Does Elavil really help with panic attacks?

Posted:: 13 Aug 2010 by englishrose_12
Topics:: buspar, celexa, effexor, effexor xr, elavil, prozac, anxiety, insomnia, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, anxiety and stress

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I have been having anxiety and panic attacks for almost a year now and Im ready to just give up on help. I have been on 7 different antidepressants. Prozac, Effexor, Effexor XR, Celexa, Buspar, etc. NONE of those have helped me. One made me suicidal, one made me so physically sick I was hospitalized and the rest just made my panic attacks worse!

My mom takes Elavil and has for 20 yrs for anxiety. Im just worried that it will do the same as all the other AD's Ive been on. Its apparent SSRI's and SSNRI's arent right for me. because most of those have stimulants in them that make my panic attacks increase. Would anyone think I should talk to my Dr about perhaps trying Elavil??? ANY advice would be helpful. Im at my wits end with all this! Thanks in advance!

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masso4169

13 Aug 2010

Hello,

No it will not help your condition.-

Amitriptyline (Elavil, Tryptizol, Laroxyl, Sarotex) is a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA). It is the most widely used TCA and has at least equal efficacy against depression as the newer class of SSRIs.

I bet prozac made you suicidal.

May I suggest:

Other alternatives (SSRIs)

seropram, Citox)
dapoxetine (Priligy)
escitalopram (Lexapro, Cipralex, Esertia)
fluvoxamine (Luvox, Fevarin, Faverin, Dumyrox, Favoxil, Movox)
indalpine (Upstene) (discontinued)
paroxetine (Paxil, Seroxat, Sereupin, Aropax, Deroxat, Divarius, Rexetin, xetanor, Paroxat, Loxamine)
sertraline (Zoloft, Lustral, Serlain)

Discuss the above mentioned list and ask your doctor about benzodiazepines.- Ativan, Klonopin, Xanax, Valium... they are very addictive,

I take two of them.

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englishrose_12 13 Aug 2010

Im concerned to try antidepressants because well all the bad experiences Ive had with them. But also because Im not depressed. And Ive taken Zoloft, kept me so sick I couldnt eat. But I will take into consideration all the others you mentioned. Thank you! And as of now I only take Klonopin. It helps some but not everyday. I was on xanax but my Dr took me off it.

masso4169 13 Aug 2010

I know what you mean, we all have our days. if I can come up with something else I will let you know.

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Anonymous

13 Aug 2010

You might want to try Tofranil or Pamelor, I'm not sure if they are snri's or not, I do know they are old tricyclics. Pamelor is considered the "cold standard" for people with panic attacks.
Perhaps Xanax or Ativan for a short while?
Don't give up hope, just keep trying!!!
sweetlemon

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englishrose_12 13 Aug 2010

I currently take Klonopin. Dr wont give me ativan or xanax anymore. And may I ask what you mean by "cold standard"? lol Im new to all this lol

Anonymous 16 Aug 2010

A typo Englishrose, I meant to write "gold standard"... ie; the best, but of course that is a matter of opinion!
sweetlemon

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lindagail...

13 Aug 2010

in my opionion anti depressants are for that ... to get try to rid of depression... ive tried everything you listed ..but one ..i take lexapro an my depression is still there ... it doesnt go away ..not for me anyway... the only way your gonna get rid of a panic attack ..is xanax... number 1... number 2 ... klonopin... number3... valium

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teknotard 17 Mar 2011

This is not true at all.

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melissab(...

14 Aug 2010

did xanax work for you? if it did, i would request to go back on it. have you tried valium? im not a specialist... and i dont know what im talking about half the time... but i dont see why the dr's would give you anti-depressants for anxiety or panic attacks. idk... i guess they work for different things tho. the dr gave me elavil for sleep because medicaid stopped paying for ambien. the elavil made me feel really weird the next day. i didnt wanna be around anyone or talk to anybody. i hope you find something that works for you

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subzero58

14 Aug 2010

hi english,i am on elivil and it is one of them drugs that can be used for more than one thing.it def does help anxiety and taken with my sub it even helps with pain.i take 50 mg at 7am,50mg at 4pm and 100mg at 12 midnight.it helps with sleep also.so i would say,yes give it a try.take a benzo as last resort. cause like maso,said they are habit forming. but they really do help. in the future if your still trying different meds ask your doc to prescrib them 2 weeks at a time. don't buy into it takes a couple of weeks to see any progress on A/D. if it gets really bad just ask for a weak benzo.i hope this helps a little...

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Springer10

21 Aug 2010

subzero is right about Elavil although when I took it years ago all I wanted to do was eat and sleep. But, it did help with anxiety as well as depression.

