My son's epilepsy medications over the years have freaked people out. Diazepam for emergencies, but people presume I'm taking it, not that it's for a child. Sodium Valproic, I've had people assume it's a supplement or some sort of essential oil that I give my kid. So when I've said it's important my child gets his meds, I've had people roll their eyes. I'm not an overprotective mother. If he doesn't take his meds, he'll have seizures. I hate how people jump to conclusions. Some day, he's going to be a young man having seizures alone in public and I've heard from other people with epilepsy is people assume they're drug addicts and are slow to help.
I have ADHD and chronic pain and have people say similar stuff. Which makes it even harder because I have pretty bad luck with medications, from side effects, to losing effectiveness, to just not doing what they should. So many people have told me to just walk more, or just take B12, but that's not the issue at all, and even doctors dismiss me. It's unfortunate because if something helps and isn't causing side effects, why not take it? I'd be happy to have anything to make my life less of a daily struggle.
Oh holy hell!! My mother had epilepsy. It is SO FRUSTRATING, the challenges and balancing act patients can face! By any chance, does your children's hospital (or whatever facility you work with) have some sort of advocate, or something similar? That person may have experience working with or persuading "lunk-headed" individuals. They may be able to offer you tips and tricks etc, even if they usually can't directly help? 🤞🤞🤞💞💞💞💞
Does he have a medical alert bracelet? I had a coworker who wore one and I never looked very close or asked because I figured it was none of my business as long as she was fine. It may be helpful if he has a seizure without you around at some point - even if a bystander didn't notice it, a paramedic would
Try explaining to each new doctor that your spironolactone isn't for high blood pressure, your metformin isn't for diabetes, and your propranolol isn't for hypertension. That's a real field day.
Gabapentin is another interesting case. It was originally designed as a muscle relaxant, but these days it's used to treat nerve pain and seizures. There's also a lot of recent evidence supporting its use in treating anxiety, as well as sleep. I take it every night and it does wonders for anxiety-related insomnia.
Before I watch: I take Prasosin, a blood pressure medication that surprised doctors when it became apparent that people with severe PTSD who took it just stopped having nightmares. I also take hydroxychloroquine, a malaria medication. I dont have malaria but I do have sjogrens and RA.
Haven’t gotten through the whole video yet but am on Prazosin (how it’s spelled here in Aus in case it’s different elsewhere) for PTSD so that was my first thought as well!
Yay, you mentioned Spironolactone! And you also mentioned the reason I take it. It is a wonderful medication, I’ve also noticed that I don’t get many breakouts, anywhere on my body.... Though, my skin is super dried out because of it. But, I do not care, I am taking a journey I should have started years ago.
I love learning about all the off-label uses of medications. They can be the only options left for some patients. Propranolol and Spironolactone were life-savers for me anxiety and acne wise. Propranolol worked better for my anxiety than any barbiturate ever did. Also LDN- low dose naltrexone is also being used for treating pain in some ms, fibromyalgia, and EDS patients. Thanks for the great video!
My flatmate started taking Propranolol for severe Generalised Anxiety Disorder and OMFG, the improvements for him have been genuinely life-changing 😊 After about 2yrs of taking it every day, his anxiety has even improved without it in his system, which makes me wonder whether perhaps there's a kind of reconditioning of the brain going on, over the long-term?
I once took a drug psychology course at uni. The way my professor described it, therapy does the most work, but for many patients, they are too affected to actually stick to the therapy. The meds can help them enough for the therapy to "get through to them", and once the therapy starts working, you can wean off the meds without reverting back. At least, that's the goal. But everyone's different, and some people will always need the meds to stay in control.
IceMetalPunk Yeah, in my flatmate's case, he wasn't able to afford to see a psychologist (Australia's public health system doesn't adequately cover mental healthcare). But with the severity of his anxiety, it was incredible to see what a change Propranolol made for him, even after just the first dose. I went with him to his GP appointment and the pharmacy afterwards. He took it as soon as we walked out of the pharmacy and 30min later (after we'd gotten lunch at his favourite quiet little place), he actually WANTED to get the bus home, because the difference in how he felt was so dramatic and he wanted to see how he'd feel in a situation that was usually awful for him. Of course, there's no guarantee that Propranolol would work as well for everyone -- pharmacogenetics, his own epigenome, etc. But it's certainly an interesting case, especially since he didn't believe it would do anything for him, haha.
I know that these molecules are designed to let the patient be receptive to therapeutic help, well for anti depressives one, i knew. But finding this rare pearl is hard. I've tried so many and doc up here in quebec are somehow relunctant to leave mainstream pills. I didnt even knew about beta block before this video :o And yea, many gets the ability to heal themselves. Im stuck in a sort of vicious circle atm :/
And the anti-anxiety properties are related to preventing the physiological effects of anxiety, like heightened heart rate. That's probably what makes it most useful for nightmares; your body no longer has an inappropriate physical response. Additionally, this makes it a commonly prescribed drug to people with PTSD for very similar reasons, with great results too.
Interestingly it's been also fairly successful as a myalgic encephalomyelitis treatment at low doses. The current theory for why this works is the low dose naltrexone gently encourages more endorphins to release during the natural endorphin process that occurs during sleep, helping cells heal (a similar effect to the healing effects that can come from a runner's high)
stinkykyle96 Same!! It doesn't 'cure' the mental symptoms of anxiety, bur BOY will it drag you out of a panic attack!! I told my doctor I was worried my heart was aging and starting to beat in a tachycardic rhythm! Besides mental illnesses, physically I'm healthy, so yeah I was freaking out. But it's changing my life! Proprananol ftw 💖
As an abortive or as a maintenance medication? It would be great if there were other options than benzodiazepines that had that much of an impact, able to stop a panic or anxiety attack.
I take it as well! For me it's a great medication for less severe anxiety, it's nice to have another option other than benzos (which for me is the nuclear option for super severe panic attacks)
I was on Amitriptyline before, which is an antidepressant, but it was prescribed for me due to its ability to promote sleep and reduce nerve pain. But sadly it gave me nightmares that kept getting worse, making me always wake up sweaty and scared, which is apparently a rare side effect.
Naltrexone can also be custom formulated into a low dose form and used to treat a wide range of issues. It seems to work on some kinds of pain, which is awesome as it’s far less harsh on the body than stronger drugs like gabapentin and opiates. It’s also being used with some great success in patients with issues like CFS/ME and Fibro. I know several people on it for post-Lyme Disease Syndrome, ME, fibro and/or arthritis who swear by it.
