Anxiety and meds

 First to "Andwes"   You have my total understanding.  I can not walk into the door of my Dr. office or even visit someone in the hospital, without  that feeling of doom. Different situations, but I do understand.

  Now, hopefully someone on this forum can tell me if I'm even in right forum.  I too have had some severe anxiety problems/panic diorder due to some pretty traumatic situations that have occured. Not looking for sympathy, but helps to explain. I'm 68 years old. (healthy in most respect) Controlled high blood pressure. But have been on Xanax for 12 years  and really never understood the consequences. Was put on after a near fatal illness, hospital 3 months, unconsious,(medical induced coma) On Respirator, for life support, and my family was told I would not make it. ( Made fibbers out of them lol) However was on every antibiotic, and other drugs I think known to mankind. (felt like it) have no knowledge of first 2 months in hosp. , till they started taking me off some drugs.  Ok, problem is, I was on Morphine, Versed, Ativan, Xanax, and that drug they use to paralize while in ventilator.  Which they told me later can cause nerve damage in some people. However this was while I was out of it.  After finally improving, went to physical re-hab floor for 10 days.  A multitude of other issues which I really don't need to waste time going into. Obviously these drugs all used the right way helped in their way along with many others to save my life, (alternative much worse.)   But coming off all that, they sent me home with the Xanax to control anxiety. And withdrawal from so many drugs. Have been diagnosed since with PTSD.  I never took any kind of meds at all before that so was unfamiliar with what the outcome can be. At first a little bitter at what was given without me really having much knowledge, however, water under the bridge now.  I want desperatley to beoff the Xanax, but have yet to find a Dr. who is very willing to assist, they say can cause problems, and some bad. (My dose is not real strong, just long use. And I do well taking it , it helps and have no bad side affects, but getting older now and need to be off. Don't like the feel of control it can have over a person. You don't want it, then afraid something will happen and it won't be there.I understand all that. But can't believe it can't be done somehow safely.  I know there are re-hab units, but some are not so nice I think. And sounds intimidating to some one older. I don't feel as if I need these emotionally so much, (and they're are other meds to use) But I'm sure I do physically, when I try to stop or cut down, very miserable, and raises blood pressure. Anyone who can offer suggestions, who's been there or steer me to right forum I would appreciate very much. Have a very supportive husband, but would scare him If I got really ill or had a siezure, which is only a possibility but , is there none the less.

If I'm not in right forum, I apologize, looking for someone with similiar issue who might offer some guidance or suggestions. Thanks so much.

Welcome to HW you are deffanently at the right place and forum. You will meet a lot of new friends here that you can lean on and we will support you. I'm so sorry you went thru so much in the past but you pulled thru it and I'm thankful for that. I don't know anything about withdrawel but it don't sound good if your blood presure goes up when you try to cut back on your meds. Maybe thats why the dr wants you to stay on them to help control your bllod presure. I wish you the best and please keep us posted so we all can get to know each other better. Your not alone anymore.

Thanks for all the responses and so soon. It's great, I'll be visiting pretty often I think.  Funny, these things are usaully something that's harder to discuss with people in our lives. They either don't get it, or get bored listening, till you just don't want to even talk to anyone about it sometimes. If you try to talk to someone and they're not receptive to listening to you, and especially if it shows, then it just ends up making you feel bad.  At least that's from my point of view.  You hear to much stuff, like, "oh well, everyone has problems"   True, but maybe right at that minute you just need one person to hear you.  I'm hoping someone in here can just tell me how they went about cutting it down without it being to hard.  And , yes I do realize this is not a substitute for seeing my Dr. , just  sharing ideas maybe.  Thanks to all for responding.