1. Got off 4mg Xanax two months ago. 2. Had a panic attack today. 3. Took a xanax.?
Two months ago, I was with a moron psychiatrist (Dr. Elizabeth Newlin, Myrtle Beach, SC. DO NOT use her if you’re in the area). She put me on an extremely TOO high Xanax dose of 4mg XR. I had a 1mg XR pill here that was halved already since I saved it for emergencies. I’ve been to therapy and am on enough antidepressants that they two work for panic mostly. I mean, I have anxious moments a lot, but I wouldn’t dare take a xanax for those. But a full-blown panic attack? I haven’t had in a LONG time. So I had one unexpectedly tonight. Did my thought process changes over and over from CBT, but to no avail. It just worsened and I began to feel "the fire" I call it where I have extremely painful (the words are not sufficient to describe the severity of this pain) nerve sensations starting in my arms and it spreads, etc. When it got to this point, I refused to suffer anymore. I took the 1mg, as an IR since it was already split and I knew that .5 would not stop this panic attack (it would take 2 a while ago, but I have gotten to the place where I don’t need that much). So, right now, I’m a little ick from feeling too sedate and cloudy, I guess since my tolerance has gone down so tremendously.
But I am so… eh can’t say worried, but concerned I guess, that tomorrow I will have a rebound withdrawal effect. I really really am concerned because I 1. refuse to take it two days in a row 2. even if I wanted to tke it again, I couldn’t because it was my last one.
Do you think i’ll have precipitated/rebound (don’t know the word) w/d from this?? 
Thanks
p.s. I rarely post something like this on answers because I know people could find it, but I feel that I was obviously being very responsible and not psych-dependent like some unfortunately are, because I would have taken it a long time ago if that were the case. So thank you in advance for not bringing any of those type things up.
It’s a feeling that you have to get away from. it’s one that is the worst possibly feeling someone can have (obviously not the many phsyical pains people can have from some awful things that happen). Like, being pinned between two cars. You know that when the cars move, which they’ll have to, you WILL die. And you are facing the most certain and inevitable death ever. The fight-or-flight response in action. It is the most basic and strong human instinct that you know is kicking in for NO reason but it’s grotesque and it’s the worst things that has ever happened to me. And a lot of bad things have happened…. Sorry. I drank 3 coffee to get out of this icky xanax fog and am definitely rambling.
b? Like buspar?
I do understand that there are these medical components of panic, but honestly, coming off was the best thing ever. I just know that having panic disorder leads to health complications.
Dependency is different. Psychological and physical are totally different. I have a phys dependence. I just have been fed up with people saying it’s psychological which it is very obviously not.
And the reason why I was worried about it was because I’ve read something about that a long time ago. I want to be on a low dose of klonopin soon. But my mother will not allow it in her house so it will need to wait till I move.
I drink caffeine rarely btw. Caffeine is contraindicated in panic disorder.
The thing about knowing I won’t die, I do know from therapy. And it helps a lot. But this was just so out of the blue and I couldn’t figure the thoughts out because I was in an irrational state period so I took it.
I also just do not do not want withdrawals again. I’m so afraid of this. Not in the way that..
I feel anxious about it. But I just don’t want it to happen.
Also, she is no longer my doctor. She WAS a moron for many reasons. MANY MANY reason. She is no longer my doctor that she is a completely corrupt, money-hungry person who will give up when a patient is resourceful enough to use evidence to prove her wrong. It was her fault that the too-high-dose made my panic worse. It was her fault and I had NO idea it could work that way. I upset myself thinking about this because it left me with no therapist and no doctor and I feel like things are going back to the way they were. I don’t want that. And I don’t want anyone to EVER experience that which will happen from that doctor if she sees you in the way she saw me (no idea what that way is, it just wasn’t good). I want her name to be ruined. She put me through absolute hell. Absolute hell.
1st – wean yourself of caffeine. It DOES make a difference.
