Is there any medication for anxiety that is not SSRI/SNRI/Tricyclic/Mirtazipine?? In serious need of help

[LaBelleLaide2]

I really need some help please.

I'm an alcoholic and I am so so sick of it. As they say in AA - I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. I'm sick of the secrecy, the hiding bottles from my teenagers, wondering if I smell of drink when I go anywhere. I'm sick of being permanently skint. I'm sick of feeling hungover, my skin looking shit, sweating too much.

I drink 60 units a week on a good week, 80 on a moderate week, and I have been known to drink over 100 units a week.

I cannot stop though. This honestly is not an excuse. I have stopped before for quite long stretches of time, but I cannot handle my MH problems without alcohol. I have very severe PTSD, it's really really bad. I get anxiety attacks throughout the day, flashbacks, nightmares, insomnia, dissociation, brain fog, random anger, can't handle noise.

I drink to dull the PTSD, and it works.

I know if I am to stop I will need to treat the PTSD.

So far I've tried -

SSRIs and SNRIs - 4 different types
Amitripyline and Nortrypline
Mirtazipine

I've tried these both sober periods and drinking periods, and I did persevere with all of them for months and months as they helped my MH, but the side effects were absolutely intolerable. SSRIs and SNRIs gave me worse insomnia to the point I couldn't even function at all and exacerbated a chronic pain condition I have really badly, also no sex drive but that's minimal. Tricyclics and Mirtazipine gave me huge unhealthy weight gain (4 stone) and suicidal thoughts and more anger.

I get psychotherapy weekly and have done CBT before, it helps but not enough.

The GP gave me diazepam when I had a complete breakdown before, and that helped, but I'm aware that is just as addictive as the drink and I don't want to go down that road.

Are there any other commonly prescribed medications??

I asked the GP about Bupropion as reading about it it seems a good fit, but she looked at me like I have two heads and wouldn't prescribe it.

If I can get the PTSD under some kind of control then I can stop the drinking as I really am so sick of it.

Thanks for any suggestions xx

Didn't want to read and run, wishing you all the best OP and well done for trying to help yourself. X

Have you tried Duloxetine ?
I was like you.. drinking to self medicate. Started Duloxetine - have been sober since.. 58 days.
It helped with anxiety, hugely - but the best part is that i dont need to drink anymore. My dh have a beer once in a while, im so not tempted. Could not Care less. So weird but such a miracle for me.

EMDR therapy? Often recommended for PTSD.

Have you tried a low dose anti-psychotic medication? It’s done wonders for my ptsd and anxiety. Before I couldn’t even leave the house!

There’s a lot of stigma around anti-psychotics and you’ll probably need to be referred to a psychiatrist for a prescription as they tend to have more side effects.

I was In a similar boat. I saw a private psychiatrist as I knew the drinking to mask mh issues.
She diagnosed me and proposed a medication programme. Once this had been done, I stopped drinking cold turkey. It’s been really hard and not straight forward and I was unable to work for a time.

I now take trazadone, lamotrigine, gabapentin, quetiepine. It was a lot of trial and error but I have been teetotal for nearly a year and am so much better.
I was taken on b

By NHS mh services so no private psychiatrist now but am in private therapy.

It was difficult, horrid and scary but you can do this. GP is your starting point.

I had also tried loads of anti ds to no avail.

You can get better. Xx

I think you would benefit from seeing a psychiatrist really. I have had patients started on pregabalin for anxiety but normally by a specialist, gp probably wouldn't be happy to start this (also there was a push to massively reduce its use).

It sounds like your doing everything to try and help yourself well done, that's hard work. Best wishes x

@frutyloops Yes Dulexotine was one of the ones I tried with really bad side effects unfortunately. I'm so glad it's working for you though.

@HopeClearwater EMDR is something I'd really like to try. I am on a waiting list (they have said 2 years to be seen!!) to a NHS specialist trauma centre where they offer EMDR as part of their treatment plans. I can't afford to pay privately - but then I somehow manage to afford £35-£40 a week on alcohol so I realise the contradiction there. I'm low paid but I suppose I manage to get the alcohol by not ever buying new clothes for myself or anything and never going anywhere. Sad really.

@PurpleDragons I'm really happy to hear anti psychotics are working for you. I'm ask the GP to refer me to psychiatry for other medication options like this. I think I've exhausted what the GP can do. Can I ask, do you get any side effects from the anti-psychotics at all?? That's really good you are able to leave the house now, most days I can but some days I can't.

@lots33 Well done for doing all the hard work in stopping and staying stopped, that's great. I'm going to ask for a referral to NHS psychiatry. I currently have psychotherapy once a week for ages now and it helps a little but not enough. May I ask how much in total was it for the private psychiatrist?? I presume they need to see you for a few appointments until stable. Yes I am the same, I don't think it's the alcohol per se - it's to mask the trauma. When it gets really difficult and unbearable and I feel like I just don't want to be in my own skin, horrible flashbacks and anxiety attacks and irritability. The event happened over 20 years ago and I was more 'functioning' for years although it was there. I've only been really bad the past 4 or so years. Before 4 years ago I rarely used to drink.

