xanax xr question

jewel2024 · Post by **jewel2024** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 9:25 am

Hi. I've been taking xanax xr .5 mg twice a day for almost 6 months. I have panic disorder. I really don't want to be on this medicine. Its benefits seemed to wear off already and I'm just so afraid of weaning off. I do feel tired a little still after I take it, but not as much as I did. I have been threw the program already and it helped alot, but nothing cures anxiety disorder, it just helps you cope and deal. Has anyone weaned off xanax xr? How did you do it and how did you deal with withdrawl? Jennifer

anita57 · Post by **anita57** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 3:08 pm

jewel, I see nobody has replied yet. I don't know if I'll be much help. I've taken xanax .25mg for years but only as needed. For me that's something with my hormones I guess because it's usually 3-4 nights in a row I take it. This is not the XR and I actually take l/2 of that dose. This past wk. I was having anxiety a lot during the day and took a whole pill. I rarely ever take any during the day because it makes me too tired. At night when I feel anxious it does help me sleep. I don't like taking meds either but after all these yrs. a bottle lasts me a long time. I've had to learn, I need something...it's OK to take that pill.

Yesterday I just started Adderall XR and did a post. Nobody replied yet but in the meantime I punched it in the "find" section and got advice thru that. It seems a good majority of people said on the Adderall XR that doctors kept increasing the dose. Well, everybody's body is different. When I hear the high doses of xanax people take during the day time I think I'd be dead if I took that. My body is very sensitive and I tried a lot of things in the past. Nothing seemed to work to help the ADHD. I really hope this will. They said you usually notice something fairly quick. I haven't yet.

I do hope you'll hear from others to help you with this. Sorry I'm not much help. Maybe if you try gradually weaning off you could just take it as needed. That's what I do but then my situation is probably different. Well, I wish you the best.

Barb

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 2:22 am

Hello and Happy Canadian Thansgiving from Newfoundland, Canada.

Xanax has to be handled properly and you seem to be doing just that. However, my experience was with Rivotril, or Clonazapam. It got me good!! My doctor said for the rest of my life I would need it, and then he up and died and I couldn't get another doctor to order it. It was a terrible situation and I was left high and dry and alone. I had a seizure. A bad one. It was a year ago and I am just getting my health back now, but fighting anxiety etc. I have fought worse I figure. Seeing my daughter who was just 28 years old through cancer treatment was misery, for her and for me, and for her father and brother. It was hellish!!
I finally had an angel sent to me. I ended up in Emergency with a major panic attack. My husband was lost as to what to do. Then they were going to send me home on Ativan of all things. I would be addicted all over again in no time!! I raised hell, and as a nurse that is easy to do!! *lol*
A young doctor sat down and addressed the issue right then and there. He said he suffered from Panic disorder and anxiety and he knew what was going on with me. Heaven sent that guy I tell ya!
He got me on a tapering off the Clonazapam routine. I put myself on a good road, and it has been very, very difficult. One of the most challenging things I have ever faced in my years of living. I am making strides but I now am at the juncture where I am hostile toward my own medical community and I have to get rid of that feeling forsure. It will eat me up!
No more Clonazapam for me. It took six months to get off it. I suffer anxiety attacks but do not want an addiction, even though I feel it was one I was prescribed and thought it was the right thing to take.
Be careful, use Rx with caution and it will be fine. It was made to be treated with respect. If you are aware of the pitfalls of too much then you are winning. Try all the other things to relax and be healthy im body and mind and you will find that xanax then holds no power over you.
All the best!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 3:52 pm

jewel- please google the ashton method..it will explain how to get off of xanax...one thing though, you cannot taper from the XR version, you need the immediate release form.