Xanax ER

[rpooo]

First off I have cirrhosis so medication that metabolizes in the liver I must be very careful with. I have anxiety- hereditary and triggered from years of alcohol abuse.  I recently relocated and went to my new doctor (general medicine) on Monday and she started me on Xanax extended release tablets instead of the pop them as you go type. I have never heard of them but she said it is the only type she will prescribe. I have always been concerned with being dependent on Xanax so the pop as you go idea worked well since some days I could get by without any (that’s been a while since I've had a lot going on) or on a really bad day never exceed more than 2mg. My script was for 4mg daily! yeah right! I know I would be a zombie taking that much and asking for trouble. Have you heard of the extended release and will that guarantee physical addiction? I hear the withdrawals from benzo's are terrible and not a road I want to go down. Also is my doctor an idiot for prescribing it this way? Lol I used to use Lexapro but the side effects were difficult to deal with but the medication worked very well. Is there a better option out there for me other than Lexapro or Xanax? The withdrawals from Lexapro were difficult as well. Is dependency always going to be a factor when dealing with this type of medication? I know I need help with anxiety to be able to perform my daily functions and interactions but currently I do not use caffeine, alcohol nor am I dependent on medication(s).

I tried the Xanax ER and it seemed to work as a mood stabilizer due to how the medication works so no ups and downs in my mood was a nice change. Thank you for any suggestions and help.

Randy

[Paxiled]

Okay, just so those of us on these drugs know what we're getting into, that's the best way to handle them.  If I had been educated by my doctors, or by myself first, I would have known more how to deal.  I also want to get at this addiction issue.  Lexapro isn't an addictive drug, though it is difficult to withdraw for many people from all manner of drugs, but especially antidepressants of the ssri and snri categories.  The reason is that they cause the brain to work in an artificial manner, utilizing serotonin the body naturally makes in a way it doesn't naturally use it.  The body likes fresh serotonin, not used, whereas ssris prevent the breakdown of serotonin and use it longer in one or two targeted serotonin receptors.  Unfortunately, as recent research shows, many of us will not be able to adapt back to normal function easily, though most will.  The longer you use these drugs and the older you get, the brain has more difficulty switching back to normal function.  So that's withdrawal.  Addiction, on the other hand, is where you need more of the drug to keep working until you reach a point where you're taking the drug not for its effect but to keep from going into withdrawal.  This is true of heroin, and it's also true of all benzos.  You can avoid this, with heroin or benzos, by not taking them on a regular basis but just as needed, but benzos are officially classified as addictive drugs.  Antidepressants are not.  This is just a technical issue, because withdrawal from antidepressants can be far worse than from benzos for some people, but it's important because taking antidepressants on a regular basis is necessary but taking benzos on a regular basis isn't -- unless you take klonopin, which doesn't work very well taken as needed, and some feel valium is like this as well.  Taking Xanax on a regular basis, on the other hand, is probably far worse than taking klonopin on a regular basis, as is ativan, so different drugs will have different numbers of people who have problems.  Paxil and the snris are the worse by far for antidepressants as far as protracted withdrawals, and benzos are the worst.  It was research by an English pshychiatrist, now a professor, that brought this out about benzos.  The lesson is, move in stages with treatment -- try therapy first, natural remedies before drugs because, although they can cause problems, they are much weaker and very easy to just stop taking, and drugs for anything only if necessary.  Partly, this is because accurate information on pharmaceuticals is very difficult to get, especially for newer medications; they are approved by FDA based solely on proprietary research, which means we don't know what companies are hiding from us until a decade down the road, and also because research is generally only done short-term and on patients who have minor problems so they're easier to get positive results from.  Now that we have the internet, patients can get at least some info on things you couldn't get when I first started on this road, but choosing which info is good and which is bogus is very hard.  We are all guinea pigs with this, but there was a time when none of this stuff existed and people with problems were thrown into dungeons as possessed by the devil, so although this stuff is problematic and killed me, it has also helped a lot of people.  It's like surgery -- a lot of people you never hear of are made worse by surgery, but that doesn't mean they necessarily had a better option.  Life isn't guaranteed to be pleasant, but education before action can mitigate the risks and prepare people for what they need to do.  There are books with good protocols for quitting meds, but our psychiatrists don't read them, so we have to.  Sad, but true.  Again, Paxil ruined my life and I'm stuck on klonopin forever because of that, but it wouldn't have happened if I had known what could happen and how to deal with it, or if my psychiatrist had.  It's not really an argument between drugs or no drugs, the issue is when to give up and turn to drugs because nothing else has worked.  Then the issue is to know how best to deal with this, which means doing homework.  I don't participate on this forum much anymore because I can't help anyone since I was so damaged by Paxil, but at the same time while I was on it it did help and nothing else had, though there were things I know of now I didn't know of then I could have tried.  But if you do need drugs, you need them; would any of us really prefer to be in this boat in the times before drugs?  But on the other hand, it's up to those of us who know how awfully difficult these drugs are to let the public know -- we have the experience -- so that docs don't just give them to everyone, as they're prone to do.  They aren't miracles, and they aren't cures, but they may be the best we can do.  Good luck to all.

[rpooo]

Okay so  Klonopin is also a benzodiazepine..nevermind that one but you get the idea I think. Thank you for pointing that out soccermom.

