WizeDeb

Ive been doing pretty good since Ah passed in Jan. but here is the problem
The doctor put me on Zoloft which works great. Ive been on .25 Xanax for years because of all the years of living like this. When he passed my aniexty attacks became unbearable. So the doctor had me on 1mg 4 times as day. I told him that Im going to have to wean myself slowly to get off these pills. It was working just fine.

So I called and asked for my script to be filled again.What does he do he puts me on .25 three times a day which means only 1.5mg a day. So yesterday I followed the instructions. Well guess what happen I had the most horrible axienty attack. How can this be weaning me off with such a drastic dose? Has anyone have any experiance with this? I think Im going to have to see another doctor. Now this morning I took what I was taking before and feel better.

I took the girls (my daughter and niece) shopping yesterday by the time I got home I was a wreck. I know this is an addictive pill and from what I read your suppose to wean off slowly. I couldnt even function by the time I got home. I had to go hide in my bedroom. crying jags (which is ok sometimes) but this was from the pills I could feel the withdraw. Ive never felt withdraw before and I cant take it. Any advise please? Thankfully my daughter understood and entertained my 12 year old niece.

Make me feel like a failure and I dont want to end up in rehab for Xanax.

Dee74

Hi Wize Deb

We can't give you medical advice here.

I would check with your doctor - if you're not comfortable with going back to your prescribing doctor, please do find another one.

D

WizeDeb

Thank you I was just wondering if anyone has experienced this

Jazzman

Deb this is not medical advice, just an observation I have made regarding ADs. My ex was stressed out for lots of valid reasons, she went to a Dr and was prescribed ADs. She went back and forth for months and months changing this type and that dose and the only thing she got was addicted to ADs and her emotional state got worse. Granted she was mixing ADs with way too much alcohol so there's really no comparison. The combination of alcohol abuse and ADs acted as a catalyst that pushed her over the edge into complete dysfunction. Again, not the same case as you.

A couple years later she weened herself off the ADs and quit. During a couple month sober stint she was almost the old Mel I use to know before the heavy drinking and the ADs started.

This is my opinion:
For people with brain chemistry imbalances they can provide much relief from terrible suffering. For people that have situational stress they cause more harm than good. Lots of Meds don't cure problems, they treat symptoms. The cure for being miserably married is divorce, not ADs.

I hope this helps and I hope you feel better soon.

tjp613

Deb, your doc could have easily given the wrong dosage. Easy enough to fix, just give him a call to discuss it.

In addition to that, have you ever taken yoga? Yoga and meditation can seriously do wonders to help you stay 'centered'. Please consider it while you go through this stressful time.

[ha.... just realized I need to take my own dang advice every once in a while!!]

(((Hugs)))

How's your daughter doing?

queenteree

Deb, Several years ago, I had severe anxiety attacks, had to be rushed to the hospital several times, severe OCD which in turn fueled the anxiety attacks, it was bad. I have an aversion to meds, any kind of meds (but that's just me, for me, I don't judge anyone else at all). I started to attend Alanon, went to 90 mtgs in 90 days, followed the program with all my heart, and now, 3 years later, my OCD is in total remission, no more anxiety, cause I place everything in HP (who I call God) hands. I also agree, yoga can be a great help also. I would tell my dr. if I felt I was having withdrawal from Xanax, as that can be quite addicting. My AD got addicted to that, and it spiraled downhill from there. You're in my thoughts.

Freedom1990

Just for clarification of the OP's post, she was talking about the Xanax, which is not an antidepressant. It's an anti-anxiety drug.

I also disagree that for situational stress they cause more harm than good.

I've known several people who were on AD's to help them through a particularly difficult period where the depression became overwhelming, and then were medically titrated off the medication. They were grateful for the additional help during that difficult period.

No, AD's are not a cure-all. However, they can be a very effective tool, in addition to other things such as counseling, support groups, etc.

Deb, I would suggest contacting your doctor.

Also, would you consider getting involved in Alanon?

I know for me, the horrible anxiety that I had after I had gotten into recovery was almost entirely eliminated through working a program and dealing with emotions I had stuffed for years.

:ghug3

Kmber2010

I would definitely talk to your doctor about this. I went through a rough period in my divorce and I was taking Zanax. For me they put me to sleep so i stopped taking them. I am a recovering alcoholic and over time I noticed that my drinking was bringing on the anxiety/panic attacks.

