Anyone ever taken anti anxiety meds in Thailand?

[ubonr1971]

Its been 'suggested' to me by a neuro Dr that I should take anxiety pills to improve my life. 

 

I think he mentioned SSRI's or something like that. 

 

Anyone ever taken any of these? Actually I dont want to pop a pill like this as I read they can cause metabolic changes to ones body and be addictive. When one stops taking it I think the symptoms come back?

 

Im not sleeping well for a long time. Its so rare that I will sleep all the way through the night that when it actually happens I remember how good I feel. I wake up most nights having to urinate and then cant get back to sleep thinking about things. It really sucks. A friend of a friend is dealing with prostate cancer now and beating it. He said that his sleep improved a lot after he started to turn the corner on his disease. Ive had a dr feel mine every year and same diagnosis. That its a little bit enlarged but they all say check again next year. Do you think this is correct?

 

Im thinking that my insomnia problem is linked to anxiety. Any thoughts. 

[IvorBiggun2]

11 minutes ago, ubonr1971 said:

I think he mentioned SSRI's or something like that. 

Sertraline. Available without prescription at your local pharmacy. 

 

11 minutes ago, ubonr1971 said:

When one stops taking it I think the symptoms come back?

Not necessarily true

 

Google is your friend

[Airalee]

Speaking from experience, I wish I had discovered the Wim Hof breathing exercise before I ever ventured down the path of anti-anxiety medication.  And that is all I have to say.

 

 

[Moonlover]

Poor sleep can certainly have a debilitating affect on ones overall health. Poor sleep and anxiety can become a vicious cycle that seem to feed off each other. But I'm in agreement with you regarding medication. I've always resisted the the use of of medication, much preferring natural self help methods. Here's one that you might like to try.

 

Seek out "Box Breathing" on Youtube. There are plenty of references. It's so effective that it's even taught to Navy Seals to help them get some instant 'shut eye'. . I use this simple method for getting back to sleep after having to visit the bathroom during the night. It can also be practiced any time of day or night to help you to control anxiety. Seek out 'Non Sleep Deep Relaxation' (NSDR) which builds on the is technique.

 

I also agree with @Airalee's comment above. I like Wim Hoff's methods.

[Airalee]

This was another video that I randomly came across on YouTube that actually works (for me) to help fall asleep while in bed.   The speaker starts talking about the technique at 6:50.

 

 

[saakura]

7 hours ago, ubonr1971 said:

Its been 'suggested' to me by a neuro Dr that I should take anxiety pills to improve my life. 

 

I think he mentioned SSRI's or something like that. 

 

Anyone ever taken any of these? Actually I dont want to pop a pill like this as I read they can cause metabolic changes to ones body and be addictive. When one stops taking it I think the symptoms come back?

 

Im not sleeping well for a long time. Its so rare that I will sleep all the way through the night that when it actually happens I remember how good I feel. I wake up most nights having to urinate and then cant get back to sleep thinking about things. It really sucks. A friend of a friend is dealing with prostate cancer now and beating it. He said that his sleep improved a lot after he started to turn the corner on his disease. Ive had a dr feel mine every year and same diagnosis. That its a little bit enlarged but they all say check again next year. Do you think this is correct?

 

Im thinking that my insomnia problem is linked to anxiety. Any thoughts. 

Just stop alcohol (if you drink), do rigorous physical tasks in the day, take a long cold shower and you will sleep well. Stay far away from all these meds.

[richard_smith237]

8 hours ago, ubonr1971 said:

Its been 'suggested' to me by a neuro Dr that I should take anxiety pills to improve my life. 

 

I think he mentioned SSRI's or something like that. 

 

Anyone ever taken any of these? Actually I dont want to pop a pill like this as I read they can cause metabolic changes to ones body and be addictive. When one stops taking it I think the symptoms come back?

 

Im not sleeping well for a long time. Its so rare that I will sleep all the way through the night that when it actually happens I remember how good I feel. I wake up most nights having to urinate and then cant get back to sleep thinking about things. It really sucks. A friend of a friend is dealing with prostate cancer now and beating it. He said that his sleep improved a lot after he started to turn the corner on his disease. Ive had a dr feel mine every year and same diagnosis. That its a little bit enlarged but they all say check again next year. Do you think this is correct?

 

Im thinking that my insomnia problem is linked to anxiety. Any thoughts. 

