Anyone take anxiety medication before a big test?!
Question: I have a really big test coming up.. not just a normal exam, so my anxiety level is raising each day that it comes closer. Anyways, people keep recommending that I call my general physician and ask for something to take for a few days (including the day-of the exam). I assume I'd be prescribed a benzo, like Xanax or something.
Obviously I'd take one prior to the test day to make sure I don't have any serious side effects. However, I read one of main side effects of benzos is mental dullness, like concentration and memory problems. Anyone have any experience with this kind of thing and think that it would do me more harm than good during the test?
Answers: I have a really big test coming up.. not just a normal exam, so my anxiety level is raising each day that it comes closer. Anyways, people keep recommending that I call my general physician and ask for something to take for a few days (including the day-of the exam). I assume I'd be prescribed a benzo, like Xanax or something.
Obviously I'd take one prior to the test day to make sure I don't have any serious side effects. However, I read one of main side effects of benzos is mental dullness, like concentration and memory problems. Anyone have any experience with this kind of thing and think that it would do me more harm than good during the test?
I took xanex (Spelling?) the morning of my wedding. I was still nervous, but it squelched that awful sick, stomach turning, sweating nervousness. I didn't have any side effects, and if you are that nervous, I would consider consulting a doctor and getting a prescription, but no no side effects.
CAREFUL!! Alot of anxiety medication can make you WORSE before you get better..
What I do is take 2-4 antacids (indigestion tablets) before tests/interviews etc.. They stop your stomach churning (butterflys) which helps alot more than you'd think.
I remember reading a study about this. Students were given diazepam (a benzos) or Oxprenolol(a beta-blockers) before an exam. The people you did the study wouldn't get a contorl group (placebo), because the dean thought that it would be a disavantage for the students who got the placebo. Anyways, the students were all assigned a tutor and the tutors were asked prior to the exam how each student will do on the exam. The results indicated that students who were given diazepam(benzos) did actually worse then expected, while students with oxprenolol did the same as expected or better then expected. Therefore if I were you I would take a beta blocker like oxprenolol and not a benzos. I also believe that a little bit of anxiety can actually help you with the exam. Then again, if you're confident that you will do well in the exam by being well prepared for it then it is most likely that you will be less anxiuos for it.
Tom P.
Biochemist (i love pharmacology)