Anxiety and Stress Forum - Medication / treatment For Anxiety & Stress

rajrajrajm wrote:

Hi all,

I am having Light headed and dizziness for last one month. I checked my Blood, EKG,XRAY and everything is normal and good doctor is happy about it.
But still i have light headed. Doctor said it is 'cos of stress which could be true 'cos my wife was hospitalized for her heart problems.

My question is , is there any medication or treatment for this diziness & light headed. What kind of doctor i have to see ? I have already checked with cardiologist and Family practice. Which doctor/specialist i have to see ? Please help me ..

Any tips would be GREATLY appreciated. Look forward to get some information from you guys

Thanks,
-RajRaj

Lightheadedness and dizziness are common anxiety symptoms. They can be symptoms of other things as well, but in your case these seem to have been tested for and ruled out.

You have a number of options.

If your wife's medical problems are short term then simply hanging in there and accepting the physical manifestations of stress until matters improve is a possibility. It might not be the best option, however.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) or the similar Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) are effective non drug treatments with a proven track record in treating anxiety. Through them you learn strategies for coping with anxiety'semotional and physical effects and ways of countering the negative thoughts that often are a feature and driver of these disorders. The down sides are that they take time to work and you have to be prepared to put in the effort. Also therapists can be hard to find outside major population centers, and, depending on the health system where you live, psychotherapy may be more expensive than drugs.

With drugs you have three options, over-the-counter (OTC)/'natural' supplements, benzodiazepines and antidepressants.

OTC drugs such as valerian and St. John's wort are less potent than prescription drugs but can be effective in low to mild anxiety.

Kava is another 'natural' OTC drug, however, it has been banned in a number of countries because it may harm the liver.

The amino acid L-Tryptophan and a related product 5-HTP are also often promoted for anxiety (and depression) on the basis that they are precursors for the neurotransmitter serotonin which is supposed to be low in anxiety and depression suffers. There is no real evidence for the low serotonin hypothesis, nor do antidepressants increase serotonin synthesis or brain levels. In fact they probably reduce both.

Another complication is that both products have been found to be contaminated with a group of chemicals known as Peak-X which is thought to cause Eosinophilia Myalgia Syndrome. A heavily contaminated batch of L-Tryptophan was responsible for the death of 30 people in the late 1980s and several thousand more have ongoing health problems as a result. Despite claims that this incident was a one-off there is evidence that all L-Trypothan is contaminated with Peak-X.

Benzodiazepines are quick acting drugs that begin working within 30 minutes of taking the first pill. They came in two basic varieties, short and long acting.

The best known short acting benzodiazepines are lorazepam (Ativan) and alprazolam (Xanax). They both work for about 4-6 hours.

Long acting benzodiazepines include diazepam (Valium) and clonazepam (Klonopin) which remain active for up to 24 hours.

The main advantage of benzodiazepines is that they are effective immediately and therefore only need to be taken when needed. If your wife's condition is likely to improve soon, or the stress isn't constant then benzodiazepines may be the best drug option. Another advantage is their low side effects profile compared to antidepressants.

Benzodiazepines have fallen out of favor in recent years because of concerns that patients become dependant on them and then experience withdrawal effects when they stop taking them. While that is certainly true, its it becoming increasing clear that antidepressants also may have problems in this regard. Both antidepressant and benzodiazepine withdrawal effects can be minimized by tapering off them slowly over a period of weeks, sometimes months. Neither group of drugs should be stopped 'cold-turkey' under any circumstances.

Antidepressants are drugs you need to take every day and do not begin to working for 3-8 weeks. Unfortunately, for those with anxiety disorders they often make anxiety worse in the weeks before they 'kick-in.' Side effects are also likely to be more severe initially.

If your wife's heart condition is likely to be long term and you therefore will be living with high stress for a long time then antidepressants would probably be your best medicinal option.

Most family doctors will prescribe antidepressants and benzodiazepines, but if you and your doctor decide that drugs are the preferred treatment for you then I suggest you initially see a psychiatrist if you can as they often know more about the effects of these drugs.

Best wishes for your wife's health and your anxiety.