Has anyone exhausted the use of benzos for anxiety/panic disorder and tried anything else?

It looks like you've received some great info already but let me add one thing. I have been dealing with GAD and panic for many years now. There is one natural thing that has helped me and my friends that I've recommended it too and that is an amino acid called Taurine. It is very cheap and has been of great help to me. It is the only thing outside of prescribed drugs that has helped me. Please read this link: http://www.thewayup.com/newsletters/011500.htm

Alos, only ONE self-help book helped me and it was "Hope and Help for Your Nerves" by Dr. Claire Weekes.

If you are really suffering, then don't just "poo-poo" these suggestions. I was at my wits' end when I found these things and am so very glad I did!

I'm a licensed alcohol and drug counselor who has an anxiety disorder as well. You are not alone. Lot's of people have developed a tolerance to benzos. That's the major problem with them. In time you have to increase the dosage to get the same effect, and, worse, they are extremely addictive. The insidious part is that when you realize you have to get off them, and do, the withdrawal is no fun and your anxiety is worse than when you started taking them. My suggestion is to get off all benzos as soon as you can and get on to something you can take over the long haul without developing tolerance or addiction. Unfortunately two of the best you mentioned as having taken before and they didn't help, Zoloft and Lexapro. I have some questions. Were you drinking or using drugs during that time? That would render those drugs (any SSRI's) ineffective. Even taking much Xanax during that time would overpower the SSRI's. Plus, you have to take them for a solid month before they work for anxiety. During that month you can take Xanax, but taper off it slowly after taking the SSRI's for a month. You could try the Lexapro or Zoloft again, with your other meds, or ask a doctor (preferably a shrink, their specialty) if there some other drug you could take instead. You can take pretty high doses of SSRI's safely. Mainly......get off the benzos ASAP. They're not for long term anxiety relief due to tolerance and addiction. SSRI's are for the long haul. I'm a recovering addict, so this isn't just book knowledge.

You need a LOT of HELP on this one, my friend.

NOT a lot of Help to cure the illness or find pills etc. but to FULLY understand the ANXIETY.

Your Question and its contents REEK of General Anxiety Disorder.

Panic attacks go with it..There is Anxiety and Panic attacks that come and go..GAD is there on a constant daily basis.

I fully understand your dislike of the anti depressant drugs you mention, AND I fully understand that these type of drugs have little effect on Anxiety.

There IS a real difference between Anxiety and Depression.

I am NOW going to tell you something you DONT want to hear.

And, I am a sufferer as you are..have been for over 20 years.

AND, I study this Disorder, and give a lot of advice on it.

MANY people with GAD have this "ALL THE TIME" It NEVER goes away..sometimes (and often) its there from morning til nite.

You experience "feelings" that scare the Hell out of you, give you a real fear of dying, of going off your head, of having a heart attack or a stroke..you become paranoid with a fear that you cant control the feelings..and you cant.So the "fear" continues..the Paranoia continues.

Pills, no matter what you try..dont help and in fact may often make you feel worse or give you other discomfort feelings..

Close to the point, arnt I ??

YOU must understand that NO matter How BAD the feelings are..

no matter how many times they come and make you feel that you ARE

going off your head..that YOU are going to die..That make you Upset,miserable,angry..that make you feel that "something" is definitely wrong with you..there must be because you have been to the doctor and have been on medication.

Yes, you have been on medication >> for Depression..

but WHAT about the Anxiety.??

THINK..are you being treated for Depression when the actual reason for your "feelings" are Anxiety based ??

I know many doctors treat Anxiety with anti depressants. Some doctors see Anxiety linked to Depression.

AS a REAL Anxiety sufferer and highly advanced into its study, I dont believe Anxiety as GAD is a Depressional linked illness.

Its NOT an actual illness. GAD is a physical reaction within the body caused by a brain chemical called Serototin.

Anxiety, whilst alarming to the sufferer and in its initial stages is REALLY alarming.. I NEVER came to fully understand it until about 5 years had passed..After 20 years I have to say, I still suffer Anxiety (GAD) on a constant daily basis. I exist because I know it wont kill me, even though it DOES give you feelings that are beyond description.

I am basing my answer on your questions contents..so if I am mentioning anything thats NOT correct, for YOU..its unintentional.

This "problem" of yours should be discussed with a Psychologist, who can be helpful.

There arnt really any capable drugs to cure GAD...Valium sometimes eases panic attacks..The important thing to recognise and its very hard to do IS to KNOW and UNDERSTAND that no matter how bad you feel, its ONLY physical feelings and NOT a medical or mental

disorder you have in that sense.

I hope what I have said here assists you, in some small way.

First, I full-heartedly agree with the comments about benzos and tolerance. It doesn't take long. (And although you probably know this, for God's sake, if you decide you want to go off them, TAPER!)

Anyway, you have a couple of options. They'll sound bizarre at first, but let me explain further and maybe you'll find something that may work for you.

Propanolol (aka: Inderal): it's actually a beta-blocker (heart med, but also used for migraine headache prophylaxis) with anti-adrenergic properties, meaning that it (literally) interferes with the body's "fight or flight" response. (Hyper-vigilance is a trademark of anxiety/panic disorders, as you are well aware.) Recently it has been used to treat PTSD (and believe it or not, people with stage fright take it) because it stops the body's alarm bells from going of and setting into motion that panic response.

Lyrica/pregablin (not sure of US names) or Neurontin/pentagabin (again, unsure of US names-I'm in Canada): actually anti-epileptic/anti-seizure meds that have recently been approved for nerve pain management as well as for mood disorders (mood stabilizer) and panic disorders-we're still not entirely sure how it works, but we believe it works by slowly nerve impulse transmission, thus slowing the flood of inaccurate/perceived impulses to the brain. (Look up "Kindling" theory for greater detail about how it is thought to work.)

I will make this short and to the point, I have GAD and major chronic depression. I am on Lamictal 100 mg, prozac 30, and suppose to be on abilify, but it makes me gain weight and i can't deal with it. For my axiety i am on valium, i used to be on kolonopin/lorazapam and i got used to it. He also put me on vavance, kind of like a med for ADHD, in my case it gives me the energy i need to do things and feel comfortable to go out. sometimes. Pills do not cure our problem, but makes it tolerable. Call your psyc. dr and explain to the med clinic what is going on and go from there. you have nothing to lose and a lot to gain.

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I saw your answer about looking at the clock every time it says 4:17 and i've been looking at the clock for the past 5 years at 4:17 also. It's always the same time

I just woke up from a three hour nap... and finished eating some cake. I feel great! (okay, I am exaggerating there, but I feel just fine...)