I also agree that counseling, support is a tremendous help and learning breathing techinques and meditation help counter the attacks when you feel them come on.

All the best and please see your dr.

steve11694

If u read the Xanax information all over the web even the company says it is for short term use. Being on it for "years" might be a problem.

This is not medical advice, just what you can get on the web

DesertEyes

Hey Deb, another strong vote for calling your doctor _today_.

Docs have answering services on weekends for exactly this sort of thing. Obviously the new dosage is not working, and all the doc has to do is one phone call to your pharmacy to get it straightened out.

If you are feeling ready to slowly wean yourself off those meds that's a great idea, but "weaning" means in small, small steps. And each step requires a re-evaluation by you and your doctor before you go on to the next small step. Since you've been on those meds for years, you're not going to get off them in just a couple days, so be patient with yourself.

Please let us know what you doc says

Mike

Skier

I'm certainly not a doctor but have been on an anti anxiety med for many years. I've taken myself off several times at a rate of .25mg/per week. Sounds like you got dropped too quickly and ended up on the benzo roller coaster. Don't know specifically about Xanax but I imagine it should be a much slower taper. Seizures are also a major concern w/such a fast decrease. Same thing happened to my AW last summer. D.A Dr. at detox stripped her off a benzo she was taking way too fast and she crashed out of a 30 in-patient treatment program after 5 days of severe panic attacks.

oxyaddict118

I have had terrible anxiety attacks for almost 15yrs. a few yrs ago they became so frequent that I was put on paxil 20mg and .25 xanax. I have never abused my paxil or xanax, but my dr. has done the same to me. she only gives me my .25 xanax 30 pills every other mth. With my xanax I only take one sublingually when having a severe attack. I dont get withdrawls at all from taking them this way. Just make sure to take your zoloft daily and check with another dr. if you should be taking xanax daily, in my experience and with my mother and grandmother who all receive paxil and xanax the xanax wasnt prescribed to be taken daily. I wish I could help more, but I figured atleast sharing my experience could maybe shed a little light on the situation for you. GL.

transformyself

All I can say is the ONLY thing that has worked for me and my horrific anxiety is Bikram Yoga. If there is a studio near you, please consider going. After 90 minute of breathing and meditative yoga in a 105 degree room, my anxiety level drops and how.

I also take some anti anxiety meds when I can't get to class but know they are bad for me as well. They do not heal the anxiety, but rather make you addicted to them, something I believe is intentional--for profit. They prey on the weakest of us.

Jazzman

I was thinking it was ironic that ADs have warning labels on the bottle saying "do not mix with alcohol" when they should also say "do not mix with alcoholics". Because drugging ones self with brain chemistry altering drugs to better tolerate your alcoholic is just plain nuts when you think about it.

Learn2Live

Definitely do not mess around with your meds without direction from your doctor, especially psych meds.

Whenever I have had extreme anxiety, repeating the Serenity Prayer helped me, no fail. There were days in the beginning of my Recovery when I would repeat it over and over all day just to get through each minute. Soon, I was able to make it five minutes, then every 20 minutes, then every hour, and then soon, I was getting through an entire day without anxiety and panic. Sometimes that's what it takes to "heal" ourselves of the feelings created by living with alcoholism and addiction.

bookwyrm

Sorry for the hijack!

Without AD's I wouldn't have survived my 18 years with XAH - I would have killed myself at some point. Medication and counselling helped me see that I had options - one thing about depression is that you feel that you just don't have any options and that there is no way out. Every situation is different, I know, but in my case they saved my life and allowed me to function when I would have otherwise felt overwhelmed.

Jazzman

Maybe I came off wrong But I was trying to comment on the irony at what living with an alcoholic can drive people too. It's both sad and tragic. Sorry if I upset anyone.

WizeDeb

You know what I like best about this board. You are all very honest and I love it!! Here it turns out they did call the wrong dose in. So all that for nothing, but I learned a lesson here. Im going to have my therapist recommed a phycoligist? (sp) to get this straighted out. Jazzman loved your comment. Im going to look into yoga, I go to the gym twice a week that seems to help.

So tell me you think Alalon now would still benifit me? I attend survirors of sucide and therapy.

My daughter is doing well. thank god. She will graduate in June with honors and a special award in her cos class at tech. Im so very proud of her you have no idea.
She loves therapy and it has helped her so much. She still has her days but I think that will be forever. Nothing can ever make it all go away. Sadly.