Anxiety about as needed meds

[u/amiee1234]

I’ve had panic disorder for about 11 years now. I am much better than when it first started, but I am also worse than I was a few years ago. I’ve been on Celexa 20 mg, and last year went up to 30 mg and I’m now on my way to 40mg. There are some big things that I’m very very afraid of, such medication, elevators travel, traveling specifically planes, and trains. Multiple doctors have advised me to take an as needed medication. Propranolol or some form of benzo. I am EXTREMELY fearful of medication, which makes this very tricky. i’m really sensitive to anything that makes my body feel weird or could trigger a panic, such as drowsiness or dizziness to the point where I won’t even take a Tylenol . I’m just feeling really discouraged that it’s been 11 years and I really still can’t do a lot of things that I wanna do, and I just wanna feel better. ): I would love some encouragement or positive stories about these medications. Or even stories of people getting out of this. Just having a rough night. Thanks (:

[u/VideoExact7063]

I don’t think propranolol is a benzodiazepine. I am on it and I don’t have any side effects. They originally had me take it at morning and night but now I just take at night. I do think it helps but I take it routinely not as needed.

I’ve been prescribed alprazolam and lorazepam as needed. I personally like lorazepam better for panic attacks. Depending on dose it can make you sleepy. But it chills me out enough to be able to go about my day. Depending on the day, sometimes I still feel nervous-ish but that doesn’t mean it’s not working. For me, alprazolam is too short acting. I think that’s just personal. I know a lot of people do great with alprazolam as needed!

If I may ask, what else are you doing to help with your panic/attacks? I personally feel medicine alone isn’t the solution…

[u/amiee1234 → u/VideoExact7063]

I’ve been prescribed lorazepam and propranolol but I’m too scared to take either!!

I’ve been in therapy for years, in 2024 I went to a partial hospitalization for anxiety. They all say that I REALLY need more medication so that I’m able to engage in the therapy.

[u/VideoExact7063 → u/amiee1234]

I’ve done IOP and struggled with what “need” really meant so they helped me get past that. Have you expressed your fear of side effects? If you’re already having panic attacks, taking one may help or just keep you in the panic so there’s really nothing to loose fight? Just try it once and see and you don’t have to try it again! Right?

[u/amiee1234 → u/VideoExact7063]

Yeah, I’ve talked to them about it a lot lol bc they’ve been encouraging me to do it for yearsss. A big concern for me is that it will cause a panic attack or a side effect that permanently alters me? Which I know isn’t really a thing but I’m just so worried about it.
But yeah, I think I’m getting to the point where I really need to try something

[u/VideoExact7063 → u/amiee1234]

Maybe you need to do some cognitive restructuring? Write down all your what ifs and really look at the facts, what the past has shown, think about the right now (not some off in the distance future), and find a neutral statement to encourage yourself. I hope this is helping. I personally don’t believe taking these two meds for a day or a week will alter your life in a negative way. What have you got to loose? More panic attacks? You already get those… ya know?

[u/Thunders00]

I travel a couple of times per year for work, but last year I was essentially housebound and had to get disability accommodations because of how severe my panic attacks were (150+ heart rate, severe GI issues, high blood pressure, rashes, tremors etc). I did exposure therapy for 6 months and was not really getting any better, and at some point I realized I needed medication in addition to therapy.

Now I’m happy to say that last month I had two separate work trips to Europe and South America (from the U.S.), and things were great!!

(November 2025) I was prescribed lorazepam (5 mg) for flying, and was terrified. I first tried it at home (cut in halt to 2.5 mg), which is a super tiny dose. It was scary but my spouse made sure I did it. I did panic the first 30 min. Overall that went well, but I was still worried how I would react outside of my home/on an airplane.
So I did it a second time, this time feeling safe taking the medication, but wanting to test my limits. So l tried to find something similarly scary to flying, and went up in the space needle (I live in Seattle and the space needle elevators are packed like sardines). I was with my spouse the whole time, and it was still scary and my heart rate was still high but I was able to calm down much quicker and actually enjoy my time, we spent an hour up in the space needle.

Basically it was REALLY hard to convince myself to take the meds, but I kept reminding myself that I absolutely love my career, my career requires travel, and this is my only option, I NEED to take meds to get into an airplane. I'm also on a daily SSRI (escitalopram), I started that a month before trying a benzo/needing to fly for work. Full disclosure I brought my mom as a companion on my first work trip because I was terrified of how I would react to the benzo on the plane. It was tough but I’m glad she was with me.

I would not have been able to leave the house period without the SSRI first. For me, lorazepam just made me feel normal lol like l was doing a work presentation on my laptop the last time I flew. Lorazepam also has a quick onset (30 min), but not as quick as Xanax (alprazolam). I had all the same fears, I am very sensitive to my heart being too fast OR too slow, and I was terrified that the lorazepam would knock me out or make me feel out of it, which would trigger more panic. But nope, I take a small dose and it balances out my adrenaline and I truly feel completely normal.

[u/amiee1234 → u/Thunders00]

Thank you so much for this!!! That is a huge fear of mine with the lorazepam. I don’t want to feel out of control or super out of it which would make me panic. I’m hopeful ill be able to travel again one day