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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 18 of 18. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jealibeanz on May 17, 2006, at 19:47:29
Since EMSAM has some MAOI-A properties at higher levels, would this be best for those with greater anxiety than depression? MAOI-A involves serontonin, right, which would help with anxiety presumably?
Posted by lymom3 on May 17, 2006, at 20:11:29
In reply to Would a high level of EMSAM help anxiety?, posted by jealibeanz on May 17, 2006, at 19:47:29
I'm not sure of the answer to that, but from following posts here and in other forums, it seems to me that those who already have anxiety problems seem to have them exacerbated on this medication. I have had NO anxiety problems at all and was agoraphobic for 30 years of my life.
Posted by jealibeanz on May 17, 2006, at 20:25:03
In reply to Re: Would a high level of EMSAM help anxiety?, posted by lymom3 on May 17, 2006, at 20:11:29
I'm cdrrently taking Straterra and have taken Wellbutrin. They have not greatly increased anxiety. Is this a good predictor?
Posted by Phillipa on May 17, 2006, at 20:26:13
In reply to Re: Would a high level of EMSAM help anxiety?, posted by lymom3 on May 17, 2006, at 20:11:29
So your're saying if you have panic attacks and hight anxiety don't take EMSAM? Love Phillipa ps Monday is my pdoc appointment and he will prescribe EMSAM for me.
Posted by jealibeanz on May 17, 2006, at 20:31:06
In reply to Re: Would a high level of EMSAM help anxiety? » lymom3, posted by Phillipa on May 17, 2006, at 20:26:13
Phillipa what is your diagnosis? What have you tried before with success or failure?
Posted by Phillipa on May 17, 2006, at 22:07:53
In reply to Re: Would a high level of EMSAM help anxiety? » lymom3, posted by Phillipa on May 17, 2006, at 20:26:13
All the SSRI's SSNRI's , remeron, wellbutrin , doxepin no success with any of them. the only success I've had is with benzos but docs are benzophobic don't know how much longer they will pescribe them for me. Over 30 yrs now. Oh and the wierdest thing happened.I broke my elbow and was in a lot of pain and took one percocet at night so I could sleep. And the next day I was laughting first time in years. My husband reconized it and pointed it out to me. We told the doctor about it and he said well you can't take meds like that they're addicive.Love Phillipa
Posted by lymom3 on May 18, 2006, at 2:51:48
In reply to Re: Would a high level of EMSAM help anxiety?, posted by jealibeanz on May 17, 2006, at 20:25:03
From what I've read, it seems like some of those that are super sensitive to anxiety/panic symptoms are sensitive to Emsam. I think that I read in an earlier post here, that Emsam metabolizes to some kind of amphetimine if you were to take a drug screening test for employment or something.
I personally have ADHD also so it is good for me, I think, my focus is somewhat better. I have tried Strattera and all it ever did was make me vomit. I couldn't tolerate Wellbutrin either so you have a leg up on me if you can stand those two drugs. WB definitely, among other bad reactions, made my depression worse.
When I go to new doctors I am kind of an a** probably. I list out all my complaints with bullet points. Also list out meds I have tried, again with bullet points for good and bad effects. Any pertinent info I try to list out in a concise way. They generally look at it, we go over it together, usually they make notes on there.
I've not had one that was mad about it yet, but the time you spend is so limited that I feel like whatever info I know they are going to need (or should ask in the case of a few marginal pdocs that I've seen) I try to make easily available. Also, because of my ADHD, it is really easy for me to get sidetracked and not even bring up points, issues, problems that I wanted/needed to address if I don't have it written down.
Don't know if that could work for you, but you have so many meds that you've tried and issues that you're dealing with, it may be a way to be sure you get in everything that you want addressed too.
Best of luck to you.
Lisa
Posted by jealibeanz on May 18, 2006, at 4:01:08
In reply to Re: Would a high level of EMSAM help anxiety?, posted by lymom3 on May 18, 2006, at 2:51:48
Too bad. I wonder if I should bother asking. I get depressed so easily. I suppose it won't hurt. I do need something stimulating since I fall into the sleepy type of depression/anxiety.
I ran out of Provigil yesterday. I ffel like sh*t, just wanna sleep, dizzy, nausea. I hope he doesn't think it's a terribly drug and refuse to prescribe itt. At the very least, maybe he could wean my off, but I'd like it long term.
