Anxiety meds

I tried Buspar for two days.  I felt like I had just woken up the entire day.  I stopped taking it because of it.  But I hate meds- feel too effected. I have 2 small boys and felt I couldn't function.

It's different for everyone,just not the right drug for me.

Good luck tomorrow, this probably didn't help... but

Everyone is different. I took xanax as needed in college off and on for anxiety for a year, and I thought it was a life-saver. Years later, took ativan as needed for a couple of months for anxiety as I went through a divorce. Did not care for it quite as well but it also worked. I have not tried buspar. I am seriously considering asking for something for anxiety because I'm tired of feeling anxious. 

If you are not satisfied with the xanax, then by all means try something else for a week or two and see if it works better for you.

I have had episodic anxiety, and used medication for it, for most of my adult life. Buspar is very mild, and must build up in the body over several weeks before it has an effect. It did nothing for me, personally. I am helped by using an SSRI on a permanent basis, and using Ativan or klonopin as needed on a short term basis. These meds can be used safely, but I prefer not to use them for more than a few weeks at a time, to get through rough patches.

As an FYI, I found a book in my library that had tips on reducing anxiety. A couple helped me, like adding more intensive exercise. i.e. They said walking can be relaxing but for the most anxiety-reducing benefit, you need to get your heart rate up and keep it up for 20+ mins several times a week. They had other ideas too. The meds might be your best answer but just an FYI in case you want to look into other options. Good luck!

I'm in the process of switching oncologists.  One (the nicest and most intelligent) of the ones that I consulted with told me that many anti-depressants (including SSRI's) interfere with the effectiveness of Tamoxifen.  I'm on Wellbutrin and will be switching to Effexor (said to help with hot flashes) before I get to Tamoxifen.  My current MO did not catch this, nor did one of the others that I consulted. Something important to look into if you're on Tamoxifen...

Cymbalta (30 mg) and Xanax have really worked well for me.

Ativan does the trick for me.

Had some serious anxiety about 12 years ago. Tried buspar, did not work for me. Also had weird rxns.



Have been on Zoloft for 10 years, it has helped me enormously. I've been on the same dose for the last 7 or so. It helped me get thru menopause, death of a parent, international move and finally bc. I've hardly had a hot flash. But, different people have different rxns.



Zoloft does seem to help some people with anxiety as well as depression. One of the advantages might be the wide range of doses. IMHO, the key is to start at a low dose and work up slowly, with monitoring.



I have Xanax for specific anxiety. I've never become addicted, again, starting with the lowest dose. (half of .25mg will knock me out). I only take it at night, if I'm flying or if I'm about to have some serious stress. During chemo, I got Ativan, but I hate the way it makes me feel. Sluggish.



Different things work for different people, and I think the key is to start low, work up to a theraputic dose.

i took the lowest dose of xanax at bedtime... for several MONTHS after massive insomnia and anxiety right after my diagnosis... and it worked very well.  i just couldn't get the anxiety to shut down at bedtime!  now, i'm off.  it was actually not bad at all getting off the xanax, but i was only on the lowest dose.  from what i understand, you can taper off it without too much trouble.  but, your docs should have good information about that.  anyway, that's what i sort of did. i broke the tablets in half and was at that half dose for maybe six or eight weeks... 

i think a big part of my anxiety and insomnia was chemopause.  

anyway - back to JUST the topic at hand.... for anxiety, i recently saw this video (at the suggestion of another cancer patient):

http://eft.mercola.com/ 

a few years back, a friend of mine had told me about tapping therapy, aka emotional freedom therapy, and i was ... well... skeptical (in my mind - i was not so polite, but i kept the words INSIDE my head).  so, when this cancer patient suggested checking out this short video, i was like... ok - i'll check it out (skeptical skeptical skeptical!!!!).

but - surprise - i did the activity in the video - takes about 8 minutes... and ...  i ... felt ... better.  so, now i'm intrigued and have scheduled an actual tapping therapy appointment at our local cancer support center.  i don't know if it was the tapping or if it was simply taking a few mindful minutes to calm the anxiety... but the next several hours were terrifically relaxed.

in the past, i have always dealt with anxiety with a hard hard workout (on the bike).  i still do that, and it is still effective... most of the time.  plus, i don't always have 2-3 hours free for a hard ride.  this tapping business actually diffused the anxiety.  i have one word for that.... whoa.

so i guess i'm wondering if you can taper off the xanax and build up on non-medicine-based approaches?  meditation, yoga, walking, exercise, tapping therapy...  

those are my few cents.  i'm sorry you are feeling so much anxiety.  it sucks. 

oh biker ty for that link. I am going to read it more thoroughly and give it a go in the morning. Always looking for  non-medical approaches. I am an avid walker and I am up to 3-4 miles just 4 weeks from surgery. It helps greatly and friends have been scheduling 'dates' with me, but I am ultimatley left with my own thoughts for too many hours in the day. Won't go into too many details, but had a bad expereince my first night post-op...resulted in severe anxiety down to muscle twitches, insommnia, restlessness and the feeling I was going to jump out of my skin. That is so not my normal and left me very confused for a while. I had to request something in the hospital, given ativan and it did help with much of the musculoskeletal issues related to the anxiety. I had been on it 2-3 times per day and was eventually able to taper off. I did speak with someone at the hospital (during my 2nd admission) and felt as though I had a little resolution/closure. Thankfully many of my symptoms have gone, but this morning I found I was a bit jittery and took 1/2 an ativan. I usually reserve 1/2 to a whole tab occasionaly at night. Excited to try the tapping, keep up my walking and try to find things to distract me when I can.

To those who work outside of the home and were on an extended medical leave due to surgery or treatments.......what did you do to prepare yourself for returning to work?  (The one and only time I was off work was 18 yrs ago when I delivered my son-but that was a happy medical leave )

Love WHOA. OR WHOOOOOOAAAAAA