Best medication for anxiety?

[T-Bone]

TRT has definitely improved my quality of life in some areas but I still have crippling anxiety. For someone with mental health problems as severe as mine it doesn't look like Testosterone is going to be enough. I've had this anxiety/paranoia for my whole life, even as a kid. I don't feel depressed, it feels like i'm always "under the gun" and everyone is judging me. When i'm alone I get paranoid about life in general.

I plan to stay on TRT as it has helped a lot with fatigue and ED issues. And at least it hasn't made my anxiety worse.

Previous treatments: nardil, paxil, effexor, wellbutrin, CBT therapy, meditation, magnesium, almost every recommended anxiety supplement/vitamin, dhea, pregnenolone, benzodiazepines, phenibut.

None of those really helped except for Benzodiazepines. But they are not a long term solution. The next day rebound anxiety is almost as bad as the anxiety I took them to stop in the first place. When I do take them I limit it to 2 times/week maximum.

For those of you with really extreme anxiety which medications have worked?

 

[Maximus220rr]

I deal with anxiety really bad. Trt has help get me out of the depression part but anxiety is still there. I have recently been prescribed a small dose of paxil and it seems to help. It's only 10mg and I take it daily. I see u have tried paxil too.....did it not help at all?

 

[fifty]

Weed?

 

[Dansk]

Previous treatments: nardil, paxil, effexor, wellbutrin, CBT therapy, meditation, magnesium, almost every recommended anxiety supplement/vitamin, dhea, pregnenolone, benzodiazepines, phenibut.


Have you ever tried dietary changes?? Low Carb?? Gluten Free? Dairy Free? seems like you have tried everything else, might be worth a shot. I know people think gluten free is woo woo science, but there is lots of information out there suggesting it can help with mental health issues. Some people react very badly to gluten despite not being a celiac.

 

[T-Bone]

Thanks for the responses.

Paxil did nothing besides kill my libido.

Weed amplifies the anxiety. *** oil with THC did the same. *** with no thc had no effect.

My diet for the last 2 years is mostly meat + vegetables. Dairy free. I have stomach problems and that diet has reduced bloating quite a bit.

I've been thinking about trying Lexapro or Zoloft next. I'm a bit hesitant though as I had terrible withdrawal symptoms for months after the last time I tapered off antidepressants. But I have to do something, feels like I'm losing my mind.

 

[Maximus220rr]

Thanks for the responses.

Paxil did nothing besides kill my libido.

Weed amplifies the anxiety. *** oil with THC did the same. *** with no thc had no effect.

My diet for the last 2 years is mostly meat + vegetables. Dairy free. I have stomach problems and that diet has reduced bloating quite a bit.

I've been thinking about trying Lexapro or Zoloft next. I'm a bit hesitant though as I had terrible withdrawal symptoms for months after the last time I tapered off antidepressants. But I have to do something, feels like I'm losing my mind.

What dose of paxil were u taking?

 

[Systemlord]

Klonopin has a long half life of 30-40 hours, it should only be reserved for as you say crippling anxiety. Klonopin was smooth and steady in my system, I could miss a dosage and no complications, I would feel a little off but other than that no Tourette's Syndrome tics.

I'm unable to speak of the anxiety when missing a dosage though. However the withdrawl off this medicine is horrendous and is what lowered my testosterone.

 

[Shawn M]

Have you tried Ativan / Lorazepam ( generic)? I have successfully used this Rx for over 30 years. In the early years, it reversed my full blown anxiety attacks that we're related to my negative work situations. More recently, I've used either 1.0 mg or 0.5 mg (I get the highest 2.0 mg pill and split it twice) for moderating minor anxiety when awakening from an inadequate night's sleep. As it is technically a narcotic, I'm careful not to get hooked on it. Basically the little inexpensive pill [< $3/30ct @ 2 mg generic] has been a life saver for me.

 

[TLR]

If you've tried all of the above and benzos were the only thing that worked, I think I would take them. As stated, Klonopin is long acting and probably the best one for long term maintenance of anxiety. There's a lot of horseshit chicken littles out there that will tell you benzos will give you dementia, ruin your life, kill your first born etc. APPROPRIATE USE of them has helped countless people and if they work for you I wouldn't hesitate. I'm fortunate enough that Zoloft was a game changer for me for many years. I take Klonopin on the "bad days" and haven't become an addicted, drooling mess. Yes, the taper from them if you need to come off can take awhile and be difficult, but it sounds to me like you will probably be taking something for the rest of your life anyway. Why be miserable if something works?

 

[T-Bone]

The problem with benzo's is they stop working for me if I take them daily.

I was on Klonopin daily for 3 years. It was a life saver at the start. Started at 0.5 mg but after 2 years I had to take 4 mg/day for it to work. When that dose stopped working my doctor took me off them.

That was quite a few years ago. I can't even get a benzo prescription anymore. They are abused so much in my area that all the doctors are very strict with them now.

Every doctors office I've been to recently has a sign: "We do not prescribe benzodiazepine or narcotic medications".
When I mention it's the only thing that's helped, they say no those are dangerous.
But they will hand out antidepressants which alter your brain chemistry like it's candy.

When the ones I have left are gone that will be it. That's one of the main reasons I'm looking at antidepressants or another type of medication.

 

[Tommy Wall]

I am suffering from morning anxiety and don´t cope very well with stress. This started for about 7-8 years ago and I believe it was work related. Anyway Lexapro was a life saver and Xanax (only in SOS situations). Wellbutring you should avoid since it has a tendancy to make your mind speedy.

