# Struggles and Support > Medication >  >  Which medications have been most successful in treating your anxiety disorder?

## Equinox

Which type of medications have been most successful in treating your anxiety disorder?

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## Dane

Not all SSRIs are the same.  For me, Zoloft did nothing, but Paxil worked well.  I haven't tried anything else.

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## L

I have only ever taken lexapro so I can't compare....

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## IllusionOfHappiness

Klonopin/Clonazepam

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## onawheel

of what I've tried...
good: xanax (since stopped as long term use is not advisable, still take the odd 0.5mg though rarely)
crap: valium
so far so good: lexapro (prescribed for depression&anxiety)

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## Sagan

I've tried almost everything. Currently Taking Remeron, Klonopin, Effexor XR, and Risperidone. This seems to be the best combination so far. though it's far from perfect.

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## UltraShy

No big surprise so far.  We have benzos winning 6 to 0, while SSRIs lose 4 to 2.

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## YFS

Benzos have been the best, but that says absolutely nothing. I find them even at higher doses to have a very, very mild effect on me.

It says nothing because nothing else I've taken has helped even a microscopic bit. Either they haven't helped at all or they've made me worse.

A couple months ago I was super excited to try the almighty Nardil. Well, not even Nardil almighty could help me - I survived a mere 8 days on it as it made me really suicidal.

I'm open to giving it another try though if I fail in my stimulant pursuit - I'm already suicidal anyway, Nardil can't possibly make it worse now.

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## metamorphosis

clonazepam or pregabalin, along with a small dose of escitalopram and bupropion xl 300mg, adding methyl-folate at 7.5 or 15mg.

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## metamorphosis

Our trip up to Red Rocks with Dustin and two beautiful girls that we knew with some mdma.  We started rolling. We went hiking and spelunking (caving) and lay in the sun!. Later we went to the lake swam and finished rolling on the dock, laying in the sun and kissing..
That cured it for the day, Let me tell ya!!!!
Those were the days~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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## Lost Control Again

> No big surprise so far.  We have *benzos winning 6 to 0*, while SSRIs lose 4 to 2.



 ::D: 

pregabalin/lyrica does help me in a way- it numbs my brain! (in my case, it's probably a good thing!)

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## WintersTale

Klonopin is the only thing that has touched it.

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## srschirm

I dig Klonopin.  I honestly haven't really given SSRIs a fair shake due to side effects, mainly sexual ones.

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## WintersTale

> I dig Klonopin.  I honestly haven't really given SSRIs a fair shake due to side effects, mainly sexual ones.



I haven't had many side effects from Klonopin. The worst has been being tired all the time, but I just drink coffee to counteract that. 

Can't remember what med caused impotency in me, but it was for bipolar, not SA.

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## srschirm

> I haven't had many side effects from Klonopin. The worst has been being tired all the time, but I just drink coffee to counteract that. 
> 
> Can't remember what med caused impotency in me, but it was for bipolar, not SA.



Yeah, Klonopin's good that way.  I've only taken .5mg and 1mg.  I've been out of it for months, so I'm thinking of making another appointment to get some more.

The sexual side effects are the worst...

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## Eggie Mc fly

I have taken paxil.

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## srschirm

Did it help, Eggie?

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## Fizzy Doom

Ativan helps with my GAD and mild's Agoraphobia .

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## Crystalmc

Effexor xr

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## PurpleRose

lol the benzos rated highly haha thought they would, they helped me the most. Lorazepam was best for me, it ran rings around Klonopin (clonazepam) which is stronger but not as effective for my type of anxiety. i am finding myself less anxious on lamictal, i must admit that.

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## WintersTale

> Yeah, Klonopin's good that way.  I've only taken .5mg and 1mg.  I've been out of it for months, so I'm thinking of making another appointment to get some more.
> 
> The sexual side effects are the worst...



That's odd. I haven't had very many sexual side effects.

In fact, I'm hornier than I've been since a teenager. Makes me wonder, if the antidepressants are making me less horny, I would probably die from horniness if I was off of them!

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## srschirm

> That's odd. I haven't had very many sexual side effects.
> 
> In fact, I'm hornier than I've been since a teenager. Makes me wonder, if the antidepressants are making me less horny, I would probably die from horniness if I was off of them!



