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Xanax

Hi - I recently had some bad news about my partner's health. To help me thro' this period my Doc prescribed me 3 x .25mg tabs of Xanax per day - which I have taken for the past 10 days. Now I am over the worst news (in fact the news improved recently) I decided to stop taking the Xanax. When I stopped - within 24 hours I was experiencing stronger feelings of panic than I did before taking the Xanax and suffered night sweats and loss of sleep. I went back to 1 x tab a day (.25mg) and the feelings subsided and sleep was easier.

Can I have really have a problem ditching Xanax after such a short period and on such a low dosage? (compared to a lot of posts I have read on here).

I have read a lot about tapering on this site - and I think that I should try this - even tho' I have been on a relative low dose for a short period of time.

Has anyone else suffered withdrawal symptoms in such a timescale - and can anyone recommend how I can get off this drug as the effects are scaring me after such a short time?

I would be very appreciative of any advice anyone can give me.

Rob x
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370181 tn?1595629445
Hi again!
Yes, I have heard of paroxetine. Most folks know it as Paxil. It is an anti-depressant but is also used for anxiety conditions. It CAN have some very "unnerving" side effects when you first begin therapy with it, but they should begin to ease up fairly quickly. I would stick with it unless the side effects were just too much to deal with. It can take anywhere from 1-4 weeks for Paxil to reach therapeutic levels in your blood, so give it a good go before you give up on it. Most of these types of meds are going to have some side effects until your body adjusts to them, which is why I suggest sticking it out with the Paxil instead of bouncing from one to another.
If you want to learn about Paxil, talk to your pharmacist (I believe on your side of the pond they are called "chemists.") rather than get on the net. Most websites are hosted by the drug company and the info you get is skewed in their favor. Or spend some time reading posts here about other peoples experience with this med. Just bear in mind that you will read many different opinions........some will swear by it and others will condem it, so come prepared with an open mind..........and your own opinion!
Let us know how it's going for you, OK?
How is your partner?
Peace
Greenlydia  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi - hope you are well.

I'm still weening off the Xana - slowly but surely. I am almost down to 2 x .125mg per day and have about a week to go.

I went to my Doc today and because I am still getting anxiety attacks and DONT want to continue with more Xanax (as the worry over the addiction is adding to the anxiety itself) she has suggested that I take 1 x 20mg per day of Paroxetine to assist with my anxiety and as a replacement for Xanax.

She was very suprised that my Company Doc had even prescribed Xanax plus Trazadone (for sleep) - as she said they were "old" drugs rarely used here in the UK.

Have you heard of this Paroxetine? I took one tab today and felt "wired" / restlestt all afternoon. Am I replacing one bad med (Xanax) with another (Paroxetine).

I am no longer using our Company Doc - I'm still furious he did not explain about Xanax when he initially gave it to me... and he said the Tazadone was for sleep...

Regards,

Rob



Helpful - 0
370181 tn?1595629445
Good luck to you, Rob! This med business can be a real C-R-A-P shoot, so don't give up! For some of us, it has taken months to find what works best for us.
Keep us posted on how you're doing and your experiences............what you learn could very well help someone else!
Peace
Greenlydia  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Dear Friends

I thank you all from the very bottom of my heart from across the ocean here in the United Kingdom. I feel so much better now that I have a plan and of course some people I consider new friends - for taking the time and effort to read, respond and consider my options.

Thank you Lydia, Barfer and especially Ryan for the plan.

I will keep you all posted on progress...

