Xanax Issues

[Justmehere]

I'm so sorry your symptoms are so high. :hug:

It possible you could be having some rebound and withdrawal anxiety as the medication dosage in your bloodstream waxes and wanes. It's call "interdose symptoms" and it's quite common with Xanax. It is possible that what you are experiencing is not actually a true baseline for you, but something much worse than your actual PTSD related anxiety symptom baseline because your body has become so used to the drug and can't function without a super steady stream of it, which your body will adjust to very quickly, and then stop working and then you will need more of it leading to an ever worsening cycle....

Going off cold turkey is a horrible idea (and I don't think anyone is suggesting that.) But you are going to a doctor that you know will prescribe anything you ask for, and you are considering asking for more. Instead, you might be better off finding a doctor who is willing to work with a good trauma therapist on a comprehensive long term treatment plan that they pour their own advice and opinions into as well. Client centered care is so important, but client directed care when it comes to someone physically addicted to/dependent on a benzo is a recipe for disaster and your doc is doing you a real disservice. :(

What does your therapist think could help get the anxiety under better control? I think you need something substantial to be in place before you consider reducing it based on how much you are struggling now.

I take hydroxyzine as well for PTSD related anxiety and insomnia. It's helpful without the problems of benzos. I have also found atypical anti-psychotics much more helpful for on-going anxiety. I used to be on several meds. Every med I tried for anxiety would lose it's effectiveness and cause new problems after awhile. Diving into a lot of comprehensive therapy and treatment made all the difference.

What else are you doing to manage the anxiety outside of meds? Since you are struggling so badly with basic ability to function, even brushing your teeth, then that suggests you would qualify for inpatient care at a specialized PTSD treatment center, and some take almost every insurance out there. (This is very different than an acute adult inpatient psych unit.) Have you considered perhaps a skills based partial hospitalization / intensive outpatient program? There a team would be able to help manage symptoms with you day in and day out and figure out the meds along the way.

 

[mamachick]

Cold turkey is not likely best solution, unless you are going to be hospitalized. It doesn't matter what you are taking it for, it is very addictive and the only relief is increasing dosage. High dosage can also cause respiratory failure. There are other meds that can help.

I can assure you, getting off is not going to be an easy road my any means.

 

[Fadeaway]

@Smile

The current info on my chart says PTSD Anxiety and Insomnia, although I think the anxiety and insomnia listed there is a bit redundant.

 

[Smile]

Because you took 3mgs at once maybe?

There are other long term meds that can help! Y...

I don't know if I'm addicted or if my body is just becoming more tolerant to it.

My question was/is whether pple take 4-10 mg bc I'm trying to figure out if I need more/higher dose

 

[Smile]

I never said cold turkey but in the end you need to be off something you are addicted to.

Th...

I've tried MANY different ones and Xanax has worked the best. Until recently.

I don't know if I have to explain to you but switching meds is really really hard

 

[Smile]

I'm so sorry your symptoms are so high. :hug:

It possible you could be having some rebound and with...

Thank you for your reply. My T suggested inpatient treatment but I don't have any health insurance until HOPEFULLY my disability comes through.

Same situation with finding another Pdoc. My T has said she works with psychiatrists but my current P doc won't do that...

Other solutions: my T has been pushing mindfulness a lot. Which helps when I can do it. But when I'm spiraling, I go straight to Xanax :(

 

[Smile]

@Smile

The current info on my chart says PTSD Anxiety and Insomnia, although I th...

Thanks. I'm pretty much in the same place

 

[mamachick]

@Smile-You may not be addicted to it, but are certainly physically and psychologically dependent on it.
I was dependent on 3 mg, sometimes more or less. I tried tapering off, but also had occasional panic attack so averaged 3 mg day. I did not realize how much it effected memory and cognitive abilities until I quit.

Please know I am not judgmental about your position . Drs give little solutions and when you are alone and this option is available and you can't find anything else that helps, it is no wonder it becomes your go to. ( I was in panic state last night and took 1 whole mg rather than the half to just calm)

That is the problem with this drug. Whatever the maintenance dose is, if often fails with extenuating circumstances or additional panic. It is very easy to rely on it, but more is always needed. I love xanax as it has saved me so many times, but only in the short run. In the long term, we all need to find something more effective.

I don't know if you work or what kind of responsibility you have, but I did not use when I worked and had much responsibility. I do think it will eventually interfere with both. You have said that it interferes with you ability all ready....more will be worse.

I hope you find a better solution. I am seeking others also and also try meditation with some success. I will continue to seek and let you know if I find something with good effects that is non addicting.