I should've clarified, I meant the sexual side effects on the SSRIs.  Klonopin was A-ok in that regard.

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## WintersTale

> I should've clarified, I meant the sexual side effects on the SSRIs.  Klonopin was A-ok in that regard.



That makes sense.

And yes, I've been on SSRI, and I went from batting 20 times a week to batting 0. Terrible.

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## WintersTale

Whoops, double post.

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## srschirm

> That makes sense.
> 
> And yes, I've been on SSRI, and I went from batting 20 times a week to batting 0. Terrible.



Exactly.  It's the main reason I can't comply with an SSRI longer than two weeks.  It sucks it takes something so essential to living away.

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## whiteman

...and many doctors underestimate the sexual side effects of SSRI's, like sex isn't important. Taking an SSRI is like voluntarily chemically castrating yourself. [BEEP] That. I don't give a [BEEP] what the world thinks of me. I'm not going to take a drug, so I'm more socially acceptable, so what if I'm anxious and/or depressed. I don't care. I don't need to be fixed. I'm OK the way I am. If anyone has a problem with me they can [BEEP] off. [BEEP] psychiatrists and their 250K a year salaries. [BEEP] the billion dollar pharmaceutical industry.

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## Iancc

Citalopram any good

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## Keddy

Believe it or not, Geodon has been the most successful for my anxiety as far as meds go that I've been on recently. It's an atypical antipsychotic, I'm not sure how often it's prescribed for anxiety but my psychiatrist chose it over a bunch of other ones for me.
For a while I didn't think it was working but looking back on it, I can see a significant difference.
Now I have yet to find a medication that helps with my depression :/

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## Chloe

For me beta blockers had mixed effects at times they were great, I would take them when I was getting really bad panic attacks or when I knew they would come. I wouldn't shake or hyperventilate but I would almost shut down, cry the terror was still there and doubley so due to the strangeness of it all frightening me even more. 

Best result I've had isn't exactly medicine it's herbal (hear me out cause I know your probably thinking herbal doesn't work) but two sprays of the 'medicine' on your tongue as and when you need it and it calms you down. Double that with breathing exercise  and I'm able to at times stop myself panicking if I've taken it recently enough  


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## heisenberg

Not sure how anyone can say SSRIs are helpful unless they are experiencing some sort of placebo effect.

Benzos FTW.

Will try MAOis soon.

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## Chloe

Remedy relief spray, it's a herbal remedy thing which means is safe to use with alcohol and coupled with breathing exercises it means I can go on night outs by regularly taking it (you can take it multiple times a day)without worrying about panicking

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## QuietCalamity

> Remedy relief spray, it's a herbal remedy thing which means is safe to use with alcohol and coupled with breathing exercises it means I can go on night outs by regularly taking it (you can take it multiple times a day)without worrying about panicking



Interesting! Is that aromatherapy?

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## Chloe

It comes in spray form that you squirt in your mouth twice or tablet form I didn't really look into any other form I just wanted a quick convenient one that I could take on the sky without my friends going oh you have a breath mint can I have one or teachers/colleges saying what are you eating. They may do aromatherapy if not someone should write in with that idea !! Haha

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## On a level

Fluoxetjne has done wonders for me.

Must say it hasnt effected me sexually in any way.

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## Hexagon

I've never been on medication for anxiety before, although I'm considering making an appointment with a psychiatrist soon to discuss it. I've been wary about meds for a while now, but I'm curious about propranolol, since I hear the side-effects are minimal, plus it helps with blushing and other physical symptoms of anxiety, which I'd really like to combat since I'm disgusted at the fact that I turn into a tomato every time I speak...

If anybody has had experience with propranolol, I'm curious. Other suggestions would be great, too.

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## sanspants

> Yeah, Klonopin's good that way.  I've only taken .5mg and 1mg.  I've been out of it for months, so I'm thinking of making another appointment to get some more.
> 
> The sexual side effects are the worst...



Zoloft and Paxil both hit me that way. ZERO desire. I felt like I was living the Blink 182 song, "What's My Name Again." Wherein, "And she took off her pants. But then I turned on the TV. And that's about the time that she broke up with me." Etc. 

