Posted by ed_uk on May 27, 2005, at 14:15:31
In reply to Re: Please Help - Very Frustrated with Panic.., posted by hypersloth on May 26, 2005, at 22:17:25
Hi,
>Does anyone know if there is an injection form of something that you can get that will act RIGHT away when a panic attack occurs.
Personally, I find that (oral) diazepam (Valium) has a rapid onset of action. Injectable benzos are available but I very much doubt that you're doctor would prescribe one lol!!! Midazolam (Versed) has a rapid onset of action when injected. It's used in hospitals but not in outpatients. Diazepam emulsion IV injection (Diazemuls) acts extremely rapidly. AFAIK, it is not available in the US, I'm not sure about that though. It is widely used in the UK as an emergency treatment for epileptic seizures. Valium injection (diazepam in an organic solvent) is best avoided- it is very irritant to the vein. In contrast, Diazemuls rarely causes irritation. Unsurprisingly, Diazemuls is only ever used in hospital.
Diazepam rectal solution (Diazepam Rectubes®, Stesolid®) is available in some countries eg. the UK. I have no idea whether it is available in the US... having said that, I don't know where you live. Most people on p-babble seem to live the the US! Diazepam rectal solution has a rapid onset of action. Clearly, it is not particularly convenient to administer! You'd have to go to the bathroom! Diazepam rectal solution is not the same as diazepam suppositories- it acts more rapidly. Diazepam rectal solution is occasionally used in outpatients as an acute treatment for severe panic attacks.
>Prevention of panic attacks. Drugs you could consider..........
An increased dose of escitalopram (Lexapro)
A different SSRI eg. paroxetine (Paxil)
A long-acting benzodiazepine eg. clonazepam (Klonopin). Alprazolam (Xanax) has a short duration of action. Regular use of Xanax can be particularly problematic because anxiety tends to occur between doses. Xanax XR is now available in the US, I am told that it is very expensive.
A tricyclic eg. imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor) or clomipramine (Anafranil)
An MAOI eg. phenelzine (Nardil)
Kind regards,
Ed.PS. Cut down on the caffeine!
PPS. Could you see a psychologist?
poster:ed_uk
thread:502623
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050527/msgs/503712.html