Harm Reduction What are the very best NONbenzo anxiety medications out there? I'm falling apart.

[ivorymoon]

So, for anxiety i'm prescribed klonopin 1mg/day, gabapentin 300mg 2x/day, clonidine .1mg 3x/day and lexapro 20mg/day (which is also taken for depression). I used to be prescribed xanax 1mg 3x/day and it made it so I could function and was amazing to be able to but that was my old doctor back in Michigan where I used to live who prescribed it (im in AZ now). My current doctor, who is a behavior health doctor I see at my clinic (im prescribed suboxone) will not raise my klonopin. I get it, she's worried about me abusing it but I desperately need relief.


Shittt sorry this is long but my question is, as stated in the title, what are some nonbenzo anxiety medications you've had luck with? I'd preferably like to hear from those who have very severe, debilitating anxiety everyday and horrendous panic/anxiety attacks like i do but I value every contribution. Thank you so much.

 

[Nicomorphinist]

Hydroxyzine works well to potentiate pretty much everything you are taking now. that and/or a conservative dose of meprobamate or other carbamate sedative. The problem of government and law enforcement terrorism on the chronic pain issue, and especially with the prescription monitoring databases has led to a situation in which amongst so many other abuses, these wannabe cops will almost assuredly send the doctor and CC others who can make trouble for anyone getting an opioid + benzodiazepine + carisoprodol or meprobamate ​

 

[axe battler]

Do you exercise and eat well?

Honestly if you're looking for something that's going to stack up to Xanax for instant relief, tranquilisers like benzos and barbiturates are all there is that i know of.

Good diet and exercise will make your baseline anxiety lower.

Hydroxyzine is a good call though. Kava kava and valerian root may help you out.

 

[axe battler]

I also found that my overall anxiety is lower since I switched from subutex to methadone 2 years ago. However this may be a mistake for a lot of people depending on their own recovery/personality/dose/doctor/clinic/state/country haha so I would definitely think twice about this.

 

[Zonxx]

pregabalin/gabapentin

 

[axe battler]

OP is already on gabs @Zonxx I'm not sure ive had gabapentin but I've had pregabalin a lot. Which is better in people's opinions? Maybe OP could switch if it's better for anxiety but i think it's more commonly prescribed for nerve pain. Brutal withdrawals too.

 

[axe battler]

Maybe see if you can have it prescribed and use only as and when needed to avoid tolerance, which develops STUPIDLY fast!
It is a good anxiety med and lasts really long. I usually feel even better the next morning than I did the night before if it take it in the evening!

Could you not have an honest conversation with your doctor about how debilitating your anxiety is, and lower your bupe dose to trade off for more benzos? Sounds like you need something for fast relief when you feel panic attacks coming on.

There are a lot of mindfulness exercises you can proctice and yoga/meditation which you should definitely look into.

 

[negrogesic]

L-theanine and as axe battler pointed out, exercise and behavior modification. Pregabalin is superior in the treatment of anxiety when compared to gabapentin, so you might look into trading the gabapentin for pregabalin. If you can't get this you could always try phenibut (which is cheaply and easily available online) but this also opens up a whole can of worms addiction wise.

The best answer here is non-pharmacologic (ie., exercise, behavior modification) but that is easy to say and hard to do.

 

[c97521d9]

So, for anxiety i'm prescribed klonopin 1mg/day, gabapentin 300mg 2x/day, clonidine .1mg 3x/day and lexapro 20mg/day (which is also taken for depression). I used to be prescribed xanax 1mg 3x/day and it made it so I could function and was amazing to be able to but that was my old doctor back in Michigan where I used to live who prescribed it (im in AZ now). My current doctor, who is a behavior health doctor I see at my clinic (im prescribed suboxone) will not raise my klonopin. I get it, she's worried about me abusing it but I desperately need relief.


Shittt sorry this is long but my question is, as stated in the title, what are some nonbenzo anxiety medications you've had luck with? I'd preferably like to hear from those who have very severe, debilitating anxiety everyday and horrendous panic/anxiety attacks like i do but I value every contribution. Thank you so much.

It sucks when you can't get relief because all the media hype over benzo addiction and horror stories that get the headlines now. I cannot get a legitimate script for a benzodiazepine that is effective for my anxiety on a frequent enough basis. I get 100x 2mg clonazepam every 4-8 weeks. It takes 20 of those tablets (that's 40mg) to make a dent in the anxiety. It sucks, I feel you.

