Hi again........ Xanax

Hi all,

I haven't been on for a little while. Things have been up and down, I had a few emergency trips down to the hospital and extra visits to my pdoc before finally starting to sort things out.

I'm on rivotril 500micrograms morning and night and 225mg of efexor XR daily. Things have been going ok for almost a month, I've been panic surfing any attack I've had and doing realistic talking like I've learnt from the anxiety clinic.

My pdoc took me off valium and prescribed Xanax for any major attack I do get and so far I haven't needed to touch it.

Now for the last couple of days I've had constant anxiety, while not nice it hasn't left me in the mess where I've had to go to hospital. We're having trouble with the real estate agents, with Xmas coming and bills there's more money problems and to top it off there's a major bushfire in the valley I live in. We were put on evaction orders last week and I coped. As soon as the threat moved across the valley the anxiety hit. See I'm constantly having to stay close to home and watch the fire reports as they expect this week to be a scorcher and with high winds the fire could swing back again and threaten us. In 94 our very small suburb lost about 10 houses and our house is considered the buffer house. I'm not concerned so much about the fire hitting it's the waiting, I know that would put anyone in a constant anxiety position so for people like us who are sensitised it's murder.

My question is would it be best to take a little Xanax to stop this constant middle grade anxiety that's with me all day or try to keep up with the positive thinking. I'm scared that I may become addicted to the Xanax as I can't see these situations easing for quite a while, at the same time I don't want the middle grade anxiety taking me backwards.

Thanks guys, I'd just like some opinions from others on Xanax and what you would do in my position.

hi angel, have you talked to your doc about an alternative to xanax? My primary doc and my psyche doc don't prescribe xanax. I used to take .5 as needed and never got "addicted" to it, although, I must say it can be "habit forming." I started taking it to go to sleep and it became a habit. Have you ever tried an old med called "Buspar?" Also, my psyche doc prescribed me a med that is for "acute mania." I'm not bipolar but some psyche docs are prescribing in lieu of xanax. Anyway, maybe you could talk this over with your doctor? Hope everything settles down soon.

Hi

rivotril ( clonazepam)_ is also a xanax type med but your dose is small

by all means take the xanax when needed as it acts quickly, even quicker when disolved under the tongue which I expect your psych forgot to mention ( look up sublingually on the net)

be aware that occasionally the effexor doesnt work for a person or can take 6 weeks to start

anxiety sufferers are usually far too sensible to become addicted to xanax or any other benzo type meds

Hi Aussie, bushfire season again....I almost lost my house in the canberra bushfires a few years ago..scary.  I was on xanax for quite a while and found that it didn't last long..it's good for intenese anxiety but valium last's longer and keeps you on an even emotional level.  But for really bad anxiety xanax is best.  You are doing really well in a tough situation..it will pass.  I hope you feel well (better!!) soon (((hugs))))