My psychologist has suggested this to me as it can help with all of the above. Does anyone have experience with this medicine, or maybe its relative, Effexor (venlafaxine)? I am afraid to take anything that might make things worse but I guess sometimes we can't get better unless we take the risk. I wonder what the risks really are...the side effect profile is unpleasant but then again it is also for Tylenol.

it's ok for anxiety but it depends for why the prescribed it. do you have panic attacks? can cause major drowsiness and change in mood...

Yes, I take citalopram. It really helps me... I was a complete bag of nerves before. It was getting ridiculous. It does not interfere with my bms.

OMB x

Reading back through some of these. I was on gabapentin for anxiety for many years. Most SSRI's and SNRI's made me more anxious, but the gabapentin hasn't done much. While I didn't want to go back on meds especially since I am starting a new birth control pill, I don't think I have much choice. This anxiety has gone on for so long I'm depressed now. So reviewing all these again when I talk to a new psychiatrist Tuesday.
Any suggestions or new updates from those who take meds? Any should be clear of with an anal fissure?

I'm not on anything now, but took Pristiq for a few years and it worked well for me. I think it's a SNRI. One word of warning, my daughter also has depression that is treated very successfully with Zoloft, and she cannot take birth control hormones. They make her depression and anxiety much worse. The copper IUD (nor hormones) works well for her.

Good luck,
Karen

Thanks Kari bee, I have always sensed a similar problem regarding the pill and Zoloft/most ssri/snri'sfor me. The only time I had no anxiety was when u wasn't on the pill nor any anxiety meds. Strange ;) But my panic attacks and so on are getting worse with this fissure issue. I thought I was over this after my fistula surgery last year. Bah! Thanks for the feedback.