It's awesome when this happens, like the guy that made the first pacemaker was actually just trying to make something to record heartbeats and messed up, and then BOOM.. pacemaker.
Science and history are so cool. I didn't know about the pacemaker. That's interesting. I believe the inventor of sticky notes who was trying to make super glue, but ended up making a sticky substance that came off easy and put it on a piece of paper and now we have sticky notes.
It also can show up in urine tests, showing Positive test for MDMA & meth, so take note cos not all Dr's know this & can write up a patient taking illicit drugs.
I've been on 3 medications with multiple uses, all for the same condition, Chronic Hives. Zyrtec which is mostly used for seasonal allergies, Pepcid normally for heart burn and acid reflux and the like, along with Singular which is normally used for asthma.
In addition to what was mentioned in the video, propranolol is also a highly effective treatment for many people like myself who have migraines or Essential Tremor.
Even at 63, I’m fortunate not to have to take any prescription drugs. However, a few years back while training for a half-marathon during Cedar Fever time, I noticed that my muscle pains were immensely less than usual. Looking at my processes, the only major change to my regimen was that I was taking Mucinex to reduce congestion and help keep the phlegm flowing. I can only think that the Guaifenesin in this product helped to wash the lactic acid out of my muscles. Purely anecdotal, but works for me - try it for yourself.
I'm currently taking an antidepressant (nortriptyline) to manage my IBS symptoms. It shocked the hell out of me that it worked but I went from having flare-ups 2-3 days a week to 2-3x in 4 months.
Anxiety is more complex than you or most doctors have any idea... I have been diagnosed it, and it not the first related problem I was diagnosed with... Anxiety causes countless other problems that doctors tried to treated first (depression when young, and high blood pressure recently). The problem is the anxiety, not it's secondary effects. Beta blockers help a ton! Feel free to turn #3 in to an entire episode! :)
when I was little I took oxybutinin to calm my overactive bladder. now I'm an adult i take it to control my hyperhidrosis. It actually works better to control sweating than it did help my bladder spasms
One other surprising medication: Metformin. It may have been developed for Diabetes...but one of the side effects of hair loss actually makes it useful for treating Poly-cystic Ovarian Syndrome. I take it for that very purpose. I have that latter condition...and developed a neck-beard due to it, though I am biologically female, and wish to stay that way. So I take it to help with my own abnormal hair growth, and it works!
I'm on Topamax for my migraines, and that was originally developed for seizures. Still helps in higher doses I think, but for me, it helps my migraines
Trazedone is something I take for my insomnia (and depression), I take it before bed, maybe it helps you because once it kicks in it makes you so tired
I don't think I was on any of these medications but I was on a mood stabilizer that acted like an antidepressant as well but it was used primarily for a mood stabilizer
You'd be surprised how many medications had the same thing happen. The anxiety meds I take, gabapentin, we're created as an anticonvulsant and to help treat nerve pain caused by things like shingles. My mom used to take a similar med, topiramate, for anxiety that has basically the same story as gabapentin.
I'be been taking Propranolol since I was a young teen for my migraines at a low dose. After having 2 kids and turning 30 I was put on a higher dose for anxiety. I had no clue it was for anxiety. I don;t have to be put on Xanax and I am helping my migraines at the same time!
There's always benadryl, a powerful antihistamine, which also has equally powerful sedative effects. I can't take it for allergies because I can't stay awake enough to read, work, think, drive, or cook. But I've been given it for the "induction" stage of anesthesia. Of course, a number of antihistamines were invented as antipsychotics.
I am in awe that you were able to make it through that video without flubbing a drug name once! I take Quietapine along with a generic Lunesta to help in sleeping. The Quietapine helps "shut down" my brain to prevent "racing thoughts" (as they say in the sleep meds ads). When I researched it, it turns out that it was originally used (and may still be) with schizophrenia. I suppose that makes sense, but I still feel a little weird when I take it every night.
I think you may have confused addiction with dependency in the first portion of the naltrexone segment. Addiction is the (mostly) psychological component. It's possible be dependent on a substance without addiction and you can be addicted to things with no physiological dependency, even though they tend to happen together as they reinforce each other.
I’m on prazosin, otherwise known as minipress. It’s a medication for high blood pressure, but I don’t have high blood pressure. It helps with my PTSD nightmares 🤷🏻♂️
6:56 ayyyyy I'm on spironolactone along with estrogen for HRT. I'm glad y'all mentioned that additional use of spironolactone! Also spiro makes me crave salt (since it lets more get peed out, as you mentioned) and it makes me pree a bunch. So that's fun.
In the classical music world, we use Propanolol in small amounts (one dose of 20-60mg) as a tool to mitigate the physiological symptoms of audition and performance anxiety. I’m not sure how common this is - it’s a /bit/ of a taboo. However it seems to work for many who try it. It certainly works for me.
What about zolpidem tartrate?! It's usually a sleep medication but can stimulate damaged nerve endings and essentially "wake up" a person suffering from neurological damage and comas, temporarily making them able to communicate again.
Propranolol can also help with Essential Tremor (especially if it's aggravated by anxiety...) I have tremors in my right hand and my jaw, and have propranolol to take if it gets bad on a particular day.
I was originally prescribed propranolol for the physiological symptoms of anxiety as you described. After I started that regimen, I came down with essential tremor (not related to the med). I went to a neuro doc and he said, "To tell you the truth, I would've prescribed the propranolol for you anyway." My tremor is based on both heredity and some meds that I take. When I DON'T have my propranolol, my tremor is definitely worse, so I know it's helping. I'm surprised you didn't mention gabapentin. It was originally developed for seizures, but they discovered it's very useful for a lot of other things. I originally got it to help me get back to sleep at night. It doesn't make me drowsy, yet when I get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, it lets me fall back asleep immediately. In the past, I either couldn't get back to sleep at all and would stay up, or else just lie there for hours. My sister got it to help with pain. I believe there are even more uses, but I'm not sure.
I was prescribed propanalol for headaches. It helped some, but after about 3 weeks, my ptsd was completely GONE! Later, I read in a science magazine that propanalol was being tested on veterans with ptsd. I know first-hand: it works!
I took naltrexone for dermatillomania and it sadly didn't work but I've heard it does a lot of good for many people with skin picking/hair pulling. Another medication, Lamictal, is used for seizures at high doses but at 300 and lower its used for manic depression and it's helped my anger issues greatly. Side uses to meds ended up really helping me.
