Why don’t anxiety meds work for me?

Posted by dorothy1914 @dorothy1914, Feb 13 5:13pm

In Sept. 2024 out of nowhere I developed extreme anxiety. Went to primary care doctor and was prescribed Effexor (which I had successfully taken previously). This time it didn’t provide any help. Dr. then prescribed Lexapro (which didn’t help) and then Celexa (which didn’t help). By this time, I lost 45 pounds by not being able to eat and constant diarrhea. Dr. then told me to find another practitioner as there was nothing more she could do for me. Since then I have seen 4 PNP and none of their prescribed meds have helped. What do I do?

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Claudia, all the messages are public view if people go in to the numbers down below previous next etc. so please use your discretion ok. I know it's a terrible time and condition I feel it just as much as I believe it's a combination of everything in life as well as possibly medication induced because the medical field isn't aware of some of these awful long-term side effects.🙏 Going to my appointment.

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I'm in the same boat. Horrible insomnia and nerves. Trying not to lose it. I myself would not take the gummies. Cutting off benzodiazepines is dangerous and that needs to be discussed with your prescriber please .

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@rick98

I'm in the same boat. Horrible insomnia and nerves. Trying not to lose it. I myself would not take the gummies. Cutting off benzodiazepines is dangerous and that needs to be discussed with your prescriber please .

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To @rick98

Thanks for the heads up. I thought there was a way you could private message someone.

Claudia

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I have extreme anxiety. Seriously and snri are front line meds for this. However, they didn't help me much either. So I would request a benzo . It helps me. Klonopin for 20 years. It is addictive if taken long. I don't care, it works.

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@larrypains

I have extreme anxiety. Seriously and snri are front line meds for this. However, they didn't help me much either. So I would request a benzo . It helps me. Klonopin for 20 years. It is addictive if taken long. I don't care, it works.

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To @larrypains

Hello, I just discontinued Ativan and Xanax after becoming dependent on them. It cost me a fortune as I went to a detox center. But shortly after I was home, I got desperate and started again. I would hate to start all over again. My primary care physician is very willing to prescribe benzos. Thank you for your suggestion.

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Hi
May I ask how old you are. I have developed anxiety since I was taken off my hrt and went through Breast cancer. I have tried 3 different ssri's I cannot tolerate any of them. I am very frustrated.I just want this to go away. I am trying 5htp thru my naturopath. It works like an ssri. It's been a struggle 😪. Lorezepam helps greatly a low dose .5mg
My new dr won't prescribe . I only went thru 2 scripts last yr which is nothing. I only take it when I need it.So I am going back to him in two weeks to see if he will give it to me. It's so unfair when you're in menopause and you can't get any help.

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To @sue417

Hello, I went through menopause when I was 38. Then at 57, I had endometrial cancer. What is 5htp?

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@dorothy1914

To @sue417

Hello, I went through menopause when I was 38. Then at 57, I had endometrial cancer. What is 5htp?

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Hi
It's 5 hydroxytryptophan . It's a supplement that works like an Ssri medication. My naturopath put me on it. Depending on what you need it for you start out fifty milligrams a day and you can go up to 300mg it helps with anxiety and depression although it takes a bit of time. It does not give you side effects like drugs for depression. I have stopped it after three years with no bad side effect symptoms. Since being taken off my hormones , i'm still struggling to get the right dose. It does help with sleep. Find a good naturopath

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@dorothy1914

Thank you so much for your response. I currently am not on any medication. My last provider said she would no longer treat me if what she prescribed (Zoloft and Gabapentin) did not work for me. Well, they didn’t. I had weird brain/head sensations from one of them. I was also prescribed Buspar from another provider but I was allergic to it. I just retried Effexor 37.5 xr, but it just increased my anxiety. It has been a repeat cycle of going on a drug and a few days later, coming off of it due to intolerable side effects. I feel pretty hopeless. I have been reluctant to take Ativan which has been prescribed by my PCP for my anxiety as I know I will wind up taking too many, so I am suffering with no relief in sight. I have a very stressful situation at home as my husband has Parkinson’s Disease and instead of me taking care of him, he has to take care of me.

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I feel for you. I am in the same boat and I even had the genesight testing done. We have tried 2 of the meds that were in the green but could not do the side effects. Before that I had tried so many. I do take Clonazepam 1/2 pill twice a day for anxiety right now. I have lots of health issues and that causes the depression/anxiety because I have yet to find the right treatment plans. It really is a horrible place to be in. Hope you find something to help soon.

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@lalaof7

I feel for you. I am in the same boat and I even had the genesight testing done. We have tried 2 of the meds that were in the green but could not do the side effects. Before that I had tried so many. I do take Clonazepam 1/2 pill twice a day for anxiety right now. I have lots of health issues and that causes the depression/anxiety because I have yet to find the right treatment plans. It really is a horrible place to be in. Hope you find something to help soon.

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@lalaof7

I have an appointment on Monday with a PA that I have seen before. I have no idea what he will suggest as I have tried most of the well known antidepressants and they made me feel worse. I currently feel like I am going to jump out of my skin. My anxiety is terrible but I can’t/won’t take my prescribed benzodiazepines. The last meds I was on that caused me irreparable damage were Venlafaxine, Celexa and Lexapro. They caused anorexia and hair loss. I lost so much weight without realizing it as I was so determined to have one of the meds work, that I was diagnosed as suffering from malnutrition. I should have gotten off these meds sooner but I spent about 6 to 8 weeks on each. I told my Primary Care doctor (she was the one who prescribed them) about the weight loss at an in person visit and she said don’t worry about the weight loss — just concentrate on feeling better. She prescribed too high of a starting dose. I can’t undo any of the damage and that is causing me to be more depressed. Since I really wasn’t familiar with these meds, I didn’t know I was being overmedicated.

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