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Posted 2/5/2012 7:01 AM (GMT 0)
Was anyone else tired? This Xanax is kicking my butt, So far I've just been sleeply and not being hungry are my only side-effects. I'm taking the Xanax 4 times a day and so far little to no anxiety problems. Wednesday I slept a good 14 hours, waking off and on to eat and use the bathroom. But the best news by far is that the other medication makes me not freak out whenever I hear strange noises. What other side-effects did anyone have from Xanax?
Posted 2/5/2012 1:42 PM (GMT 0)
The main side effect is addiction. Please transition to an SSRI.
Posted 2/5/2012 2:23 PM (GMT 0)
HouseFire,

Good Morning.  Wondering if you could dial back on the Xanax and take only 3 times a day if you are becoming to sedated on 4 times a day.

Psychological dependence is a risk with all benzodiazepines, including Xanax.


Xanax addiction occurs after chronic use of Xanax over time. Nonetheless, you may need to take Xanax on a daily basis. Medical conditions that requires frequent use of Xanax can develop into addiction over time. Likewise, if you self-administer Xanax and increase Xanax intake without medical advice, you can get addicted to Xanax.

To avoid Xanax addiction, only take the prescribed amount of Xanax. If you are taking Xanax as prescribed, and notice increasing tolerance to the drug, consult your prescribing physician. Your doctor can assess your particular situation and offer suggestions for other treatment options.

Take care.

Kitt

 

 

Posted 2/5/2012 4:53 PM (GMT 0)
IMHO there is a great deal of difference between addiction and dependancy. A lot of people become addicted to xanax and other benzo's because they are using it for "recreational" purposes. When people take these types of drugs, and they don't NEED it, that's where addiction comes into play.

On the other hand, you have people like us (yes, I take it too, along with an SSRI), that really need it just to be able to live a somewhat normal life. This is where the dependancy comes into play. Our bodies become dependant on the drug to feel "normal". And i'm perfectly fine with that. If I need it, i'm going to take it. I do not abuse it, as a matter of fact, I take less than I was prescribed, as you can see below, this is very common with people with panic disorders.

This is a quote from a psychiatrist at the National Anxiety Foundation.... "Despite popular belief, it is my opinion that Xanax is under-utilized by clinicians in their patients.  Such medicines are remarkably safe.  Panic disorder patients seem rarely to abuse such medicine.  Compliance problems (patients not following doctors orders) with panic disorder patients on Xanax are rare;  and when seen, are most often a matter of the patient not taking as much medicine as is prescribed rather than taking too much."

Tapering off of xanax is no different than tapering off of an SSRI, which I have done a few times in the past. Honestly I think tapering off of xanax is EASIER than coming off of an SSRI. They say that SSRI's are not addictive, but then why is it that if we suddenly stop taking it, we get horrible side effects not much different than stopping xanax cold turkey?

Because our bodies are DEPENDANT on the drug. Does that mean we are addicted to it? Of course not, it just means our bodies have to learn how to function without that drug in our system again. So to me, there is no real difference between an SSRI and a Benzo, except for the wicked side effects you get while starting the ssri.....

This is just my opinion on the whole "addiction" thing.

Anyway, I do agree with Kitt. If you feel that you are becoming too sedated, drop it down to three times a day, and consult with your doc. Oh, and you forgot to mention how many mgs you are taking 4 times a day.....

Fox

Post Edited (Fox7) : 2/5/2012 10:28:25 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/5/2012 6:02 PM (GMT 0)
i take celexa 10mg and it works get but i do still take a low dose of ativan 1mg cut in half for now with it
i weaned myself from 2mg a day fairly quickly with no prob
but the celexa has definitly done wonders
Posted 2/5/2012 6:41 PM (GMT 0)
Fox7

I ahve been trying to wean off Clonazepam for over 1 yr. I've gotten my dose down by 60%, but it has been hard. Each tiny drop in dose takes 1 month to acclimate to. Chronic daily use of any benzo, even if taken as prescribed WILL result in addiction. And those meds are usually much harder than SSRI's to come off of.  

