Posted by Thrud on August 24, 2001, at 18:34:06
In reply to Re: Xanax and panic, experiences? » Thrud, posted by Elizabeth on August 24, 2001, at 12:39:32
> > > Are you taking 1.5 mg q.i.d.?
> >
> > I'd like to, but that is too inconvenient. 2mg t.i.d.
>
> That works okay for you? I would think you'd wake up early in the morning feeling jittery.I do. But you know, after being on so *many* drugs that make me feel like a sloth in the morning I actually don't mind the heightened morning activation (as much).
Problem is that I am left with crippling levels of anxiety in betweeen attacks (status panicus?). So I must use it on an ongoing basis.
>
> Anticipatory anxiety, or general anxiety?General. I've had so many PAs that there is very little anticipatory fear left. Like those old escape tests using dogs: after they get shocked enough instead of trying to escape they just lie down and cop it sweet (welcome to my world! I think I'll change my name to Learned Helplessness!)
> It probably would do me some good to take Xanax or Klonopin or Ativan or something around the clock, too. Klonopin is a little less potent than Xanax; Ativan is about half as potent (i.e., the effective dose of Ativan will be about twice the effective dose of Xanax).Did you notice much of an antidepressant effect with Xanax? I do, but it is not really very strong or activating (not enough to counteract the AD depression). The antidepressant effect is why, at the moment, my pdoc is sticking firmly with Xanax.
> I think there are differences that aren't taken care of by transsexual surgery and hormone therapy. :-) I guessed that you're a guy because it seems like sedatives tend to have that effect on men but not on women (if anything, they have the reverse effect on women).
Hmmm. Maybe I should peddle some of my stuff as 'Viagranax' ;)
>
> > > > In general, why the f!ck does *anything* that helps my PD ends up destroying my libido?
> > >
> > > Sedation, maybe?
> >
> > Unfortunately not. Even activating, insomniac masters like Wellbutrin lead to Limp Bizkit.
>
> Wellbutrin helped with panic disorder??? That's weird.It didn't. I was using it as an adjunct to try and counter the sexual dysfunction of serzone(!). It made sex, mood, everything worse!
>
> > > Do you have atypical depression as well as PD, by any chance?
> >
> > I don't *know* so, but I *think* so. I lack the mood reactivity and histironics associated with it, but definitely the leaden fatigue. If so, how can I augment my Xanax treatment to counter this?
>
> MAOIs (Parnate in particular) and amphetamine are the obvious things that come to mind. Yes, amphetamine sometimes helps with anxiety (!). (I don't think that histrionics or moodiness is necessarily associated with atypical depression, BTW.) The reason it came to mind was because you said your libido is greatest when you are the most anxious-depressed. That seems to be common in atypical depression.With the exception of the amphetamines, I believe your suggestions would induce sexual dysfunction (the viscious cycle begins again).
> Anyway, your drug responses seem to be pretty unusual,
(that's an understatement!)
>so I hesitate to try to predict what might work for you.Have you tried inositol by chance? I have come across one or two studies suggesting it is better against panic and depression than prozac. Since it is not a patentable material, I do not expect to find much more about it.
After more than 10 years of this merry-go-round I am tempted to adopt a "Darth Maul" costume, accept my bitterness and wreak revenge on an innocent world! I guess why I am saying this is that I have spent a decade trying to both feel well *and* save my sexual function. Comes a time you've gotta let go. Know what I mean?
> BTW, you can search Medline at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/
>
> -elizabethThanks.
Thrud
poster:Thrud
thread:76063
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010822/msgs/76276.html