advertisement
Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
WastingAsparagus
Student of Life
 
WastingAsparagus's Avatar
WastingAsparagus is trying to enjoy life.
 
Member Since: Mar 2014
Location: South America
Posts: 4,641
10 yr Member
2,909 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 02, 2019 at 03:57 PM
  #1
Hi,
I am currently wondering why my psychiatrist wants to get me off of Xanax. It seems to be the only thing that controls my anxiety and obsessive thinking and behaviors. He put me on gabapentin and just increased the dose to 200 mg. I feel nothing from the gabapentin. No relief whatsoever.


What should I tell my psychiatrist? I understand that Xanax isn't that good long-term, but if it's the only thing that helps, what do I do?

I had been taking 1.5 mg of Xanax per day (0.5 mg 3x per day). Now I am only supposed to take 0.75 mg of Xanax per day. But I've noticed a big rise in my anxiety, having lowered the Xanax.

I guess I just need to express to my doctor that Xanax seems to be the best medicine to control my anxiety right now?
WastingAsparagus is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
~Christina

advertisement
SlumberKitty
Legendary Wise Elder
 
SlumberKitty's Avatar
SlumberKitty is staying stable.
 
Member Since: Jul 2018
Location: CA
Posts: 27,329 (SuperPoster!)
5 yr Member
117.7k hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 02, 2019 at 05:28 PM
  #2
Did you change psychiatrists or something? Weird that he wants to change you all the sudden, especially if something has been working. I'd talk to him and see what's up. HUGS Kit

__________________
Dum Spiro Spero
IC XC NIKA
SlumberKitty is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
WastingAsparagus
~Christina
Legendary Wise Elder
Community Liaison
 
~Christina's Avatar
~Christina has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jul 2011
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 22,450 (SuperPoster!)
10 yr Member
12.7k hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 02, 2019 at 07:49 PM
  #3
Quote:
Originally Posted by WastingAsparagus View Post
Hi,
I am currently wondering why my psychiatrist wants to get me off of Xanax. It seems to be the only thing that controls my anxiety and obsessive thinking and behaviors. He put me on gabapentin and just increased the dose to 200 mg. I feel nothing from the gabapentin. No relief whatsoever.


What should I tell my psychiatrist? I understand that Xanax isn't that good long-term, but if it's the only thing that helps, what do I do?

I had been taking 1.5 mg of Xanax per day (0.5 mg 3x per day). Now I am only supposed to take 0.75 mg of Xanax per day. But I've noticed a big rise in my anxiety, having lowered the Xanax.

I guess I just need to express to my doctor that Xanax seems to be the best medicine to control my anxiety right now?


It’s tough to wean off a Benzo... the best way is a slow taper over a couple months but switching to Valium instead of Xanax is “ typically “ an easier way to do it.

You have lots of room to increase the gabapentin. I see many people on 600-900 mg a day in split doses

Just talk to your Pdoc and you can both come up with a solution that is doable

__________________
Helping others gets me out of my own head ~
~Christina is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
Guiness187055, WastingAsparagus
WastingAsparagus
Student of Life
 
WastingAsparagus's Avatar
WastingAsparagus is trying to enjoy life.
 
Member Since: Mar 2014
Location: South America
Posts: 4,641
10 yr Member
2,909 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 03, 2019 at 09:44 PM
  #4
Quote:
Originally Posted by SlumberKitty View Post
Did you change psychiatrists or something? Weird that he wants to change you all the sudden, especially if something has been working. I'd talk to him and see what's up. HUGS Kit

No, I didn't switch psychiatrists. It's weird to me too that he suddenly wants to switch meds on me. I am having trouble deciding things, so it's ultra-hard for me to stand up for myself here. I did complain about being lazy and potentially depressed on Xanax, but I'm still unmotivated and kind of depressed without it. I don't really know what to do. I don't think gabapentin does a thing (even though he wants me to switch to that and is extolling the virtues of that drug).
WastingAsparagus is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
sarahsweets
Threadtastic Postaholic
 
sarahsweets's Avatar
sarahsweets has no updates.
 
Member Since: Dec 2018
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 6,006 (SuperPoster!)
5 yr Member
192 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 04, 2019 at 12:06 AM
  #5
Would he try another benzo?

