Question:
I feel I already take enough
pills and don't need another addicting pill to keep me awake during
the daytime! What if it keeps me awake at night? The Wellbutrin I
take causes sleep disturbance and vivid dreams as it is. Most of the
antidepession medications I've tried make me anxious. Wellbutrin at
150 mg. seems to be ok on the anxiety end of it.
My questions really is.....is there another successful anxiety
medication out there that does not cause sleepiness? If I'm active it
doesn't seem to bother me but if I am watching TV or anything like
that I'm zoned out! HELP!
Answer:
I am bipolar. I take Neurontin for a mood stabalizer, Stelazine to slow
down my thoughts, Wellbutrin for depression, and Xanax for anxiety.
I've been on the Xanax for quite some time now and ever since I
started it I am having trouble with drowsiness and actually get spaced
out or fall asleep sitting up when in a movie, in church, at a dance
recitle, driving in a car (when someone else is driving!) a stop
smoking seminar, etc. It does stop my anxiety, but this NOT ALERT
feeling is not good. Instead of trying something else and decreasing
the Xanax slowly as it is addicting, he prescribed Provigil (which I
did not fill yet)which is for excessive daytime sleepiness! AND it is
addicting. Another pill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel I already take enough
pills and don't need another addicting pill to keep me awake during
the daytime! What if it keeps me awake at night? The Wellbutrin I
take causes sleep disturbance and vivid dreams as it is. Most of the
antidepession medications I've tried make me anxious. Wellbutrin at
150 mg. seems to be ok on the anxiety end of it.
Well from my experience Xanax is prescribed as a PRN med, not something you
take regularly although I know it can be used this way. There are many
anti-anxiety meds out there that are not addictive and that will not make
you drowsy. There are different types of medications also... see below: BENZODIAZEPINES (which is what you are taking)
a.. alprazolam (Xanax) panic, generalized anxiety, phobias, social phobias
b.. clonazepam (Klonopin) panic, phobias, social phobia
c.. diazepam (Valium) generalized anxiety, panic, phobias
d.. lorazepam (Ativan) generalized anxiety, panic, phobias
e.. oxazepam (Serax) generalized anxiety, phobias
f.. chlordiazepoxide (Librium) generalized anxiety, phobias
BETA BLOCKERS
a.. propranolol (Inderal) social phobia
b.. atenolol (Tenormin) social phobia
TRICYCLIC ANTIDEPRESSANTS
a.. imipramine (Tofranil) panic, depression, generalized anxiety
b.. desipramine (Norpramin, Pertofrane and others) panic, depression
c.. nortriptyline (Aventyl or Pamelor) panic, depression
d.. amitriptyline (Elavil) panic, depression
e.. doxepin (Sinequan or Adapin) panic, depression
f.. clomipramine (Anafranil) panic, OCD, depression
g.. venlafaxine (Effexor) OCD, depression
MONOAMINE OXIDASE INHIBITORS (MAOIs)
a.. phenelzine (Nardil) panic, social phobia, depression
b.. tranylcypromine (Parnate) panic, depression
SELECTIVE SEROTONIN REUPTAKE INHIBITORS (SSRIs)
a.. fluoxetine (Prozac) OCD, depression, panic, social phobia
b.. fluvoxamine (Luvox) OCD, depression, panic, social phobia
c.. sertraline (Zoloft) OCD, depression, panic, social phobia
d.. paroxetine (Paxil) OCD, depression, panic, social phobia
MILD TRANQUILIZER
a.. buspirone (BuSpar) generalized anxiety, OCD That's a new one...usually they prescribe Paxil. The Provigil
company must have begun its own kickback program to reward
doctors for prescribing it. Anyway, you're lucky if you got
Provigil. It is a type of amphetamine, though extremely
selective - only activating the alertness parts of the brain
while leaving the pleasure parts unaffected (at least according
to company claims). I'm a speed phreak and have been wanting
to try it in abusable quantities just to see if the claims
are true. Try it and then tell the doctor you think you need
Desoxyn instead.
I'd eliminate the Provigil, but cut back on the Xanax and see if you have
less sleepiness/drowsiness. Discuss all med changes with your doc.
Also, clonopin has a longer half life than xanax. Might want to try that
instead. Stelazine is also VERY sedating. The only med you are taking that
isn't sedating is the Wellbutrin. Maybe a different mood stabilizer. Talk
to the pdoc is the best advice I can give. I have to take Xanax every 5 hrs. and I take 1 mg. which is a lot.
1 x 3 a day. I become anxious at 4-1/2 hrs. but try and stretch it
to 5 hrs.
So you think I should be taking Desoxyn instead of Provigil. I
know nothing about eithor medication and wondered what Desoxyn is? Do
you take it for anxiety? Are you bipolar? You sure know your meds. or did a lot of
research to help me out! I told you my group of medications I take,
but seem to be having the bad side effects from the Xanax.
Would you do as your pdoc says and take the Provigil which is for
excessive daytime sleepiness which means another pill and more side
effects like dry mouth and possibly not being able to sleep with it,
or would you wait for your next doc appt. and ask to go on a
tranquilizer which doesn't make you sleepy and not alert and gradually
go off of the Xanax?
I go to a clinic and only see him for 5 min. maybe 10 min. at a
time. Not much time to clear the air on things.
If I go in with the list of meds. you listed for me I wonder if
he will think I'm playing doctor and get angry with me, that I didn't
listen to him and fill the Provigil. It is addicting as well as the
Xanax.
I do get anxious and need something and Xanax is pretty strong
stuff I think so I don't know what to do. I just cannot stand the
sleepiness Xanax makes me feel when I'm watching TV or a movie or
anything that I'm just trying to focus on. I zone out and fall
asleep!
