PANIC: Please help

[Lizzy84]

Hi,
I have been having panic attacks for over a week now about taking prescribed medications. I take 25 mg of Luvox (Fluvoxamine) daily, and last Friday, I took two and a half .25 mg of Xanax (so about .65 mg of Xanax) over 8 hours. I was so groggy and out of it. I had to call off work and slept for most of the day.

This was a week ago, and I'm still feeling very anxious with panic attacks that I took too much Xanax and now have damaged my brain. My mind feels slow, and I don't feel right. I called my pharmacist, and he said that the Luvox can enhance the Xanax and make it stay in my system longer. I am absolutely terrified that the Luvox doubled the amount of Xanax, and I have done irreparable damage. I am only 110 pounds, and this was my first time taking Xanax in years, so I have zero tolerance.

I am at my wits end, and I'm not sure how I can handle this fear. I'm trying breathing exercises, meditation and acceptance, but this thought is constantly on my mind. Has anyone taken this drug combination before? Have I done something terrible to myself?

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post. I really appreciate it.

[Scaredtoo]

Hi,
I have been having panic attacks for over a week now about taking prescribed medications. I take 25 mg of Luvox (Fluvoxamine) daily, and last Friday, I took two and a half .25 mg of Xanax (so about .65 mg of Xanax) over 8 hours. I was so groggy and out of it. I had to call off work and slept for most of the day.

This was a week ago, and I'm still feeling very anxious with panic attacks that I took too much Xanax and now have damaged my brain. My mind feels slow, and I don't feel right. I called my pharmacist, and he said that the Luvox can enhance the Xanax and make it stay in my system longer. I am absolutely terrified that the Luvox doubled the amount of Xanax, and I have done irreparable damage. I am only 110 pounds, and this was my first time taking Xanax in years, so I have zero tolerance.

I am at my wits end, and I'm not sure how I can handle this fear. I'm trying breathing exercises, meditation and acceptance, but this thought is constantly on my mind. Has anyone taken this drug combination before? Have I done something terrible to myself?

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post. I really appreciate it.

You did not damage yourself. Trust me. That a pretty small amount to be honest. I have been on Xanax for years. Years. I have debilitating anxiety with PTSD. I take 1 mg usually but if it’s awful I’ll take 1.5 or so. You’ll be okay I promise. It makes you tired. That’s to be expected

[nomorepanic]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your issue.

This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.

Please also read this post:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=213239

[panic_down_under]

Hi,
I have been having panic attacks for over a week now about taking prescribed medications. I take 25 mg of Luvox (Fluvoxamine) daily, and last Friday, I took two and a half .25 mg of Xanax (so about .65 mg of Xanax) over 8 hours. I was so groggy and out of it. I had to call off work and slept for most of the day.

This was a week ago, and I'm still feeling very anxious with panic attacks that I took too much Xanax and now have damaged my brain. My mind feels slow, and I don't feel right. I called my pharmacist, and he said that the Luvox can enhance the Xanax and make it stay in my system longer. I am absolutely terrified that the Luvox doubled the amount of Xanax, and I have done irreparable damage.

The standard alprazolam (Xanax) dose is 0.25-0.5mg 2-3 times a day with a 24 hour maximum of 4mg so you were well below that. Fluvoxamine might haver slowed the rate alprazolam is metabolised a little, but wouldn't have doubled the amount in your blood stream. It is a very short lived benzodiazepine (BZDs) with an average elimination half-life of about 11 hours (range 6-26 h) so almost all of it will probably have been completely out of your system within 2-3 days. BZDs rarely do any harm even in massive overdose.

Are you taking fluvoxamine for anxiety or another indication such as nerve pain? If for anxiety then be aware that 25mg is a sub therapeutic dose for most which is usually too low to initiate and sustain the mechanism by which ADs work. The usual starting dose is 50mg and most take 100-150mg/day for good results. Those with OCD often need high doses to get a positive result as the OCD spectrum disorders tend to be resistant to both medication and therapy. The recommended daily maximum is 300mg.