Occasionally, I will feel sudden fear or giddiness with no real reason for the feeling after a seizure with my epilepsy. The doc gave me cough medicine once in the hospital, & the feeling passed right away. I never knew why until this video.
I took antidepressants for nerve pain, and stimulant ADHD medications for dizziness. It's interesting how things can work. But unfortunately I haven't had much luck with those lasting long term, but GABA, which I used to take for sleep issues, seems to work with preventing meltodowns, so I may try that as an ADHD medication.
Can vouch for propranolol - during my therapy for my PTSD I noticed over time that while my brain *wasn't* spinning 500 miles an hour, my body still was. And having IBS pains, sweating and the shakes can really interfere with whatever mental coping mechanisms you've been taught. I still take it now but for a different reason - I can use it to lower my heart rate and blood pressure without it interfering with my ADHD medication. Seriously if any of you suffer from anxiety and are nervous about taking something that interferes with the CNS - talk to your doctor about low-dose propranolol.
I'm on Cymbalta for chronic nerve pain caused by several damaged discs in my neck. It keeps my pain level down to 1 or 2 as opposed to my previous level of 4 to 7. Don't know how it works but has made a huge difference in my quality of life!
Thalidomid (Contergan)! Original a sedative with those horrible side effects during pregnancy. But it is still a very effective medicine against leprosy and certain kinds of cancer!
The horrible side effects stemmed from a mistake in testing, back in time the animals that where used for testing showed NO negative side effects. Only with using different animals ( a New Zealand bunny) showed similar effects. Secondly there is R-Thaliomide and S-Thaliomide, only the latter prevents regular embryonic development. Alcohol and Meth in the same states of pregnancy for example are much worse, as they influence brain development rather than the physical development which is the effect of thalidomide (contergan)
Both are dangerous. It is true that S-thalidomide causes the teratogenic effects and R-thalidomide the sedative effect, but even if you take the pure R-enantiomer there is a biotransformation process in your body that turns it into the S-enantiomer.
Back when i was doing my internship in the ER, a patient was admitted for hypoglycemia and upon doing the medication reconciliation we came to know that he's on insulin but there was no history of diabetes. Apparently he was abusing HumilinR for bodybuilding.. On the other hands some non-diabetic people even abuse exenatide, metformin and acarbose for weight reduction..
yeah but its the worst! it increases the risk of Heart attacks and irregular heart beats.. Its even fatal to use in patients with heart diseases. Unfortunately its even a constituent in some weight loss formulations sold..
I've done a bit of homework about Propanolol, it was used quite a bit. Some performers like singers took them to ease jitters and general stage fright(aka anxiety)
Tamsulosinhydrochloride is a prostate medication that is only prescribed to male patients although it works on smooth muscle tissue regardless of gender and can help women with urethra inflammation and in some cases symptoms tied to endometriosis. Metamizol is a non opioid pain medication that can also help to prevent migraines and also helps with period cramps, however it is banned in most countries, while widely used as muscle relaxant in the german speaking part of the world, while it can have some serious side effects it does not damage your liver, stomach and kidneys as much as other non opioid analgesics. Paracetamol not only works like NSAIR without being one, it actually docks to one of our cannabinoid receptors thus it is really a prodrug having similar effects as Cannabinoids.
1:15 Does anyone remember that bit on Best of the worst wherein mike started laughing loudly at nothing, despite mike rarely laughing? What if it was something like that?
There are a huge amount of medication prescribed for off-label use. Many like some on this list started for one thing and ended up being almost exclusively used for another. Most of mine are off-label use. I take Cymbalta, an anti-depressant, for neuropathic pain and Prazosin, a blood pressure med, for PTSD induced nightmares (which also helped with my migraines).
I take fluvoxamine, an anti depressant for ocd, but it’s also been used and studied for Covid 19, mainly preventing at risk people (who have Covid) from getting sicker and being hospitalized
I started using aspirin for horrible toothaches. It worked much better than the moonshine my mom gave me . This was when I was 12yo and in middle school. I didn't know anyone else who carried a bottle of aspirin in their purse. This was a life changing event for me. I couldn't believe there were kids who never had a toothache. I eventually started getting dental care. I went to nursing school in the 70's and learned the chemistry and uses for ASA. I used it for menstrual pain before antiprostaglandins became available. If you don't have Ibuprofin aspirin takes care of pain with cramps and with headaches ( really ). Before I get hated for suggesting aspirin, stomach ails can be avoided by eating something first and using only needed. It should not be used ever for those who use with anticoagulants such as heparin. One more thing : low dose aspirin eg. 82 mg will help as temporary, temporary measure to help those with heart attack or stroke symptoms before they get to hospital. I keep this in my purse and car.
I am on Amitriptiline to control a neurological movement disorder, but we discovered these effects by using for pain medication! It doesn't help much with the pain for me, but has reduced the frequency and severity of convulsive episodes significantly and even sped up my recovery time.
There's a potent anti-epileptic called *Pregabalin* (brand name *Lyrica* ), which is basically a modified version of the neurotransmitter *GABA* ( *Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid* ), which acts as a neural suppressant. It's secondary use is for the treatment of severe *Neuropathic Pain* , such as *Trigeminal Neuralgia* , *Restless Legs Syndrome* & *Fibromyalgia* . There's also anecdotal evidence that it is effective for *Generalized Anxiety Disorder* .
I totally agree with lyrics helping with all those things but I use gabapentin which is in the same family as lyrica and it completely stopped my extreme restless leg syndrome....fixed my insomnia too.
@@courtneyskyla *Lyrica* is the brand name for *Pregabalin* , so it's exactly the same thing. I've personally found that *Magnesium Supplements* are very effective at suppressing the *Restless Legs / Formication* neurological dysfunction symptoms of *Fibromyalgia* .
This is what happened with prazosin, which is an alpha blocker. Originally developed for high blood pressure, it was found to help ease PTSD related nightmares in veterans. I don't have PTSD myself, but I do have a lot of symptoms that overlap, including terrible nightmares. Prazosin has really helped with that. I still have some uncomfortable dreams but they rarely reach the point of triggering too much adrenaline response and waking me up in a panic. It's great!
Propranolol is also used to treat essential tremor, a neurological condition which causes uncontrollable shaking. I take low dose propranolol for it, before I started it I could barely hold a pen and my neck and legs were starting to be affected, now my tremor is almost completely gone and has been for years.
