benzo vs ssri

[premed1001]

whats the best way to go for (moderate) anxiety?

no depression

no severe panic attacks, but it is at the point that i need to deal with it some how

i have read that ssri are useless for some people?

i havent tried either one

should i be seeing a psych for this or remain at PCP?

not asking for a diagnosis, just opinions

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[285963]

I'll take a stab at this one.
In order of preference, I would go down this list...
1) Adequate trial of therapy, preferably CBT.
2) If therapy fails, try an SSRI.
3) Benzodiazepines are second- or third-line therapy. They are basically dehydrated alcohol. Over the long term, they'll probably do you more harm than good (e.g. abuse potential, paradoxical agitation/anxiety, cognitive impairment, tolerance). But they are an option if all other options fail.
Either PCP or Psych would be okay to start. The PCP should refer if he/she felt uncomfortable with managing the condition or if your condition was refractory to treatment.

 

[premed1001]

I'll take a stab at this one.
In order of preference, I would go down this list...
1) Adequate trial of therapy, preferably CBT.
2) If therapy fails, try an SSRI.
3) Benzodiazepines are second- or third-line therapy. They are basically dehydrated alcohol. Over the long term, they'll probably do you more harm than good (e.g. abuse potential, paradoxical agitation/anxiety, cognitive impairment, tolerance). But they are an option if all other options fail.
Either PCP or Psych would be okay to start. The PCP should refer if he/she felt uncomfortable with managing the condition or if your condition was refractory to treatment.

thank you very much

 

[shan564]

We should not be soliciting or sharing medical advice on a public forum.

 

[premed1001]

We should not be soliciting or sharing medical advice on a public forum.

i anticipated this, not looking for advice

just opinions

 

[shan564]

A physician's opinion is medical advice. Hence the term "second opinion" in the case that the first opinion seems inadequate. It might have been OK if you left out the word "I" in the original post.

The reason is because the treatment choice is highly dependent on the precise clinical scenario. If there was a textbook answer to the best choice for "moderate anxiety," then doctors could be replaced by WebMD. In reality, the right thing to do is to talk to your doctor about your specific situation and determine an appropriate plan. If somebody presents a clinical opinion on here, they're liable for anything that might go wrong as a result of presenting that opinion.

 

[285963]

In reality, the right thing to do is to talk to your doctor about your specific situation and determine an appropriate plan. If somebody presents a clinical opinion on here, they're liable for anything that might go wrong as a result of presenting that opinion.

I'm gonna agree with this. Mine was not meant as specific advice for whatever condition you may or may not have. That's why I emphasized just going to see a professional at the bottom of my post. Mostly I just felt compelled to tell you to be very suspicious of benzodiazepines.

 

[TexasPhysician]

This is seeking medical advice as you describe your symptoms and are requesting professional opinions (advice). This is not allowed on SDN. Locking thread.