@SIB09 Thanks that is my plan, to ask for a referral. I have a good friend who used to take Pregabalin for PTSD (it was GAD diagnosis at first). The doctors became increasingly reluctant to do her repeat prescriptions even though she never abused it in any way. But I will ask to see a psychiatrist and see what they suggest, trial and error.

I think part of it is that on 'OK' / 'functioning' days, I don't want to admit I can't cope. Paying my bills relies on me being able to go back to work soon and although my DC are older, they are still young adults somewhat reliant on me emotionally and materially. But I am effectively poisoning myself to get through the unbearable days / hours. I've been drinking 60 - 80 units a week for over 4 years now. Occasionally up to 105 (I do count accurately that's one thing I'm not in denial of). My skin is shit and I get out of breath quicker than before and I'm only 4 years older. I know I'll die younger if I keep doing it.

My Plan for now is to try cutting down to 40-45 units by starting later at night and watering down drinks. I will try my hardest to have 1 alcohol free night. I've tried this before though a few times but I am more determined each time so hopefully I manage it this time. I know it's still way over healthy units but hopefully less damaging. I really don't think I could completely quit whilst the PTSD is so bad. I have made a GP phone appointment for next week to ask for referral to psychiatry, which was hard to do as I get anxious about speaking to doctors.

Trazodone. It has a similar anti anxiety effect to mirtazipine, but is a bit of a sedative so won’t give you insomnia, and mildly boosts libido and suppresses appetite. Those effects wear off once you’ve been on it for a bit. The worst side effect is that it can make you feel too sedated/brain fogged if you’re on a high dosage.

@SilverGlassHare That sounds like a good fit for my symptoms thanks. Is it addictive though and are doctors reluctant to prescribe it?? It may sound a bit silly, but I'm do worry a bit about finding a med / meds which help the PTSD but then getting taken off them and being back at square one. It's probably me over analysing though, because the situation I'm in now with medicating with drink IS square one.

It's not addictive though obviously like most anti-depressants you have to wean yourself off them gradually because there you can get a purely physiological withdrawal effect. But it's not like benzodiazepine or anything.

You're not supposed to drink alcohol while taking them, so that might be why your GP hasn't suggested them.

Hi Lalelle.
Just to echo pp recommending trazadone, this has worked well for me in conjunction with the other meds. Mirtazepane was not good for me,.

Private psychiatrist was 350 for initial long session and med recommendations. I saw her for a further 3 sessions which were 175 each. Each time she wrote a letter to my gp with recommendations and diagnosis, and to request they prescribed meds.

GP prescribed everything she asked for, referred me to adult psychiatry and saw me weekly for overview. GP and psychiatrist liaised directly too. Once meds were stable and I was under NHS, I stopped seeing psychiatrist.

It was expensive but I save a fortune on booze and was lucky that i could manage to do so. Thinking of you,lm

I'm assuming you've been under the care of addiction services?

How are you doing @LaBelleLaide2?

@LaBelleLaide2 I didn’t comment previously but just to say depending on where you are in the UK then addiction services are going to be be very different
I would recommend that you do a short detox and then onto disulfirum, thiamine and an anti pychoolike Quitiapine for your anxiety. Any experienced EMDR therapist will not commence treatment until you are alcohol free/ stable,a bit of a catch 22. It’s a head fuck to accept that in order to have successful treatment for PTSD you need to stop drinking.
I would have a look at the EMDR Association UK for local therapist and ask if they do a sliding scale for fees .As you have already acknowledged you found the money every day/ week to buy alcohol and you will find the same money for treatment.
I’m in Scotland and many of the Community Addiction Teams have staff trained EMDR which in my and WHO opinion is THE best treatment for PTSD.

Hi, i read your post and feel for you as ive been in that situation. I'll be straight to the point, the best solution is to pick a day to go without alcohol, you need to detox for at least 24hrs,, it wont be easy and DT's may last a day or 2 even. Prepare yourself with whatever meds you have for the anxiety. I know its easy to say but ,determination to stop must be the priority in your life. Youll have insomnia for 1st night but the 2nd day youl be a bit worn out but youve made 1st step and try not to give in as i promise it gets easier, by 3rd day youll feel the difference. The bad couple of days youll have only has to be done once as long as you dont touch any alcohol or youll be going through the same s**t over and over again. If you need company, chat i can be there for you no problem. Im free when not working, ive no kids or partner so i have time for you. Pick a day to decide that you can do this and deserve a better life and function a normal life. 1 day at a time and youll be where your supposed to be, making more rational decisions. Face the fear and youll soon see the light. I dont know you but im sure you have the inner strength to do it. Big hug and dont hesitate to txt if you need to talk. Im no samaritan but a decent honest guy x 😊 .