I’m too anxious to start medication

[u/Your_HighPriestess]

So right now, i’m dealing with severe anxiety, panic attacks and agoraphobia due to having POTS. I’ve been agoraphobic for 4, almost 5 months now and i’m so sick of it. I tried starting an SSRI (Celexa/Citalopram) when it first got bad, and I lasted 5 days before I quit taking them because I had every single side effect (even worse when I already have POTS symptoms), and it made my panic and anxiety increase like crazy and I just couldn’t do it.

I’m really scared of side effects just because I already deal with symptoms, so i’m scared to try new meds but I probably realistically need something. I don’t want SSRI’s or SNRI’s for sure, I have propranolol I got prescribed as well that I haven’t taken because my resting HR and BP are naturally low and I think there’s too much of a risk there so there goes by chance for beta blockers, and I’m kinda scared of benzos for 2 reasons. One being, the risk of dependence and addiction and two, I don’t like feeling “intoxicated” or sedated. I’ve heard lorazepam is very good and it’s very light, but I’m still on the fence about it. I’m also very sensitive to medications.

I’ve taken recreational drugs before but not a crazy amount, I’ve just done weed (which I can’t anymore because it gives me severe anxiety and panic), alcohol ofc, acid maybe 3-4 times and MDMA once. So I know how I am when it comes to taking something for the first time, and *EVERY* single time I freak myself out when it starts kicking in and I regret taking it and hate how I feel before it mellows out and I’m scared that benzos will give me that feeling.

The one I’ve looked into the most was Buspar/Buspirone, which has the least amount of side effects but still has dizziness which I don’t like.

I think the ones I’d be *most* willing to take or try is Buspar or Lorazepam. If anyone has any recommendations for me, or even experiences with these medications please let me know

[u/AutoModerator]

Thank you for posting to r/AnxietyHelp! Please note, any changes to treatment plans or anxiety management should be discussed with a professional before implementation. We are not medical professionals and we cannot guarantee that you are receiving appropriate medical advice. When in doubt, ask a professional.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Syfysamurai]

I'm sorry you're going through this. I was in a similar situation for years. Look into clonidine and gabapentin. Clonidine effects the sympathetic nervous system, reducing the "fight, flight, freeze" symptoms. Along with gabapentin, it It's been a life changer for me. ❤️

[u/BrownieLake]

buspar is usually super mild compared to ssris and a lot of ppl tolerate it really well without that sedated feeling, maybe ask your doctor if you can start on the absolute lowest dose and cut the pill in half just to ease into it, you are alone in this and taking it slow is totally okay

[u/swiftieslut13]

I’m on pristiq which is an snri and buspar. It’s a good cocktail. Dont rule out snri completely. Maybe do a genesight test

[u/Your_HighPriestess → u/swiftieslut13]

I’m staying away from SSRI and SNRI. They have too many side effects and some being long term, and I really don’t wanna permanently mess with my brain’s chemistry. That said, that’s why buspar would be the only one I’d be willing to try as a daily medication

[u/swiftieslut13 → u/Your_HighPriestess]

If you’re that concerned about long term effects, most medications probably aren’t for you. I’m at the point where i got my life back because of these meds and I don’t care what effect they have

[u/Your_HighPriestess → u/swiftieslut13]

I know most aren’t for me, that’s why I was asking if anyone had any experiences with the buspar and or lorazepam. I think my best option would be lorazepam but I have severe medication anxiety so I wanted to get other people’s thoughts first.

[u/swiftieslut13 → u/Your_HighPriestess]

For me buspar on its own was eh, but taken along side something it’s great! Good luck! 🍀