so, what kind of medication might be prescribed for

[JennifersLost]

hyper-sensitivity and anxiety?

 

Has anyone been treated for this with medications? Did it help? What are you taking?

 

Feel free to PM if you don't want to post here.

[i.love.lucy]

My husband is on Paxil for anxiety. It has helped him tremendously. By hyper-sensitivity do you mean emotionally? Paxil is mainly for anxiety/worry/depression type problems and has helped him so much that it probably saved our marriage.

[Lovedtodeath]

:grouphug: I have tried, but nothing seems to help long term.

[asta]

Lexapro, Paxil (anti-depressants)

Risperdal (anti-psychotic, but used for sensory issues)

 

 

a

[Pamela H in Texas]

I think medication helped in my two worse time periods of issues, but generally I hated it. The best thing I did was learn physical meditation as well as appropriate behavioral responses. When I could acknowledge something without having the bigger response, it helped A LOT. I still have a little jumpiness here and there, but it's manageable 99.99% of the time now. And I just deal with the occasional bad day :)

[Sparkle]

For me, Lexapro. I've been on it for 6 years, and yes, it helps a lot.

[Miss Peregrine]

If you are open to non-pharma, you can try GABA.

[Pip]

How funny. I just posted something about going back on prozac. It helped me tremendously and is on the $4 list at Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, these medications are trial and error, and if often takes a while to see whether they will work or not. I have had very bad side effects from most of the more common AD's, but I am sensitive to most drugs, not just AD's.

 

One I would try to avoid is Effexor. I have a friend who is a psychiatrist who refuses to even see the drug rep for that one. She says many people can only tolerate small doses and you need a high dose to get the norepenephine benefits. Going off of it was the woorst experience of my life. Pristiq is the replacement for it, as the patent for Effexor is due to expire.

 

My friend has had excellent results with Cymbalta and I have a friend whose dh is on it will good results.

 

But I like prozac. Easy to go off, generally minimal side effect, but YMMV.

[asta]

If you are open to non-pharma, you can try GABA.

 

Over the counter GABA does not cross the brain-blood barrier.

 

a

[Lisa in Jax]

In my son's case, dairy- and gluten-containing foods are a big cause of his anxiety. When we keep his diet free of those foods, he has much less anxiety.

 

He's also less anxious when he gets a zinc supplement and essential fatty acids ("fish oils").

 

Overgrowth of yeast and/or bacteria can also cause increased anxiety. So, you might try to see if your symptoms fit yeast (in the gut) or high levels of bad bacteria in the gut. Some probiotics and a healthier, low-sugar diet may help.

 

Also, I agree with CrunchyMountainMama. GABA is a great supplement for calming. Another idea would be "Rescue Remedy." We use it for intermittent anxiety, and it works very well.

 

HIH,

 

Lisa

[Lisa in Jax]

Over the counter GABA does not cross the brain-blood barrier.

 

a

 

This may be true, but GABA still works for many people.

 

Lisa

[3lilreds in NC]

I was on Paxil for a while after Schmooey was born, and it was WONDERFUL. Almost too good. I don't know how to explain it exactly, but I had the most wonderful sense of peace and well-being, to a non-realistic extent, I think. Also, it had some most annoying side effects that I was not willing to live with long-term.

 

I take Lexapro now, and it's great. No side effects that I can tell, which is wonderful, and my anxiety and other things are under control. I feel more like myself than I have since having children. By "other things" I mean extreme emotional sensitivity, and an obsessiveness about certain things that was unreasonable.

 

It's worth a try, Jen. If it makes you feel better, go for it!!

[Pip]

Another idea would be "Rescue Remedy." We use it for intermittent anxiety, and it works very well.

 

HIH,

 

Lisa

 

I have used Rescue Remedy for mild anxiety. Valerian also works well for mild anxiety, but you cannot take for too many consecutive days.

 

I like lifestyle changes over medication if you can do it. If you want to get some quick relief while you evaluate alternatives, there is always xanax. They make an extended release version. It can be sedating, though.

[asta]

How funny. I just posted something about going back on prozac. It helped me tremendously and is on the $4 list at Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, these medications are trial and error, and if often takes a while to see whether they will work or not. I have had very bad side effects from most of the more common AD's, but I am sensitive to most drugs, not just AD's.

 

All anti-depressants are designed to build up and not truly be ruled effective/ineffective until after 4-8 weeks of use.

 

One I would try to avoid is Effexor. I have a friend who is a psychiatrist who refuses to even see the drug rep for that one. She says many people can only tolerate small doses and you need a high dose to get the norepenephine benefits. Going off of it was the woorst experience of my life. Pristiq is the replacement for it, as the patent for Effexor is due to expire.