 

[axe battler]

What??? 40mg clonazepam!? That's absolutely mental!! Have you a long history of benzo abuse?

 

[Joeroe]

I also found that my overall anxiety is lower since I switched from subutex to methadone 2 years ago. However this may be a mistake for a lot of people depending on their own recovery/personality/dose/doctor/clinic/state/country haha so I would definitely think twice about this.

+1

 

[c97521d9]

What??? 40mg clonazepam!? That's absolutely mental!! Have you a long history of benzo abuse?

For a few years, but the tolerance stayed with me. I take some every few days, but don't have any withdrawal effects, so not dependent (any more)

 

[KS78]

Hydroxyzine could help you a lot in combination with the medications that you're already using by at least potentiating both.

I know that your doctor doesn't favor more or different benzodiazepines but what if you told her exactly what you wrote here and you have to get relief. So you would really appreciate if he/ she could prescribe what you need according to her professional knowledge & experience, otherwise you really need to acquire it another way even if you genuinely don't want to. The important point is preventing the doctor to feel/ think that you're threatening her in order to get more drugs. Explain her how Alprazolam used to allow you to have a better control of anxiety.
Good luck.

 

[LadyAlkaline]

Celexa has saved my life. It takes 2 weeks to start working, it is insanely cheap and it has made my life livable again.

 

[lyphetasx]

Phenibut also is a good choice, but be careful with frequency of use.

 

[emkee_reinvented]

I'd preferably like to hear from those who have very severe, debilitating anxiety everyday and horrendous panic/anxiety attacks like i do but I value every contribution. Thank you so much.

Have non of that what you describe, I had some anxiety as a result of untreated stress disorder. Mirtazepine was effective by itself. In combination with Pregabalin it nullified the anxiety. And kept my stress response away. It feels as if it overpower's Cortisol and Adrenalin very well.

The sedation and groggyness is pronounced though.

 

[deaf eye]

Theres a great forum benzobuddies.org .( I think )(memories a little fuzzy, it's been 7 years since I tapered off) They have a wealth of info over there. Helped me mucho when I stopped.
I was taking alot of xanax and klonopin and struggled hard for a few years to break the benzo chokehold.
I did a 90 day librium taper. Switched over to gabapentin for a month and then cold turkeyed it for 2 more months. Around 6 months totally benzo free I began to feel great and like my old self.
I was pretty much just existing while I tapered and detoxed, slowly. I would go to work, go to meetings and that's about it. Anxiety kicked my ass during that time.
If I could change anything about the way I did my taper and quitting it would be.

Eat a whole food/Real food diet
Exercise
Yoga
Mediation

When I stopped I was totally broken and all I could really manage was not taking anymore benzos.

For me Benzos were like paying for my anxiety to disappear with a credit card with an insane interest rate. When the benzos wore off my anxiety was magnified by 20.


Good luck and be well

~d

 

[ivorymoon]

You all are AMAZING. Thank you all so much for sharing this information and your journey of trying to handle your anxiety. You've all helped me immensely. So much love to you guys. ?

 

[ivorymoon]

OP is already on gabs @Zonxx I'm not sure ive had gabapentin but I've had pregabalin a lot. Which is better in people's opinions? Maybe OP could switch if it's better for anxiety but i think it's more commonly prescribed for nerve pain. Brutal withdrawals too.

So you think pregabalin would work better than gabapentin? Cause gaba doesn't seem to do shit for me

 

[Quickfixgrrl]

Following ❤
I hear you, I'm going through absolute mental torment right now because of anxiety and depression.
I'm looking to change my meds as well. I am getting little to no relief and I currently take 40mg Lexapro, 30mg Mirtazapine and 300-450mg Pregabalin daily.
I've recently added pure L- theanine powder as well.
I'm still waiting to feel better... but you may have a very positive response to these meds. I've been thinking about stopping the Mirtazapine and Pregabalin because I don't feel it working at all and I've gained a fucking stack of weight because of them.
Fuck I love benzos though.. especially valium. It's the ONLY thing that brings temporary relief for me and I use it whenever I can get it but it's just a shame it's short term ?