I have been taking xanax for 8 years...

[cat]

I was having panic attacks and nothing worked except xanax. So now I have been taking it for atleast 8 years,however; my attacks are worse than before. Could my anxiety be getting worse or is the xanax just not working anymore? When I take it I feel great at first but after a few hours I need more. I take .75 mg in the morning and then another .25 around lunchtime and then another .25 in the evening. I have tried missing one of the .25 doses and I seriously start having an attack and can't function well. If I'm at home in a relaxed "safe" setting I would be ok missing a dose. But if I'm at work or somewhere then I have to take it or I will have an attack. Anyone else have this problem? What can I do?

[jackie]

I found that I was having attacks one week after I was on xanax...my doctor than also prescribed me Paxil, it has worked fine as long as I take my meds. I really don't like taking xanax at all, it makes me tired but when I have bad attacks it helps.

[Mel B]

Each person's body chemistry is different. A lot of people seem to need more and more of a dose just to get the desired results. I've been on Xanax for the past 8 years and have never needed anymore than 1 mg per day. I take it first thing in the morning before going to work and it works for me all day until I go to bed at night. So I can't complain. My doctor thinks this astounding and cannot understand why I'm not asking for an increase in my dosage after all this time I've bee on my meds. Perhaps "mind over matter" might have something to do with it as well. I wouldn't care if I had to take it the rest of my life; it has helped me tremendously and I can go to work and school at night without having panic attacks anymore. Quite frankly, without it I'd probably end up being a basket case!

[darin]

I have been taking xanax for 16 years...now i

taking ambien good i fall no good

[KatB]

I have also been on Alprazolam for 8 years. You're taking less than I am. I started at 1mg per day and am now at 3 mg per day. I still have MAJOR panic attacks at least once a week. During those times I'll will sometimes end up taking four 1mg pills to stop the attack...which it does, but then I end up shorting myself for the month.

[hesham]

hi here is my story. i was on xanax for 6 years with dosage of 4mg daily , i coulndnt let my home without bills i crried them in my pockets, in my car, in my laptop bag, in my office , i couldn’t be in the elevator without them . i passed through horrible times i faced tens of panic attacks , i fight with my mind for the dark ideas such as being afraid of HEART ATTACK , i heard my mind thinking , the music keeps repeating in my mind ,i got panic when the road is crowded , i used high blood pressure medication ,
,,,, OH MY GOD ,,,,
then in one day i decided to stop this hell ( i remember it was 10 mar 2008 ), i made the decision to start decrease my dose slowly and slowly (without doctor help), it took 3 months till the first day without XANAX (it was the greatest day in my life 14 jun 2008 ), then i started to suffer from withdrawals symptoms such as horrible HEART BEAT i couldn’t sleep because my Heart was strongly beating , also bad disorder and strong headache , hearing thoughts i mean YOU CAN HEAR YOUR MIND THINKING , also some rhythms or songs keeps forcefully repeating in your mind , i walked down on the streets keep holding my breath expecting something bad to happen AHHHHHHH ,
but i fight all my fears i stayed beside the people i love i used the arabic herbs tea which helps me a lot to overcome the hellish symptoms , AND I AM HERE !! HUMAN BEING BACK FROM HELL , but I’m still having small problem of SHORT TERM MEMORY , BUT I’M OK
and because i know what is the meaning of quit XANAX , I’m ready to help any one want to STOP XANAX.
i create following e.mail to help: [e-mail]

[MEB]

I need to get off xanax. I have been on for 6days. Need help getting off.

