Anxiety medication

[machoman9]

Hello everyone. I have been seeing my mental health nurse for a while now, and I had a problem of severe internet addiction (much better now), and anxiety, and a little bit of depression. The nurse recommended that I take a drug called Tradozone. My question is, what information is there out there regarding this specific drug, and also, what should be the factors in my decision whether to take the drug or not. I myself was (and still am) a bit skeptical about taking drugs. That is due to side effects, the fact that I prefer something more behavioural or cognitive behavioural. The nurse said that I do need the medication to break the cycles of anxiety (which hits the peak during exams time and when I have several tasks to do), and depression (which happen after severe use of internet, and maladaptive internet behaviour). I am 23 years old.

Any advice given is highly appreciated.

Note: I am a psychology student, so I have a little bit of background on these subjects, but I want to hear more from the professionals.

 

[Retired]

machoman,

Welcome to Psychlinks. trazodone (Desyryl) is an antidepressant medication in the same class as Nefazodone. These medications are unique among anti depressants as they are not related chemically to Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, MAO Inhibitors or Trycyclics.

What was the rationale of your mental health nurse in choosing trazodone for your paticular set of symptoms? Are there any other meds being combined with trazodone?

Is your treatment being conducted in concert with other mental health providers? Is there a Psychiatrist, or another M.D. or Psychologist involved in your treatment?

As you well know from your professional training, disorders of the mind are thought to be caused by chemical imbalances which frequently respond to the proper use of medication therapy.

I myself was (and still am) a bit skeptical about taking drugs

Do you see yourself adopting this posture when treating your own patients in your future practice? On what do you base your sketicism?

Suppose you were diagnosed as diabetic, thyroid disorder or cardiovascular disease, would you refuse life saving medication treatment?

Here are some resources where you can gain some insights into the medication you have been prescribed:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DR202573

http://www.medicinenet.com/trazodone-oral/article.html

GENERIC NAME: trazodone
BRAND NAME: Desyrel
DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: : Trazodone is an oral antidepressant drug

I want to hear more from the professionals

I am not a health professional, so you would want to discuss the information you learn here with other members, our own Dr. Baxter as well as your own doctor.

We'll be eager to hear about your progress!

Finally, please have a look at this Psychlinks posting for another insight into trazodone

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I'm going to guess that you were reporting difficulties with insomnia, machoman? That would be the usual reason for prescribing trazodone these days...

You might want to consult a doctor rather than a nurse about medications that might be more helpful with your issues/symptoms, especially the compulsive behavior you mention - Luvox (fluvoxamine) might be a much better choice for the combination of anxiety, depression, and compulsive internet use.

 

[machoman9]

Thank you both for your prompt response!

TSOW: As far as I remember, there is no other medication suggested to be combined with this one. The nurse is actually is consulting my family doctor, so that's the medical side of things.

I must note that this point, nothing has been prescribed; it was just a suggestion that I am given some time to think about, and at the end of the day, it's my decision.

I also must note that I am in my undergraduate studies, and have not gone through clinical training yet.

I am only skeptical because I know that people respond to different types of treatment differently; not everyone responds well to medication, and not everyone responds well to therapy (all kinds). I personally thought from knowing myself that I'd respond better to something more CBT-like.

Dr. Baxter: the nurse actually told me that this will help me in my sleeping even though I never said anything about insomnia!

I will consult the doctor more, and maybe even bring your suggestion to the table.

I also wanted more of a general advice on the decision factors one must keep in mind before taking any medication.

Once again, thanks for your responses!

 

[Halo]

Machoman,

Although I am not a professional and I know you said that you wanted to hear more from them, I can offer my thoughts on the decision making process for me personally on medications. I have been through about a dozen medications trying to find the right one but each and every time I am prescribed a new one I always have to weigh the pros and cons.

For me there seems to be two things that I consider and one is on the cons side which is of course the side effects of the medication. All medications come with their own list of potential side effects which may or may not affect a person. While each person is different, the possibilities of side effects is always a concern.

The other side is the pro to consider and for me that is that taking the medication will improve the quality of the life that I have and will help me with the depression and anxiety that I am struggling with. I always think that if the medication works and I am even somewhat relieved of the depression and anxiety, then the benefit has far outweighed the possibility of any side effect that may happen.

Again, this is just my personal opinion and I am not a professional, just a long time consumer.

