Anti anxiety meds advice?

[Mascotte]

Has anyone had medicine for anxiety specifically rather than anti depressants?

I'm feeling awful, constant aaargh! Feeling and can't sleep. But I'm worried about the side effects of ADs and putting on weight too. I'm feeling fat anyway with missing all my usual exercise. But I've lost motivation to do anything. I'm a single parent and it's awfully hard.

I have a lovely partner who lives near but not supposed to see him which is awful too. Behind anyone dismisses this as me moaning about me not seeing my BF that's not the case. I'm trying hard but this has gone on too long.

I've been prescribed propanolol and a few diazepam before but not really helping.

Propanalol is wonderful for me. What doseage are/were you on? You may need to up it.

If you want to go the natural route then St John's Wort is very good and no bedding-in. I get it in tincture form (Neals Yard) but you can get it in tabs at most pharmacies. It's the most prescribed anti-depressant in Germany, apparently (though you can't get it on prescription here 🙄). The only downside it you can't have too much exposure to sun while you're taking it so you need to watch out for that esp as the summer is coming. Also watch out it doesn't clash with any meds you're taking for other things - herbs can be powerful so you need to take advice from your GP. There are many herbs /natural preparations you can take which do a very good job - do look on eg Neals Yard.

However, I really wouldn't rule out anti-depressants. They're marvelous imo, a modern miracle. I've tried it all (herbs/meds) and there is definitely a place for them. I am currently taking an AD that has had no effect on my weight (citalopram). Don't knock it and do try them, especially if your symptoms are getting overwhelming.

Lastly, do get some exercise. Whether it's going for a long socially-distant walk (the vast majority of people respect social distance ime), a very fast march around the block, some rigorous gardening, or jigging around in your living room to an exercise tape. Exercise is the best anti-depressant there is

@Springydaff Is right Propanalol has helped my partner out massively, however be careful with reliance, try and use it sparingly!

Thanks. I have 40 mg tablets prescribed but take when I feel super anxious rather than regularly. I am a little wary of taking them at night as they can sometimes give me weird dreams like hallucinations. I have nightmares anyway 🙄

I'll have a look a St John's wort , thanks. I normally deal with my issues with therapy and exercise but I'm a bit overwhelmed as being shut in is a trigger for other stuff.

I would also recommend saint Jon Worts, it's been a life saver for me, been on them now for a year and a half :)

Right.. I'm going to try it. Thanks, all

Read up on Pregabalin xx

I take propanalol regularly, every day, and no side effects here. I was gradually coming down on dosage but increased for a few weeks when lockdown kicked off and I was struggling. But back on reducing now. I've had no ill effects at all.

My big bugbear is that people need to take a long time to come off these drugs. Ie months, in small increments with big breaks until the next step down. A quick, or rushed, cessation is usually disastrous.

Sorry, had to get that in.

I take propanalol in the mornings.

If you don’t want to take stuff that may have side effects try mindfulness. I know everyone thinks it’s a bag of pish that won’t help me-until they do it!
It really really helps. It works ‘behind the scenes’. There’s even one minute long mindfulness sessions! We all have time for that.

Another one is the 4 7 8 breathing exercises with dr Andrew Weil on you tube. It’s only about two minutes morning and night and it’s like it reboots your system. After a week of using the technique when you’re stressed it really works. Minimum effort.
Anti Ds really work too. Try the above ideas first while you’re waiting for your doctors appointment.

I take duloxetine and it has turned off my anxiety tap. Miraculous. I am going to take it forever.

I normally do yoga/meditation and stuff as well as full on exercise but I can't do the mindfulness stuff when I get too agitated. I also go to therapy.

This has really knocked me off though. And I can't see an end, nothing to look forward to. I'm going to look at all the suggestions and ring my GP to discuss. I'd really like not to be on meds, but my usual coping strategies have been removed. I'm also lacking motivation which is not like me.

I didn't used to take meds but did everything naturally ie natural remedies etc. Then I got cancer (not linked!) and I had no choice but to take the whole lot. Phew, that was a challenge...

As a result I'm converted to taking meds when necessary. They really do have a place. Please consider taking the appropriate meds should you need to. I appreciate there can be a lot of fear at the prospect of taking psychotropic drugs but ime they can be wonderful and really are worth trying. Don't suffer in future if you don't have to.

Just had a look at here re info about St John's Wort. It's an American site but I'm not sure there's much research in the UK. I appreciate Dr Google is not always a good idea but herbs need to be treated with care. I've picked out a few things -

Do not suddenly stop taking St. John's wort. This might cause unpleasant side effects.

