Nardil, Lexapro & Benzodiazepines For Panic And Agoraphobia

passivity

Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2016
Messages
123
Hi, I've been Peating for 1 year and a half now, and this "diet"(fruits, milk, butter, eggs, meat, chocolate) has cured my horrible acne and sebhorreic dermatitis completely, my skin looks great.

Now, I have a problem with panic and I'm pretty sure I also have GAD, I've tried tianeptine, taurine (up to 3 grams), DHEA, cyproheptadine, hydroxyzine, propranolol (up to 40mg), pregabalin, clonidine, phenibut (up to 5 grams), niacinamide, theanine, zinc, mirtazapine, vitamin D, bacopa, rhodiola, phenylpiracetam, buspirone, high dose inositol, progesterone, chelated magnesium, NAC... at different doses and in combination (sometimes 6 of those per day) but I still get crippling panic attacks as soon as I leave my house. Now, those drugs do cure my GAD, insomnia and obssesive thoughts. I also exercise 4 times per week. I get 30 mins of sun every day (in my backyard).

So I can say that I've tried...

I don't really know if this is a protracted benzo withdrawal or if this is just the way I've become, I was never like this until I was put on a benzo (for insomnia), and it seems I might have to get back to one.

Now I know excess serotonin/norepinephrine and messing with the GABAergic system is bad, I get it, I've read the horror stories in survivingantidepressants and benzo buddies, but you see, my family doesn't fully understand what I'm going through, they've helped me this year but they say I have to get a job in january or they'd kick me out of the house (dead serious).

Now I think I'd rather lose my creativity, emotions and cognition than to starve to death (or get killed) in the streets (I live in a 3rd world country)

So my psychiatrist is offering Lexapro (20mg x day), and if it doesn't work then it'll be either Effexor or Nardil plus a benzo.

My question is, do you know any med or supplement to ameliorate the damage these meds could produce?, I still have all those meds I listed, but I'd like to discover more neuroprotective meds, also, another concern is my gut function, I don't want to end up with IBS(again), is there any med that could protect my gut?

Thank you.
 
Last edited:

DaveFoster

Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2015
Messages
5,027
Location
Portland, Oregon
Mirtazapine? One of the safest antidepressants, great for panic attacks (involving adrenaline), and awesome synergy with caffeine. It will allow you to drink coffee and not become exhaustively anxious.

Unlike the SSRI's, you'll probably live longer if you take it.
 

khan

Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2014
Messages
112
Mirtazapine? One of the safest antidepressants, great for panic attacks (involving adrenaline), and awesome synergy with caffeine. It will allow you to drink coffee and not become exhaustively anxious.
"great for panic attacks (involving adrenaline)"

Does it increase adrenaline or decrease?
 
OP
P

passivity

Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2016
Messages
123
Mirtazapine? One of the safest antidepressants, great for panic attacks (involving adrenaline), and awesome synergy with caffeine. It will allow you to drink coffee and not become exhaustively anxious.

Unlike the SSRI's, you'll probably live longer if you take it.

It didn't help my anxiety.

I'd like to know which one of these meds (SSRI's, MAIOs, benzos) have less side effects.
 
Last edited:
M

member 2106

Guest
I've very recently started Celexa 20mg for extreme anxiety with panic attacks. It's such a crippling condition that, in my mind, finding some relief from it for a while is worth the possible side effects. Also, I don't know about you, but I tend to find that temporary relief from anxiety can be incredibly helpful - you feel your strength returning, and it's almost like you "forget" what anxiety is like. Not to say you'll never experience it again, but getting to that place again is all-important for me. Hopefully the Celexa will help me get there. I will post when I've come to a conclusion on this.
 
OP
P

passivity

Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2016
Messages
123
I've very recently started Celexa 20mg for extreme anxiety with panic attacks. It's such a crippling condition that, in my mind, finding some relief from it for a while is worth the possible side effects. Also, I don't know about you, but I tend to find that temporary relief from anxiety can be incredibly helpful - you feel your strength returning, and it's almost like you "forget" what anxiety is like. Not to say you'll never experience it again, but getting to that place again is all-important for me. Hopefully the Celexa will help me get there. I will post when I've come to a conclusion on this.

Ok, I'm going to try Lexapro.

@passivity, have you tried bag breathing to stop a panic attacks?

Yes I've tried it but it only partially works when I'm at home, when I'm out the anxiety is unbearable.

