# sudafed and anxiety



## loganmk (Nov 12, 2004)

I have tried both Zoloft and Lexapro and neither of them worked. I do take clonazepam as needed. Anyhow, I recently was congested and used sudafed. It made the biggest difference. The SA seemed to completely go away. Why would this be? Obviously I cannot take this this rest of my life. What other medication has the same properties? Thanks! :eek


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## TreeFrog (Oct 17, 2007)

I don't know anything about medication, but what parts of your SA went away? I have taken sudafed many times in my life for colds but don't recall anything different with my SA.


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## jaayhou (Jun 20, 2007)

I can't explain the effect you experienced with Sudafed. One of the side effects actually is anxiety, along with high blood pressure and increased heart rate. It's not something I would recommend taking regularly and there's nothing available comparable to it. Stick with natural/herbal alternatives.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

*Re: stuffed and anxiety*



Logan said:


> Obviously I cannot take this this rest of my life.


That's certainly a totally unexpected effect. I was expecting you to say it caused anxiety when I read the title.

And there are people who take it daily for a lifetime due to chronic allergies & the congestion that goes with it.


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## mcnabj (May 21, 2005)

Sudafed can act like a tranquilizer or any upper to different people. I have heard of parents giving their children Sudafed before air flights to calm them. Do you feeling sleepy after taking Sudafed?


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## korey (Apr 25, 2006)

If it's the formulation with pseudoephedrine in it, then you might be experiencing the paradoxical anxiolytic effect that stimulants have on people with anxiety problems. The Adderall I take actually has a calming effect on me to some extent. It's weird how that can happen, but it's also weird how stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin make hyperactive children become quiet and still. Makes no sense, does it? That's medicine for ya! :con :stu :lol


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## loganmk (Nov 12, 2004)

I was certainly surprised that Sudafed worked like that for me. In a nutshell I still had some heart palpitations during social situations but no blushing :eek and was able to speak in situations where I normally would not. Strange indeed


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## Broshious (Dec 23, 2006)

I THINK I actually experienced that same effect. I took a 12 hour one, and my anxiety seemed reduced. Then again I do almost always have less anxiety when taking stimulants.


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## jaayhou (Jun 20, 2007)

True, there is a somewhat uncommon paradoxical effect that korey mentioned. It's often noted in children that take, say, antihistamines and become wired when their parents might have been hoping for a more sedating effect.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

korey said:


> The Adderall I take actually has a calming effect on me to some extent.


I have limited experience with dexedrine (extended release dextroamphetamine) and oddly it doesn't make me feel nervous or on edge. I feel an alert sense of calm, unlike alcohol that produces a drowsy & clumsy calm. I've never tried Adderall, but assume it to be much the same as it's just a mix of dextroamphetamine + amphetamine (why they mix them I have no idea -- probably so a drug co could have something to patent way back when).

Korey, is your Adderall for ADD?

I wouldn't mind having a source of uppers, but that could be hard given that I don't have ADD. Wonder if my pdoc would give me a stimulant for depression -- after all, if I complained of depression he'd have limited options given that all ADs I've tried have failed and he's not a big fan of MAOIs.


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## Broshious (Dec 23, 2006)

UltraShy said:


> korey said:
> 
> 
> > The Adderall I take actually has a calming effect on me to some extent.
> ...


I suspect you'd find Adderall much less pleasant. The L-Amphetamine makes one jittery and such while D-Amphetamine provides all the pleasant effects.


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## korey (Apr 25, 2006)

UltraShy said:


> Korey, is your Adderall for ADD?


The Adderall I take is for a number of things. My treatment with a stimulant started out as an off-label treatment for depression (as well as the unbearable mental dulling due to sedation from all the Xanax and lithium), but then as the dose and dosing schedule gradually changed to fit my lifestyle, I realized that I could treat my inattentiveness (though, probably anxiety-related) with it, as well. So, I guess the Adderall I take is for treating depression, excessive sedation due to other medication, and inattentiveness. I do not have officially diagnosed ADD, but as with almost any medication, an official diagnosis warranting an indicated use is not required (ie, I don't have to have full-blown ADD to receive treatment for my ADD-like problems). _Boo-hoo_ for those who think it's unwise for me to be taking prescription amphetamines. Most who have such an opinion on the matter are usually either uninformed, jealous, or both. :roll


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## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

Sudafed cracks me out.


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## panicgal (Apr 14, 2010)

Sudafed has the same effect on me. I ran out of Xanax (I was only taking .25 mg/day), but even so, I took sudafed to clear my sinuses and when it kicked in, I just felt calm. 
You know when you have a panic attack you can't control your insides, they just kinda go off on palipitations and weakness? Sudafed seemed to stimulate my insides, open up my breathing space, and totally calm me down. 

Does anyone know if taking this sudafed everyday is healthier than taking Xanax? I cannot stand the sleepy side effects of Xanax.


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## Himi Jendrix (Mar 24, 2010)

I recently took sudafed for the first time several days ago for severe chest congestion. 

