# Xanax - have you ever used it?



## Energy (Sep 9, 2011)

I started experiencing quite the amount of anxiety since my father had a stroke not too long ago (and once in a while have mild panic attacks due to normal family stress), but the related reason for this post is a different source of anxiety that is made worse - I have developed a huge fear of flying ever since I had kids (now have 3 of them) - frustrating since I used to fly at least once a year since junior high all the way until I got married about 7 years ago (I'm 31 now). 

I have a flight to take next week, and this sounds HORRIBLY silly, but now when I even imagining getting on that plane, I get incredibly sad in wondering if by some chance I may never see my kids again.

Like I said, as I write this I know it sounds SO STUPID! 9/11 hasn't made this any easier.

In any case, I told my doctor of my fear and he gave me 0.25 MG tablets of the generic version of Xanax. I am 6'2" and 200lbs. I am curious to know if this will work to help my anxiety and any possible panic attacks. Has anyone here had experience with Xanax that might tell me how well it may/may not work? Thanks!


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## pidge70 (Jan 17, 2011)

That's a pretty low dosage. I used to be on .5mgs 3 times a day. Made me pretty tired.
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## Lordhavok (Mar 14, 2012)

I have a script for them, they work real well for panic attacks and such. I would have probably killed someone by now if it wasnt for the magical blue footballs.


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## donders (May 9, 2012)

I went through a period of high anxiety during a traumatic time in my life.

.25 mg of xanax is the typical dose and it's what I was given, and I took the doc's advice and broke them in half along the score line in the tablet that is provided for that very purpose.

So we're talking half of .25 mg which is .125 mg and that was plenty.

It gave me a huge sense of calm, and I'm 220 and 6 foot 1".

Don't underestimate the power of those little pills.


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## nandosbella (Jul 6, 2012)

I was percribed it in college.... Didnt do anything for me. i never refilled the script
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## 381917 (Dec 15, 2011)

I'm a very anxious person. I was prescribed xanax a few years ago. It made me feel soooo much better. Relaxed and at ease, able to calmly deal with any situation. I stopped taking it because it is supposed to be very addictive.


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## Standing_Firm (Mar 20, 2012)

On am currently taking on an 'as needed' basis. Seems to work pretty well for me.


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## kl84 (Jan 26, 2012)

I took it back when I was 17 for panic anxiety. I didn't like the way it made me feel and being stubborn, I felt there had to be a way I could overcome the attacks without meds. I am now 28, still have panic anxiety, and have never (besides that one instance) had to take meds for them.

I'm not going to tell you not to take medication because some people REALLY do need it. But it wouldn't hurt to try other coping mechanisms along with it. For me, I started keeping a journal. I can't even tell you how much this helped me. Whenever I had an attack, I would jot down everything that lead up to it, what my thoughts were, etc.... Then, I could look back over each entry and rationalize what was going on. It took the edge off significantly. For example, let's say one day I saw something on the news about a family burning in a house fire and it triggered a panic attack.....then another day I would hear about a plane crash and that would also trigger an attack..... well then whenever I would hear something tragic on the news, I could look back and see the times that tragedies have caused attacks and it brought my fears down to a more realistic level. Same thing with health related issues. Just being able to see what caused previous attacks helped me REALLY get through future ones. Another thing I did was to count objects in the room during an attack. There's videos on YouTube about it but basically if you can get through the first three minutes of an attack without feeding more thoughts into it, it will end....but the more you feed into it with negative thoughts, the more it sends your body into a fight or flight response and it just cycles.

Another thing. I found out that caffeine can INDUCE panic attacks. I started getting them REALLY bad at the beginning of this year to the point I almost couldn't even function. I analyzed my diet and realized I had been drinking WAY more coffee due to me being in school and all. As soon as I switched to decaf, they stopped. Not even kidding. Additionally, I found out that I was anemic and it was causing heart palpitations that resembled a panic attack, which would make me panic. When I got my levels under control I started feeling much better.....now my levels are down again but when my heart starts racing I know it's most likely the anemia instead of something worse, so it prevents me from going into full blown panic mode.

I guess what I am trying to say here is that whether you take meds or not, it's nice to know how you react to certain situations, what your triggers are, and how to cope through an attack. I know how bad they can feel and for someone who has never experienced it, they just have no idea.......


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## Almostrecovered (Jul 14, 2011)

I miss Xanax, take one and it's a Sunday morning when you can stay in bed


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## Writer (Aug 3, 2012)

My husband used to take Xanax for his anxiety disorder. It was really hard for him to get off of it. Also, he lasted, with himself and me, for a very long time while taking it.


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## 3Xnocharm (Jun 22, 2012)

I take it as needed, the .25mg dose, it just quiets my mind down. My ex used them for anxiety and panic attacks. Just use with caution, they can be addicting for a lot of people.


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## endlessgrief (Feb 19, 2012)

I started having awful anxiety attacks when I was 18 right after my grandfather died. For 20 long years I saw so many doctors, got hooked up to heart monitors, got poked and prodded. 

The suffering I endured was hell. I was afraid to go anywhere, but I pushed through and did what I could. I went to therapy for years and years, got cognitive therapy, etc. Finally, I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. My anxiety attacks have no rhyme or reason. I am not afraid of anything, EXCEPT anxiety attacks. 

A few years ago, my doctor put me on Xanax and changed my life. Yes, they do make me sleepy, but that is good since with GAD, my mind never stops racing. I was raised by a very abusive borderline personality father and walked on eggshells my whole life. I was told that my brain had to "rewire" itself to deal with the "not knowing" when he would go off, beat us, and then ten minutes later want to play card games. For the first 18 years of my life, I had a form of PTSD, I was never in a war, but my brain didn't know that. 

Take your Xanax, don't be afraid or ashamed you need a little help. Just make sure you and your doctor are on the same page. My Xanax usage is monitored closely by my doctor and although it is a pain in the ass, my life has gotten better since that little blue pill came along. 

After awhile, just knowing you have some Xanax with you is enough and you don't even take them. And as for your question about the plane? HELL YES THEY HELP! Don't be too proud to need help. Take a Xanax, get on that plane, read a book, listen to music, watch a movie, you will be fine and very proud of yourself for overcoming a great fear. The pill calms you, but you do all the work.


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