# Struggles and Support > Medication >  >  Afraid to ask doctor for anxiety meds?

## Dark

Recent have had  serious anxiety attacks (trouble breathing, feelings of death, tingling arms) lasting for 40 mins-1hour, I was thinking benzos would definatley work, this isn't a thread asking how to get benzos, im actually scared about this and think benzos would be the only solution, so I was just wondering, how often do doctors prescribe benzos for serious anxiety attacks happening 7-10 times a month?

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## L

You could go to your doctor to seek help, not just medication. Let him or her make that suggestion to you when you explain what has been happening. Another thing, I would try stay away from benzos if at all possiable, they are only for short term use might be helpful at the start but most certainly not long term.

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## Cage

> You could go to your doctor to seek help, not just medication. Let him or her make that suggestion to you when you explain what has been happening. Another thing, I would try stay away from benzos if at all possiable, they are only for short term use might be helpful at the start but most certainly not long term.



I was going to write the same thing. Also normally they start people off with SSRI's.

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## Ironman

I would say "as needed" but only your doctor could tell you.
There is no shame in asking your doctor about anxiety medications - it is better than having to go without.

......and it's better than talking about sexual stuff with your doctor, too.

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## Equinox

> Recent have had  serious anxiety attacks (trouble breathing, feelings of death, tingling arms) lasting for 40 mins-1hour, I was thinking benzos would definatley work, this isn't a thread asking how to get benzos, im actually scared about this and think benzos would be the only solution, so I was just wondering, how often do doctors prescribe benzos for serious anxiety attacks happening 7-10 times a month?



I would say fairly commonly, atleast initially. Sometimes they will add an SSRI/SNRI for long term use as these are considered first line treatments and several of these antidepressants have FDA approval for treating panic disorder, but they usually take about a month of daily use to fully 'kick in' so a benzodiazepine will often be used during the first month of treatment, and may be used either 'as needed' or more rarely on a daily basis there after.

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## WineKitty

Benzos do help with anxiety greatly and have prevented me from having full blown attacks.  BUT--as rightly noted above--they are for short term use only.  They are highly addictive and I freely admit that I am addicted to Klonopin, though I am struggling to get off them.  I have cut my dosage but am still reliant on them.  

SSRIs didn't work for me, nor did Wellbutrin or BuSpar.  

I would recommend you ask your doc for help and it doesn't hurt to suggest you have done some research although they don't seem to go for the patient telling them what to prescribe.  I had to go through a few drugs before I got Klonopin.

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## PurpleRose

Yeah u most likely wont be given benzos to  begin with, i mean ten years ago you would have but the laws of prescription meds have really tightened up. in the year 2000 my sister was on liquid klonopin for sleep and she was 10 years old because she had severe night terrors and anxiety issues. However i think if your anxiety issues are extremely bad and these panic attacks are preventing you living a normal life then the doc might possibly prescribe a months worth of a longer lasting benzo like diazepam on top of an SSRI or SNRI antidepressant which are also used for GAD and Social anxiety. I hope you are able to be honest and ask the doctor about different meds

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## UltraShy

> Recent have had  serious anxiety attacks (trouble breathing, feelings of death, tingling arms) lasting for 40 mins-1hour, I was thinking benzos would definatley work, this isn't a thread asking how to get benzos, im actually scared about this and think benzos would be the only solution, so I was just wondering, how often do doctors prescribe benzos for serious anxiety attacks happening 7-10 times a month?



A while back I read a really good article on the use on benzos for panic disorder and it made a point which I'd never seen anywhere else.  It said that PRN use of benzos for panic made no sense, instead advocating chronic benzo use.  That blew my mind, given the medical community normally treats benzos like a live grenade -- something they'd prefer not to touch at all.

I thought it brought up an excellent point though.  The author pointed out how benzos are virtually useless for panic attacks when taken PRN since even the fastest acting oral benzo will still take half an hour.  Well, by the time your Xanax kicks in your panic attack will already be over.  Only the most prolonged panic attacks are ever going to stick around long enough to wait for an as-neeed dose of Xanax to kick in.  It suggested PRN benzo use really only made sense for anxiety that can be predicted, like if you get nervous before a presentation and you can simply take your benzos an hour before that scheduled event.  Now if your panic attacks come out of the blue, you'd have to take benzos all the time to prevent that which doesn't stick to any schedule.

I only mention this because I found the article interesting.

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