Question:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – WTF did you get your medical degree from? Whilst I *personally* agree with your *anecdotal evidence* that beta-blockers aren’t much use, there are others here who say differently. Drug reactions are unique and personal. Far more importantly, MAOIs are regarded as perhaps *the* most effective antidepressants for atypicial depression and anxiety problems by some leading psychopharmacologists. By saying what you have, and saying it as if you knew what you were talking about, you are not only giving incorrect advice, you are damaging people who have just been prescribed MAOIs (I know of at least one on this newsgroup) not to mention others who may be offered this medication in the future. I do wish people would *think* before they posted here. — Gary Cooper
Gary, I almost hate to admit it…<g…..but I totally agree with everything you just said. No absolutes or *fear triggers* here please. What you believe to be the *only* method of recovery may not be the same for others. Cyndie
Response:
I agree with Mike H, that the generic "equivalent" of Xanax is garbage. There are 25 different generics for Xanax on the market and the only equivalent is Greenstone Xanax if you can get that. Otherwise stick to the brand name. I had a major setback taking the generic. Combining a benzo and an SSRI seems to be a great combination for many panic disorder patients. As to MAOI’s, no person is considered treatment resistant until they have tried an MAO trial. Dietary restrictions(low tryramine diet) must be followed to avoid a blood pressure crisis.
Response:
<Heavily snipped anti-depressant drug. (Don’t let them put you on MAO Inhibitors whatever you do!) But Beta-Blockers are of little help…take it from one who knows.
WTF did you get your medical degree from? Whilst I *personally* agree with your *anecdotal evidence* that beta-blockers aren’t much use, there are others here who say differently. Drug reactions are unique and personal. Far more importantly, MAOIs are regarded as perhaps *the* most effective antidepressants for atypicial depression and anxiety problems by some leading psychopharmacologists. By saying what you have, and saying it as if you knew what you were talking about, you are not only giving incorrect advice, you are damaging people who have just been prescribed MAOIs (I know of at least one on this newsgroup) not to mention others who may be offered this medication in the future. I do wish people would *think* before they posted here. — Gary Cooper
Response:
For Panic Disorder, beta-blockers are a waste of both time and money. The previous correspondent was correct: Inderal is the big name in B/Bs. Essentially, beta-blockers shut down the adrenal glands, slowing the rapid flow of adrenalin into the body. They’re all right, I suppose, if your a little shakey and nervous. But if you’re having a full-blown panic attack…no way are they gonna help! My advice to you: Xanax, preferrably
there’s a thing known as prophylactic treatment.. if it is determined that the mitral valve is part of the trigger of full-fledged pa’s, the beta blockers DO have considerable value. sure, you can’t just eat one and expect to work like a xanax, it has to be a regular scheduled medication. maybe they didn’t work for you, but they made a huge difference for me. please don’t make the judgement of a medication for all of us if it didn’t work for you.. we are all different and what is needed to treat us is quite customized to our metabolisms and such… ie: i can sit here and tell you that xanax isn’t worth donkey droppings as THE treatment for me because of its very short half-life.. it only does good to help break or attempt to break a pa already in progress.. instead i take klonopin, which has a longer half-life and ends up being metabolized by me in the amoiunt of time xanax is supposed to be working within a person’s body. we’re all different.. get it?<g so.. you take what is best for you and i’ll take what is best for me and we’ll get along just fine. -lynne — /(;;//) (just another bug in the software)
Response:
Mike writes: For Panic Disorder, beta-blockers are a waste of both time and
money. The previous correspondent was correct: Inderal is the big name in B/Bs. Essentially, beta-blockers shut down the adrenal glands, slowing the rapid flow of adrenalin into the body. They’re all right, I suppose, if your a little shakey and nervous. But if you’re having a full-blown panic attack…no way are they gonna help! My advice to you: Xanax, preferrably the name-brand version by UpJohn and not some generic garbage. Xanax, which is a Benzodiazapene drug, works on the synaptic nerve firings of the brain. That’s where all this shit’s taking place in the first place, right?! Talk with your shrink first…see what he/she says. They may want to try you on some combo of Xanax and a low dosage of Prozac, Paxil or a tricyclic anti-depressant drug. (Don’t let them put you on MAO Inhibitors whatever you do!) But Beta-Blockers are of little help…take it from one who knows. Doesn’t it depend on the situation that causes the panic attacks? I found that I needed both Xanax and Inderal, because while I’m having a panic attack I also need to be performing at a level of high precision with my hands. There is no stopping and waiting till the shakes pass, or there is no job. Xanax did calm my mind a lot, but my heart would still be racing and my hands shaking, no matter how much Xanax I took, or how calm my mind was! I’d tell myself, "I feel great, I feel so in control," and my hands would shake as though they were attached to somebody else! I needed Inderal for that. I’ve also tried Inderal on its own a number of times, and there have been occasions when just not having the physical symptoms has alleviated my panic. Each attack tends to be a little different, and I don’t see why different things might work at different times. Sometimes I can get by with no meds, just talking to myself and doing relaxation. Other times I could medicate myself into dreamland and it still wouldn’t help. Kathy
Response:
Problem is, the drug doesn’t seem to help with my phobia; if anything, the problem has increased. (It does a great job of controlling my blood-pressure, however.)
