I may be in the wrong place but here goes

[CHUCK738]

I am really in need of finding a doctor online will prescribe me xanax, I have been been currently been taking 10 mg a day for my extreme panic attacks. now bare with me here, I’m engineering consultant, and wearing a suit can be hot,, expecially hot when I began to get a panic attack, since I’ve been on this dose I have had no attacks at all, its wonderful one pill is all I have to take instead of a handful, I have been in psych. therapy for a long time and I would really like to cut the counseling completely out, these breathing treatments are not working at all. I had a guy one tell me to count top ten in my head and dream I’m on a island, no I can’t do this kind of thing at work.
If there’s any seriousness in this online thing I would love to explain how I feel and how things go, as I am an electrical engineer I really don’t have time for counseling, just time to speak with a doc.

[nursegirl6572]

Abruptly stopping a medication like Xanax defnitely carries the risk of seizure...along with some other w/d-related concerns (hypertension is another)...and the HIGHER the daily dose a person was on...the more of a risk they will have for complications.

These kinds of meds need to be tapered before they are d/c'ed.  Just be sure if you and your doc are butting heads about the Xanax issue (which I feel for you)....that you are at least tapered off of it if she decides to cut it.

There are other benzo options which are more appropriate for long term use...like Valium and Klonopin.  Maybe it's time to discuss all of your options with your doctor?  It's really rough when you lose a doctor and have to pick up where ya left off with a new one...especially when their train of thought is SO different from the 1st doc.

Just be honest with her...give her a chance...and spell out your goals and feelings very clearly to her.

Best of luck to you!

[belle10]

I also take xanax .25 I take 1 tablet daily alternating with2 tablets every other day. I have been taking this for about 5 years now with no increase in dosing since day 1. My Dr. now that i have had for about 3 years does not like me taking it but since my other dr had prescribed it for 2 years previously (he passed away) she felt she could not take me off of it because, This is what i was told, if you are a long time user if you goe 3 days without it, you would more likely than not suffer from a seizure. Has anyone else been told this?

[janetlee1964]

I hope you have much success!
janet

[CHUCK738]

looking for referrals and i think i found 1

[janetlee1964]

I agree with nursegirl on her advice to you. You sound a little fearful or "iffy" about working at reducing your Xanax dose. It is ALWAYS scary when you feel like you're going to not be able to do without it. The trick is to wean yourself down S-L-O-W-L-Y! Try to cut down your dose .25 mg every few days or per week. See, nothing drastic!
Your dose is waaaaaaaaay too high. I understand that you don't want to hear that, but it's true. As to your size, it has nothing to do with the amount of Xanax you need. I should know as I am an overweight (FAT) woman in the 250 lb. range. I was on more Xanax during the time when I was about 180 lbs than I was when I got bigger!
You definitely need to see a psychiatrist in regards to your options. For example, there are other benzos besides xanax, such as klonipin. It actually stays in your system longer than xanax does and some people prefer it over the xanax! Of course, any benzo can be addicting, but if you had something that lasted longer, you might not need as much. You need to have a shrink that can help you get the best treatment for YOU. I personally would never recommend a regular physician as they are not as knowledgable about mental health meds and treatment as a psychiatrist.
I hope you will take us seriously. The sooner you work on this, the better your chances are of overcoming the anxiety and it's effects on your life......I won't go into a long narrative, but let me say this: I started having anxiety problems at 17 years old. After several attempts through the years to woek secularly, I had to face the fact that I was too phobic to do it. The longest I lasted at a job was 6 1/2 days. I never realized that I could get treatment for it. I was 28 years old before I found my way into getting treatment. By that time I had MANY phobias. I was able to get on SSI (disability) and I am STILL on it. My GAD has improved, but the phobias are set like cement. I was told that if I'd gotten help at the beginning, my story could've been different. Therapy didn't help much and I'm in that small percentile that don't overcome the phobias already ingrained in me. I'm middle-aged, never married, childless, jobless, can't travel out of town any more. So I'm not claiming to be a know-it-all. I do know that AFTER I became aware of how phobias and panic worked, it helped me to not pick up NEW ones at least, even though I still have the OLD ones. Without that knowledge, I'd be an agoraphobic now.
There have been people like you that finally quit working altogether because of the continued anxiety and panic attacks. Many of them don't leave their homes now. DON'T LET THIS BECOME YOUR FATE! You are still young enough to do something! So please don't wait!
I most sincerely wish you the best! :)
janet

