Posted by Fred23 on March 8, 2004, at 21:49:14
In reply to Re: How to ask doctor for Xanax? » Fred23, posted by rainyday on March 8, 2004, at 8:54:08
> I am a recovering alcoholic and my psychiatrist has been as up front with me as I am with her. She put me on xanax after trying me on a non-benzo anti-anxiety drug called vistaril. It did not have the desired effect (made me sleepy and anxious). She sais that the dosage she has prescribed of the xanax is not high enough to be addictive, despite my fears. I had also been on beta blockers for both migraine and high blood pressure, and it induced depression in me after several months.
>
> My opinion is that to be honest and up front with your doctor, including your suspicions about being an alcoholic. With careful monitoring and honesty (there's that word again) you should be able to bring the anxiety within control.The dosage I am thinking that would be effective enough would be 0.5 mg/day of Xanax, and obviously the doctor could monitor that as he'd have to up the prescription himself.
The first beta-blocker he put me on *caused* depression, along with diminished mental capacity.
I flatly refused to take it, and the next one he gave me worked out much better.The how to explain the alcoholic potential without having that be interpreted as being a potential drug abuser is what concerns me. Some literature suggests that doctors don't like to give benzos to alcoholic types.
(I'm aware that has been a discussion here.)
poster:Fred23
thread:321684
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040308/msgs/322244.html