Posted by Alan on February 25, 2002, at 9:35:09
In reply to Re: what meds work best for Anxiety?, posted by LizV on February 24, 2002, at 23:19:34
> Looking for suggestions...
> My daughter is a 21 year old college senior who has been treated with Effexor XR 75 mg for about a year. She had struggled with severe insomnia for about 2 years and was given Paxil and Klonopin originally, but was excessively tired on the Paxil and so was switched to Effexor XR after about two months. She weaned off the Klonopin (which had only been used a bedtime) after awhile and just used Xanax once in awhile, to help her sleep. Her therapist suggested a change to Buspar, since she still was having problems with anxiety, so she has now been off Effexor for 2 weeks (she was tapered off, after being on the Buspar for 2 weeks). She immediately had withdrawal symptoms (dizziness, diarrhea, nausea) but those improved a little after a week or so. She is now feeling like she is losing control and feeling much more anxious...mind is racing, having severe insomnia, etc. We aren't sure if it's the withdrawal from Effexor or reaction to Buspar. Wondering if anyone has had any experiences with this, or if they could suggest another med to try. We're considering trying Paxil again, since that didn't have much of a trial. She really doesn't want to go back on the Effexor since getting off has been so bad. We're beginning to lose hope that Buspar is going to do any good and we're wondering if it's the culprit right now anyway. Sorry for this long, rambling message. Just looking for any input that may be out there. Thanks.
> Liz
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Yes. The benzodiazapines other than Klonopin. There is xanax, ativan, and valium. If your doctor brings up anything about short term teatment only or the word "addictive", they are way behind the times. BZD monotherapy is what I finally settled on after the AD class and polypharmacy didn't work. Many more eventually end up there anyway. With the drug co's. pushing the new savior as ssri's for anxiety disorders it's hard to cut through all of the static and promotion of a drug that works perhaps about 50% of the time while the BZD's are up in the 85-90% range.Please read these links about meds to educate yourself before going to talk to your doc with your daughter. They are extremely helpful:
http://bearpaw8.tripod.com/pd.html
Scroll down to the benzodaizapines and the AD's and ssri's for good descriptions on each. The whole page is worth reading if you want to help your daughter.
ALSO:
http://panicdisorder.about.com/library/weekly/aa031997.htm
The above 2nd link is especially helpful if your doc gives you the "addiction" line (now obselete). Amongst cutting edge specialists that treat anxiety disorders BZD's are the first line of long or short term therapy as described in the first link and as approved by as prestigious an organisation as the World Health Organisation.
Once you understand the basic principles of these meds and have a doc that will listen to what your daughter is telling them, rather than blaming the patient for not responding to the medication agenda that they have preconceived, you'll be on the right track. Please get a second or third opinion if needed. It's done every day in medicine.
Good luck!
Alan
poster:Alan
thread:94903
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020222/msgs/95421.html