Posted by iris2 on August 23, 2004, at 15:26:16
In reply to pdoc insists i stop xanax, posted by justjustine on August 21, 2004, at 17:53:46
> i have been taking xanax for years (1mg or less a day) and recently had to switch doctors. my new doctor is insisting that i taper off of xanax, she put me on wellbutrin, and wants me to take .5mg klonopin at night because she says this will help me taper off the xanax.
>
> thing is, without the xanax i'm a wreck, whether i take klonopin or not. now she says the xanax is "masking" my depression and i need to add lexapro to the mix. i can't seem to get below .75mg/day, which isn't much, but when i take less i just cry all the time? just thinking about being forced off it makes me upset.
>
> opinions? xanax seems like it works to me, and i'm not very interested in more ssri's after going through effexor withdrawal for over a month this past winter... is it really that bad to be on a benzo long term? why can't i keep a medication that seems to work?i have been taking xanax for years (1mg or less a day) and recently had to switch doctors. my new doctor is insisting that i taper off of xanax, she put me on wellbutrin, and wants me to take .5mg klonopin at night because she says this will help me taper off the xanax.
>
> thing is, without the xanax i'm a wreck, whether i take klonopin or not. now she says the xanax is "masking" my depression and i need to add lexapro to the mix. i can't seem to get below .75mg/day, which isn't much, but when i take less i just cry all the time? just thinking about being forced off it makes me upset.
>
> opinions? xanax seems like it works to me, and i'm not very interested in more ssri's after going through effexor withdrawal for over a month this past winter... is it really that bad to be on a benzo long term? why can't i keep a medication that seems to work?Get a new pdoc! I took xanax for years and still do sometimes. I have had a couple of pdocs that were "benzo-phobic and made me go off it. It was terrible. I agree with everyone that has posted here.
These doctors need to perscribe what is benificial to the patient, not the hewest SSRI or next chical. This rediculous thing about it being "addictive". Even if it really was very addictive, so what! If it benefits you what is the problem? It does not mask depression , if anything it helps, especailly with associated anxiety.
This makes me very angry. Do not let someone do this to you or mess with your own self knowledge about what works for you.
irene
poster:iris2
thread:380515
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040821/msgs/381358.html