__________________
"I carried a watermelon?"

President of the no F's given society.
sarahsweets is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
Guiness187055, WastingAsparagus
splitimage
Moderator
Community Support Team
 
splitimage's Avatar
splitimage has no updates.
 
Member Since: Mar 2006
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 11,250
15 yr Member
73 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 04, 2019 at 09:52 AM
  #6
Benzo's are kind of like opiates in that they've been out of favour for a while with Dr's. There are a lot of Dr's that won't prescribe them at all, and I know several people who have been forced off them, with fairly rapid tapers when they changed Dr's or their Dr's office changed policies.

I'm slowly tapering off clonazepam with a cross taper onto Valium, and I'm not having any problems, other than slight rebound anxiety, but I find my seroquel really helps with that.

splitimage

__________________


"I danced in the morning when the world was begun. I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun". From my favourite hymn.

"If you see the wonder in a fairy tale, you can take the future even if you fail." Abba

Question about Xanax
splitimage is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
WastingAsparagus
WastingAsparagus
Student of Life
 
WastingAsparagus's Avatar
WastingAsparagus is trying to enjoy life.
 
Member Since: Mar 2014
Location: South America
Posts: 4,641
10 yr Member
2,909 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 04, 2019 at 05:18 PM
  #7
Hey all thanks for the help. Xanax is literally ruining my life right now though and I don't know how to get off of it!!!!!!

Sorry, I should explain.

I feel *very depressed* on Xanax now. It's awful. I need to get off of it!

Last edited by WastingAsparagus; Dec 04, 2019 at 05:20 PM.. Reason: needed to add additional info
WastingAsparagus is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
peacelizard
Member
peacelizard has no updates.
 
Member Since: Oct 2014
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 257
8 yr Member
Default Dec 04, 2019 at 08:23 PM
  #8
Very hard to say without context, but in my experience some psychiatrists aren't anti-benzo so much as anti-xanax. Xanax has a very short half-life relative to others, hence TID dosing if you're using it for consistent anxiety control as opposed to PRN; it's also much more likely to cause euphoria when taken in recreational doses, thereby increasing the likelihood of addiction/dependence; and it's also just an unpleasant medication to wean off of because of the short half-life. You're at a greater risk of complication (seizure, DT's) during a med taper as compared to other benzos.
peacelizard is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
Guiness187055, WastingAsparagus
WastingAsparagus
Student of Life
 
WastingAsparagus's Avatar
WastingAsparagus is trying to enjoy life.
 
Member Since: Mar 2014
Location: South America
Posts: 4,641
10 yr Member
2,909 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 18, 2019 at 06:37 AM
  #9
Ugh, currently going through Xanax withdrawal and it's horrible. Any other ways you guys have found to help with that?
WastingAsparagus is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Paracelsus
Member
Paracelsus has no updates.
 
Member Since: Dec 2015
Location: Washington
Posts: 156
8 yr Member
Default Dec 18, 2019 at 02:44 PM
  #10
consider klonopin. .25 mg 2x daily or .5 mg 2x daily and deal with withdraw from xanax if any and just manage with that. your more likely to get overall success with longer half life. save the xanax for emergency safety plan. i took .5 mg xanax for a year and switched to klonopin. glad i did. no rebound anxiety no need to increase dose for over 2 years now
Paracelsus is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
WastingAsparagus
~Christina
Legendary Wise Elder
Community Liaison
 
~Christina's Avatar
~Christina has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jul 2011
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 22,450 (SuperPoster!)
10 yr Member
12.7k hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 19, 2019 at 12:22 AM
  #11
Quote:
Originally Posted by WastingAsparagus View Post
Ugh, currently going through Xanax withdrawal and it's horrible. Any other ways you guys have found to help with that?


Lots of Pdoc switch a person from Xanax to Valium as it’s “ usually “ easier to taper off

__________________
Helping others gets me out of my own head ~
~Christina is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
Guiness187055, WastingAsparagus
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:44 PM.
Powered by vBulletin® — Copyright © 2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.



 

My Support Forums

My Support Forums is the online community that was originally begun as the Psych Central Forums in 2001. It now runs as an independent self-help support group community for mental health, personality, and psychological issues and is overseen by a group of dedicated, caring volunteers from around the world.

 

Helplines and Lifelines

The material on this site is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider.

Always consult your doctor or mental health professional before trying anything you read here.