 

[Into The Light]

hello machoman, i am not a professional but someone who has recovered from major depression by combining cbt and medication. i know medication is a huge stumbling block for many, it was for me for sure so i understand where you are coming from. here's my experience, for what it's worth.

i learned the hard way that i needed the medication. initially i was diagnosed with mild depression and i did all the things that can help: exercise, socialize, take relaxation time for myself, and tried to bring balance into my life. unfortunately because of some stressful events it wasn't enough and my depression got worse. there comes a point where doing all these things + cbt but without medication will not be enough to pull out of the depression.

i was very fearful of anti-depressants and a lot of that was based on the negative press that has been out there, and simply not being informed enough. there came a point for me though where it was either take the medication or continue to put myself in danger (either from lack of sleep - i remember crossing the road and totally forgetting to even look to see if any traffic was coming - or from worsening thoughts of wanting to die). depression can become a life-threatening disease, and it did for me. if it's mild, yes you can work hard at it and recover without medication. if it's beyond that, you're going to need a little help. the fact is, depression alters your brain chemistry and your brain physically changes. the medication brings that brain chemistry back to normal, but even then you need to work at your thought patterns. this is where cbt comes in. without the medication, the cbt doesn't hold as well, because you're brain's still physically changed. it just doesn't stick as well.

here's a link that provides useful information on anti-depressants. it would have been good for me to have had this information at the time when i was very concerned about the meds. it may help you in your decision. Top 10 Things You Should Know About Antidepressants

ultimately i agree with halo - if the anti-depressants can bring relief in your life from the depression and anxiety, then the side effects may be worth the trade-off. also, the side-effects may be temporary at first anyway. when i first started i noticed the dry mouth and being very awake, but after a couple of weeks that wore off. it will be trial and error to find the right one, and then a bit of patience to deal with the possible side-effects which may very well wear off once your body gets used to things.

good luck with your decision

 

[Into The Light]

the other thing to consider is that your depression does not just affect you. you may decide you can live with it or whatever, but the fact is, it really affects those around you who love you as well. if you don't want to take care of yourself for yourself, then at least consider doing it for those around you. depression is very hard on everyone touched by it, whether you suffer from it yourself or whether you know someone who has it.

 

[ThatLady]

If you're not having any trouble sleeping, like Dr. Baxter, I'd wonder if another medication might not work better for you. Do you feel rested after a night's sleep, or do you wake up feeling tired and depressed? Do you find yourself feeling the need to nap during the day? Do you keep fairly regular sleeping hours? I'm asking these questions to try to get a feel for why trazadone might have been suggested for you.

I notice TSOW supplied links to information on trazadone, so I won't bother to duplicate his efforts. Those links should provide the information you're seeking with regard to the medication.

Again agreeing with Dr. Baxter, if I were you I'd consult a physician for his/her take on what the right course of treatment might be for you. You could always see the mental health nurse for follow-up and support visits; however, CBT works best when combined with medications, so I think you'll need a physician anyway, if you decide to go that way.

Best of luck to you!

 

[machoman9]

Wow, thanks everyone for your replies!

Just a note, I don't mind feedback from anyone; even if they're not professional.

Halo, these are really the two primary factors. I have to admit, I am quite worried about the side effects .

Ladybug, thanks for your input. I must note that depression really isn't my biggest problem. It is more of anxiety (and even that isn't so severe), but as I said last time, it peaks in time of stong stressors, AND especially if that follows periods of SEVERE maladaptive internet use (compuslive or addictive).

As for ThatLady, well, I am really not having problems with sleeping. My sleeping is kind of unorganized in the sense that I would like to go to bed earlier than usual, but I don't because I spend time on the computer or watch TV or spend time with friends. But I don't have problems going to sleep, and I don't wake up tired or depressed unless I am in a very very bad mood before going to sleep (not really always the case).

I think my skepticism of medication has decreased rapidly, and I am almost ready to do so, but the question is, which medication?? I am not feeling comfortable with the suggestion of my nurse; what should I do?

 

[David Baxter PhD]

You've mentioned an internet addiction (compulsive behavior), anxiety, and depression.