[19BBB]

wow

[STAR32]

Hey darin i also live in Mountainville NY maybe you can help ? THANKS

[Jan]

In 1985 I could not even ride in a car. I was in a long (25 yrs.) abusive marriage and had no way out. I had been to so many dr.s and they would give me some type of tranqelizer and send me on my way. I though I was losing my mind. My reg. physician suggested a new dr. who had just started to realize that there were "panic attacks" and to the pt. they were so real you thought you were dying. A friend drove me to him and he started me on a very low dose (.25 twice a day and .5 once a day) and wanted me back in two days. It was as though my life turned around. It has now been 26 years and I am on the same dose. Took my children, left my husband of 25 yrs., went back for 4 years as retrained from teaching to being a nurse pract. I have retired, remarried and am now living the life I should have had years ago. I see the dr. twice a year, take my Xanax and function beautifully. There are a couple of things I still cannot do but those are so minor it does not even bother me.

Mel B wrote:

Each person's body chemistry is different. A lot of people seem to need more and more of a dose just to get the desired results. I've been on Xanax for the past 8 years and have never needed anymore than 1 mg per day. I take it first thing in the morning before going to work and it works for me all day until I go to bed at night. So I can't complain. My doctor thinks this astounding and cannot understand why I'm not asking for an increase in my dosage after all this time I've bee on my meds. Perhaps "mind over matter" might have something to do with it as well. I wouldn't care if I had to take it the rest of my life; it has helped me tremendously and I can go to work and school at night without having panic attacks anymore. Quite frankly, without it I'd probably end up being a basket case!

[FDA]

cat wrote:

I was having panic attacks and nothing worked except xanax.

Pray tell what else have you tried?

Maybe one with a longer half life might be useful and adjunct with Xanax only on an as needed basis.

SSRI's are nasty but they work for some.

CBT?

[tom]

FDA wrote:

<quoted text>
Pray tell what else have you tried?
Maybe one with a longer half life might be useful and adjunct with Xanax only on an as needed basis.
SSRI's are nasty but they work for some.
CBT?

try mycodrx.com

[KAY]

Wow!.. I never have met so many people that have the same problem as me Im 29 and have been prescribed xanax for the last 8-9 yrs and Just when I think I can function without it im calling 911 or driving myself to the hospital ive tried breathing techniques and just simply "relaxing" but bottom line is xanax is the only thing that works..when im not on it my mind wonders I keep checking my pulse waiting to "drop dead" and my hospital bill are threw the roof!...I guess Ill keep my dose and do what works for me!

[amanda]

i love zanax thats why i need to quit.but i do have lots of panic attacks a day.

[SammyTB]

I have a friend that might be able to help you email me and we can talk..

[jenjen]

i have that same problem. but i taken , or am supposed to take 1mg. 3 times a day. well im up to 6 -8 a day now, because i have such bad anxiety as soon as it wears off the anxiety comes back. i donwant to be hooked on anything anymore but when i try not to take my meds.,i feel like im going to die. so i have to take it. because ive read about the bad side affects from xanax. im scared of getting anxiety attacks and not having my meds but i dont want to be an addict either. please someone help.

[Leslie]

I been taking xanax not just for panic attacks that are cause by sun and heat,mostly heat. but from wondering aimlessly though room to room in the morning not knowing what to do next i have no order (unfocused)until i take half of 0.5 mg.and I go on my merry way all day long. Does anyone else out there get this way? ThankYou

[recovering xanax addict]

MEB wrote:

I need to get off xanax. I have been on for 6days. Need help getting off.

for 6 days there should be no prob with you just stopping try being on them for 20 years then quitting cold turkey.You wanna talk about HELL...

[Alexandra]

I take xanax xr 0,5 mg daily for 8 years now, i still have panic and great anxiety, specially a week before menstrual period when i have to take more (1 mg).My question is : i want to stop taking it though my doctor says i will always be an anxious person, is there anyone who takes it daily for so long?

[Gatfar]

recovering xanax addict wrote:

<quoted text>for 6 days there should be no prob with you just stopping try being on them for 20 years then quitting cold turkey.You wanna talk about HELL...

It's a joke to be worried over 6 days. Agree 100% with you, 7 years with 3-12mg/day here. Used fentanyl and other opiodes, stopping using them is like laughing compared to being without xanax. I could stop taking xanax, but i won't.. so much pain for a looong time. Hurt's like fuck.