[Gabyunbound]

It seems that a lot of us suffer from anxiety as well as BP. How does your anxiety affect your BP (or vice versa)? Do any of your BP meds also help with anxiety?

I'm hoping to find a BP med that also helps me with my terrible anxiety (which is the one symptom I really do have every day). When I was taking Seroquel (for BP) at much higher doses it did help with it, but I just can't tolerate it at any dose anymore.

I take klonopin, but just once a day, mildly helpful. And propranolol once a day for the physical symptoms of anxiety (shaking, etc.), moderately helpful with that aspect of it.

As far as how my anxiety affects my BP, or vice versa, the only thing I can say is that when I'm depressed, my anxiety increases and when hypomanic it disappears. I'd love to hear your guys' experiences. It's a combination (BP and anxiety) that really sucks

I'm more prone to having anxiety when I'm hypo/manic or when I'm depressed. Mixed state? Oddly, not so much.

Hypo/mania anxiety is more along the lines of paranoia, whereas depression anxiety is classical anxiety.

I currently take Ativan (PRN) for my anxiety. In fact, I just popped an Ativan because my anxiety is through the roof right now.

[~Christina]

I have yet to meet a person with BP that doesn't deal with anxiety/ panic issues.. Its just part of the Bipolar unfortunately.

My anxiety is independant of my bipolar, but during hypo/mania paranoid episodes, it goes through the roof and nothing that's been tried or suggested helps in this case. I have to ride it out until it passes, which it eventually does but feels like it takes forever. I take Ativan sometimes and it's mildly helpful at the recommended 1mg dose and a little more effective when I take 2. My doctor knows I sometimes take 2. I wish I could get a serious tranquilizer for when anxiety is out of control. I hope you find something which works, I know how terrible and f'ing awful it can be. (((Hugs)))

[Gabyunbound]

Originally Posted by bluebicycle

I'm more prone to having anxiety when I'm hypo/manic or when I'm depressed. Mixed state? Oddly, not so much.

Hypo/mania anxiety is more along the lines of paranoia, whereas depression anxiety is classical anxiety.

I currently take Ativan (PRN) for my anxiety. In fact, I just popped an Ativan because my anxiety is through the roof right now.

Does Ativan really help you? I'm wondering if I should mention it to my pdoc...

[Nammu]

My anxiety is much better controlled after dealing with the PTSD and working with a T on tool to defuse some of it...of course I still take propranolol for it but, yay it works.

I deal with panic disorder on a daily basis. Sometimes when I'm depressed I have no anxiety - I'm just dead inside and don't care about anything. Other times I have crushing, debilitating dread (the worst!!). When hypo my anxiety vanishes, but as soon as things start to turn I get a more agitated/racing obsessive thoughts 'brand' of anxiety.

CBT actually really helped me in the past - did more for me than any med ever has. I now take zoloft for anxiety but I don't know how much it helps. I also take ativan prn but I find it very addictive so it's really not a sustainable solution for me. I also just started a CBT/mindfulness therapy course that is very helpful so far - I highly recommend it.

The 'good' thing about anxiety (which, for me, is actually worse than depression) is that it actually does respond very well to therapy. Good luck

[st0psign]

mixed states send my anxiety skyrocketing.

Originally Posted by Gabyunbound

Does Ativan really help you? I'm wondering if I should mention it to my pdoc...

Yeah, Ativan is pretty nice. I take the minimum dosage (0.5 mg) and it relaxes me enough. I'm instructed to take 1-2 mg if I'm hypo/manic and can't get sleep. That totally knocks me out.

[Amy Today]

I have anxiety almost all of the time regardless of my state. The thing that helps me the best is to take my klonopin regularly, twice a day. Once a day or once in awhile is not enough for me. My pdoc keeps saying we'll only do it short term, but short term is turning long term.

I think, in general, Bipolar peeps are a hypersensitive kind, which is a good quality...a gift even. Except in THIS world where we pick up all the stimuli around us with no shield so we're completely overwhelmed and have no way to filter it. So klonopin it is.

[xRavenx]

Originally Posted by Gabyunbound

It seems that a lot of us suffer from anxiety as well as BP. How does your anxiety affect your BP (or vice versa)? Do any of your BP meds also help with anxiety?

I'm hoping to find a BP med that also helps me with my terrible anxiety (which is the one symptom I really do have every day). When I was taking Seroquel (for BP) at much higher doses it did help with it, but I just can't tolerate it at any dose anymore.

I take klonopin, but just once a day, mildly helpful. And propranolol once a day for the physical symptoms of anxiety (shaking, etc.), moderately helpful with that aspect of it.

As far as how my anxiety affects my BP, or vice versa, the only thing I can say is that when I'm depressed, my anxiety increases and when hypomanic it disappears. I'd love to hear your guys' experiences. It's a combination (BP and anxiety) that really sucks

Anxiety definitely plays a role in my episodes. As my pdoc says, it is "secondary' to the BP diagnosis, but still creates a lot of difficulties in my life.