 

I agree that Effexor has a bad discontinuation. It is legendary in psychiatry circles. However, it is supposed to be the drug that is tried when the others don't work (Lexapro, Paxil, Luvox, Prozac, etc.) - it isn't supposed to be a first line med.

 

My friend has had excellent results with Cymbalta and I have a friend whose dh is on it will good results.

 

But I like prozac. Easy to go off, generally minimal side effect, but YMMV.

 

Some people can simply quit ADs with no effects. For others, every single med gives agonizing withdrawls. One thing to remember is that not every person can start and stop a med and still have it work for them. For whatever reason, some people only get "one shot" with a med; if they quit it (for whatever reason), going back to it in a "time of need" may not necessarily work.

 

I have read some very unfortunate stories of people who were stable for 5-10 even 20 years, but decided to quit their meds ("just to see if they were better"). When everything fell to pieces, and they tried to go back, they weren't able to even approach the level of stability they had before.

 

Now, granted, illnesses change over time, and it is entirely possible that these people were simply much worse off than they realized (eg: perhaps they had had a slow decline in insight which had LED to going off meds), but I've seen it enough to just think it is sad, unfortunate, and unnecessary.

 

I hope you find something that helps you,

 

 

a

[Orthodox6]

Rather than guess, consult a psychiatrist. He or she will discuss the options, taking into consideration the patient's full medical history. The patient then can read about the choices (if desired -- otherwise one can go with the doctor's recommendation on-the-spot), and work it out with the physician what to try first. Often one tries more than one medication to obtain "a good fit." (I'm not one for asking other people what they suggest.)

[Pip]

it at least gave me some info so I could talk somewhat intelligently with my doctor. This is the updated version. I found it at the library.

 

http://www.amazon.com/New-Antidepressants-Antianxieties-William-Appleton/dp/0452285151/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246285882&sr=8-1

[asta]

Rather than guess, consult a psychiatrist. He or she will discuss the options, taking into consideration the patient's full medical history. The patient then can read about the choices (if desired -- otherwise one can go with the doctor's recommendation on-the-spot), and work it out with the physician what to try first. Often one tries more than one medication to obtain "a good fit." (I'm not one for asking other people what they suggest.)

 

I need to read more carefully... I thought the OP had already seen a Pdoc/had previously seen one.

 

Oops.

 

a

[KidsHappen]

One I would try to avoid is Effexor. I have a friend who is a psychiatrist who refuses to even see the drug rep for that one. She says many people can only tolerate small doses and you need a high dose to get the norepenephine benefits. Going off of it was the woorst experience of my life. Pristiq is the replacement for it, as the patent for Effexor is due to expire.

 

 

I second this about Effexor. Ba-a-ad medicine.

[KidsHappen]

One medication to consider is Buspar. It is a non-benzo anti-anxiety. This means that you cannot develop addiction or even tolerance. And it's action is very subtle. You can not feel it working. It is unnoticable. You just wake up one day and realize that you are doing so much better. It is not like the new AD, it does not have to build up in your system. It starts working in a few days. And as far as I know, it seems to have a great safety/side effect profile. I really have no idea why this isn't a first course drug in the case of anxiety that is tried before even AD. One of my db is bi-polar and this med was strong enough to improve his symptom significantly which is very important because he won't consider typical bi-polar meds. If you have any specific questions PM me.

Edited June 29, 2009 by KidsHappen

[Pip]

when your body feels like it is being attacked, either phsically or emotionally, it releases histamines. Antihistamines can be very helpful in combatting mild anxiety. I found this our when I took benadryl to fight the effects of the Effexor withdrawal. One of the anti-anxieties I was given at the hospital was vistriol, which my friend the psychiatrist said was basically benadryl. You may want to try benadryl until you see the doctor.

 

I would definitly see the doctor. But you need to be away that with the advent of the SSRI's and AD's like Wellbutrin and Effexor, it is easier to prescribe these drugs because they do not need to be fine tuned as much as tricyclics and MAOI's, It is also extremely difficult to overdose on them. If you don't get help with a gp, don't give up..

[asta]

One medication to consider is Buspar. It is a non-bezo anti-anxiety. This means that you cannot develop addiction or even tolerance.

 

[...]

 

I really have no I why this isn't a fist course drug in the case of anxiety that is tried before even AD.

 

Because it is an old-school generic, and there is no money in it.

 

when your body feels like it is being attacked, either phsically or emotionally, it releases histamines. Antihistamines can be very helpful in combatting mild anxiety.

