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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ChicagoKat on December 4, 2012, at 9:39:16
Hi all, I am wondering which medication each of you think is better at treating anxiety (in each case, not as the main action of the drug, but as a side effect I guess one should say)
The two drugs are Nardil v. Lexapro
Thanks in advance for your input,
Kat
Posted by Phillipa on December 4, 2012, at 11:34:54
In reply to Poll: anxiety meds, posted by ChicagoKat on December 4, 2012, at 9:39:16
Personally if haven't taken a benzo than my choice as for years they will work well. Phillipa
Posted by Hugh on December 4, 2012, at 11:54:13
In reply to Re: Poll: anxiety meds » ChicagoKat, posted by Phillipa on December 4, 2012, at 11:34:54
> Personally if haven't taken a benzo than my choice as for years they will work well. Phillipa
My advice is to steer clear of benzos if at all possible, and if you do take them, make it short-term, if possible. Benzos can be very effective, but they can also lead to tolerance and interdose withdrawal, which can make your depression and anxiety worse than they were to begin with. Phillipa, I know you've taken benzos for something like forty years, and they've helped you. Many people can handle them long-term just fine, and many people can't. I'm one of those who can't.
Posted by gadchik on December 4, 2012, at 12:26:30
In reply to Re: Poll: anxiety meds, posted by Hugh on December 4, 2012, at 11:54:13
I have found only Klonopin to be helpful longterm, least side effects, for anxiety. And a small dose does it. Referring to lexapro or nardil,sorry Ive not tried nardil. Lexapro induced panic attacks,but it may have worked if I stuck it out,and had taken a benzo at the same time. But Klonopin proved to be the key to unlocking my issues. Good luck Kat!
Posted by rjlockhart37 on December 4, 2012, at 13:29:59
In reply to Re: Poll: anxiety meds, posted by gadchik on December 4, 2012, at 12:26:30
I am not a serotonin specialist, but I have to say Nardil would win....lexepro is an SSRI and effective but it fits in the SSRI label, and it has its own ways of doing things. It's not as potent as Nardil, you could still try a dose of 40mg on Lexepro...it may work....plus its wellknown amount todays docs. Nardil are not first line treatment with docs today.
Neurontin too...would help
r
Posted by jono_in_adelaide on December 4, 2012, at 16:54:05
In reply to Poll: anxiety meds, posted by ChicagoKat on December 4, 2012, at 9:39:16
Very individual of course, but my gut feel is that nardil would be superior, though with more side effects, because nardin not only increases seretonin, it also blocks the breakdown of GABA
Posted by jono_in_adelaide on December 4, 2012, at 19:27:56
In reply to Re: Poll: anxiety meds, posted by jono_in_adelaide on December 4, 2012, at 16:54:05
Lexapro plus hydroxyzine (Atarax) 50mg three times a day might be a good choice if Nardil isnt cutting it for you.
Posted by Prefect on December 4, 2012, at 20:59:40
In reply to Re: Poll: anxiety meds, posted by jono_in_adelaide on December 4, 2012, at 19:27:56
I've yet to find a medication to better deal with a panic attack than a panic attack itself. I've been using doses of Luvox that are considered subtheraputic to take some of the edge off, but I put up with a heck of a lot of anxiety everyday during my relapses without trying to get rid of it. I may be wrong, but I think there's something to be said about desensitizing youself to the anxiety itself. I think anxiety can "poop out" the way meds do when you take it long enough without trying to mask it with benzos.
Sometimes I intentionally induce panic when I'm driving to work and feel it coming. Don't get me wrong, I don't invite anxiety when it's not there, because I don't want to unneccessarily sensitize my brain. But when I do have some anxiety I don't even try to belly breath to get rid of it, because I find fighting it makes it worse. I might even let myself have catastorphic thoughts to get some good palpitations going, and once it all rushes through me...I feel calm and a little stronger.
Nothing scares me more than running away from the angst. I suppose CBT specialists would be horrified to find out I do this, and it may sound a little unorthodox, but it worked for me before and I had a 7 year remission on only 50 mg Luvox. But I was willing to let myself feel a lot of horror and pain before it got better.
