Non benzo meds for anxiety

[connie8472]

Kg300, that’s a really good way of explaining it. The meds do work well when it’s treating medium anxiety. When it’s crisis or higher levels anxiety they nearly touch it. I agree

I had a good day today actually. I was able to really communicate with my treating doctor and he is going to let me try some new meds but short term occasional use for night sleeping. I didn’t know about them but barq mentioned it in this thread and I was able to ask.
I ended up disclosing probably a lot more then I thought I would and I’m getting a bit more help for some problem behaviours I thought I would never admit too and referrals to counselling. But overall I felt heard and it was good It’s short term. But hmm thanks to this thread I’m learning more 

Welcome by the way KG300 hope you finds useful info hear and can find some things to reply to and get your posts up. I’m still slowly going towards 50

Peace

[happyvibe]

hi Kg300. You said it best “anxiety is such a struggle day in out”.
Some people wish for a billion dollars or to be an actor or beautiful I would just like to be a person that never has anxiety and lives life like a chilled out surfer!

In the meantime im thankful there are meds that help me with sleep and those bumpy days. Positivity is a great outlook that things do get better :-)

[connie8472]

Guys Update…
This anxiety preventing me from sleeping must be truly in my head BECAUSE

I took the z drugs (doctor gave me this last week) one night slept really well
The next night I took nothing and just knew “if I needed to they would be there and I could take them (7.5mg)”

I slept - with nothing (melatonin is my nothing but you get me)

I woke up once and thought should I take it now? But I was relaxed and though narrr I’m okay I’ll just try and sleep and I did

So it feels like fear of not sleeping because I slept when the dread and fear wasn’t there.

Has this ever happened to anyone? I’m feeling slight guilt and self hate for being able to sleep. Like I’m a drama queen.
I’m telling you, I honestly usually have terrible time including punching myself and sobbing and crying. Wishing I could be asleep.

So it’s in my head
Because I had the Z drugs (on hand) and I knew they (would work) I could relax.
Does this seem reasonable?

Please don’t judge me bad. I know I’m not perfect or umm I know it’s all about me. I do apologise for that. I just wanted to get feedback on this because I had posted hear about this stuff and now it seems so little. Part of me wants to celebrate and another part wants to berate myself for being so weak.
But this is good isn’t it?

As I type I’m thinking actually it’s god news. I think I am surprised though it WAS anxiety. I’m surprised it was anxiety as I was convinced it was physically insomnia.

[Charon]

I am online all the time really. Esp since covid began. It would be near to impossible to not be suffering with anxiety now.

But, whereas this is not my forte, cuz i take a benedryl and a melatonin and i Pray till i fall asleep, we shall never judge you. I am glad you trust us.

But, people will come along today and tomorrow with answers for you.

I wish I had them. I have several autoimmunes and ptsd. Hold on. Someone will have answers for you.

I see your post count is getting up there!

[happyvibe]

Hooray for you that you were able to sleep that day with nothing. Especially after waking up in the middle of the night and being able to calm yourself back to sleep. You must have felt so great in the morning. Personally I have not slept without sleep aids in many moons and I get happy when I’m able to take less so to be able to take none that’s a win.

I’m very happy for you. we got to just take it one day at a time and really be present in those moments where we know we got over a big hurdle And learn some thing about ourself and what we are capable of.
:-)

[Kg300]

Connie8472, thank you for the welcome. I’m working my way to the 50! I’m thoroughly enjoying being able to share thoughts about topics we all have in common! I’ve always been one to kind of stuff things and just put a smile on regardless. I learned for me it was the perfect breeding ground for monstrous anxiety/panic. I appreciate everyone here who has been reaching out and offering feedback. I’m truly happy I landed here at this forum!

[Tigertail58]

Anxiety is something I’ve battled my entire adult life, hit me when I was 17 and never stopped
I’ve been scripted every med possible to help me cope and good lord it’s been a struggle. The supplements did minimal to help when my anxiety was out of control but during periods of low anxiety I found them beneficial. Anxiety is such a struggle day in day out. I stay positive as possible and know I will get through whatever comes my way.

