Posted by ZeeZee on October 11, 2002, at 23:05:14
In reply to Re: AD's vs. Bzds for Anxiety disorders - Alan » johnj, posted by Alan on October 11, 2002, at 19:06:10
Alan-
I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts and have found them very helpful. I'm comforted in knowing there is a "champion" here for those of us with anxiety disorders. However, I must disagree with your advice to johnj in regard to how to decide whether anxiety or depression is the primary disorder. My primary and only diagnosis is panic disorder with agoraphobia. Although I agree with you that the AD's have been horribly disappointing for me and many like me (making my panic millions times worse) the MAOI's Nardil and Parnate were the exception and Godsends. You mentioned that if an AD works for your anxiety then maybe it's primary depression driving the anxiety. Both Nardil and Parnate eliminated my panic, anticipatory anxiety, OCD type thoughts, and greatly reduced my phobic avoidance. I was not and am not suffering from depression. I wish I could take Parnate again (Nardil has too many side effects) but unlike my success in the past, I recently had intolerable side effects and could not continue with it.
I do agree that the "currently" prescribed AD's (primarily the SSRI's) do little to help those of us with anxiety disorders and instead make our symptoms worse, with intolerable side effects on top of it all. There are many posts confirming this sad fact as I read about the new Lexapro users reporting "still feeling anxious", or "agitated", or "no longer depressed but more anxious." It's also discouraging to read so much on this site quoting research in support of the use of AD's for depression but little in regard to its efficacy with anxiety.
Yes, I do use Xanax and Klonopin, as needed. However, the effects of these drugs will never compare to the sublime state of "normalcy" found with the use of Parnate.
Just wanted to share my experience and personal opinion since johnj is looking for answers.
poster:ZeeZee
thread:109458
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021006/msgs/123304.html