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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 25 of 47. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by lukeds on October 26, 2006, at 17:31:00
I have been taking xanax since January of 1998, 1mg two times a day and Paxil 40mg per day, but this year in June I withdraw Paxil with suffering, and start to take Nardil 60mg per day in two doses during 5 weeks, but it didn’t function, and it produced me something that I would had never suffered before, insomnia. During the wash-out of the Nardil (10 days) I suffered panic attacks and raised the xanax cr 3mg per day to stop the panic attacks.
Then I went to my psychiatrist and put me in Paxil 50mg and xanax cr 3mg., two times per day, that I would have to reduce to 1mg in two doses when the paxil was taking effect, and trazodone 50mg for sleep, but the paxil didn’t kick in after two months, so I went again to the psychiatrist, and changed the paxil for Effexor XR, It passed one week, when I took a cold, and I spent 5 days without sleep, the trazodone with the cold didn’t work, and I begun to take 15mg. of Rexer to sleep, at the beginning it went well, but after some days I only could sleep 3 or 4 hours and with bad quality of sleep, and during the day I had a bit of anxiety.
So I decided to change of psychiatrist, and he put me in Anafranil injections of 25mg one per day during 6 days, and after that 10mg of tablets three times a day, Ludiomil (Maprotiline) 25mg 3 times a day, 25mg of Librium 3 times a day, and reduced the xanax cr to 2mg before sleep.
Here is when I begun to suffer severe panic attacks (very strong), I have suffered since 1994 panic attacks, the were strong, but these news attacks were BRUTAL, I called the psyc explained it, but he said me to up the Librium to 50mg three times a day, but It didn’t stopped my severe panic attacks, and my anxiety, so I decide that I would have to treat myself, so I have been taken Anafranil since the injections and the tablets (Anafranil 10mg three times a day) 8 days, Ludiomil (Maprotiline) 25mg three times a day, 8 days, I have upper the Xanax cr to 12mg, in two doses of 6mg each one, to stop the BRUTAL panic attacks and the anxiety during the day, and still I have anxiety. And I sleep with 50mg or 100mg of trazodone, but I have to wait in the bed three or four hours every nights, to fall asleep.
So what can I do to relief my severe anxiety, my obsessive-compulsive disorder and the insomnia, without fall in depression, meanwhile I wait to the Anafranil and the Ludiomil to kick in?
I just want to suffer the minimum until the antidepressants take effect.Which is the more powerful drug for anxiety?
How about clonazepam or lorazepam?The Anafranil produces me anxiety, but in the prospectus of the drug, says that after two weeks, the secondary effect of the drug (the anxiety) disappear. Can anyone that have taken the drug tell me if this usually happens?
Do you recommend me to sleep better, to take seroquel? And in how many quantities, 12.5mg or 25mg?
What about Valdoxan? I can’t buy Rozerem in Europe, because it isn’t legalized yet.
Please give me advices and information of what to do to suffer the less possible in anxiety, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder and insomnia, until the antidepressants kick in, because I am suffering a lot and the wait seems to me to be eternal.
I am suffering a lot and I can't exit my house because the severe anxiety and panic attacks, please HELP ME!
Posted by Squiggles on October 26, 2006, at 19:40:38
In reply to Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic!, posted by lukeds on October 26, 2006, at 17:31:00
Geez... i'm only answering because your
post looks like something composed during
the Middle Ages. I am very sorry. I know
that Xanax is quickly addicting and has
a peak of only 2 hours, so maybe a longer
life benzodiazepine would be better?I don't know what to suggest, but I would
like to tell you that your post caught my
eye, and hope you feel better soon.Squiggles
Posted by Phillipa on October 26, 2006, at 21:23:32
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still pani » lukeds, posted by Squiggles on October 26, 2006, at 19:40:38
Squiggles I felt the same way when seeing librium. Are they using librium anymore? I haven't heard of it since the 70's. My Father took it for a at the time nervous breakdown. Love Phillipa yes the post caught my eye too.
Posted by Squiggles on October 26, 2006, at 21:28:33
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still pani » Squiggles, posted by Phillipa on October 26, 2006, at 21:23:32
> Squiggles I felt the same way when seeing librium. Are they using librium anymore? I haven't heard of it since the 70's. My Father took it for a at the time nervous breakdown. Love Phillipa yes the post caught my eye too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Librium
Half-life is stated here as being 5-25 hrs.
(medium); similar to Klonopin. Hmmm.
