XANAX XR
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WiltedRose
- Posts: 62
- Joined: February 26th, 2014, 12:19 pm
XANAX XR
my doctor is trying to get me access to a non formulary med in place of my klonopin for severe anxiety. She said that XANAX XR has lower abuse potential than regular Xanax (which makes me feel better) prob because of the XR formulation. She said if I do well on it ( take it in morning), i can maybe just use the klonopin for break thru panic. Just wondering how any one else's experience with it has been, if any
Re: XANAX XR
Xanax messed me up mainly because, after a while, it felt like taking a hit of something. Got addicted for many years and in hindsight I wish I had never taken it. I haven't had the extended release version but I would have to imagine that the feeling of 'taking a hit' would be reduced and therefore the addictive qualities would be diminished.
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WiltedRose
- Posts: 62
- Joined: February 26th, 2014, 12:19 pm
Re: XANAX XR
Hi Rua! Thank you for your reply.
Yes- that is exactly why my MD would not prescribe regular Xanax. I guess the addiction/dependence potential is pretty high - and it's something that people will abuse who aren't even prescribed it. (she told me drug users like to SNORT it.... which I think is just crazy). So, apparently the extended release formulation is not able to be abused in that way - I'm not sure why or what the pharmokinetics are (I used that big word , not sure that it's really a word. lol).
She said taken in the morning it should work as a steadier "calm" throughout the day - but I am still afraid to try it so I am still just taking Klonopin. again she assures me Klonopin, of all the benzos, is the safest as far as addictive potential. (the last thing I want is to become hooked on some benzodiazapine. The class of drug scares me in itself!)
I wish I were not on any medications. But in the past 6 months a new doctor has added a lot of chemicals, some were trial and error, and I have to admit compared to where I was,I am more stable. It's so hard with psych meds to notice the subtle difference they may be causing. Until one day you look back at how things were, compared to the present - and even though it's not like everything is "great" today - the most intense emotions and problems with mood/anxieties/ruminations/etc etc are more bearable. *sigh* I wish I didn't have a broken brain! I'm sure we all do. Just be happy all the time - no fear. No difficulties. No psychic pain.
Take care Rua. I hope things are well for you today.
"Wilted Rose"
Yes- that is exactly why my MD would not prescribe regular Xanax. I guess the addiction/dependence potential is pretty high - and it's something that people will abuse who aren't even prescribed it. (she told me drug users like to SNORT it.... which I think is just crazy). So, apparently the extended release formulation is not able to be abused in that way - I'm not sure why or what the pharmokinetics are (I used that big word , not sure that it's really a word. lol).
She said taken in the morning it should work as a steadier "calm" throughout the day - but I am still afraid to try it so I am still just taking Klonopin. again she assures me Klonopin, of all the benzos, is the safest as far as addictive potential. (the last thing I want is to become hooked on some benzodiazapine. The class of drug scares me in itself!)
I wish I were not on any medications. But in the past 6 months a new doctor has added a lot of chemicals, some were trial and error, and I have to admit compared to where I was,I am more stable. It's so hard with psych meds to notice the subtle difference they may be causing. Until one day you look back at how things were, compared to the present - and even though it's not like everything is "great" today - the most intense emotions and problems with mood/anxieties/ruminations/etc etc are more bearable. *sigh* I wish I didn't have a broken brain! I'm sure we all do. Just be happy all the time - no fear. No difficulties. No psychic pain.
Take care Rua. I hope things are well for you today.
"Wilted Rose"
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WiltedRose
- Posts: 62
- Joined: February 26th, 2014, 12:19 pm
Re: XANAX XR
Just wanted to do a quick update in case anyone ever sees this thread.
I finally started the XANAX XR last week. My anxiety was continuing to spike late morning, early afternoon and would often reach a nearly debilitating point by mid afternoon, despite being on Klonopin since spring. I am on a lot of meds, kind of embarassed when I have to list them when I go to the dentist or eye doctor... being that they are mostly psych meds.
We added lamictal a couple months ago as a mood stabilizer, which I think has helped a little bit. (obviously with meds it's not like you feel a huge change the next day - so it's hard to notice until you stop one day and look back and try to compare to how things were a couple months prior compared to now). I switched from cymbalta (which I'd taken for ten years, or whenever it was new)... to Pristique - which was an easy transition being that they are chemically so alike I did not have to go through the terrible withdrawal of Cymbalta. Also am on Buspar 2x daily for the anxiety component, though hard to say if it's helped... but I'm afraid to change anything.