Eeeey, I take #8! The eyelash thing is completely true, although it's unnerving to take it on only one side and realize you're starting to look a bit like Alex DeLarge. You didn't mention the other side effect, though, where your irises darken! I'm keeping an 'eye' out for this in myself, although I've learned that both side effects can be reduced by wiping off the excess fluid, instead on letting it sit on your eyelash line. I'm always happy to see people bringing attention to glaucoma. It's a very subtle disease, and can even hit people (like myself) who don't have any of the usual causes in their history. My case was caught when I was very young by, of all places, a Walmart vision center! Go get your eyes checked, folks, the air-puff test ain't that bad! ; )
Naltrexone is also used as a weight management medication when combined with bupropion AKA Wellbutrin, a common antidepressant. Both are used for the same reasons as for non-drug addictions and overeating can be treated as an addiction. Bupropion is also commonly used as a smoking cessation medication due to these same effects. The combination medication of naltrexone/bupropion, Contrave, is generally considered to have fewer negative side effects than more traditional weight management medications. It's certainly not a weight cure by any means, but since diet is 90% of weight loss, reducing food cravings in those actively trying to lose weight can increase the effect and improve weight loss outcomes.
I was hoping yall would mention propranolol since you were talking about blood pressure meds. It was very helpful for me while I was waiting to get a daily anxiety med prescription.
Both of my main prophylactic migraine medications were not developed for migraines, one is a beta blocker (typically used for treating high blood pressure) even though I'm prone to low blood pressure and the other is a sleep medication that doesn't actually help me sleep at all but they both keep me from having 24/7 365 severe migraines and cluster headaches! With these two medications I get about 1 migraine per week and I only get cluster headaches when I'm super stuffed up from allergies (I'm always a little congested from allergies but I only get cluster headaches when my allergies are at their absolute worst) or bad colds.
i was prescribed propranolol for anxiety attacks (i'm on meds normally for my depression/anxiety but i used to have attacks that were really bad). i took it as needed, and i referred to it as an "attack bandaid" because it wasn't something for long-term true healing/help, but would help me get back in control of myself during an attack. found out later it has other uses, so kind of the reverse of this video lol.
I'm really sad Topamax wasn't mentioned considering it has about 10 different uses that range from anti-seizure, mood stabilizer, treatment for nerve pain, migraine prevention, treatment for PTSD flashbacks, and I feel like I'm reading about a new use for it everyday.
I use propranolol for anxiety, and I personally have found it to work incredibly well. It doesn't stop me from feeling nervous in my head, but I don't get a fuzzy memory, flushed face/neck, sweaty palms, or shaking. I recommend it for people hoping to stop the physical symptoms of anxiety.
Propranolol is also being investigated in conjunction with psychotherapy to slowly eliminate the debilitating panic symptoms of PTSD by taking advantage of how memory is a destructive process and requires the brain to regenerate the memory after each recollection. And how the emotional/physiological effects are remembered separately from the factual memory. In this way the Emotional response is reduced after each recollection episode.
Epilepsy medications- many are used as mood stabilisers, and some like gabapentin and pregablin are used for neuropathic pain. Tricyclic antidepressants are used for pain and sleep too.
My son's epilepsy medications over the years have freaked people out. Diazepam for emergencies, but people presume I'm taking it, not that it's for a child. Sodium Valproic, I've had people assume it's a supplement or some sort of essential oil that I give my kid. So when I've said it's important my child gets his meds, I've had people roll their eyes. I'm not an overprotective mother. If he doesn't take his meds, he'll have seizures. I hate how people jump to conclusions. Some day, he's going to be a young man having seizures alone in public and I've heard from other people with epilepsy is people assume they're drug addicts and are slow to help.
I have ADHD and chronic pain and have people say similar stuff. Which makes it even harder because I have pretty bad luck with medications, from side effects, to losing effectiveness, to just not doing what they should. So many people have told me to just walk more, or just take B12, but that's not the issue at all, and even doctors dismiss me. It's unfortunate because if something helps and isn't causing side effects, why not take it? I'd be happy to have anything to make my life less of a daily struggle.
Oh holy hell!!
My mother had epilepsy. It is SO FRUSTRATING, the challenges and balancing act patients can face!
By any chance, does your children's hospital (or whatever facility you work with) have some sort of advocate, or something similar? That person may have experience working with or persuading "lunk-headed" individuals. They may be able to offer you tips and tricks etc, even if they usually can't directly help?
🤞🤞🤞💞💞💞💞
@@KOKO-uu7yd I just work with his pediatric-neurologist. I can handle it, it's just people being a nuisance.
Try cbd or even thc.
Does he have a medical alert bracelet? I had a coworker who wore one and I never looked very close or asked because I figured it was none of my business as long as she was fine. It may be helpful if he has a seizure without you around at some point - even if a bystander didn't notice it, a paramedic would
I take spironolactone and I have to explain to every concerned new nurse I see that its for hormonal acne, not hypertension.
Just gotta love that fake mint taste
Why would the nurses be concerned about you taking medicine for hypertension?
What is it supposed for
Try explaining to each new doctor that your spironolactone isn't for high blood pressure, your metformin isn't for diabetes, and your propranolol isn't for hypertension. That's a real field day.
@@KnakuanaRka I assume because in her pic she looks rather young. Young bp problems are never good
Gabapentin is another interesting case. It was originally designed as a muscle relaxant, but these days it's used to treat nerve pain and seizures. There's also a lot of recent evidence supporting its use in treating anxiety, as well as sleep. I take it every night and it does wonders for anxiety-related insomnia.
Before I watch: I take Prasosin, a blood pressure medication that surprised doctors when it became apparent that people with severe PTSD who took it just stopped having nightmares. I also take hydroxychloroquine, a malaria medication. I dont have malaria but I do have sjogrens and RA.
You're a patient who's supposed to take hydroxychloroquine because you have an autoimmune condition.
Haven’t gotten through the whole video yet but am on Prazosin (how it’s spelled here in Aus in case it’s different elsewhere) for PTSD so that was my first thought as well!
Michael is such a nice host to watch and listen to!
Allyvia F I definitely enjoy watching him
Mmmhmm!
Bold of you to assume I’m a lady
He is cute
Yep. Three years later he still is.
Yay, you mentioned Spironolactone! And you also mentioned the reason I take it. It is a wonderful medication, I’ve also noticed that I don’t get many breakouts, anywhere on my body....
Though, my skin is super dried out because of it. But, I do not care, I am taking a journey I should have started years ago.
I love learning about all the off-label uses of medications. They can be the only options left for some patients. Propranolol and Spironolactone were life-savers for me anxiety and acne wise. Propranolol worked better for my anxiety than any barbiturate ever did.
