Safe Anxiety Meds?

I think I might need something to take the edge off this situation. Four weeks into my latest increase I still haven't really had one good night's sleep.

My psychiatrist keeps talking about antidepressants, but there is so much scary stuff to read about SSRIs and T that I don't think I dare. And I don't need help with depression, just anxiety. Depression I can handle, anxiety is hell. I have Stilnoct, try not to use it several days in a row, but last night I was numb with fear and no amount of breathing exercises could snap me out. I managed to fall asleep for a few seconds, but T and A promptly yanked me back out. Stilnoct gives me four hours.

Is there anything T-proof I could take? Hanging in there is still a possibility, but I worry that my T gets a stronger grip on me for every anxious day.

 

You ask a great question and for the right reasons.
Probably the most knowledable person on this forum about meds that will improve sleep and or take the edge off is glynis. There should be a sticky on this subject because to me, it is so critically important. I have written often about the benefit of medication to coping with tinnitus. Btw, I personally need little help and generally take no medication but anxiety runs in my family and there is so much misunderstanding about mental health. Nobody can will mental health. For example a schizophrenic or somebody profoundly anxious or depressed...e.g. there are much too many posts about suicide on this forum...these people can't choose to not feel this way. Their brain chemistry has been robbed by lack of control over something that has invaded their body that they don't know if they can live with. Just like falling in love or watching a funny movie can change brain chemistry as well...or by contrast a scary movie. Only when it turns into a long term reality aka a long scary nightmare you can't wake up from, this is when it is sometimes therapeutic to intervene with medication. So, many people need medical assistance and in fact a subset don't seek it for a variety or reasons.. I posit that many with tinnitus are at least one or two standard deviations to center relative to anxiety and related depression including possible OCD tendencies...a precursor to tinnitus. So medication helps restore brain chemistry if out of balance.

I will tell you what I have on hand in the remote event I need something. I have Ativan available if I feel I am too close to the edge. Benzo's are a lifeline for people that have uncontrollable anxiety. Xanax is also quite effective. There has been much conversation on this forum about prolonged benzo usage.
There are two ways to look at taking medication in pursuit of improving mental health.
1. episodically aka once in a while as needed
2. long term...take medication every day because people can naturally have abnormal brain chemistry due to their genetics and restoring it to a normal level allows for much greater quality of life. Some people live in denial about this much of their life until one day they realize they just can't be objective about the choices they make.

What I suggest is always try taking a medication like a benzo first once in while as you need it. A big problem however if it turns into long terms usage...not good for your body or tinnitus so don't go there.

If you feel you need a benzo constantly to cope, then consider getting a long term anti depressant med. Yes, some are not friendly to tinnitus and this needs to be researched carefully. By contrast many believe taking a benzo on occasion as needed helps lower tinnitus when they need it the most.

As a sleeping medication, something I have never needed...research this carefully as well. Anything that you would take long term you want to really do your homework on. If glynis doesn't see this post, send her a PM. A wonderful lady who has experienced much too much about the disorder we share.

 

Could lithium be safe? I don't get the landslide of scary threads when I search it. Also, it's supposed to be good for neural plasticity.
EDIT: upon further browsing and googling I'll definitely give lithium a wide berth

 

Sleeping tablets can help sleep but not really help anxiety or depression.

Sleeping tablets can cause more problems long term and hard to come off like a Benzo.

Antidepressants dont all work the same and some cause insomnia so best look into what you want get out of them and some can make tinnitus worse.

A low antidepresant for sleep long term due to tinnitus and anxiety and can help reduce tinnitus over time would be Nortryptaline and only need up to 50mg to help with all the above and is easily tollerated.

Its cousin Amitryptaline does the same and more side effects and in my opinion is a liitle stronger so need a slower increasment and a lower dose like 20mg for sleep up to 50mg.

Both of these can help anxiety, sleep and help tinnitus as your brain adjusts to the medication over time so 4-6 weeks is needed before feeling the full benifit but will help sleep faster like the first or second night or after a increase as you will start on a lower dose.
Both can easily be increased to a theraputic dose for depression under the care of your doctor and talking therapy as both work together and help and guide you in a positive move forward...lots of love glynis

 

The Wikipedia article on nortriptyline mentions tinnitus as a side effect. Nowhere else does, though, so I guess I shouldn't worry too much. The challenge might be to get a prescription for tricyclic AD in this day and age.

Anyhow, yesterday I bought a pack of Sedix, herbal pills based on passion flower extract. Judging from last night, they did just the trick. Didn't knock me out, but calmed me down and took the edge off my anxiety. Can't say I slept well, but it's a start. Now I'm looking forward to bedtime for the first time in a month.

 

Fantastic! I was going to recommend Passion Flower combined with Valerian Root so I am glad that works for you. I would say however, to use it as needed. Like maybe for the next few days you can use it to know you have something to calm you down but then see if you can use it on an as needed basis. My friend cycles those supplements so she won't build up tolerance. Just knowing you have something in your back pocket can help calm the nerves.

 

If the herbal alternative is your choice and its works, then there are quite a few choices, such as Melatonin (for sleep), Lemon Balm, Valerian, Hops, Catnips, Passion Flower, Chamomile, Lavender, Kava, etc. You can do google search or check Amazon.com for each of them to know how people review these products, and see if you can take them as a supplement. Check out this site on using natural herbs for helping to sleep or to calm the nerves.

http://www.christopherhobbs.com/lib...ealth/herbs-and-natural-remedies-for-insomnia /

 

there is no such thing as a completely safe drug

 

This is safe..
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/back-to-silence.7172/#post-81327