| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| holly |
Posted - 12/06/2004 : 05:40:33
I was always proud to think that somehow I go thru life without resorting to being on some kind of meds. But I am starting to wonder. Maybe I should start taking something to help deal with my constant anxiety/worry. The thought of going on some of this stuff daily scares me because once your on what is going to happen when you go off? You really can't just "go off" these drugs without ramifications. Who really knows the long term effects either?. The funny thing was that one orthopedist actually prescribed a combo of vioxx and some "antidepressant" for my toe problem and it made me soooo irritable I threw the whole bottle in the garbage after 2 days. (He wasn't giving it to me for being depressed by the way. It was suppose to help my toe problem some how) I am not depressed but I am always worrying about one thing and then when I finish I move on to worrying/anxiety about the the next thing. It is especially bad when I wake up, still in bed. My mind just keeps going & going. Once I am up it isn't as bad and I start my day. So...back to the medication issue. How many of my fellow TMS friends have had any positive experience w/medication? What about just taking something here and there (not constant)as needed for anxiety just to calm down once in awhile? I don't like any "drowsy feeling" either as I am tired enough! Anyone ?? |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| iyusaf |
Posted - 04/13/2009 : 12:24:35
quote:
Originally posted by holly
Maybe I should start taking something to help deal with my constant anxiety/worry.
Hi Holly,
Do you have TMS pain as well as anxiety? Do you ever experience both symptoms at the same time?
I think drugs can play a very useful role when other approaches do not work. They can help us take a break from the pain and the work of dealing with the pain. I think of them as a time out. The difficult part is finding the right drug for your body chemistry.
Be well.
-iy |
| miche |
Posted - 04/13/2009 : 11:44:45
I gained sixty lbs while on zoloft many years ago, little did I know at the time that it interferes with thyroid medications , even though I was on thyroid meds at the time , my THS went from a 2 to a 6 , which means that I became hypothyroid with all the associated symptoms , my doctor did not seem to be aware of the connection, I read about it in a medical journal long after I was off zoloft, and yes I craved carbs constantly, the drug raise my blood pressure and my blood sugar , problems I never had prior nor after I discontinued.
Thought I would put in my two cents in the hope that it may help someone. |
| Logan |
Posted - 04/13/2009 : 09:19:35
Holly,
I feel like I am in a similar situation. I too have prided myself on not needing meds to get by. It became clear to me in recent years, mainly through my writing personal essays, that I was a very anxious person who obsessed about potential threats both realistic and implausible.
I tried Zoloft once when I was still in pain - been pain free since 2003 - and it did sort of pull things into focus for me and make me feel less distracted by worry but it also made me sick as a dog so I discontinued it after two weeks.
What really helped me is talk therapy coupled w/EMDR therapy to resolve childhood traumas. I know EMDR has been a huge controversy on this board. I wouldn't recommend it to someone as a way to heal from TMS b/c I think the healing process is more complex and involves a lot of self-directed behavioral conditioning as well as psychological "digging." BUT for reducing anxiety, EMDR has been miraculous. I've been working on my traumas with an EMDR trained therapist for the past year or so, going about every 2 weeks, and I feel stronger, calmer, and more centered than I've felt since - well, ever.
My anxiety is much less. I'm feeling more confident in my work and in social situations, I'm able to get emotionally closer to friends and my husband, and sleeping better at night.
You might consider it versus drugs. |
| missangel |
Posted - 04/10/2009 : 21:35:35
I know this topic hasn't had a new reply for a few months, but I wanted to contribute. Before I figured out about TMS, I became extremely anxious and depressed about my symptoms and lack of a "diagnosis". The doctors made me feel like a hypochondriac and gave me Zoloft to get better. I only took one pill and it threw me into panic attack after panic attack and also severely dehydrated me. Now for someone like myself, who has control issues, I don't think the Zoloft stood a chance of working because I was convinced it was going to take control of me. I tried one Lexapro a week later, and it freaked me out too. So I gave up on SSRIs. I wanted to know what was truly wrong with me. I didn't want my symptoms to be masked by medication, while the root cause was just waiting around building strength to deal with later. I know Zoloft (and others) has helped others, it's just not for me. I do however have a bottle of .25 mg xanax that I ration out during emergencies only, or when I wake up in the middle of a work night with my mind racing and can't go back to sleep. I took them for 2 weeks straight at first, just so I could climb out of my fog and not miss any more work. I rarely use them now, but it's great to have a backup to keep me focused on getting better when I have the occasional uncontrollable day. |
| altherunner |
Posted - 08/01/2008 : 22:33:13
My daughter gets anxiety, and then nervous stomach. My doctor does allopathic and naturopathic medicine, and this is what he reccomended, that is helping: ashawanga (herb) twice/day
Nervoheel (homeopathic) and rescue remedy, as well as probiotics and enzymes for the stomach. He also reccomends relaxation and meditation methods but my 16 year old won't try those yet.
Reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle rid me of about 90% of my worry habits. |
| justme |
Posted - 08/01/2008 : 21:55:01
I use klonopin on an "as needed" basis. I absolutely swear by the drug and have never had dependency issues with it. Here is my theory about why it is so effective.
By nature I believe that my vagus nerve is a bit more sensitive than other people. It seems to run in my family. My mom suffers from fainting at the site of blood, has irritable bowel, reflux, etc. All these conditions are triggered by sensitivity of the vagus nerve. Apparently the vagus nerve controls smooth muscle tissue in an autonomic fashion. Ironically smooth muscle tissue lines the esophagues, stomach, intestines, etc. I went the the Body Exhibit while home in NYC and was fascinated by the location of the vagus nerve in the body.
I was diagnosed with reflux and prescribed reflux meds which did not help at all. Klonopin, on the other hand, works right away. Why take reflux meds when the root problems is not the acid? The root problem is the vagus nerve telling the brain to tighten up the esophageal muscles into a spasm and have the stomach secrete more acid?
I know if I had more time for meditation, etc. these things would improve my condition. My life is so busy right now that I dont always have time for these kinds of things. For now, klonopin restores me to normal. And, I am so grateful for it.I have never had any side effects from it and it has been around for such a long time.
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| hottm8oh |
Posted - 07/30/2008 : 09:44:24
I take Xanax occasionally. It helps the pain and gives me fewer side effects than any painkiller. Most doctors don't want me to have it because they say it's addictive, but I am definitely not addicted to it.
I will never take another anti-depressant again. I've tried a few in the past, and they do AWFUL things to me and don't ease my symptoms. |
| quantguy |
Posted - 07/28/2008 : 14:50:29
I was given clonazepam 0.5mg once at night for 15 days, I'm in my 12th day and I'm not asking for a refill since it didn't help at all with my insomnia caused by anxiety. I found suggestions in this forum about insomnia to be more helpful than this drug, the same happened when taking ibuprofen for the pain, I took 800mg per day for about a week and never felt any difference in my pain so I discontinued using pain medication. |
| sborthwick |
Posted - 05/05/2008 : 10:33:09
That is exactly how I felt! I wanted to eat all the time. It was very difficult to say no to cookies etc. I never had that before.
Thank you little Bird for that info. I am hoping that my tapering off slowly will make it a smoother transition. I have noticed that my appetite has gone back to normal finally. |
| Littlebird |
Posted - 05/05/2008 : 10:16:41
When I tried Zoloft I felt ravenously hungry and was eating every hour and a half. I gained weight, so I quit taking it. I didn't have any problems stopping. I don't remember the dose, only that it was low.
My DIL also gained a lot of weight on Zoloft and had to stop taking it. I don't think she had any trouble coming off.
Since you're tapering the dose, I would think you're not that likely to experience any problems when you stop. |
| sborthwick |
Posted - 05/05/2008 : 08:53:19
I wanted to know for those who have taken Zoloft if you
a. had any side affects like weight gain and carb cravings on them or
b. had difficulty and if so, what were the symptoms, coming off it?
I have only been taking 12.5 mg every night but wanted to come off it because it makes me crave carbs and feel very bloated. I am down to 5 mg every other night and will do that over 2 weeks.
Any info would be great.... |
| jinkajone |
Posted - 05/02/2008 : 01:22:38
Anxiety medication helps reduce the symptoms of anxiety. They do not completely cure anxiety and every person responds individually to the medication.
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| Laura |
Posted - 03/05/2005 : 20:46:03
Holly,
Have you ever heard of Bach Flower Remedies? You get it in health food stores and I bought some recently and used it. It is not a drug nor does it work like a drug. However, the effects are very subtle. We have a pharmacy that has a Wellness Center next door to it. I went there when I was having bad stomach problems. They recommended Acidophilus (spelling?) and the Bach Flower Rescue Remedy to help calm me down. I use it every time I'm feeling stressed and anxious and it just takes the edge off but not in a drugged up way. You may give it a try and see what you think. You can probably read about it on-line. This stuff was created by Dr. Edward Bach, a British physician, bacteriologist, and immunologist back in the 1930's. Just thought I'd give you something else to think about. Good luck!
Laura
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| Hilary |
Posted - 03/04/2005 : 13:03:42
Mike, if there's any question in your mind that you may be depressed, don't hesitate to go to a good psycho-pharmacologist and get a full workup. You're doing exactly the right thing in trying different approaches to help yourself - especially if you suspect you may be depressed. Depression is a serious condition, and it needs to be treated with the seriousness it deserves.
There is nothing "strong" about refusing a medication that may make life easier and happier! It's the oldest argument in the book, but if depression was another illness - say, diabetes - we wouldn't hesitate to take medication. I wish society could be more forgiving and understanding of depression and anxiety.
