1. < Depression & Anxiety

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

Posted by alanism @alanism, Jan 31, 2019

I recently moved to a new house I am not liking, and have always struggled with anxiety. My anxiety has spiked and has been out of control over this move which I feel was a mistake. My doctor prescribed sertraline, but I understand I will not feel the affect of the sertraline for 6-8 weeks. For the past couple of weeks I have been taking two .5 mg of Xanax a day, which has really helped. My doctor said Xanax is not a long term solution but that this is a safe dose. I am afraid of addiction and of Xanax, but right now it seems to be the only thing calming me down. Just wondering what others have experienced with Xanax.

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meismaria | @meismaria | Jul 4, 2022
In reply to @kathy5645 "If you use it daily you will become habituated to it in 2 to 3 weeks...." + (show)
@kathy5645

If you use it daily you will become habituated to it in 2 to 3 weeks. It is very difficult to taper off of. Alcohol and Benzodiazepines are the only two drugs that you can die coming off of.
There are many other things you can use for anxiety from natural meds like gaba, magnesium ashwagandha Passion flower and drugs like anti, antihistamines anticonvulsants to name a few. Benzos are only recommended for a week. They now have black box warning from the FDA

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I haven’t had any since my mom passed 7 years ago. It’s just the drs. Said to avoid stress and looking up about my nmda (?) encephalitis which is auto immune has given me more anxiety than growing up in the household I did or my exhusband. I haven’t been able to avoid stress my whole life now my life almost depends on it.

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lindasmith1222 | @lindasmith1222 | Jul 5, 2022

This drug should come with much stronger warnings as to its long-term effects on one's mind and body. It is a nightmare oo get off of, from my personal experience. If you are having sleep disturbance issues, as we age, most of the human race experiences this and there are many things one can do for sleep naturally. It takes longer to develop good sleep patterns without hard-core drugs like benzodiazepines, but again from personal experience, although it takes longer than popping a pill, I feel better and do not have to worry any longer about both physical and mental changes.

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sears | @sears | Jul 5, 2022
In reply to @texastribble "I took Xanex for several years, along with some other meds that were considered addictive. I..." + (show)
@texastribble

I took Xanex for several years, along with some other meds that were considered addictive. I asked my doc about it, and he said that if your body needs it and you are using it because of that, you will not become addicted. I mentioned that to a new doc today, and he agreed. On Xanex, I was taking 3 -4 mg /day. As things got better, I started cutting back, Finally, I was just taking it to sleep--1/2 of a 1/4mg tab!. Then, just quit. I would love to have some again because it worked for me and I am under extreme stress right now . But, at least the docs I have talked to, treat you like a hard core druggie if you even mention it. This doc did start me on Ativan last month and increased it today. I have never had a problem stopping any of the meds that I have been on.

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You’re extremely lucky and what you experience coming off these meds is definitely not the norm.

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artsy6013 | @artsy6013 | Jul 6, 2022

I have been taking an anti-depressant and ant-anxiety medication for the last 10 years that has worked well for me until a recent spinal surgery. A few weeks after I developed acute anxiety and depression. Yesterday I talked to my psychiatrist and he wants me to stop on the medications I have been taking since they shouldn’t have stopped working so abruptly. For now he is prescribing a low dose 2.5 mg Xanax in hopes that it will quell the anxiety enough for me to get over this hump. I am to meet with him in one week to reassess my situation before moving to any next steps. This is not designed to be a long-term solution and right now I am pretty desperate to get some relief. I will try this for one week knowing the risks involved to see what it will do. It may be helpful in this particular instance but if not, I will discontinue using it right away.
I will report back to this group in a week to let you know the outcome.
Does anyone have any comments or suggestions?

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2 replies
artsy6013 | @artsy6013 | Jul 6, 2022

Correction: my doctor wants me to stay on my current medication, not stop taking it.

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1 reply
sears | @sears | Jul 6, 2022
In reply to @artsy6013 "Correction: my doctor wants me to stay on my current medication, not stop taking it." + (show)
@artsy6013

Correction: my doctor wants me to stay on my current medication, not stop taking it.

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Your doctor wants you to continue taking 2.5 mgs Xanax per day indefinitely?