Lysmom, you said you anxiety is under control now. Do you take anything?
Posted by lymom3 on May 18, 2006, at 6:46:40
In reply to Re: Would a high level of EMSAM help anxiety?, posted by jealibeanz on May 18, 2006, at 4:01:08
I never took anything on a regular basis for my anxiety/panic...only when it got to the point that I couldn't go to work otherwise. I am a single mom and if I lost my job we'd really have been up a creek. I have taken Xanax and Klonopin for that. As far as ADHD meds I've tried Ritalin LA, Strattera, Focalin, Adderall, Concerta, Metadate, Dexedrin...you name it. Adderall probably worked the best but made me really mean.
Benzo's are sooo sedating to me and give me that foggy feeling. 've been on so many anti depressants over the years that cloud my mind and make me forgetful that I don't like to have anything to do with that. I need to be sharp for my job and be able to remember things. Just not a way for me to function.
Since I finally found a program that helped me fix my agoraphobia, I've had no problems with anxiety. When I had my first appt with that doctor and she said I was "lucky" that I JUST had agoraphobia; that it was very treatable. I thought she was nuts. Had been dealing with it for 30 years but she was right. It was all about finding the right approach.
Posted by jealibeanz on May 18, 2006, at 8:35:19
In reply to Re: Would a high level of EMSAM help anxiety? » jealibeanz, posted by lymom3 on May 18, 2006, at 6:46:40
I'm afraid to tell him I'm supposed to go to physician assistant school. Obviously I have to be very sharp when learning such intricate, complicated, and detailed information. I'd have to be right on the ball when working too. The thing is, I'm too anxious to move, sit in a group of people for 8-12 hours, interact, and perform. I need some medical help to get me that far, at least initially.
I can't imagine having to work in an ER, or anywhere with people who are already much more comfortable and knowledgable than me. The tought of the unpredictable nature, seriousness, and codes scares me to death!
If I can go to school or work effectively with medication, I'll have to reevaluate. Either the meds or the high stress and performance career will have to go.
Posted by lymom3 on May 18, 2006, at 8:51:20
In reply to Re: Would a high level of EMSAM help anxiety?, posted by jealibeanz on May 18, 2006, at 8:35:19
And therein lies a conundrum. I' certainly doing things now that I never would have believed that I would be doing; comfortably and without medication; but I didn't get there without meds and comfortably.
I have an ADHD child, a child with a learning disability and I have ADHD plus a fast pace, higher stress kind of job where I need facts and figures to be at the tip of my tongue and in the forefront of my mind. SSRI's and benzo's killed that for me and life at work and at home was a total nightmare.
I am thankful for Emsam and hope that it continues to work well for me and I hope for the best for you. As with any kind of anxiety, exposure and doing are the best thing that you can do to overcome it.
If you can't pursue the career path that you want, there are lots of other things that you can do that are certainly noble and respectable professions. What's more important in the whole grand scheme of life, is that YOU are ok, that you are a happy, adjusted person who is comfortable with herself and her environment.
Posted by jealibeanz on May 18, 2006, at 9:46:31
In reply to Re: Would a high level of EMSAM help anxiety? » jealibeanz, posted by lymom3 on May 18, 2006, at 8:51:20
I think that I do need to indicate that I'm going to grad school in 4 days. And that I am too anxious right now to go if I don't get meds. I don't have the luxury of "wait and see" for a few weeks so he can get a better grasp on who I am. I suppose I won't volunteer the field of study unless asked. But if he does ask, I'll explain that I need to meds to get me the ability to try the new situation out, the distant future will be up for examination later.
If you don't mind me asking, what type of career do you have?
Posted by lymom3 on May 18, 2006, at 9:54:24
In reply to Re: Would a high level of EMSAM help anxiety?, posted by jealibeanz on May 18, 2006, at 9:46:31
Mortgage lending, certainly not life and death but a lot of facts, figures and guidelines need to be right there to access...not fumbling through papers where I'm sure that I kept it, but not quite sure where...you know what I mean? I need to be on my game. It's fast paced and if I'm "off" then I make mistakes..plain and simple. If I make enough mistakes that cost a lot of money, then I'm outta here...no matter what I might have done well for the last 8 years. It's a fairly small company and if I made a loan that I shouldn't have and my boss has to "own" a 300,000 loan, I'm pretty much dead in the water. What I REALLY wish I could do, or not do, is worry about it. That does not help the situation in the least...