I think Valium is much longer. Anyway, it
does sound like you are horribly addicted
to Xanax and have to be withdrawan with a
longer-life benzo. Maybe, ask your dr.
for an addiction clinic referral?Squiggles
Posted by lukeds on October 26, 2006, at 21:50:30
In reply to Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic!, posted by lukeds on October 26, 2006, at 17:31:00
I am sorry for my poor english, but it is not my
first language.Sorry :(
And I am sorry even more because you put your attention in my grammatical faults, more than my severe suffering :((((
Posted by Phillipa on October 26, 2006, at 22:26:20
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic!, posted by lukeds on October 26, 2006, at 21:50:30
Oh I don't think it was meant this way at all. It was only that you very seldom hear of librium here being used. What country are you in as different countries use different meds. Now how can I really help you? I will reread you initial post in different eyes and reply again. Sorry you are hurting and this didn't help. Love Phillipa
Posted by Phillipa on October 26, 2006, at 22:36:13
In reply to Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic!, posted by lukeds on October 26, 2006, at 17:31:00
I reread your post and your question is what should you do til the antidepressants begin to work. One med I'm not familiar with. But clonazepam is a long acting benzo. It might work for you. And seroquel is an atypical antipsychotic. You might not sleep on 25mg of seroquel that is a low dose. I think I'd try the clonazepam first. And a call your pdoc in the morning and explain what's going on. Have you considered switching from anafranil to luvox. Luvox was first in Europe. I take it as it's the only SSRI that doesn't make me more anxious has a reputation for being the most sedating SSRI. Anafranil is a TCA with a lot more side effects from what I've heard. And luvox is approved for OCD. Love Phillipa I hope I did a better job of trying to help you this time. But seriously call your pdoc as you have a lot of questions.
Posted by lukeds on October 27, 2006, at 13:18:18
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic! » lukeds, posted by Phillipa on October 26, 2006, at 22:36:13
First of all. I am sorry for my poor english.
Thank you very much Phillipa for your help.
I have read the forum posts, and searched post of four of five years ago and you usually are in these posts helping the people. You care and help a lot. You must be a very good person.I am on Anafranil for 9 days, and If I change to Luvox (that I know too is more sedating, I proved it in November of 1997), then I would have to wait more until the drug would kick in, because I would start again from 0 days, and you know like me that you need from 2 weeks to 6 weeks to kick in, so I can't accept the lost of 9 days of great suffering.
But there is another alternative to relief my suffering, that is to mix low doses of Anafranil with Luvox, but I don't know if the mix would be safe. What's your opinion?
About the clonazepam, there is a problem. I have read posts in this forum
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030113/msgs/136096.html
that it is much more depressive than xanax xr (sorry is xr not cr), althoug I have read too that is more antiobsessional, but the depression is worst than the OCD for me. (I think you don't know xanax xr, it is not xanax, it is a new version of the drug that is long acting. What's your opinion?
http://www.pfizer.com/pfizer/download/uspi_xanax_xr.pdf
And how about mixing clonazepam and xanax xr?
And another thing. Have you read some post of people taking more than 12mg of xanax xr per day?
I am going to see my psychiatrist, but I must wait one week, because he has other patients, and he has no time to see me in least than a week.
My psychiatrist made me the Roschart's test, drawing tests, and the most important, an electroencephalogram (graphic record of the electrical activity of the brain), and said me that the TCAs in special the Anafranil, were the best medications for me. And I don't know what to think about this, Maybe he is wrong or not.
Regards. Lukeds.
Posted by ed_uk on October 27, 2006, at 14:16:53
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic! » Phillipa, posted by lukeds on October 27, 2006, at 13:18:18
Dear Luke
I think your English is very good indeed. There is no need to apologise. Do you live in Spain?
Ed
Posted by Squiggles on October 27, 2006, at 15:27:14
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic! » Phillipa, posted by lukeds on October 27, 2006, at 13:18:18
There seem to be a lot of hypothetical
suggestions here -- that's not surprising
on a public board.If that makes you feel uncomfortable,
one thing is sure -- it will not hurt
to ask your dr. if the source of your
panic attacks is XANAX addiction. And
if so, how to be taken off gradually and
to get on the rest of the medical treatment
your dr. has in mind. I suggested a long-term
benzodiazepine substitute, like Klonopin or
Valium - but he may have something better
in mind.Good luck
Squiggles
(been there, done that)
Posted by lukeds on October 27, 2006, at 19:53:13
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic! » lukeds, posted by ed_uk on October 27, 2006, at 14:16:53
O_O Yes. I live in Spain, but how did you know that? Tell me it please, It's amazing that you targeted Spain, when in Europe there must be more than fifty or sixty countries.
But the most important thing are the questions I wrote in the last post.
Please HELP ME! I had BRUTAL anxiety, but now with 12mg of Xanax xr, it is almost stopped, but I still have anxiety.
Regards. Lukeds.
