# Has anyone conquered panic disorder with nausea/gagging symptoms?



## gilmourr (Nov 17, 2011)

Honestly, I have yet to find one review/testimonial/person that has claimed that their panic disorder with dry heaving/gagging sensation/nausea has ever gone away from meds.

Would really like to know that one person has gotten better. Cause I've had this **** for 14 months, and I've only had a break from my anxiety for 2 weeks on cymbalta for the entire time. I'm not sure if I should just keep trying meds, or if I should just settle on depression being cured but this feeling never leaving.

If I know that one person has gotten better, I swear, I'm trying ever ****ing medicine out there. I relish for the day that I'm functional again.


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

I've had the same experience for about 10 years. Sometimes it comes up a lot and sometimes It's not as big of a problem. Like when I've had particularly stressful jobs that caused a lot of anxiety I would have that experience many times a day. It really sucked. I've probably gone for periods almost as long as a year without that happening when I had a really relaxed and enjoyable lifestyle. Benzos have helped me the most.

Also when I first started getting panic attacks as a teenager I always got really nauseous/threw up. I was prescribed promethazine for that and it worked very well. But Promethazine also makes me very tired so I haven't used it again. 

Nausea has always been a symptom of anxiety and panic attacks for me. Even now, I pretty much never want to eat even if I am very hungry.


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## gilmourr (Nov 17, 2011)

istayhome said:


> I've had the same experience for about 10 years. Sometimes it comes up a lot and sometimes It's not as big of a problem. Like when I've had particularly stressful jobs that caused a lot of anxiety I would have that experience many times a day. It really sucked. I've probably gone for periods almost as long as a year without that happening when I had a really relaxed and enjoyable lifestyle. Benzos have helped me the most.
> 
> Also when I first started getting panic attacks as a teenager I always got really nauseous/threw up. I was prescribed promethazine for that and it worked very well. But Promethazine also makes me very tired so I haven't used it again.
> 
> Nausea has always been a symptom of anxiety and panic attacks for me. Even now, I pretty much never want to eat even if I am very hungry.


Have you tried new medications for the last 10 years? How many have you tried? I just am not sure if people give up before they find it and settle with anxiety/panic symptoms. This is not a life

Like I figure I give meds 8 weeks to work, tops 10 weeks. So that means I can go through 5-6 meds a year, so far I've been through 8 because prozac made me violently sick, and cymbalta gave me really crazy thoughts, so I was only on those for 2 weeks each.

I just have NO Idea how people go to work feeling like they want to vomit. It's ridiculous. I don't even want to go out with friends if I feel like vomitting. And the thing is, it doesn't even matter, because I can't concentrate when I feel like dry heaving. I go so tunnel vision it's not funny. Like ****, can you even somehow remove your gag reflex nerves or something.


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

I've tried every SSRI except Lexapro and every SNRI except cymbalta. Was on seroquel briefly (and miserably). Tried every benzo regularly prescribed. Currently taking Lamictal on the off-chance I have bipolar II, which is possible because every SSRI increased my anxiety and made me pretty manic/depressive. I spent about 7 of those years not being medicated and trying everything except medication to cure/solve my anxiety problems. But life got really unbearable so I sought medical help. 

I'm not giving up, I have a strong desire to live. I'm getting pretty hesitant about most medications though because they haven't really helped me and most have had really bad side effects.


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## gilmourr (Nov 17, 2011)

Just heard from someone on crazy meds forum about Trifluoperazine. Apparently this is amazing for severe anxiety/nausea and gagging.

People say how TD is scary and ****. Well this is a ****ed disorder, as if there isn't anything I'm not going to try. I'll frikken fly over to the UK to even get it damn.

Benzo's don't work for me even entirely with the nausea and gagging, so its not like I can even do that thing. Benzo's might take a very small edge off. Maybe I should switch to alprazolam from lorazapam. Heard Xanax is meant for PD anyways.


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## velocicaur (Aug 8, 2009)

I have similar problems and benzos at high dose did the trick for me. 

After going through some wimpy ativan/klonopin trials (<1mg), I started on Xanax XR. It took a few boosts in dosage and I'm in the "way too much league" but at least I can go out without feeling like I'm going to be sick.

Of course, this brings on the problem of tolerance/dependence and all that good stuff. I am now horribly dependent on xanax, but at the same time, it gives me sort of freedom. I tried to start a withdrawal program with it, but the nausea came back with a vengeance, and there was no way that I was going to live with that again. It looks like I am going to be a life long benzo user... It's an extremely difficult choice to make considering the consequences of the drugs. It's replacing one problem with a temporary solution... but if you stop that solution, there is a whole new battle (withdrawal and then your old anxiety/nausea). Then again, living without the sickness feeling is amazing and I hope it continues to last.

