Posted by Rvanson on December 13, 2003, at 18:02:40
In reply to Re:Thanks Dr. Bob blocked for week, posted by NightOwl_Trisha on December 12, 2003, at 19:53:32
I agree.
Xanax is no harder to quit then other drugs or alcohol. In fact, as a former cigarette smoker, many years ago, coming of nictotine was WAY lots harder then Xanax !
Its a shame so many doctors are scared to death of benzodiazpines, which are so benifical for sleep and anxiety, but will dish out heavy duty AD medication like Prozac, Remeron, Serzone and others with negative reactions in many people, like it's candy.
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> I have been on Xanax for 18 years. Yes, you read right. My life was nothing -- I was totally agoraphobic. My panic attacks were horrid. I was unable to care for my newborn son alone. I was put on Xanax and scared to death. It saved my life and let me tell you, my kids are so much better off than if I had not gotten treatment.
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> I went through a pregnancy on Xanax and had another son who is now 13. I have obviously been raised from my initial does over the years but now, with the long acting Xanax, I find myself able to taper nicely. I am on 3 mg a day. Sounds like a lot but for someone who has taken it this long, it isn't. I plan to taper slowly and I just started Lexapro (after a terrible battle with Effexor, YUK!) and hope to get to 1 or 2 mg a day but have no illusions that I will be able to get off Xanax completely. I may, I may not. I am in no hurry at all at this point.
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> And you know what? My health is FINE. My liver, kidneys and everything else are 100%. I have no long term damage physically from being on Xanax. Yes, it's very hard to get off of. Yes, I may have thought twice before taking it if I had known the withdrawal was so tough. BUT, I swear, if I can get off Effexor and live to tell the tale, I can get off Xanax. Slowly and with no rush.
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> Xanax may be "evil" in the eyes of some, but for a person who was stuck in the house, panicking daily, completely terrified of the world, I managed to fly across the country many times, go on cruises, travel all over, work in a very high profile career, deal with my mother's four year devastating hospitalization and other things that I never could have done before Xanax.
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> It's hell to get off, but it can be a life saver so please don't read the terrible things and think Xanax is an awful medication. For some, like me, it is a miracle.
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> Trisha
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poster:Rvanson
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031213/msgs/289461.html