Posted by harryp on May 10, 2004, at 10:55:16
In reply to best anxiety meds without weight gain?, posted by andie1970 on May 10, 2004, at 10:04:31
clonazepam and the other benzos aren't known for causing weight gain.
I would suggest clonazepam, and it sounds like it was already working for you.
In general, the SSRI's do not appear to be very good antianxiety drugs. MAOI's can be great for anxiety, particularly Nardil.
The benzos (like clonazepam) are still the safest and most effective drugs for anxiety, and have minimal side-effects. They are the only drugs besides Parnate (which isn't a "reliable" anti-anxiety drug) that can control serious anxiety reliably without weight gain.
One can become physically dependent, but if you need the drug anyway that shouldn't really be an issue. The main problem is with people who keep raising their dosages. To prevent tolerance, you should always use just enough for your symptoms and no more.
If you do need to go off a benzo, you just taper off slowly. It is not a big deal.
I have taken lorazapam (Ativan) for three years as needed for very severe anxiety episodes. I have never had a problem with it. Right now I take about 2 mg/day. During the holidays I would need up to 5! I have not ever had a problem with tolerance or withdrawal when I lower the dosages. I think this is because I always take only the minimum amount needed to get rid of the anxiety symptoms.
poster:harryp
thread:345326
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040510/msgs/345349.html