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ktfinger 14 Mar 2013

Eating and sleeping is a big sign of depression, it seems like it is not for you I would talk to your Dr

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pichipper

1 Sep 2010

Elavil was a miracle drug for me. I suffer severe panic disorder plus chronic pain. While on Elavil I had no pain anywhere, felt calm, slept like a baby. No other drug has ever been able to do this for me including controlled substances. I have the same problem with antidepressants you do. They send me into worse panic attacks. You are not alone. I was alergic to the Elavil and stayed on it anyways because it worked so well. The ER took me off of it and now they won't let me have it. It is a Trcyclide. Non of the other Trycyclides worked like that one. They made me panic. I have the pharmacy looking into what the chemical difference is that made Elavil different. I'll let you know what they find. I miss that drug. wish I wasn't alergic but it swelled my legs to 3 times there size and dropped my thyroid so they had to take me off it. It made my heart rate really high to but I never felt it. Didn't even notice.

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redheadstep

4 Sep 2010

I also have taken many different antidepressants over the years. I'm taking WellbutrinXL now. Of all the ones I've used, the one I took first, Paxil, basically saved my life. After a few years of anything, they start to lose their effectiveness.
As for anxiety, I take Clonazepam (klonopin) and it has really helped my anxiety. Occasionally if I feel a panic attack coming on, I take an additional 1/2 dose and feel the difference within minutes. I've never taken Elavil, so I have no idea how effective it would be. My suggestion to you is talk to your doctor. Whatever you do decide to take, it could take a while to feel the difference. Give it a chance and don't get discouraged. And if it doesn't help, you can always try something else.
Good Luck

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Catrina777 12 Feb 2011

Hi! I have taken Elavil for years for anxiety & depression. I don't think it is helping as Dr has started me on Clozapine for panic attacks, and now Clonazepam.. Hoping they will help..

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lightbulb...

27 Sep 2010

After prayer and searches I found a product called Sublingual B12 B6 with folic acid by trivita. a small pink tablet. It dissolves under the tongue. If you are not happy after 30 days. Try something else. www.trivita.com. I am not a doctor and I don't know the severity of your attacks. I also read Psalms 91 over and over again plus I surrounded my self with friends, family. Only the ones that uplifted me. a social life is a big help.

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marsha79

28 Sep 2010

I can relate to your problem all too well!! I have been suffering from panic attacks,anxiety,and depression for over 20 years.None of the SSRIs are any good at all.I have been told by doctors..psychiatrists and regular m.d.s that SSRIs are supposed to help anxiety,wrong!!Just as you have said they, increase the anxiety..not help it.I was on several benzodiazapenes(xanax,klonopin).They work, but are very addictive and create their own problems.My life was almost destroyed because of addiction problems.I am currently off all medication(I was in drug rehab for the benzos and alcohol abuse).I am still.. after 20 odd years.. trying to find an answer for my problem.I understand your situation all too well.I hope and pray that we both find help.I will keep trying and wish you well.Just be very careful with any seditves.God bless

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linann

14 Oct 2010

I have Taken Paroxotine for 20 years mainly on 20mg dose sometimes upped to 40 mg.Eight months ago I was put on ametripalyne, I put 28 pounds on in the last 3 months,had swollen ankles which soon bacame an oedma so I was put steroids and was taken off the ametripeline25 mg,paroxotine 15mg and another anxiety tablet. That was 8 days ago . All the symptoms you are having I am having I have been advised its at least two weeks for the drugs to get out of your system.Just go with the flow! Try not to worry.

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youneverk...

15 Oct 2010

What works for your Mom should work as well for you.
I'm surprised your dr. didn't put you on It sooner.
Most psychiatrists want to know what family members suffer from and what medcations work for them. Since these conditions are often hereditary sometimes the same medications due work wonders.
Give it reasonable time to work though. God Bless and Good Luck. Keep us posted.Sable

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ElizaJane23 10 Nov 2010

I agree - I've found this out a couple of times now. What worked well for my mother also works well for me. Also, I've found that my body changes with the other medications I'm on. Your body may react completely different when you are on less or different medications. Never go off a medication without the approval of your doctor, but do consider challenging your medications to see if they still are necessary if your doctor approves. Challenging means go down in dose some to see if your symptoms flare up. If they don't, drop down further or go off them and see if there is a difference. Of course, if there is a difference, then you know the medication is still necessary.

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granmajo

18 Oct 2010

Elavil did not help my anxiety. I take 200mg at bedtime. It helps my depression a little and has improved my sleep. I did gain 20 lbs. However, I have lost 23 lbs. because I was placed on Ritilan xl because I was falling asleep during the day. I totalled my mini-van on 3/8/10 because I fell asleep while driving!! I know the Rit. increases my anxiety and BP. However, I now have energy and can function much better!! I guess you have to take the bad along with the good.

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J.Blaze

18 Oct 2010

I've struggled with panic attacks also for quite some time. I was prescribed Busbar (a non-narcotic anxiety drug) for a while. It takes approx. 3 weeks to get into your system though. It seemed to help, but eventually I was prescribed .5mg of Klonopin. But you have to be careful... that is considered a narcotic. It's a benzo like Xanax, Valium, etc. But if taken properly & not abused, Klonopin works well. My doctor said it stays in your system longer than Xanax so you don't have to take it as much.

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