PRNs for anxiety

What are the advantages or disadvantages of one over another? What instructions have you been given with these meds? Is there a limit on how many times per day you can take them? Can you take more if the first dose didn't seem to help? Do you wait until you are in a panic, or take it at the first sign of anxiety or even in anticipation of a stressful situation?

Thanks!

Neat site :-) http://anxiety-panic.com/dictionary/en-main.htm

I only see Alprazolam (Xanax) as PRN straight out but if you click on others they tell you what "kind" of med it is and starting dose, etc.

I thought that Ativan was sometimes used PRN also, and maybe Klonopin? Xanax is the one that I am thinking about though. (not for me, for someone else - I need to work on noticing when I have anxiety, because I do, and it affects me and other people, but I don't know it).

Looks like Ativan is a benzo, "best started slowly with ramped dosage and discontinued slowly by tapering dosage". They also have this warning: "CAUTION: Excessive use of BDZ medications can result in addiction or aggravation of an anxiety disorder. The main symptom of excessive BDZ dosage is drowsiness. BDZ medications should only be used to make anxiety or panic tolerable, not eliminate anxiety entirely."

So I don't know that it would be PRN as people might overdo it on their own?

The PRN I take for Anxiety is Risperdal M-Tabs. They are Risperdal pills that dissolve on your tongue. They seem to work pretty good when I need them which isn't very often since I started taking the Klonopin on a regular basis at night.

Jbug

Yes, I did Ativan by script and PRN daily. I took 1 mg in the a.m. and p.m., and could take .5 mg (up to an additonal 1 mg) as needed daily.

I didn't need the PRN dose more than once a week, and Ativan was a very fast acting benzo for me.

Good luck

ativan is the fastest acting of the benzos and so is good for people with panic attacks, I was given it 1 - 2 mg every 4 hours as needed. The max safe dose is 10 mg / day according to my pharmacist. It is also the most addictive of the class.

I'm now on clonazapam 1 mg 3 X daily and 2 mg at night, although most days I only wind up taking 1 mg in the am. I find it's good because though it's not as fast acting it stays in my system longer.

I used to take Zyprexa as a PRN when I was in the hospital. It worked prettyy well

When I was inpatient and was having a lot of anxiety they'd give me a Geodon and Ativan shot. No more anxiety and then again no more talking to anyone for awhile as it knocked me on my hiney and I slept for a long time. I had to have those shots almost every day I was in the hospital.

Jbug

Ativan, Lorazapam, Xanax have been helpful prn, but there is the possibility of addiction.

How long does it take for the meds to work?

I'm working with two people who both got prescriptions for Xanax as a PRN. My clients aren't able to communicate very well about how they feel or when they have anxiety, or whether or not it helps them, so we have to watch for behavioral signs. It would help me to know how people who are able to manage their own meds use this so that I can help my clients. I know that both of them have a lot of anxiety, although they might not even know what the word "anxiety" means. They express it by refusing to do something (like getting on the bus), or by yelling, running and hiding in a bedroom or bathroom, throwing things, etc. I can tell that they are afraid of something, even though there isn't usually anything that we can see as a threat to them, and their behavior often puts them at risk.

If you take a PRN, how do you know when you need it? Is there any sign that someone else might be able to recognize as a sign that you need your PRN?

Thanks!

In my experience with clients I've worked with needing xanax or ativan etc....I've noticed they sometimes have tics...or physical traits that come on when the anxiety is growing. Some tap their fingers or their feet....some chew their nails....some even have a different look in their eyes. I've had some that eat like crazy or refuse food when anxious too. If they are verbal, sometimes they talk more or talk faster....or their minds go from one thing to another in split seconds. In clients that were pretty non-verbal I had to really watch them and how they acted in specific situations to be able to gauge when the anxiety was creeping up.

If they are going on an outing and you know them to have anxiety from previous outings...maybe it would be good to have them take a med before going. Or at the very least have the med with you to give them if something crops up.

I've found that ativan etc usually work pretty quickly....withing 10 minutes or so to start feeling the affects. I also take ativan or klonopin myself for anxiety and find it works pretty quickly for me.

Hope this helped a little ((((((((((((((( Rap )))))))))))))))))))


sabby

I tend to talk quickly, move around alot, and internally my thoughts would speed up. The meds would take an average of 15 - 20 mins to work.