My recommendations would be:

1. Luvox (fluvoxamine)

2. Cipralex (aka Lexapro, escitalopram)

3. Celexa (citalopram)

 

[ThatLady]

I'd make an appointment with a doctor if I were you, machoman. You might want to consider a psychologist who utilizes CBT. If you discuss the difficulties you're having with the psychologist, he/she should be able to recommend medications you might try (as David has). It's never a good idea to go on any medication if you don't feel comfortable with the person who made the recommendation. A second opinion can never do harm. As a matter of fact, you could even take David's suggestions to your medical doctor. That doctor knows your history and should be able to help you decide what might be best for you.

 

[machoman9]

Thanks for your feedback once again everyone!

I had another appointment with my nurse, and we discussed many things. I told her why I am against the suggest of tradozone especially that I am not having sleeping problems. I gave her Dr. Baxter's suggestions and she did see my point of view (I did some research on the medication, and internet addiction as a compulsive behaviour). So, we brought in my family physician and he gave me perscription for clonazepam to reduce my anxiety, and he said that this is something for short-term effect that will help me on my regular days; especially my exam days. He recommended it over the suggestion of Luvox simply because Luvox takes a while to kick in (4-6 weeks), and that I need something short-term. The nurse said that while I need something for short-term, the suggestion for a long-term medication is also valid and seems practical since I will have my final exams in nearly that period. She will take all those suggestions, consult with a psychiatrist (whom I have seen once a while back), and let me know next week.

I took all that info, and went to one of my professors (who happens to be a clinical psychologist). I was amazed how she undermined many things and told me that I am not an internet addict and I am not depressed, but I may have a little bit of anxiety. She did of course make sure that this was not a diagnosis, but generally judging from the conversation. She was against the idea of SSRIs (Luvox), and told me that I shouldn't "play with brain chemistry". My evaluation of her talk is that she did underestimate a few things, but at the same time, she raised my threshold for medication.

I am hearing different kinds of opinions; some things are definitely clearer at this point, but I am still confused on what to do!

 

[Halo]

I am hearing different kinds of opinions; some things are definitely clearer at this point, but I am still confused on what to do!

It seems to me that you are gaining a lot of information from different sources but the main source that you are forgetting to sit down and really evaluate is your own. Whether to take medication or not is absolutely a personal choice and no matter what anyone else says (i.e. whether they are for or against it) it ultimately comes down to what you feel and want for your life. Only you and your health care provider who knows your completely history (provided you are being honest with him or her) can truly evaluate whether there is a need for medication in the first place and then it is your choice to take it or not.

Take care and good luck.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I took all that info, and went to one of my professors (who happens to be a clinical psychologist). I was amazed how she undermined many things and told me that I am not an internet addict and I am not depressed, but I may have a little bit of anxiety. She did of course make sure that this was not a diagnosis, but generally judging from the conversation. She was against the idea of SSRIs (Luvox), and told me that I shouldn't "play with brain chemistry". My evaluation of her talk is that she did underestimate a few things, but at the same time, she raised my threshold for medication.

With all due respect to your professor, does she actually have a practice where she sees clients in the real world? And what does "play with brain chemistry" mean?

 

[machoman9]

Nancy, I agree with you, and it truly is my decision. I have my own inclinations, and I will make my decision soon based on that, so don't worry about me thinking about this.

With all due respect to your professor, does she actually have a practice where she sees clients in the real world? And what does "play with brain chemistry" mean?

She actually does; she is a practicing clinical psychologist.

I think really she meant that there is no need for medication. She really undermined the internet addiction, and made no big deal out of anxiety/depression.

I must note however that she was clear that she was not diagnosing me, but she said that based on what many (hundreds) of students told her in the past.

 

[Into The Light]

machoman, if she wasn't diagnosing you and based her response on hundreds of other students, i wonder if she really had enough information. her viewpoint may have been based on a first impression instead of an in depth conversation. i don't know how in depth it was and thus how reliable it was.

it is quite possible you do not need medication. it's just very difficult for us to assess based on your posts. we do not know the degree of impaired functioning you suffer as a result of your anxiety. it is best to talk it over with your doctor, get as informed as you can, and then decide. i had a lot of doubts too and i certainly can appreciate how difficult it is to know whether you should or shouldn't take them. if you are inclined to not taking medication, and you feel you can cope with the anxiety well enough, then that's fine. but if you're quality of life is taking quite a hit, you may wish to reconsider. weigh the pros and cons, and take it from there.

 

[Into The Light]

you may want to take this test to maybe clarify things for you more as well.

Psychology Today Anxiety Test