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

@jakedduck1, and others...Hi, there, my friend. Yep, I feel like a new person actually. Think I'm the real me for the first time in all 75 years of this crazy life. I have an inner peace about life that this acceptance brings. Strange isn't it, we work so hard to get nowhere until we reach this point in life. With acceptance, life is so much easier.

Epilepsy truly framed my life, until 2 years ago. When I was 11 and had my first grand mal seizure, epilepsy was considered demon possession. I was a closet...hmmm...can't say epileptic. I never called myself an epileptic. Just that I have epilepsy, or later, a seizure disorder. I never accepted having epilepsy, Leonard. I fought it all my life. How exhausting.

2 years ago I went through a 4-day seizure hospitalization at Mayo to diagnose my seizures and understand what's going on now. It was very frightening for me, even after all these years. The thought of having my medications taken away was scary, as all my life I knew if I missed a dose of the horrible stuff we took back then that destroyed our teeth and gums and did horrid things to our bodies, our brains, our personalities... I would pay for it with a grand mal seizure that night and a day or more of zoning out, exhaustion, nausea, etc.

I did have a difficult time with the hospitalization but found I no longer have epilepsy. I was having occasional seizures with unknown causes, probably emotional or stress, and anxiety..for the last 20 years. They were different, without the longer-term effects of the past. I choose to believe this was a change in my seizures, not an indication of misdiagnosis, as I will not believe I had the life I had with epilepsy and didn't really have it! No way!

I now have tremor attacks usually in the morning as I'm waking. Sometimes my whole body tremors, and it can take me out for a day or so to rest, for the tremors to slow. Today, with all the stress of the last few months with my son's situation, I awoke and had serious tremors for several hours. I do quiet, soft breathing, work on relaxing and help my body to a calmer place. It's no fun, my friend, but different from seizures. May be related to Parkinson's, don't know for sure. I have Parkinson's symptoms and take Requip nightly for RLS and to help me with movement. It works wonders.

I suppose I'll visit my neurologist soon for confirmation and to see if there's additional treatment. At the moment, I'm focused solely on getting my son through this time. 20 years with dystonia and now it's taking over his body, with jerking and seizing and more pain. We must have a gene that's damaged and causing these types of diseases. Having clinical genomics consult next week.

I'm off all meds now for pain and seizures and the heavy stuff. This cleared my brain, the fog is gone and my thinking is much improved. I'm taking Cymbalta for the fibro and Robaxin for muscle relaxation, but no gabapentin or Lyrica or oxycodone or .....Now, therapy pool, 1-1 MM tincture, breathing, meditation, music...Voltaren and magnesium lotion, etc. A big change in my life. My mind and body are more in sync. Amazing feeling.

I haven't seen your discussions lately. Hope you are getting in some walking and eating properly. It's not easy living alone in our older life, is it? I have to work to do everything, but...
Missed you, dear, and hope to be online a bit more as Rob improves. Also, I have my new laptop! Love it and it makes me sooooo happy!

Be well, Don't be good. Be blessed. Elizabeth

I’ve been on it off and on for 20 years, after I was dx with MS. I mostly just take it at night to sleeping but it’s been a life saver.

@beltonite410 and all..I take a whole .25 at night for sleep. It helps a lot. I feel myself calming from the inside. I get comfy in bed. I also take 1 dropper of MM 1:1 tincture. It helps reduce the pain and help my muscles relax. A good combination. Also, Requip for restless leg syndrome and help with using my legs and feet during the daytime. I also take Robaxin 2-3 times daily, 750mg, to relax muscles a bit. This is a good combo for my body at this time.

I take no real pain relievers now. By using this combo at night, I don't need the heavier stuff. Also, use magnesium lotion and frankincense and myhrr cream on my legs and feet. I like working things this way, although it took years to get here. And alot of working with my docs to get off the heavier meds and with my Connect friends to find the things I use now. I'm thankful for all the help from all areas.

Hope you get some good info from folks who are there or who've been there...be blessed.
elizabeth

@nire I'm new here. Recently diagnosed with Teratoma. Previously this year I had autoimmune tests by primary care, most came back abnormal. How / where do I look for more information about this rare disorder. Mine is 8.5 cm (this week) and have had considerable bowel issues for more than 3 years and since Covid this past January, everything seems to be in hyperdrive and I've had severe fatigue. Hoping to find someone at UTSW (Dallas) or someone in Texas with experience. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Many years ago, when I was working, I worked in what I would call a hostile work environment, and became so paranoid, could not concentrate to do my job, and felt that my co-workers were out to get me. I was prescribed xanax .25 mg generic, to help me control the anxiety. Please note, this was the only medication I was taking. Every morning when I got to work, I took the .25 mg of xanax... I got so calm, and I was totally focused on my jobs responsibilities. I never took more than .25 mg. once a day in the morning after getting to work. After a month, I started cutting back to 1/2 of .25 mg., then 1/4 (was a crumb) as the anxiety subsided, because I started to realized that in the office where I worked, the only thing that changed was me, and how I was reacting..., it was my attitude toward the things that were happening, After 4 months, I kept the xanax handy, with me, just for an emergency, but rarely took the xanax.

Meo I have heard from my doctor that it is very hard to get off Xanax, so congratulations to you for being able to do it on your own.

I've been taking Xanax successfully for about 7 years. I've reduced how much I need lately to just a quarter milligram in the evening around 6:00 or 7:00 p.m. and another quarter milligram or even half a milligram within 45 minutes of going to bed.

Xanax has really been a lifesaver for me at times I have had to take more and some days I don't take any at all but I can tell you that I don't think a quarter milligram is a significant dose even half a milligram I think could be taken daily just based on my own situation for as long as you need it.

The problem I've heard about is that over time increasing doses are required for the same effect. Then over more time you need to take Xanax & become dependent on it. In my opinion, not good for everyday use, ok for occasional use. Note, I am not a medical professional~!

There is a documentary on Xanax on Netflix. Titled Xanax. I suggest you watch this.

Xanax is the best but getting hooked on it is the worst. Actually ended up in the ER from abruptly stopping Xanax.
All of these very happy tales of using Xanax is not the norm (I assume bc why are you even asking this question?) I haven’t taken it in over ten years but I can remember how good it made me feel. I used to get severe panic attacks feeling like I was suffocating so maybe it was necessary but I was too young to control and it ended up being a very ugly end.