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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by kid_A on August 10, 2001, at 15:51:16
I've been taking effexor xr for a little beyond a few months now, with Xanax perscribed initially to get me over some of the side effects... Now I generally have a monthly script for xanax to be taken as needed...Lately as needed means about twice a day, I no longer take it before bed at night, because I've got remeron or Ambien for that...
Is it common to stay on this combination of a benzo / AD ? I'm starting to think I'm a bit bipolar because I will have manic swings that unless I am taking xanax can totally freak me out physically, not so much mentally though, other than the usual manic traits...
I'm 'happy' taking the meds im taking right now, and everything is working well for me... I know that there is dependancy involved w/ the benzos, but the same holds true for effexor, which is even worse than the xanax... The point is, I'm not that big of a guy and I dont think I've ever really -totally- tollerated the effexor by itself, but what I'm doing now with meds seems to work great, I'm just wondering if my pdoc will want to ween me from the effexor and or the xanax....
Do bipolars take benzos?? Any insight is of course greatly appreciated.
Posted by kid47 on August 10, 2001, at 17:06:36
In reply to Effexor XR + Xanax as needed... Is this Norma!?, posted by kid_A on August 10, 2001, at 15:51:16
>
> I've been taking effexor xr for a little beyond a few months now, with Xanax perscribed initially to get me over some of the side effects... Now I generally have a monthly script for xanax to be taken as needed...
>> Do bipolars take benzos?? Any insight is of course greatly appreciated.
You bet we do!!!!!
Posted by Maisy on August 11, 2001, at 8:06:40
In reply to Effexor XR + Xanax as needed... Is this Norma!?, posted by kid_A on August 10, 2001, at 15:51:16
Just wanted to let you know that I am also on Effexor XR and xanax as needed although I am not bipolar. I was on xanax 0.25mg three times a day for about two months and then two at night to help me sleep. I had a lot of anxiety and panic with my depression. I still take an occasional xanax since my doc told me that I may still get some break thru anxiety. If you are taking the 0.25mg twice a day then this is a very low dose according to my doc and pharmacist and also according to them dependence usually occurs at higher doses, although it can be psychologically addicting ( I had a hard time going to sleep without it, convinced that I couldn't but I got over it) I know this doesn't help you too much but just wanted to let you know I am in the same boat(almost)
Posted by kid_A on August 12, 2001, at 22:08:12
In reply to Re: Effexor XR + Xanax as needed... Is this Norma!? » kid_A, posted by Maisy on August 11, 2001, at 8:06:40
> although it can be psychologically addicting ( I had a hard time going to sleep without it, convinced that I couldn't but I got over it)
i take remeron or ambien to sleep at night (if you want to be tired, take remeron, that makes you feel like you can't keep your eyes open), i never had problems falling asleep really (unless i was nervous about something)... but id wake up a few times at night... w/ the effexor if i dont take something to sleep im having super crazy dreams all night, to the point where i can remember if i dreamt it or if it was real, i had to call a friend today and ask him if something had happened, or if i dreamt it... i take the xanax more during the day, sometimes ill take 2 at once sometimes 3, sometimes just 1.. depends on what i feel like... i get kind of spacy on the effexor, but i want to stick it out w/ that since (despite the side effects and withdrawl) ive read that it is a pretty good AD... but yeah, the xanax is a bit psychologically addictive... i know that i make sure to carry it w/ me to work because at some point i know i am going to take it... i couldnt ever imagine myself on a regimine of xanax but here i am... of course before i started the AD's i was too busy being completely depressed at work to think about anything... so im happier now, than i was before...
thanks for the input, somehow its comforting to know that there are other people w/ similar situations
Posted by Maisy on August 13, 2001, at 6:34:50
In reply to Re: Effexor XR + Xanax as needed... Is this Norma!? » Maisy, posted by kid_A on August 12, 2001, at 22:08:12
Effexor XR has been a wonderful drug for me. Your dreams may calm down a bit over time. I was on it twice, last year, then I weaned with really no problem. A few months later I relapsed and went back on. The second time around I had a whole different set of side effects that took about three months or so to subside. I am a very vivid dreamer anyway and my dreams became even more real, but they returned to normal. Re: xanax. I read a book about depression and they had some very interesting insight about how we have to stop "acting" depressed. I was so nervous about how I would handle situations, and would freak if I didn't sleep for a night thinking that I was relapsing, afriad to go out without a spare xanax. I forgot what was a "normal" response. It certainly hit home with me and now I am trying to build up my confidence and say, hey, I can handle this. It's not enough that our minds try to defeat us, and then once we are recovered we try to defeat ourselves. I'm not saying that you are doing the same thing as I was, just wanted to share this insight. Hope all goes well with you. Hang in there.
Posted by kid_A on August 13, 2001, at 9:37:54
In reply to Re: Effexor XR + Xanax as needed... Is this Norma!?, posted by Maisy on August 13, 2001, at 6:34:50
> I read a book about depression and they had some very interesting insight about how we have to stop "acting" depressed.
Thats just it, you know, its the same thing for xanax usage... I mean, you convince yourself that you 'need' to take it in order to get by a certain situation, and the more you sit and think about it, the more you feel like you need it... It's the same for depression, once we can kick ourselves out of the old bad habit of 'feeling' depressed, once we can kick ourselves out of the valley that we are stuck in, once we climb up over the hill to the flat plain, then we can usually stabalise ourselves and keep ourselves in good shape... of course if we're not carefull we can go too close to the edge and fall right back in, we have to be extra carefull to watch our step.
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