1. Community
  2. Mental health
  3. Anxiety Disorders

Best antidepressant when you have panic disorder

Posted , 8 users are following.

Nicki888
Nicki888

Hi everyone, I had my first panic attack this year and since then I've had anxiety and heart palpitations almost 24/7. I need to get on an antidepressant but am scared it's going to trigger another attack. I took half of a celexa the frost time and gave me a panic attack. This last week I tried Zoloft and it made me SUPER panicky! I read something that some meds can make you more anxious. So I'm going to try Prozac now as my doctor said that one is the best for people with panic. But I am afraid to take it. Has anyone had anything like this happen? Anyone with panic.. What meds worked for you?

1 like, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • borderriever
    borderriever Nicki888

    Posted

    All I will say your GP has your condition sussed, keep taking the tablets Lol
  • maria_1963
    maria_1963 Nicki888

    Posted

    Antidepressants do take time to work , also it can take time to find the right one that suits your body & mind . I take Venlafaxine mornings at the highest dosage , Mirtazapine night time at the highest dosage - i don't have any problems with those , i also take Pregabalin for anxiety 3 times a day , Promethazine at night time , diazepam as an when i feel i need it . I have recently been given another medication - Tryptophan 3 x 3 tablets a day . With this cocktail of tablets i am still suffering very low mood . Hopefully your doctor will be able to find a tablet suited to your needs  , take care x

  • Tevoted
    Tevoted Nicki888

    Posted

    Hi Nicki,

    I've been through the exact same thing as you. Most recently I was on an antidepressant (Cymbalta), which made me even more anxious, it was dreadful. I then switched to Pristiq, which after 5 weeks of use didn't really do much for me, therefore I requested that my doctor put me back on an antidepressant that I was on for years, which was Paxil or Paroxetine as it is known as also. Believe me, it is the best one for panic and anxiety as well as depression. I have suffered from panic/anxiety disorder since the age of 15, now 47, and it has been the only one to help. It takes a few weeks to reach therapeutic level, but it is worth the wait. You may even experience some relieve much sooner. Are you on anything else to help with the panic? If not you may want to ask for Clonazepam (Rivitril) or Lorazepam (Ativan) to help ease the panic till the antidepressant kicks in.

    I have been on many antidepressants and Paxil beats them all. If you do some research on it you will see that one of the things it is prescibed for is panic disorder. Many antidepressants are not. Also Paxil is an SSRI which is better for anxiety than an SNRI antidepressant, which may increase anxiety in some cases.

    You must also take into consideration that in most cases you will feel an increase in anxiety when starting a new antidepressant, this is a common side effect.

    Hoping you find relief soon and good luck!

    • ellebi
      ellebi Tevoted

      Posted

      Did u notice any side effects from Paxil?? I am changing drugs soon and its putting me off, the bad reports I have heard re Paxil for weight gain?
    • nicola_01942
      nicola_01942 Tevoted

      Posted

      Hi i just seen your post about Paxil... im new to this med, i started it 10days ago and got to admit it seems to be helping ( i have severe health anxiety). I was reluctant to go on meds for 2 years and refused them but did decide to give them a go, i have had nausea feeling off them... at first for like 4 days it was quite bad but manageable, now i seem to go through stages where i eat and feel hungry and other times not... is this normal to have loss of appetite with paxil?? I was worried something else was wrong. Most things ive read about it is people say it increases there appetite but its been the opposite with me. Just thought i would ask as you seem to know about Paxil xx 😊

    • Tevoted
      Tevoted ellebi

      Posted

      Most antidepressants have the possibility of either increasing or decreasing appetite. In my case Paxil didn't go either way. That being said, I am also on Remeron (Mirtazapine), and I definately had an increase in weight. But when I was on the Pristiq, it suppressed my hunger and I ended up losing 15lbs. In the case of Paxil, it really depends on the individual.  

    • Tevoted
      Tevoted nicola_01942

      Posted

      Your appetite fluctuation is definately a side effect. This should Stabilize in two to three weeks. In my case Paxil did not effect my appetite as other antidepressants did. Do not worry that something else is wrong, after your body adjusts to the med, you should be fine.
  • ellebi
    ellebi Nicki888

    Posted

    Every drug works differently for different people, its really a case of trial and error.

    I personally found Prozac and Lexapro worked

  • connie08861
    connie08861 Nicki888

    Posted

    I had tried several AD in the past year and got sicker and sicker. nothing worked. Finally ended up on Mirtazapine after MANY trial and errors.  I just had a DNA swab test done thru Genesight and within a few days they will send you a listing of medicines that YOU would do the best with and the ones that you would do the worst with.  I have no idea how much the cost of the test is as I was currently in rehab and it was ordered by the doctor.  if this will help in any way.  smile  thanks!

  • davidhan
    davidhan Nicki888

    Posted

    Hey Nicki, I am on the same boat as you. I recently had my first panic attack and ever since then I feel anxious, dizzy and light headed all of time. My doctor prescribe me  "sulpiride  50mg" and I still haven't taken them. I am also stress and worry about the side effects and it may make my anxiety worse

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.