I love Klonopin. It does what it's supposed to do, when it's supposed to do it. But my PCP cut me off (for no reason), so I'm going to have to see psychiatry for a refill. I'm REALLY hoping that he'll go for it. In the past, Lamictal (Lamotrigine) was helpful in treating daytime anxieties, but it didn't do the job when it came time to sleep. That plus the Klonopin kept me steady for a long time, so I'm hoping to restart the cocktail shortly.

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## srschirm

> Zoloft and Paxil both hit me that way. ZERO desire. I felt like I was living the Blink 182 song, "What's My Name Again." Wherein, "And she took off her pants. But then I turned on the TV. And that's about the time that she broke up with me." Etc. 
> 
> I love Klonopin. It does what it's supposed to do, when it's supposed to do it. But my PCP cut me off (for no reason), so I'm going to have to see psychiatry for a refill. I'm REALLY hoping that he'll go for it. In the past, Lamictal (Lamotrigine) was helpful in treating daytime anxieties, but it didn't do the job when it came time to sleep. That plus the Klonopin kept me steady for a long time, so I'm hoping to restart the cocktail shortly.



I hope you get what you want!  Ha, very true about the Zoloft and Paxil effects...it's hard for me to tolerate since I enjoy sex (or at least sexual release) so much.  I haven't tried Lamictal, but I'll look it up.  Klonopin really does help me.  I just take it sparingly, maybe 1-2 times a week.  

Have you tried Nardil by chance?

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## sanspants

> I hope you get what you want!  Ha, very true about the Zoloft and Paxil effects...it's hard for me to tolerate since I enjoy sex (or at least sexual release) so much.  I haven't tried Lamictal, but I'll look it up.  Klonopin really does help me.  I just take it sparingly, maybe 1-2 times a week.  
> 
> Have you tried Nardil by chance?



No, I haven't tried Nardil. For some reason, MAOIs aren't prescribed often in my area. Anyway, got back on the Lamictal / Klonopin combo and I feel good again  ::):

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## QuietCalamity

> No, I haven't tried Nardil. For some reason, MAOIs aren't prescribed often in my area. Anyway, got back on the Lamictal / Klonopin combo and I feel good again



MAOIs interact with a lot of common medications so they are more of a last resort these days. Yay for meds that work!!

Since I've been switched to Lexapro I've definitely been more anxious. I've noticed that my primary doctor does not seem to know much about SSRIs. I'm getting a new doc ASAP and asking for a stronger SSRI and a benzo (but not Xanax. Hate Xanax).

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## UltraShy

Benzos stand out as a real winner at 13 to 1.  They'd be the standard first line of treatment if MDs prescribed what worked the best for the largest number of patients with least side effects.

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## UltraShy

> MAOIs interact with a lot of common medications so they are more of a last resort these days. Yay for meds that work!!



MAOIs would be used vastly more if both MDs & patients knew the truth about them instead of hysterically exaggerated lies.  Look up Lizzy Zion.  She's the last person I'm aware of to die from an MAOI-drug interaction (when overworked residents at a NY hospital gave her Demerol which should never be mixed with an MAOI.)  That was in 1984, so we have to trace our way back 31 years just to find any example.  [Unless you can find a more recent example I'm unaware of.]  I'm not aware of anyone dying from a food interaction after the mid-1960s either.  There are folks who've been on MAOIs since the 1960s, so I'm guessing a common way to die as an MAOI patient today is of old age.

Don't let exaggerated fears that reach phobic levels stop you from trying MAOI.  I used Parnate for just over a year and am now on Nardil.  I haven't had to change my diet at all.  The list of drugs I can't take is pretty short and includes DXM, Sudafed, MDMA, tramadol & demerol.  Infinitely longer is the list of meds which can be safely mixed with an MAOI.

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## Sagan

I have been on the ssri merry go round Calexa, Zoloft, Paxil, I am current taking Effexor at 220MG in the morning. 30MG Remeron at night. 6 MG Resperidone at night. 2MG Klonopin at night and 1MG klonopin at night. The klonopin has pooped out. I don't know what to do from here. Ask for an increase of dosage? I have a fear of sounding like a druggie or what not asking for a higher dose. The fact remains I have been on this for years and have a tolerance to it. I don't want to ask and then be yanked from it. I am thinking of going from Resperidone to Zyprexa. For the voices. But I don't know if that would make any difference.

