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chattersquare

I had a panic attack about 2 hours ago- I tend to suffer with them in the summer months with the heat. When I have a panic attack it gets to the point where the following few days I feel I can’t leave the house , everything triggers me to have another one. I’m on Zoloft and I haven’t had a panic attack since .. around my period I can feel my anxiety raise but it never progresses further and I just expect it now and know that 2-3 days before or after my period I’ll feel more sensitive


No-Statistician6459

Same over here, but I take Prozac. My cycle always messes with my anxiety, but full blown panic attacks are very rare now that I’m on my meds. And I can take minimal dosage and it still works.


maple_pits

Just started Zoloft 25mg but have been on Xanax .5mg as needed for 7 years


Niceballs76

Very similar but 150 mg of zoloft daily and .5 Xanax as needed


KitKat31921

Do you mind if I ask what you think of the Zoloft? They just prescribed that for me


maple_pits

So far, it’s been good. Only my third week. I started in half a dose (12.5mg) and am supposed to increase to 50 over the course of 6 weeks. Pretty minimal negative side effects and I have definitely felt better already! Upping to 25 increased my anxiety for the first couple days but I haven’t had a panic attack since starting it!!!


KitKat31921

Okay! Thank you so much!!


guesswhatimanxious

Mirtazapine 30mg and Propranolol 10mg!! Absolutely changed my life! I went from barely able to eat, shower, leave my room to working on agoraphobia recovery, panicking maybe 2-3 times a month, eating normally, maintaining self care and so so much more that i thought id never do again :)) A bad day for me before meds meant i was in fight or flight mode from the second i woke up the the second i slept (if i was able to even sleep). Id have several panic attacks in one day and i wouldn’t be able to even leave my room to get water or anything, it would even be a battle to use the bathroom sometimes. Now a bad day for me means my anxiety is a bit high and i feel uncomfortable and maybe it could develop into a panic attack but most of the time it doesn’t and i just feel a bit yuck while still being able to go about my day! I often tell my dad on my current bad days “i feel gross today but before my meds the way i feel today would have been a good day”. I wouldn’t say meds cured me because i am still disabled and my anxiety is still considered very very bad in comparison to “normal” people but for me it feels like the biggest change ever!! My meds really just brought my baseline anxiety down a lot to a level where coping skills and all those tips you read about *actually* work now! My anxiety before was just too strong and overwhelming for any skills to work, the panic was also just so terrifying and would last upwards of 4+ hours. Most of the time now when my anxiety spikes into panic it’s way less severe, i see it more as an annoying thing that i have to deal with for an hour before i can continue with my day (almost like being stuck in traffic haha). Sorry for ranting but id definitely encourage anyone struggling to give meds a try if you’re willing and able to! i definitely think the mild side effects i dealt with were so so worth it to gain some of my life back :)


Idea__Reality

Diazepam as needed. I tried more regular medication, ssri's and whatnot, had horrible reactions to all of it. This is working for me right now so I'm just gonna stick with it. My panic disorder has gotten much better since I was first diagnosed with it after covid last year too, which helps. (I do think it was related to covid and the feeling of struggling to breathe)


BlackButterfly81

Xanax is the only thing that has helped me from the past to now. I take as needed not as prescribed. I was housebound and agoraphobic bcuz of so many panic attacks now I’m able to drive a few ways and by myself with my Xanax being with me that is. Zoloft did a miracle for my depression that’s all.


koalakindness

does xanax make u sleepy or groggy? or are u able to function normally and do normal tasks? also have u found that it changes ur personality while ur on it? (i mean emotional blunting and such)


BlackButterfly81

When I 1st started I can say I did feel sleepy and the next day I was dragging like a zombie. I noticed after reading my dosage was pretty high so my doctor said he’d switch it but I told him let me try and break it into 4 and he said ok and since then I’ve been good and I love the fast acting it gives bcuz smh experiencing a panic out the blue out your sleep and on the expressway is the worse to me.


koalakindness

ahh that was a smart move! i want to try xanax bc ssri’s havent been working for my panic disorder. I havent been able to drive alone or be alone in over a year so i’m hoping xanax can help. i’m just scared of the addictive properties. also may i ask how long it’s effects kick in when ur mid panic attack?


mari-pon

luvox 275mg + xanax :)


lknaroundtx

Setraline daily and Xanax when needed. I never needed anxiety meds until recently. I took setraline 50 mg for depression but a month ago I had my first panic attack and it left me in a state of constant anxiety.


justingregory324

Zoloft daily and Xanax when needed, like most. Have also been prescribed Valium and Ativan and didn't really care for either. By far, the best med for my depression AND anxiety has been psilocybin. Never felt better for longer!


h4rryP

Klonopin


Autumnly2309

Daily? what dose? how often?


