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New meds

Posted , 3 users are following.

NatCali
NatCali

So I have been having some major anxiety in the past month, have had anxiety my whole life, been on and off anti depressants for 15 years and just recently started lexapro. So far it's been ok. Been taking Xanax for sleep which I hate. I'm just not a fan of the benzos on a daily basis. As needed I'm ok with but taking them every night makes me super tumired everyday and only helps for a few hours. My doctor today told me she wants me off the Xanax and to start taking trazadone at night for sleep and if I'm having any anxiety during the day or as need take propranolol. Has anyone took either of these medications? And if so what do you think about them? I really hate taking meds everyday. I have severe health anxiety and taking lots of different meds is not what I want, but i have cut out drinking alcohol and pot completely to get my head straight and now I just want to feel clear headed. But taking a bunch of meds makes me nervous. I don't drink a lot but used to smoke pot everyday for 15 years and haven't smoked for 3 weeks. So I am trying to take care of myself the healthy way but still anxious and I'm supposed to listen to my doctor and do what she says will help me, but stopping Xanax and trying new meds is scary for me bc I don't know what to expect and get nervous of any side effects. Any thoughts? anything would help. Thanks

1 like, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • lauren98581
    lauren98581 NatCali

    Posted

    Hello NatCali! I also suffer from severe anxiety and take Xanax as needed for my panic attacks. I have tried trazadone for sleep and I had to come off due to some weird side effects. In my opinion when I woke up the next morning it almost gave me like a "pill hangover" which I didn't like. My head hurt and I felt drowsy, it was hard for me to get out of bed. Once you start taking the trazadone it is hard to come off and hard to sleep without it. However I have never been on the second medication. What helped me most with my anxiety was using coping mechanisms and yoga/meditation. I've tried all the ssris and all of them had negative side effects. I never felt normal. I smoke weed a lot to help ease my anxiety as well because honestly I would rather do that then take a benzo but I'm trying not to do either currently unless I really need them for an emergency. Trazadone did help me sleep but every medicine has positives and negatives. It's whether or not it's worth it to you and how bad your situation is. I hope you feel better soon!
    • NatCali
      NatCali lauren98581

      Posted

      Thanks for your input. I didn't know if stopping smoking was a good or bad thing. At the time I stopped it was giving me more anxiety, could've been a certain strain that was doing it, but I didn't want to keep smoking if it was giving me more anxiety. I think it helped suppressed a lot and now that I don't have that I feel and think about everything constantly. I hate meds too. I've been meditating every morning And trying to workout a little. I'm kind of lazy in that area, I'm 29 but from doing hair for 11 years sometimes my body feels 49 lol. So I know yoga would help a lot mentally and physically. Anxiety is exhausting and I'm sick of it I don't want to be medicated but I also don't want to feel the way I feel. I'm just gonna have to give it sometime. And if I need to start smoking again then I will. Thx again
    • lauren98581
      lauren98581 NatCali

      Posted

      Yeah sometimes smoking does give people anxiety and others it makes it better. For me if I smoke while I have a stomach ache/headache/anxiety it usually helps but the strain does make a difference. They used to have me on 150 mg Zoloft, 1 mg Xanax, and then switched me to fluoxetine. I got tired of being pulled around by all these medications so I weaned myself off of them. I feel better but I actually have real emotions now, and yes I have anxiety still but the meds made me want to crawl into a dark hole lol
    • NatCali
      NatCali lauren98581

      Posted

      Right I know exactly what you mean. I got off Paxil a year ago and was doing pretty good.i was on it for 3 years and I wanted myself back. Did great up until a month ago when I partied to hard in Vegas and ended up in the ER for a severe panic attack and too much adderol. Not good I know, I havet drank or done anything since then and don't plan on it but ever since my anxiety has been out of control. I've never had it this bad. But I'm really trying. Now I had to stop the Xanax which I've only been on for a month and taking any were from .25 to .5 at night for sleeping. But I teally don't want to take the trazadone. I don't want to take any of it: but I guess I have to just see if it helps. I don't mind taking 1 pill a day, which would be the lexapro, if it helps, but I don't want all the other crap. It clouds my mind and I hate that. Ughhh so frustrating. I just want to feel 100% again. Whatever that is lol
  • Mariannats91
    Mariannats91 NatCali

    Posted

    HI,

    I understand the pressure you get from your doctor to listen to them. WHen I saw my psychiatrist I barely questioned wether I need the meds I just listened to her talk. But maybe she just doens't know the whole story...maybe you didn't need meds in the first place who knows why you started them...anyway do not withdraw fast from anything. I was on a lot of diffferent psych meds for about 7 years: Tegritol, depakote, lithium, and more. When I withdrew I had a manic episode. So please be careful withdrawing.

    My side effects daily from the meds were sleepiness, depression and sometimes anxiety. There may be more that I am not aware of while on them.

     

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