Hey all...

I've been taking Sertraline HCl (Zoloft) 50mg qd for Generalized Anxiety Disorder for a few months now, and it is very effective...except from time to time, I am still having panicky, anxious attacks. The Zoloft stabilized my mood, and has removed most of the generalized, constant, nagging worrying about everything...but these anxiety attacks that hit every few days for an hour or so are still just no good.

I am considering asking my psychologist on Monday if he can write me a referral for a Rx for a Benzodiazepine Anxiolytic, such as Xanax, for situational use...but I am wondering if it is normal to do such? It should be safe, but is it common to take a Benzo situationally and an SSRI regularly?

Basically, I just want something I can take when I feel panic attacks coming on, as well as the SSRI that stops the generalized anxiety. Any opinions?

I wouldn't see why not. There are other drugs that may work well, too, like propranolol. Personally, I'd just leave it up to the doc to come up with a few options and then evaluate which was best.

My doc has me on 20mg of Prozac for generalized anxiety and mood disorder and then I have ativan that I take for panic attacks and to sleep. It is totally safe, IMO, to take the two classes of drugs together.

Keep in mind the pros and cons of going on a benzo because you have a good reason to take them which is a bad thing

Ive had bad experiances with chronic diazepam and lorazepam use for anxiety and have only just got off them, BUT as you said theyd be for situational use so theres no problem except watching you dont start to take them whenever

I would recommend you take a less potent benzo like diazepam rather than the newer high potency benzos like lorazepam and xanax

Good luck - Happy days - Va va

Youre taking the right Anti-depressant as far as interactions with other drugs. Zoloft is the least toxic of any of the other SSRI's and has the least chance of interacting with other medications. Zoloft has one of the best side-effect profiles, and does not decrease vigilance like the other SSRI's. Zoloft also increases dopamine, which has an effect on core ADD symptoms, motivation, sex drive, and energy.

Thanks Abre. This post is a bit old, just for everyone's information. I know a great deal more about drugs than I did when I asked the question, hehe.

Thanks for helpful responses.

Yeah--that's completely common. What're the best ones for panic attacks...well, Xanax and Ativan do quite well in anxiety-provoking situations, Klonopin is good for my seizures but generally doesn't seem to do much (that I know of) for people on a PRN basis--more like "take it for a while to decrease your anxiety if you aren't getting jack from an SSRI" (again, as far as I know.)

Totally common to take SSRIs with Benzodiazepines, man. But you'll see it all over the forum--"Be careful with the Benzos..." It's true, so dose and frequency have to be kept an eye on...

Addiction's bad...cross-tolerance isn't much better.

I take Zoloft and Concerta and need to know if you can take Detrol LA as well? :eyebrow: It would help to know

Zoloft also increases dopamine, which has an effect on core ADD symptoms, motivation, sex drive, and energy.
I never heard or read that Zoloft increases dopamine. Even from the zoloft website (www.zoloft.com (http://www.zoloft.com)) I only read that it works w/ the brain chemical serotonin. :rolleyes: I'm not trying to say you're wrong.:rolleyes: :o You could be right!:foot: I've just not heard of that before.

It has such a tiny impact on dopamine at routinely prescribed doses that it isn't even worth mentioning.