Meds for Anxiety

Its true about the pain clinic thing for writing narcotic scripts. It's like that where I live too.

Vicodin is a controlled substance, and a doctor can't write a script just because someone asks them to. It would be irresponsible. It's a highly addictive narcotic.

My area has pain clinics but they're not the only ones that can prescribe narcotics and anti-anxiety meds. They do need to be prescribed by the appropriate TYPE of doctor and under the appropriate circumstances. Not all pharmacies carry the drugs, and every pharmacy has to account for every single pill. They also tend to call and speak personally with the office staff or doctor to confirm that the script you brought them is real and what it's for.

With the pain clinics around here, you MUST have your full medical files proving that you need the meds by your regular PCP and your specialist/s. You must have been seeing the doctor/s for a minimum of a year or two before the pain clinic will even consider making an initial appointment with you and they go over every square inch of your files. You must have already been prescribed the medication, and it must have been recently and there must be a recent need and reason.

Your doctor did the right thing. If you have neck spasms, I would see a specialist to figure out if therapy would help get rid of or minimize the spasms and pain to make it manageable. If you have anxiety, that can make you tighten up your muscles and exacerbate the problem. Talk therapy can help with that, and a psychiatrist can prescribe medication if that's what you need as a tool to help.

A chiropractor might also help get your spine back into alignment.

OK, so I'm going to be one of *those* people -- you know, the kind who offers you suggestions you don't want and answers questions you didn't ask!

Have you tried acupuncture for the neck spasms? Its been a HUGE help for people (and, honestly, animals) I know for a number of things: stress/anxiety, endometriosis, back pain & arthritis specifically. It might offer you some relief.

Yeah -- I'd be a little cautious about a doctor who pushes pills I don't want. Any chance you can get a second opinion? Perhaps your insurance company can recommend someone to help with the anxiety issues?

Good luck --

Your doctor did the ethical thing. They can't just hand out prescriptions for narcotics, because a patient asks. On site pharmacies will not carry heavy narcotics like this. Especially, if they see you took it years ago. Why? Because, they want patients to get the pain fixed, and not cover it up with narcotics. Also, prescription medication addiction is very common, and they must be prescription by the right type of doctor. (I'm nit saying you're addicted. The doctor just doesn't know that.) 'm willing to bet your anxiety is making your neck worse. I really think you need to see a Dr. about your anxiety, and a specialist about your neck. If your neck is injured no amount of pills will make that go away. Pain for years, is not a good thing.

Have you thought about lorazepam? It is not an SSRI but rather a benzodiazepine that can be taken as needed without water sublingually if needed. It helps anxiety and panic attacks beautifully.

I think going the lesser way with meds is always the best thing to do. Take some Motrin or some other form of it. That is a good way to see if the pain is reduced. I also use ice and massage to manage pain. I do not, nor would I ever, take hard drugs that I could really really have problems stopping.

I hardly ever even take Tylenol. I have 3 ruptured disks in my neck, upper back and lower back. I have a bad knee that I hurt playing college softball. I have injuries in my hips from the seat belt and a wreck where a semi ran over our car. I have pain a lot of the time but can usually manage it with the things above.

As for anxiety they come up with meds all the time that work better for this type of thing. I cannot take Xanex. I had oppositional side effects. I would sit in class and find myself clawing my face, I would see blood on my fingers and that is how I would recognize I was doing this. I had no conscious idea I was doing it.

I found Klonopin to work well, it is in the same family as Valium. I found several others to not work so well. You may have to just try them to see what relieves your symptoms the best.

Well my answer is different than everyone elses probably because I take xanax. I am Bipolar II and when I get really stressed out and can't take it and feel like I am gonna explode I take a xanax and it does really mellow me out. However I do take them as needed for which they are addicting. I was taking them everyday for awhile I was having severe anxiety so I decided to get off and it is horrible having withdrawls. I only take it if I am beyond stressed. It does help

yes go to another doctor.

Xanax and Vicodin are controlled substances and can be addictive. Yes, your doctor could prescribe them, but if you have been taking Vicodin for a while and are now asking for another controlled substance, I think he was right to refer you to pain management. Even if you aren't already on the Vicodin, asking for 2 controlled substances in one visit will raise some red flags. I work in an appeals dept at an insurance company, and you would be amazed at the quantity of pills people are using for pain. I'm sure that most of them are in pain, but my gosh, I am amazed that they can function on the amount they are taking. Many doctors will suggest that you try an antiinflammatory first and also the antidepressant, and some insurance companies won't even approve some of the pain med prescriptions unless you do try the anti-inflammatory.

If you don't want to try the antidepressant, you should find some way, other than Xanax, to help you deal with the stress, especially if you will be returning after the summer. Maybe therapy, yoga, or something to help you handle it. My husband has anxiety issues and is in therapy and on meds. Since it is known that anxiety disorders run in families, and my 8 yo already has shown signs of anxiety, we participated in a study last year to help teach her techniques of how to manage stress and triggers. It ranged from various deep breathing exercises to simple things like asking yourself, "what is the worst thing that can happen to me?" It was really interesting though.

being unable to 'handle' stress is due to low stress hormones (cortisol or aldosterone) and is called adrenal fatigue. Those hormones help you deal with stress.......and when we are faced with high stress the adrenals pump out more hormones because you will BURN throught them quicke. and if your adrenals cant keep up, they hormones are lower than you need...then there is a feeling that you CAN'T deal!...crying jags, anxiety, irritation, extreme anger, fits of rage, etc......

Blood sugar issues can also cause these types of feelings. Low aldrenal hormones can cause low blood sugar. its all related.

There are definitely things you can do to support the adrenals.
Vit C - high amounts...
vit b complex liquid under the tounge
reduce refined oils and use butter or raw coconut oils

Xanax should not be used to "take the edge off" stress, it is used for people with severe anxiety disorders. That is anxiety that is not related to everyday stressors, like work and school. I respect your doctor for not prescribing it to you, and for recommending you see a pain specialist. Vicodin and xanax are both highly addicting, and vicodin shouldn't be taken long term for pain relief from an old injury. If you feel like you need it, you SHOULD seek an opinion from a pain specialist or another type of provider.

When you see your doctor in 4 weeks ask for a muscle relaxant instead of the xanax to stop the spasms. I think he was on the up and up, doctors are coming under fire for prescribing vicodin longterm, and referring their patients to pain management clinics. My BIL's did, he has terrible pain from a work injury to his hand and arm that has required several surgeries and won't heal properly, his doctor told him he needs to learn a better way to live with it, will not prescribe him anymore vicodin.