Posted by Phillipa on October 27, 2006, at 20:53:36
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic! » ed_uk, posted by lukeds on October 27, 2006, at 19:53:13
Ed is very smart. Listen to his advise. And valium is an excellent option as opposed to klonopin which depresses me too. And if anafranil worked before stick it out. But I think only your pdoc could advise you of combining luvox and anafranil. And it sounds like you have a very through doc. I'd say give him a call. Ask how to cut down on the xanax. Yes I know of the long acting xanax but my pdoc at the time said it didn't release very well and his patients needed the regular xanax with it. Maybe the regular xanax instead and you wouldn't need as much? Love Phillipa ps thanks for the complment.
Posted by Phillipa on October 27, 2006, at 21:04:48
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic! » Phillipa, posted by lukeds on October 27, 2006, at 13:18:18
When back and read the inserted threads and do you mean you are taking the equivalent to l2mg of xanax meaning 3 xr's a day? And you say it's helping? And you doc prescribed it? If working and the rest is true I'd stick with what your pdoc recommended. It's a mere week til you see him. And I think I misunderstood you're saying luvox helped you not anafranil? So why if I may ask did you go off the med? Love Phillipa
Posted by lukeds on October 28, 2006, at 14:15:11
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic!, posted by Phillipa on October 27, 2006, at 21:04:48
I take two tablets of 3mg in the morning, and another two tablets of 3mg before sleep.
It has relieved my severe anxiety, to a situation that I can hold up, BY NOW...
I am planning to decrease very slowly the xanax xr to a 2mg or 4mg per day, but when the Anafranil begin to kick in.
My doc didn't prescribed it, he prescribed me Librium 25mg in the morning, 50mg in the afternoon, 50mg at night, and xanax xr 2mg before sleep. But the librium is very weak, so how I was in severe and BRUTAL anxiety and insomnia, I decided to change to a treatment made by myself, but only with the benzodiazepines and trazodone to sleep, I am taking the antidepressants like he said me.
I proved Luvox in November of 1997, I took only one pill, and I felt very relaxed, but in the end I choose paxil because it relaxed me too and was more newer, and in the prospectus of the medicament it had more indications (anxiety, ocd, depression, GAD, etc.) meanwhile in the prospectus of Luvox there were only depression and ocd. I took paxil until May of 2006 with some interruptions because almost I was fine, I would want to be even better.
I am in a situation of severe agoraphobia, so I can't leave my home until I get better, then maybe I will go to the same med (that is 500km far from my home) in Madrid. I went to Madrid because a lot of people recommend me that medic, and said me that was very good, but now I am not sure about that, so I think I will go to a medic of my region, because in that travel so long I suffered too much anxiety and I had panic attacks, and I couldn't suffered that travel again.
Regards. lukeds.
Posted by Phillipa on October 28, 2006, at 21:28:22
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic! » Phillipa, posted by lukeds on October 28, 2006, at 14:15:11
Let me get this straight you doc prescribed librium for you at 25mg but it was too weak so you increased the long acting xanax. How did you obtain so much of the long acting xanax? And you need to let the doc know that the libium was helping but xanax does and see what he says about switching you to xanax and no librium. Love Phillipa
Posted by ed_uk on October 29, 2006, at 10:46:07
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic! » ed_uk, posted by lukeds on October 27, 2006, at 19:53:13
Hi Luke
>O_O Yes. I live in Spain, but how did you know that? Tell me it please, It's amazing that you targeted Spain, when in Europe there must be more than fifty or sixty countries.
Impressed?! You mentioned Rexer. It's a Spanish brand name for mirtazapine eg. Rexer Flas comprimidos bucodispersables. I recognised the brand name Rexer from work. I work in a pharmacy in England. We use medicines imported from various other European countries.
Why did you stop paroxetine? It sounds like it was working well for you.
Ed
Posted by lukeds on October 29, 2006, at 12:23:56
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic! » lukeds, posted by Phillipa on October 28, 2006, at 21:28:22
How did you obtain so much of the long acting xanax?
The other psych of my zone, prescribed me xanax xr 3mg before and I have some prescriptions of the drug.
I have severe agoraphobia, and I will not go to Madrid again that is 500km far from my home, so when I improve enough to exit from home, I will go to other psychiatrist, but this time of my zone, that is only 20km far from my home. In my situation I can't go far to Madrid (500km.). If I have such agoraphobia and phobia social, that I have fear of talk by phone to the medic.
Do you understand me? I have SEVERE ANXIETY. So I need help from Internet like these forums.
Even I would like that Dr. Bob would treat me, or at least give me some indications.THE TRAVEL TO MADRID DESTROYED ME. Before I had much more less anxiety, and I was taking only 4mg of Xanax xr, and I didn't have panic attacks.
In the travel I suffered a lot of tension and stress and I exploded in severe anxiety and very strong panic attacks.lukeds.
