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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by TheTaoOfPhil on February 13, 2008, at 14:05:00
Hi,
I have a diagnosis of Complex PTSD. I can go for periods of time (4-8 weeks) managing reasonably well with meditation, yoga, and Chinese medicine. There are times, however, when my symptoms are overwhelming, the biggest problem being sleep. I use Xanax (usually around 0.5 mg) but have found that if I use it for more than three days or so, getting off it results in some nasty withdrawal symptoms (even when I taper down the dose). I would like to be able to use something for 1-2 weeks at a time without serious side-effects. Also my pdoc is very anti-benzo and gets freaked out about me overusing Xanax (my pdoc's anxiety is an issue that will probably lead me to find another pdoc; it's enough for me dealing with my own anxiety).
My pdoc has suggested that I try something longer acting. So I also tried Neurontin and Buspar. Neurontin's effect even at just 100mg was too much for me: it just made me feel drugged up and dissociated, and even caused me to have more flashbacks. I tried a tiny dose of Buspar (2.5 mg, on the way to ramping up to 10 mg) and found that, along with some side effects that would probably go away (headache, stomache upset, spaceyness), it also just made me feel deadened -- my body felt dull.
My conclusion is that I really need to stick with meds that are used episodically because the side effects of anything else are too scary. I get the impression that vallium, while in the benzo family, is relatively less addicting than Xanax (which seems to be the fastest addicting of all of them). Is this so? Or does anyone have any other suggestions?
Thanks.
Posted by Phillipa on February 13, 2008, at 17:30:31
In reply to Options for episodic treatment of PTSD/anxiety?, posted by TheTaoOfPhil on February 13, 2008, at 14:05:00
Hi welcome to babble if you're new. So pdoc is anxious too? I haven't found in my years of benzo use them to be that addicting and usually switch to another one. Taken for over 35 years and still same dose. Med free at times inbetween but if you don't want a benzo how bout lunesta? Love Phillipa
Posted by sunnydays on February 13, 2008, at 17:50:57
In reply to Options for episodic treatment of PTSD/anxiety?, posted by TheTaoOfPhil on February 13, 2008, at 14:05:00
Sorry, I don't. I have PTSD too. I know the rough periods... they can seem to come out of nowhere. I use Xanax 0.5mg to sleep sometimes, or just to calm down, but I've never used it more than one night at a time because I'm really nervous about the addiction aspect. I wish I knew. I'm not sure anyone really has found any good drugs for PTSD, especially not any that get rid of flashbacks... I would consider that a miracle drug!
sunnydays
Posted by johnj on February 13, 2008, at 20:08:12
In reply to Options for episodic treatment of PTSD/anxiety?, posted by TheTaoOfPhil on February 13, 2008, at 14:05:00
I had the same problem with neurontin even at 100 mg. I was so dead to the world. For sleep, which I am going to my pdoc of Friday, so we will discuss it is doxepin or trimipramine. Doxepin comes in a liquid so it can be given at low doses. Very low doses are being looked at as a sleep med with little side effects. I have heard that trimipramine also protects sleep architecture. These meds will at least get you through with some sleep. There is also nortryptiline for panic too and it worked well for me for about 10 years then circumstance and a worsening of my symptoms caused it to stop working.
My brother has ptsd and has just rode out the flashbacks and nightmares from Nam. He is rare in that group therapy has helped him greatly.
Have you also thought of lyrica. It is different than neurontin. I haven't tried it yet. I too am very med sensitive and don't like the dulling. Please let us know what you have tried and what future trials entail.
Do you think the buspar numbing would go away?
johnj
Posted by Sigismund on February 14, 2008, at 1:55:42
In reply to Options for episodic treatment of PTSD/anxiety?, posted by TheTaoOfPhil on February 13, 2008, at 14:05:00
Since you mention these things.......
I use a mixture of zizyphus, lemon balm, skullcap and motherwort.
It helps, but no more, I'd imagine, than the Chinese herbs you use.For sleep, which is a chronic problem for me, I take Seroctin
http://www.betterhealthcenter.com/product_pages/seroctin.htm
at night, along with this
http://www.lef.org/newshop/items/item00990.htmlThings have been worse for me than they are now, certainly.
Posted by TheTaoOfPhil on February 14, 2008, at 14:08:27
In reply to Re: Options for episodic treatment of PTSD/anxiety? » TheTaoOfPhil, posted by Phillipa on February 13, 2008, at 17:30:31
Hi folks,
Thanks for all the information. It's helpful. I should have clarified that I'm not looking to cure my PTSD through medication. That obviously can't be done. It's more a matter of managing the symptoms as I work through things in therapy.
Philipa, that Lunesta thing appears to be similar to Ambien. Notice the warning about the side effect doing strange things when you're asleep? People have been known not only to binge on food in their sleep, but even to go to bars and have sex with strangers. Needless to say, my high-strung and risk-averse pdoc doesn't like this kind of med <g> She also says that it's even more addicting and habituating than Xanax. But honestly, she really is a nervous nelly. I'm toing to try one more appointment with her and then, I suspect, switch to someone who is a little less freaked out about what she's prescribing <g>
Johnj, these meds, doxepin, trimipramine, and nortryptiline are all tricyclics. As I understand them, they are for continual as opposed to episodic use. TOr are you saying that the low-dose doxepin thing is being used episodically? If so, it could be intriguing. I shall also ask about Lyrica.
Sigismund, one of those remedies (the second one you mentioned) is probably pretty much what I already do, because I take calcium and a multi-vitamin that has many of these ingredients. I also take melatonin. The other thing looks intriguing. I may try that one out.
Thanks all for your suggestions. I appreciate it.
Posted by Zyprexa on February 25, 2008, at 21:30:36
In reply to Options for episodic treatment of PTSD/anxiety?, posted by TheTaoOfPhil on February 13, 2008, at 14:05:00
For PTSD and sleep, you might want a sedating AP. I've taken zyprexa for years and works well. There are some others too, seroquel and perphenazine(which I just started, because of diabetes from the zyprexa). So far so good.
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