[nursegirl6572]

LOL...what a coincidence!  I've lived in various outskirt cities of Pittsburgh my entire life.  What a small world!  I believe the insurance you mention is an HMO?  If so...you will require a referral from your doc first (of course you'd prolly have to GET a doc first).  You need to call the toll free # that came with your insurance info to find out what the exact process is for you...what kind of coverage you get...and then they will give you (or direct you to) a list of providers near your residence.

I don't know if I mis-understood that you want to have a doc deal with you online...or you just meant to serach online for a doc?  If you meant the first...it cannot happen legally.  Doctors are not allowed to legally prescribe you anything without seeing you in person.

BTW, welcome to the Burgh!  It's a great city!  I hope you'll be happy (no doubt colder...lol) here!

Good luck to you!

[CHUCK738]

Thanks for replying so fast, and thank you janetlee1964 for your advice, and exactly what you described is what I’m trying not to do, I truly feel this is the dose I need I’m a 6’2 300lb guy, and it took them about a year to get year to get adjusted to this medication and it works fine for me, and has been for about 5 years now. I have had everything under control for the longest time, and god its such a deep secret of mine in the working world, because I work corporate, I’m trying to find a doctor in the Pittsburgh pa area or online that will work with me that takes “UPMC FOR YOU” Insurance, and possible later down the road taking that step in reducing the dose slightly and introducing a dose of something new like you suggested. I get hard panic attacks when I have to meet deadlines, sometimes even in the meeting room ill get all sweaty and shaky talking to someone, and this makes me feel like I’m less intelligent then I really am
I’m not sure if there are doctor referral rules here but if there isn’t please help because I just took on a position close to Pittsburgh pa and I’m from Jacksonville fl

[nursegirl6572]

I agree completely with the above poster...10 mg a day of Xanax is WAY too high of a dose....and you will continue to require more and more as you continue to build a tolerance to it.  You need to get yourself to a doctor asap to start managing your meds properly.  Also, don't throw the towel in on the therapy just yet.  Once you get the right combination of meds...you will most likely have a ton more success with the therapy.  Anyway...to repeat....your dose is already way above the daily recommended MAX dose...therefore find yourself a new psychiatrist like yesterday.  And WHATEVER you do...do NOT stop taking the Xanax abruptly....or you will risk seizures and some SERIOUS medical dangers at that dosage.

My next warning...do NOT...I repeat...do NOT buy ANY meds over the internet...it is EXTREMELY dangerous and just may cost you your life.  I'm serious.  Especially meds from other couontries...they do not have any regulating agency for meds...so what you THINK you're getting usually is NOT what you are getting....there could be all kinds of toxins, etc.  Just DONT do it.  If you need the med...find a doc to prescribe it the right way.  If you run out before you find a doc...get yourself to an ER.

Lastly...janet had some great suggestions...but just a reminder....always check with your doc before starting anything new...even a supplement.  Natural supplements can also interact with meds or be contraindicated for some people.

Let us know how you're doing...I sincerely hope you heed our advice.  Right now...you;re on a slippery slope.  Getting the Xanax dose to a reasonable level is going to be tricky.

Best of luck.

[janetlee1964]