Rob xxx
Helpful - 0
370181 tn?1595629445
Barfer has given you the best advice! Go back and follow Ryan's taper schedule.......it's not really my place to say, but trust me when I tell you that Ryan has "reasons" to know about pharmacology!
It IS sometimes difficult to decide what to do as you will get many different viewpoints on here, which can be good AND bad. The bottom line is that none of us is qualified to tell you which meds to take. That is for you and your doc to decide, but what you can gain is alot of different peoples experiences and opinions and you will be better educated to talk to your doctor about w/d symptoms and taper programs and side effects. Too many people just gobble what their doc gives them without knowing a damn thing about the med. And when it comes to these kinds of meds, ignorance is NOT bliss!
What Ryan told you about your increased anxiety is true and I forgot to mention that aspect of Xanax. It has one hell of a "rebound" effect and that is for sure what happened to you. It's nothing to freak about, but you do need to do what he said and just start all over and taper as he told you. You'll be fine!
I, personally, would question the doc about giving me Trazadone to sleep. If you had also discussed depression during your visit, he may have been treating you for that  since Trazadone's "first line" is as an anti-depressant. Some here would disagree with me, but that's kind of the "fun" part of this forum! If you are just having a rather mild bout of insomnia due to worry about your partner, I don't know why your doc would not have you first try a simple OTC sleep aid, like Tylenol PM. If THAT wasn't working, then try Ambien or Lunesta, which some folks here will swear are even more addictive than narcotic sleep aids............if my insomnia was so bad I was getting no rest at all, then, and only then, would I consider taking the Trazadone. But remember, all of that is me and MY opinion.
Just ask lots of questions about the meds your doc is prescribing and before you get them filled, have a good long talk with your pharmacist, who IS a DOCTOR of PHARMACOLOGY and boy, do they know their stuff about drugs! If they tell you something you're not comfortable with, don't fill the script and get back with your doc for some more answers! They work FOR YOU, remember that!
And one of the things that we are quite adamant around here is that when you do decide to change your med schedule, always inform your doctor about what you are doing and why.
Hope I haven't confused you yet again! And if you still have questions, post away! We're always here. (And by the way, you were very lucky to have gotten a reply from Ryan!)
Peace
Greenlydia
  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Everyone here knows Ryan as a fountain of information on medication and how to reduce it properly.  Please reread what he has written to you and you will not have a problem with the reduction process.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hey - thanks for your help so far.

There are so many viewpoints on stuff here - it is sometimes difficult to make the right decisions on what to do next..

Here's the total story from me..

My partner has been very ill (but improving). I had ben working flat-out art work fro 16 months (6 day weeks) and getting very run down. When the news came re: partner's health it completely knocked me off balance and I went to my Doc.

He prescribed me with 3 x .25mg of Xanax a day plus 1 x 50mg of Trazadone (which he said was for sleep aid). After a week I pretty much calmed down and started feeling better.

I saw the doc again a week after the first visit and he gave me another course of 3 x .25mg Xanax and upped the Trazadone to 150mg.

At this second meeting he then told me that Xanax was highly addictive and that Trazadone was an anti depressant - and I thought it was just a sleep aid..

So - I got worried about taking these drugs as I am not used to anything more than asprin and so decided to do some home research on the web and found this site.

When I read about Xanax I got scared and decided to stop them - and also the Trazadone (I was still taking the 50mg and was not due to start the 150mg dose for a few days - so it wasn't too bad).

When I ceased the Xanax I seemed to get worse anxiety problems than I was getting when I started the course..

So - here I am - a bit confused what to do next and cannot see my doc till Friday evening.

Hope this all makes sense from someone all-new to such drugs and such painful anxiety problems.

Rob


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Avatar universal
Hi - thanks for your post - when you say reinstate at 0.25mg "t.i.d." - what does the tid bit mean?

Cheers,

Rob
Helpful - 0
370181 tn?1595629445
It is almost impossible for me to believe that after only 10 days on the dosage you were on, that the feelings you are experiencing are from Xanax withdrawl. (Although you WILL read on here that everyone is different in how we react to meds and their w/d) Since you went back to the lowest dose and your symptoms decreased, I have to wonder if it's the med or your mind messing with you. You said you've read on here the problems many have from Xanax w/d, so perhaps that idea got into your head? It's also possible that you are just very, very sensitive to this med and DO need to taper. (Still find that too difficult to believe.....but stranger things have happened!) Stay on the lowest dose that makes you comfortable, but get hold of your doctor as soon as possible and discuss this situation with him/her. Maybe your anxiety was not as controlled as you thought and you need to stay on it a bit longer. Just please be aware that anything longer than about four months is IT for the Xanax! Get off as soon as possible!
I wish you luck and glad to hear about your partners improving health.
Keep us posted, OK? And if you have any more questions, post away!
Peace
Greenlydia
Helpful - 0
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