Also
LDN- low dose naltrexone is also being used for treating pain in some ms, fibromyalgia, and EDS patients.
Thanks for the great video!
My flatmate started taking Propranolol for severe Generalised Anxiety Disorder and OMFG, the improvements for him have been genuinely life-changing 😊 After about 2yrs of taking it every day, his anxiety has even improved without it in his system, which makes me wonder whether perhaps there's a kind of reconditioning of the brain going on, over the long-term?
I wish some doc RX me this one then. Still haven't found a molecule that works. Except seroquel brain smasher/zombifier.
I once took a drug psychology course at uni. The way my professor described it, therapy does the most work, but for many patients, they are too affected to actually stick to the therapy. The meds can help them enough for the therapy to "get through to them", and once the therapy starts working, you can wean off the meds without reverting back.
At least, that's the goal. But everyone's different, and some people will always need the meds to stay in control.
IceMetalPunk Yeah, in my flatmate's case, he wasn't able to afford to see a psychologist (Australia's public health system doesn't adequately cover mental healthcare). But with the severity of his anxiety, it was incredible to see what a change Propranolol made for him, even after just the first dose. I went with him to his GP appointment and the pharmacy afterwards. He took it as soon as we walked out of the pharmacy and 30min later (after we'd gotten lunch at his favourite quiet little place), he actually WANTED to get the bus home, because the difference in how he felt was so dramatic and he wanted to see how he'd feel in a situation that was usually awful for him.
Of course, there's no guarantee that Propranolol would work as well for everyone -- pharmacogenetics, his own epigenome, etc. But it's certainly an interesting case, especially since he didn't believe it would do anything for him, haha.
I know that these molecules are designed to let the patient be receptive to therapeutic help, well for anti depressives one, i knew. But finding this rare pearl is hard. I've tried so many and doc up here in quebec are somehow relunctant to leave mainstream pills. I didnt even knew about beta block before this video :o
And yea, many gets the ability to heal themselves. Im stuck in a sort of vicious circle atm :/
This might be helpful to explain the way that Propranalol is improving yourfriend's symptoms:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2898127/
Propanalol also prevents nightmares in some patients (including myself), though that probably is related to its anti-anxiety properties.
And the anti-anxiety properties are related to preventing the physiological effects of anxiety, like heightened heart rate. That's probably what makes it most useful for nightmares; your body no longer has an inappropriate physical response. Additionally, this makes it a commonly prescribed drug to people with PTSD for very similar reasons, with great results too.
I love scishow please never stop making videos
You should do an episode on medications we use but don't exactly know how they work
7:01 The fact that they said "choose to undergo hormone therapy" makes me happy, even tho its a small little thing.
Propanolol can also be used for migraine prevention! That's why I take it, so it's nice that it has a side-effect of helping my anxiety.
Naltrexone is also being used effectively to treat nerve pain in patients with fibromyalgia.
Interestingly it's been also fairly successful as a myalgic encephalomyelitis treatment at low doses. The current theory for why this works is the low dose naltrexone gently encourages more endorphins to release during the natural endorphin process that occurs during sleep, helping cells heal (a similar effect to the healing effects that can come from a runner's high)
I've been taking propranolol for anxiety for the past year and it's honestly life changing for me!
stinkykyle96 Same!! It doesn't 'cure' the mental symptoms of anxiety, bur BOY will it drag you out of a panic attack!! I told my doctor I was worried my heart was aging and starting to beat in a tachycardic rhythm! Besides mental illnesses, physically I'm healthy, so yeah I was freaking out. But it's changing my life! Proprananol ftw 💖
As an abortive or as a maintenance medication? It would be great if there were other options than benzodiazepines that had that much of an impact, able to stop a panic or anxiety attack.
Same! Though I take it as needed on bad days
I've just started this for anxiety, and I love it! Didn't want that Ativan monkey on my back.
I take it as well! For me it's a great medication for less severe anxiety, it's nice to have another option other than benzos (which for me is the nuclear option for super severe panic attacks)
I love this channel. So many fascinating videos that I haven't watched.
I was hoping they would mention Lamictal/Lamotrogen, an anti-seizure meditation that also treats bipolar disorder
I think it's used for fibromyalgia, too.
I was on Amitriptyline before, which is an antidepressant, but it was prescribed for me due to its ability to promote sleep and reduce nerve pain. But sadly it gave me nightmares that kept getting worse, making me always wake up sweaty and scared, which is apparently a rare side effect.
Lamictal gang
Naltrexone can also be custom formulated into a low dose form and used to treat a wide range of issues. It seems to work on some kinds of pain, which is awesome as it’s far less harsh on the body than stronger drugs like gabapentin and opiates. It’s also being used with some great success in patients with issues like CFS/ME and Fibro. I know several people on it for post-Lyme Disease Syndrome, ME, fibro and/or arthritis who swear by it.
spirinolactone is also prescribed as a hair loss treatment for women with androgenic alopecia
It's awesome when this happens, like the guy that made the first pacemaker was actually just trying to make something to record heartbeats and messed up, and then BOOM.. pacemaker.
Science and history are so cool. I didn't know about the pacemaker. That's interesting. I believe the inventor of sticky notes who was trying to make super glue, but ended up making a sticky substance that came off easy and put it on a piece of paper and now we have sticky notes.
Justin O'Brien I thought that was Frank Zappa?
That's some science you have there katie
KennethMichaels Boom and it’s done! 👩🏻🔬
Science with Katie :
Science is full of examples of serendipity. Being a person of science I'm sure you know that.🔬🔬🔬🔬🔬🔭🐳🌍🌎🌏🌌🌃💫
I take Wellbutrin for my depression and anxiety. Its also used to help smokers quit and people to lose weight.
It also can show up in urine tests, showing Positive test for MDMA & meth, so take note cos not all Dr's know this & can write up a patient taking illicit drugs.
I've been on 3 medications with multiple uses, all for the same condition, Chronic Hives. Zyrtec which is mostly used for seasonal allergies, Pepcid normally for heart burn and acid reflux and the like, along with Singular which is normally used for asthma.
Great vid! Kudos for mentioning Spiro in the context of trans individuals!
Who'd have thought that Arthur just needed cough syrup to stop him becoming the Joker...
In addition to what was mentioned in the video, propranolol is also a highly effective treatment for many people like myself who have migraines or Essential Tremor.
