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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mexfriend on July 15, 2007, at 0:37:55
Hi, I’m new here. I would like to share experiences with other people with my same problem.
I have anxiety almost every day at around 4pm that last til night causing insomnia (just falling sleep). It’s not related with what i have for lunch, or what I drink. In the mornings, I wake up very calmed (perhaps somewhat anergic) and don’t have any anxiety until around 11am when it starts very slowly, but definitely the high rush of anxiety is around 2 hours past lunchtime. This is causing me big trouble because with that anxiety I can’t work well after lunch.As a third problem on importance (after anxiety and insomnia), my mood is not very good. I don’t enjoy doing a lot of things that I liked before, but i suspect that this is an effect of the first 2 problems.
Let me share the experiences I have had with meds.
Alprazolam (Xanax): Pros: At .25 mg relax me and helps me to fall sleep. Cons: I don’t take it frequently because of dependence concerns.
Clonazepam (Klonopin): Pros: Last longer than Xanax, relax me very well. Cons: At 1mg makes me a little lethargic, same concern than above.
Beer (Bud Light,etc): Pros: Great as an anxiolytic after work. Elevates my mood (> 2 beers). Cons: Creating dependence. Not restful sleep. promotes insomnia even more.
Doxepin 2 week trial (Sinequan): Pros: Only med that made me go to sleep early. Great for my acidic IBS-D (>50mg). Cons: Severe cognitive impairment starting with lowest dose capsule available here (25mg). Next day severe hand shaking. Couldn't stand the med :(
Escitalopram 3 week trial (Lexapro): Pros: Decreased beer craving. perhaps relaxed me a bit. Cons: at 10 mg Anorgasmia, Somnolence in the afternoons but not at nights! Didn't elevate my mood.
Paroxetine 5 day trial (Paxil): Pros: somewhat effective for my IBS-D. Cons: Nightmare for me. "480 Volt" brain shocks in first stage REM sleeping scaring enough to quit immediately the med.
Mirtazapine 8 week trial (Remeron): Pros: Eliminated completely my insomnia after a couple of weeks, great! Always felt very natural (mentally) on it (at 15mg). After 2 weeks it elevated my mood but that only lasted 2 more weeks. Cons: Gained a lot of weight in a disappointing way at 15mg and also 30mg. Couldn't stand more than 30mg because next day sedation.
Pregabalin 4 week pdoc trial (Lyrica): Pros: Worked for anxiety after 1 week. Strange but also elevated my mood (perhaps because of the anxiety stabilization). Cons: Just quit working for both things after a month. Never helped with insomnia.
Duloxetine 2 week pdoc trial (Cymbalta): Pros: somewhat effective for my IBS-D Cons: Extreme afternoon fatigue at 60mg, couldn’t stand the med. Made me sound sensitive and phobic. I think i don’t need more noradrenaline neither serotonine or perhaps I’m very sensitive!
Exercise, sleep hygiene and quit drinking alcohol doesn't help me much.
Feeling a little hopeless considering all the med i have had.
Today i started Kava Kava, i will give it a try to see if it helps.
After Kava Kava i plan to give a fair trial to plain valerian for the insomnia part.Please share any experience. Any knowledge you may have on this concern is greatly appreciated.
Mexfriend.
Posted by Phillipa on July 15, 2007, at 11:29:41
In reply to 4 PM uncomfortable anxiety. Sharing experiences, posted by mexfriend on July 15, 2007, at 0:37:55
I don't know what to think is it pressure to get things done by closing time at work? Love Phillipa
Posted by mexfriend on July 15, 2007, at 13:19:59
In reply to Re: 4 PM uncomfortable anxiety. Sharing experiences » mexfriend, posted by Phillipa on July 15, 2007, at 11:29:41
> I don't know what to think is it pressure to get things done by closing time at work? Love Phillipa
Hi Phillipa
Thanks for replying,
I think stress contributes to that anxiety, but i believe it is something more "physiological", its like an activating but disabling brain noise or buzz.
I'm a freelancer by the way.
How do people in the forum manage brain noise?
Posted by polarbear206 on July 16, 2007, at 8:24:43
In reply to 4 PM uncomfortable anxiety. Sharing experiences, posted by mexfriend on July 15, 2007, at 0:37:55
>
> Hi, I’m new here. I would like to share experiences with other people with my same problem.
