How long does anti anxiety medication take to start working?
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010 at
4:37 pm
My dad has bad anxiety and paranoia. He was prescribed Zyprexa and started taking 5mg tablets on Jan. 9th. He then changed the dosage to 10mgs about 15 days ago. So far he sleeps much better and doesn’t shake when he gets nervous. But other than that he is pretty much the same. Oh his voice sounds much better. He doesn’t sound like a whinny 5 year old child anymore. I guess I am too anxious for the medicine to work, but I am losing hope. It was hard enough to convince him to take it. (He was afraid of taking any medication). How much longer do I have to wait?
Filed under: Anxiety Attacks
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My shrink has me (and many others) on Vistaril. He teaches pharmacology at the state university. It ‘s an antihistamine, so it might not be listed as an anxiolytic (anti – anxiety). A lot of these are sleeping pills with addictive potential, but this is not a barbiturate so it"s regarded as safer.
I think youre looking for a silver bullet cure and Im not sure ther is one for him zyprex is actually very effective It sounds like he has a few more things to work on
These medications take about a month or so to work their way into the system. Also, if he ever stops they will be there for a month before his body gets rid of them. He should never just quit taking them without consulting his doctor. Patience is, hopefully, acquired with age. Don’t show him your impatience, it will make it worse for him. It isn’t his fault, the way he acts, this is a chemical problem in his system, he has no choice until the medication starts to work.
As a healthcare provider I am so grateful for your support of your father and his mental illness. This will mean more than anything in his treatment. Typically psychiatric care is like buying new shoes. Sometimes you have to try on different shoes and sizes before you find the exact fit. And then with time and adaptation…sometimes you need different size again..or different shoes…..get it? I know that you are anxious for help to come for your father. And the fact that he is now open to taking the very necessary medications is a great progress. Support this, even though the road may be longer than you prefer it to be. It sounds as if you have a psychiatric care provider who is on top of medication dose changes. When I was young my father suffered greatly…I understand your feelings…and it also helped me to choose the medical profession. The hardest part of mental healthcare seems to be not only finding the right medication and dose…but then keeping them taking it regularly. Love your father for who he is …if he could fix himself he would. And care for yourself, this is difficult, and you need support too.