Posted by worrier on May 22, 2003, at 20:37:11
In reply to Re: nortryptline affect on anxiety » worrier, posted by hildi on May 21, 2003, at 20:59:30
> > > > > I'm wanting to try another route than SSRI's for my anxiety and depression- I have read some good posts about nortryptline, but would that med cause even more anxeity? Also, I have read that the TCA's are bad for those who have bipolar tendencies. Does anyone have any comments or experience with this?
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> > > > > I'm interested- never tried a TCA. I've always been on SSRI's and they all make me feel lousy in one way or another.
> > > > > Hildi
> > > >
> > > > >I've sort of stepped into this conversation in the middle, but feel I'm in about the same boat as you and am looking for some effective alternative. I can't tolerate any of the SSRis and like you, paxil sent me straight over the edge and to the ER with the worst agitation/panic I've ever had (and I've had panic attacks for almost 20 years). It's been almost a year since the paxil disaster and I still haven't gotten back to my original "just plain old panic disorder" self. I know have a constant level of physical anxiety that I never had before the paxil.(had bad reactions to wellbutrin and prozac, but nothing like the paxil and those effects went away pretty quickly after stopping the meds.) Right now I'm getting by on xanax and stubborness, but it's very frustrating and tiring. The xanax takes the edge off, but I never really feel normal. I'm pretty gun shy about trying any new meds, but it's growing increasingly obvious I'm going to have to do something. My pdoc has suggested remeron, or maybe strattera, have you had any experience with either of those? Any suggestions would be apprecciated, as we seem to react to some meds in a very similar way. Luck to you. Worrier.
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> > > You sound just like me and have gone throught the same hell with this. I completely undestand what your saying- the underlying anxiety is so much more predominant now, so much more than before the paxil. There is a constant intense agitation, or anxiety, something I cannot even put words on, that is so deep and with me constantly that nothing at all can budge this. Xanax helps some, but this intense agitation/anxiety never goes away. Clonazepam or Klonopin barely touches this. It makes me more woozy, but the agitation remains. I feel like a drunk that's all keyed up sometimes (and I don't drink).
> > > No, my doctor says I'll hate him if he gives me Remeron because everyone gains a ton of weight on it, he says. Now Strattera was suggested by someone on this site, but wouldn't that cause MORE anxiety? It's a stimulant you know. I bet my doctor wouldn't let me try it, but I'd be curious if such a thing might actually have an opposite effect on me, since all the 'tranquilizers' are not. But then again, I am afraid. My brain and body are so wacked out at this point I feel the same as you, something must be done because I can't live like this anymore, but I am so afraid of further reactions. You know too, when I was younger and everybody was doing speed around me, every time I'd take any I'd get sick. I would vomit it up and try to sleep it away. Now, things like white crosses and black beauties that were going around then are amphetamines, but still a stimulant. I worry that I'd have a similar reaction with the strattera. It is pure NE reuptake. I considered nortript, but that is NE reuptake, amoung other things. . . so I just don't know what to do.
> > > I don't think I can take another day of this Lexapro. I felt sick all day and emotionless.
> > > I think the Klon makes me feel nausea, too, and I'm out of xanax, so I feel like a trapped mouse in a lab experiment gone awry.
> > > Hildi
> >
> > >Hildi, thanks for the quick reply. I can so totally relate to everthing you say. I think I'd be willing to gain 100 pounds if remeron would actually work. I have the same concerns as you regarding strattera...seems like exactly the opposite of what I need. But like you, I almost wonder if it might not work, since the things that are suppose to be miracle cures are like poison to me. But again, like you I am terrified of more horrible side effects. The endocrinologist I've been seeing (in yet another vain attempt to find a "real" problem that's causing these symptoms) suggested that I see a different pdoc who is in her opinion a virtual god at findinng the right meds for whatever is screwing up the works...I really don't think its worth the efffort...talk about feeling like the lab rat caught in the experiment gone bad! Can't get an appt with my pdoc until June 10, so I guess I'll just muddle along until then and see if I can work up the courage to try something new. Let me know if you hit on something that helps..I'll do the same. Oh, I had some muscle relaxers left over from a back problem (Robaxin) and just for the hell of it took one the other night. I think it actually helped a bit...relaxed me a bit more than just the xanax...I think alot of my "anxiety" if that's even what it is takes on a very physical form and every muscle in my body is absolutely tense all the time. Will discuss this with my pdoc too, as I'm not sure if its ok to take it and benzos together. Anyway, it might be something for you to think about. By the way, are your symptoms primarily physical or do you have lots of worry/anxiety type thinking? I don't seem to have the mental stuff, except as it relates to the agitation/anxiety. In other words all I seem to worry about is how weird and wired I feel. Is this the case with you too? Just curious. Good luck and hang in there, we're boung to find a way out of this somehow. Worrier.
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> YES! The way I feel is just what you summed up in the 2 last sentences: it is not really mental anxiety-except for the worry about how wierd and wired I feel! For the most part this is purely physical.
> Robaxin helped you some? I have never heard of it- it is a muscle relaxer? Hmmm. I don't have anything like that around, but I'd give it a try if I did. From time to time I find some anxiety relief from benedryl (antihistimine)- but then it makes me tired too; but for a couple days I was feeling a little better by taking some benedryl along with my klonopin. It isn't enough to count on though. . .
> Why don't you try that 'new pdoc'that endocriniologist recommended? I would be interested in a new perspective- maybe he/she knows something that can help us. The June 10th appointment is with your 'old pdoc'? I am curious about his recommendation for Strattera- who knows, maybe something like this is worth considering, since we both respond so negatively or oppositely to the way meds are suppose to work! But I don't want to be the one to try it- I'm too chicken! You try it first!
> Let me know what you decide to do and what you find out, and I will do the same. Maybe between the two of us we can come up with some answers.
> Hang in there and keep me posted.
> Hildi>Hey Hildi, actually I was hoping you'd try it first...I'm pretty chicken myself. However, I did go ahead and make an appt. with the new pdoc, but can't get in until July....so I'm going to the old one June 10 and will discuss the strattera thing and maybe go ahead and give it a try (as long as he'll let me keep the xanax, just in case). Guess we'll decide between that and remeron, he did say it tended to be more sedating. I don't want to be sedated, I just want to be relaxed! About the Robaxin, it is a muscle relaxer, you might ask your doc about something along those lines since you, like me have mostly physical symptoms. Benadryl does help me a bit too, but not much, and probably not worth the dry mouth, spacey feeling that comes with it if you take enough to notice. It's really comforting in an odd way to know someone else out there knows what I'm talking about. I hate that you feel this way too, but if nothing else misery loves company! Best to you and keep in touch, I'll let you know how things go...this week has been tough, but maybe just making up my mind to try something new may help renew hope. Worrier.
poster:worrier
thread:227219
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030520/msgs/228446.html