meds

I have been suffering from depression since Jan 08. The dr. put me on prozac, but it didn't help me. I have a friend going thru the same thing.(I also have panic attacks). He gave me a Xanax. It was immediate relief from the spasming of my muscles, crying, sickness from the thick darkness..etc. I can't find a dr. who wants to prescribe this for me. I need about 1 a wk. unless its really a bad wk. then 2. Why are they unwilling when they know this helps?

[Hensley258]

Well, you need to understand that Xanax (alorazapam) is an Anti-anxiety medication. It is in the Benxodiaziphine family of drugs.

Xanax can be very effective for Anxiety and panic dissorder, but it will do absolutly nothing for Depression.

As for the Prozac, eh, Prozac is an effective SSRI for depression, but IMO, it is a bit too "energizing" to justify it for a person with really bad anxiety.

Lexapro or Paxil would have been a better choice.

Xanax is a very short acting anti-anxiety medication. It is designed to be used mainly as an anxiety supressor "as needed" while waiting for a maintence AD medication such as an SSRI or SNRI to kick in and become effective at controling the anxiety.

The reason many doctors will not prescribe Xanax is simply because it can be VERY habbit forming. For example you say that now you only need a couple of milligrams of Xanax per week now, but I guarentee if you keep taking it that your required amount will double in just a couple weeks. Then it will qualdruple in just 3 weeks, and so on.

More and more and more will be needed as your body becomes more resistant to it very fast. Then your hooked, and doctors worry about Law suits and legal action being taken upon them for prescribing it.

So in short.....Xanax great drug for temp relief when in between med changes or starting a new AD medication. Very bad drug when used as a maintenence medication.

[Bob_D]

I strongly suggest you revisit the issue of your anxiety and panic attacks with your psychiatrist since they clearly still present a serious problem for you. If he is unable to respond to your satisfaction you, of course, have the right to seek a second opinion.

While I agree with the poster above who said that Xanax is often abused, I am somewhat less certain that prescribing it is always the certain and immediate path to hell that he described. While anecdotal evidence is always suspect, I can report that I took the drug at a moderate and consistent (non-increasing) dosage for some years and did not suffer any withdrawal in giving it up, although many do.

I admit I don't know the state of current thinking about Xanax in the mental health provider biz, but it was my my impression that some benzodiazapenes (Klonopin, for example) could still be an appropriate part of a treatment plan in those without a history of substance abuse.

Cheers,
Bob D

[Hensley258]

Easy now, I didn't say Xanax is an immidiate path to hell. I use it myself during med changes to keep my anxiety in check until the new maintenence med kicks in.

What I am saying is that the vast majority of Psychiatrist and MD's prefer not to prescribe it unless they feel it is absolutly nessasary. In fact some doctors are so afrade that some patients may develope an addiction to Xanax that they simply refuse to prescribe it at all.

It is medical fact that Xanax is not and never was designed to be a long term solution for Anxiety dissorder. Most people do build up a tolerance to it very fast.

If you do some research you will see that Xanax (Alprazolam) is listed by the FDA as a controled substance. There is good reason for this. It absolutly can be very addictive.

Now, for someone that does not have an addictive personality by nature, they probably would not develope an any addiction by using Alprazolam in moderation.

I'm just saying that there is a reason that rodsbaby's doctor did not prescribe Xanax for him. Reason is often that many doctors are too worried about the possible future problems (for both paitent and doctor) that could result from prescribing it.

Never said it's an immidiate path to hell.

[Bob_D]

Sorry - my snark-governor sometimes doesn't kick in fast enough.