Posted by orbital on December 2, 2010, at 2:04:19
In reply to why didn't they prescribe this 10 years ago?, posted by linkadge on November 29, 2010, at 19:49:32
Your frustration is so well grounded, Link. I'm surprised and shocked, having assumed that you'd tried benzos in the past.
I don't know what approach is generally used wherever you are, but in most places benzos are the first-line treatment for anxiety.
In my book, a doctor's willingness to prescribe benzos is pretty much the deciding factor on whether I'll continue to see him-her or not; it's absolutely non-negotiable. I've been on a benzo for several years, and intend to stay on it for as long as necessary. Why? Because, at one point, my anxiety and multiple daily panic attacks were so severe, I was suicidal.
I'm glad you've finally found relief.
> Please mind the language but.....
>
> I can't even think why the f*ck I've spent the past 10 years of my life on a *repeated* SSRI merry-go-round, will such *marginal* anti-anxiety effects? Why in the f*ck wasn't I just prescribed a benzodiazapine? I do not find the clonazepam anywhere NEAR as mind warping as the SSRIs. I am finally coming to the realization that my core issue has been ANXIETY - not depression.
>
> I have been completely preventing the weekly cyclic insomnia (usually 3+ nights a week)
>
> Currently on 2.5mg of amitriptyline and 0.125mg of clonazepam (1/4 of a 0.5). I can taper off this by the end of the week and I have no noticable withdrawl. On the contrary, coming off even 2.5mg of lexapro send me into a spiral of pure maddness.
>
> These medications kill the anxiety and do not produce anhedonia (like the SSRIs did). I'm sleeping better than I have in a decade - through the entire night - not waking up every 15 minutes, 40 times a night like on SSRIs.
>
> I wake up refreshed, with plans, ideas and the capacity to feel pleasure - not a complete zombie, who feels like that past 8 hours has been more torture than rest.
>
> For a lot of people here, I think the core problem is **not being targeted very well**. If you're just being shoved on a high dose of SSRI (for me which just make anxiety and insomnia worse), then stop all the augmentation this/that crap and find a medication that hits the problem better.
>
> I remember first starting on SSRIs (at the tender age of 17) and waiting through months of elevated anxiety, insomnia, akathesia, suicidality, apathy, you name it.
>
> If I had just been prescribed a good ol TCA plus a benzo, I would have been chipper again within a few days.
>
> Linkadge
>
poster:orbital
thread:971828
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20101117/msgs/972151.html