Posted by Viridis on July 27, 2003, at 4:52:45
In reply to ANYTHING TO 'JUST' FEEL ''''CALM''''??, posted by Lainy on July 26, 2003, at 16:08:38
I found that Wellbutrin intensified my anxiety and panic attacks, and caused other major side effects as well. I know others who have had similar experiences, including a friend who thought she was having a heart attack after the first (and only) time she took it. It works well for some people, but has the potential to really increase anxiety and tension. My pdoc says he almost never prescribes it for patients with anxiety disorders because this is such a common result.
As for calming drugs... I find Klonopin very helpful, although apparently it isn't working for you (at least, at the dose your doctor will allow). Xanax is also very effective for me, but I only use it occasionally. I take Neurontin, but only experienced a calming effect the first couple of times I took it; now it does nothing and I'm planning to discontinue it. However, others here have reported a lasting effect, and it's very safe, so would be worth a try.
Strangely, I also find Strattera has a mellowing effect. Like Wellbutrin, it's a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, but supposedly is much "cleaner". I should add that I have ADD, but this drug is also being used off-label as an antidepressant. A nice benefit if you're concerned about weight is that it tends to be a mild appetite suppressant for some people (like me), and I'm not aware of any weight gain issues.
I also find Adderall (a stimulant) has a calming effect for me, but again, I have ADD, so others might react very differently.
As others have mentioned, Depakote and Zyprexa are well known for calming effects, although both are also notorious for weight gain (I haven't tried either). Among the "standard" antidepressants, Serzone seems to have the best reputation for reducing tension (I know two people who have done very well on it, although again, I haven't tried it myself).
Finally, Gabitril is being promoted as an antianxiety drug, and although the reports here have been very mixed, my pdoc says that some of his colleagues have used it with their anxiety patients very successfully. I have a sample pack that I keep intending to try, and will report back once I do.
Good luck!
poster:Viridis
thread:245607
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030723/msgs/245766.html