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Suggest Treatment And Medication For Anxiety Attacks
Question: I am presently on 25mg progesterone and .625 of bi-est.((bio-identical) I am also on 3 3/4 tablets of clonazepam.
I was told progesterone would help me taper off of clonazepam. At first I thought it was helping me. I tapered very slowly 1/8 tablet a month for 11 months. I had actually started out on 4 1/4 tablets and tapered down to 3 tablets in 11 months. After being off 1 1/4 tablets for 1 month I started again with some anxiety.
They wanted to increase my progesterone but it gave me anxiety instead of decreasing it so back to 25 mg.
And gradually had to increase my clonazepam back up to the 3 3/4 tablets. Went to see an endocrinologist and he run a blood test (no results yet) but he told me to start tapering off the progesterone and estrogen. The clinic I go to took me down to 12.5 progesterone and .325 estrogen. I started having nervousness, and depression within just a few days of lowering this. I have been told that progesterone can cancel out your clonazepam and they act on the same receptors. Is this true and what do you recommend. I have severe anxiety attacks. I have been on this clonazepam for over 2 years. The hormones for about 1 year.
I was told progesterone would help me taper off of clonazepam. At first I thought it was helping me. I tapered very slowly 1/8 tablet a month for 11 months. I had actually started out on 4 1/4 tablets and tapered down to 3 tablets in 11 months. After being off 1 1/4 tablets for 1 month I started again with some anxiety.
They wanted to increase my progesterone but it gave me anxiety instead of decreasing it so back to 25 mg.
And gradually had to increase my clonazepam back up to the 3 3/4 tablets. Went to see an endocrinologist and he run a blood test (no results yet) but he told me to start tapering off the progesterone and estrogen. The clinic I go to took me down to 12.5 progesterone and .325 estrogen. I started having nervousness, and depression within just a few days of lowering this. I have been told that progesterone can cancel out your clonazepam and they act on the same receptors. Is this true and what do you recommend. I have severe anxiety attacks. I have been on this clonazepam for over 2 years. The hormones for about 1 year.
Brief Answer:
Taper and stop Hormones.
Detailed Answer:
HI,
Hormonal therapy are rarely used in the management of Anxiety disorder. So I need to know were Progesterone and Bi-est started purely for the management of Anxiety or was it started as Hormone replacement therapy. Kindly let me know .
Understand that it is safer to take Clonazepam for a longer duration rather than taking Progeterone or Estrogen. So if Progesterone and Bi-est started purely for the management of Anxiety then better start tapering them off while continuing Clonazepam and later stop the hormones .
Once you are on only Clonazepam then we shall decide what has to be done next , either continue Clonazepam or Introduce a new drug .
Hope you find this information useful .
Any clarification feel free to ask .
Regards.
Taper and stop Hormones.
Detailed Answer:
HI,
Hormonal therapy are rarely used in the management of Anxiety disorder. So I need to know were Progesterone and Bi-est started purely for the management of Anxiety or was it started as Hormone replacement therapy. Kindly let me know .
Understand that it is safer to take Clonazepam for a longer duration rather than taking Progeterone or Estrogen. So if Progesterone and Bi-est started purely for the management of Anxiety then better start tapering them off while continuing Clonazepam and later stop the hormones .
Once you are on only Clonazepam then we shall decide what has to be done next , either continue Clonazepam or Introduce a new drug .
Hope you find this information useful .
Any clarification feel free to ask .
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
To answer the doctor's question. I was put on the hormones to help me taper off the clonazepam. This has been done with other patients is my understanding.
Brief Answer:
Hormones not advisable.
Detailed Answer:
HI
Hormonal therapy is not commonly used in the treatment of Anxiety disorder. I don't understand why it has been given to you as there are lots of good medications. I guess your doctor thought hormonal imbalance at this age can cause stress and anxiety.
Kindly confirm again with your doctor. Personally in my practice I won't use hormones for treating anxiety in fact I discourage it .
Anyhow taper off the hormones and stop it . You can continue Clonazepam or ask your doctor to try Escitalopram.
Hope you find this information useful .
Any clarification feel free to ask .
Regards.
Hormones not advisable.
Detailed Answer:
HI
Hormonal therapy is not commonly used in the treatment of Anxiety disorder. I don't understand why it has been given to you as there are lots of good medications. I guess your doctor thought hormonal imbalance at this age can cause stress and anxiety.
Kindly confirm again with your doctor. Personally in my practice I won't use hormones for treating anxiety in fact I discourage it .
Anyhow taper off the hormones and stop it . You can continue Clonazepam or ask your doctor to try Escitalopram.
Hope you find this information useful .
Any clarification feel free to ask .
Regards.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
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