things like stabbing feelings in my eyes, large (4" X 8-10"X 1/8")painful swollen red whelps would appear on my leg or torso and would last thirty minutes or so, 24/7 feeling of raw nerves to the point rain on the roof or the birds singing were unbearable, nausea, a feeling of being smothered that never left, etc etc etc.

 

After about six months the symptoms began to abate but they were pretty bad for a year total. I thought I'd never be normal again. For several years i'd have flashback periods of anxiety withdrawal (different feeling than regular anxiety) that would hit anytime anywhere.

 

Thankfully, I found on the internet Heather Ashton, I believe both a Phd and an MD who taught neurophysiological classes in England, I believe, who was familiar with the withdrawal symptoms I was experiencing and who had established a clinic for people experiencing benzodiazepam withdrawal.

 

You can google her and see what she has to say about these drugs and trying to get off of them. She posts a very long list of the physical reactions a person may experience when trying to get off benzodiazepams.

 

Dr. Ashton also connected me with a person in my country who had experienced what I was going through as kind of a mentor.

 

I believe you can go to youtube and see videos of people going through benzodiazepam withdrawal. It isn't a pretty sight but I can assure you that as badly as the folks in the videos appear to be feeling, the actual experience is much worse.

 

That's just my experience. YMMV but I always tell people who are close to me to stay away from them. I have thought of writing an article or even a book to chronicle the experience I had with them. When I have shared with others what I've gone through I began to hear similar stories from them, which I'd never heard before. I also began to hear stories of people who are on them and can't seem to get off of them, though they want to.

 

Again, am sure there will be posters respond that they had an OK experience with them. It's just that, before you begin taking them you don't know which person you'll be, the one whose body becomes dependent on them and has to go through a hellish and extended withdrawal period or the one who doesn't seem to have problems with them.

 

Here are some things you can do to help manage your anxiety without taking drugs.

 

1. Exercise (which you already know about and isn't working well for you now).

 

2. Stay away from caffeine.

 

3. Use Valerian Root Powder (the non addicting herb Valium is made from) instead.

 

4. Passion Flower Root herb, similar to Valerian Root, can take them together for extra help.

 

5. For me, as a believer, daily morning meditation in the Bible and prayer.

 

6. Nutraceuticals - one I've heard is very good uses NeuroReplete and CysReplete. It's a program overseen by health care professionals that resets your brain for dopamine and serotonin. Not sure that will come through when I post but if you PM me I'll give you the website you can go to that tells where the treatment centers are. It's a pretty simple program.

 

Your experience sounds terrible, I’m so sorry. THIS is the exact reason I debate even trying to get on medication. For the past four years I’ve managed it myself with exercise and self help books. And I live fine 90% of the time. But trying to date these past few months have been a mixture of happiness and anxiety. I’m great when I’m around the guy I like, but when I’m home by myself I over analyze every little thing. I want to feel better but I don’t want to have further medical issues.

[Mx12345]

OP, how are you sleeping? Do you wake up with fits and starts and worries or sleep soundly all night? What are first thoughts upon waking after an otherwise sound sleep?

 

If you have access, yeah I'd hit a psych for an evaluation before going straight to the meds. Medication should be a possible part of a treatment plan like with any health issue. Diagnose, then treat.

 

How are things with your female friends? Are you confident in those friendships and experience little worry or anxiety there? Other?

 

I’m sleeping ok for the most part right now, which is great. I don’t wake up with fits or anything. I pretty much sleep soundly once I get to bed. However a few things in the past few weeks have triggered me not getting to sleep for awhile bc I was so worried about something that shouldn’t have even been an issue. Me and the guy in question made plans to go hiking yesterday, early last week. A day after the plans were made he mentioned he thought he may be getting sick and he hoped he wouldn’t have to cancel hiking. I was a nervous wreck not just during the days but at night I couldn’t fall asleep to save my life. I kept imagining not only was he going to cancel but all these other horrible scenarios that I shouldn’t have been thinking.

 

I also want to mention that most days I’m not waking up happy? I guess that’s the best way to describe it. I’m waking up with the world on my shoulders. Am I going to hear from him today? Is he going to cancel a date? Is my mom going to need money today? Just like all the worry sets in the moment I wake up.

 

I don’t have tons of acquaintances but I do have 3-4 very good friends that I can talk to and I don’t have any issues with them. Or work either. I love my job, work is stable, I get along great with my coworkers, my boss loves me, I get paid very well.

 

Just dating and my mom.

[LivingWaterPlease]

Your experience sounds terrible, I’m so sorry. THIS is the exact reason I debate even trying to get on medication. For the past four years I’ve managed it myself with exercise and self help books. And I live fine 90% of the time. But trying to date these past few months have been a mixture of happiness and anxiety. I’m great when I’m around the guy I like, but when I’m home by myself I over analyze every little thing. I want to feel better but I don’t want to have further medical issues.

