Xanax question

[vicky]

Okay. I took my .25mg xanax for the first time today when my heart rate would not go below 100 bpm.
At first I was very calm, almost blissful. Now it's been an an hour and a half and I'm a little sleepy, but can stay awake, not exhausted. I just want a nap.

Is this normal? A result of the panic attack or a side effect from the med?

Do you drive after taking a xanax or do you feel like it would hinder your driving abilities?  Decision making skills? etc?

What are your xanax experiences?


(I tried googling, but it was mostly people who use xanax to get high and not for therapeutic reasons.)

Thanks.

[melindafelinda]

It makes me sleepy. I try not to drive if I can avoid it. Try snapping it in half next time.

[Kore]

Xanax totally knocks some people out. That's a normal side effect. It makes me relaxed, but not so tired that I can't drive.

[Deleted]

When I got fired and had a mild panic attack, I took a xanax, same strength as yours, and it calmed me down enough for me to drive to MIL's house and H drove me home. I laid on the couch and cuddled most of the night in kind of a blissful state. I slept hard that night.


Are you okay hon?

[daisybuchannan]

I used to take it for nighttime anxiety for that purpose.

[vicky]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm okay. I just had a very rough therapy session. But, my head doesn't feel broken anymore. The pieces are back together, just need a little more glue to hold it back in place. Things are getting much, much better.

[Deleted]

((vicky))

[melindafelinda]

Feb 25, 2013 18:43:29 GMT -5 mofongo said:

I'm a Xanax expert. So, you were having a panic attack when you took it? It think that's why your heart rate was elevated. If I'm having a bad attack I will 1mg or more, if needed, it makes me feel chill, very chill.

But if .25 is making her sleepy I think that would be too much. I only needed 1 mg when I was like literally tearing my hair out and hiding in my closet.

[vicky]

Feb 25, 2013 18:43:29 GMT -5 mofongo said:

I'm a Xanax expert. So, you were having a panic attack when you took it? It think that's why your heart rate was elevated. If I'm having a bad attack I will 1mg or more, if needed, it makes me feel chill, very chill.

Yeah, my heart races when I'm having an attack. It doesn't stop. The worst was when it was going 120bpm for 2 hours. 

[vicky]

Feb 25, 2013 18:44:56 GMT -5 melindafelinda said:

Feb 25, 2013 18:43:29 GMT -5 mofongo said:

I'm a Xanax expert. So, you were having a panic attack when you took it? It think that's why your heart rate was elevated. If I'm having a bad attack I will 1mg or more, if needed, it makes me feel chill, very chill.

But if .25 is making her sleepy I think that would be too much. I only needed 1 mg when I was like literally tearing my hair out and hiding in my closet.

I'm a lightweight. Two glasses of wine the other night got me drunk.

[Kore]

I'm so jealous of people who get 1mg tabs. I only get .25s :-(

At least my ADD doc gives me 6 month supplies. My GP would only give me 15 pills every 6 months. Stingy bastard.

[melindafelinda]

Feb 25, 2013 18:46:29 GMT -5 vicky said:

Feb 25, 2013 18:44:56 GMT -5 melindafelinda said:

But if .25 is making her sleepy I think that would be too much. I only needed 1 mg when I was like literally tearing my hair out and hiding in my closet.

I'm a lightweight. Two glasses of wine the other night got me drunk.

Yeah if you take it for a while you might build a tolerance. But if you start with half a .25 and that works, it might be all you need in the beginning.

[vicky]

Kore, what do you take for the ADD if you don't mind me asking?
My doc is starting me on strattera and zoloft (anxiety and OCD) next week.

[vicky]

You guys are so helpful. Thank you. <3

[Kore]

I take 50mg of Vyvanse. I'm having a 6 month followup on Friday, and I'm planning to request an adderall booster (he suggested this at my last appt if the bump from 40 to 50 wasn't lasting long enough).

[Kore]

Oh! I also take Lexapro for anxiety. It's the best thing I've ever done.

[livinitup]

When I found I had need of a Xanax, I took a 1/2 pill and felt much better but not much different. Definitely less anxious. If I am home and I take 1 pill (or feel like I need 1 pill) it works really well - not dopy, but I can feel the let down and calm. It really meets a need well. And yes, 1 pill can cause a bit of sleepiness - but not all the time. Which is fine at certain times of day/night. So, I keep in mind what I need, what I take and when.

So, I say this in the context of a very brief period of anxiety that benefitted well from Xanax. I will point out that once I knew how I felt after Xanax that I didn't need to take it much. Just KNOWING that I could get relief made me feel so much better, and THAT feeling made me less anxious and ready for the let down - without the pill.