Keep an open mind, everyone's solution is different.  I have been taking meds for years and I don't care for the side  effects but I can't function with my baseline anxiety.  In addition I do deep breathing and meditation exercises taught to me by a therapist many many years ago.  Keep reading researching and looking, hopefully you will find an answer.

[connie8472]

Thankyou guys. It’s pretty cool and engaging with people with similar struggles. I can tell by the way people respond and talk that they get it. There’s no patronising tone or superior attitudes. It’s pretty cool. Battling something (although hard, like anxiety) gives people more insight or lived experience then all the degrees and knowledge you could possibly study in a book or from the outside. I dunno if I’m explaining it well but thanks. Hope everyone finds some relief and peace soon. And when the pain comes remember that you arn’t alone in feeling anxiety so intensely.

Anyway just saying Thankyou for kindness and acknowledging these posts. Made my heart smile guys.

Back to meds other then benzo for anxiety. Has anyone ever been prescribed blood pressure meds? I got a script for cl0nidine. I used to regularly take evening tablet but I don’t take now at all because I feel it gives me restless legs but I do remember it being a semi good afternoon medication to start to prepare for the evening. Ever so slightly calming and not overly noticeable unless you jump up and you get a head spin. And probably because I already have low-normal blood pressure. I believe my doctor said it’s “off label” use for anxiety or was it ADD... it’s the anxiety related to over vigilance. I would imagine blood pressure is not something you would want to muck up. But I’m curious to know if my doctor is strange or prescribing that for anxiety or panic or is that semi normal.

It’s often trial and error. If it was y for the dizziness Cl0nidine gave me I would of maybe thought it was having a placebo effect. In the end I found the restless legs too much and not worth it. But everyone would respond differently. Not everyone would go on to develop restless legs at night. From memory it was about 4 months use before I started to get the legs crawling at night. It stopped about 7 days after meds stopped. I’m sensitive to getting restless legs now though.

Just putting forward experience.
Perhaps it has been discussed

[TrayGold]

Guys Update…
This anxiety preventing me from sleeping must be truly in my head BECAUSE

I took the z drugs (doctor gave me this last week) one night slept really well
The next night I took nothing and just knew “if I needed to they would be there and I could take them (7.5mg)”

I slept - with nothing (melatonin is my nothing but you get me)

I woke up once and thought should I take it now? But I was relaxed and though narrr I’m okay I’ll just try and sleep and I did

So it feels like fear of not sleeping because I slept when the dread and fear wasn’t there.

Has this ever happened to anyone? I’m feeling slight guilt and self hate for being able to sleep. Like I’m a drama queen.
I’m telling you, I honestly usually have terrible time including punching myself and sobbing and crying. Wishing I could be asleep.

So it’s in my head
Because I had the Z drugs (on hand) and I knew they (would work) I could relax.
Does this seem reasonable?

Please don’t judge me bad. I know I’m not perfect or umm I know it’s all about me. I do apologise for that. I just wanted to get feedback on this because I had posted hear about this stuff and now it seems so little. Part of me wants to celebrate and another part wants to berate myself for being so weak.
But this is good isn’t it?

As I type I’m thinking actually it’s god news. I think I am surprised though it WAS anxiety. I’m surprised it was anxiety as I was convinced it was physically insomnia.

Hi Connie,
That's fantastic that a. you got your doc to script you a z drug, and b. you were able to sleep without actually using it.  
Don't ever feel guilty about getting a good nights sleep.  I've had chronic insomnia fot close to 25 years. There have been sooo many nights with little to no sleep, that ehen you finally get one, take it and roll with it. I take a different z drug when I can get it.  I think it's great that you know it's there for you to use "just in case."

Be careful using clonodine as a sleep aid though.  I've tried this and it worked at first.  Then I realized it was working no by dropping my blood pressure so low that I was just passing out.  I've heard of some doctors using it for anxiety and sleep, but IMO it isn't safe.

[connie8472]

Yeah, I thought that might be the case with clonodine. Interesting