Anxiety , medications and natural cures

[Coolevelynnn]

I'm on so many anti depressants and anti anxiety medications, including rispedal, neurontin, clonodine, citalopram, klonopin, topamax, trazadone, and Wellbutrin. I KNOW that this is a ton of medication, but I suffer from severe anxiety and panic attacks. I've had it ever since I was 21 and now I'm 43. I was wondering if I could try introducing natural herbs into the mix slowly, like valerium or camomile? I KNOW  everyone is going to ask me to check with my doctor, but no one seems to know about natural health! Is it really up to me to look all these things up on my own or does someone out there know what natural cures are safe for me to take! Thanks so much!

[Coolevelynnn]

Thank you for your informed comment back. I appreciate your knowledge and honesty. I honestly WANT to get off all the meds, but as I'm sure you know, it will be a very hard thing to do since my anxiety is so bad, and I've been on them so long. It's just that lately, my anxiety has been getting worse and was wondering if there was anything else I could do about it..... Thanks, again!

[Paxiled]

I wouldn't take anything that affects brain neurotransmitters given the huge number of drugs you're already taking that are duplicative in targeting these receptors.  For example, say you tried valerian.  Although plants are more complicated synergistically than science can figure out to this point in time, it is widely thought that valerian targets GABA to produce its relaxing effect, at least in part.  But you're taking pure GABA with your Neurontin and you're targeting it again with the klonopin, so you're already double dipping and now you want to triple dip.  Chamomile is extremely mild in action, so it might be okay to drink some tea once in awhile, and it can be soothing to the stomach, but it really isn't strong enough to do much for you.  That's another thing about natural remedies -- they're best use in combination for different parts of the body in a holistic way, but no one of them is as strong as any of the meds you're taking by a long shot.  Meaning, most people who specialize in natural medicine would want you to stop taking most of your meds and I doubt you're willing to do that, and it would take a fairly long time to do because you'd have to taper off them one at a time.  What you might be able to use are adaptogens, which balance the adrenals, since that probably wouldn't be double or triple dipping, but even then, with all those drugs I'd be afraid to advise you to take anything that affects the brain.  If you want to see an expert, there are herbalists out there, there are naturopaths, homeopathic physicians, physicians who practice integrated medicine, ayurvedic physicians, doctors of traditional Chinese medicine -- lots of experts you could consult, but you're right about allopathic physicians, they know nothing at all about natural medicine and have been taught to believe it is all bogus -- nobody likes competition.