Posted by Greg A. on February 5, 2001, at 17:03:56
In reply to Anyone taking xanax or ativan, posted by Cindylnc on February 5, 2001, at 11:33:55
Hi New. (I'm also new to this board) I posted the following in reponse to an earlier thread . . .
Re: Xanax - This dredges up not so fond memories of my recent past . . . I took Xanax for almost seven years, prescribed by my GP for anxiety and depression. When the drug was first introduced, it was touted as less addictive than other benzodiazepines and also possessed of some AD properties.
I peaked at around 12 mgs per day and then weaned myself down to around 6 or so. I always had the container of little orange pills with me, because about every 2 hours or so, the need was there.
Long story short . . . it took a year of slowly cutting back (and replacing the Xanax with Paxil) until I was off. Even then I would have these rebound episodes where the withdrawal symptoms would return for no apparent reason.
Xanax is widely prescribed, I think because it has such a rapid and effective onset. I have since used Clonazepam periodically and it seems much longer acting but in a milder way.
The pdoc I was seeing was really good about tapering me off Xanax. I was afraid he was just going to take my pills away and give me the AD's. Instead he told me I could stay on Xanax for as long as I felt it necessary - as long as I attempted to gradually reduce the dose. He told me up front he expected it would take a year. The actual tapering consisted of initial reductions of 0.5 mgs at biweekly intervals. Near the end of the year, however, I was chipping the pills into little fragments . . .
I'd look to benzodiazepines for short term relief of anxiety but if PA's are a long standing problem I think some other med. might be in order as well.
poster:Greg A.
thread:53348
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010131/msgs/53374.html