Low dose seroquel (25mg - the lowest dose in pill form) is also HIGHLY sedative which I find to be helpful as well. It puts me to sleep so I have to plan accordingly.

I hope you find some relief.


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## A Sense of Purpose (May 8, 2011)

gilmourr said:


> Just heard from someone on crazy meds forum about Trifluoperazine. Apparently this is amazing for severe anxiety/nausea and gagging.
> 
> People say how TD is scary and ****. Well this is a ****ed disorder, as if there isn't anything I'm not going to try. I'll frikken fly over to the UK to even get it damn.
> 
> Benzo's don't work for me even entirely with the nausea and gagging, so its not like I can even do that thing. Benzo's might take a very small edge off. Maybe I should switch to alprazolam from lorazapam. Heard Xanax is meant for PD anyways.


Low dose Thorazine (Largactil) maybe 25-75mg will greatly help with nausea.

Its one of the gold standard drugs for nausea and sickness caused by migraine headaches.

It should also theoretically have a lower potential EPS / TD profile than trifluoperazine


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## gilmourr (Nov 17, 2011)

Reading reviews on it, doesn't look as good as trifluoperazine. I was also thinking maybe like a morning sickness medication like Zofran. Some people use it for anxiety with gagging and apparently it helps?

Maybe I should stop looking to control my anxiety and instead go straight to the nausea?

Probably should also go see a nose,ear,throat specialist just to make sure theres nothing causing it. 

Just tired of doctors, blood tests, EKG's, echo, consults etc.


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## ryobi (Jan 13, 2009)

Maybe you have GERD I have GERD and it's excacerbated by benzos


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## A Sense of Purpose (May 8, 2011)

gilmourr said:


> Reading reviews on it, doesn't look as good as trifluoperazine.


Fair enough, just saying. If you want the anti-nausea properties of an AP i'd shoot for something with much less potent D2 blockade while still getting the benefits of anti-emetic properties.

That way you dont have to fear EPS as much

Also, Ondansetron can cause EPS in people too however its mostly observed when giving it to patients recieving chemotherapy.


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## gilmourr (Nov 17, 2011)

A Sense of Purpose said:


> Fair enough, just saying. If you want the anti-nausea properties of an AP i'd shoot for something with much less potent D2 blockade while still getting the benefits of anti-emetic properties.
> 
> That way you dont have to fear EPS as much
> 
> Also, Ondansetron can cause EPS in people too however its mostly observed when giving it to patients recieving chemotherapy.


Those EPS symptoms sound pretty messed. Honestly am not afraid of ending up in the hospital from serotonin syndrome or hypertension, but I wouldn't want another chronic problem. What are the odds of something like EPS?


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## A Sense of Purpose (May 8, 2011)

gilmourr said:


> Those EPS symptoms sound pretty messed. What are the odds of something like EPS?


Its pretty much hit and miss. EPS can be transient but there are no rules as to how bad or how long it hangs around.

The more chronic and high the dosages, the greater chance it develops into Tardive Dyskinesia.

If one is catious and monitors themselves while taking an AP i think you should be able to catch it early so long as you notice the symptoms.

For example monitor your mouth/face weekly. Look for any quivering of the lip. Poke your tongue out and ensure it doesnt spontaneously move or wiggle. Make sure you dont clench your teeth. Watch yourself smiling/grinning in the mirror and check to make sure your cheeck muscles dont quiver and can sustain a toothy smile (this side effect happend to me.) Look out for unusual blinking or spontaneous eyelid movements etc.

Any signs of the above and i'd wanna get off the med (though with a taper if on it for say.... any longer than 2 weeks).


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## gilmourr (Nov 17, 2011)

Thanks a lot for the advice. I've heard also that if you catch symptoms early that they don't develop into chronic ones.

I'll talk to my psychiatrist about adding it. But I'm going to need some way to get it from the UK...


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## gilmourr (Nov 17, 2011)

BTW what do you think about the idea of using 5-HT3 antagonists for my gagging symptoms caused by panic and anxiety? Will this work, or are 5-HT3 antagonists only useful for medicinal induced nausea/gagging?

I've only read one review where one person has apparently taken it for panic disorder that has really helped them


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## A Sense of Purpose (May 8, 2011)

gilmourr said:


> BTW what do you think about the idea of using 5-HT3 antagonists for my gagging symptoms caused by panic and anxiety? Will this work, or are 5-HT3 antagonists only useful for medicinal induced nausea/gagging?
> 
> I've only read one review where one person has apparently taken it for panic disorder that has really helped them


They are worth a shot. The side effect profile is much more favoured than AP's in that you dont tend to cause sedation or cognitive slowing.

Perhaps try and if no relief is found, move onto typical aps


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