These are the anti-anxiety/depression medications that I take.
With all the blogging, I did not take the time to mention what my anti-anxiety “cocktail” currently is. The first anti-depressant that I tried was Prozac, That did not agree with me. Instead of helping my anxiety and depression, it wound me up and I was jumping out of my skin. There is no denying that finding the right medication for your anxiety and depression might be difficult. Some people find the right medication on the first try. But that is unusual.
I am taking Paxil CR with Neurontin. I take 37.5 mg of Paxil CR in the morning and midday, and 25mg of paxil CR at night. I also take 1000 mg of Neurontin in the morning and 750 mg. at night. These doses were arrived at gradually, with careful monitoring by my psychiatrist.
Originally I took regular Paxil for a few years, but it ended up making me drowsy while driving! So my psychiatrist switched me to the timed release Paxil CR. The Neurontin was added to work with the Paxil CR cr. This is an off label use for the neurontin. It helps to “slow down” my brain when it wants to go off on an anxiety run.
Paxil and Paxil CR address social anxiety in particular, (along with generalized anxiety disorder), which I will post about soon.
Tags: Paxil, Neurontin, anti-anxiety medication, anti-depressant medication, Prozac
- Posted in : generalized anxiety disorder, anxiety symptoms, anti-depressants, , anti-anxiety medication
- Author : freebird
Comments»
1. seaviewer - February 1, 2006[Edit]
You have to be kidding…..this must be a pharmaceutical company’s doings. I don’t believe you are a single person writing this. How about a picture of yourself posted on your “blog”???
There is no, repeat absolutely NO proof that “anxiety” is caused by a “chemical imbalance”. Drugs are not the answer. You are doing a disservice to anxious people reading this! Paxil is highly addictive.
2. freebird - February 1, 2006[Edit]
Dear Seaviewer,
I am a real person writing this blog. My anonymity is due to the personal nature of the material. You are clearly a “Tom Cruise” kind of person who does not understand about anxiety disorder. This is exactly the reason I am writing this blog. So that people who suffer from anxiety won’t listen to people like you who “poo poo” the option to take medication.
All medication has risks and side effects. There is NOTHING wrong with taking Paxil under a doctor’s care. This medication, like any long term prescription. cannot be stopped abruptly. If need be, a gradual weaning off of it is not a problem. I hope a psychiatrist will read this and comment as well.
As far as there being no proof that a chemical imbalance can cause anxiety….well, for people like me who have suffered for extended periods of time OR THEIR WHOLE LIFE and have tried therapy and have gotten no relief…..and who try medication and find that it works…….THAT IS PROOF ENOUGH FOR ME.
If you had cancer and you were dying and there was a treatment that had no medical PROOF of it working for cancer except for the informal results that it helped many people, would you resign yourself to dying or would you try and save yourself?
Sometimes anxiety is caused by trauma like 9/11 and people suddenly are stopped in their tracks by debilitating anxiety. Those people must have a temporary kind of chemical imbalance because anti-anxiety/depressant medications will work for them. These people usually wean off the medications once they have worked through the trauma.
Those of us who get freaked out by everyday bumps in the road our whole life will NOT GET WELL and need the help of medication. Living with severe anxiety disorder that is paralyzing in strength is a life sentence for some people. Emotional illness is a disease and must be treated as such. I did not say that people should run to their psychiatrist if they think they have anxiety disorder. I said that therapy was often helpful and should be attempted before taking anti-anxiety medication. But I also said that if therapy has not worked and you are still not functioning well and the anxiety is interfering with your life, then medication is something that MUST BE CONSIDERED.
Freebird
3. uk.pete - February 6, 2006[Edit]
freebird i have sa and gad and the use of seroxat(paxil in usa)helped me a lot i was on it for 3 years and i was getting on with life with no thoughts of my sa to the extent i was before.
they was helping so much i tended not to take them everyday as my “illness” was put to the background.
anyways i stopped after 3 years and went on klonopin as and when required-but im thinking i need to go back on the paxil as my head is still in the wrong place-tranx help with the anxiety for a short term but i need the long term help that the paxil gave me.
seaviewer you may be anxious and distressed but dont take it out on someone who has found the mix of meds that work for them
4. freebird - February 6, 2006[Edit]
Hey Pete,
Thanks for your comment. I hope you will talk to your doctor about going back on the Paxil. Once you felt better you should not have messed with the balance. Did your doctor agree that you should go off it, or did you do this on your own? Do you have a long history of the sa and gad? If so, consider strongly that you might need to be on medication basically forever. Better living through chemistry, right? Thank God we live in a time that these anti-anxiety meds are available for us. You know in your heart that if your “head is still in the wrong place” you need help. DON’T SUFFER. The tranx are just a temporary bandaid.
Good luck. Stay in touch.
Freebird
God bless you. I’ve tried everything “natural” under the sun for my anxiety and only the pharmaceutical meds work. I am off meds now, but my life is quite unpleasant. I will probably go on them again, as they are the only thing that has helped me live a semi-functional life.
Hi everyone, Ive been suffering from gad for about 12 yrs now[im 32]. Ive tried paxilm wellbutrin, zoloft, apo alprazolam, clonazepam, too many to list or remeber for that matter. nothing seems to work, ive also tried valerian root and other natural therapies including niacin, b12 and homeopathic medicine. I cant hold a job, cant stand other people in general, am withdrawn from social events and barely talk to friends anymore…i really dont know what to do.
I know exactly what you are going through. You MUST find a good psychiatrist to work with you to find the right combination of meds for your anxiety. Who prescribed your meds? Was it a general physician or an actual psychiatrist/psychopharmacologist? Don’t give up. You deserve to feel good.