Posted by verne on September 23, 2005, at 0:42:02
In reply to Re: Do Cymbalta Side Effects increase with dose?, posted by grammy on September 22, 2005, at 22:21:34
I used to take ativan, librium, and xanax at different times but haven't taken a benzo in about 10 years. I had some problems with dependency and had a hard time getting off ativan and then librium.
Around here, if I ask for a benzo, I'm considered "drug seeking"; if I don't ask, they will never prescribe them. I also admit to being an alcoholic and most docs refuse to prescribe a benzo, even though, I would argue, librium helped me stay sober nearly 2 years.
Perhaps it has been a blessing. I've had to look for anxiety cures in alternative medicine. Meditation helped me. I'm hoping to add some simple asanas (yoga) to the routine.
I tend to react strongly or paradoxically to drugs and herbs. If it is sedating, my body seems to fight it and my heart races. If it is stimulating, my body fights that, and wants to sleep. But benzos like xanax were the exception - no nonsense, straight-forward, calming with no strings attached.
I was able to convince the doc to prescribe inderal since my blood pressure was high. I'm taking inderal LA at 60mgs which helps somewhat with the anxiety and makes it more difficult to drink.
It can be very sedating for some people but doesn't seem to bother me. I much prefer the Inderal LA (long acting) to the regular. There's a qualitative difference, much smoother.
Inderal, by the way, causes nightmares. I mean all my dreams are full of dread, worry, and doom unless I counter it with something. Cymbalta at the higher doses returns my dream life to a happier keel.
Recently I've been experimenting with some exotic herbs not readily available in health food stores. I've been making teas out of bark and plants known to have calming, anti-depressant, or vision or dream inducing effects. (I'll post my findings on the alternative board)
Anyway, I'm doing better. Now up to 60mgs with the cymbalta although I hope to get an Rx for the 60mg capsules next week. Right now I'm taking 3 20mgs per day.
I'll look into tranzene and Restoril - but if they are controlled substances my doc will make an accusatory face, causing the inevitable chain reaction of subtle signals, ending with me slinking away in shame for my "drug-seeking" behavior.
Back to my experiments.
Verne
poster:verne
thread:555493
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050921/msgs/558394.html