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View Full Version : alprazolam/xanax - long but desperate



mommasmith74
09-05-15, 01:44
Wow I can't believe the newest thread on here for Xanax was 2 years ago!

This is my Xanax story/problem & I desperately want private messages from anyone who may understand/know valuable information that could be beneficial:

Due to truly horrible travel anxiety, my p.doc prescribed me 2 Xanax at 1 mg each to make the 2 hr trip away & the 2 hr trip back (with several hrs between). So I ended up taking 1/2 of 1 about 30 min before we left & the other half as we pulled out of driveway & was totally knocked out in 15 minutes... Slept the whole way to our destination, was awakened pretty easily with a lil grogginess but had a good time & was still relaxed enough to make it back without taking any of the other pill. It was truly a miracle! I didn't have ANY other side effects from it & that was amazing because all the SSRI meds they had recently tried for me seemed to make my panic attacks immediately worse. Anyway, around about a month later p.doc & I were discussing my anxiety & panic attacks & pretty much ruled out SSRIs as an option & decided to try SNRI since I had a few years success with Effexor many years ago & she gave me Xanax for "break through" attacks. Well, Pristiq made my stomach hurt (was already going through some bad GI problems) so I was using the Xanax in .25mg increments for "nervousness" to ward off my panic attacks anywhere from 0 for a few days - 2x a day with no problem. No panic attacks. The next thing I know I'm taking .25mg everyday by midmorning or else that "nervousness" would burst into a full blown panic attack... Which for me is hallmarked by an intense chest & facial flushing with an unbelievable adrenaline rush (not the kind that feels good like from doing something exciting, the kind that makes me certain I will either die or lose my mind any moment)... Then last week (after a stressful weekend) I start having those "flushing & rushing" attacks daily at work most days so I was taking .25 & sometimes .5mg of the Xanax just to function at work.. That whole week is sort of a blur just from the craziness of it all... At the same time I ended up stopping my magnesium supplements out of fear that the flushing was a sign of overdose (although I was taking a perfectly safe dose). Friday night I decided it was time to re-try the Pristiq & get this continuous anxiety under control... Took it, felt fine, then tired, then went to bed. Got up Saturday morning a HOT MESS... Groggy & nauseous from the Pristiq... Expected that. But also seemed to be stuck in the throws of a never ending panic attack with severe flushing, constant adrenaline rush, chills, trembling etc... Ended up taking Xanax (I think .25mg then later another .25mg) & sleeping most all day... Sunday morning, same feeling with the extreme panic & feeling like I was losing control... Another day in bed fighting this horrible feeling & taking Xanax.... Seemed that about 30 min after taking .25mg I could feel a slight difference but remained flushed & out of sorts regardless.... At 1 point I felt absolutely desperate & took a whole .5mg at once.... 30 min later, calmest I had been in days... Still looked flushed but without feeling the actual heat & stinging of it. So all weekend long I had eaten a total of 2 hot dogs, a yogurt cup & 2 bites of a dessert. I just literally have zero appetite & forcing myself to eat makes me literally gag. At this point I have now convinced myself that I have diabetes, or pancreatitis, or some sort of tumor, pretty much anything deadly **should mention that I have severe health anxiety** So Monday I wake up the same as the previous 2 mornings with the severe panic attack, constant doom AND diarrhea. Straight to p.doc who takes loads of labs & says if that doesn't turn up anything (didn't, they were fine) then she would do an abdominal/pelvic CT scan (again, perfect result) next was to be an MRI of my brain to see if maybe I had a tumor of the hypothalamus or pituitary (related to the constant reddness)... In the meantime, keep taking the Xanax to keep myself calm & this time wrote the script for .5 mg 30 pills. So back today & her partner saw me & said they had been researching various possibilities & determined I needed to go back on my GI med plus another to coat the tract, give it a week & recheck. Not scanning my brain yet because maybe if the GI clears up the anxiety will reduce & the flushing will go away. I felt better knowing labs & CT were clear & the GI stuff could be just from me abandoning my meds. I am still having HORRIBLE flushing with stinging skin & panic attacks BUT I think I'm noticing that if right now I were to take .5mg Xanax the panic & stinging would cease in 30 minutes. I'd feel near normal.... UNTIL that little sucker starts to wear off!!! As its wearing off, I'm getting redder & more & more adrenaline flooding through that is nearly impossible to stop until I finally give in & take another... So far I do not think I have taken more than 1mg in a 24 hr period but I'm increasingly worried that this flushing & panic is coming from withdrawing from the Xanax between doses. I know it seems like a low dose to even be concerned over but i guess I'm wondering if I'm helping or hurting myself. While its in full effect it sure feels like help but when it starts to wear off... Its truly indescribable. I'm thinking do whatever I've got to do to make it through the weekend then head straight to the local walk in psych clinic 1st thing Monday morning for PROFESSIONAL evaluation & help with these issues.