 

Seroquel (an anti-psychotic) is an anti-histamine. It works very well for anxiety. It is very sedating at low doses and less so at higher ones. Vistaril is Benedryl on steroids (so to speak). Some people can take Vistaril, but not Benedryl, and vice versa.

 

 

a

[Orthodox6]

If you don't get help with a gp, don't give up..

 

For heaven's sake, don't use a GP instead of a psychiatrist ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

[lilbean05]

I think medication helped in my two worse time periods of issues, but generally I hated it. The best thing I did was learn physical meditation as well as appropriate behavioral responses. When I could acknowledge something without having the bigger response, it helped A LOT. I still have a little jumpiness here and there, but it's manageable 99.99% of the time now. And I just deal with the occasional bad day :)

 

I second this (and would throw in there that my meditation is often focused on God). My doctor wanted to put me on medication for anxiety/panic attacks, but with the full and loving support of my husband, parents, and grandmother, no medication has been required.

[KidsHappen]

 

Seroquel (an anti-psychotic) is an anti-histamine. It works very well for anxiety. It is very sedating at low doses and less so at higher ones.

a

 

 

What exactly is considered a low dose and what is considered a higher one? I have found that it pretty much knocks just about anyone out at anywhere from 25 - 200 mg. Do people take higher doses than that?

[cin]

Be VERY careful, and do alot of research. And I highly recommend you NOT go on paxil. It is almost impossible to get off of. I've tried 2X. The body and mind get addicted onto it. And I'm only on 10 mg. I'm going to give it another try in a month or so, by getting a RX for the liquid form. I can wean myself more incrementally that way.

[Orthodox6]

Not true as a general claim. This is your own experience, but it is not universally true for Paxil. Nor for any other medication. The reason that people move from med-to-med until finding the one that "works" is that each human body system is different from the next person's.

 

Be VERY careful, and do alot of research. And I highly recommend you NOT go on paxil. It is almost impossible to get off of. I've tried 2X. The body and mind get addicted onto it. And I'm only on 10 mg. I'm going to give it another try in a month or so, by getting a RX for the liquid form. I can wean myself more incrementally that way.

[Orthodox6]

A common mistake when people first start learning about medications is to think that dosages will be approximately the same. Not at all. Each drug has a general range for a general range of people. Your dose will be what is "right" for you.

 

In passing, I'll note that Seroquel (same for Zyprexa) -- in most people -- packs on weight extremely fast. A person can gain fifty pounds in just one month with either of these medications. One has to weigh benefits against side effects.

 

What exactly is considered a low dose and what is considered a higher one? I have found that it pretty much knocks just about anyone out at anywhere from 25 - 200 mg. Do people take higher doses than that?

[asta]

What exactly is considered a low dose and what is considered a higher one? I have found that it pretty much knocks just about anyone out at anywhere from 25 - 200 mg. Do people take higher doses than that?

 

IME from the psychopharmaceutical board I work at, the break tends to be around 200mg.

 

But, as Orthodox6 stated, everyone is individual in their responses to medications.

 

Seroquel tends to be a belly fat drug. Part of the mechanism that makes it work also pushes the metabolism towards retaining calories. I have seen some success with very regimented diets and exercise as far as weight gain is concerned, but the belly pooch tends to be universal, in men and women.

 

One thing to remember is, for the people whom anti-psychotics were designed, weight gain may be an acceptable trade-off. It is a powerful anti-psychotic. Some would say Risperdal is more powerful, but it works in a different manner (again, that whole individual thing). Functionality vs 20lbs is a good trade off for many people.

 

 

a

[Pip]

Honestly, dosage depends on the person. For example, I mentioned I am extrmely sensitive to all drugs I take. I am currently on prozac. The "magic dose" for prozac is 20mg. I have a hard time tolerating 10 mg (I just get sleepy easily) and 5 mg can actually help me. I could not tolerate any Effexor, even 35 mg, and my sister took it for menopause issues and felt no effects at 225mg.

 

As for the withdrawal, some people experience no withdrawal and others do. Most people experience withdrawal because so many AD's have a half life which can be measured in hours. Prozac tends to be different because its half life is a few days. I suffered withdrawal from every AD I tried except for prozac. BUT, many people do have withdrawal from prozac. I notice results from prozac in a day, some people won't for weeks, if ever.

 

The problem with a lot of these meds is, at least with the AD's, is that no one is really sure how they work;they just do. There is no test that can be done to determine which one you need. Add that to the individual, which effects all drugs, and you can have a lot of trial and error.