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| MikeC |
Posted - 03/04/2005 : 07:45:02
Hilary and Fred,
Thanks for the support on taking medication. I was adverse to all meds but when I was at my lowest in December, my friends suggested that I try something. My TMS doc suggested Buspirone for anxiety. Nothing yet for depression but I think on my next appointment, I am going to ask for something. It seems that Zoloft worked well for the two of you so I am going to suggest that when I see him. Hilary, you are exactly right when you say that the prize for no medication is to have your life ruined by anxiety or depression while we go through this.
Thanks,
Mike C |
| Fredarm57 |
Posted - 03/04/2005 : 07:36:00
After my relapse in 2000, I was put on Klonopin and Zoloft. I tapered off the Klonopin after a few months (it can be habit-forming for some people and I didn't want to take the chance) and have been on Zoloft for the past 5 years or so. I suspect that my trying to taper off Zoloft the past few months may have contributed to my latest TMS episode. Some of us just need a little help with our brain chemistry--no shame in that. |
| Hilary |
Posted - 03/04/2005 : 02:30:11
Holly, I found your post interesting because it reflects this often-held opinion that there's something inherently weak about people who take medication. Unfortunately there is still a huge stigma around taking medication for problems connected with the mind. Equally unfortunately, there are no prizes in life for being determined to stay away from meds while letting anxiety rule your life.
Your questions are completely normal, and you should talk to a good psychiatrist about your concerns. I can assure you that people DO come off meds without lasting ramifications, and that meds makelife a hell of a lot easier for many, many people.
plainchant, with all due respect, drinking camomile tea and doing yoga simply doesn't work for everyone. And you can still work on breathing and relaxation techniques while taking medication! If anything, meds return you to a sense of your "true" self, underneath all this anxiety / depression crap, and allow you to explore different methods of relaxation.
I was on Zoloft for depression and Klonopin for anxiety for quite a long time. Now I've tapered off the Zoloft and I'm still taking a small amount of Klonopin for anxiety.
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| Carolyn |
Posted - 03/02/2005 : 21:43:06
I was also very hesitant about taking drugs- thought I should be stronger than that but after my 3rd of 7 surgeries, I had a full-blown depression and a friend convinced me I needed some help. I went on Paxil which was truely a lifesaver. It was very hard to get on -it made me so sleepy for about 2 weeks I didn't feel safe driving but then all of a sudden at about 2-3 weeks on it, I felt completely happy and normal again. I took it for about 5 months, then weened off with no problems at all. Several years later, still plagued by the unrelenting pain, I asked my doctor to try zoloft- I was not actually depressed this time but I just wanted to be happy again. I found this very easy to get on but didn't feel it made me feel that different. I stayed on it about a year and then had a very difficult time getting off of this drug.
Now, I just have a prescription for Xanax which was actually prescribed for me to help stop muscle spasms. I take it only very occassionally. It is great for helping you get a good night sleep as long as you don't use it too often and for me it does seem to help break the cycle of muscle spasms and pain that I still get occassionally.
Bottom line, is that I would save the SSRIs for a real depression but it's good just to know you have a bottle of Xanax around if you need it occassionally.
Carolyn |
| lobstershack |
Posted - 03/02/2005 : 20:15:09
I have posted previously about my medication situation, but here goes: I have been taking the combo of Wellbutrin SR and Lexapro for the past year and a half or so. When I first say my psychiatrist I was desperate, depressed, suicidal, a mess to say the least. The medications helped a lot with the suicidal thoughts, OCD, and overall anxiety, but not markedly; just enough so as to facilitate me taking charge of my own recovery through therapy, and now, Sarno.
I must say, though, please make sure the doctor you are seeing is very well versed in psychopharmacology. Not only did I have to "shop around", but when I found my doctor, I had to experiment for a few months before I found the combination that worked for me.
If you are going to take this route, be patient, and remind yourself that the medications are being taken in order to speed the healing of your TMS--which is, when all is said and done,the underlying cause.
Seth |
| Louise |
Posted - 03/02/2005 : 16:18:10
Before discovering Dr. Sarno, I was in a really bad place with sciatic pain that had resumed about a year after having had back surgery. My Neurosurgeon gave me a prescription for Zoloft. I took them for about 2 1/2 months & didn't like the way it made me feel, so I tapered off the medication, and said good riddance.
However, I do have my GP give me a prescription for 30 Xanax, which I fill about 2x per year. I take 1/2 a pill (I believe that they're 5 mg) when I'm feeling anxious, or am having one of those episodes where I can't "let go" of something that's bothering me. I tend to replay things over & over in my mind, like it's on a loop of tape or film. I know that people say that Xanax is addictive, but I just don't see it myself. With me, Xanax makes me feel "normal" - not high or fuzzy or whatever. It just allows me to let go of what I'm anxious about.  |
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