Posted 2/5/2012 7:19 PM (GMT 0)
Deerslayer, I'm not trying to say that it's easy, and i'm sorry you're having such a hard time with it. But myself personally, didn't see any difference in weaning off of either. Like I said, I've done the whole weaning process with 4 different drugs in the past, xanax, ativan, paxil, and zoloft (3 times).

The worst one for me personally, was the paxil withdrawal. That was pure HELL! I think it depends on the person honestly, and how our bodies absorb these medications. But there are some people out there that cannot take SSRI's, therefor a benzo is usually the way the doc's go if nothing else is helping.

I do disagree with your statement....."Chronic daily use of any benzo, even if taken as prescribed WILL result in addiction." I know that chronic use CAN cause addiction, but for most of us that truly NEED it, it can cause dependancy.

We are not like "crackheads" trying to buy it illegally off the street corner, or stealing things from people to "feed" an addiction, and using it for recreational purposes. We are simply dependant on it to feel better, and we get it legally with a prescription, because it helps us.

Most of the time, people with panic disorders are so afraid of the whole "addiction" thing, they take LESS than they are actually prescribed. Like me, however i'm not afraid of addiction, it's just that I don't feel I need to take any more than I actually need to take.

I'm not sure how high your dose was of the Clonazepam, but the higher the dosage, the more difficult it is to taper. Me personally, I take .5 mgs of xanax twice a day, sometimes i'll take a half of one mid day if i'm feeling really bad. I am originally prescribed 3 times a day. So that's only 1 to 1.25 mgs total a day.

My doc and pharmacist both say it shouldn't be hard to wean off of that because it is a low dose, but I will still follow the tapering schedule that I have used before. It does take time, but so does ssri withdrawal.

I hope I didn't offend you, but i'm just stating my opinion because I have been through both types of withdrawal. Neither are fun by any means....

Fox

Post Edited (Fox7) : 2/5/2012 12:35:27 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/5/2012 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
fox i agree with you
my dr told me if you truly need a benzo then you will not get ADDICTED and i also am not finding it hard to wean off ativan at all
Posted 2/5/2012 8:44 PM (GMT 0)
I should have mention that I'm only taking the Xanax for 7 days, (3 days left, I probably go maybe 5-6 hours between taking them, so I have missed a few doses) but THe doctor and I both agreed to use it as a sort of bridge therapy until the Paxil starts working. I'm sorry my posts have been a bit scattered, It took me awhile to get use to the meds and my last panic attack really took alot out of me. I was really just wondering if anyone else on Xanax had any other side effects besides being tired all the time. But I do love all the information that everyone posted about Xanax and the addiction. I actually have been getting alot of sleep, I guess I was sleep deprived which didn't help my anxiety. Another secret, I just woke up..I switched to taking the paxil at night because I couldnt stay away during the day. I actually feel good today, like I woke up on the right side of bed. I feel good today compared to waking up and constantly having a gloom and doom feeling. I don't feel trapped in my own skin and my heart doesn't feel like its going to explode out of my chest. Today will be a good day!
Posted 2/5/2012 9:49 PM (GMT 0)
HF, Glad to hear you are feeling better. I was not aware that you are also taking Paxil. I have to take my Zoloft at night before bed because it makes me sleepy too. I've done this every time i've been on it now, my doc actually suggested I do that if I was too tired during the day.

I never had any side effects from taking xanax, they just calm me down, and make me feel better when i'm anxious. I hope the Paxil works well for you, it may take a few weeks for any side effects you are having to subside, but as long as you give it time to work, you should feel better.

((hugs)) Fox
Posted 2/6/2012 11:32 PM (GMT 0)
Perhaps I should not use the term "addicted" because of its connotations. My strong feelings over the subject ahve to do with the total abject hell that i have experienced trying to drop my dose too quickly. I wish I never went on the Klonipin. It was my vanity about not wanting to regain weight by taking an SSRI which led me to substitute a benzo instead. Big mistake. Some people obviously benefit and are comfortable with taking a benzo chronically. I am not happy about my dependence.

I never found going off an SSRI particularly difficult (a little miserable, but not hell). However I do know people who have had awful reactions to abrupt SSRI termination.

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