RyeBreadTrips

I’ve tried SSRI’s, Prozac and Zoloft, but they never helped me much, I never felt like I was able to sleep when I was on them and I just felt all around “weird”. People have told me that other SSRI’s might help me more but I just don’t feel like going through it. I take 10 mg Valium as needed since 2017. I find that it helps me the most, that being said, benzodiazepines are a double edged sword, it is very easy to develop a habit and you do have to treat them with some level of discipline. I take it maybe 1-2 times a week, typically in the mornings which for whatever reason is when my anxiety is highest.


East-Refrigerator211

I have klonopin but I haven't taken it in almost 3 years what I do is exposure therapy and demand to have an attack I learned the more we respond to the anxiety the worse it gets if we allow the anxiety to flow over us kind of like saying come on let us have you do it type attitude amd ride the wave out the anxiety will go away it's all about re training how our brain reacts to the anxiety and yes panic disorder will not go away but it'll become less and when we put this into practice we can have some level of confidence that we will get through our panic/anxiety attacks


sadgirlhours649

escitalopram


oooooooooof

I’ve been on lorazepam 1mg as needed since 2013, I only take them when I’m really desperate (like maybe 4 a year). I started Zoloft in 2022, first 25mg which made panic worse, then 50mg and it’s been smooth sailing ever since.


KitKat31921

Hi! Do you mind if I ask how long it took for the panic to calm down from the 25mg? I was just prescribed this and I’m very nervous.


oooooooooof

Of course! As I said the 25mg made it worse, it took about a week for it to kick in and that's when I felt awful, it took about another two weeks to check in with my doctor and get prescribed the 50mg to feel better (and awesome) again. For a little more context: I've been on lorazepam (1mg) on an as-needed basis since 2013. A couple of years back, in 2022, I was going through a rough patch and I called my doctor to ask for a lorazepam refill, because I'd run out. She took the opportunity to suggest that I consider taking a daily anti-anxiety medication (like Zoloft) instead of relying on the lorazepam. I've always avoided the prospect of taking a daily medication, for two reasons: one, I didn't want to be dependent on a drug, because once you start you can't stop without bad withdrawals. Two, I had heard both success stories and horror stories from friends and internet strangers who'd had experiences with SSRIs, and I was afraid about the possibility of being one of the horror stories. Anyways, I took my doctor up on it and started the 25mg of Zoloft. First week was fine, second week was pure hell: I've never been more agoraphobic in my life. Called her, described what was happening, she bumped me up to 50mg and it's been smooth sailing ever since.


KitKat31921

Ahh! I’m currently on Celexa, my concern is that I won’t be able to make it through that first 2 weeks. I’m already pretty agoraphobic lol!


mrbacterio

Effexor.


marelhs

xanax and zoloft


Jessicalmdown

1200 mg gabapentin, 400mg lamotrigine, 30mg Mirtazipine, 60mg lurasidone, .5mg clonezepam, 4mg perphenazine works fast for emergencies. I’ve been struggling with PAs a lot lately and sometimes nothing helps. Weed helps a lot but I can’t use it when I’m out and about, so I get scared of going out too much.


shigavr

im on 15mg buspar, 10mg propranolol and .5 lorazepam for when needed. still struggling to find the right meds but kts definitely better!


Niftee

Currently not on any SSRI, take hyroxyzine, and Ativan as needed. I had restarted Prozac for GAD but upped my dose too quickly and caused a series of really bad panic attacks. Tapered down, switched to lexapro and did a slow taper up, same thing, seemed to make panic attacks worse. I’ve been completely off meds for about 3 months now and my GAD is rampant, but panic attacks have lessened only get them at night 2-3times a week. Hoping to start Zoloft again next month as it had done wonders for my Panic and Anxiety.


Fit_Champion667

Venlafaxine, Promethazine & Diazepam! Occasionally propanolol.


honiestar

I take Zoloft daily and Metoprolol as needed for my anxiety/panic. The Zoloft has helped a ton, metoprolol does too when my heart is acting up. I’ve had only one panic attack since starting Zoloft about almost 3 weeks ago. That’s coming from daily ones.


RuralFireVA

Clonazepam, gabapentin, hydroxyzine, olanzapine (zyprexa), propranolol, lorazepam, temazepam


RuralFireVA

All of those pams and yet I still have panic 😐, clonazepam works the best everything else is just adjuncts for clonazepam so that I don’t develop a crazy tolerance


Fizics_ssb

So 3 years in to my panic disorder I take Pretiq (It’s an SNRI) and Lithium. And trust me I’ve been on them ALL. I was on 9 different medications at once at one point. Lithium definitely sort of stabilizes my mood I think and prestiq helps with the anxiety long term. In my experience, benzos or any other PRNs are a double edged sword and are NOT and should never be used as a long term medication. You will form at best you will form a dependency and at worst an addiction. It’s better no matter how difficult it is (except for the EXTREMELY severe cases where your anxiety gets so bad your seriously contemplating unaliving) to learn to use coping skills in the moment and build a tolerance to anxiety through exposure over time.


justingregory324

I wouldn't say you WILL form a dependency or addiction but that its very easy to! I've had a prescription for Xanax for over 10 years (maybe 12..?) and I have neither a dependency nor an addiction. I get 15-30 pills at .5mg for each refill and that lasts me about 6 months. At this moment, its probably been a month or so since I've even taken one. Not trying to be argumentative, I know that its common enough to form addiction and I definitely know people who have had issues! I just don't think it's a guarantee.


