Racing thoughts causing anxiety disorder.

[smpennington99]

I recently got off Vicodin on January 2nd.  It became addictive.  I've been on Xanax for 10 years and I am tapering.  I'm taking 1-1/2 mg. per day and I started taking Prozac at 10 mg. per day a week ago.  I am experiencing racing thoughts, discomfort with my heart beating, clammy, smoky taste in my mouth after sleeping, horrible Anxiety buzz (Which begins with the racing thoughts), sore temple, tightness in head.

My question:  Am I having side effects from Prozac or withdrawal from Vicodin.  How much time should I give the Prozac to work, I've never taken an anti-depressant before, out of fear, but I do love to live life, I'm confused on what to do with these symptoms.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

the symptoms you're having are essentially anxiety equivalents and probably related to the withdrawal of both medications rather than the addition of Prozac.  Maybe you need to slow down your pace of withdrawal.

[slowtaper52]

I AM ON A SLOW TAPER AND SO FAR SO GOOD. I TOO,WAS PUT ON XANAX ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO FOR A PANIC ATTACT AND ANXIETY.  I TOLD THE DOCTOR THEN THERE HAD TO BE ANOTHER MED. TO CONTROL THE ANXIETY.  SHE SAID THIS WOULD SETTLE ME DOWN AND GETTING OFF XANAX WOULD BE EASY.  WHAT A FOOL I WAS.  CONTINUE TO TAPER SLOWLY.  I FOUND A RECOVERY SITE ONLINE THAT HAS A GREAT TAPER SCHEDULE.  I WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW. I LOST SO MUCH TIME THAT IS GONE.  XANAX IS NOT A CURE BUT A MASK.

[Paxiled]

Did you quit precipitously?  And how far down did you come from your Xanax.  Quite frankly, it sounds more like withdrawal from the Xanax, but with all these meds mixed together makes it tough to tell.