I like having it ready, but I don't need to use it much. And if I do, it doesn't knock me out much. Just the right balance. I hope you find that balance, too.

[vicky]

I didn't know why my doctor kept saying OCD. I didn't think I had OCD until I just looked it up. He hit the nail on the head; obsessing over the fear of making a mistake, fear of causing harm to another, and fear of being embarrassed.

He's a smart guy, this doc. I thought it was simply general anxiety.

[cc]

I take Xanax (.5mg) at night before I go to bed because that is when my mind races and my anxiety is at its worse.

I take 30mg of Adderall a day for ADD and the combination of the two has helped me feel better.

[Kore]

Feb 25, 2013 18:56:06 GMT -5 livinitup said:

When I found I had need of a Xanax, I took a 1/2 pill and felt much better but not much different. Definitely less anxious. If I am home and I take 1 pill (or feel like I need 1 pill) it works really well - not dopy, but I can feel the let down and calm. It really meets a need well. And yes, 1 pill can cause a bit of sleepiness - but not all the time. Which is fine at certain times of day/night. So, I keep in mind what I need, what I take and when.

So, I say this in the context of a very brief period of anxiety that benefitted well from Xanax. I will point out that once I knew how I felt after Xanax that I didn't need to take it much. Just KNOWING that I could get relief made me feel so much better, and THAT feeling made me less anxious and ready for the let down - without the pill.

I like having it ready, but I don't need to use it much. And if I do, it doesn't knock me out much. Just the right balance. I hope you find that balance, too.

100% agree with you. I don't take Xanax often (2-3x/mo maybe, and mostly because I know I can, not for true panic). Just knowing that I have it is enough to stop the panic most times. It's something I've always got in my purse.

[vicky]

I need to start carrying it. I've been afraid of it. I put 2 pills in my purse's pill box tonight.

[MrsAggie]

Xanax makes me sleepy but I can't take it. Anxiety + nurse + Xanax = trying to count my own respirations to make sure I'm not getting severely respiratory depressed.

I take Effexor now.

[vicky]

Feb 25, 2013 19:53:15 GMT -5 MrsAggie said:

Xanax makes me sleepy but I can't take it. Anxiety + nurse + Xanax = trying to count my own respirations to make sure I'm not getting severely respiratory depressed.

I take Effexor now.

The reason I keep counting my pulse.

[vicky]

Oh dear. I didn't want to carry the bottle because last year in clinicals, one of the girls in my class blabbed about another girl in the class having xanax in her bag. I didn't want the same to happen to me :\

[karmasabiotch]

I usually use it for sleeping mostly.

[averyjessup]

I'm a lightweight too. My pills are .5mg and I usually take half unless it's really really bad. .25 I probably wouldn't drive unless I absolutely had to, .5 knocks me out completely. But I have a friend whose dr prescribed her the .25mg to take 3 times a day for PPD. (Not breastfeeding.) That amount would make me a very chill zombie but she was fine on it.

I'm sorry you had a rough day.

[Ohhmm(bligo)]

I have a little pill box with a mustache drawn on it in my purse. Inside are my Xanax.

That's probably not a very good code. But oh well.

[kayl84]

Aww Vicky I'm sorry you had a rough therapy session, I'm sure in about 2-3wks I'll have the therapy session from hell. Mine is on vacation in FL this week, when I really need her. Go figure.

If you need anything I'm in the city on the 5th (after noon) and 15th (my appointment is at 1:15, but I get into the city at 1045 & have time to kill before & after) near the hospital for appointments and after that I'll be near the Port Authority bus terminal. I don't do subways without another guy w/me. If you want my cell # to text or call -- PM me.

I wish you the best and I would normally recommend a glass of wine to chill out, but not after Xanax. Not even I would do that.

<3 xoxo keep your head up honey!

[thebamker]

Ok, you're not going to get I legal trouble for having TWO Xanax in your purse. These laws are to prohibit drug dealing ffs.

[Kore]

Feb 25, 2013 21:39:49 GMT -5 loonylunalovegood said:

Feb 25, 2013 18:48:38 GMT -5 Kore said:

I'm so jealous of people who get 1mg tabs. I only get .25s

At least my ADD doc gives me 6 month supplies. My GP would only give me 15 pills every 6 months. Stingy bastard.

My dog gets 1mg tabs. I've always wondered what it would be like if I took one of his pills. I'm not going to now!

I'm glad you worked it all out Vicky. Hopefully the xanax helps!

Damn! I'm jealous of a freaking dog now :-p