Best Med(s) for Situational/Anticipatory Anxiety?
Question:
I will see my pdoc Wednesday but I just want some feedback: Currently I have two situations in life that leave me anxious/panicky/angry: 1) At bedtime with the fear of insomnia. Have tried all cognitive approaches and deep breathing, etc. but currently need meds because the anxiety borders on panic. 2) My husband’s mere presence strikes anxiety, but this one is more of an irritable type anger/anxiety. I don’t medicate this one (even though he was verbally abusive with me for three horrible years), but coping is very, very hard and I am currently avoiding him. I am currently on Klonopin 1.5 mgs at night, which helps with the sleep well, if not perfectly. Also, is this irritability unusual? Marie
Response:
I will see my pdoc Wednesday but I just want some feedback: Currently I have two situations in life that leave me anxious/panicky/angry: 1) At bedtime with the fear of insomnia. Have tried all cognitive approaches and deep breathing, etc. but currently need meds because the anxiety borders on panic. 2) My husband’s mere presence strikes anxiety, but this one is more of an irritable type anger/anxiety. I don’t medicate this one (even though he was verbally abusive with me for three horrible years), but coping is very, very hard and I am currently avoiding him.
Get rid of him. Permanently. With him completely out of your life you may find other problems become less irritating. I am currently on Klonopin 1.5 mgs at night, which helps with the sleep well, if not perfectly. Also, is this irritability unusual? Marie
You’re unhappily married. Drugs are really not a good solution for a relational problem. Ask yourself some hard questions - tell the truth - and fix your life. Happiness is still a do it yourself project. Ma
Response:
I agree, time to think about divorce. I divorced my husband who I had 3 children with. At the time they were 2, 7 and 10 and as you said, the mere sight of him made me nervous. I am now remarried and don’t feel like I am always walking on eggshells. As far as the anxiety, I take something similar to what you take, Xanax as needed. I still have some anger problems (just out of the blue) so my doctor prescribed Depakene which is a mood stabilizer along with Zoloft (an anti depressant) and this combination has worked wonders. Good luck to you. — "An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language."
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I will see my pdoc Wednesday but I just want some feedback: Currently I have two situations in life that leave me anxious/panicky/angry: 1) At bedtime with the fear of insomnia. Have tried all cognitive approaches and deep breathing, etc. but currently need meds because the anxiety borders on panic. 2) My husband’s mere presence strikes anxiety, but this one is more of an irritable type anger/anxiety. I don’t medicate this one (even though he was verbally abusive with me for three horrible years), but coping is very, very hard and I am currently avoiding him. Get rid of him. Permanently. With him completely out of your life you may find other problems become less irritating. I am currently on Klonopin 1.5 mgs at night, which helps with the sleep well, if not perfectly. Also, is this irritability unusual? Marie You’re unhappily married. Drugs are really not a good solution for a relational problem. Ask yourself some hard questions - tell the truth - and fix your life. Happiness is still a do it yourself project. Ma
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I will see my pdoc Wednesday but I just want some feedback: Currently I have two situations in life that leave me anxious/panicky/angry: 1) At bedtime with the fear of insomnia. Have tried all cognitive approaches and deep breathing, etc. but currently need meds because the anxiety borders on panic. 2) My husband’s mere presence strikes anxiety, but this one is more of an irritable type anger/anxiety. I don’t medicate this one (even though he was verbally abusive with me for three horrible years), but coping is very, very hard and I am currently avoiding him. I am currently on Klonopin 1.5 mgs at night, which helps with the sleep well, if not perfectly. Also, is this irritability unusual? Marie
1. No, irritability is a very common symptom of depression/anxiety. Basically, serotonin acts like "irritatation padding" in a really general analogy. 2. Klonopin is a great drug for anxiety but I would suggest trying something less addictive and shorter-acting, in general, for insomnia. I use Ambien or Lunestra. If you do take Klonopin, you might try what I do, which is take a smaller dose on an empty stomach before dinner, with lots of water. 3. I am not about to make value judgments about your marriage. It would seem to make sense, though, if you are "avoiding" your husband, to try living by yourself, if you can afford it. Mason Barge "If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee." — Abraham Lincoln
Response:
2. Klonopin is a great drug for anxiety but I would suggest trying something less addictive and shorter-acting, in general, for insomnia. I use Ambien or Lunestra. If you do take Klonopin, you might try what I do, which is take a smaller dose on an empty stomach before dinner, with lots of water.
Actually I believe I don’t really have insomnia, just the FEAR of insomnia, which can keep me awake if I let the anticipation build up. My pdoc didn’t want to give me Lunesta nor Ambien anyway. She gave me no explanation and basically told me "time’s up" when I asked her about Lunesta at the last minute of the session. It may have turned out for good. My fear of insomnia is accompanied by a lot of muscle tension (feel like a mummy sometimes), which may start as early as 5:00 p.m–and it builds up through the night sometimes. I also have GAD-like "worry attacks" during the day, two in the last three days, that of course Lunesta is not for. The "worry attacks" are currently served by deep breathing and calming down–I don’t want to Xanax all my irrational fears away, only those which can mostly interfere with sleep. Then there’s the hypnic jerks I have at night which supposedly Klonopin helps. 3. I am not about to make value judgments about your marriage. It would seem to make sense, though, if you are "avoiding" your husband, to try living by yourself, if you can afford it. Mason Barge
I have thought the same, but this guy supported me through grad school. His verbal battering has stopped for now, but the love isn’t there anymore–just depression about the whole thing. Life can be hard. Thanks for your input.