> I have anxiety almost every day at around 4pm that last til night causing insomnia (just falling sleep). It’s not related with what i have for lunch, or what I drink. In the mornings, I wake up very calmed (perhaps somewhat anergic) and don’t have any anxiety until around 11am when it starts very slowly, but definitely the high rush of anxiety is around 2 hours past lunchtime. This is causing me big trouble because with that anxiety I can’t work well after lunch.
>
> As a third problem on importance (after anxiety and insomnia), my mood is not very good. I don’t enjoy doing a lot of things that I liked before, but i suspect that this is an effect of the first 2 problems.
>
> Let me share the experiences I have had with meds.
>
> Alprazolam (Xanax): Pros: At .25 mg relax me and helps me to fall sleep. Cons: I don’t take it frequently because of dependence concerns.
>
> Clonazepam (Klonopin): Pros: Last longer than Xanax, relax me very well. Cons: At 1mg makes me a little lethargic, same concern than above.
>
> Beer (Bud Light,etc): Pros: Great as an anxiolytic after work. Elevates my mood (> 2 beers). Cons: Creating dependence. Not restful sleep. promotes insomnia even more.
>
> Doxepin 2 week trial (Sinequan): Pros: Only med that made me go to sleep early. Great for my acidic IBS-D (>50mg). Cons: Severe cognitive impairment starting with lowest dose capsule available here (25mg). Next day severe hand shaking. Couldn't stand the med :(
>
> Escitalopram 3 week trial (Lexapro): Pros: Decreased beer craving. perhaps relaxed me a bit. Cons: at 10 mg Anorgasmia, Somnolence in the afternoons but not at nights! Didn't elevate my mood.
>
> Paroxetine 5 day trial (Paxil): Pros: somewhat effective for my IBS-D. Cons: Nightmare for me. "480 Volt" brain shocks in first stage REM sleeping scaring enough to quit immediately the med.
>
> Mirtazapine 8 week trial (Remeron): Pros: Eliminated completely my insomnia after a couple of weeks, great! Always felt very natural (mentally) on it (at 15mg). After 2 weeks it elevated my mood but that only lasted 2 more weeks. Cons: Gained a lot of weight in a disappointing way at 15mg and also 30mg. Couldn't stand more than 30mg because next day sedation.
>
> Pregabalin 4 week pdoc trial (Lyrica): Pros: Worked for anxiety after 1 week. Strange but also elevated my mood (perhaps because of the anxiety stabilization). Cons: Just quit working for both things after a month. Never helped with insomnia.
>
> Duloxetine 2 week pdoc trial (Cymbalta): Pros: somewhat effective for my IBS-D Cons: Extreme afternoon fatigue at 60mg, couldn’t stand the med. Made me sound sensitive and phobic. I think i don’t need more noradrenaline neither serotonine or perhaps I’m very sensitive!
>
> Exercise, sleep hygiene and quit drinking alcohol doesn't help me much.
>
> Feeling a little hopeless considering all the med i have had.
>
> Today i started Kava Kava, i will give it a try to see if it helps.
> After Kava Kava i plan to give a fair trial to plain valerian for the insomnia part.
>
> Please share any experience. Any knowledge you may have on this concern is greatly appreciated.
> Mexfriend.
>
You may do very well with a mood stabilizer to augment your antidepressant and keep you more even. Since you have had so many failed trials of meds, I would highly consider it. Lamictal has a good track record. Works great for me in combination with effexor and wellbutrin.Polarbear
Posted by Diane Hammond on July 16, 2007, at 16:12:40
In reply to 4 PM uncomfortable anxiety. Sharing experiences, posted by mexfriend on July 15, 2007, at 0:37:55
Anxiety in the afternoon. Edgyness, unfinished business, unsettled. Those were all the feelings that I got when I went from Lexapro to Celexa. Once I got Celexa out of my system and moved back to Lexapro all of those odd afternoon feelings went away.
I understand everyone's chemistry is a little different, but it helps to talk about it.
Posted by puravida on July 18, 2007, at 15:15:30
In reply to Re: 4 PM uncomfortable anxiety. Sharing experienc, posted by Diane Hammond on July 16, 2007, at 16:12:40
Try GABA and/or L-Glutamine. These two are the only non-scripts that I KNOW can make a difference. Problem is I feel better, don't take them, and then forget they are available. Another thing is Serax, but that is risky because of addiction, I hear. Also when I was taking wellbutrin 2x a day it was better for me in the afternoons, but always hard to remember to take the meds, so I have tried 1x a day meds instead.
I know what you mean, though - the daily peaks and valleys.
PV
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