When hypo: More agitation than actual anxiety, but sometimes I get fixated on activities and anxious about all these grandiose plans that I start making, so anxiety is usually there at a moderate level

Manic: High anxiety and even higher anxiety when in a dysphoric/mixed mania, coupled with paranoid ideation. I start looking over my shoulder and thinking different people in my life are out to get me. Plus, I get all the physical anxiety symptoms around this time. At the onset of mania, I don't feel as much anxiety, because I usually have more confidence, but other factors, such as irritability, eventually lead to terrible anxiety symptoms physically and emotionally.

Depression: General feeling of being overwhelmed sets in. Some days, I'm too hopeless to even experience the full effects of anxiety, but anxiety I think always plays a significant role in the "crash" of not being able to keep up anymore.

[GoldenSnitch]

I've always been anxious so I've been dealing with that for a lot longer. My therapist has been very helpful for dealing with some of these things. I take Cipralex daily and I have found it to help. I did have Ativan prn and it didn't so much help with the anxiety as it just made me sleepy but I'm thinking about getting a new prescription for it again.

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[MusicLover82]

Even when I'm stable, it's not unusual for me to have an anxiety attack a couple times a week. Xanax is a godsend for me. I also try to keep up with regular exercise and that seems to help.

AP's such as Latuda and Abilify have helped immensely with my anxiety. Abilify has been giving me so many side effects lately, so we'll see if I can even stay on very much of it. I'm thinking about asking my pdoc if I can try Invega next.

[SpasticBliss]

Originally Posted by Gabyunbound

It seems that a lot of us suffer from anxiety as well as BP. How does your anxiety affect your BP (or vice versa)? Do any of your BP meds also help with anxiety?

I'm hoping to find a BP med that also helps me with my terrible anxiety (which is the one symptom I really do have every day). When I was taking Seroquel (for BP) at much higher doses it did help with it, but I just can't tolerate it at any dose anymore.

I take klonopin, but just once a day, mildly helpful. And propranolol once a day for the physical symptoms of anxiety (shaking, etc.), moderately helpful with that aspect of it.

As far as how my anxiety affects my BP, or vice versa, the only thing I can say is that when I'm depressed, my anxiety increases and when hypomanic it disappears. I'd love to hear your guys' experiences. It's a combination (BP and anxiety) that really sucks

I've always been interested in the combinations of symptoms and how they work like that. You said your anxiety increases when you're depressed. I've recently noted that my paranoia increases when I'm tired. I think these sound similar. Maybe when we are feeling "week" (tired or depressed) it brings out the defense mechanisms that malfunction when we're so "out of it," like your anxiety, my paranoia. Just a theory.

[Spaceyspace]

I'm a very anxious person. I just got completely weaned off klonopin in March because it was no longer working and I didn't want to keep increasing the dose. I'm taking celexa and it's helping a bit but my biggest problem is panic attacks in public places. For example, if I'm in a big store the lights and the collective noise already disorient me, and if it's crowded I get very anxious. By the time I get to the checkout I'm a wreck. My senses are just very sensitive.

[OctobersBlackRose]

I have high anxiety, and it can affect me in any episode, it can manifest as agitation as well, but mostly it manifests in chest pains, and upset stomach. My Abilify helps a little with my anxiety.

[Gabyunbound]

Originally Posted by OctobersBlackRose

I have high anxiety, and it can affect me in any episode, it can manifest as agitation as well, but mostly it manifests in chest pains, and upset stomach. My Abilify helps a little with my anxiety.

I feel it in my stomach as well, but it's not upset stomach, it's like a thousand butterflies flying around in there! Ugh -panic...

I take klonopin in the morning but I'm going to ask my pdoc if I can take an afternoon dose as well. That would also give me more of an idea if it's helping because in the morning I take it with a bunch of other meds. I'm just afraid it would make me tired... I take Abilify too, but doesn't help with anxiety unfortunately.

[Moogieotter]

Loves me summa dat prozac!

[bizi]

Originally Posted by Nammu

My anxiety is much better controlled after dealing with the PTSD and working with a T on tool to defuse some of it...of course I still take propranolol for it but, yay it works.

isn't this a cardiac medication? used for anxiety? off brand/label?
bizi

[Nammu]

Originally Posted by bizi

isn't this a cardiac medication? used for anxiety? off brand/label?
bizi

Propranolol is a blood pressure med but it's often used as an anxiety meds. Performance actors use it for performance anxiety because unlike benzos it doesn't affect you mentally. I think it's off label but it's been used for a long time and has a proven track record. It can be used as a PRN or as a daily med without building tolerance.

[bizi]

I forgot!
thanks....
hubby takes it for performance anxiety.
but it causes memory issues so he doesn't like to take it.
bizi