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## emorin613

My current combo works wonders so far.  Wellbutrin XL 300 MG in the morning, Seroquel 25mg at night and Clonazopam as needed

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## Venonat

I'm inlove with 2mg Alprazolam (Xanax in US?) it's the only thing that can bring some serenity on my life.

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## Kirsebaer

Lexapro 10mg is what works for me (for both depression and GAD). I take klonopin occasionally too (for panic disorder).

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## Flakes

Zoloft

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## annabanana

antidepressants never eased my anxiety.
only benzos did, especially lorazepam. took it more than a year, every day. getting off it was HELL - so can't really recommend it (for regular use, at least.. but oh well everyone knows that, right?)
i still have to find something that works for me, too :/

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## fetisha

none of them :/

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## Member11

Effexor and Valium, but not on them anymore.

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## Member11

> none of them :/



Have you tried other meds?

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## fetisha

> Have you tried other meds?



I tried so many, I'm thinking about giving up and trying vitamins more but doctors say vitamins are not stronger.

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## Member11

> I tried so many, I'm thinking about giving up and trying vitamins more but doctors say vitamins are not stronger.



I'm sorry to hear that nothing is working for you yet  ::(:   :Hug: 

What vitamins are you taking?

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## LuniaNorisi

Prozac and Buspar isn't really helping me with my anxiety--I still feel out of control on how other's see me, but it's okay.  ::D:  Prozac's really good for losing weight, I heard.

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## UndercoverAngel

Have been taking Xanax for about 15 years. Paxil worked but I got ulcers in my mouth, had to stop it. Allergic to Zoloft, but it did help. Best thing I ever took was Amitriptyline. It helped with pain, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Was on it for about 3 years, and had to stop due to severe fluid retention.

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## Otherside

I take 800mg of Sodium Valproate/Depakote at night. Surprisingly, that seems to help a lot. 

I've never tried benzos and never been offered (they never really hand them out over here, doctors worry a lot about dependance). Even if they were, I probably wouldn't take them. And due to the fact that I have bipolar, I can't really tolerate SSRI's.

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## fetisha

> I'm sorry to hear that nothing is working for you yet  
> 
> What vitamins are you taking?



Ok wait nevermind, I did take trilifon and it did help but it did give me low energy :/

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## fetisha

> Have been taking Xanax for about 15 years. Paxil worked but I got ulcers in my mouth, had to stop it. Allergic to Zoloft, but it did help. Best thing I ever took was Amitriptyline. It helped with pain, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Was on it for about 3 years, and had to stop due to severe fluid retention.



I remember taking xanax and nothing really bad happen to me but I keep hearing how it makes things worse, even one of my doctors don't recommend it.

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## UndercoverAngel

> I remember taking xanax and nothing really bad happen to me but I keep hearing how it makes things worse, even one of my doctors don't recommend it.



Any medicine you take, psychotropic, or medical, has side effects. Even vitamins have side effects. Xanax, is a PRN, taken as needed.  One of the problems is, people who are given this drug, find it does help, but it doesn't stay in your system very long, so they take more. They show up at the doctors office or call because their bottle is empty 2weeks early.  The doctor for many people, then started prescribing this as an everyday pill, multiple times a day, and this is not what it was intended for.  Xanax can cause rebound anxiety, so the person, will take more, or feel like they need more. Eventually, the doctor stops prescribing the pill, thinking that the person is abusing the medicine, leaves the person high and dry, when in fact the medicine shouldn't of been prescribed in the first place.
This is when you need to be on something different, that is longer acting, and builds a level in your system.

Any pill that you take, especially long term, your body becomes dependent on. This is why you cannot just stop taking any of them! Taking the Xanax, the way it is suppose to be taken, has not caused me any problems.

