If you ask me, Xanax is the best drug ever...

[TZ]

So an update. Its been a very bad week, two major anxiety attacks/major depressive episode. Today is the only day I went to work this week and since I have no paid leave thats not good. Well even though I have no insurance right now I knew I had to go to the doctor. Fortunately the doc gave me enough free samples of two meds (a bp meds for my hypertension) and Lexapro an antidepressant I have had luck with in the past for a month. The Xanax (well the generic) was only $15 so with the $85 doc visit that wasn't awful.
I think the six months of stresses with my family and work finally caught up with me.
Even though I still don't feel great, eating/gi difficulties, exhausted physically..I don't feel as tense AND my sleep last night was the best rest I have had in ages.
Hopefully my job will hire me perm. in the next few weeks (they started the process in NOVEMBER) so I can have insurance and paid SICK leave.
Anyway, just thought I'd update you guys.

[Stump]

1. Glad to hear...

the meds are helping. I started taking Xanax about 6 months ago for stress-related anxiety and talk about a chill-pill. Would hate to think I didn't have it for the tough times. I only take on an as-needed basis...which seems to be quite frequently as of late. :crazy:

[hunter]

2. If you have no insurance try generic Celexa (Citalopram) instead of Lexapro.

It's one of WalMart's four dollar pharmaceuticals.

Ask your doctor, etc., etc.

The switch is pretty painless and a hell of a lot better than coming off Lexapro because you can't afford it.

Lexapro is Citalopram with the ineffective isomer washed out of it. If you take 10mg of Lexapro, you'll take 20mg of Celexa.

Mandatory medical warning: Don't take my word for it. I'm just some guy on the internet.

[EFerrari]

3. Xanax changed my whole life. I stopped having panic attacks

the agoraphobia disappeared. Suddenly we were free to go on family camping trips that we all LOVED.

I remember the withdrawal is a bear and has to be monitored by someone who really KNOWS what they are doing because just tapering doesn't always work well. But, for the gains in and out of therapy and in life, I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

So happy that you got good sleep!

[mdmc]

4. i agree

it works wonders for me. I am anxious, and sweat all the time. But it a take a half tab in the am and half tab at lunch I am calm and I don't sweat.

[Forkboy]

5. That's great to hear.

It did nothing for me (along with Paxil, Cymbalta, Zoloft, and Lexapro), so I've given up on the anti-depressants all together. They turn me into a zombie who feels nothing. I watched the VT Tech news and felt nothing . That's when I knew it was time to stop them. I'd rather be depressed than not feel any emotions at all, especially in the face of that kind of horror.

I hope your insurance and stuff gets taken care of soon, and your job becomes permanent. I know one of my problems is there is no stability, no safety net under me, and that makes things way worse, so the job and the insurance would be a big help for you beyond the obvious I bet.

Best of luck.

[qb]

6. I agree.

I finally have a PA who trusts me to take it as needed and not get addicted. This after other doctors tried to keep me on one SSRI after another, which hadn't been working for me. They like to give SSRI's out like candy :(
(no offense to those who get relief from SSRI's)

[davidthegnome]

7. I have to disagree

Well, it may be the best for you, and for others... but for me, it's altogether very different. When I started this battle with anxiety and depression - when it reached it's (metaphorical) climax for me, I was taking lorazepam. Now over time I've switched to xanax.

Having been on it for half a year now - and lorazepam for half a year prior to that... I can say that it's had benefits. I don't have panic attacks like I used to. They used to be every day, now they are quite rare. Still, I feel as if I have sacrificed my emotions.. my passions, a great part of what gives me life, in order to be rid of the panic attacks.

Granted, it's possible that the zoloft plays a part in that as well. Yet I often feel apathetic, dead, as another put it - like a zombie. I never honestly thought that I would prefer the panic attacks, but I find that I do. Somehow, despite the horror, the hell, the fear I felt at the time, I was also very much alive. Very passionate and caring even if I was terrified of everything.

Now I just feel... so numb, so very often. I can't even bring myself to cry when I want to. It's damn hard to really laugh too.

Everyone's brain/body chemistry is significantly different though, and I'm glad you've found something that works for you. I would simply urge you not to rely on it too much. In my humble opinion, there is a life... and an intellect within us all that is greater than what any drug can give us.

But don't take my word for it, I'm miserable.