Anxiety. Some reports show that taking St. John's wort alone or together with valerian might improve nervousness. Taking one capsule of a specific product that contains St. John's wort and valerian root (Sedariston Concentrate, Aristo Pharma GmbH) by mouth daily for one week, then one or two capsules twice daily for another week, reduces nervousness more than the prescription medication diazepam.

I'm sorry to say but it isn't recommended to take St John's Wort over a sustained period of time eg up to a year (you can take a break for maybe a month or two and go back on it though). St John's Wort is also known to have a lot of contraindications with meds (eg it interferes with the contraceptive pill) so please make sure you check with your GP before you start taking it.

Sorry to flood the board!

Sorry, that last para was back to me again, not lifted from the site I linked. I should have highlighted the quotes somehow.

Thank you all! I'm going to think carefully and speak to my doctor first. I feel a bit of a failure for considering medication but I know that's silly. It's just all so annoying, everything was going so well.

I take fluoxetine for anxiety and it has not made me gain weight (despite having a baby while on it too). Other ADs have led to weight gain for me but not this one. I take diazepam for anxiety (but only occasionally). I did try propranolol but it gave me nightmares and only helped with some of the physical symptoms of anxiety (like fast heartbeat), which were never my real concern. I need something to calm my mind.

Yoga has also been a lifesaver for me. It's really difficult to hold a yoga posture/concentrate on a yoga sequence and worry at the same time, I've found! For me it's an excellent physical form of "mindfulness" and I often feel like a different person after stepping off my mat. Even if I had to drag myself there in the first place.

I feel a bit of a failure for considering medication but I know that's silly

Indeed it is. Would you feel a failure for taking insulin if you are diabetic? Digoxin for a heart problem? Thyroxine for a thyroid problem? You get my drift. Do you think I, and many others, are failures because we take them?

The problems you're having with your mental health are because of a series of psychological stresses that have over time established a physical pattern eg continual fight/flight/adrenaline response.

When you're faced with a bear you don't need any feelgood chemicals in your system, you need adrenaline to give you sharp physical and mental reactions. The brain turns OFF feelgood chemicals so you have a better chance of surviving the threat. When we have sustained anxiety (fight/flight/adrenaline), for whatever reason, the feelgood chemicals eventually stop firing = feeling wired, anxious, depressed, low mood, exhaustion, inability to switch off etc.

ADs get those feelgood chemicals firing again. That's pretty much what they do. They aren't tranquillisers, they don't make you anyone else, they give you back YOURself. As I said, a modern miracle imo.

I've just gone back onto 40mg propranolol, after about 6 months off.
Originally I took it only when super anxious; my GP has told me this time to take it daily first thing.
It's helping :)

I started taking citalopram last week as a series of family events followed by lockdown meant I simply couldn't cope any longer. Like you I was very reluctant to start but I do already feel better. Life is coming back into proportion again and my anxiety levels have decreased. I'm not there yet but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Speak to your GP. It really is worth it.

@springydaff truth be told I'm pretty much the same for any prescription drugs.. 😳 but I'm needing to feel better.

I would also recommend saint Jon Worts, it's been a life saver for me, been on them now for a year and a half :)

I have 20g of citalopram daily and then propanolol for when it’s really bad.

I do yoga and meditation to help too. The meditation has helped massively as it’s helped me to learn to control my breathing.

I have a counsellor to help me talk things through. It all helps but I couldn’t do it without the medication.

Propranolol saved my life.

I don't often need it anymore but I have some in the cupboard just in case.

I was thinking.. when I was so anxious before when my ex was caught shagging I would take a diazepam and a propanolol and get a kip in the day when my dc were at school. I can't do that now because of the situation. So I'm pretty exhausted all the time which doesn't help,

I have to agree that breathing properly makes all the difference. It is part of my life now - I even notice when other people aren't breathing properly due to anxiety eg holding breath, shallow breathing.

The science is that poor breathing - shallow breathing, erratic, holding your breath - sends a clear message to the adrenals to FIRE. And boy, do they fire! Hence eg panic attacks, anxiety etc. Nightmare.

Breathing properly turns the adrenals off - thanks guys for trying to save my life but you're not needed in this instance, I'm sorry I sent you the wrong message. I learnt that from a book called Panic Attacks (can't remember who by but its still available) and learnt that my body wasn't attacking me but trying to protect me. That helped me a lot, that my body is my friend not my enemy.

You don't have to do anything fancy re breathing. Get aware of your breathing, are you holding your breath, is your breathing shallow - if so, adjust it by taking a deep breath, down to your stomach (not your shoulders), a big sigh, like a baby. It doesn't take long to train yourself so it becomes second nature.

I can't do the breathing/meditation thing when I'm as agitated as I am now. It's great as part of my normal life but no good just now. As I said, my usual strategies are not working.