[rpooo]

I was very surprised when I stopped taking Lexapro that the withdrawals were so bad. I never knew I was addicted. With Xanax I find it does not work as well as the Lexapro and from what I hear it's more dangerous. I liked the pop and go idea since I could some days avoid having any at all but really I think something meant for long term fit's my needs better. I will discuss with my doctor (along with some of my own research) about using Klonopin. I don't see any point messing with benzo's any longer since for me I feel this will be something I need to take for the rest of my life.

My neurologist dx me with peripheral neuropathy and said I have these tiny little seizures one after another 24/7. I don’t feel them since they are so small but he showed me on the EEG results. I don't know if this plays any role in my problems or not but I thought it was worth mentioning.

Thank you very much everyone for your input and helping me make a better decision!

Randy

[cnote]

I do want to add, that I beat the benzo beast, and the anxiety hell it put me through... I havent had a drop of anxiety for almost an entire year! Or had to have gone to the Dr. for anxiety for an entire year almost! Going to the Dr. for anxiety for me was a monthly thing for the past 4.5 years. Now, it's nothing. I consider myself cured if you will.

Maybe it's b/c the benzo beast changed me as I kicked its butt? Made me stronger? I went through some s#$% with that. I wish it on nobody.

Best of luck to you! Anxiety can be defeated! It just takes practice. :)

[cnote]

I think you need to do what is BEST for you. If you think taking the Dr's orders and taking Xanax ER the best option for you, then do it.

I just have battled the benzo-beast myself.. and lost most of 4 good years of my life b/c of it.

I don't personally care if they are short acting or long acting... they are all eventually going to build up in your system... and build somewhat of a physical addiction.

Some people can come off benzos with no problems... others,... hell to pay.

The only reason I say that is b/c I've been there, I've been through it, and LOVE to educate the masses.

I just WISH someone would have told me before I took them as prescribed by my Dr. what they could lead to... they seem so WONDERFUL in the beginning and REALLY help kill anxiety. But they can easily turn around and bite you in the butt without you realizing it.

I personally recommend staying away from benzos and trying every other possible route and let benzos be your last option.

Benzos should be the last thing a Dr' prescribes an anxiety patient. It's out there. Just gotta do your own research before taking anything.

Best of luck! Wish you the best in healing and your decisions on how to get there! :)

[nursegirl6572]

Paxilled!!! So good to see you!

Great advice from everyone.  Let's just all remember that everyone will have different experiences with medications. The shorter acting benzos are usually fine to be used long term if they are used "as needed". If they are taken more frequently, they really should be limited to shorter term courses, like under 3 months, to minimize tolerance and withdrawal.  Klonopin is definitely better used on a regular basis, because it builds up in the blood plasma.

These kinds of meds have helped countless people.  In a perfect world, if the doctors all knew how to prescribe the benzos properly, less people would end up with these nightmarish stories,

[Paxiled]

By the way, check out a book called Natural Highs, written by a psychiatrist at UCLA who uses natural remedies in her practice.  A good into to what's out there.  Wish I had known about this route before I got to this lost place.

[Paxiled]

Klonopin is taken usually on a regular basis, since it takes longer to get into your system.  It doesn't work as well on an as-needed basis for most people (personally, Xanax made me crazier, but then, I was already on klonopin when one in a series of idiot shrinks I've had put me on Xanax, too).  Of course, I wasn't told the drug was addictive and had a horrible difficulty of withdrawal and of protracted withdrawals, for which reason benzos have become very difficult to get at all in the UK.  My advice would be to seek out a naturopath and try natural remedies, which may be enough given what you've reported here to regularize your mood.  They'll work not just on GABA, as benzos do, but also on your adrenals, and might help your liver some as well.  That's what they do; psychiatrists and doctors just give out drugs.  The only real cure, which I'll never find thanks to permanent Paxil withdrawal, is some form of therapy or spiritual placebo that gets you to think differently -- then you won't need any of this crap.  Good luck.

[soccermom2012]

Klonopin.. yet another demon benzo...Only speaking on my own personal experiences Clonazepam/Klonopin were not as potent as the xanax which for me helped to ease the w/d from the Xanax's yet on the otherhand once you get to that certain "point" wasnt strong enough to get that toxic effect,,, well, you can see how the rest of that plays out... Benzos are bad..

I do want to add that benzos are generally not meant for long term usage when prescribed, which i am sure you already know. Professionals hope using short term will give them the opportunity to get to the root of what is causing the disorder and treat with therapy, breathing, diet etc... I am just addicted to anything addicting so didnt work the way they planned... but alas... I got there... good luck... chin up.. take care

[rpooo]

Thank you, I am trying to figure out what is going to fit best for my situation so I really appreciate the advice. I have been taking regular Xanax for over a year now and I have no dependency since I have been extra cautious with it but I agree I think it's time to move on to something new and safer.

Someone mentioned Clonazepam do you or anyone else have any experience with it?

[cnote]

don't get me started on benzos.... went through ativan tolerance, interdoes, and just plain withdrawal. Not fun.

[soccermom2012]

Hi. I have no personal experience with the extended release but quite a history with Xanax, the benzo, the beast. Made me curious reading your post that there could possibly be a non-dependant Xanax..I abused benzos heavily and Yes, the withdrawls are horrible and the dependancy is life altering.
I looked up the reviews, side effects etc etc.. it is classified as a benzo...and it has the same warning information I am used to seeing with the pop and go's..It's all there... can build up Tolerance which in turn can cause Dependant problems and lastly dont stop without consulting doc cause can cause Withdrawls....
I wouldnt do it if you could "possibly" have an issue with becoming dependant... not fun times.. good luck... tc