 

[Mr S]

The problem with benzo's is they stop working for me if I take them daily.

I was on Klonopin daily for 3 years. It was a life saver at the start. Started at 0.5 mg but after 2 years I had to take 4 mg/day for it to work. When that dose stopped working my doctor took me off them.

That was quite a few years ago. I can't even get a benzo prescription anymore. They are abused so much in my area that all the doctors are very strict with them now.

Every doctors office I've been to recently has a sign: "We do not prescribe benzodiazepine or narcotic medications".
When I mention it's the only thing that's helped, they say no those are dangerous.
But they will hand out antidepressants which alter your brain chemistry like it's candy.

When the ones I have left are gone that will be it. That's one of the main reasons I'm looking at antidepressants or another type of medication.

Is your doctor a psychiatrist? PCPs aren’t very inclined to prescribe a good treatment for anxiety which might include a combination of antidepressants and anti anxiety medicines.

 

[Gman86]

A guy I subscribe to on YouTube just happened to post a couple videos on this subject.

 

[T-Bone]

Is your doctor a psychiatrist? PCPs aren’t very inclined to prescribe a good treatment for anxiety which might include a combination of antidepressants and anti anxiety medicines.

I was seeing a psychiatrist for a while. After a few months he told me there's not much more he can do to help me.

I will try to get a referral to another one.

 

[Jinzang]

I used to have a problem with anxiety. I found out that there were dietary triggers (gluten and corn in my case) and dropping these foods from my diet improved anxiety a lot. There are effective non-drug ways to deal with anxiety. First, HIIT style exercise helps work off the energy that feeds into anxiety. Breathing exercises (learn them from a yoga teacher) and meditation are also very helpful. Meditation is a long term thing and you may find it provokes anxiety at first. You need to persevere in order to see the benefit.

 

[Gman86]

Ya there’s a ton of natural ways to rid anxiety, that absolutely work. They get to the root of the issues. I get why people turn to medications though, even though they 100% have long term negative effects, whether people choose to believe that they do or not. Everyone’s so busy with life, and family, and kids, and their jobs, and trying to eat good, etc. It’s just not easy to apply natural solutions, especially when they can take months to see results. So I totally get why people turn to quick fix pills. And I encourage them to do so, as long as they use them as needed, or on a short term basis. Using them as a long term solution is just not the way to go. People who do this will unfortunately have to pay the price eventually. It’s just how it is. There’s no biological free lunch. Trust me, I wish there was. But it’s just not the case.

Anytime you override/ disrupt the body’s natural biological pathways, it’s a bad idea, and is going to lead to negative consequences, either in the short term or down the road.

 

[fifty]

I was a serious athlete through college and 10 years after. All of my worst anxiety comes if I am getting 0 hard exercise. Like was said above you can get rid of alot of anxiety with regular challenging exercise routines.

Worst thing to do is sit around sedentary while you worry about things. If you get some good activity in and tire yourself out, it’s great medicine.

 

[Raindog]

Ive battled anxiety my whole life, Im 54. It got really bad about 5-6 years ago, went up a few notches. Had my first full blown panic attack, or at least what I thought was a panic attack. I believe 5-6 years ago is when my T levels dropped out. I was tested and came back at like 310 and got no treatment. Until about a year ago, during my regular physical I complained about having a hard time achieving orgasm, got my T tested again and was below range, in mid 200's. I got on T cyp and its been a bumpy ride, but T helped a little. I have had a very hard time finding hormonal balance. Anxiety has ebbed and flowed sometimes based on my TRT and sometimes who the heck knows why. I eventually went back to cognitive behavioral therapy, this time with a new P-Doc. After initial interview he said... "you sound more ADHD then anxious". Turns out he was right. They exist together often. I start ADHD drugs and it is making anxiety go away mostly. Between getting the right diagnosis and TRT my anxiety is a ton better. Maybe look into ADHD and see if it might fit. Its not always hyperactive, mine wasnt. Maybe try a psuedophede (sp?) and see if it gives you focus and some calm instead of amp'd up. If it gives you some calm and focus, look hard at ADHD.

 

[Raindog]

Exercise like mad. Push it hard when you do it. Get the endorphins flowing. Has helped more than anything.

 

[coltsblue1812]

Everyone is different, I know... but I had bad panic disorder off and on since I was a kid...went away for a while, but came back so bad when I was about 30, that I couldn't even leave my home at times...

I've taken daily Klonopin for about 8 years, now...I've successfully weaned off for a year + twice over those 8 years. I've never had to go above my originally prescribed dosage, but I know some people do build a tolerance, luckily I never did. Each time I weaned off, I did so slowly and only tapered after I'd stabilized for a while and was comfortable with it.

I know some people think benzos are the devil, but for some, they help you live a normal life. Mine do not make me feel drowsy (other than the 1st week I took them), and if I miss a dose, I dont notice it for a few days and even then, it's just a mild discomfort that I know what caused it. I've decided I'd rather take it as I need to, to live a healthy and happy life, rather than avoid it and be miserable at times.

It's also never been the reason for my low T...I've found that when my diet/food choices, sleep and exercise go to shit, so do my T levels... but when I put in the work and train/eat/sleep the way I should, along with correcting any vitamin and mineral deficiencies I may have, it bounces back up to normal.

For me, on or off of the Klonopin...I feel SOOO much better when I'm at a healthy weight and diet/exercise/sleep/vitamins and minerals are on point.

Hang in there, and I truly hope that you find what works for you!!