I still suffer from terrific PTSD-style panic attacks. Nothing is helping. Docs want me on Xanax. I know a number of other folks here have been on it - want to share what it did for you, good or bad?

thanks muchly
Mulan

I took a very low dosage as I'm very drug-sensitive. Normal or average dosage is 2mg, I took .5mg.

It can be helpful with panic attacks, particularly because there is no need to take every day.

Taken on an "as needed" basis only. No need for daily maintenance. Excellent for helping me to sleep when I was upset.

Since there's no daily maintenance, very easy to stop taking.

Xanax has it's purpose and can be good for anxiety and panic. It can become powerfully addicting over time. As an alternative ask your doctor about Klonopin, which is slightly less addictive and works well with panic attacks. There is even a quick dissolve wafer for Klonopin if you need to convenience to having it with you whereever you go.

Some non-addictive alternatives are the anti-epiletic drugs, such as Neurontin, Trileptal, Topax, Keppra, which act on the GABA in the brain. These are often referred to as mood stabilizers. These sometimes also enhance the effective use of SSRIs, such as prozac and paxil.

My dad became extremely addicted to it in the last years of his life and it changed his personality completely. He became a very angry, nasty man. As time went on, he needed more and more to feed his addiction and was buying it illegally just to keep up. He was only 66 but lived in a xanax coma for the last 5 years of his life.

Mulan,

If taken as it is suppose to be taken Xanax is a very effective drug. I have been on it off and on for about 5 years, More off than on. The first time I was prescribed it it was for PMS and I only took it right around my period.

Now I'm taking it for anxiety attacks that I have because of everthing I'm going through. I have an RX for 0.5mg and usaully just take a 1/2. And if I need a whole one I take a whole one. My bottle of 30 tabs have lasted me over a month and I still have 1/2 of it left.

If you have an addictive type behavoir then I would be concerned, like I said if used as it is prescribed you should be okay.

Still

thanks y'all for the responses - the ER doc yesterday said that it was kinda like alcohol - if you only use a small amount once in a while, you will not become addicted, but if you hammer it every day you certainly can.

I will only take it if I really need it, especially for sleep. I guess I feel better knowing I have something that will help when nothing else does.
thanks
Mulan

Mulan,
I would be concerned with relying on a medication to cope. Especially one with such documented addictive properties. In curiousness, have you explored what causes the panic attacks? Honestly, I know frozen is much more knowledgeable on this subject, and maybe you could talk to her.

My concern would be to begin a medication addiction. Just some thoughts.

I don't presume to know the whole story, but is there truly nothing else that could help you cope? Maybe membership in an organization? Focusing on yourself and maybe taking a course at an institution? I don't know, but taking drugs for a seemingly permanent issue always bugged me personally. For me.

I wish you well and apologize if this seems shallow or not well thought out. My true concern is the drugs.

Mulan - I had panic attacks for almost 10 years, and it was HORRIBLE. The weird thing is right before they started I was dealing with my abusive husband, and trying to get me and my sons away from him. During all that time, I was fine. As soon as I got away, and things were better, the panic attacks started.

The Xanax is good, and will work fine, but can be addictive. But I got it anyway, while waiting for the other therapies to kick in. Just having it with me lessened my symptoms.

The best treatment is the SSRI anti-D's. They will usually work in about 3 weeks. I don't know if you have tried them or not.

Then it is necessary to use some cognitive therapy to examine the way you think about things. If you can get some relaxation tapes, and practice relaxing every single day, that will help.

The other thing is to stay away from alcohol. It will relieve the panic attacks short term, but in the end, makes them worse.

Try a combination of these treatments, because with meds only, they tend to recur. I have been off the meds for 2 years, and have had no problems.

Hi Mulan,

I am very addiction prone and a drug seeker, so when I was first prescribed Xanax I balked, big time. Actually I refused and took the scrip to my real (gp) doctor. After trying a couple of AD's for about 2 years, I finally decided to try the Xanax. It works great for me and like Mates, my scrip is for 30 .5 mg pills at a time (usually to last 2-3 months) and I usually only take 1/2 at a time. (If I need a whole one, it's a really bad day!!!) I definitely "need" it more around my period. I think if you are very careful about frequency of use, you should be fine.