Chuck,
If you are on 10 mg od xanax a day, that is an EXTREMELY high dose! The problem with relying on xanax or any other benzo is that it will gardually take more and more to get the same results you're having now. It is difficult to find doctors that are comfortable prescribing xanax because it is addictive for many people.
I was also in therapy for a number of years, along with medical management of my extreme anxiety. The counseling did me no good, but the meds did. At one time in the early/mid-nineties, I was up to 6 mg of xanax a day. He also put me on zoloft which is an antidepressant. After the meds started kicking in, I began to gradually feel better. My shrink moved away and another doc at the clinic took over my case. She freaked when she saw how much xanax I was on! She said that she would refill it "this time" but she wanted to wean me down from that dose. Well, I decided to take the proverbial "bull-by-the-horns" and wean down on my own. I eventually worked myself down to .25 mg 2x a day! When I went back, she was pleased and I was happy about it myself! As it turned out, the zoloft had helped me a great deal and I'd been taking the xanax as I considered it the main helper. With a reduced amount, I learned better. Here it was like 12 years later and I had a relapse of GAD in 2006.! My anxiety came back full force and my "new" shrink at the clinic (it's a clinic that accepts a lot of medicaid patients like myself and low income folks, so it seems like doctors never stay there for very long) was VERY anti-xanax! He was rude, cold, and cruel. He wouldn't prescribe me any extra xanax to help me thru the bad spell. This was despite the fact that I had NEVER been addicted to it and was only taking 1/2 mg a day! I was hardly able to eat and has diarrhea a lot from being so ultra nervous! I was losing weight and barely getting thru each day. I cried every day and felt suicidal. I went back to the clinic in desperation and MOST THANKFULLY I got to see a substitute shrink that day! She gave me permission to take up to 1.25 mg a day. That really helped me over the hump somewhat. Afterwards, I started doing tons of research online. I found out that antidepressants such as the zoloft I was on, can and sometimes do, "poop-out"! I went back to the clinic later and asked for a different doctor. I told her I'd been on zoloft for 12 years and related what I'd learned online. She agreed that it was time to try a new AD (antidepressant). She put me on Paxil 20 mg a day.It seemed to help a tad, but...ovwer the coming weeks, I had to be put on the maximum dose of Paxil (as was true of the zoloft!). Anyhow, it eventually kicked in and I took it along with Buspar (another anti-anxiety med). I finally weaned myself off of Xanax completely! Now I only take a Xanax once in a great while! PLEASE look into my following suggestions because I know how it is to suffer with anxiety and I've learned from it. I hope you can too!
1) Do go to a good psychiatrist and ask him/her about trying an antidepressant for your anxiety. Some that are used for anxiety are :Paxil, Zoloft, Effexor, Lexapro, as well as others. Not all ADs are used for anxiety, but many are. Also, Buspar can help with anxiety, but it is not like a benzo such as Xanax. It must be taken for a number of weeks to get into your system and is more effective if taken along WITH an AD. It's not a pill you take and suddenly say, "Wow! It helps!" No, it is more subtle than that.
2) Consider getting the old books written by Dr. Claire Weekes (an anxiety researcher pioneer). There's a LOT of anti-anxiety books out there, but she's the ONLY one that ever made sense to me! The book I read is "Hope and Help For Your Nerves". She doesn't take you into all these multiple techniques...she just gets right down to the basics!
3) I tried a lots of alternative treatments for anxiety. Only 2 did anything for me. The first was Kava-Kava (available online and at health stores). You can look it up on Google and read all about it. It's comparable to a very small dose of Xanax. Okay in a pinch, but don't expect miracles.
The second one is: TAURINE. Taurine is an amino acid. This stuff did me so much good!!! I take 1000 mg everyday along with my Paxil and Buspar. It is very inexpensive and you can buy it at any health food shop/vitamin store. I am a 43 year old woman. A male friend of mine is 48 and had chronic anxiety. He was able to function, but occassionally took some Xanax for relief. His anxiety was worse in the morning. I told him about how Taurine had helped my anxiety a lot. He took it a few times and kind of shrugged it off, saying he liked fish oil capsules better as he'd been taking fish oil as a mood stabilizer. I figured that each person has to figure out for themselves what works best for them...well, a couple of months later, he says to me that he had started taking Taurine regularly-EVERYDAY. I was happy when he told me that he hadn't had a "bad" day since!!! Taurine deficiency CAN cause anxiety! Here's a link for you: http://www.thewayup.com/newsletters/011500.htm

I hope that you've had the patience to read all my answer...I hope you get better. PLease don't disregard what I said about Xanax. If you rely solely on it, you will pay hard for it in the long run. I wish it weren't so! It had made my life bearable for a long time, but it'll take larger doses to help as time goes on and you are already at the mega-dose.
I'd love to hear from you. Take care of yourself and I wish you all the best and remember, I've been there-done that!
janet