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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by LLL on July 23, 2002, at 15:41:49
Fellow panic disorder/agoraphobia sufferers - what Anitdepressants have you found to be the most effective?
Still searching!
Posted by velaguff on July 23, 2002, at 16:20:50
In reply to Anyone Out There?, posted by LLL on July 23, 2002, at 15:41:49
I'm not a panic disorder person, and this suggestion strikes me, even as I type it, as being absurdly mundane. But....A close friend of mine with PD swears by ordinary ol' Zanax. Her MD, (she doesn't bother with shrinks and I don't blame her), is quite enlightened, and doesn't question her need for this med.
Posted by Phil on July 23, 2002, at 17:51:51
In reply to Anyone Out There?, posted by LLL on July 23, 2002, at 15:41:49
What have you tried so far? Have you tried Paxil?
Posted by LLL on July 23, 2002, at 18:02:55
In reply to Re: Anyone Out There? » LLL, posted by Phil on July 23, 2002, at 17:51:51
I can't take the SSRI's - increases the symptoms and sets me back years (just recently tried Effexor - felt like I was on a "bad trip")or tricyclic's. Used Rememron once and slept all day! I am very sensitive to medicines side effects and as is typical of those with panic disorder - fearful of them as well. I am resuming my use of Parnate which helped very much in the past, however this is not a drug to stay on for the long term (decades) and frankly I am already very disgusted with the lack of support from the professional community concerning its use. I'm hoping there's something else out there that might help, including the use of Inositol or other natural products (after I get my brain chemistry back on track).
Posted by rainbowlight on July 23, 2002, at 18:28:46
In reply to Re: Anyone Out There?, posted by LLL on July 23, 2002, at 18:02:55
I have found small doses of Zoloft to really help me with anxiety/social phobia/OCD. I guess it depends on whether you are searching for something you can take as soon as a panic attack comes on (in this case benzos would work) or whether you are searching for something that will help with anxiety/panic in general.
Posted by LLL on July 23, 2002, at 19:12:59
In reply to Re: Anyone Out There?, posted by rainbowlight on July 23, 2002, at 18:28:46
I use xanax for emergencies but need an antidepressant to re-adjust my brain chemistry just as those who suffer from depression do.
Thanks for your suggestion.
Posted by Shawn. T. on July 23, 2002, at 20:42:26
In reply to Re: Anyone Out There?, posted by LLL on July 23, 2002, at 18:02:55
I am very much convinced that the serotonin receptor 5-HT2c regulates the anxiety/panic response. For example, this receptor releases cortisol, the stress hormone, when activated. Remeron blocks this receptor. You should give it another try, but only take 7.5mg/day for the first 2 weeks. Take your first dose on a Friday night if you work on weekdays. The drowsiness that you experience the first few days is a small price to pay for help. Remeron will start working for you much more quickly than an SSRI. SSRI's can definitely exaggerate the symptoms of anxiety disorders. Consider that the 5-HT2a and 5-HT2c receptors that Remeron blocks act through the phospholipase C/ inositol phosphate pathway (I'll post more on this later). Remeron is a much more selective drug than the SSRI's or Effexor, and I believe that it will help you a lot if you give it a chance. Cybercafe recently posted a link to a very well done study on using Remeron for panic disorder; you may want to check that out.
Shawn
Posted by Phil on July 24, 2002, at 17:54:38
In reply to Re: Anyone Out There?, posted by LLL on July 23, 2002, at 18:02:55
Good luck, my friend.
Peace
Posted by cybercafe on July 24, 2002, at 21:18:23
In reply to Anyone Out There?, posted by LLL on July 23, 2002, at 15:41:49
> Fellow panic disorder/agoraphobia sufferers - what Anitdepressants have you found to be the most effective?
> Still searching!
i only ever had one panic attack... but for agoraphobia i have found parnate 30 mg + gabapentin works wonders ...
Posted by LLL on July 24, 2002, at 22:32:00
In reply to Re: Anyone Out There?, posted by cybercafe on July 24, 2002, at 21:18:23
I'm not familiar with the second drug you mentioned, gabapentin, may I ask what that is?
Posted by cybercafe on July 25, 2002, at 0:58:40
In reply to Re: Anyone Out There? » cybercafe, posted by LLL on July 24, 2002, at 22:32:00
> I'm not familiar with the second drug you mentioned, gabapentin, may I ask what that is?
sure .. it's an anticonvulsant...
Posted by LLL on July 25, 2002, at 10:25:29
In reply to Re: Anyone Out There? » cybercafe, posted by cybercafe on July 25, 2002, at 0:58:40
Is the anticonvulsant used to treat the agoraphobia or is it for its implied purpose?
Posted by cybercafe on July 26, 2002, at 1:03:46
In reply to Re: Anyone Out There? » cybercafe, posted by LLL on July 25, 2002, at 10:25:29
> Is the anticonvulsant used to treat the agoraphobia or is it for its implied purpose?
i don't think it's officially been certified for agoraphobia/anxiety, but it certainly does seem to work ... no i don't take it for seizures/convulsions ... i don't have epilepsy
Posted by kpo2002 on July 30, 2002, at 19:16:04
In reply to Anyone Out There?, posted by LLL on July 23, 2002, at 15:41:49
You might not believe this--but the street drug ecstacy might actually help. Too bad it costs $25.00 a pill.
It used to be a legal psychiatric drug, but it worked too well--it made everyone happy, thereby threatening to put thousands of psychologists out of business.I feel that if the public put pressure on drug companies they would fabricate a safe and effective form of this drug which is in a class all it's own.
I do not know the original drug company that manufactured it, (maybe Merck) nor do I know the name that it was sold under, I only know that the abbreviation for the chemical name is MDMA, and that there are about 20 different formulas for the street version, but they are all considered to be in one class by themselves.
Posted by kpo2002 on July 30, 2002, at 19:58:53
In reply to Re: Anyone Out There?, posted by rainbowlight on July 23, 2002, at 18:28:46
Neurontin (gabapentin)is an anti-convulsant that is used to treat neuropathic pain as well as psychiatric disorders.
There appears to be a new trend in the medical/pharmaceutical world: finding new uses for old drugs.
Have you ever tried a drug call Trilifon? I don't know if I have the spelling right.
It is a drug commonly used by the VA to calm people down. One time I angrily stormed into a meeting and was whisked into solitary confinement and began to cry uncontrollably.
I was brought liquid Trilifon and refused to take it because I felt that I had a right to be angry and that I had a right to cry if I felt like crying. I was told that if I didn't take it that I would be given a shot.
I drank the Trilifon, but decided to conduct my own experiment. I was going to cry my eyes out - Trilifon or no Trilifon. I thought of the worst things that had wrecked my life, I thought of everything that made me angry or depressed. I wasn't going to give in to the VA or their drugs.
Much to my surprise after about 5 minutes I was unable to cry. I even tried to make myself cry by ruminating over and over all of the horrible things in my life. I couldn't believe it. It completely eliminated all feelings of agitation and anger. In a matter of minutes I was completely calm. I don't know the dosage since it wasn't a pill, and it didn't matter what the dosage was since I had no control over how much I took. But it sure did work.
Posted by LLL on July 30, 2002, at 22:02:55
In reply to Re: Anyone Out There?, posted by kpo2002 on July 30, 2002, at 19:16:04
um thanks, but i think i'll pass!
This is the end of the thread.
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