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Are your prescription meds affecting your anxiety?

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Are your prescription meds affecting your anxiety?

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Vincenza

It really depends on how bad the side effects are going to be, imagined or real. First off knowing what the side effect is going to be and how long it will last is important and this is for both real and imagined. For some you may get an impaired feeling that lasts a short period. T3s for example and this impaired feeling may cause anxiety because it is a foreign feeling that you think doesn't belong there. So if you can accept it and sit quietly with a cup of tea till it subsides you will be okay. But some mediations do have anxiety as a side effect, like minocin that can hit rather hard and you have to sit or escape. This one you don't want to take if you are going to go into a situation that causes anxiety on top of it. In this case it is a case of taking it when you will be the least stressed so you can wait it out. Having it wake you at night is not good. On the other hand if it is an imagined anxiety from a drug that merely makes you sleepy and the impaired feeling is causing anxiety you could take it when you can sleep through it. But there are drugs like cloxacillin that cause 24 hour nausea and anxiety. A bad combination and worse at very high doses. With this one unless you are very good at accepting the side effect and can avoid other anxiety the only answer may be the temporary use of a tranquillizer. Starting with herbals first since they seldom have side effects or withdrawal. You have to weigh the benefits against the side effects. There is also self talk, which works for me. Basically saying I survived the side effect, it will be less next time. This was was necessary with clox because not only was I stuck in a chair for an hour on the pump but I had to do this every 6 hours. No break from the side effect. Most meds are a lot milder than this.

I have been on a lot of medication in the last ten years and some of it very high doses. One thing I noticed was that when I was very sick it was a distraction that wasn't there when I got better so the anxiety was worse as I got better and I needed distraction and relaxation skills more.

One other thing that few people will ever experience is the hallucinations from very bad infection. In this case it is not the medication. But if you can ride it out by finding the experience interesting it has little effect. Unfortunately this is different from the side effects of medication and doesn't work as well for the anxiety from meds.

There is compounding too. Taking an OTC med with a prescribed one just increases the side effects. A lot of OTCs have sleepy or dizzy as side effects and if being impaired causes you anxiety you will want to avoid these.

Davit.

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1853

You're absolutely right Davit.

For many, the thought of taking meds causes anxiety. How to alleviate that?

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Vincenza

You missed antibiotics, especially penicillin. And drugs don't have to have it as a side effect, just how they make you feel can trigger it. Prednisone doesn't bother me but I'm not taking it for asthma. Tetrocyclins and penicillins do but not cephalosporins. And there is the thought aspect. If you think it does it will.

Davit.

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1853

Many medications can cause anxiety or make anxiety worse. Discuss your medications with your doctor if you think that one may be adding to your anxiety.

Prescription medicines that may cause anxiety include:

• Medications that contain amphetamines, such as Benzedrine, Dexedrine, and Ritalin.

• Hormones, such as oral contraceptives and thyroid medications.

• Steroids, such as cortisone, Hexadrol, and prednisone.

• Respiratory medications, such as albuterol, salmeterol, and theophylline.

• Other medications, such as phenytoin, levodopa, quinidine, and some antidepressants.

Nonprescription medications that may cause anxiety include:

• Medications that contain caffeine, such as Anacin, Empirin, Excedrin, No-Doz, and cough medicines.

• Decongestants, such as phenylephrine, including Sudafed PE.

• Illegal drugs, such as cocaine, crack, or speed (amphetamines).

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Are your prescription meds affecting your anxiety?