Anyone had success w/anti-anxiety drugs?

[Dona]

I was wondering if anyone else notices a huge difference in their symptoms when they're taking anti-anxiety meds? I developed PBS, (my dr says it's not IC still even though I have many of the symptoms you ladies describe here, hydro/cysto just didn't show it I think, but who knows maybe I'm wrong and he's right!) about 1 yr ago. He feels alot of my urethra/bladder symptoms are caused from my being in premature menopause, dx @40. No periods for almost 18 months now. And that's when the nightmare of bladder/urethra/vaginal symptoms began. I've been on HRT for the past yr, but still have pretty much the same issues I had a yr ago. The only thing that seems to help me is the anti-anxiety med, Ativan, generic is lorazapam. If I don't take it everyday my bladder would spasm like crazy! I would constantly feel like I had to go! And I would get alot of urethra irritation, like something was in there, and I would also get external burning in the vaginal area. But w/this medication those symptoms are almost completely gone. I don't understand how this med for anxiety is helping these symptoms? I also don't know how long I can safely stay on this medication? I've been on it now for just over a yr.

I was just wondering if anyone else was on this med or had any of the same results. The only other med I take for these symptoms is elavil @ night mostly for sleep, but I know that its the lorazepam thats helping mostly b/c if I miss a dose the symptoms reappear!

Thanks!
Dona

[SandyRN]

Ativan literally makes me crazy. It makes Tom crazy too. I can't say why, but when I had it in the hospital, after a lonnnnnnng stay for my Crohns disease, I was climbing the walls. They gave me Ativan and I threw my dinner tray across the room, and I dont know why! I'm not a violent person! Just was temporarily insane!

What does help is klonopin and valium....both help my bladder, and when I have days like today it is nice to have a little bit of something to stabilize my mood....too bad I dont have any!

A lot of people use valium vaginal suppositories and there is a post somewhere on here about them.

Hope things get better for you real soon!

Sandy

[mom_in_ma]

Actually xanax is one of my miracle drugs. It's an anti-anxiety drug. Although, it can be addictive, I've not had any problems with that at all. It relaxes my bladder and takes away most of the pressure for me. It also helps me calm down when I start to flare...a nice benefit. Actually, the doctor gave it to me for my anxiety during a flare years ago and that's when I discovered it worked better for my IC!