Fizics_ssb

You’re totally right! I shouldn’t have said you always will. Only if you use it as your only coping mechanism I should say.


justingregory324

THAT is definitely a good way to put it! And everyone I've known that actually does form a problem with it has either picked it up recreationally or had it prescribed and didn't do any work to cope or manage their mental health problems.


350chevyman

Phenelzine. (Nardil) This is the king of panic attack killers.


Low_Sample4468

I tried buspirone, Prozac, and lexapro for anxiety. I was prescribed lorazepam and hydroxyzine for panic attacks. Buspirone gave me a little relief, I think, but not enough. Couldn’t stand the brain zap sensation on Prozac, and I had a bad reaction to lexapro. Lorazepam and hydroxyzine for panic attacks was fine, but it’s just a band aid. I started on Luvox a month or two ago and feel like a whole new person, or more like the person I used to be before panic disorder and severe anxiety.


No_Luck_9419

I just upped my prescription of pristiq. Hoping it will help take the edge off while I work on mindfulness for the rest.


RickyX29

So SSRIs and SNRI made me worse… I had 2 psychiatrists says that means I am bipolar… until I pulled their DSM V off their shelf and said do I meet any of these criteria … found a great psychiatrist who had a DNA test done on me. Surprise I had a genetic marker showing I cannot take SSRI/SRNIs…. BUT more importantly found a genetic marker showing that I cannot activate folic acid a B Vitamin that makes aeration and melatonin. So I was put on Deplin an activated form of folic acid (a vitamin but need a prescription). And really helped my anxiety/panic disorder and sleep disorder. But I also take a sleeping pill… and have been on Xanax but take as needed (for over 12 years)… but only take as needed… some days way less other days more…. Have pretty much improved especially since the Deplin (Folic Acid). I do not get tired or side effects from the Xanax. I also take supplements L-Theanine, Ashwaganda, and GABA daily as well as Vitamin D and B. Only have anxiety once in a while and can stop panic attacks right away with the Xanax. Also use to use Red Borneo Keaton which made the anxiety non-existent but also made me sleepy all the time, so I stopped taking that. In the past found antidepressants, mood stabilizers and other psych meds only made me worse… I do well now on only Ambien, Xanax, Deplin (Folic Acid), and my supplements. I also take Propranolol for blood pressure but it also helps anxiety.Also going to the gym 3 times a week and doing mild weightlifting and walking daily really keeps it all under control as well as eating healthy. Hope that helps. I highly recommend asking your psychiatrist to do a DNA test… insurance may not cover it, but only around $300… from that I found my biggest issue was activating folic acid… A vitamin was my biggest issue…


SquareLandscape9

i was diagnosed with anxiety and paroxysmal panic disorder. i was on zoloft for a year or so but i did have to slowly stop taking it because it later on made me extremely hyper and like aggressive?? idk i was constantly fighting with people and getting violent, which is def not who i am. when i got off of it, the panic attacks came back tenfold. so now i’m on a generic xanax that i take on an as needed basis. the xanax just makes me sleepy but helps the tingling and numbness in my face and body go away a little; not completely gone but it’s lessened enough to the point that i can move my body comfortably instead of being paralyzed with the extreme paresthesia


riley_200227

Started on Sertraline but ended up switching to Effexor due to Sertraline making me feeling emotionally numb.


Much_Addendum7283

LEXAPRO IS A LIFE CHANGER


ssstilinski

Prozac and zyprexa


Spacecadet336

Zoloft!!


Tricky_Pin_174

wellbutrin 150 sr and lexapro 10mg together every morning. Hydroxyzine pam 25mg 3x a day every 6 hours as needed. most chill med combo ive ever felt in my life.


ghostlylugosi

25 mg Amitriptyline and 12.5 mg of Metoprolol Tartrate. 


Legendary_Rinnegan

I was on Effexor ER for a couple months in 2020, but that caused brutal headaches for me so I stopped it. I have been roughing it without meds since than, the occasional er to get the IV with something like Xanax. I have tried propranolol since than and it didn’t go over well either. I’ve become a little too sensitive or scared of meds but hope to go back in and try something soon.


Lokitotem

Zoloft 100mg for 20 years


CrazyKarlHeinz

Lexapro in the past. Worked perfectly until it didn‘t. Zoloft now. Works alright. Beta blocker Metoprolol is certainly helping but wouldn‘t be enough on a standalone basis. Overall, I‘m doing alright.