Effective Long Term "tranquilliser"?

[cheeryble]

Hi

I have a long term panic disorder, some free floating anxiety and procrastination are a nuisance, but mostly presenting as agoraphobia. It had it's ups and downs, but got much much worse again when I changed my life and came to LOS 9 years ago.

I have previously been addicted to Ativan for more than a decade and it was a great pain to withdraw.

I take nothing now, not even alcohol (maybe just a glass now and then) as I seem to have become very sensitized and the withdrawal makes me even more anxious.

I have practised exposure therapy, doing what I am afraid of, and there has been a gradual improvement.

For being confined to walking. A hundred yards and never leaving central CM, I have developed to getting to Chiangrai and so on, and even travelling to BKK and with the help of some booze getting on a plane for an hour.

It seems to be be 2 steps forward and one step back however, and I'm thinking it's just taking too long. I would so love to get around like normal people without gnawing anxiety or worse. At the age of 64 I have not even been able to travel home to see my 78yo sister and friends since I last arrived 9 years ago.

I lead a wonderful life but am considering that it's not the worst thing in the world to be addicted for life to a medicine which would help.

The problem is.....is there anything, perhaps something new, that WOULD work for decades without too much downside?

All feedback welcome.....

[Sheryl]

Lyrica (pregablin) is often helpful. Consult a psychiatrist or neurologist about using it. it is non-addictive.

[cheeryble]

Thankyou very much for that Sheryl I had not come across that pregabalin which does indeed look interesting.

It seems to be "moderate", but quick in it's effects.

Unfortunately if one goes to forums to learn people's experiences I think one gets to read largely the comments of people who are there because they are not "fixed", have problems, and so this is negatively biased........one may not hear much from those who are getting on just fine. There tends to be a lot of confusion by the nature of the beast, and posters, to whom my heart goes out, are often on two or three different meds which confuses matters more.

So it's a matter of sorting the wood from the trees, and this I shall try to do.

Possible negatives weight gain and sexual, though they don't seem near as pervasive as with some antidpressants for instance.

Anyone's experience welcome, as would be info on pricing here, though I can of course ask if and when.

Thanks again Sheryl

Cheers

Edited December 11, 2012 by cheeryble

[endure]

You might want to try and get hold of books by Dr Claire Weekes, especially 'Self help for your nerves'. The effect isn't instant but a bit of constant re-reading will help you a lot. It did me - in fact it saved my life.

[cheeryble]

Thankyou 911B and Endure

Ha-ha funny enough I was a meditation practitioner and teacher, and whilst I haven't read Claire Weekes I am au fait with CBT and so on. In fact these things and other "wisdom" (love the Stoic philosophy especially) have certainly helped me tolerate my situation and still smile and enjoy life.

It seems though that past severe shock followed by decades of excess has really changed my brain. It is like my mind is always on the lookout for what it perceives as danger. Some element of this is of course healthy, but in me it seems to have gone too far and become built-in. It's known now that the amygdala will have preprogrammed reactions to events and start those reactions before the cognitive side of the brain even starts working on it. When I first learned that five years ago I said "That's exactly what's happening to me!". If a steel roller shutter on a shop comes down hard and loud for me I start to double up in fear of catastrophe before I even know what's happening.....I look around and others down't even register. I get dizzy in the checkout in Tops .....I think the big motor for Central is underneath and vibrates the floor a tiny bit......but I think my radar, my lizard brain, is registering it as an earth tremor or something.

I've even tried inventing new treatments.......which partially work......like laughing (or trying to) in a panic to switch my mode. Another one I try is just say "fxxx it!" and surrender, try to really SURRENDER. This is a good one (and funnily enough I blieve is the meaning of "Islam") but I'm bored with agonising over decisions and overworrying. Whilst I do my best to accept and adapt and mostly enjoy my life I have only so many years left and would like to go back to a more relaxed mode, the easygoing devilmaycare "me" I used to be.

Hence my enquiry abut medication.

Edited December 12, 2012 by cheeryble