Even at 63, I’m fortunate not to have to take any prescription drugs. However, a few years back while training for a half-marathon during Cedar Fever time, I noticed that my muscle pains were immensely less than usual. Looking at my processes, the only major change to my regimen was that I was taking Mucinex to reduce congestion and help keep the phlegm flowing. I can only think that the Guaifenesin in this product helped to wash the lactic acid out of my muscles. Purely anecdotal, but works for me - try it for yourself.
I'm currently taking an antidepressant (nortriptyline) to manage my IBS symptoms. It shocked the hell out of me that it worked but I went from having flare-ups 2-3 days a week to 2-3x in 4 months.
Excellent video! Explains the chemical reactions in these drugs in an easy to understand way. I am a nurse and really appreciated this
3:35 "that's when it becomes a [dependence*]." addiction is a pattern of behavior, while dependence is more concerned with neurochemistry.
Anxiety is more complex than you or most doctors have any idea... I have been diagnosed it, and it not the first related problem I was diagnosed with... Anxiety causes countless other problems that doctors tried to treated first (depression when young, and high blood pressure recently). The problem is the anxiety, not it's secondary effects. Beta blockers help a ton!
Feel free to turn #3 in to an entire episode! :)
when I was little I took oxybutinin to calm my overactive bladder. now I'm an adult i take it to control my hyperhidrosis. It actually works better to control sweating than it did help my bladder spasms
One other surprising medication: Metformin. It may have been developed for Diabetes...but one of the side effects of hair loss actually makes it useful for treating Poly-cystic Ovarian Syndrome. I take it for that very purpose. I have that latter condition...and developed a neck-beard due to it, though I am biologically female, and wish to stay that way. So I take it to help with my own abnormal hair growth, and it works!
To prevent most of my migraines I take trazodone, which was originally developed as an antidepressant.
I'm on Topamax for my migraines, and that was originally developed for seizures. Still helps in higher doses I think, but for me, it helps my migraines
Trazedone is something I take for my insomnia (and depression), I take it before bed, maybe it helps you because once it kicks in it makes you so tired
I don't think I was on any of these medications but I was on a mood stabilizer that acted like an antidepressant as well but it was used primarily for a mood stabilizer
You'd be surprised how many medications had the same thing happen. The anxiety meds I take, gabapentin, we're created as an anticonvulsant and to help treat nerve pain caused by things like shingles. My mom used to take a similar med, topiramate, for anxiety that has basically the same story as gabapentin.
Joe LaRiccia Also topamirate treats migraines!
Good ol Dopeamax... It has an incredibly nasty side effect profile.
Roberta D. I forgot about that, my aunt is prescribed topamax for migraines actually
Robert Szasz oh ya, that's why she stopped taking it
Topirimate can also help with reducing food cravings and help with weight loss
Host has smooth voice and good flow, makes listening and understanding much better.
I'be been taking Propranolol since I was a young teen for my migraines at a low dose. After having 2 kids and turning 30 I was put on a higher dose for anxiety. I had no clue it was for anxiety. I don;t have to be put on Xanax and I am helping my migraines at the same time!
There's always benadryl, a powerful antihistamine, which also has equally powerful sedative effects. I can't take it for allergies because I can't stay awake enough to read, work, think, drive, or cook. But I've been given it for the "induction" stage of anesthesia. Of course, a number of antihistamines were invented as antipsychotics.
I am in awe that you were able to make it through that video without flubbing a drug name once!
I take Quietapine along with a generic Lunesta to help in sleeping. The Quietapine helps "shut down" my brain to prevent "racing thoughts" (as they say in the sleep meds ads). When I researched it, it turns out that it was originally used (and may still be) with schizophrenia. I suppose that makes sense, but I still feel a little weird when I take it every night.
Yes, quetiapine is most commonly prescribed as a mood stabilizer for bipolar, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.
I think you may have confused addiction with dependency in the first portion of the naltrexone segment. Addiction is the (mostly) psychological component. It's possible be dependent on a substance without addiction and you can be addicted to things with no physiological dependency, even though they tend to happen together as they reinforce each other.
I’m on prazosin, otherwise known as minipress. It’s a medication for high blood pressure, but I don’t have high blood pressure. It helps with my PTSD nightmares 🤷🏻♂️
Spiro is awesome, took it for about a year for transitioning! Then it gave me too high potassium levels and tried to murder me so like we’re even
6:56 ayyyyy I'm on spironolactone along with estrogen for HRT. I'm glad y'all mentioned that additional use of spironolactone!
Also spiro makes me crave salt (since it lets more get peed out, as you mentioned) and it makes me pree a bunch. So that's fun.
My doctor told me to put salt on everything now
In the classical music world, we use Propanolol in small amounts (one dose of 20-60mg) as a tool to mitigate the physiological symptoms of audition and performance anxiety. I’m not sure how common this is - it’s a /bit/ of a taboo. However it seems to work for many who try it. It certainly works for me.
What about zolpidem tartrate?! It's usually a sleep medication but can stimulate damaged nerve endings and essentially "wake up" a person suffering from neurological damage and comas, temporarily making them able to communicate again.
Not just temporarily. They continue taking it to keep the restored brain function. Ending the comatose state is usually a one-way street.
Propranolol also is useful for treatment of essential tremor, as well as for migraine prophylaxis
I take it for my essential tremor! Works a treat
Me too.
"What's this medication called?"
"Propanolol."
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing it's just propanolol."
Propranolol can also help with Essential Tremor (especially if it's aggravated by anxiety...) I have tremors in my right hand and my jaw, and have propranolol to take if it gets bad on a particular day.
I was on Spiro (self-med) before I finally got officially prescribed Decapeptyl. It wasn't *as* effective, but it did work!
I was originally prescribed propranolol for the physiological symptoms of anxiety as you described. After I started that regimen, I came down with essential tremor (not related to the med). I went to a neuro doc and he said, "To tell you the truth, I would've prescribed the propranolol for you anyway." My tremor is based on both heredity and some meds that I take. When I DON'T have my propranolol, my tremor is definitely worse, so I know it's helping.
I'm surprised you didn't mention gabapentin. It was originally developed for seizures, but they discovered it's very useful for a lot of other things. I originally got it to help me get back to sleep at night. It doesn't make me drowsy, yet when I get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, it lets me fall back asleep immediately. In the past, I either couldn't get back to sleep at all and would stay up, or else just lie there for hours. My sister got it to help with pain. I believe there are even more uses, but I'm not sure.
my muscles have some surprising secondary uses
surprising, eh? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
such as.....?
