alternative to anxiety meds - Alternative Medicine Message Board

pjo · 02-16-2003, 08:23 AM

I am currently taking BuSpar for anxiety and Clonidine for high blood pressure. I would like to quit taking the Buspar and try using supplements instead. Does anyone have any suggestions on where to begin? Thanks.

kat721 · 02-17-2003, 10:30 AM

There are a number of alternative ways to approach the regulation of blood pressure and anxiety.
However, you need to look beyond the symptoms and look for the cause of your imbalance.
If your BP is high because you are anxious, then some relaxation techniques such as biofeed back or hypnosis might be helpful.
If your BP is mild then an adjustment in your diet with a good cardiovascular exercise program would be to your advantage.
Massage, within the guidelines for a hypertensive patient, and acupuncture for helping the energy flow more efficiently, is also a good choice.
However, if your BP is caused by an underlying organic problem or genetic predisposition, then medication can't be ruled out and your health and wellness depends on taking the right medication regularly with the addition of all of the above mentioned modalities done with respect to staying on your medication as per Doctors orders.
With anxiety being an attendant problem you have to understand what causes that anxiety.
Is it fear and unresolved life issues? Or might it be a tachycardic heart revving up your cardiovascular system and making your heart pump too fast mimicking an anxiety attack. You have to work with your doctor to differentiate a heart rhythm problem from an anxiety attack.
Also, ones blood sugar plays an important role in these problems and the occurance of blood sugar spikes or drops might be an undiagnosed problem.
I have had numerous blood sugar tests done and my blood sugar levels always come out perfect on a morning fast.
However, during a specific glucose tolerance test it's a whole different story of a very dangerous nature.
My blood sugar falls dangerously low on the Glucose Tolerance Test. I now take an anti diabetic medication to keep my self from going into a sugar low coma. However, until there was one Doctor who was wise enough to run an exact and specific test, everyone thought I was having chronic anxiety and I was put on Xanax for the problem.
Well, now I have specific medication to address my heart rhythm problem and my low blood sugar problem and Xanax is a non issuse. My heart is no longer pounding out of my chest and I am no longer crankey and irritable and shakey and disoriented.
So, get a good total medical assessment and stay on the meds you need for any real medical condition that warrents medication care and incorporate a wellness plan with exercise and diet modification to allow your health and wellness to be their best.
With both anxiety and HBP exercise will be your best and most holistic friend anyway.
How we care for our HBP/Anxiety conditions depends more on our physical activity and diet than any suppliment anyway.
Kat

Sarah68 · 02-19-2003, 08:16 AM

As well as acupuncture, I would like to suggest homeopathy. Homeopathy can deal with inherited predispositions to disease and you may not have to take meds for high blood pressure. You can reduce your meds effectively whilst taking the homeopathic remedy and may be able to come off them altogether.

kat721 · 02-19-2003, 05:11 PM

Homeopathic treatments would be contraindicated if the HBP medicine were a substance that negates the homeopatic treatment.
The problem with Homeopathy is that you absolutely have to adhere to a strict and controled set of dietary and supplimental controls.
And, as we all know, one ill thought peppermint after dinner and poof there goes the homeopathic attempt at wellness.
The remedy then has a backwards spiral and a lot of people will experience a health crisis as symptoms cascade.
If one were to choose a Homeopathic treatment it would be better done with a medical Doctor who has a specialty in homeopathic treatment closely monitoring the remedy.
There are a number of Acupuncture Doctors who have a specialty in Homeopathic treatment and second to a traditional MD that kind of professional would be a good choice too.
With homeopathy and critical life imbalances such as High Blood Pressure and Diabetes etc. it's best to take the HOME out of Homeopathy and get good and sound medical guidence.
Ones Blood Pressure is a serious condition that could have many hidden problems.
Unless one is taking their BP at least a couple of times a day, it would be impossible for someone with substantial hypertension to even know if they are sick or not if they don't tend to manifest symptoms.
While some people are sensitive to the rise and fall of BP and it's body reactions, there are a huge number of people who never manifest symptom one.
That's why hypertension is called the silent killer.
Because it literally does kill silently with no signs until the critical coronary or the massive brain explosion.
Cardiovascular disease is the NUMBER ONE killer of women(in particular) in the United States. NUMBER ONE!
That's a pretty high statistic out performing even Cancer in the death department.
Since hypertension is such a big and important problem in ones general health, it would make wise and actually Holistic sense to not gamble with ones life with out proper medical guidance.
Additionally, Hypertension and cardiovascular problems can also be warning signals for other systemic problems like those existing with the Endocrine system and metabolism.
Unless one would specifically know if they are dealing with a cardio problem or an endocrine problem, then it would again be difficult to pinoint the homeopathic remedy for the proper regulation and care of a systemic dysfunction.
The real key in the application of alternative therapies with any degree of reasonable sucess, depends on the flexibility of practitioners to blend and merge with traditional medicine.
Alternative should really be thought of as complimentary because to exclude traditional medicine would then be going to the extreme of the other end of the spectrum and Holistic practices would then be subject to the same limitations of traditional medicine in excluding vital pieces that work together to make a whole.
So take your meds if you need them.
Do not be ashamed if medication is a necessity for the well being of your body.
Alternative modalities are not the be all cure all for every human disease, but they can be powerful partners in helping us make the best of our situations and the quality of vibrant life we experience on a daliy basis.
Choose your healing wisely.
Kat

rhody · 02-19-2003, 10:24 PM

Under doctor's care and recommendations, I would try to change to a healthy diet and exercise. First start any exercise program slowly. It's a lifestyle change. Exercise does a great job of reducing stress and making a person relax. It's a "wonder drug".

There are herbs that help with anxiety and well-being, but I would start with a sound diet and exercise program first. Again, I would suggest this under doctor's care, particularly with anyone that has high blood pressure or other health concerns.

Years ago, I found that weight training made me so sleepy that I slept so deeply. I was really surprised. I figured that only a cardio-vascular workout would only do that. But lifting weights can really make one so relaxed. I must caution again, although, people with high blood pressure have to be very careful with lifting weights. This should be accomplished very slowly as the body is returning to health.

For people that don't normally exercise, a walking program, is a nice step in the right direction....