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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by stresser on June 17, 2005, at 22:23:03
What is the best anti-anxiety/depression medication, to combine with Topomax and Adderall XR? I would like some opinions from all of you! -L
Posted by Phillipa on June 18, 2005, at 18:48:49
In reply to What's the best anti-anxiety medication?, posted by stresser on June 17, 2005, at 22:23:03
Of course you already know I like valium. I'm not familiar with the drugs you mentioned so I don't know if it's contraindicated. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by paulbwell on June 18, 2005, at 22:03:49
In reply to Re: What's the best anti-anxiety medication? » stresser, posted by Phillipa on June 18, 2005, at 18:48:49
> Of course you already know I like valium.
Hi,
I thought the Valium was making you depressed? the blahs?
Cheers
Posted by krybrahaha78 on June 18, 2005, at 22:29:01
In reply to Re: What's the best anti-anxiety medication? » Phillipa, posted by paulbwell on June 18, 2005, at 22:03:49
i bet most people here are going to say Klonopin. I personally like klonopin and tranxene
Posted by Nickengland on June 19, 2005, at 11:00:55
In reply to What's the best anti-anxiety medication?, posted by stresser on June 17, 2005, at 22:23:03
Hi Stresser :-)
I quite like Neurontin...seems to greatly reduce my anxiety with little side effects. In fact I find most of the side effects actually help!
I believe this would be safe to combine..I think
How are things? Are you feeling pretty anxious, hence the need for an anxiety pill? Was you not taking clonazepam if I remember correctly..
Kind regards
Nick
Posted by Racer on June 19, 2005, at 12:23:31
In reply to What's the best anti-anxiety medication?, posted by stresser on June 17, 2005, at 22:23:03
Sounds flip, but it's true, too. For instance, Phillipa likes Valium, but I find that the benzos do leave me depressed, and don't reduce anxiety effectively if I"m already upset -- I'd have to take the benzos before anything happened, in hopes that it would stop me from getting upset in the first place.
On the other hand, I quite like the beta blockers. In fact, it was after taking a beta blocker for the first time that I realized how anxious I had been for how long, since the feeling of relaxation was so entirely unfamiliar!
Part of the difference is what sort of anxiety symptoms you get. I don't get a lot of the racing thoughts, or catastrophizing, or any of that. I just get physical stuff: tense muscles, difficulty breathing, etc -- and then, once I realize that that's going on, I often have to stop and think about what's happening in my life that might be causing it. So, for me, something like a beta blocker that stops the physical reaction is fine, and then I can address whatever it is that's causing the stress.
Hope that helps a bit.
Posted by stresser on June 19, 2005, at 22:08:28
In reply to The one that works for you » stresser, posted by Racer on June 19, 2005, at 12:23:31
It's not me feeling the anxiety, it's my daughter. When she tells her pdoc, he just smiles at her and says she should try talk therapy. She already is doing that, and still has a difficult time with stress. Thanks for the input everyone! -L
Posted by FredPotter on June 20, 2005, at 0:33:07
In reply to Re: The one that works for you, posted by stresser on June 19, 2005, at 22:08:28
I think it depends on the type of anxiety. Probably Xanax is not all that effective for general anxiety but good for panic attacks, but that might just be me
Posted by Jazzed on June 20, 2005, at 8:08:56
In reply to Re: The one that works for you, posted by stresser on June 19, 2005, at 22:08:28
> It's not me feeling the anxiety, it's my daughter. When she tells her pdoc, he just smiles at her and says she should try talk therapy. She already is doing that, and still has a difficult time with stress. Thanks for the input everyone! -L
Hey stressor,
I had to ask my p-doc for something for anxiety. We'd talked about how much anxiety I have all the time, and then it just got to the point where I couldn't stand it any longer and told him I needed something.
Jazzy
Posted by Nickengland on June 20, 2005, at 10:45:41
In reply to What's the best anti-anxiety medication?, posted by stresser on June 17, 2005, at 22:23:03
Stresser,
Has your daughter ever posted herself on here about the medication she takes...i'm wondering whether it would make things easier for her to get ideas on what could be best for her to take?
Kind regards
Nick
Posted by Racer on June 20, 2005, at 18:24:41
In reply to Re: The one that works for you, posted by stresser on June 19, 2005, at 22:08:28
> It's not me feeling the anxiety, it's my daughter. When she tells her pdoc, he just smiles at her and says she should try talk therapy. She already is doing that, and still has a difficult time with stress.
OK, that clarifies a few things. I forget how old your daughter is, have you told us? Teens, though, right?
Her pdoc probably won't prescribe a benzo for a teenager, which I think is probably a good thing. Too much potential for abuse, for tolerance, and for addiction. Depending on her other health issues, a beta blocker or calcium channel blocker might be a possibility, or adding a more anxiolytic antidepressant.
Maybe adding Buspar, which is kinda notorious for not being helpful for all too many people. If it helps her, though, that's all that counts. Just a warning that it is known for helping a fairly small number of people.
Otherwise, non-med options include things like biofeedback, which might be a better option than drugs, because of her youth. "Talk therapy" -- while definitely a big part of any good treatment strategy -- doesn't always relieve anxiety short term. In fact, it can increase anxiety at times, eithr because the therapist is so good a fit that you're hitting deep and hard things, or because the therapist is such a bad fit that you get stuck in a scary place.
Biofeedback would be my first suggestion, and -- depending on your daughter's other issues -- some sort of fun/physical activity. Maybe that means tumbling class, or swimming, or horseback riding (vaulting would be great for her, I'd bet), or even ceramics (don't underestimate the force needed to work the clay), something like that would probably help her a lot. I always find that I lean towards riding, because I know that the horses add something to the exercise: you can't ride if you're tense, and a good teacher will help students work through muscle tension and anxiety.
Hope that helps.
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