Hi everyone! I've suffered from GAD for the past year and 3 months. The only thing I take for it is Alprazolam. I take. .25mg 3-4 times a day the past 2 months since my last really bad panic attack. And before that I took. .125mg 2 times a day. Is it really bad for me to be taking this every day? It seems to be the only thing that has really helped me function during the day. I don't want to take anti-depressants because I want to have kids soon and know I already need to wean myself off the benzo. I'm just so scared that maybe I'll have bad withdrawal symptoms from taking it for so long. Does anyone have the same situation or similar. Please let me know!
Take Care,
Jen
I'm taking alprazolam and I'm scared!
-
Guest
Jenny -
Please, please, do yourself a favor and get off the Benzo's. They are deadly. I took the off and on for over 20 years (.25 mgs occas.) This last year my Dr. started prescribing more and more as my anxiety was getting really bad. What I did not know was that it was just my body craving more and more of the Benzo's. He had me up to .50 mg. every 3 hrs (8 a day) I was comotose and almost died. I had to go thru detox and rehab 3 months ago. I am still on a Benzo (valium - 5 mg. 3x day) and coming off of that. It's been really awful. I didn't know what a Benzo was until a few months ago - I just thought they were ok because my Dr. prescribed it. A regular Dr. really DOES NOT understand what they are doing with anxiety medication - just what the pharmacutical companies tell them or give to them. I am slowly trying to come off everything - it's really hard. It's been 4 months now and I'm still working at it. Good luck.
Please, please, do yourself a favor and get off the Benzo's. They are deadly. I took the off and on for over 20 years (.25 mgs occas.) This last year my Dr. started prescribing more and more as my anxiety was getting really bad. What I did not know was that it was just my body craving more and more of the Benzo's. He had me up to .50 mg. every 3 hrs (8 a day) I was comotose and almost died. I had to go thru detox and rehab 3 months ago. I am still on a Benzo (valium - 5 mg. 3x day) and coming off of that. It's been really awful. I didn't know what a Benzo was until a few months ago - I just thought they were ok because my Dr. prescribed it. A regular Dr. really DOES NOT understand what they are doing with anxiety medication - just what the pharmacutical companies tell them or give to them. I am slowly trying to come off everything - it's really hard. It's been 4 months now and I'm still working at it. Good luck.
-
Guest
-
Guest
-
Guest
I have borderline personality disorder and I don't see anything on the website about it. It's developed from traumatic upbringing and its symptoms are very low self-esteem, generalized anxiety all the time, major depression, borderline bipolar and a little bit of obsessive compulsive. Borderline means borderline everything. I'm on four different kinds of medicine: Cymbalta, Lamictal, Haldol, and Invega.
-
Guest
-
Guest
She was taking a LOT of xanax! A lot more then we do. I'm still on it but plan to get off it anyway to have kids! I may try buspar for my anxiety! It's not used to get off the xanax but can be helpful when you finally get off the xanax! I'm not sure what to do just yet though! I just want this to go away! We all do!
-
Guest
I have stopped taking everything - all five meds - except for my Xanax. (With my doc's help.)I take 1 mg twice daily, and have for several years. I don't feel some overwhelming sense of relief when I take it. If I don't take it however, I simply cannot sleep. Period. I was off of it for six months at one point, and was unable to get even one decent night's sleep during that entire time. Thus far, alternative treatments haven't helped me, so I consider the Xanax a necessary evil. Being exhausted certainly never helped my anxiety and depression! That having been said, other than feeling slightly more anxious, and having the sleep issues, I had no other withdrawal symptoms when I dropped it. I think it's just a matter of tapering off slowly. My dosage was increased once after I first began taking Xanax, but it was never necessary to increase again. I guess, like with all meds, effects differ from person to person. Good luck!
-
Guest
I want to address things to each of you on here. Kinda funny you're talking about xanax. I just took l/1 of .25 xanax (alprazaloam). I rarely ever take it during the day. Yesterday I went into ER because I had such chest pain,pain going down my arm, neck and shoulder pain. Needless to say my heart was fine. I'm sure it's anxiety and my stinking thinking. I haven't been with the program now in 2 yrs. but it's time to get back so yes irisa it does work. These forums are a great help, probably greater than chat although chat can be helpful and some fun as well getting to know others.Now I'll start from the top and address each of you.
Jenny, I would not worry about the dose of xanax you're taking and do not worry what JoAnn said about getting off right away.They are not deadly if taken the right way. You are on a low enough dose and sound concerned enough about increasing the dose that I don't believe you'd do that nor would you need to sticking with this program. For so many yrs. I've taken l/2 of .25 xanax and am constntly not wanting to take it during the day because of the sleepy effect. Ya know what, if you're all stressed or having anxiety is it so bad to take l/2 - 1 hr. nap. You'll be better later. Are you taking other meds Jenny? You can try tapering off little by little and maybe with the help of this program you won't need to take any pills. There are some of us tho who may need to the rest of our lives even with this program and help from others. Don't feel guilty. I have for too long. When my psychiatrist tries to increase the dose I let her know where I stand. There are other ways to receive help instead of constantly increasing. A little bit can take off the edge. Check with the Dr. to see if it has any affects when you're pregnant. You may have anxiety with your children as I did and the xanax can be a godsend if taken only as needed (that is if you're trying to get off).Listen to your body. It will tell you what to do.