 

It sucks terribly to get stuck in that 'middle land' between sleep and awake where the mind takes us to some places of worry where consciously we could talk ourselves out of concern...    but it doesn't matter - once we are in that zone its horrible and difficult to get out of... 

 

SSRI's or Benzodiazepines can be excellent for knocking us out and not facing that 'middle land'... but because they are so good, its so easy to see how they can become habitual...

Both tend to get thrown out there very readily by 'some' medical professionals over here. 

 

If you are confident of your level of control they can be great to get a good nights sleep, but that can become habitually addictive.

 

There are other measures if you suffering from poor sleep such as Melatonin, CBD oils etc.

 

Personally, I think Marijuana with THC is good for aiding sleep, but care also needs to be taken with that. 

 

The risk with Benzo's is not so much while taking them, its the habitual dependency of taking them over time and then a huge risk of psychological issues if you stop.

 

The risk with SSRI's further sleep disturbance, weight gain (but they are much safer than Benzo's)

 

Booze - obviously not an answer - so you will hear cut out the booze, a lot.

Exercise - a great answer (if you can) - in the mornings.

 

------------

 

Stress plays a huge impact on sleep, and we all handle stress differently...    and sometimes there is only a chemical way of dealing with that... regardless of what everyone says... 

 

IMO - If you have no potentail interactions... give CBD a try...  and if feeling more adventurous, give marajuana a try... but as with anything you consume - be careful and moderate.

 

-----------

 

I recently a had a severe sports injury which impacted my work (and potentially my income). While in pain, recovering from an operation, unable to work and struggling to sleep I found options but had to be careful... 

- Moderate use of Marijuna - once or twice per week helped with stress and sleep.

- Krathom - a decent pain killer (IMO), helped reduce stress (for me) - once or twice per week

- Letting go with a few beers & boozy nights with friends helped.

- Getting a good night sleep with a Benzo also helped (carefully moderated).

 

- The helped me take less painkillers (Codeine - which I didn't want to overload on)

- I also ensured there are were nights of the week where none of the above were consumed to remain on top of things.

 

Now I'm back to just the booze, but I quite enjoyed the Marijuana and sleep I got from the Benzodiazapine.

 

Whatever you do, moderate it...  Stress can be horrible and its impossible to know when it will come...

 

... but, what I do know is it that as we get older we spend a longer time stuck in that 'middle land' between consciousness and the oblivion of deep sleep and our mind goes down rabbit holes...  its impossible to stop...  

 

Sometimes just taking something that gives us one or two nights solid sleep a week is enough to take the edge off and avoid what I call 'sleep paranoia'...

... but again, a great nights sleep can be very addictive, so be very careful with anything that artificially aids that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan SG]

13 hours ago, ubonr1971 said:

Its been 'suggested' to me by a neuro Dr that I should take anxiety pills to improve my life. 

 

I think he mentioned SSRI's or something like that. 

 

Anyone ever taken any of these? Actually I dont want to pop a pill like this as I read they can cause metabolic changes to ones body and be addictive. When one stops taking it I think the symptoms come back?

 

Im not sleeping well for a long time. Its so rare that I will sleep all the way through the night that when it actually happens I remember how good I feel. I wake up most nights having to urinate and then cant get back to sleep thinking about things. It really sucks. A friend of a friend is dealing with prostate cancer now and beating it. He said that his sleep improved a lot after he started to turn the corner on his disease. Ive had a dr feel mine every year and same diagnosis. That its a little bit enlarged but they all say check again next year. Do you think this is correct?

 

Im thinking that my insomnia problem is linked to anxiety. Any thoughts. 

I too have terrible sleep (I never have trouble falling asleep but wake up in the middle of the night most nights) but I would personally resist taking anything.  I just try and put at the back of my mind that a bad nights sleep will ruin me the next day and just try to get a nap after lunch which tends to get me through the whole day!

[BB1955]

I take xanex .25mg up to 4 times a day for anxiety. I too hate pills of any kind . Having recovered from bladder cancer and dealing with side effects from chemo and immune therapy I needed something to help me out . I try to take as little as needed .... Doctors have told me the benefits out weight the risks by far ...

[john donson]

16 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Sertraline. Available without prescription at your local pharmacy. 

 

Not necessarily true

 

Google is your friend

 

you cannot just stop cold turkey, or you might ending up killing yourself

 

BLACK BOX WARNING

 

these medication are worse than insomnia, well, I  could death as worse anyway...

