Trazodone, Paxil, & Klonopin: A Positive Experience with PTSD, Anxiety and Depression Treatment

The combination of trazodone (for sleep), Paxil (for major depression disorder), and Klonopin (for panic attacks) has been a godsend for me. As such I wanted to share my experience. Two weeks ago, I went to my doctor desperately seeking help in the wake of some traumatic and stressful events in my life. My anxiety related to previously diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder was out of control. I could not sleep more than three hours a night, nightmares woke me in a panic and left me reeling. My depression was raging, feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness had officially taken over. I had begun contemplating driving the car into something.

And now, I am calmer, I can laugh again, I sleep all the way through the night with ease, I only cry occasionally and not at the slightest thing. Possible side effects I've noticed are increased sensitivity to light, a few days of significantly decreased appetite at first, headaches when I drink any amount of wine. Small prices to pay.

This kind of combination of medications may or may not be effective for anyone else. However, I feel it shows how drugs can work in tandem to take you back from the brink and how helpful your primary care doctor can be when you are really in trouble. The combination of finally and consistently getting a good night's sleep with no nightmares, the anti-depressant effects, and just having the something around in case I have a panic attack anyway, is remarkable. I think it also shows just how helpful it can be going to see your doctor when you are really suffering mental anguish, and how treating your symptoms aggressively can give you relief. I am also seeing a therapist, but it is my doctor who has done the triage work so he can help me be well.

I have taken many different drugs for less intense occurrences of these issues with some acceptable relief and several outright failures. This incident renews my hope and faith in medicine actually being helpful with psychological issues.

Never before have I gotten such significant and quick relief from my psychological symptoms. One night of perfect sleep made such a difference. And then during the day, I felt more balanced. Still sad, still worried, still overwhelmed, but now I could handle it a little better. It was like there was a ceiling over my distress, not allowing it to go past a certain lever. After two days, I felt a real sense of relief, my self-destructive tendencies were gone. After three days, I was starting to feel hopeful and able, not just broken. Today I feel that I still have a lot of work to do to be healthy, and whole. But I am so much calmer, and able to focus on working and looking for work, able to focus on getting better and enjoying what life does have to offer me now instead of what's out of reach.

Trazodone was prescribed to me to help me sleep. According to Wikipedia trazodone has anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, and sleep inducing properties. My therapist informed me that trazodone was originally used an an antidepressant, but was found to be much more effective as a sleep aid and at lower doses. It is available as a generic drug for $4 a month at Wal-Mart.

Paxil, known generically as paroxetine, is a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor type of anti-depressant. According to Wikipedia this drug is common used to treat major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and other anxiety disorders. The generic version is available for $4 a month at Wal-Mart.

Klonopin, known as clonazepam generically, is a long used treatment for the treatment and prevention of panic attacks. It is similar to more well-known drugs such as Zanax. The generic version is available for $17 a month at Wal-Mart.

I should note my doctor warned me to make sure that I do not use the trazodone and Klonopin at the same time. Both drugs depress your systems, and in combination may cause one's breathing to slow dangerously. I've only used the Klonopin once for an oncoming panic attack. since beginning the Paxil and trazodone. Before starting these drugs, I was relying on 2-3 of the .5 mg pills daily, and only keeping my anxiety at bay.

Sources:

Trazodone -- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Wikipedia

Paroxetine - Wikipedia, the free encylo, Wikipedia