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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2005 >> Anybody know of OTC meds for Panic Attack-like sym
        
(Message started by: Lili-Laura on Feb 3^rd, 2005, 11:59pm)

Title: Anybody know of OTC meds for Panic Attack-like sym
Post by Lili-Laura on Feb 3^rd, 2005, 11:59pm

Hi
I get horrible additional symptoms with ha, it is like hyperventalating, but not that heavy breathing - getting hot, rapid heartbeat, queezy feeling, but I haven't thrown up ever, shaking and head feels heavy, like when you don't get enough air and feel like fainting (haven't ever fainted either). Now - I have used activan before - it's a valium based mild tranquilizer that is put under the tongue when needed. Obviously I don't know if it's a good idea, and in South Africa you need a script, which a@%hole dr won't give me. Are there any know over the counter meds / natural rememdies that will take care of all these sypmtoms?

Title: Re: Anybody know of OTC meds for Panic Attack-like
Post by don on Feb 4^th, 2005, 7:03am

Try here:

http://www.clusterheadaches.org/resources/non_script_treat.htm

Title: Re: Anybody know of OTC meds for Panic Attack-like
Post by floridian on Feb 4^th, 2005, 9:15am

The two parts of the nervous system (sympathetic/stimulation and parasympathetic/relaxation) can get out of whack during an attack.

My first reccomendation would be pure oxygen at a high flow rate in a non-rebreather mask. If you can abort the headache with oxygen, the other effects you describe are much less likely. We know that most clusterheads have low oxygen when an attack occurs, and this might contribute to the sensations you report. Click on the 'oxygen info' on the left menu bar here to read about that.

If it is just anxiety, and the doctor won't prescribe anything, there are herbal alternatives. Scutellaria (skullcap) is one, passionflower (passiflora) is another. These both act similar to valium or xanax. I have used passiflora on occasion, the only problem is that it takes some time to kick in (1-2 hours).

Other possibilities: theanine, an amino acid like compound from tea, St. Johns Wort, and taurine. Some people report being able to abort a headache with the soft drink Red Bull (which contains 1000 mg taurine). Not sure if that drink is available in SA, and the capsules with pure taurine are much cheaper here.

Quote:

J Clin Pharm Ther. 2001 Oct;26(5):363-7.

Passionflower in the treatment of generalized anxiety: a pilot double-blind randomized controlled trial with oxazepam.

Akhondzadeh S, Naghavi HR, Vazirian M, Shayeganpour A, Rashidi H, Khani M.

Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, South Kargar Avenue, Tehran, Iran. s.akhond@neda.net

OBJECTIVE: Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is a folk remedy for anxiety. A double-blind randomized trial compared the efficacy of Passiflora incarnata extract with oxazepam in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. METHODS: The study was performed on 36 out-patients diagnosed with GAD using DSM IV criteria. Patients were allocated in a random fashion: 18 to the Passiflora extract 45 drops/day plus placebo tablet group, and 18 to oxazepam 30 mg/day plus placebo drops for a 4-week trial. RESULTS: Passiflora extract and oxazepam were effective in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. No significant difference was observed between the two protocols at the end of trial. Oxazepam showed a rapid onset of action. On the other hand, significantly more problems relating to impairment of job performance were encountered with subjects on oxazepam. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that Passiflora extract is an effective drug for the management of generalized anxiety disorder, and the low incidence of impairment of job performance with Passiflora extract compared to oxazepam is an advantage. A large-scale trial is justified.

Quote:

Life Sci. 2004 Aug 6;75(12):1503-11.

Possible anxiolytic effects of taurine in the mouse elevated plus-maze.

Chen SW, Kong WX, Zhang YJ, Li YL, Mi XJ, Mu XS. Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Box 41, 103 Wenhua Road, 110016 Shenyang, PR China. c100sw@yahoo.com

The effects of taurine, an inhibitory amino acid, on the behavior of male mice were examined in the elevated plus-maze test of anxiety. Acute taurine treatment (60 mg/kg, PO) significantly increased the percentage of time spent in the open arms. Moreover, when taurine was administered daily for seven days and the plus-maze test was conducted 40 minutes after the last administration, a significant increase of the percentage of time in the open arms was observed even at dose of 2.5 mg/kg, however the open arm entries and the total entries were unaffected at any dose tested. In order to get a comprehensive profile of drug action, detailed behavioral analyses were further exerted. Single administration of 60 mg/kg taurine can significantly reduce the total rears. The results suggest that taurine have some anxiolytic-like properties, although its effects seem more limited and are not consistent with those presented by classic anxiolytics, such as diazepam.

Title: Re: Anybody know of OTC meds for Panic Attack-like
Post by miapet on Feb 10^th, 2005, 5:06pm

try skullcap or valerian root . .. both are wonderful for anxiety.
*positive light and energy*
miapet