The only downside I've really experienced is the sleepiness, a full 1/2 mg pill can put me out for hours. Good luck, I hope you find the help you need!

I had PTSD from the death of a family member. Xanax helped me, but not enough. I was careful not to over take it, because it can be so addicting.

What really helped me was taking effexor XR. I know some people have had bad experiences with it, but it helped me a lot. The main side effects I had: night sweats, vivid dreams, and being so relaxed I started showing up fashionably late a lot. I found it kept me from being so worrisome, but I wasn't an emotional zombie either. I took if for a year and a half as recommended and I have had little issues with anxiety since. If I do get anxious, I am able to deal with it better. Like I've noticed low blood sugar can make me anxious, so I'll make sure to eat if I'm feeling funny.

Good luck!! PTSD is no picnic.

My experience with Xanax?

I love it!!!!!

That is precisely why I don't take it anymore.

It's too easy to abuse it when it is readily accessible.

I think it is a good short-term fix - one that can really help during a severe panic attack.

For me, I would rather learn to head off the panic-attacks at the onset than to suffer through them, hoping Xanax kicks in quickly. The Xanax was preventing me from learning the coping skills I needed in order to do that.

Also, like I said, having it readily available to me made it just too easy to take it in order to cope with other things. It just feels TOO GOOD - like flipping a switch and suddenly nothing matters anymore.

Here is some information about dealing with panic attacks that has been useful for me:

Don't Panic

Thank you very much for posting to me. I appreciate the kind thoughts. I am very concerned about the drugs too and up to this point have completely avoided any anxiolytic or anti-depressant, with the only exception being kava-kava. It does help and is not addictive at all (I've stopped and started it cold many times.)

But yesterday I ended up in the ER due to unrelenting panic and anxiety. I hope I can just use the Xanax once or twice a week as needed when it just won't stop.

thanks again
Mulan

Mulan, unlike others, I didn't like feeling drugged. I never took many because I would avoid using them unless I was prepared to deal with the discomfort of using them more than the discomfort of the panic attack.

I was diagnosed with PTSD.

One thing that I did was explore other options. An exercise regimen, a vitamin regimen, a dietary regimen, and a supplement regimen.

SamE is one of the supplements I use that has proven very effective.

But I needed the Xanax to get me 'over the hump' because at the time I was taking it, I was in no shape to put forth the effort required to engineer my current plan.

Oh, I hope you will try the link that Frozen gave you. It sounds GREAT. The problem I had was the FEAR of the panic attacks. I got where I could hardly go anywhere - even to the doc for help. Often when I was doing something like grocery shopping, I would have the cart loaded and have to leave suddenly. It was really annoying.

Practicing the things on the website will really help you, and just having the Xanax might.

Before mine was diagnosed, I went to the ER a couple of times, and also collapsed at work. One time there was a GREAT paramedic who came when the ambulance was called because I felt like I couldn't breath. He was the one that told me to look into panic attacks.

I have wanted desperately to stay away from ADs. I (was) a novelist and I have heard report after report from writers and other artists saying that ADs make it impossible for them to work.


I will look into this.


Never touch the stuff. Even I knew better than that!


Thanks very much -
Mulan

Mulan-
Are you having any depression too? I just started to take Lexapro, to help with my anxiety and mild depression. I already see a difference. I do not feel drugged up at all (something that I know Xanax can do). I told my doctor that I just wanted to feel like MYSELF again, and I am really starting too. I do not feel like my imagination is stifled- PLUS I am not having my anxiety attacks anymore. They were getting very hard for me to handle. It took a little bit more than a week of being on the Lexapro before I noticed anything, and it was not that I felt different- body wise- I just noticed that I felt more in control of myself, and I was not being hit with the anxiety like I was. I am just taking it temporarily, it is something that you do need to take everyday, but I do not want to be on something forever. I just wanted to feel like me again, and I do not like feeling like I am under the influence of anything, which I did tell my doctor. Maybe talk to your doctor about it.