Anyone have any similar experiences with Xanax/Alprazolam???

Miche31
10-05-15, 17:09
I take xanax, in addition to ADs (that has been a roller coaster ride, trying to find one and get past the side effects). I just started Pristiq, today was my second dose. My dr. Has me cutting the 50mg pill into 1/4s and starting out slow since I'm very med sensitive. But I've been on xanax for the past 5 years. My psychiatrist says some people need it, despite what many Drs think. Quality of life is more important. I don't think going off an AD is any worse than going off xanax....both would need to be done slowly and have withdrawal effects. Just my and pdocs opinion. 1mg in 24 hrs is not much at all :)

mommasmith74
11-05-15, 02:04
I take xanax, in addition to ADs (that has been a roller coaster ride, trying to find one and get past the side effects). I just started Pristiq, today was my second dose. My dr. Has me cutting the 50mg pill into 1/4s and starting out slow since I'm very med sensitive. But I've been on xanax for the past 5 years. My psychiatrist says some people need it, despite what many Drs think. Quality of life is more important. I don't think going off an AD is any worse than going off xanax....both would need to be done slowly and have withdrawal effects. Just my and pdocs opinion. 1mg in 24 hrs is not much at all :)

Thank you very much for that encouragement! I have been working with my p.doc on the anxiety & panic issues but after the last week of pure torment I have decided tomorrow is the day to find a psychiatrist & get this thing under control. I know it won't be easy but heck, what I'm going through now is downright miserable!

Thanks again :-)

Phill2
11-05-15, 02:32
My Dr prescribed 2 x 0.5mg Xanax / day and found the same as you.
As soon as it starts to wear off everything becomes worse than it was before.
I've only taken 4 and am going back today to see what else he's got.

mommasmith74
11-05-15, 04:17
I take xanax, in addition to ADs (that has been a roller coaster ride, trying to find one and get past the side effects). I just started Pristiq, today was my second dose. My dr. Has me cutting the 50mg pill into 1/4s and starting out slow since I'm very med sensitive. But I've been on xanax for the past 5 years. My psychiatrist says some people need it, despite what many Drs think. Quality of life is more important. I don't think going off an AD is any worse than going off xanax....both would need to be done slowly and have withdrawal effects. Just my and pdocs opinion. 1mg in 24 hrs is not much at all :)

Thank you very much for that encouragement! I have been working with my p.doc on the anxiety & panic issues but after the last week of pure torment I have decided tomorrow is the day to find a psychiatrist & get this thing under control. I know it won't be easy but heck, what I'm going through now is downright miserable!

Thanks again :-)

---------- Post added at 23:17 ---------- Previous post was at 21:41 ----------


My Dr prescribed 2 x 0.5mg Xanax / day and found the same as you.
As soon as it starts to wear off everything becomes worse than it was before.
I've only taken 4 and am going back today to see what else he's got.

I'm hoping to get something more "long term maintenance" & use the alprazolam for those wicked panic attacks that "break through". Hope you have success in finding the right med/combo for you!