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## Otherside

> Any medicine you take, psychotropic, or medical, has side effects. Even vitamins have side effects. Xanax, is a PRN, taken as needed.  One of the problems is, people who are given this drug, find it does help, but it doesn't stay in your system very long, so they take more. They show up at the doctors office or call because their bottle is empty 2weeks early.  The doctor for many people, then started prescribing this as an everyday pill, multiple times a day, and this is not what it was intended for.  Xanax can cause rebound anxiety, so the person, will take more, or feel like they need more. Eventually, the doctor stops prescribing the pill, thinking that the person is abusing the medicine, leaves the person high and dry, when in fact the medicine shouldn't of been prescribed in the first place.
> This is when you need to be on something different, that is longer acting, and builds a level in your system.
> 
> Any pill that you take, especially long term, your body becomes dependent on. This is why you cannot just stop taking any of them! Taking the Xanax, the way it is suppose to be taken, has not caused me any problems.



Xanax is addictive, with withdrawal supposedly supposedly similar to that of heroin. Some people who take it may find that they need to take more to get the same effect. You're right, it's meant to be PRN. 

It's next to impossible to get Xanax for anxiety over here. Getting Xanax on a repeat prescription is even more so. Doctors are very, very reluctant to hand the stuff out (or anything addictive).

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

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## InvisibleGuy

FWIW....I used to take bars. Bars of Xanax. I had a prescription for it, but then I started buying it off the street also.

Back in my drug days, in my late teens and early twenties, I also, btw, had a pretty bad coke habit. I also have done a little bit of meth. A lot of acid. A whole, whole lot of cocaine, in every form...I've shot coke into my veins before, many, many times. Nothing was as bad to me as coming off of Xanax. Nothing.

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## InvisibleGuy

> I am becoming to dependent on ambien or Ativan now lately since its seems calm me down even more from the others but like I said the side effects are unbearable. I am so worried about the employees at the my pharmacy for judging me about asking about my ambien prescription cause I don't want to look like a drug addict to them.



Well...when I was on Xanax there were times when I would run out. Obviously. I was dependent on it, it was an addiction, so I would run out when I couldn't reach my dealer, or when she was out. And those were bad, bad times. I'd call the pharmacy, the doctors office to get a refill and it was complicated because it's not a prescription for allergy medicine or something. It's Xanax.

It's a dangerous med to withdraw from by yourself, I've done it by myself and I seriously felt like I was going to die. I've withdrawn from it in a hospital and felt like I was going to die.

I've heard bad things about Ativan, Fetisha. I obviously can't know, and would never assume, you have an addiction. I just....hope you don't. I hope you find something that helps you, that works for you. My problem was I didn't realize what I was taking was poisoning me, every day. I'm sure this isn't you're situation, but I was on so much Xanax at one point it was really just ridiculous. I was on it for I think 11 years. And I never missed one dose, ever. I forgot to take it a couple of times before work, and drove over an hour back home to take the fucking pill, I'm serious.

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## Relle

While I don't take it anymore, Klonopin helped with the debilitating panic attacks I used to have

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## Koalafan

I've had tremendous success with stimulant medication. Though my ADHD is also the main cause for a lot of the anxiety that I tend to go through.

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## Flavor

Propranolol was extremely impactful in my life. I was angry no one suggested it 10 years ago, could have saved me a lot of grief of lost jobs and friendships. It takes the edge off of everything. I'm no longer about to jump out of my skin, or leap into a deep rage, or need a week to come down from an argument. My heart used to go non stop racing. I can eat, I can sleep, I can interact with others without being a total mess. I don't obsess about all my problems. There are times I'm overwhelmed and support is needed but I can function so much better. It's really night and day. The depression is still really deep and caffeine helps me cope. Next will be a medicine for the depression.

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## Lou

Paxil and as needed Ativan.

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## Lucid

Low dose valium is the only thing I've had any luck with.

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## Cage

I just started on Pristiq for acute depression

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## TuanJie

Ayahuasca blows all else out of the water in my case. Nothing comes close to what it has done for me. Voted SNRI: Effexor, Cymbalta, Pristiq was successful in the poll though. Used Cymbalta for years and it seemed to have somewhat of a moderating effect. I could have equally chosen "not successful" though. I know that sounds illogic, but I just don't know. I have felt horrible and good both with and without medication. Have been on meds for 17 years. Stopped four years ago and didn't go back on after aya. I have high hopes for psilocybin assisted psychotherapy becoming a legal option in the not so near future.

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