I also would really like to know if opiates are a better option (in terms of long term side effects) for anxiety.
 
Last edited:
M

member 2106

Guest
Also, I've heard that antidepressants can actually be beneficial for IBS, but it's not conclusive. I guess IBS can be related to stress, and if antidepressants ultimately reduce stress then perhaps the reduce digestive distress. But I'm not expert.
 
OP
P

passivity

Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2016
Messages
123
Also, I've heard that antidepressants can actually be beneficial for IBS, but it's not conclusive. I guess IBS can be related to stress, and if antidepressants ultimately reduce stress then perhaps the reduce digestive distress. But I'm not expert.

Cyproheptadine worked really well for my IBS so, I guess it's a coin toss.
 
Joined
Nov 26, 2013
Messages
7,370
Well, my doctor did send me those tests some months ago, but according to him everything is ok, he says I don't have diabetes or hypoglycemia.

I mean it could be hypoglycemic episodes... they can be intense experiences and you don't have to be diabetic to have them. It seems they are more common when the intestine isn't happy or is switching between diets.
 
OP
P

passivity

Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2016
Messages
123
I mean it could be hypoglycemic episodes... they can be intense experiences and you don't have to be diabetic to have them. It seems they are more common when the intestine isn't happy or is switching between diets.

Yes my gut is kinda damaged, how can I fix those? I'll do anything.
 

InChristAlone

Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2012
Messages
5,955
Location
USA
Gelatin didn't work for me either.... I have had panic attacks for 2.5 yrs they were mostly gone for the last 6 months until a big one happened while drinking coffee. I think I woke up slightly inflamed in my brain like high anxiety and then the coffee pushed me over the edge. I will not try antidepressants for this. Sounds like you've tried so many things. It could really just be blood glucose dysregulation, not necessarily hypoglycemia as I don't have that either, but I've seen my BG fall 30 points in 20 minutes and that did produce adrenaline. I keep going back and forth on whether panic is from falling blood glucose, but I think it really can be. The brain senses the fall and freaks out. But if you are only getting this when you leave the house it sounds like agoraphobia. I was housebound for 4 weeks after that big panic attack with many ups and downs, but I finally did leave the house and I wanted to panic as we were pulling out of the driveway.. my safe place... but I realized this is just a thought nothing more. So I did tapping, I tapped on my chest while repeating "I have the ability to make myself feel calm" and I made it! Have to retrain your brain to handle these big emotions. Have to convince yourself you are going to be okay. Even in the face of sheer panic you will always be okay. Face the fear! And getting sugar will help calm this if it is BG.
 
OP
P

passivity

Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2016
Messages
123
Gelatin is bad news for me. Maybe it works for you.

I don't really know, do you think gelatin can make me anxious?, I'm just going to use the broth, but why shouldn't I eat every day?

Gelatin didn't work for me either.... I have had panic attacks for 2.5 yrs they were mostly gone for the last 6 months until a big one happened while drinking coffee. I think I woke up slightly inflamed in my brain like high anxiety and then the coffee pushed me over the edge. I will not try antidepressants for this. Sounds like you've tried so many things. It could really just be blood glucose dysregulation, not necessarily hypoglycemia as I don't have that either, but I've seen my BG fall 30 points in 20 minutes and that did produce adrenaline. I keep going back and forth on whether panic is from falling blood glucose, but I think it really can be. The brain senses the fall and freaks out. But if you are only getting this when you leave the house it sounds like agoraphobia. I was housebound for 4 weeks after that big panic attack with many ups and downs, but I finally did leave the house and I wanted to panic as we were pulling out of the driveway.. my safe place... but I realized this is just a thought nothing more. So I did tapping, I tapped on my chest while repeating "I have the ability to make myself feel calm" and I made it! Have to retrain your brain to handle these big emotions. Have to convince yourself you are going to be okay. Even in the face of sheer panic you will always be okay. Face the fear! And getting sugar will help calm this if it is BG.

I actually did a lot of CBT (writing down my thoughts and emotions when I'm anxious , keeping a dairy of how I feel, etc) and exposure (tried to practice fear extinction) for almost two years, I think this actually made me agoraphobic, I know the panic/anxiety isn't real but the panic I feel right now is as if I were burning, I can't take it.

I think before going the SSRI/MAOI+benzo route I'm going try hydrocodone/iboprufen (they sell it OTC on some shady pharmacies in my city) and baclofen, but I don't have any money right now, so maybe in 2 weeks.
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom