Anxiety Medications and Tinnitus?

What are the thoughts on taking anxiety meds to help with stress? Does anyone do this? I have never taken any medication (this is the first REAL health scare of my life) and know that ppl can get addicted to anxiety meds. I wanted to see what others thought before I sought out this route.

What has your experience been? Has anyone taken anxiety meds for a long period of time? Does anyone caution against this?

 

Hi JM, I have been taking Valium for awhile, it does help take the edge off the stress, associated with T for me. As for getting addicted, yes it is very possible, but I myself don't care. I'll do what ever it takes.

Some say benzodiazepines can make T it worse. It has not made my T worse.
You also might want to look around in the treatment forum, and perhaps find more info on Benzo's

 

Minor tranquilizers are fine to take. Benzodiazepines are the most likely to be prescribed. The shorter-acting ones such as lorazepam, alprazolam, clonazepam are preferred to the longer-acting ones such as diazepam (Valium). The tricky balance is to limit the use to avoid tolerance or dependence (if possible) but they are very effective when the alternative is acute anxiety or panic. However, if the tinnitus is going to be a long-term issue, then dependence is not as bad as chronic anxiety. Patients with diabetes or high blood pressure are also 'dependent' on medications. Benzodiazepines rarely cause addiction, which is quite different from dependence.

 

I don't have anything to add really, except I was prescribed a very low dose of valium at onset (as I was beyond stressed and not sleeping) and I only took it a few times before bed but I think my T was louder the next day.
Helped me get back into a sleep pattern though so it was worth it

 

Have you thought of natural remedies for stress before trying prescription meds?

 

Meaning?

 

I had a cycle of escitalopram (nine months long, including tapering). The first three months the doctor prescribed me also a small dosage of benzos. The mixing worked very well reducing anxiety, stress and giving me better quality of sleep. No side effects for me - of course it's my personal experience and you should talk to the doctor. Sure, anxiety can really damage the quality of life.

 

I at first took benzos. Zanex then Klonoplin..Ended up having been prescribed 6 mg daily of Klonoplin ( don't know if I even spelled it right) . I did not know much about benzo drugs at the time and gave no though to a 6 mg daily dose.

They seemed to help at first as I slept better but little effect after taking about 4 years despite the almost yearly increase in dosage. I asked to come off them and did so after several months of gradually reducing the dosage.

After ending, I started having full blown panic attacks which I never had while taking the benzo. These lasted 2 to 3 months with attacks about every 3 days. Also had floaters in my eyes like cobwebs. Both have since since stopped and I have learned that these most likely were caused by withdrawl from the klonoplin.

I never had a feeling while taking the benzo that I needed or wanted it as in addiction but apparently my body had become dependent upon it.

Most people have good result with a mild dosage of 1 mg daily of a benzo but even at first I got only a little sleepy with that dosage which wore off within a hour or so. I never experienced a feeling of being high or relaxed with the benzo and decided to come off it only because I felt it just wasn't doing anything. Not because I felt addicted to it.

It has been about an year now and I do feel that my tinnitus has increased this past year. I do not know if it has in reality increased or just my awareness of it. Perhaps the benzo was doing more than I thought.

I will be talking to the Dr. about another anxiety drug next week.

A mild daily dose of a benzo in my opinion OK but the way I was going I would have been taking perhaps 10 mg daily with what appeared to be no effect.

I now take REMERON an antidepressant. It makes me a little sleepy but no effect other wise. If I could reduce the tinnitus by taking the benzo again I would gladly do so. At my age addiction or dependence means nothing, I just would like to have something that helped. The problem I am very tolerant of most drugs and end up taking more than the average dosage.

 

I agree with Dr. Ancill. Benzos have gotten a bad reputation and they need to be used with caution and professional supervision. Low doses preferred, although people do build a tolerance which can be a problem. I have been on alprazolam ( generic Xanax) for about four months and don't think I would have survived without it. My tinnitus triggered acute anxiety and rolling panic attacks, even though I had no prior history of an anxiety disorder. It's the only time in my life that I have wondered if death would be preferable. Have been able to keep my dose to a max of 1.5 mg daily for sleep and daytime anxiety.

I actually think the Xanax helps with tinnitus loudness and some studies have suggested the same. But I think it's because it calms you down, not that it is acting directly on the T. But don't be afraid to try them under a doctor's care.

 

Dependence is a physiological adaptation to drugs that have effects on receptors at the cellular level - sudden withdrawal causes reactions which show as 'withdrawal syndromes'. Addiction is term defined by 3 elements: (1) non-therapeutic use (ie. not prescribed); (2) dose escalation & (3) drug-seeking behavior.

 

The problem with 'natural remedies for stress' is what remedies? St John's Wort is an ergot alkaloid which can have serious drug interactions. Its side-effects are poorly studied - in common with most s0-called natural remedies. Melatonin is well-studied and now made synthetically as pharmaceutical grade. The organic versions are tytpically derived from pig brain and are potentially very dangerous (CJ Disease, for example). Gingko Biloba, often recommended for tinnitus, can lead to fatal bleeds when combined with aspirin or other NSAIDS. Most other natural remeidies are scientifically without merit or supportive data. It is safest to take all medications, supplements and nutriceuticals under appropriate supervision.

 

I believe coming off anxiety meds might be a reason for me having T and ETD. I'm not sure, though. None of the doctors I've seen confirm that.