JoAnn, I hope you don't take offense at what I said to Jenny about them not being deadly. I don't believe that all on a lower dose. On a high dose, any drug can be deadly. Many of us get paranoid when hearing the media like even with Michael Jackson. Michael kept wanting more of everything so he could sleep (understandable when you're struggling so to sleep).You were on much higher doses so that may be why you feel that way. Many people on this website are on xanax or ativan and doing just fine.
Hopeful Susan...Please stay hopeful. Do not be discouraged or frightened by those words. Go thru older posts and read the things people say about xanax (alprazaloam). The majority believe it's a safe drug. Once again it all depends how high a dose one is taking and how often.
Irisa, Borderline personality can still be handled. You are on meds. Do they seem to be helping. You're thinking of getting this program. I'm sure it can help with the anxiety and even bi-polar although Lucinda mentions bi-polar, sychizophrenia being different and she's not talking about those. The application of the lessons will still help because so much is all about the way all of us think. Someone else mentioned meds being different for each one. Very true. If I took xanax more than 1 time a day and a full dose instead of half, I'd be wiped all day. I am also on Lamictal and didn't want to increase it but did so about a year ago. I've been on it for probably 8 yrs. It's a good med for me. Cymbalta was not. In fact when I was in ER last nite they said I was allergic. I don't know I was allergic but it did things or made the depression worse. I went back on Lamictal and was fine. I wish you well and will be praying for all of you.
Jenny, Once again addressing you, I tried buspar for a while and it made me very dizzy. Do you think the xanax isn't working for you or are you just afraid of what people have said about it being addicting? I'm sure it's only addicting in higher doses and taking it more often. God bless you in your decisions.
Jenny, I would not worry about the dose of xanax you're taking and do not worry what JoAnn said about getting off right away.They are not deadly if taken the right way. You are on a low enough dose and sound concerned enough about increasing the dose that I don't believe you'd do that nor would you need to sticking with this program. For so many yrs. I've taken l/2 of .25 xanax and am constntly not wanting to take it during the day because of the sleepy effect. Ya know what, if you're all stressed or having anxiety is it so bad to take l/2 - 1 hr. nap. You'll be better later. Are you taking other meds Jenny? You can try tapering off little by little and maybe with the help of this program you won't need to take any pills. There are some of us tho who may need to the rest of our lives even with this program and help from others. Don't feel guilty. I have for too long. When my psychiatrist tries to increase the dose I let her know where I stand. There are other ways to receive help instead of constantly increasing. A little bit can take off the edge. Check with the Dr. to see if it has any affects when you're pregnant. You may have anxiety with your children as I did and the xanax can be a godsend if taken only as needed (that is if you're trying to get off).Listen to your body. It will tell you what to do.
JoAnn, I hope you don't take offense at what I said to Jenny about them not being deadly. I don't believe that all on a lower dose. On a high dose, any drug can be deadly. Many of us get paranoid when hearing the media like even with Michael Jackson. Michael kept wanting more of everything so he could sleep (understandable when you're struggling so to sleep).You were on much higher doses so that may be why you feel that way. Many people on this website are on xanax or ativan and doing just fine.
Hopeful Susan...Please stay hopeful. Do not be discouraged or frightened by those words. Go thru older posts and read the things people say about xanax (alprazaloam). The majority believe it's a safe drug. Once again it all depends how high a dose one is taking and how often.
Irisa, Borderline personality can still be handled. You are on meds. Do they seem to be helping. You're thinking of getting this program. I'm sure it can help with the anxiety and even bi-polar although Lucinda mentions bi-polar, sychizophrenia being different and she's not talking about those. The application of the lessons will still help because so much is all about the way all of us think. Someone else mentioned meds being different for each one. Very true. If I took xanax more than 1 time a day and a full dose instead of half, I'd be wiped all day. I am also on Lamictal and didn't want to increase it but did so about a year ago. I've been on it for probably 8 yrs. It's a good med for me. Cymbalta was not. In fact when I was in ER last nite they said I was allergic. I don't know I was allergic but it did things or made the depression worse. I went back on Lamictal and was fine. I wish you well and will be praying for all of you.
Jenny, Once again addressing you, I tried buspar for a while and it made me very dizzy. Do you think the xanax isn't working for you or are you just afraid of what people have said about it being addicting? I'm sure it's only addicting in higher doses and taking it more often. God bless you in your decisions.