Re: Meds

Posted By Nancy on August 09, 1999 at 10:52:35
I have talked to people who have started new meds and then had to have the dosage increased.  However, I have been taking Xanax for about 8 months now and all of a sudden, I'm having heart palpitations and just feel like I'm going to jump out of my stin sometimes.
I've been checked out by a cardiologist so it's OK from that standpoint.  Plus they started when my father became ill at the same time my son was ill-my dad lived in another state and I'm an only child so I was very torn.  I stayed by his bedside for 3 weeks as he lay dying with my heart going beserk and not knowing if I would drop over at any moment.  However, once he died and I got back home, they stopped.  That was a month ago and now they've started again.  My son is starting high school and he suffers from anxiety so I really dread this.  
I only take .50mg per day of Xanax and I think my doc thinks I should taper off, but things are getting worse instead of better.  Is it common for your need for such medication to change like that?

[Jef__0__0]

Posted By Jeff on August 09, 1999 at 20:55:14
Nancy:
Please allow me to begin by stating that I am NOT an MD, but have dealt with anxiety and/or depression for years.  As far as I understand, it is not common to develop a tolerance for Benzodiazapines (i.e., Xanax, Valium, etc).  However, there is a definite chance of being physically and/or mentally addicted after taking them long-term.  From what you are saying, you have been through a ROUGH emotional time.  The death of a parent is traumatic enough, and you have been living through a difficult time, especially considering that it was almost a month that you watched your father suffering.  To top that, you have another emotional life transition of your son going off to school.  I would suggest that you really need to talk with a therapist to get validation for your feelings.  You probably have a flood of them going on inside.  I know that it's difficult when you have chest pains and heart palpitations and find that there's nothing organically wrong.  After Hurricane Andrew, I ended up in the ER and felt really stupid while they were running a plethura of expensive tests and I knew that it was stress and anxiety.  The therapist and/or psychiatrist may also suggest an anti-depressant as an aid thru this rough time.
I hope that my info was helpful to you.
Jeff

[Mandy__0__0]

Posted By Mandy on August 10, 1999 at 07:59:21
Excellent info on xanax etc available at this site.
http://www.algy.com/pdi/BBS/index.html










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Re: Meds Thanks Mandy and Jeff 8/10/1999
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