Question:
Does anyone take Xanax for Panic Disorder?

I have been on Xanax 3 mgs a day for at least the last 3 yrs. Does anyone else have a panic disorder that is severe enough to require the amount of medication that I take and still had WLS without any problems postop? I know it sounds like alot of xanax to take a day, but I am not even sleepy from it. It is the only thing that keeps my panic attacks under control.Can anyone share their experience with me? I am afraid to go into the hospital and not bring my meds.Thanks in advance for any experiences you can share..Did your panic get any better after losing your weight? I have about 100lbs to lose...Thanks    — [Anonymous] (posted on October 29, 2001)

October 29, 2001
I like you, have severe panic attacks, and anxiety..I took xanax for 3 years, after awhile it doesn't even work, and it is very addictive.,,Then my doctor me on Paxil, I have not had a panic attack, or anxiety for 3 years now, I feel so good....Ask your doctor, get off the Xanax, it is really very bad for you.
   — Marie B.

October 29, 2001
I know you might not believe this, but I was on 9mg a day for the longest time. I am an extremely hard person to medicate, as I have actually woken up in the middle of surgical procedures. I understand the fear of not being able to take the Xanax. Believe me!!! I was taking it when I got sick at one point and had to stay in the hospital. The fear of not taking Xanax is worse than the panic attacks without it. I don't know about your doctor, but mine told me to bring all of my daily medications with me to the hospital, and they would give it to me at the appropriate time. Just remember... do NOT take yourself off the Xanax without medical supervision. You can't just stop taking it, you have to be weaned off it. If you would like to talk to me more about it, feel free to email me directly at [email protected]. GOOD LUCK! And try to relax :)
   — Janet C.

October 29, 2001
I am the original poster.I would like to thank all of you for your replies to my question.To the poster about me going off xanax and on Paxil..I have to tell you that Paxil has caused permenant damage to my nervous system and I am in a class action lawsuit against the makers of this drug.I went through horrible withrawal when going off it for 8 months and have been left with lingering neurological problems according to my neurologist.Xanax is the only thing that works for me, and I was told that I will probably be on it for the rest of my life.I was suicidal and it literally saved my life. I look at it like being a diabetic. There are physiological reasons for panic disorder, but unfortunately society looks at it as a mental problem,It is not.I will bring my meds to the hospital so I will make sure that I get my dosage. I know going off it abruptly can cause seizures, and other problems so I will be prepared.
   — [Anonymous]

October 29, 2001
Like you, I have been taking Xanax for quite some time and one of my biggest fears were that I was going to have a panic attack in the hospital and not be able to take it. I didn't need it the first few days because of all the pain meds I was on, but, when I did need it, I asked for it and they crushed it for me. I'm one month post-op and still take it. I think my new dr. is going to try to take me off it and put me on Paxil. After reading you had problems with it, I'm a little nervous now. I would like to hear more about what happened. Good luck!
   — Kelley S.

October 30, 2001
Hmm, xanax is synthetic valium and highly addictive. It is very hard to come off of and yes, you must do so under a doctor's supervision in the hospital. It is one of the hardest drugs to detox from your system, I know, I've been there! I'm not saying you have to get off of it, because I read your second post about your situation. But, I must warn you that the first thing that xanax does is lower one's inhibitions, so watch out! Make sure the doctor and the anesthesiologist know exactly how much you take and also about any over the counters and herbal items you might take too. Best wishes. By the way, I started having panic attacks sometime after a year postop RNY so I cannot say that the panic will get better after the surgery either.
   — Cindy H.

May 29, 2003
Why are so many people on the anti-Xanax bandwagon? This benzodiazepine is one of many benzo drugs on the market that treat a number of different conditions. It is not synthetic Valium (Valium is already synthetic - it's just another benzo) but it, Xanax, is the BEST drug, according to the FDA, with which to treat SEVERE Panic Disorder. In 1995 I was on 18 mg per day... yes, that's right, 18 mg per day, and sure, I was sleepy a lot, but I had no trouble stopping the drug one and a half years later. I did not have seizures or any other major withdrawal symptoms. It is NOT like coming off heroin, which is an opiate (a completely different class of drugs). Heroin is a Shedule I drug, a benzodiazepine is Scedule IV. There are no physical symptoms like you have when "kicking" the opiate habit. The only problem I had was about four nights of sleeplessness which corrected itself. In 1998 began again. I had to go back on the Xanax at 4 mg per day, where I stayed until this past month. Now I am back up to 8 mg per day since surgery. I believe this is due to the malabsorption factor of the RNY. I am trying to confirm this now through the company that makes Xanax. This drug has been getting a bad rap ever since they came out with the "mind control" drugs, the serotonin uptake inhibitors, like Paxil, Zoloft, Effexor, Celebrex, etc. Don't let anyone tell you that you are wrong for taking what helps your condition best. If the dosage you are taking is controlling you attacks, by all means, continue. And anyone who is having success with the SUI's, certainly continue that, too. But don't try to convince others that only those are good. If anyone had done any research on alprazolam, they would have found that, during the clinical trials, onlt three people suffered seizures, two were alcohol related, and the other was due to mixing with a tricyclic anti-depressant. The clinical trials can be accessed through the FDA website. Good luck in your journey. Hugs, love, and peace - Mel
   — ceridwyn