Posted by Guy on December 5, 2012, at 14:31:03
In reply to Poll: anxiety meds, posted by ChicagoKat on December 4, 2012, at 9:39:16
I have had some success with a combination of low dose Zyprexa (2.5 mg) and low dose clonazepam (2.5 mg.) This helps with my insomnia and panic, but I still have to use CBT skills. If things get out of control, I just take a bit more clonazepam which, surprisingly, has not pooped out after many years of use. Despite the meds and calming techniques I still have some almost-constant symptoms...such is life with this nasty disorder.
Posted by brynb on December 10, 2012, at 10:48:51
In reply to Poll: anxiety meds, posted by ChicagoKat on December 4, 2012, at 9:39:16
Kat! Hope you're doing a bit better...sorry you're having a rough time. I just read your former posts and it left me thinking about physical vs psychic pain.
I've been really ill (some weird virus and I blew up with edema and cellulitis around my legs--they still aren't sure what it is!) and haven't been around much over the past two weeks, but oddly enough, it feels "easier" to be physically
ill. (I say this though as I'm not suffering from anything life threatening.)Anyway, back to anxiety:
My current anxiety choice is 20 mg of Lexapro with 50 mg of Librium. The Lex/Librium combo is great, and I've tried all the anxiolytics.
Drop me an email if you'd like to let me know how things are.
Hang in there friend...
Posted by ChicagoKat on December 10, 2012, at 11:25:49
In reply to Re: Poll: anxiety meds » ChicagoKat, posted by brynb on December 10, 2012, at 10:48:51
Hey Bryn! I've missed you! Sounds like you are suffering from a scary ailment, and what's worse is they can't figure out what it is!
But one thing I want to confirm: I feel better psychologically too whenver I have a physical ailment. (of course not a life-threatening illness, or one that causes serious morbidity...something like the flu would be perfect. So I didn't get a flu shot this year. lol) Physical pain is easier to deal with, and it drives all the psychological pain away. Sometimes I wish I could be physically sick all the time so the depression would be overshadowed by the pain. And, of course, there's the stigma factor. If I am suffering from physical pain, I'm far more likely to get sympathy and caring from my loved ones AND from other people I meet through the day. Just my 2 cents. I know it's kinda weird to wanna be physically ill, but I know from experience that physical illness overwhelms psychological illness, and I'd much rather suffer physical, rather than psychlogical pain, any day. And once again, I'm talking about non-life threatening pain, that doesn't lead to morbidity of any sort...I'm thinking of a bad cold, the flu, even a broken leg would do.
Sorry I went off on a tangent Bryn. I will write you an email. But in the meantime it sounds likeyou are feeling better and that makes me happy.
Kat> Kat! Hope you're doing a bit better...sorry you're having a rough time. I just read your former posts and it left me thinking about physical vs psychic pain.
>
> I've been really ill (some weird virus and I blew up with edema and cellulitis around my legs--they still aren't sure what it is!) and haven't been around much over the past two weeks, but oddly enough, it feels "easier" to be physically
> ill. (I say this though as I'm not suffering from anything life threatening.)
>
> Anyway, back to anxiety:
>
> My current anxiety choice is 20 mg of Lexapro with 50 mg of Librium. The Lex/Librium combo is great, and I've tried all the anxiolytics.
>
> Drop me an email if you'd like to let me know how things are.
>
> Hang in there friend...
Posted by Prefect on December 10, 2012, at 17:59:41
In reply to Psyhological vs Physical pain » brynb, posted by ChicagoKat on December 10, 2012, at 11:25:49
I find the last 2 posts very interesting. I've noticed my anxiety isn't as bad when I have a cold.
I personally think it may be a cytokine mediated affect. The same neuroimmunological mechanisms that make you tired and ramps down various processes in your body (which is why you feel sleepy whne you have a cold) probably ramps down parts of the brain that cause depression and anxiety.
This is the end of the thread.
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