[EmilyAnne]

I've recently realized that my mental health issues are probably a fair sight closer to BPD than a straight anxiety disorder. I'm working with a therapist, which is helping some, but I still have major anxiety attacks once or twice a week that leave me not really being able to make any progress with anything before getting set back by spending an entire evening panicking about how no one will ever love me, and all my friends are pulling away, and I'll never be able to get a job, which leaves me stuck in my apartment in tears, feeling like my rib cage is collapsing.
I want to meet with a psychiatrist and ask about PRN anxiety meds, (I've hated all the things I've tried that were continuous, since they all left me with weird amounts of focus and surreal dreams, and I don't like the idea of always being drugged up) but that's basically the same as me going in and asking for benzos of some type, since they're the only PRN anxiety med out there. Will this get me labeled as med seeking, and turned down automatically?

In another related question, does it make sense for me to ask about mood stabilizers to try and deal with the rapid swings from being perfectly normal to crushing depression and anxiety, or do mood stabilizers really only help with manic episodes, not the low end of the spectrum?
Thanks in advance.

(I also posted this on another bpd forum, but I wanted to post here as well to try and get as much feedback as possible)

Hey Emily,

"I want to meet with a psychiatrist and ask about PRN anxiety meds, (I've hated all the things I've tried that were continuous, since they all left me with weird amounts of focus and surreal dreams, and I don't like the idea of always being drugged up) but that's basically the same as me going in and asking for benzos of some type, since they're the only PRN anxiety med out there. Will this get me labeled as med seeking, and turned down automatically?"

Firstly there are so many types of medications for anxiety in the 'antidepressant' category that it's still possible to find one with not too many side effects that works for you. I use PRNs for anxiety, they help at the time, but they don't change much in the big picture (but then again you must know this, too). PRN type meds just mask symptoms, they don't change anything, but they do help when things get overwhelming.

As far as being labelled 'drug seeking' I don't see it as a problem in asking your pdoc to try it out, that is if you don't have a history of drug abuse or drug-seeking behavior, otherwise they will most likely try something else.
But, hey I personally don't see a problem with you talking openly about your choice in meds.

Also , I don't have any experience with mood stabilizers, but I'm sure others here may have some input for you.

Best of luck.

[EmilyAnne]

"Firstly there are so many types of medications for anxiety in the 'antidepressant' category that it's still possible to find one with not too many side effects that works for you."
That might be true, but so far the ones that I've been on have made me bad at my job, and since I do contract work, I really can't keep taking that risk until I find the one that works, if any do. Once I have a more stable job situation, I might consider it, but for now it's too big a cost to pay.

" I use PRNs for anxiety, they help at the time, but they don't change much in the big picture (but then again you must know this, too). PRN type meds just mask symptoms, they don't change anything, but they do help when things get overwhelming."

Aren't all meds just masking the symptoms? I don't expect the meds to work on their own, just to keep things under control enough for therapy to help.

"As far as being labelled 'drug seeking' I don't see it as a problem in asking your pdoc to try it out, that is if you don't have a history of drug abuse or drug-seeking behavior, otherwise they will most likely try something else.
But, hey I personally don't see a problem with you talking openly about your choice in meds. "
Thanks. I think this is partly just me being paranoid, and figuring that no one is going to help if they don't absolutely have to.

[sujunew]

re mood stabilisers, before I was diagnosed with BPD I was on some mood stabilisers but I had an allergic reaction to them. I forget the exact reason I was prescribed them anyway as I have always suffered from low mood only although your description of having normal moods then swinging to crushing depression describes me perfectly... When I was first diagnosed with BPD I was on several meds including mood stabilisers and anit-anxiety meds, as well as antidepressants. Since I was on them all at once I don't know which ones helped what (my head was so fuzzy and I was in such a bad space I couldn't figure anything out) but I guess that each and every one of them worked together to get me into a better space. At the time, though, I was battling psychosis so that have influenced the meds I was on too. I don't think this really helps your query, but it's just my own experience with them.