Who does these?
you know making this profile is very insulting to the actual hank right?
Which is weird cause he's left handed... lol
Spironolactone was prescribed to me to help with PCOS symptoms. The fact it helps keep blood pressure down is also good for my migraines.
I was prescribed propanalol for headaches. It helped some, but after about 3 weeks, my ptsd was completely GONE! Later, I read in a science magazine that propanalol was being tested on veterans with ptsd. I know first-hand: it works!
I took naltrexone for dermatillomania and it sadly didn't work but I've heard it does a lot of good for many people with skin picking/hair pulling. Another medication, Lamictal, is used for seizures at high doses but at 300 and lower its used for manic depression and it's helped my anger issues greatly. Side uses to meds ended up really helping me.
I've seen sildenafil for revascularization of severely injured skin tissue. Cool stuff! Great list y'allllll
Occasionally, I will feel sudden fear or giddiness with no real reason for the feeling after a seizure with my epilepsy. The doc gave me cough medicine once in the hospital, & the feeling passed right away. I never knew why until this video.
I took antidepressants for nerve pain, and stimulant ADHD medications for dizziness. It's interesting how things can work. But unfortunately I haven't had much luck with those lasting long term, but GABA, which I used to take for sleep issues, seems to work with preventing meltodowns, so I may try that as an ADHD medication.
Can vouch for propranolol - during my therapy for my PTSD I noticed over time that while my brain *wasn't* spinning 500 miles an hour, my body still was. And having IBS pains, sweating and the shakes can really interfere with whatever mental coping mechanisms you've been taught.
I still take it now but for a different reason - I can use it to lower my heart rate and blood pressure without it interfering with my ADHD medication.
Seriously if any of you suffer from anxiety and are nervous about taking something that interferes with the CNS - talk to your doctor about low-dose propranolol.
So the joker just needed to have some dextromethorphan to stop his laughter.
I'm on Cymbalta for chronic nerve pain caused by several damaged discs in my neck. It keeps my pain level down to 1 or 2 as opposed to my previous level of 4 to 7. Don't know how it works but has made a huge difference in my quality of life!
Thalidomid (Contergan)! Original a sedative with those horrible side effects during pregnancy.
But it is still a very effective medicine against leprosy and certain kinds of cancer!
Gpcas9 only one of the chiral molecules is dangerous
there are enzymes in the body that can and do racemize an enantiopure dose, so in practice they have very similar effects
We did an episode about that! Chirality is fascinating. ua-cam.com/video/mrTHfBCduRA/v-deo.html
The horrible side effects stemmed from a mistake in testing, back in time the animals that where used for testing showed NO negative side effects. Only with using different animals ( a New Zealand bunny) showed similar effects. Secondly there is R-Thaliomide and S-Thaliomide, only the latter prevents regular embryonic development. Alcohol and Meth in the same states of pregnancy for example are much worse, as they influence brain development rather than the physical development which is the effect of thalidomide (contergan)
Both are dangerous. It is true that S-thalidomide causes the teratogenic effects and R-thalidomide the sedative effect, but even if you take the pure R-enantiomer there is a biotransformation process in your body that turns it into the S-enantiomer.
Propranolol is also used to treat hemangiomes in babies.
I'm glad DXM is starting to get the recognition it deserves, and there are MANY more uses for it.
You know what’s up ;)
LMAOOO
I take an antidepressant for chronic pain. Also some anti seizure meds are used for pain.
Richard Jones Nerve pain, especially fibro pain.
Both Cymbalta and Effexor work really well for neuropathic pain. I'm on Cymbalta for that.
Amitriptyline? I started taking that from trapped nerve pain - two weeks later, no more pain. Magic stuff.
Yup! Duloxetine helps for my depression and for fibromyalgia. Still nothing for EDS though
Back when i was doing my internship in the ER, a patient was admitted for hypoglycemia and upon doing the medication reconciliation we came to know that he's on insulin but there was no history of diabetes. Apparently he was abusing HumilinR for bodybuilding.. On the other hands some non-diabetic people even abuse exenatide, metformin and acarbose for weight reduction..
Do people also abuse Levothyroxine for weight loss?
yeah but its the worst! it increases the risk of Heart attacks and irregular heart beats.. Its even fatal to use in patients with heart diseases. Unfortunately its even a constituent in some weight loss formulations sold..
He got a different haircut. Cute.
*holds medicine while talking to friends*
"Have you met memantine?
I've done a bit of homework about Propanolol, it was used quite a bit. Some performers like singers took them to ease jitters and general stage fright(aka anxiety)
Djust recently started taking propanolol, not for brood pressure, but to prevent tremors in hands - has been verr effective, big improvement.
Videos like this make me realize how few people actually get treatment they need and MOST ABUSE THEIR ACCESS
Michael Aranda always does such a great job. Remember when he helped Hank Green with the song “DFTBA?” Those were the good old days...
BergletteMom whoa nerdfighteria deep cut ❤️
Fun fact I sort of expected would come up: one of my mom’s treatments for her inflammatory auto immune disease is Naltrexone
The trans inclusive language in this video made my heart happy.
it's not perfect (i took spiro and i'm nonbinary, not a trans woman) but yeah
This channel is generally very good about that, it’s nice
Except it's "trans women" and not "transwomen" it's a big difference
@@xenianth. wot
@@xenianth. what's the difference?
Tamsulosinhydrochloride is a prostate medication that is only prescribed to male patients although it works on smooth muscle tissue regardless of gender and can help women with urethra inflammation and in some cases symptoms tied to endometriosis. Metamizol is a non opioid pain medication that can also help to prevent migraines and also helps with period cramps, however it is banned in most countries, while widely used as muscle relaxant in the german speaking part of the world, while it can have some serious side effects it does not damage your liver, stomach and kidneys as much as other non opioid analgesics. Paracetamol not only works like NSAIR without being one, it actually docks to one of our cannabinoid receptors thus it is really a prodrug having similar effects as Cannabinoids.
1:15 Does anyone remember that bit on Best of the worst wherein mike started laughing loudly at nothing, despite mike rarely laughing? What if it was something like that?
There are a huge amount of medication prescribed for off-label use. Many like some on this list started for one thing and ended up being almost exclusively used for another.
Most of mine are off-label use. I take Cymbalta, an anti-depressant, for neuropathic pain and Prazosin, a blood pressure med, for PTSD induced nightmares (which also helped with my migraines).
When I was younger I was on a medication to reduce swelling and pain in my joints, said medication was originally invented to treat seizures.