I noticed it reduced my anxiety as well. I thought it was weird since its supposed to make anxiety worse. 

It is the first stimulant besides caffeine that I have ever taken.


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## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

Weird. I clicked on this thread and found one of my posts from 2007.

Sudafed still cracks me out.


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## chantaspell (Jul 23, 2011)

Hi, I know this thread is pretty ancient, but I have some insight into the sudafed/anxiety thing. Sudafed is known as a decongestant, but is also used to treat dizziness...by decongesting/dehydrating some of th fluid from the inner ear. This is possibly important, because some research is now suggesting that at least some anxiety and phobias are caused by inner ear problems not psychological factors.

It used to b thought that dizziness was a symptom of anxiety, but now maybe anxiety should be seen as symptom of inner ear dysfunction. The Dr Levinson book "phobia free" makes a good case for this, and the doctor reports having success in treating many anxiety and phobia issues using anti-dizziness medication (vestibular suppressants) such as meclizine AND pseudoephedrine which goes by the brand name sudafed!

Just an idea!


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## upndownboi (Oct 7, 2010)

i took a chesteze once and noticed a similar effect. felt like i emotionally uncurled if that makes sense- more poised and level-headed etc, quite a pleasant sensation until it wore off, when it felt like a caffeine rebound (physical load) ugh.

chesteze tab:

Ephedrine hydrochloride 18.31mg
Theophylline 100.00mg
Caffeine 30.00mg


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## chantaspell (Jul 23, 2011)

upndownboi said:


> i took a chesteze once and noticed a similar effect. felt like i emotionally uncurled if that makes sense- more poised and level-headed etc, quite a pleasant sensation until it wore off, when it felt like a caffeine rebound (physical load) ugh.
> 
> chesteze tab:
> 
> ...


Hmmm but that has caffeine in it, and I think caffeine is universally bad...might be worth trying some sudafed without caffeine and seeing if you get all the benefits without the come down.


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## cancer0000 (Feb 22, 2012)

*I felt great!*

I was recently diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and felt a change with the effexor I was taking but not significant. Two weeks ago my family got sick and the doctor told me to get allegra D to help with the congestion. The whole week I took it I felt fantastic, which was strange since I was sick. I felt sooo focused and got everything done I needed to. I havent felt that way in years. I asked the pharmacist if i could take that daily and he said no. I have a dr.s appt. this week and am going to ask him about it. From what I have read the reason you cant take sudefed every day is because your body becomes immune and you have to take more and more. there must be something safe out there that gives me the same effect. If not for me than for my kids who need me.


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## stillsearching (Feb 22, 2012)

Clarityn antihistamine available in all major stores seems to have anti anxiety/antidepressant effects and has similar effects to cocaine in high dose according to pubmed.
I remember taking it years back for allergy while taking fluoxetine and clonazepam and feeling real confident like on speed or somethign. It is like a tricyclic affecting SERT andNAT so dont mix with otherantidepressants or risk serotonin syndrome/hypertensive crisis.


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## Kon (Oct 21, 2010)

I take it some times when I work. I find it makes me focus more and it never makes me anxious (at least up to 120 mg daily dose). I also sleep better in that when I wake up I don't feel as tired as I normally do. I usually hate mornings and getting out of bed but if I take Sudafed the day before I wake uo more refreshed and less tired. I can't explain it either but I don't use it too often because of the potential for tolerance, side-effects, etc.?


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## ndjokovic (Nov 23, 2013)

I take a flu drug which contains:
-Paracetamol 400mg 
-Ibuprofen 200mg (good for muscle pain during flu)
-Chlorphenamin maleate 4mg ( A first generation antihistamine to stop sneezing)

-Vitamine c 300mg+25 mg caffeine (maybe to stop the drowsiness of Chlorphenamin)

-Pseudoephedrine (decongestant)


Every time i take it, usually during spring when i have pollen allergy, I feel so calm, so confident, I talk to people and looking to their eyes, I speak loud in the Bus, I give presentations, talk to strangers. The last effect I experience after this anti phobia effect is drownziness (I found later that it is caused by Chlorphenamin)

I was wondering which molecule did that. I did researches and find that Chlorphenamin, a first generation antihistamine has anti-depressive properties, but very drowsy. I finally found that Pseudoephedrine is the chemical which make my social phobia go away.
But it has a problem, I take this time another drug which contains only Pseudoephedrine and paracetamol. I get the same anti-anxiety effect, but 2 hours later, I had a nasty increased heart rate. I do have increased heart rate by the first drug, but not like the 2nd one.
So what I learned is that, Ibuprofen, Chlorphenamin or Vitamine c can reduce a little bit the heart rate side effect of Pseudoephedrine.

I think it is a very bad idea to use Pseudoephedrine daily.
But I just want maybe to use Pseudoephedrine in public speaking situation, with propranolol to reduce the heart rate side effect of Pseudoephedrine. But I don't know if there's reaction between those two chemicals. So i should do more research.


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