Just started Xanax...anyone have experiences to share?

Be careful, it is very addicting! Have you tried taking a 1 mg melatonin? I’d even start with a 1/2 of a 1mg. I have never seen anyone that 1 mg didn’t work on. I’ve have suggested this to a few people and it works every time. Also, you should be practicing meditation and eating a healthy diet. Walking is helpful too, along with deep breathing. Life is hard sometimes but it doesn’t have to stay that way. So what if you made a mistake, we have all made them! Don’t be so hard on yourself and don’t worry about what other people think because that causes anxiety and doesn’t matter in the long run anyway. Only care what God thinks and live your life according to that! Always try to live the best life you can, be true to yourself and treat others well, only then can you have true freedom from worry. If you think you made a mistake with the move, give it a chance for a few months, knowing that nothing lasts forever! Good luck and let me know how the melatonin works. Try not to take Xanax! Many people get addicted to that when all they really needed was a lifestyle change, and a better way of thinking.

Sorry I just came in late on this discussion. My interest is in the "Opioid Frenzy"! So tired of hearing it over and over again. To live your life in Pain every moment is foolish! People who throw out all of these false statements have never had acute pain. Especially with something you had nothing to do with it affecting you!
I could write a book larger than "WAR AND PEACE" ON MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND THE FAKE NEWS I HAVE SEEN PUT FORTH ON THE USE OF OPIODS!
I consider myself very Lucky to have an Old Time Doctor who believes in helping his patients rather than listening to the government and the medical administration.
We play thier silly games and i give a urine test when it is called for! He wrote my percription of Oxycodone for two a day. He knows and trusts me that if the two do not take care of my pain as a last resort i may take another. Mostly I try and use and over the counter medication first.
I had my yearly physical a couple of weeks ago. we talked about how I was doing and how the headaches and body pain was so much under control. I was leaving town on a business trip that would put me out of town when my percription had ended. His nurse called it into my pharmacy. When I called to see if it was ready they said it was to early!! I then expalined this was not a once a day type of sleep medicine but was for Pain. My doctor had said if they had a problem for them to call him! It was ready in and hour!
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS I HAVE LEARNED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS DURING ALL THIS IS "GOODRX"!!
If your doctor percribed the medicine the pharmacy does not have to get the ok from your insurer or Medicare.
My percription through Atena of Oxycodone runs close to $100. Through GOODRX it is $19.
I truly can't believe people do not use it more. I probably use them 50% of the time. Most of my daily medications are coverd at No Cost through Atena but others my Pharmacy knows when I show up to check both to see which is a savings for me.
I guess I am Blessed compared to many out there to have such a Great Doctor and a Good Pharmacy!
Good Luck!
Sundance(RB)

I think a much bigger problem is that too many doctors give prescriptions and never try to Find or fix the cause of the pain! Many of them don’t keep up on the latest in medicine, so all they know is to give out prescriptions.

How do you get Good RX?

sears, sorry it's been a long day, just now getting to messages.
Just go on line to GoodRx. You put in the name of the drug you need. let them know what Zip Code you are and it will bring up a list of Pharmacies in your area.
I've even looked where my Pharamacy has a higher price than another. I go to the lower one and ask them to call my pharamacy to transfer it over.
My pharm. knows now to give me the lowest price. There is no Fee, no extra charges.
If you pharmacy says they don't take Good RX, go on line and if it shows them listed they will. Have had friends as theirs and they say they don't take it, my friend then went on line, forgot to tell you that I print out the coupon that is on the web page with the drug and the pharm. and take it in when I pick up my percription.
I can't believe the # of people who do not use GoodRX.
It has saved me thousands of $$ over the last three years.
Good luck!
SUNDANCE(RB)

I am sorry to hear about your troubles. Anxiety can rob a person of so much life. I know this because it has affected me for 30 years. I suggest that you look for a good psychologist that specializes in anxiety and panic attacks. Psychologists do not prescribe medication but rather try to get to the root of your problem and works with you to rationalize why you are having these feelings. The second suggestion I have for you is to go find a good yoga studio nearby that you can attend a yoga class or two a week. A good yoga instructor can really help teach you how to live in the present. Anxiety is a manifestation of something that happened in the past or something that “ may “ happen in the future. In closing, there is nothing wrong with relying on Xanax to get you to some kind of help. I just don’t want you to become a prisoner of your anxiety and a bottle of pills. Best of luck to you.

Hi! I just read your post, as well as numerous replies, and thought my own story would be of help. 🙂
I’ve had anxiety since 1990, and have been on Alprazolam (generic Xanax) successfully & daily all 30 years. For me, it has been no different than a diabetic who may need insulin their whole lives. It has been extremely beneficial and essential, and I take it responsibly. Always have.

Since we’ve lived in numerous states, or have had to change doctors on occasion due to our insurance changing, I’ve had the “pleasure” of having doctors’ responses to Alprazolam ranging from (and I’m being funny now) “clearly it’s like taking crack and we must get you off it,” to “well, we at least need to taper you back because it could be addictive,” to “oh my goodness, you’re totally fine to take it as it helps people so much.”

We need to be careful when we throw around the word “addiction” when it comes to Alprazolam. Yes, there is that factor in some people who take it, and usually it becomes obvious, I would imagine, by them abusing it or needing more before their refill. For me, it is a very very essential maintenance medication. I get my refills at the appropriate time, and after all these years I know exactly when I need it, and how much. I’m in the no-guilt/no shame zone on this one. We wouldn’t do that to someone who needed their medicine for whatever condition they have. Like them, the ability to have a quality of life on a daily basis would be extremely hard and diminished if it weren’t for my depression and anxiety medications. End of story.

As far as which ones and doses on those, again keep in mind I’ve been on meds, for both, for 30 years. So, I’ve been on depression meds that work, absolutely don’t work, and some “work okay” ones. Same for dosages on each one. Hang in there until you find the right one, and above all else, get a doctor who has a clue about mental health! If one doesn’t, move on!

Right now, I have .5 mg 3x/day. Sometimes I need all 3, sometimes I only need 2, and sometimes 2-1/2. At one point years ago, going through a very stressful time, my doctor had me go to 1mg 3x/day. I actually found that to be too much, so after that stressful time passed, I told him I wanted to go back down to my original dose. Now THAT’S a doctor who understands this whole area. And yes, he healthily monitored me.

Oh, I’m also one where the depression medicines with built-in anti-anxiety portions don’t work for me. I’ve tried many! So....I have to have both meds. to stay even-steven.

I’m also a rare bird that not only uses it for my anxiety, but also as a very effective sleep medication. While I know that I am the exception rather than the rule on the sleep part, frankly I don’t care. I know my body, and I know what works for me. Plus, that’s why studies always have the small percentage where a medication is also effective for such ‘n such in a small percentage of people. Make sense?

Gosh I hope this has helped. I am passionate about the area of Alprazolam, because when someone that is new on it hears every which way, I’m always afraid they will be so fearful of it that they will either not take it, or be afraid to ask for the right dose for them. That is such a disservice to all of us who greatly use it properly as an absolute life-saver.

To end, my mom (now 88 and still lives in her own apartment, has many standing weekly engagements, and is sharp as a tack) always tells me: “have something to look forward to each day.” That is such wise advice. It could be as simply as watching “Wheel of Fortune” at 7pm! 😊