Well done presentation.
I'm gonna need more of these. It's so interesting!
I would definitely try the hormonal acne one.
I take fluvoxamine, an anti depressant for ocd, but it’s also been used and studied for Covid 19, mainly preventing at risk people (who have Covid) from getting sicker and being hospitalized
I started using aspirin for horrible toothaches. It worked much better than the moonshine my mom gave me . This was when I was 12yo and in middle school. I didn't know anyone else who carried a bottle of aspirin in their purse. This was a life changing event for me. I couldn't believe there were kids who never had a toothache. I eventually started getting dental care. I went to nursing school in the 70's and learned the chemistry and uses for ASA. I used it for menstrual pain before antiprostaglandins became available.
If you don't have Ibuprofin aspirin takes care of pain with cramps and with headaches ( really ). Before I get hated for suggesting aspirin, stomach ails can be avoided by eating something first and using only needed. It should not be used ever for those who use with anticoagulants such as heparin.
One more thing : low dose aspirin eg. 82 mg will help as temporary, temporary measure to help those with heart attack or stroke symptoms before they get to hospital. I keep this in my purse and car.
I am on Amitriptiline to control a neurological movement disorder, but we discovered these effects by using for pain medication! It doesn't help much with the pain for me, but has reduced the frequency and severity of convulsive episodes significantly and even sped up my recovery time.
There's a potent anti-epileptic called *Pregabalin* (brand name *Lyrica* ), which is basically a modified version of the neurotransmitter *GABA* ( *Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid* ), which acts as a neural suppressant.
It's secondary use is for the treatment of severe *Neuropathic Pain* , such as *Trigeminal Neuralgia* , *Restless Legs Syndrome* & *Fibromyalgia* .
There's also anecdotal evidence that it is effective for *Generalized Anxiety Disorder* .
I totally agree with lyrics helping with all those things but I use gabapentin which is in the same family as lyrica and it completely stopped my extreme restless leg syndrome....fixed my insomnia too.
@@courtneyskyla *Lyrica* is the brand name for *Pregabalin* , so it's exactly the same thing.
I've personally found that *Magnesium Supplements* are very effective at suppressing the *Restless Legs / Formication* neurological dysfunction symptoms of *Fibromyalgia* .
This is what happened with prazosin, which is an alpha blocker. Originally developed for high blood pressure, it was found to help ease PTSD related nightmares in veterans. I don't have PTSD myself, but I do have a lot of symptoms that overlap, including terrible nightmares. Prazosin has really helped with that. I still have some uncomfortable dreams but they rarely reach the point of triggering too much adrenaline response and waking me up in a panic. It's great!
Propranolol is also used to treat essential tremor, a neurological condition which causes uncontrollable shaking. I take low dose propranolol for it, before I started it I could barely hold a pen and my neck and legs were starting to be affected, now my tremor is almost completely gone and has been for years.
Eeeey, I take #8! The eyelash thing is completely true, although it's unnerving to take it on only one side and realize you're starting to look a bit like Alex DeLarge. You didn't mention the other side effect, though, where your irises darken! I'm keeping an 'eye' out for this in myself, although I've learned that both side effects can be reduced by wiping off the excess fluid, instead on letting it sit on your eyelash line.
I'm always happy to see people bringing attention to glaucoma. It's a very subtle disease, and can even hit people (like myself) who don't have any of the usual causes in their history. My case was caught when I was very young by, of all places, a Walmart vision center! Go get your eyes checked, folks, the air-puff test ain't that bad! ; )
I got excited when you mentioned naltrexone, because I and many others use it in very low doses (LDN) for fibromyalgia.
Naltrexone is also used as a weight management medication when combined with bupropion AKA Wellbutrin, a common antidepressant. Both are used for the same reasons as for non-drug addictions and overeating can be treated as an addiction. Bupropion is also commonly used as a smoking cessation medication due to these same effects. The combination medication of naltrexone/bupropion, Contrave, is generally considered to have fewer negative side effects than more traditional weight management medications. It's certainly not a weight cure by any means, but since diet is 90% of weight loss, reducing food cravings in those actively trying to lose weight can increase the effect and improve weight loss outcomes.
No Diphenhydramine?
I'm on Spironolactone for acne. It gets really bad. Also take Propranalol. Not for anxiety. I take it to control frequent migraines.
7:45 Apart palms that are sweaty, does it help with weak knees, heavy arms and vomiting mom's spaghetti?
I was hoping yall would mention propranolol since you were talking about blood pressure meds. It was very helpful for me while I was waiting to get a daily anxiety med prescription.
Both of my main prophylactic migraine medications were not developed for migraines, one is a beta blocker (typically used for treating high blood pressure) even though I'm prone to low blood pressure and the other is a sleep medication that doesn't actually help me sleep at all but they both keep me from having 24/7 365 severe migraines and cluster headaches! With these two medications I get about 1 migraine per week and I only get cluster headaches when I'm super stuffed up from allergies (I'm always a little congested from allergies but I only get cluster headaches when my allergies are at their absolute worst) or bad colds.
You have a very pleasant voice. Fascinating information.🙂
Right
i was prescribed propranolol for anxiety attacks (i'm on meds normally for my depression/anxiety but i used to have attacks that were really bad). i took it as needed, and i referred to it as an "attack bandaid" because it wasn't something for long-term true healing/help, but would help me get back in control of myself during an attack. found out later it has other uses, so kind of the reverse of this video lol.
I'm really sad Topamax wasn't mentioned considering it has about 10 different uses that range from anti-seizure, mood stabilizer, treatment for nerve pain, migraine prevention, treatment for PTSD flashbacks, and I feel like I'm reading about a new use for it everyday.
Nuedexta helped me out so much after my TBI. I’m glad you mentioned it!
I use propranolol for anxiety, and I personally have found it to work incredibly well. It doesn't stop me from feeling nervous in my head, but I don't get a fuzzy memory, flushed face/neck, sweaty palms, or shaking. I recommend it for people hoping to stop the physical symptoms of anxiety.
Propranolol is also being investigated in conjunction with psychotherapy to slowly eliminate the debilitating panic symptoms of PTSD by taking advantage of how memory is a destructive process and requires the brain to regenerate the memory after each recollection. And how the emotional/physiological effects are remembered separately from the factual memory. In this way the Emotional response is reduced after each recollection episode.
Epilepsy medications- many are used as mood stabilisers, and some like gabapentin and pregablin are used for neuropathic pain. Tricyclic antidepressants are used for pain and sleep too.