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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Cindylnc on February 5, 2001, at 11:33:55
Hi new to the board. Is there anyone taking xanax or ativan for panic? How is it working for you? I took .5mg of xanax yesterday and felt very tired. How long does it take to get used to it? I have read studies that people with panic usually don't abuse the drug. I am not worried about physical dependance as I will just come off it slowly when need to.
Posted by Jackster on February 5, 2001, at 16:34:42
In reply to Anyone taking xanax or ativan, posted by Cindylnc on February 5, 2001, at 11:33:55
> Hi new to the board. Is there anyone taking xanax or ativan for panic? How is it working for you? I took .5mg of xanax yesterday and felt very tired. How long does it take to get used to it? I have read studies that people with panic usually don't abuse the drug. I am not worried about physical dependance as I will just come off it slowly when need to.
I'm on 1mg x 3 a day of Xanax. And yes, it does make me feel tired. I think you do get used to it. I've been on it for 6 weeks whilst waiting for the Paxil to kick in. My PDoc reckoned that you need to take it for at least 3 months before you get addicted. Up to 4 mg a day is normal for panic attacks. Are you taking any ADs? There are a lot of postings on this board from people who have taken Xanax for years and have had huge problems coming off it. I think it's meant only as a short term solution, or to be taken only when in a stressful situation. I'm seeing my PDoc tomorrow, and will start weaning off the Xanax as the Paxil should be working. I've heard of reducing .25 mg per 2 weeks, but I think that's if you've been on it for years, not short term.
Hope this helps.
Jackie
Posted by Greg A. on February 5, 2001, at 17:03:56
In reply to Anyone taking xanax or ativan, posted by Cindylnc on February 5, 2001, at 11:33:55
Hi New. (I'm also new to this board) I posted the following in reponse to an earlier thread . . .
Re: Xanax - This dredges up not so fond memories of my recent past . . . I took Xanax for almost seven years, prescribed by my GP for anxiety and depression. When the drug was first introduced, it was touted as less addictive than other benzodiazepines and also possessed of some AD properties.
I peaked at around 12 mgs per day and then weaned myself down to around 6 or so. I always had the container of little orange pills with me, because about every 2 hours or so, the need was there.
Long story short . . . it took a year of slowly cutting back (and replacing the Xanax with Paxil) until I was off. Even then I would have these rebound episodes where the withdrawal symptoms would return for no apparent reason.
Xanax is widely prescribed, I think because it has such a rapid and effective onset. I have since used Clonazepam periodically and it seems much longer acting but in a milder way.
The pdoc I was seeing was really good about tapering me off Xanax. I was afraid he was just going to take my pills away and give me the AD's. Instead he told me I could stay on Xanax for as long as I felt it necessary - as long as I attempted to gradually reduce the dose. He told me up front he expected it would take a year. The actual tapering consisted of initial reductions of 0.5 mgs at biweekly intervals. Near the end of the year, however, I was chipping the pills into little fragments . . .
I'd look to benzodiazepines for short term relief of anxiety but if PA's are a long standing problem I think some other med. might be in order as well.
Posted by Cindylnc on February 6, 2001, at 20:40:11
In reply to Re: Anyone taking xanax or ativan, posted by Jackster on February 5, 2001, at 16:34:42
> > Hi new to the board. Is there anyone taking xanax or ativan for panic? How is it working for you? I took .5mg of xanax yesterday and felt very tired. How long does it take to get used to it? I have read studies that people with panic usually don't abuse the drug. I am not worried about physical dependance as I will just come off it slowly when need to.
>
> I'm on 1mg x 3 a day of Xanax. And yes, it does make me feel tired. I think you do get used to it. I've been on it for 6 weeks whilst waiting for the Paxil to kick in. My PDoc reckoned that you need to take it for at least 3 months before you get addicted. Up to 4 mg a day is normal for panic attacks. Are you taking any ADs? There are a lot of postings on this board from people who have taken Xanax for years and have had huge problems coming off it. I think it's meant only as a short term solution, or to be taken only when in a stressful situation. I'm seeing my PDoc tomorrow, and will start weaning off the Xanax as the Paxil should be working. I've heard of reducing .25 mg per 2 weeks, but I think that's if you've been on it for years, not short term.
>
> Hope this helps.
> JackieI don't buy in to the doctors fears of addiction with xanax. I am a nurse and have read so many studies that people with panic disorder do not abuse this drug. Yes, it is true, that after taking the drug for three weeks you will be physically dependant and need to come off slowly. Doesn't someone with asthma have dependence on their inhaler or someone with diabetes dependence on insulin. I think that the thought of dependence is relative. I think the big issue would be abuse of the drug. Also, I think it would be prudent for you to read the Paxil board. I believe you can find it by simply searching under those words. The side effects are vast with the SSRI's. I wouldn't take them no matter what. Also, read another board where most of those folks and the doctor believe in benzodiazipines. You can find it under search with the name Shipko as in Dr. Shipko or Panic disorder inst.
Good luck,
Cindy
Posted by Jackster on February 7, 2001, at 0:14:12
In reply to Jackie, posted by Cindylnc on February 6, 2001, at 20:40:11
> > > Hi new to the board. Is there anyone taking xanax or ativan for panic? How is it working for you? I took .5mg of xanax yesterday and felt very tired. How long does it take to get used to it? I have read studies that people with panic usually don't abuse the drug. I am not worried about physical dependance as I will just come off it slowly when need to.
> >
> > I'm on 1mg x 3 a day of Xanax. And yes, it does make me feel tired. I think you do get used to it. I've been on it for 6 weeks whilst waiting for the Paxil to kick in. My PDoc reckoned that you need to take it for at least 3 months before you get addicted. Up to 4 mg a day is normal for panic attacks. Are you taking any ADs? There are a lot of postings on this board from people who have taken Xanax for years and have had huge problems coming off it. I think it's meant only as a short term solution, or to be taken only when in a stressful situation. I'm seeing my PDoc tomorrow, and will start weaning off the Xanax as the Paxil should be working. I've heard of reducing .25 mg per 2 weeks, but I think that's if you've been on it for years, not short term.
> >
> > Hope this helps.
> > Jackie
>
> I don't buy in to the doctors fears of addiction with xanax. I am a nurse and have read so many studies that people with panic disorder do not abuse this drug. Yes, it is true, that after taking the drug for three weeks you will be physically dependant and need to come off slowly. Doesn't someone with asthma have dependence on their inhaler or someone with diabetes dependence on insulin. I think that the thought of dependence is relative. I think the big issue would be abuse of the drug. Also, I think it would be prudent for you to read the Paxil board. I believe you can find it by simply searching under those words. The side effects are vast with the SSRI's. I wouldn't take them no matter what. Also, read another board where most of those folks and the doctor believe in benzodiazipines. You can find it under search with the name Shipko as in Dr. Shipko or Panic disorder inst.
>
> Good luck,
> CindyI've already been on Paxil for 3 years and it helped wonderfully for my agoraphobia - no panic attacks at all. I made the mistake of weaning myself off it thinking I didn't need it anymore and the PA's came back. When I went back to the Paxil, it didn't work nearly as well. Several drugs later (Prozac, Celexa etc) I went back to the Paxil with the Xanax to stabilise me after some pretty severe episodes. I know the SSRI's have some bad side effects, but the way my life improved far outweighed them.
Jackie
This is the end of the thread.
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