Mental Health New AD/Anxiety Med Recommendation - Please Help

[DaftPunkFan]

So I just got off Lexapro, which was a nightmare.
It only made me feel worse, was barely able to sleep the first month and felt significantly more depressed, then made me feel weird trying to get off it.
My doctor is already going straight to pushing another AD (Celexa, Zoloft, Prozac, etc.), but I want nothing to do with those.
I'd really like to find an effective anti-depressant that is especially good for anxiety.

I've tried Wellbutrin (not good) in the past and used to have panic attacks and was prescribed/addicted to benzos for years (don't want to go down that road again, although they are very helpful for a little while). I've also tried Lyrica and Neurontin, and both just made me feel uncomfortable.

I'm wondering if there is a class of medications that I haven't tried or heard of yet, that you have had success with. I don't even want to try all the different SSRIs/SNRIs to see if one might work... going through a month of hell just to see if something might work (which for me, it didn't) is not something my brain can handle right now.

I'm on Adderall for ADD, and this is very effective for depression and actually calms me down a bit, but I realize this is something that I can't take everyday and still be effective, so I'm looking for something that I can use more frequently.
I've read about people using Tramadol with success, which is something I haven't tried and am interested in as well.

Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you

 

[Slow_Mobius]

There's not much outside of antidepressants that you can use everyday without dealing with significant tolerance issues. Tramadol is an SNRI and an opioid and several other things... It should a dirty drug, and I wouldn't reccomend using it. You would develop tolerance to tramadol, and it's not safe to take it with amphetamines.

There are some herbal remedies you can try like cannabis or a CBD heavy variety. Kava root powder, st John's wort, and Kanna are all options as well. Kratom would be great for both depressions and anxiety, but it is also going to cause physical dependence and possibly addiction over time.

Some people find hydroxyzine good for anxiety. Gabapentinoids aren't quite as addictive as many other anxiety meds, and some people find they work great for depression and anxiety.

Also, we don't really allow 'what drug should I take' threads, but I'll leave this open for now so you can get some suggestions. I would reccomend using the forum search engine to see what others have had success with

 

[Mighty-oak]

MAOI called Nardil pops up all the time on the anxiety group on Facebook for being incredibly helpful for anxiety........But.......It is a case of seeing if your GP will prescribe it. Here in the UK it is hardly ever prescribed, I have tried to get hold of it for years with no joy.....Also the diet is fairly strict on Nardil and many OTC meds which can prove a problem to some.

 

[MrCream]

I just started Cymbalta a few days ago seems good so far.

 

[Speed King]

There's not much outside of antidepressants that you can use everyday without dealing with significant tolerance issues. Tramadol is an SNRI and an opioid and several other things... It should a dirty drug, and I wouldn't reccomend using it. You would develop tolerance to tramadol, and it's not safe to take it with amphetamines.

There are some herbal remedies you can try like cannabis or a CBD heavy variety. Kava root powder, st John's wort, and Kanna are all options as well. Kratom would be great for both depressions and anxiety, but it is also going to cause physical dependence and possibly addiction over time.

Some people find hydroxyzine good for anxiety. Gabapentinoids aren't quite as addictive as many other anxiety meds, and some people find they work great for depression and anxiety.

Also, we don't really allow 'what drug should I take' threads, but I'll leave this open for now so you can get some suggestions. I would reccomend using the forum search engine to see what others have had success with

^^^This is spot on.


OP listed a fairly broad group of chemicals that could kill if not used properly.

Your doctor can perform a cheek swab test and almost dial in medications. At the minimum, you will get a better safer idea which medications are the safest to use in your particular situation.

Read up on specific drugs. Educate yourself on the different classes, side effects. I believe in fair combos, but very few magic bullets.


The best / worst part about this is your mileage may vary. What works for me may not work for you. Talk to a doctor if possible.

 

[kleinerkiffer]

OD -> Mental Health

 

[Ozle]

For me, sertraline was the most anxiolytic of the antidepressants I've tried.

 

[Dabhob33]

Thank you very much. Kava doesn't do anything, and I've tried large doses of high-quality stuff. St. John's Wort didn't do much. I used to love weed, but it gives me a panic attack these days.

Maybe I'll steer clear of Tramadol altogether... just sounded interesting and it's something I haven't tried yet.

I just started Cymbalta a few days ago seems good so far.

I'm really hesistant to try that one, but I'm not ruling it out. Have you tried other ADs before that one?

^^^This is spot on.


OP listed a fairly broad group of chemicals that could kill if not used properly.

Your doctor can perform a cheek swab test and almost dial in medications. At the minimum, you will get a better safer idea which medications are the safest to use in your particular situation.

Read up on specific drugs. Educate yourself on the different classes, side effects. I believe in fair combos, but very few magic bullets.


The best / worst part about this is your mileage may vary. What works for me may not work for you. Talk to a doctor if possible.

Thanks for your input. I read up on medications a lot. My doctor just seems to go straight to every SSRI, but I'm hoping I can have some new ideas to suggest before seeing her so we can have a productive discussion that goes beyond Zoloft and Prozac lol.

For me, sertraline was the most anxiolytic of the antidepressants I've tried.

Thank you very much - I'll keep that one in mind then.

MAOI called Nardil pops up all the time on the anxiety group on Facebook for being incredibly helpful for anxiety........But.......It is a case of seeing if your GP will prescribe it. Here in the UK it is hardly ever prescribed, I have tried to get hold of it for years with no joy.....Also the diet is fairly strict on Nardil and many OTC meds which can prove a problem to some.

Never even heard of that. Thanks!

Hi DaftPunkFan
I saw your posts re your valium taper. Have you had success getting off the benzo? How are you feeling? I?m currebtly at 2mg valium, cutting a little each day. Terrified of the last portion and protracted withdrawal. Hope you?re doing well.

Dave

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

So I just got off Lexapro, which was a nightmare.
It only made me feel worse, was barely able to sleep the first month and felt significantly more depressed, then made me feel weird trying to get off it.
My doctor is already going straight to pushing another AD (Celexa, Zoloft, Prozac, etc.), but I want nothing to do with those.
I'd really like to find an effective anti-depressant that is especially good for anxiety.

I've tried Wellbutrin (not good) in the past and used to have panic attacks and was prescribed/addicted to benzos for years (don't want to go down that road again, although they are very helpful for a little while). I've also tried Lyrica and Neurontin, and both just made me feel uncomfortable.

I'm wondering if there is a class of medications that I haven't tried or heard of yet, that you have had success with. I don't even want to try all the different SSRIs/SNRIs to see if one might work... going through a month of hell just to see if something might work (which for me, it didn't) is not something my brain can handle right now.

I'm on Adderall for ADD, and this is very effective for depression and actually calms me down a bit, but I realize this is something that I can't take everyday and still be effective, so I'm looking for something that I can use more frequently.
I've read about people using Tramadol with success, which is something I haven't tried and am interested in as well.

Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you

Trazodone is a sedative anti-depressant with strong anti-anxiety effects I'd recommend.

You might want to avoid unnecessary anti-psychotics, but Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) is as good for anxiety as benzodiazepines.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

No direct recommendations on medications. This is just anecdotal. Using psychopharm (incomplete psychpharm) won't find you your miracle medication. Closed. PM for questions/if there's a good reason to keep this open.