 

[joeylittle]

whether pple take 4-10 mg

The answer is yes, but it is specifically for panic disorder, the avg daily dose is between 5-6mg, and it is only recommended for short term use. So honestly, upping your dose isn't going to be the right move.

But when I'm spiraling, I go straight to Xanax :(

From what you wrote, it sounds like you are taking the Xanax and waiting for it to work, then taking more when you believe it's not working.

When you take it, you still need to work every possible skill you've got. Two reasons: one, because the long term goal is to decrease meds and only work skills, so it needs to be a habit. Two, once you've acclimated to a benzo, you won't feel the 'hit' (onset) of the drug. It's likely that your lower dose could be working, but you aren't giving it a chance or hosteling it with anxiety management.

My advice would be to start by keeping your dose limited and doubling down on whatever skill is most reliable. For me, it's breathing. In for slow 4, hold slow 4, out slow 4, hold slow 4. And it's really, really difficult for the first 2 minutes. You need to do it for at least 4 min for any effect. And very likely, with the help of the Xanax, after 4 minutes you'll be feeling much better, without increasing the dose.

But whether you use the Xanax or not - you are building the automatic response: when you panic, you regulate.

It doesn't take a super-long time to train your body to go straight to regulating. Then, with your doctor, you can work on getting off of it for daily use.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

For me, breathing techniques didnt work fully by itself. Breathing techniques is important and I do them, but inside of the What's Up app is metaphors (and thinking patterns). Many metaphors. The one that helped me was imagining myself laying on my back floating on water and once I could get that down (practice) I decreased anxiety from 10 to 0 almost instantly.

Your metaphor that helps will likely be a different one.

And you can google them if you dont have a tablet or smart phone.

DBT helped a ton too!

They are my 'go to first' even before I was on Seriquel XR.

 

[VioletButterfly]

@Smile - from what you and others above have written above, it does look like you need an alternative. Long term use of benzos, especially at that high of a dosage can lead to memory issues and absolutely addition. I would encourage going slowly off the med though as you can have wicked and dangerous withdrawal. I've brought my dosage down a great deal, but like one of the other posters wrote, I keep one in my purse just in case. I think that might constitute addiction or maybe it's my version of Linus' blanket.

I, too, am looking for a solution to get off Xanax as it is short-acting and we need to bring down my stress/cortisol level. My doctor suggested Pristiq - we've tried just about everything else, although not the Seroquel xr. I was recommended regular Seroquel for sleep, but the doc indicated it'd knock me for a loop so I didn't try. I'm a little confused as to how an anti-psychotic works v. an SSRI/SNRI. They scare me for some reason. The SSRI/SNRI are a definite 'no no" for me, so I'm seeking options of a more natural sort as my body just doesn't seem to like drugs. I guess I have some research to do.

My mom is taking Geodon and I am told that it makes her very peaceful and compliant. Please note that she has ALZ, so I understand meds work differently on folks with that disorder, but what the doc told me was that it works on the manic side of folks with bi-polar so it would make sense that it would calm a person down. I read that it's pretty heavy duty though, so I don't think I'd go that route. Anyone have experience with that for anxiety? VB

 

[lostforgottensoul]

we've tried just about everything else, although not the Seroquel xr. I was recommended regular Seroquel for sleep, but the doc indicated it'd knock me for a loop so I didn't try. I'm a little confused as to how an anti-psychotic works v. an SSRI/SNRI. They scare me for some reason. The SSRI/SNRI are a definite 'no no" for me, so I'm seeking options of a more natural sort as my body just doesn't seem to like drugs. I guess I have some research to do.

Seriquel XR is just the extended release.

I started on the lowest mg which is 50mg, and worked my up each month from there. The lower mg, after 2 weeks, stopped making me tired when I took it in the morning. When I hit 200mg, that seems to make me tired in the morning, drunk like, but because its built up in my body, I take it at night and it works for me in the daytime. Up until about 8pm ish I seem to have a spike in anxiety. I take my night dose at 10:30pm, I go to bed at 3am. I may change it to a bit later.

It has allowed me to cut way back on xanax. I was on three 1mg a day, and anxiety was overflowing that even. Its allowed me to take a half or a quarter of a 1mg at a time twice a day and a half at night, depends on the day, and some work days i dont need it at all. And my job generally includes people screaming at me all day. High stress & high anxiety job.

Ive combined it with breathing technques and the metaphor and DBT/mindfulness but yes, it has really worked for me and not just anxiety but all of my super extreme instense emotions have 'cooled down' a bit.