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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by SammyJar on April 26, 2010, at 19:20:37
I was wondering if you can become physically addicted to regular release Xanax when taking it only once daily. I usually take around 1mg. in the afternoon and that's it. The only times I've heard of people getting addicted to it is when they are taking it 2 or 3 times a day, or are taking the Xanax XR. I've also heard of people who take it only at bedtime and then have trouble getting off of it because they can't sleep without it.
But I almost never take more than 1mg. once a day and occasionally skip days. Lately I've noticed I feel a little strange and anxious on the days I've skipped, but I'm not sure if it has anything to do with Xanax withdrawal or not(I have had sinus pressure lately that has always made me feel weird). It seems to me that the way I take it I wouldn't have any Xanax in my system more often than not, and therefor wouldn't become addicted. I have been on and off of Xanax for many years, and the only time I every had any trouble getting off of it was when I was taking .05 three times a day.I also was wondering if anyone else feels a crash from Xanax(probably from taking it once daily). I feel better in every way when I first take it, but then after a few hours I become very tired and irritable. It's hard not to fall asleep, but if I don't it will pass after awhile. I don't feel drowsy at all when I first take it, but it's like once it's out of my system I crash. It's actually very similar to how it is when I drink a few beers. I get in a better mood and more alert, but when it starts to leave my system I get extremely tired for a period of time. Could the Xanax be working in the same way? I also seem to have memory problems similar to when drinking even on low doses of .05 or 1mg. of Xanax. Everything seems a little more vague when I look back on things that happened earlier in the day when the Xanax was in my system.
Xanax works great for me, but I don't want to become addicted to it, and I hate the crash and the memory problems. When I get tired a few hours after taking it nothing helps me wake up either, not caffeine or the Wellbutrin I use to be on. Not even another Xanax seems to help. Any advice or comments will be appreciated.
Posted by Phillipa on April 26, 2010, at 21:44:38
In reply to Can you become addicted to Xanax when only taking, posted by SammyJar on April 26, 2010, at 19:20:37
It's now the opposite for me only take at bedtime sleep. And none during the day. I seem to wakeup during the day and get more energy. In the past low doses throughout the day just made me feel normal. Phillipa
Posted by SammyJar on April 27, 2010, at 20:15:44
In reply to Re: Can you become addicted to Xanax when only taking » SammyJar, posted by Phillipa on April 26, 2010, at 21:44:38
I would actually like to try taking the Xanax three times a day again, but I am worried about building a tolerance and having to increase the dosage. The only other time I took it three times a day was when I first started taking it, and then I abruptly stopped which is why I had some withdrawal symptoms. When I found out I was suppose to taper off I didn't really have much of a problem getting off of it, so I don't really know why I'm worried about getting physically addicted to it. Getting off of it for me was nothing like what some people have had to go through. I also wish there was something I could do about the memory problems, but I guess there isn't.
And I have heard there are people taking 10mg. of Xanax a day. I don't see how anyone could function, or have any memory at all, with that dosage. Is anyone here taking daily dosages that high? Are you doing so only because you have built up a tolerance, so it's actually not effecting you anymore than a smaller dose would effect someone else? Will anyone who takes xanax three or four times throughout a day for a long period of time eventually have to keep increasing their dosage to get the same effect?
Posted by ed_uk2010 on April 28, 2010, at 14:56:40
In reply to Can you become addicted to Xanax when only taking, posted by SammyJar on April 26, 2010, at 19:20:37
>I was wondering if you can become physically addicted to regular release Xanax when taking it only once daily
Yes, you can certainly become dependent on it.
Posted by Deneb on April 29, 2010, at 20:26:39
In reply to Re: Can you become addicted to Xanax when only taking, posted by SammyJar on April 27, 2010, at 20:15:44
Hello SammyJar!
Welcome to Psycho-Babble. Sorry I don't know much about the benzos. I'm pretty sure they can be addictive though. My pdoc doesn't give me any, well except that one time when I was scared about a medical procedure.
I hope you find some a solution.
Deneb
Posted by Abby Cunningham on April 29, 2010, at 20:55:08
In reply to Can you become addicted to Xanax when only taking, posted by SammyJar on April 26, 2010, at 19:20:37
>
> I was wondering if you can become physically addicted to regular release Xanax when taking it only once dailyYes you can become addicted! I was put on it back in the 80's when it first came out, and given 2mg. ONCE a day, at bedtime. I took it for a few years that way.
Then I began taking 1mg. three times a day and took that for many years until 2005 when I decided to taper it down. I did so with the help of an MD and now on 1.5mg. divided dose - .5 mg. in the morning, and 1mg. at night.
I do not become tolerant to the dosage but I did have a hard time tapering/withdrawing down to 1.5 from 3mg. I had extreme nervousness/shakiness/depression/feeling of unreality/insomnia, you name it.
Now I am fine and do not need increased dosage but some people, ALOT of people end up increasing the dose because of tolerance.
You say you came off it pretty easily the first time; well that may be so, but each time can be more difficult. I think SLS said that it is something called the "kindling" effect. Search the forum for that word.
If you weren't already on xanax regularly I would say don't take it, but be very careful with benzos.
Abby
Posted by Techno'n'PillBottles on May 1, 2010, at 6:38:05
In reply to Re: Can you become addicted to Xanax when only taking, posted by Abby Cunningham on April 29, 2010, at 20:55:08
My close friend was taking benzos for years and had a big tolerance (partially from occasional abuse). he stopped for a few months because they weren't covered by insurance. he got a doc in mexico and got his old script renewed. I talked to him on the phone the first time he took it again. he took the same dose he used to take everyday and he was completely out of his mind. I had to talk him out of driving to the store repeatedly, he had a memory span of 30 seconds and he kept saying outrageous things. my favorite was "I have to go out to the car real quick and butter a sandwich." it was 4 am where he was and he thought it was noon. he pissed his mom off (and probly scared her a bit too) because he woke her up at 5 am and asked where he could find matches.
thats just a funny story about benzos, but there definitely is the issue of tolerance with those things, and certainly memory. after seeing many people use benzos for long periods of time it's my opinion that one should try to find another sollution if at all possible. they tend to have some kind of bad effect for everyone that ive seen.
Posted by SammyJar on May 3, 2010, at 23:09:02
In reply to Re: Can you become addicted to Xanax when only taking, posted by Techno'n'PillBottles on May 1, 2010, at 6:38:05
Thanks everyone for all the information. Xanax works great for Anxiety, but also has so many unwanted effects. Even with low doses I have memory problems and get so drowsy after a few hours that I get in a bad mood and can't hardly function.I have moderate social anxiety and generalized anxiety disorder. I have been on several antidepressants, but most didn't work very well. I don't usually have many side effects from them, but they seem to make things worse or only help a little. Some just made me content with having a boring life instead of wanting to improve it like when not taking the medication.
I would kind of like to try Nardil, but I don't know if my doctor would give it to me, and I'm a little afraid of the food interactions. It seems like there are a lot of things you can't eat. Do any of you know if Nardil is just as safe as your more common antidepressants as long as you follow the diet restrictions and don't take other medications with it?
I want something that helps my anxiety and makes me more social. The xanax makes me feel comfortable in most situation, but I still rarely initiate a conversation. When I do later on the whole things seems similar to a vague dream because of the memory problems, even though I don't remember feeling drugged up or spacey at the time. I guess there's no perfect medicine out there for most people.
This is the end of the thread.
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