At least the person that you will be sitting across the desk from has been in your shoes... he or she will have been ready to head to grad school before and can relate to the expectations and pressure.
Posted by jealibeanz on May 18, 2006, at 10:32:16
In reply to Re: Would a high level of EMSAM help anxiety? » jealibeanz, posted by lymom3 on May 18, 2006, at 9:54:24
Yes and no about the empathy from the doctor. The last doctor basically told me he knew what I was feeling. He'd gone to med school so he understand the pressure to get good grades and constant anxiety from high expectations and standards. That definintely hurt my cause!
I'm not really concerned about being perfect, or competing, or learnging everything, ect. I tend to ignore details and hardly ever push myself all that hard.
I lack of motivation from depression I believe, I've almost dropped out of school many many times when in deep depression beginning in the fall. I wasn't doing well due to poor concentration and effort. I didn't care at all whether dropping out of college would screw over my life. I've had to withdraw from several. Finally, after 5 years of struggling to make up from mistakes, I'm graduating.
I'm actually not a perfectionist way at all! I could be doing the simplest task ever with fairly relaxed responsibilities, yet still be a nervous wreck!
Posted by lymom3 on May 18, 2006, at 10:35:51
In reply to Re: Would a high level of EMSAM help anxiety?, posted by jealibeanz on May 18, 2006, at 10:32:16
In some ways grade school wasn't so bad....
Posted by jealibeanz on May 18, 2006, at 10:46:14
In reply to Re: Would a high level of EMSAM help anxiety?, posted by lymom3 on May 18, 2006, at 10:35:51
I'm afraid this guy will look at me and say, you don't need medication. You need to "learn who you are." That's what the last doc told me. Are most pdocs willing to give meds a try? I know I've already tried many, and not terribly successfully, which is why I'm seeing him. I know that recovery takes effort in many ways. This is just one tool that I'd like to use. Do they understand that? Isn't finding helpful medications part of their job?
Posted by lymom3 on May 18, 2006, at 10:58:58
In reply to Re: Would a high level of EMSAM help anxiety?, posted by jealibeanz on May 18, 2006, at 10:46:14
There is some validity to his statement. You may be pushing so hard and are still fairly young that some of that may be true, BUT, they are there to help you. I know that it is hit and miss whether you get someone good and compassionate or not. Sad but true. I have/had been through dozens of pdocs for me and for my son. One pdoc suggested that my son WAS medicated properly however he was just a "bad kid" and I should take a parenting class and referred me to parent support groups. How very helpful.
After letting him take his lumps not on meds for a few months, he got arrested and suspended from school (separate incidents). I cracked open the phone book and found a psychologist that runs a practice who has ADHD and that's what he specializes in. He then referred me to the pdoc that he takes his own kids to for meds. Those are now the same docs that I see and they are WONDERFUL.
I wish there was some way to weed out the half a** ones. My son is on 3x the recommended dose of his stimulant medication and the change in him is phenomonal. His neck is out on a limb, so to speak, and I'm sure could be the subject of one of those articles about out of control doctors, but it is what my son needs. For the first time in his life I feel that he has a CHANCE to succeed. Had I not put my foot down and told him that to continue to live in my house you have to do these things, I don't know where he'd be.
I will always feel guilt that I wasted years of his life trying to find someone to help him and partly buying into the theory that I'm a bad parent when I should have been going from pdoc to pdoc. There just has to be a better way. Hopefully for you, this is the one that will help you and cares enough to...
Posted by sweetnlow on May 18, 2006, at 18:07:03
In reply to Re: Would a high level of EMSAM help anxiety? » jealibeanz, posted by lymom3 on May 18, 2006, at 10:58:58
I have had significant anxiety problems, which were relieved by nardil years ago (but I had to stop it due to serious weight gain side effect).
In fact, there are very few medications I can take for anxiety/depression because most exasperate the anxiety-- e.g., if I ever took a SSRI for more than a week I would have to kill myself! The anxiety caused by the SSRI would drive me insane otherwise.
Yet I suspect Emsam will relieve anxiety for most who suffer it. I'm on day 3 of it, though these days my problem is not so much anxiety, as mild depression and apathy (that happens as you get older!).
Anyway, folks, try the patch even if you have anxiety-- that's my point.
This is the end of the thread.
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