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New to the group----transitioning from one med to another

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

NgohOiNei

Good to hear from you, it is always nice to hear how others are doing.

Davit.

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 5

Thought I should check in with everybody. I'm doing alright! I'm down to 0.25mg that I'm splitting in half so I'm taking 0.125mg QAM and QHS. Next few days I have off of work I will completely stop. I haven't missed a day of work yet. I had one scary experience driving to work having a full on panic attack....but I haven't had one that bad since. I've been trying to look on the bright side of things. Maybe I will have more energy... Maybe I will start walking more.... Maybe I won't dread every doctors visit and pharmacy phone call if something isn't ready. I'm still on 300mg Gabapentin PO TID. I'm feeling alright. Will probably up the dose next visit with the doctor to QID. It's quite the journey making this transition. I've found the website helpful to keep my occupied, take my mind off my problems, learn to separate the mental behavior from the physical symptoms that happen during panic attacks. I'm building a new kind of confidence day by day... p.s.- I spoke to my doctor about Propananol. He won't prescribe it to me as there is a concern about my vitals being on the low end.. Anybody out there still thinking about Benadryl and Panic attacks. There is a well documented correlation between the two. Yes, some doctors prescribe it for anxiety or panic attacks...under the name Hydroxyzine. Thanks everybody

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 219

Davit,

I agree, I will be cautious if I ever find the need to take another benadryl. I spoke with my daughter who has had a few anxiety attacks but it wasn't until after I did the earlier research and she said, come to think of it, they did occur after taking that or close to around that time. Maybe its something genetic in our family. The medication I'm on for Bile Salt Diarrhea has no generic form so I can relate to no substitution.

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

JayDee

When a person gets this sort of reaction I call it an intolerance rather than an allergy since it is uncomfortable rather than life threatening. I have a few meds that do the opposite of what they are supposed to do. Some Antibiotics that I took with no trouble now cause panic attacks. My first panic attack was after a minor surgery to repair a broken tendon. A friend picked me up at the hospital and we went for lunch. She always had a beer with lunch so I did too to be sociable.

Almost instant chest pain and so we went back to the hospital to ER. And there began my dependence on Ativan. I was not aware that the anaesthetic can take days to totally leave a persons body and it can react with a number of things.

So began my anxiety disorder and here I am now being careful with med combinations because it can happen again.

Benadryl is not something that affects me. I use it to counter the itching from morphine. I've been using it in combination with a number of meds.

But being the way anxiety disorders work and how memory plays a part I would not be surprised in the least if you can never again take Benadryl. I do know a couple of people that can not take it and they both have an anxiety disorder. Which does not mean there is not a physical reason for the reaction, My concern would be with getting an associated reaction from similar medications just because you expect to. I've done that. I often wonder what life was like before medication. Not a place I should go since there are two I need that have no substitute.

Davit.

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 219

Here is what I found online for the connection between Benadryl and anxiety/panic attacks. First the not so good.

Source(s):
Wiki. Here are some more side effects.

"This leads to profound drowsiness as a very common side-effect, along with the possibilities of motor impairment (ataxia), dry mouth and throat, flushed skin, rapid or irregular heartbeat (tachycardia), blurred vision at nearpoint owing to lack of accommodation (cycloplegia), abnormal sensitivity to bright light (photophobia), pupil dilation (mydriasis), urinary retention (ischuria), constipation, difficulty concentrating, short-term memory loss, visual disturbances, hallucinations, irritability, itchy skin, confusion, erectile dysfunction, and delirium". I don't like the sound of that.

Secondly, that some Doctors use Benadryl to treat anxiety and panic attacks. Interesting to read.

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 219

I've thought about this overnight and on April 30th I had another surgery to remove cancer. The following day I appeared sun burned from the neck up. I immediately called the surgeon, whom informed me to take a Benadryl. It was within 24 hours of

that, that I suffered my first full blown panic attack. I also have Generalized Anxiety Disorder since 1998. I started recalling my oldest son, took benadryl for sinuses and had an anxiety attack years ago. So, with that being said, I am off to search for any correlation/connection between the benadryl and anxiety/panic attacks.

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

I love your determination and will be here to listen and support you. You are definitely not alone. I quit Ativan after a four year stretch so, know it can be done. I will never use it again. Keep in mind Propranolol is the only beta blocker for anxiety, the others only work for hypertension. Personal experience. I take atenolol for blood pressure.

Davit

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 5

Thanks for responding everybody! It really means the world to know you are not alone. I am walking through my fears- trying to remind myself as needed that physical symptoms I "think" I am having are really just mental projections of anxiety. Separating the mental from physical is really important for me right now. It's also been very important for me to get out and put myself into the world as opposed to cowering in bed at home. Once I am done with the klonopin taper (in one week) I am going to ask the doctor for Propananol to use as needed in conjunction with the Gabapentin. I'm going to be out of the country in September and I'm trying not to freak out about being on a plane for 11 hours!

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 219

Hi, I'm a 4-5 week old newbie here and the program really helps.

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 12049

Ngoh,

Welcome and thanks for posting and sharing with us!

It is very therapeutic and a great journaling tool.

Working with you doctor in conjunction with medication is a great step to progression. Take the time to look through the program and do some homework! This can also help you progress.

Keep posting your thoughts with us!

Josie, Health Educator

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New to the group----transitioning from one med to another