 

 

learn to DEAL with your problems instead of numbing your brain

 

 

[save the frogs]

17 hours ago, ubonr1971 said:

Its been 'suggested' to me by a neuro Dr that I should take anxiety pills to improve my life. 

 

I suggest looking at alternatives to Big Pharma pills, which you can mostly find on Iherb.com.

But anything you take, you need to research potential side effects and HOW LONG you can take it safely. 

And some are more powerful than others. You may need to experiment. 

 

L-Theanine is one thing you can try.

 

[save the frogs]

17 hours ago, ubonr1971 said:

A friend of a friend is dealing with prostate cancer now and beating it.

For prostate health, there is Saw Palmetto.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/saw-palmetto-benefits

 

 

[msbkk]

1 hour ago, save the frogs said:

For prostate health, there is Saw Palmetto.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/saw-palmetto-benefits

 

 

Saw Palmetto is good, but has no effect on prostate cancer at all.

[IvorBiggun2]

2 hours ago, john donson said:

you cannot just stop cold turkey, or you might ending up killing yourself

 

BLACK BOX WARNING

 

these medication are worse than insomnia, well, I  could death as worse anyway...

 

 

learn to DEAL with your problems instead of numbing your brain

What the hell are you going on about??????????

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

2 hours ago, john donson said:

you cannot just stop cold turkey, or you might ending up killing yourself

 

BLACK BOX WARNING

 

these medication are worse than insomnia, well, I  could death as worse anyway...

 

 

learn to DEAL with your problems instead of numbing your brain

What the hell are you going on about??????????

 

He's not wrong...   Like Benzodiazapines, SSRI need to be administered with great care... 

 

If after routinely taking such medication suddenly stopping can have dire consequences to the brain chemistry and psychology, with risk of Worsening Depression, Increased Risk of Suicidal Thoughts, Mood Changes, Cognitive issues.. 

 

That said: the last comment is rather insensitive - its clear from the Ops question that he's tried to learn to deal with his problems and is looking for help and guidance from those who have faced similar situations. 

[Captain Flack]

An off topic troll post and replies, about Trump has been removed.

 

@G_Money note this is the health forum and does not need troll comments.

[rtco]

For 6-months I was having major anxiety attacks when I would scream obscenities, punch whatever I could, no sleep, could'nt catch my breath. Tried all the natural remedies, breathing exercises etc nothing worked. I went to see a Mental Health Practitionet at the BPH and I have been on ant-anxiety drugs ever since ... Seroxat, Zolam and Anta. They turned my life around and have had no real side effects. You can't get these drugs in Pharmacies as they are strictly Govt controlled and only available on prescription from the hospital pharmacy.

[Thingamabob]

Since childhood I have never slept more than 3/4 hours per night. A few years ago I decided to try get more rest, went to my Thai doctor, and was prescribed the sedative Lorazepam. Worked ok, but I became concerned that I had become addicted. I stopped the prescription and then faced a nightmare of several months of severe withdrawal symptoms. Eventually got through that and now, having just turned 83, I have  managed to talk myself into accepting my limited sleep syndrome. I would never again want to suffer the withdrawal process.

[IvorBiggun2]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

He's not wrong...   Like Benzodiazapines, SSRI need to be administered with great care... 

Have been taking them for 25+ years, on and off. I now self medicate with Sertraline .

[RonJr]

On 11/14/2024 at 7:36 AM, owl sees all said:

I had to look up DEI to understand it all.

 

Good bye. The end of an era; hopefully.

Don't take meds from a doctor, only use some ganja and magic mushrooms will definitely do the trick to snap you out of it, try 2g your first time and 4-5 your second time in woods or island alone with music it will change your life for the long-term, something only needed a few times a year fyi 

[BigStar]

3 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

Since childhood I have never slept more than 3/4 hours per night. A few years ago I decided to try get more rest, went to my Thai doctor, and was prescribed the sedative Lorazepam. Worked ok, but I became concerned that I had become addicted. I stopped the prescription and then faced a nightmare of several months of severe withdrawal symptoms. Eventually got through that and now, having just turned 83, I have  managed to talk myself into accepting my limited sleep syndrome. I would never again want to suffer the withdrawal process.

 

Rotation among different sleep aids is key. It's easy to avoid taking the same one on successive days.