Posted by lukeds on October 29, 2006, at 12:50:56
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic! » lukeds, posted by ed_uk on October 29, 2006, at 10:46:07
Why did you stop paroxetine? It sounds like it was working well for you.
Because the paxil after the first year of taking it, the follower years it begun to was less efficient, slowly, but less efficient, and from 1998 to 2006 are 8 years.
The side effects begun to be extreme, in example:
I went to an total anhedonia (total lost of feel sexual pleasure) I didn't feel nothing, and others like erectile disfunction. The depression was going worst slowly in the eight follower years until a moment that I decided to went to the psych and explain him the situation, then he changed me the medication, but since the end of March of this year, the psycs have prescribed me Nardil (6 weeks) didn't work, the Nardil developed in me the horrible insomnia, so even worst, the psyc put me back on paxil and trazodone 50mg to sleep. I stayed waiting two months, but I didn't kick in, in September I went again to the psyc, and he put me on Effexor xr, 6 weeks and nothing, so I decided to change of psych, and he put me in Anafranil, Ludiomil, Librium, and Xanax xr. But it went very bad, my anxiety upped to brutal levels, so I decided to make some changes in the treatment by myself.
Leave the librium, take more Xanax xr, for sleep trazodone, but still taking the Anafranil and the Ludiomil.lukeds.
Posted by Phillipa on October 29, 2006, at 19:28:08
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic! » ed_uk, posted by lukeds on October 29, 2006, at 12:50:56
How does Spain feel about benzos? The USA has a lot of docs that won't prescribe them. What is Spain like. Love Phillipa ps I think a forum is excellent for you now but you still new a pdoc to regulate your meds. Is there a close one that is good? Have you called the one in Madrid? I know how frustrating finding a good combo is in 11 years I've yet to find one and yes I have agoraphobia too. But not as bad as yours.Can you call or have someone call the one in Madrid for you? Does he take e-mails? Love Phillipa
Posted by FredPotter on October 29, 2006, at 20:34:38
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still pani » Squiggles, posted by Phillipa on October 26, 2006, at 21:23:32
Yes they gave me Librium in the 1960s (not quite mediaeval) but it did NOTHING
Posted by Phillipa on October 29, 2006, at 21:54:43
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still pani » Phillipa, posted by FredPotter on October 29, 2006, at 20:34:38
Fred same here and I was new to benzos but it was the 70's. Valium worked better. Love Phillipa
Posted by lukeds on October 29, 2006, at 22:50:42
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic! » lukeds, posted by Phillipa on October 29, 2006, at 19:28:08
In Madrid I had to give the prescription to the guy of the Pharmacy. But in my zone I have to show the prescription, and then they make a photocopy of it.
When I'd feel better, I will go to a psychiatrist of my zone. I went one year ago, but the treatment that he prescribed me didn't go well, but I think he is a good medic, so I will go to see him when I get better.
I am considering the psychosurgery, in special the Anterior Cingulotomy or the Limbic leucotomy.
http://neurosurgery.mgh.harvard.edu/Functional/psysurg.htm
How would much cost one surgery in the Hospital of Massachusetts? Please I need information about the money that I would need to do it.
Regards. lukeds.
Posted by Phillipa on October 29, 2006, at 23:02:49
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic! » Phillipa, posted by lukeds on October 29, 2006, at 22:50:42
Lukeds are you talking about a lobotomy? No, No, No, you don't need this. Is not the answer. Other than the xanax and paxil and shoot I forget what other meds have you been on? I'm sure there is a med combo that will work for you. Love Phillipa it's late here now
Posted by FredPotter on October 30, 2006, at 13:46:32
In reply to Re: Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic! » Phillipa, posted by lukeds on October 29, 2006, at 22:50:42
Ola Lukeds please don't have a lobotomy. Things are happening in neuroscience. Please see my thread on "a switch for depression". I imagine the same technique would work for anxiety Fred
Posted by ed_uk on October 30, 2006, at 14:10:41
In reply to Taking 12mg of Xanax cr per day and still panic!, posted by lukeds on October 26, 2006, at 17:31:00
Hi Luke
You're taking a lot of medication, it's getting very complicated but you don't seem to be benefitting very much. I think you need to simplify your medication a lot.
Here are some suggestions....
Stop the Ludiomil, I don't think it will help you very much.
Stop the trazodone.
Anafranil can be very effective for anxiety, although it takes several weeks to work. Anafranil is usually best taken as a single daily dose in the evening - which should help you sleep. Ask your doctor whether you can increase your Anafranil, and take it as a single dose at bedtime.
Contact your doctor to discuss the Xanax. The dose you are taking is extremely high, and could easily end up causing more harm than good.
Ed
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