2nd – I have had panic disorder for 32 years, and take both an antidepressant for the symptoms and ativan (better than xanax IMHO)
3rd – I will likely need to take these meds for the rest of my life. Works for me. Call me dependent if you’d like, but it’s a genetic tendency in my family and I’m completely functional on my meds. Whatever works, whatever it takes – (if you had diabetes would you not take insulin just because people might call you dependent?)
4th – take whatever xanax you need to restabilize yourself. Refrain from calling your doctor a moron – you never know when you may need her help and she is after all, a DOCTOR.
5th – you will not experience withdrawal from one dose of xanax. I don’t understand why you hesitate to take it more frequently. What I do is take my ativan in the evening. The immediate effect helps me sleep at night and the residual effect lets me be alert but calm the next day without the drowsy effect. I take it every night wether I’m anxious or not. This therapy mode has been endorsed by two excellent doctors. It works, try it. The goal is PREVENTION of attacks, not treating them.
6th – There are two components to panic disorder. One is the actual panic attack itself, but the other is "anticipatory anxiety", which can lead to an attack. Your xanax is an important part of treating the anticipatory anxiety, while the antidepressant controls the fight/flight panic symptoms. Use both modalities, they are meant to be used together.
7th – know that no matter how excruciating the full blown panic attack feels, it will not kill you – you will NOT die – if it was going to kill you, it would have happened already. The best thing you can do is to recognize it, ACCEPT what it is happening, and let it wash over you. DO NOT FIGHT IT. Remember it has happened before and you did not die then and you won’t die know. This technique will lessen the duration of the episode. You already know the panic will eventually pass. What I do is get up and keep moving. My rational is if I can keep moving, I am in no danger of dying – dying people can’t move. Also, movement helps burn off the excess adrenaline I’m producing, using the "flight" part of the reaction, working with my body. Remember also to breathe in thru the nose slowly, deep down expanding your stomach, not the chest, letting the air out slowly through the mouth. If you feel sweaty, stand in front of a fan – if you feel cold, turn up the heat – take charge of the panic without fighting it.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:28 am
1st – wean yourself of caffeine. It DOES make a difference.
2nd – I have had panic disorder for 32 years, and take both an antidepressant for the symptoms and ativan (better than xanax IMHO)
3rd – I will likely need to take these meds for the rest of my life. Works for me. Call me dependent if you’d like, but it’s a genetic tendency in my family and I’m completely functional on my meds. Whatever works, whatever it takes – (if you had diabetes would you not take insulin just because people might call you dependent?)
4th – take whatever xanax you need to restabilize yourself. Refrain from calling your doctor a moron – you never know when you may need her help and she is after all, a DOCTOR.
5th – you will not experience withdrawal from one dose of xanax. I don’t understand why you hesitate to take it more frequently. What I do is take my ativan in the evening. The immediate effect helps me sleep at night and the residual effect lets me be alert but calm the next day without the drowsy effect. I take it every night wether I’m anxious or not. This therapy mode has been endorsed by two excellent doctors. It works, try it. The goal is PREVENTION of attacks, not treating them.
6th – There are two components to panic disorder. One is the actual panic attack itself, but the other is "anticipatory anxiety", which can lead to an attack. Your xanax is an important part of treating the anticipatory anxiety, while the antidepressant controls the fight/flight panic symptoms. Use both modalities, they are meant to be used together.
7th – know that no matter how excruciating the full blown panic attack feels, it will not kill you – you will NOT die – if it was going to kill you, it would have happened already. The best thing you can do is to recognize it, ACCEPT what it is happening, and let it wash over you. DO NOT FIGHT IT. Remember it has happened before and you did not die then and you won’t die know. This technique will lessen the duration of the episode. You already know the panic will eventually pass. What I do is get up and keep moving. My rational is if I can keep moving, I am in no danger of dying – dying people can’t move. Also, movement helps burn off the excess adrenaline I’m producing, using the "flight" part of the reaction, working with my body. Remember also to breathe in thru the nose slowly, deep down expanding your stomach, not the chest, letting the air out slowly through the mouth. If you feel sweaty, stand in front of a fan – if you feel cold, turn up the heat – take charge of the panic without fighting it.
References :
I am a RN with a 37 year history of panic disorder.