UPDATED — SEE END OF POST
Finally, a positive post!
I have been on these medications for awhile:
Ziprasidone (brand name Geodon)
Propranalol (brand name Inderal)
Hydroxyzine (brand name Vistaril)
No effect can be attributed to the Geodon, but the Inderal keeps my heart from pounding in my chest, with the side effect of the feeling like the circulation in my arms has been cut off and my arms are near to being hard to move, and the Vistaril spreads an additional sense of calm to my lungs and chest with the side effects that of the feeling that there is a ton of bricks on them and a kind of soreness in my lungs when I breath. These are decidedly effecting the symptoms, though and not the root causes of my fear. The Geodon was supposed to do that, I guess, messing with the dopamine and serotonin neurotransmitters of the brain, at least on paper. But so far no typical dopamine and serotonin neurotransmitter effecting drugs have had any effect on me — none.
But I still got panic attacks, twice of such magnitude that I went to the emergency room; the pain was horrific. I was given a benzodiazepine (Adivan) that made me fall asleep, which made the attacks subside — but I can’t spend the rest of my life sleeping or in a fatigued state.
So I went back to my doctor and said “I’m going crazy!” and he tried to reassure me that there are other medications to try. And the one he recommended this time was an MAOI (monoamine oxidase inhibitor) called Nardil (phenelzine sulphate).
Although it’s side effect are pretty strong (some fatigue and a sense of being “spaced out,” I have to remind myself to think) I am now quite relaxed and the background terror of my life is all but gone!
It took two weeks to kick in, but finally I have a bit of relief!
More later…
The Nardil took a few days longer to do its thing. It is a fucking nightmare! More when I am able.