 

 

This sounds fairly normal to me. I think a lot of people do this. You just have to get through it. For me, it helps that my faith has grown to the point where I truly believe that if a R is God's will it will happen, if not it won't, as long as I continue to pray about it and surrender it to God. I haven't always had faith or cared to surrender, though.

[CautiouslyOptimistic]

This sounds fairly normal to me. I think a lot of people do this. You just have to get through it. For me, it helps that my faith has grown to the point where I truly believe that if a R is God's will it will happen, if not it won't, as long as I continue to pray about it and surrender it to God. I haven't always had faith or cared to surrender, though.

 

Yes, I agree! Just read more threads here and you'll see you are NOT alone in this regard!

 

I also agree about the faith. Not only faith about God's will, but faith that no matter what happens, I'll be just fine. I have been through a lot of crap that has developed strength. I trust myself enough to know I can handle just about anything.

[BaileyB]

I have experience with anxiety meds, but my anxiety is a bit different than yours, in that I get anxious over really dumb crap that's not normal to get anxious about. In your case, I would recommend talk therapy before going straight to anxiety medication. You have REAL issues that would cause many people anxiety (past abuse, the situation with your mom). I think therapy could particularly help with your relationship issues.

 

This. I would suggest finding a counsellor who does cognitive behavioural therapy. Have you ever gone to counselling before? You've done well to deal with it after your breakup, it's only natural that dating again/a new relationship would trigger some of these feelings. A few visits with the right counsellor will likely really help.

 

And yes, you are definitely not alone if you feel fine with your guy and overanalyze things at home. It happens to the best of us... But, if he's a good guy, he's consistent and tells you where you stand (once you are past the uncertain initial stages of dating), your anxiety should decrease. I have always been anxious about dating but when I met the right guy... I was surprised that I was not very anxious at all.

 

Good luck!

[Mx12345]

I feel like I worry more when I’m dating than a normal person. Unfortunately, I’m not a religious person, so I appreciate the advice to have faith and leave it up to God, but I don’t feel like that can help me since I don’t believe in God.

 

I don’t think it’s normal to go half a day or an entire day without hearing from a guy you’ve been seeing for three weeks and spend the entire day thinking he is no longer interested in you and you’re never going to hear from him again. Or to lay in bed for two hours trying to fall a sleep but instead keep imagining all the ways he will ghost me or say he doesn’t want to see me anymore. Like why am I having these thoughts? How can I stop thinking this way? I’m logical in that I’m aware it’s normal when you first start dating to be unsure of things. But if it gets so bad that I start to think I should just stop seeing him so I don’t get hurt, that’s not normal.

 

I’m wondering if meds will help me.

[CautiouslyOptimistic]

I feel like I worry more when I’m dating than a normal person. Unfortunately, I’m not a religious person, so I appreciate the advice to have faith and leave it up to God, but I don’t feel like that can help me since I don’t believe in God.

 

I don’t think it’s normal to go half a day or an entire day without hearing from a guy you’ve been seeing for three weeks and spend the entire day thinking he is no longer interested in you and you’re never going to hear from him again. Or to lay in bed for two hours trying to fall a sleep but instead keep imagining all the ways he will ghost me or say he doesn’t want to see me anymore. Like why am I having these thoughts? How can I stop thinking this way? I’m logical in that I’m aware it’s normal when you first start dating to be unsure of things. But if it gets so bad that I start to think I should just stop seeing him so I don’t get hurt, that’s not normal.

 

I’m wondering if meds will help me.

 

Counseling will really help you. Having someone to bounce these fears off of and then having them give you more rational ways to look at it really does help.

[MidwestUSA]

OP, what you describe is situational anxiety, which is best addressed by therapy. A straight anti anxiety med, such as a benzo, will only leave you worse off when the effect wears off. It's how a lot of people get addicted.

 

If indeed you suffer from generalized anxiety, best diagnosed by a professional, one of the SSRIs would be of help. As Els stated, the good old tricyclics are used for this as well, but the newer drugs tend to have fewer side effects. Someone mentioned Effexor - should anyone try to prescribe that to you, run. There are plenty of alternatives.

 

If you're waking up unhappy, might want to see that same someone about depression. Antidepressants have the benefit of treating both depression and anxiety.

 

Good luck.

Edited January 8, 2018 by MidwestUSA

[CautiouslyOptimistic]

OP, what you describe is situational anxiety, which is best addressed by therapy. A straight anti anxiety med, such as a benzo, will only leave you worse off when the effect wears off. It's how a lot of people get addicted.

 

If indeed you suffer from generalized anxiety, best diagnosed by a professional, one of the SSRIs would be of help. As Els stated, the good old tricyclics are used for this as well, but the newer drugs tend to have fewer side effects. Someone mentioned Effexor - should anyone try to prescribe that to you, run. Ther are plenty of alternatives

 

If you're waking up unhappy, might want to see that same someone about depression. Antidepressants have the benefit of treating both depression and anxiety.