You could look at another side of this – perhaps things would have beem much worse without the beta-blocker. One way it may have helped would have been to block the bodies normal response to panic/stress such as an increase in heart rate and a pounding heart. Hope you can find something that works.
Response:
first…see what he/she says. They may want to try you on some combo of Xanax and a low dosage of Prozac, Paxil or a tricyclic anti-depressant drug. (Don’t let them put you on MAO Inhibitors whatever you do!) But Beta-Blockers are of little help…take it from one who knows.
Why not, on the MAO inhibitors? I’m fairly ignorant to these drugs, but want to have a bit of knowledge when I go to see a shrink for the first time. What are some of these drugs, and why do you say no? Really curious… Kim
Response:
For Panic Disorder, beta-blockers are a waste of both time and money. The previous correspondent was correct: Inderal is the big name in B/Bs. Essentially, beta-blockers shut down the adrenal glands, slowing the rapid flow of adrenalin into the body. They’re all right, I suppose, if your a little shakey and nervous. But if you’re having a full-blown panic attack…no way are they gonna help! My advice to you: Xanax, preferrably the name-brand version by UpJohn and not some generic garbage. Xanax, which is a Benzodiazapene drug, works on the synaptic nerve firings of the brain. That’s where all this shit’s taking place in the first place, right?! Talk with your shrink first…see what he/she says. They may want to try you on some combo of Xanax and a low dosage of Prozac, Paxil or a tricyclic anti-depressant drug. (Don’t let them put you on MAO Inhibitors whatever you do!) But Beta-Blockers are of little help…take it from one who knows. — Mike H.
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – After a little digging (with a great deal of help from this group and others), I discovered that the condition that best fits my symptoms is social phobia. I also learned that social phobia is sometimes treated with a beta-blocking agent. A quick jump into the drug-info database (I work for an HMO) revealed that the most commonly prescribed drug for this purpose is none other than atenolol — the same drug I’ve been on for 7 years for high blood-pressure! Problem is, the drug doesn’t seem to help with my phobia; if anything, the problem has increased. (It does a great job of controlling my blood-pressure, however.) Has anyone here used atenolol to control social phobia without any positive results? What are the chances that part of the benefit of the drug is placebic (sp?) ? For instance, if I had known from the start that this drug should also have decreased my anxiety in social situations, might it have made a difference? — Sandra
I’m no expert on the subject, but I believe that atenolol is quite cardio-selective; that is, it targets the heart pretty exclusively. Thus it is a great drug for people with asthma and other assorted problems since it has fewer side effects than Inderal and other b-blockers. Inderal is less selective, and this slows breathing and affects other functions, which is why it’s often given for so-called "performance anxiety." Inderal, therefore, has more of a calming affect. This is how I understand it though, and it is something you should *definitely* take up with your doctor. I’m only suggesting this may help to explain why atenolol has been ineffective as far as fighting anxiety, but your doctor and others may disagree. Do some research and some talking with your doctor and hang in there. Just some thoughts, -Steve
Response:
After a little digging (with a great deal of help from this group and others), I discovered that the condition that best fits my symptoms is social phobia. I also learned that social phobia is sometimes treated with a beta-blocking agent. A quick jump into the drug-info database (I work for an HMO) revealed that the most commonly prescribed drug for this purpose is none other than atenolol — the same drug I’ve been on for 7 years for high blood-pressure! Problem is, the drug doesn’t seem to help with my phobia; if anything, the problem has increased. (It does a great job of controlling my blood-pressure, however.) Has anyone here used atenolol to control social phobia without any positive results? What are the chances that part of the benefit of the drug is placebic (sp?) ? For instance, if I had known from the start that this drug should also have decreased my anxiety in social situations, might it have made a difference? — Sandra
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – After a little digging (with a great deal of help from this group and others), I discovered that the condition that best fits my symptoms is social phobia. I also learned that social phobia is sometimes treated with a beta-blocking agent. A quick jump into the drug-info database (I work for an HMO) revealed that the most commonly prescribed drug for this purpose is none other than atenolol — the same drug I’ve been on for 7 years for high blood-pressure! Problem is, the drug doesn’t seem to help with my phobia; if anything, the problem has increased. (It does a great job of controlling my blood-pressure, however.) Has anyone here used atenolol to control social phobia without any positive results? What are the chances that part of the benefit of the drug is placebic (sp?) ? For instance, if I had known from the start that this drug should also have decreased my anxiety in social situations, might it have made a difference? — Sandra
As far as I know the most popular beta blocker prescribed for performance anxiety is inderal. It lessens tremours, heart rate, etc. and is often used by musicians before auditions, solos, etc.. I don’t think it, or most beta blockers, are much use for social phobias. I was on Lopressor for blood pressure for a long time but got of it and didn’t notice any increase in anxiety. — Reinhard Schlosser "Non illegitimus carborundum"
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