medication for help with flashbacks does it exist?

Does any oe know of any medications that help to control flashbacks. I am currently experiencing what seems like continuous flashbacks that are leaving me exhausted and at the moment struggling to know what is real and what isn't. I don't feel safe any where. xx

(((((((((silentandscared)))))))))))))))))

I don't know of any drug that could specifically help you in that way... but do you have a therapist or a family doctor or pdoc (psychiatrist) you can talk to about possible med options (and other options) to deal with the flashbacks?

Hiyes l do have a therapist and a pdoc but the general opinion seems to bethat it always gets worse before it gets better. I can understand that but with three young children and a job to hold down l am struggling very much. The only way l can stop the flashbacks at the moment is sl and each time it takes more to make them stop

Yes, there are medications that can help. Some people find buspar really helpful for this and there are other possibilities too.

Are you in therapy, have you gone through a mental health evaluation yet? Please find a way to do so if you haven't, this will help a lot.

Until then do you have access to a crisis hot line you can call?

You also can go to an ER and report what your symptoms are.

yes l am in therapy but only about six weeks in. My pdoc just keeps saying that things have to get worse b4 they get better. I know that but this is such torture! I don't know what to do

Clonozepam (klonopin) is normally the drug associated for dealing with flashbacks or HPPD, as far as I know.

I experience some HPPD myself as a result of indiscretions in my more reckless years. I didn't start taking clono specifically because of that but I found that it's really helped my symptoms. My sleep is much improved as well.

thanks for that see what pdoc say

tc and thanks again

Valium helps me. It helps the anxiety.

Prazosin, a blood pressure med helps with the PTSD. I have PTSD and have really noticed a difference. Plus, my blood pressure is always normal! My doctor prescribed it for this!

It really does get worse before it gets better. But if you're tackling hard stuff in T, it might help to ask to put it in pause for now and to work on building up your resources instead, so that you feel less vulnerable and have fewer flashbacks.

In my experience, my flashbacks honestly didn't decrease for many months. Medically, it was a matter of finding the right sleep med--when I was well-rested, I was less vulnerable to flashbacks and less anxious in general. Of course, the biggest help was getting through my trauma in T so I could process it. It took a looooooong time.

My heart goes out to you, because I know how hard this time can be. You can make it through this.

I experience some same of flashbacks and such and mostly I take one med for panic and anxiety as one other has mentioned above Klonopin or Clonazepam the generic, it helps me a great deal with anxiety and panic also sleep. I believe that you can even as I have experienced have panic attacks in your sleep, also Effexor XR can be helpful with OCD panic and anxiety.

Best of luck with your pdoc and all the anxiety.

Prozac, perhaps? It was initially prescribed for my Generalized Anxiety Disorder, but it's helped in a lot of surprising ways -- things like flashbacks are far less frequent, with the intensity greatly reduced. They are still present, though mine were never severe in the first place -- but perhaps a higher dosage could work. The jump from 30mg to 40mg had the surprising effect of (almost) completely taking away my fear of having to be completely alone in the mountains, at night, in the pitch black dark -- a setting I regularly find myself in (horses).

I took valium before a dentist's appointment once (giant horse-sized needles were about to dig into the back of my mouth.... something no amount of novocaine could truly take care of) and spent the next 24 hours bothered by not. a. thing. in. the. world. It was an awesome 'vacation' from life, but I couldn't function on it in the longterm. I could see it working for intense flashbacks, though.. again, perhaps.

i went through a period of intense flashbacks early last year. in the end (after about a month) my pdoc prescribed me some zyprexa. it calmed me down almost immediately, and was a great help. i only took 4 half tablets over four days, and after that the flashbacks started to subside of their own accord.

Hi SilentandScared,

I wanted to let you know that Risperdal was immensely helpful in controlling my flashbacks, literally took them away. At some point you'll have to deal with them to get better but if you can't handle them right now certainly ask for something to help.

Love and Hugs,
Tara

Im sorry silentandscared, i really hope it gets better for you soon.

I know those flashbacks well myself. I've had them for quite a few years. Intense and continuous, as you say yours is. My pdoc put me on klonopin earlier this year. I'm not sure if its that,therapy or both. The flashbacks are still intense but i dont live with the intensity of them every single day. I do still have them every day, a few times a day, but its more of something someone said or something i see. It will bring me back, yes. But thank gawd it dont tear me down like it did. I dont have the choice of seperating myself from what causes them. The bombed out looking destruction is still all around. So i just try my hardest to accept what happened and toss it to the side.

I know i'll have these flashbacks the rest of my life, who wouldnt. But as time passes, hopefully they dissapate to where they are rare.

(((silentandscared))))

just take it at your pace,
chalmette70043

if you have a psychiatrist, talk to him/her about mood stabalizers. I had horrible flashbacks/intrusive memories and thoughts that increased my SIB until it was out of control.
I started lamictal and it has helped significantly!
Good luck - I hope you find something that works for you -
Grace

I dont know of any medicine that helps with or stops flashbacks per say, but you could talk to your doctor about taking something to help calm your nervous when the flashbacks hit you so hard.

Ditto, I am on Prazosin for PTSD. It was mainly prescribed to suppress nightmares and sleep disturbances. But it also has done quite a bit for suppressing the same throughout the day. At the VA, it appears that Prazosin is a mainstay for PTSD. Abilify might have similar attributes to eliminate rumencience associated with PTSD.