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1 reply
artsy6013 | @artsy6013 | Jul 6, 2022
In reply to @sears "Your doctor wants you to continue taking 2.5 mgs Xanax per day indefinitely?" + (show)
@sears

Your doctor wants you to continue taking 2.5 mgs Xanax per day indefinitely?

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No, I was wrong about the dosage thankfully. He wants me to take a .25 mg tablet one time a day for only one week to see if it makes any difference in my anxiety level. He said also if that dosage causes me to get drowsy then I should break the pill in half. The point is not to make the drug cause me to sleep but just to take the edge off the anxiety so that I might be able to better tackle daily activities and feel a sense of accomplishment which should have a positive effect. I can break the pill in half if it causes too much drowsiness.
This may be testing to see if my regular anxiety medication is working or he needs to make a change, kind of a rule out process.
The Xanax experiment will only be for one week which is why I agreed to try it.
Thanks for your question. I hope my response clarifies things.

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artsy6013 | @artsy6013 | Jul 6, 2022
In reply to @artsy6013 "I have been taking an anti-depressant and ant-anxiety medication for the last 10 years that has..." + (show)
@artsy6013

I have been taking an anti-depressant and ant-anxiety medication for the last 10 years that has worked well for me until a recent spinal surgery. A few weeks after I developed acute anxiety and depression. Yesterday I talked to my psychiatrist and he wants me to stop on the medications I have been taking since they shouldn’t have stopped working so abruptly. For now he is prescribing a low dose 2.5 mg Xanax in hopes that it will quell the anxiety enough for me to get over this hump. I am to meet with him in one week to reassess my situation before moving to any next steps. This is not designed to be a long-term solution and right now I am pretty desperate to get some relief. I will try this for one week knowing the risks involved to see what it will do. It may be helpful in this particular instance but if not, I will discontinue using it right away.
I will report back to this group in a week to let you know the outcome.
Does anyone have any comments or suggestions?

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Thanks for the hug @kermit2021! Always can use one of those 😊

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marcia115 | @marcia115 | Jul 6, 2022
In reply to @kathy5645 "If you use it daily you will become habituated to it in 2 to 3 weeks...." + (show)
@kathy5645

If you use it daily you will become habituated to it in 2 to 3 weeks. It is very difficult to taper off of. Alcohol and Benzodiazepines are the only two drugs that you can die coming off of.
There are many other things you can use for anxiety from natural meds like gaba, magnesium ashwagandha Passion flower and drugs like anti, antihistamines anticonvulsants to name a few. Benzos are only recommended for a week. They now have black box warning from the FDA

Jump to this post

I was on Xanax for many years, but it is short-term in your body, they had me get off
of it and the same day they had me start Klonopin, It is longer lasting in the body. I have been on it for about 15 years, it helps with my tremors, much better than Xanax. I could feel myself shake after about 4 hours with Xanax.

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laurine7 | @laurine7 | Jul 7, 2022
In reply to @artsy6013 "I have been taking an anti-depressant and ant-anxiety medication for the last 10 years that has..." + (show)
@artsy6013

I have been taking an anti-depressant and ant-anxiety medication for the last 10 years that has worked well for me until a recent spinal surgery. A few weeks after I developed acute anxiety and depression. Yesterday I talked to my psychiatrist and he wants me to stop on the medications I have been taking since they shouldn’t have stopped working so abruptly. For now he is prescribing a low dose 2.5 mg Xanax in hopes that it will quell the anxiety enough for me to get over this hump. I am to meet with him in one week to reassess my situation before moving to any next steps. This is not designed to be a long-term solution and right now I am pretty desperate to get some relief. I will try this for one week knowing the risks involved to see what it will do. It may be helpful in this particular instance but if not, I will discontinue using it right away.
I will report back to this group in a week to let you know the outcome.
Does anyone have any comments or suggestions?

Jump to this post

Which medications were you taking? Stopping abruptly since you have been on they for so long could come down on you dangerously. If they are BENZODIAZEPINES THEY CAN NOT BE STOPPED ABRUPTLY. NO MATTER WHAT YOUR DOCTOR TELLS YOU. Google your medications and ask should they be tapered off of. Please, please, be very careful.

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