 

Good luck.

 

Spot on. At various times in my life I've suffered from situational depression and clinical depression (which was caused by PMDD but that's another topic). Every time I've suffered from situational depression I've refused to be medicated for it because it needs talk therapy, not pills. I know it probably doesn't seem like it could help, but it really does. We are all susceptible to faulty ways of seeing the world and our lives from time to time, and having someone on the outside looking in tell us how it really is, and gives us tools to start to think that way too, is very effective. It is possible for the brain to develop new (healthier) pathways.

[amaysngrace]

I take buspar from time to time, not every day, and it really helps to take the edge off.

[Cookiesandough]

I was a benzo addict, took me almost a year to quit... didn’t help my ex always had kpins and zanny bars on hand in addition to the Valium I was already prescribed. I strongly suggest something like Cbt or dBT to get to the root of your anxiety and healthier stuff in the meantime to treat it, valerian root, meditation etc. or only use them very very rarely...and preferably not a benzo.. they are a very slippery slope and it is like putting a bandaid over a gaping wound, except in this analogy the wound never heals, just keeps growing and you keep having to use more bandaids and if you try to take the baindaid off it feels like your neurotransmitters have been stripped raw because they have. Just don’t

Edited January 8, 2018 by Cookiesandough

[CautiouslyOptimistic]

I was a benzo addict, took me almost a year to quit... didn’t help my ex always had kpins and zanny bars on hand in addition to the Valium I was already prescribed. I strongly suggest something like Cbt or dBT to get to the root of your anxiety and healthier stuff in the meantime to treat it, valerian root, meditation etc. or only use them very very rarely...and preferably not a benzo.. they are a very slippery slope and it is like putting a bandaid over a gaping wound, except in this analogy the wound never heals, just keeps growing and you keep having to use more bandaids and if you try to take the baindaid off it feels like your neurotransmitters have been stripped raw because they have. Just don’t

 

Wow, Cookie, so glad you're off that. <3

[carhill]

Yeah, buspirone worked pretty well and was relatively insensitive to dosage errors. I used that solely and in concert as a cocktail with quetiapine, using the extended release quetiapine with the buspirone as a kicker. The main benefit was dialing back persistent anxious behaviors where psychotic episodes occurred. The behaviors still occurred but were more brief in duration and the patient was more easily calmed and soothed. I also noted few to no adverse results when tapering off to start a different regime or when baselining. Some agitation but nothing remarkable. IIRC the target dosage was 50mg BID in a 140lb patient.

 

In the OP's case, presenting as an otherwise healthy, well-adjusted individual with some spot anxiety which appears to be focused primarily on dating, I'd work first on getting some healthy sleep, perhaps a homeopathic sleep aid to quell those thoughts upon resting (I often used herbal tea and/or melatonin when caregiving to good effect) and seek some tools from a psych for self-calming, or perhaps meditation, only moving to drugs if other methods fail.

[Fair]

You're probably deficient in magnesium, for one thing. Stress depletes our bodies of nutrients which leads to anxiety, depression and disease. I try to steer clear of anti depressants as much as I can although lately I've had to resort to remeron and clonazepam for panic attacks which are now thankfully beginning to subside.

[Mx12345]

Thank you everyone for the feedback. This, along with some other personal experiences, make me not want to try meds now. Someone mentioned I live a fairly normal anxiety free life, except when it comes to my family and more recently dating. I'm just going to push through with the self help for the time being, and then look into talking to someone about why I feel so inadequate when I start to like someone. Or why I have this constant fear they are going to dump me at any moment. I will say yesterday was very hard. It was a sunday, and I didn't have any plans, so I just sat at home imaging all these worst case scenarios. Today I feel a bit better. Still on edge, but work is keeping my mind busy. And then Ill workout after work so Ill feel better after that as well.

[preraph]

I've taken them momentarily to get through a family crisis so I didn't blow up or something. My best experience is secondhand. My sister is a recluse and a nasty tempered one at that. She was in the hospital for 6 months almost dying from pancreatitis and she was very nasty tempered with all the staff and they finally put her on anxiety meds which she was still on when she came out until she let the prescription lapse. When she came out, despite her challenging physical problems, she was more outgoing and social and NICE than ever before. Then the last couple of years she went back to her old mean reclusive self. Wish she'd get back on meds.

 

Always remember that different meds take different amounts of time to be effective. Different meds affect different patients different ways. So there is usually a few months of adjusting types of meds and doses or trying combinations to find the right one for you. A med might make you ill or have a side effect for a couple weeks and then be fine. And always remember: NEVER stop a med or change the dosage or how often you take it without first calling your doctor. It can be dangerous, and doctors know best. 80 percent of patients don't take their meds as prescribed and then complain that they're ineffective. They simply don't understand how they work. They feel better, stop taking them, then they slide back downhill. Do as the Dr. says and always report any side symptoms to him/her immediately.

 

Good luck.

Edited January 8, 2018 by preraph