Posted by aster on March 14, 2013, at 18:00:28
Hello everyone. I am new to posting but have been reading here on and off for the past few years. Thanks to all of you for keeping this site fresh and lively. Lots of great info here.
So here is my maiden voyage question: What meds would you suggest for social anxiety and atypical depression? I am waiting until next month until I have insurance again and am leaning towards trying some more SSRIs before I give into an MAOI. I have had fairly severe social anxiety and depression since my early teens and have been on a number of medications with no help yet. So far I have tried (but am on nothing now): Klonopin 3mg/day for 4 years, Paxil (didn't really give it a fair trial because of intense anxiety/agitation + increasing SI), Zoloft (same thing), Prozac (short trial, can't remember why i came off of it), Effexor XR (max dosage for 5 months), lamictal (3 months therapeutic dose), vistaril (3 months, PRN anxiety + paranoia), Celexa (4 months at therapeutic dose), Lexapro, Wellbutrin (short trial due to agitation + anxiety), St Johns Wort (I think this made me hypomanic for a number of months but didn't work other times I've tried it 900 mg/day). I know I didn't really give some of these a fair trial but when you're feeling terrible already its difficult to stick out the intense side effects sometimes. Eventually the Klonopin wasn't doing much for me socially and I was addicted, as well to alcohol. I am since not using any drugs or alcohol and haven't for going on a year in a couple months. For this reason benzos and stimulants are out of the question at this time. I am also aware that my use of alcohol at the time of trialing some of these meds probably didn't help much.
I am willing to try some of these again like Paxil, Wellbutrin, and Prozac. I am thinking I will ask for Prozac and a Beta blocker at my next appointment. Basically I sleep too much, don't get out unless its to work or the grocery store. I work overnights so i don't have to interact with anyone. But really I have avoided so much throughout my life and don't have very high expectations. But the depression, SI, intense anxiety and lethargy/oversleeping is really making things difficult and am ready to trial some meds again. Any thoughts are much appreciated. Thanks
poster:aster
thread:1040349
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20130308/msgs/1040349.html