Xanax

[BlueWolf]

So I ended up in the ER last night, they still don't know for sure what's wrong, but they gave me 1mg of adivan to help. They said it's a possibility that the Sinus Tachycardia (heart beat over 110) was from anxiety. Anyway, getting more blood work because they might have found sound thing else too, but... the doctor there prescribed me with Xanax to use as needed. So, has anyone ever tried it and how is it?

[Thirteen]

Hey Jess,

First of all, though I haven't taken Xanax personally, I have a friend who uses it for his Anxiety. But, the medication they gave you before that (Ativan) is the brand name for Lorazepam, and the 1mg dosage happens to be the same as mine.

Second, on the note of Xanax... Although it doesn't have evidence of causing chemical dependency, it can be abused. So, don't let people know you have it. If they even take it, you could get in trouble, whether you were willing to share it with them or not.

Xanax, much like Ativan, has sedative behaviours, so it could make you drowsy. Know how it affects you before you drive, or anything else which requires you to be alert, pretty much. Because of these sedative properties, taking it with alcohol can (from what I've heard) be quite bad. Alcohol and benzodiazepines can affect your breathing negatively, so if you're planning on having some drinks, make sure the medication is well out of your system, and that you have somebody near by that can help in an emergency.

Other than that, my friend who uses it hasn't had any problems with it (that I know of, and I assume if he did, he'd probably change medications), though I'm sorry I can't tell you anything from personal experience. I hope it works out well for you, though.

[BlueWolf]

The ativan really calmed me down a lot. I was like aaahhhhh afterwards, but they still couldn't get my heart rate down to normal.

Thanks for the advice on the Xanax. My aunt said similar stuff. I'm assuming it's going to be very similar to the ativan they gave me.

I hope it helps and I don't have to end up back there again.

[PSY]

http://www.drugs.com/xanax.html

All the basic information about side effects/warnings can be found on that website. Definitely remember to take the Xanax as prescribed by your doctor. If you have an issue with the Xanax or want to know why exactly s/he prescribed it, call your doctor, but don't make a judgment call based on what you think is right.

[Thirteen]

Originally Posted by BlueWolf

The ativan really calmed me down a lot. I was like aaahhhhh afterwards, but they still couldn't get my heart rate down to normal.

Thanks for the advice on the Xanax. My aunt said similar stuff. I'm assuming it's going to be very similar to the ativan they gave me.

I hope it helps and I don't have to end up back there again.

Yeah, Ativan is great for calming you down. I take the 1mg dose before work for my Anxiety. It works great!

The heart rate thing, however, might be because of a Panic Disorder. You were diagnosed with GAD, but the outright panic symptoms might indicate a panic disorder, if they trigger easily, which is a more physical thing.

It will probably be similar, since they're in the same family of drugs, but just different chemical formulations, pretty much. I think side effects and interactions are different between Xanax and Ativan, but they're a very similar drug overall, used to treat a lot of the same stuff.

Hopefully this works out for you! If you feel your dose is not strong enough, or too strong, make sure to talk to your doctor before raising/lowering your dose, to avoid any withdrawal effects.

Take care!

[Ghost On The Highway]

Never taken Ativan, but both drugs are quite similar (short-moderate acting benzodiazepines). I've been prescribed Xanax and Klonopin for anxiety relief, and much prefer Xanax for that purpose due to the shorter duration of action. It definitely carries the potential for psychological dependency, and I've also heard horror stories about physical withdrawal symptoms after long-term use (similar to alcohol withdrawal). Use as needed a few times a week and you should experience neither.

Alcohol and Xanax is generally a bad combination, though I noticed no ill effects when drinking after taking a .5mg tablet (a small dose). It's definitely sedating and I used it for that purpose on several occasions -- similar to benadryl in my experience.

[BlueWolf]

I was not having a panic attack though. I was able to talk calmly, nor was I hyperventalating. I did not feel panicky either. My blood pressure was strangely normal considering how fast my heart was racing too. They think anxiety is a possiblity, but like I said, they are not sure yet and I have to wait for the rest of the blood work results to know.

And thanks everyone for your input. I'm not so sure I feel comfortable taking Xanax, even on a as needed basis. I'll probably hold on to the precription and just wait and see how the blood work results turn out before I take it, or only use it if this happens again.

[Thirteen]

Well "as needed" does imply to use it whenever you feel you need it. My prescription is an "as needed" one too, so I use it for work, and I used it before at this random gig (my boyfreind's friend's band).

So maybe use it if you happen to be going somewhere that you think might cause your anxiety to act up, whether it's a job interview, or whatever it may be that you KNOW stresses you. But definitely try not to take it too much. Xanax, much like Ativan, isn't supposed to be used every day, if I'm not mistaken. I use my prescription anywhere between 1-3 times a week (depending on how many shifts at work, other events going on, etc.), and one little pill does the trick for a whole work shift.

Hope this helps you, Jess.