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Suggest Treatments For Anxiety .
have been on Lexapro for some years for anxiety disorder I experience sever jaw clenching and very tight muscles around the jaw that I cannot release. have tried physio magnesium with no help. The Lexapro works well with athe anxiety and I have tried many others that did not help . any advise please? traceys
Fri, 10 Jan 2014
welcome to HCM!
After reading the query I can say from my clinical experince that you need to either change the medicine or at least add something to it for complete response.
Escitalopram is a good drug but not very effective on managing severe anxiety ( espically when there is muscular tension ). I have seen very good response with SNRIs in such cases, they are newer and superior compared to escitalopram ( lexapro). SNRIs like Venlafaxine or paroxetine or des Venlafaxine are effective treatment in similar cases as yours. ideally one should have full response with drug only then we take that it is completely managed, partial managment is not the goal.
For on & off muscular clenching we can go with Xanax in between.
I also teach my patients JPMR ( exercise) after they start having some initial response in anxiety with medicines.
it is an effective exercise and with combination of drugs , there is excellent response.
Hope the reply is helpful
feel free to ask more questions
Dr. Manisha Gopal
MD Psychiaty
After reading the query I can say from my clinical experince that you need to either change the medicine or at least add something to it for complete response.
Escitalopram is a good drug but not very effective on managing severe anxiety ( espically when there is muscular tension ). I have seen very good response with SNRIs in such cases, they are newer and superior compared to escitalopram ( lexapro). SNRIs like Venlafaxine or paroxetine or des Venlafaxine are effective treatment in similar cases as yours. ideally one should have full response with drug only then we take that it is completely managed, partial managment is not the goal.
For on & off muscular clenching we can go with Xanax in between.
I also teach my patients JPMR ( exercise) after they start having some initial response in anxiety with medicines.
it is an effective exercise and with combination of drugs , there is excellent response.
Hope the reply is helpful
feel free to ask more questions
Dr. Manisha Gopal
MD Psychiaty
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