how does xanax make YOU feel?

[isthisme85]

I was recently prescribed xanax an am afraid to take it because of all the warning labels. What does it do to you? Does it help you with the panicy feeling, or just put you to sleep. Is it anything like atarax?

[jean0811]

I have always felt some kind of shame associated with needing xanax, but i take only what i need and no more.  I have been on xanax for 20 years off and on, right now i take it when needed, the 0.25 i have had gad most of my adult life and as a teenager also. Rough childhood like many others, my mom was bipolor but it was not ever diagnoised and she lived a very sad life.  I also was on paxil for 15 years, took myself off and it was awful.  I just recently went back on but 5mg.  I was on 20mg. I had ovariancancer in 1970 amd was cancer free for 36 years, but then had a revurrance in 2009, doing well wothout chemo.  I serve a mighty god and believe i am in his hands. Would like verymuch to be off all meds but just cant seem to do that.  Xanax takes the edge off and makes you feel better.

[BigN57]

I started xanax for anxiety attacks due to neck pain/dizziness while spending so much time on the computer. I was given .5 dose pills that I then cut in half.
After 45 minutes to an hour after taking it I'm aware of being more calm and relaxed and it actually relieves the pain in my neck. I don't take it every day, only when I can no longer deal with the anxiety while at work. So far it's helped me greatly.
.  

[Heathermarie0604]

Finally I found someone who suffers like I do! Ive gone to er many times thinking something was wrong and never was! I feel like I'm insane when I explain to my dr what happens I've struggled for 6 years with it its horrible I wish I could live life again and be happy instead of suffering with this everyday!

[dfwwiz]

After reading many of these posts, I decided to post up mine.  I had a major 1st anxiety attack at night about 15 years ago and thought I was dying of a heart attack.  I have always been a superior athlete track star/basketball since jr high and always healthy so this caught me totally off guard.  I  tried Paxil after seeing a neurologist who prescribed it shortly after that first episode.  Then later on my Doctorprescribed  sertraline for a few years and it worked great.... I finally weened myself off of it about 18 months ago.  Well this year I turned 60 and after a College reunion and  visiting friends 800 miles from home in Nov, I had a panic attack while sleeping at a best friends place.  Went to a clinic next morning and was diagnosed with a urinary infection.  3 days later and having been put on Cipro I had another attack and went to ER @ 2 a.m. with panic and major heart burn that felt like heart attack.  They hooked me up to EKG and gave me a barium cocktail which doused the fire but I later a day or so I still was having panic attacks.  Then back home I explained to my doc gave and he gave me a different antibiotic and told me to go back on sertraline 50 mg. It only made my anxiety worse so I stopped after a couple days.  Then a week later I tried again but became a zombie in 3 days and actually suicidal...Me of all people thinking suicidal thoughts.  I was sure I wouldn't even attempt it but that was just too off the wall for me.  But the errie feelings were so overwhelming I was at a loss and my doctor didn't know how or what to treat me for. Laying on my pillow it would sound like a helicopters blade pounding in the distance.  He suggested I see a shrink.  Well,  I changed to a much younger female doctor on referral from a good friend in the medical profession.  Told this doctor about my history and she said lets try nexium for possible acid reflux which might be triggering the anxiety and then zanax for whenever you might feel uneasy so I'm now taking 1/2 or 1 tab of zanax which is .5 mg. when I feel I need it.  And it has been absolutely life changing.  I used to get chills, tremers, which started under the ribs and radiated out to the forearms, and my mind would just panic thinking the worst and it was most always about bed time or shortly after I went to bed.  But now going on 3 weeks later with the "take if needed" attitude, I'm so much better and relaxed.  And tonite I felt a little uneasy at about 10 so in preparation I took 1/2 and its like I'm feeling normal again...  took off the edge and ready to "hit the hay".  I know myself pretty well but this mind anxiety was no joke.  But I still wonder about GABA if there is something natural to get neurons to flow seratonin correctly so there isn't the need for pharma drugs?

[linnipoo]

I have mild copd, when it flairs I can't sleep. I lay down and even if I can breath ok, I start to hyperventilate, stomach gets nervous and have sudden urge to urinate. So, I would like it to relax me before bed but I don't want that sleepy, foggy dazed, grumpy feeling the next day. Does this med. do that?

[nursegirl6572]

This is an old thread.  Please click on the link and start your own new thread.  Thanks!

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/new_with_new_subject?forum_id=71