Anti-Anxiety and Anti-Depressant Med Question

[elniko]

Howdy from Texas fellow board members! I wanted to get the boards' thoughts on a recent issue I am having. I have been essentially pain free since May 2007 thanks to Kathy Tisko, a great PT in Dallas. However starting last week I have been experiencing the worst flare-up I've had since that time frame. The reason for it is that when I came back to work last week after being off a few days I noticed that someone had sat in and adjusted my chair. I am very picky about my chair due the chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome and I overly stressed about the situation and caused a flare-up. I am hopefully going to see Kathy later this week but after speaking with my urologist he feels it might be a good idea to get on a anti-anxiety or anti-depressant. I am definitely on the anxious end of the chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome sufferer equation so I think it is a good idea. I am curious what the members of the board have used or are using and what meds have helped or had negative effects. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[webslave]

Some SSRIs (Paxil, Lexapro) at high doses are good anti-anxiety agents. The dose is quite a lot higher than given for depression. To get this prescribed without a fight, you may have to see a psychiatrist to get someone up to speed on the latest views of how these drugs are used for anxiety control. I suggest a younger psychiatrist.

[elniko]

Webslave, looking over some other posts and in the cause section of the website it mentions that SSRIs can cause further issues with CPPS. Is there any known reason for that or is just it probably just more about the individual taking the medicine? I'm a little concerned that getting on something could possibly make issues worse.

[webslave]

It's an individual thing, I suspect. In any event, you should titrate up from a low to a high dose over a period of weeks, so any adverse effect should become apparent and you can discontinue. I firmly believe that anxiety — and especially the sort of disabling anxiety UCPPS patients are prone to suffer — should be treated by a psychiatrist. It's a complex area with new meds and ideas.

[rider fan]

Some SSRIs (Paxil, Lexapro) at high doses are good anti-anxiety agents. The dose is quite a lot higher than given for depression. To get this prescribed without a fight, you may have to see a psychiatrist to get someone up to speed on the latest views of how these drugs are used for anxiety control. I suggest a younger psychiatrist.

I didn't realize anxiety needed a higher dose. Is this a new finding? Too bad, since it increases the side effects, I would imagine.

[webslave]

I have a psychiatrist friend who keeps me up to date on these issues. It's not new information, been known for a few years now. I can't tolerate SSRIs at all (myalgia, arthralgia, laryngitis, decreased libido, flatulence, diarrhoea, urticarial vasculitis on chest, boils on skin), and I know that quite a few men with chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome have had problems with them.

But SSRIs are much more benign that some other anxiety medications, eg benzodiazepines.

[Rocker1984]

But SSRIs are much more benign that some other anxiety medications, eg benzodiazepines.

Benign in what way?

[webslave]

They are not addictive.