Why don’t anxiety meds work for me?
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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To @rick98
Hello Rick, most of the prescribers I have been seeing will not see me anymore as they won’t prescribe any benzos at all. There was only one PNP who would treat me if I agreed to his plan: .5 Ativan morning, .5 Ativan afternoon and 1mg Clonazepam at night for sleep. Knowing of your struggle with Clonazepam, I said that was not what I wanted to do. We left it where I would call him if I changed my mind. I have watched many, many of Dr. Josef’s videos and saw a wonderful documentary of Dr. Ashton describing her tapering method. I think the documentary dated back to the 1950s or 60s. I have been receiving emails from Dr. Josef’s facilities. I contacted him via email to inquire about his program. I mistakenly thought he had opened a location in Tucson, Az., but I was mistaken. He only treats/assists those people who live in a city where he has a program. Tonight is a weird one…I feel liked I am getting the flu (flushed face, headache, pains in my legs and back, stuffy ears) but I know it’s “just my anxiety.’ I wish you well with the taper. Try to find the documentary of Dr. Ashton. I think you’d enjoy watching it.
Claudia
p.s. so happy to hear back from you. Even though the topic is difficult, hearing from you brightens my day.
To @rick98
Just received another email from Dr. Josef and his staff Wish there was some way I could forward it on to you.
Claudia
To @rick98
Do you have a pharmacy lined up that can help you with the water detox. I’ve seen several videos explaining how it’s done. There are a few compounding pharmacies here in Scottsdale that probably have helped people with this. I also saw information on using tapering strips but they are not available in the U.S. It seems like the UK is way ahead of us.
Claudia
To @rick98
Rick, last night was terrible. I tried to sleep as I have an appointment at the cardiologist today. My heart was beating so loudly I am sure you heard it at your house! No matter how they try to convince me, I am 100% sure I never got detoxed at Gallus in Scottsdale. If I did get detoxed, why would I feel like this. To whomever is reading this (in addition to Rick I hope John is) I don’t know what more I can do. I don’t have a doctor to turn to.
Claudia
Gawd...I can relate but I had debilitating anxiety since I was 16 yrs. old. When in my 30's I decided to go into therapy and because I had a trusting relationship with this pyschiatrist, she prescribed Klonepin for me and for the first time in my life, I didn't have panic attacks and head tremors. I actually think the tremors were more debilitating than the anxiety. You can suck it up and not tell anyone that you are anxious but head tremors are pretty difficult to hide!!!! So fast forward 30+ years. I was still seeing the same psychiatrist (not on a weekly basis) but anyway, she was retiring and because she had a good heart, she found the names of other therapists who were taking on new patients, etc., etc. When I voiced my new anxiety to her about whether this new therapist would be comfortable continuing to prescribe klonepin, she assured me that klonepin was the correct drug to take for my anxiety. Tremors I will get to in a minute. So I developed IC (interstitial bladder pain) which was severe and no real fix. For awhile I tried different things that my new neurologist prescribed but no real help. She recommended that I see the pain mgt. clinic at the same hospital that she worked. So I did and the doctor had all my health records and put me on Lyrica (pregabalin) and within a couple of weeks, I noticed that I was forgetting to take the klonepin. The Lyrica works for both nerve pain and anxiety and also my head tremors disappeared. Meant to circle back and tell you before getting on Lyrica, I broke down and saw a neurologist (at same hospital) after a work buddy said to me "oh you have tremors too. do you take anything for it?" At first I denied it as I always found it embarrassing to admit to and talk about but then I figured, do something different and discuss with this person. Turns out she also had tremors and was seeing a neurologist for them. I went and it was diagnosed at "essential tremors" which just means that they are hereditary and not symptomatic of any disease. The neurologist gave me a RX for something which helped. I can't remember the name of it. But this is what I want to make clear to anyone reading this post. When I began taking the Lyrica for a totally different and painful problem, it not only alleviated that pain completely, but as said no more anxiety or tremors. I know that it is a drug that is addictive, the same as the klonepin. However, if I can take one pill that works for several health problems, why wouldn't I do so. Hope this helps in some small way. I felt bad when I read that you had to leave work because of the anxiety and tremors. Do not suffer in silence. It is 2025 not the Victorian Age. Neurologists, therapists, etc. will listen to you and want to find an answer.
No Claudia I do not have any access to a liquid tapering or compound pharmacy. If you do that is excellent for tapering especially at very low doses when paradoxically the Central Nervous System has even more difficulty and withdrawal symptoms. To taper at the lower doses the optimal way is called "hyperbolic tapering". You can Google it and learn more especially from Dr. Josef Witt Doerring on his podcasts. I don't believe that the conditions we suffer will just resolve on their own though I could be wrong. It is absolutely necessary to get a doctor, a PA or a NP that understands to some degree not cutting a patient off cold turkey or too fast. This is difficult to find in our current system with so much ignorance around Benzo withdrawal from being dependent on a legitimate prescription; it's very dangerous and debilitating which I think you may be experiencing. Please seek medical assistance until you find someone to help you.🙏
Ok I guess I don't understand why you all continue to suffer with this crazy making anxiety. I have had it all my adult life and I am 76 now. So number 1 that I know is that traditional talk therapy does not help anxiety in any way. Will of course help with a lot of other things. I have a lot of experience with talk therapy and it has helped me with different things but not anxiety. Here is what I don't understand..why would anyone suffer needlessly when there are several drugs that will help. Do I wish that if I meditated I would no longer have anxiety. Well of course noone that I know of wants to take any medication. That is my family and friends. We arent druggies. Okay so that said why aren't you seeing qualified psychiatrist etc that will write the scripts and of course monitor you. I am not sure why you are wanting to withdraw unmonitored. This process isn't trying this at home thing. Please stop this. Recognize that you have a treatable condition and please get treatment
To @scain
I do not want to go through this without medical help but my doctors have withdrawn from helping me. I can’t find anyone to help.
Claudia:
I understand the predicament. Sometimes these situations are not treatable like how others find relief. You have already tried the SSRI and SNRI and Ativan and did not find the relief needed due to treatment resistant issues. I know you have tried many medication options that have not worked and I feel very badly for you that you have not seen results. Personally, my psychiatrist is out of ideas. He did recommend Ketamine therapy, but now have been unable to proceed with clearance due to the cardiac issues. Since you have gone through The MD route, maybe consider a functional medicine Doctor for support. I am still praying for you Claudia.
Are you talking about professionals in the mental health field too? Why are your doctors unwilling to treat you anymore. Did you not follow their instructions or decide that you knew best? I have a brother who refuses to go to therapy and continues to diagnose himself and know best how to treat his all encompassing depression for 40 yrs