(Ah - and I take Trazodone for sleep - have been for about 25 years! and am on Vyvanse as it is used in bulimics to help with the binge purge urges - which really helped a lot!) Yeah - lots of meds. Also take normal meds like a thyroid supplement... (not embarassed by that!) And supplements - fish oil and some "work out" supplements, as I am physically active (exercise addiction they call it, but I hate to admit it)
SO - back to the Xanax XR - you take it only once daily, as it is to work for 12 hours - and therefore lacks the addiction potential that the regular (short acting Xanax has. So it's not one people can abuse, even drug abusers can't "snort" it like they apparently do the regular Xanax. And there shouldn't be the need for larger and larger doses, as other benzodiazapines may have since this is XR (extended release).
now there may be a placebo effect, but I honestly think it is beneficial. My anxiety is not SPIKING unbearably as it usually does as the day goes on. (my doc even said if I think I am going to go into a panic attack, it's ok to take a klonopin.. but I have not and hope to not do that because I don't like the "class" of drug - benzodiazepine. Scares me too much.
I still have the thoughts and worries as always - it's not like I'm totally blunted or in a fog - but I am somehow managing it better and hoping that it will continue.
My diagnoses by the way are (obviously ANXIETY), ANOREXIA/BULIMIA, OCD & Depression.
So - just wanted to mention my experience thus far. I read an article last month that chronic use of benzos has been linked to an increase in dementia as people age. Scares me!!! Who knows what the effect of these psych meds are as we don't have super long term outcome studies for people who have been on them for a lifetime (and I've been on antidepressants and lots of other experimental psychotropics starting at age 14-15 when my eating disorder first started - and I'll be 43 next month so that's a long time of chemicals altering my brain chemistry).
But I have to take it day by day - and just get through each day.... and try not to (GET MORE ANXIOUS!!!) over what these drugs may ultimately do to me as I age.
IF any one reads this, I hope you are doing well. And remember - every BODY and BRAIN are unique - so what works for one person, may do nothing for another, or may have different side effects, etc. I'm not saying you should push your doctors to try anything - just sharing my experience.
Take care.
"Wilted Rose"
I finally started the XANAX XR last week. My anxiety was continuing to spike late morning, early afternoon and would often reach a nearly debilitating point by mid afternoon, despite being on Klonopin since spring. I am on a lot of meds, kind of embarassed when I have to list them when I go to the dentist or eye doctor... being that they are mostly psych meds.
We added lamictal a couple months ago as a mood stabilizer, which I think has helped a little bit. (obviously with meds it's not like you feel a huge change the next day - so it's hard to notice until you stop one day and look back and try to compare to how things were a couple months prior compared to now). I switched from cymbalta (which I'd taken for ten years, or whenever it was new)... to Pristique - which was an easy transition being that they are chemically so alike I did not have to go through the terrible withdrawal of Cymbalta. Also am on Buspar 2x daily for the anxiety component, though hard to say if it's helped... but I'm afraid to change anything.
(Ah - and I take Trazodone for sleep - have been for about 25 years! and am on Vyvanse as it is used in bulimics to help with the binge purge urges - which really helped a lot!) Yeah - lots of meds. Also take normal meds like a thyroid supplement... (not embarassed by that!) And supplements - fish oil and some "work out" supplements, as I am physically active (exercise addiction they call it, but I hate to admit it)
SO - back to the Xanax XR - you take it only once daily, as it is to work for 12 hours - and therefore lacks the addiction potential that the regular (short acting Xanax has. So it's not one people can abuse, even drug abusers can't "snort" it like they apparently do the regular Xanax. And there shouldn't be the need for larger and larger doses, as other benzodiazapines may have since this is XR (extended release).
now there may be a placebo effect, but I honestly think it is beneficial. My anxiety is not SPIKING unbearably as it usually does as the day goes on. (my doc even said if I think I am going to go into a panic attack, it's ok to take a klonopin.. but I have not and hope to not do that because I don't like the "class" of drug - benzodiazepine. Scares me too much.
I still have the thoughts and worries as always - it's not like I'm totally blunted or in a fog - but I am somehow managing it better and hoping that it will continue.
My diagnoses by the way are (obviously ANXIETY), ANOREXIA/BULIMIA, OCD & Depression.
So - just wanted to mention my experience thus far. I read an article last month that chronic use of benzos has been linked to an increase in dementia as people age. Scares me!!! Who knows what the effect of these psych meds are as we don't have super long term outcome studies for people who have been on them for a lifetime (and I've been on antidepressants and lots of other experimental psychotropics starting at age 14-15 when my eating disorder first started - and I'll be 43 next month so that's a long time of chemicals altering my brain chemistry).
But I have to take it day by day - and just get through each day.... and try not to (GET MORE ANXIOUS!!!) over what these drugs may ultimately do to me as I age.
IF any one reads this, I hope you are doing well. And remember - every BODY and BRAIN are unique - so what works for one person, may do nothing for another, or may have different side effects, etc. I'm not saying you should push your doctors to try anything - just sharing my experience.
Take care.
"Wilted Rose"