[AgMech Cowboy]

I've taken Amitriptyline for the past 3-4 yrs.  I started taking it more for the help with sleep, but I've really noticed how it's affected my 'previous' problems with depression and suicidal thoughts.  They're 98% gone.  Best wishes. 

[thecyclist]

Mirtazapine works wonders for sleep. Much safer than Benzodiazepines. 

[Satcommlee]

I know I am going to sound like typical unhelpful response, but you should see a doctor..  people are suggesting SSRI like Sertraline for example but this is usually for moderate to severe mood imbalances, like depression, PTSD etc like on the upper end of severity. 

 

While not addictive, it can affect the chemical balances in the brain and be life changing if not used correctly.

 

Fluoxetine also available OTC, as well as Sertraline, Trazodone, Amitryptaline (lots) but take recommendation from Doctor and not ThaiVisa 🙂

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

My advice:

 

Do NOT take psychotropic drugs, of any kind, ever.....

 

Or, at least, don't take them for more than a few days, should some sudden catastrophic event overtake one.....

 

Otherwise, you might end up like.....

 

This guy:

 

Drug companies do not reveal to users just how much is still unknown about psychotropic drugs.

 

Many of the drug trials conducted by drug companies are not transparent.

Drug companies are now policing themselves.

 

Also, they do not tell you, when they state that a drug might be efficacious, whether or not the benefits of taking such drugs might be just minimal, at best.

 

These drugs can change, radically, the brain chemistry.

And, who is to say how easy it might be to "get back to normal", if one were to stop taking these drugs.

 

I would never take these kinds of drugs.

 

In addition, the doctors that prescribe these drugs ALSO do not know how they work.

They only know the biased recommendations by the drug companies that manufacture these drugs.

 

100 years ago, before the advent of such drugs, our world was no crazier than it is now.

 

Of course, for those with disorders such as schizophrenia.....then MAYBE some form of drug therapy is warranted.

Still, even for disorders such as this, exactly how beneficial these anti-psychotic drugs might be is questionable, since most of the trials are conducted by the manufacturers, themselves, instead of being tested by a third unbiased party.

 

 

[geisha]

If you really must , go for a very light med , like Venlafaxine 37.5 , NOT stronger. I have been reassured by a specialist that you can stop when you want , maybe slowly and is safe. 
If anyone cares to comment please do. 

[CharlieH]

Magnesium before bed calms the body down, L theanine aids sleep, ashwaghanda will aid anxiety.

Just suggestions. 👍.....here's why

 

Magnesium, L-theanine, and Ashwagandha work well together at bedtime because they promote relaxation and better sleep quality. Magnesium calms the nervous system and supports muscle relaxation. L-theanine reduces stress and encourages a calm mental state. Ashwagandha helps balance stress hormones and supports overall sleep health, making this trio an effective natural combination for restful sleep.

 

 

[ubonr1971]

14 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Magnesium before bed calms the body down, L theanine aids sleep, ashwaghanda will aid anxiety.

Just suggestions. 👍.....here's why

 

Magnesium, L-theanine, and Ashwagandha work well together at bedtime because they promote relaxation and better sleep quality. Magnesium calms the nervous system and supports muscle relaxation. L-theanine reduces stress and encourages a calm mental state. Ashwagandha helps balance stress hormones and supports overall sleep health, making this trio an effective natural combination for restful sleep.

 

 

Your comment is very interesting bc I managed to buy a brand 'Natures Care' australia 'Sleep and Relax magneseum and ashwagandha. On the black bottle it says relieves symptoms of stress and promotes sleep quality. 

 

I tried it a few nights now. Will keep trying when I feel wound up. 

[3NUMBAS]

On 11/22/2024 at 7:24 AM, AgMech Cowboy said:

I've taken Amitriptyline for the past 3-4 yrs.  I started taking it more for the help with sleep, but I've really noticed how it's affected my 'previous' problems with depression and suicidal thoughts.  They're 98% gone.  Best wishes. 

Me too occasional use of amitriptalene works wonders ,but not every day ,but gives me a good Kip when I need it 

[BillyBobzTeeth]

Don't eat heavy carb meals after 6pm. Try to limit your alcohol drinking to weekends, if it's a factor. Hot full fat milk an hr before bed does wonders. I used to get panic attacks and started on fluoxitine 20mg back in 2018. You can get it here at the some local pharmacies. It's helped me. I've noticed a huge improvment in my sleep since I lowered my alcohol intake.