Hi - I have GAD and panic attacks

[[li...]]

Hi Everyone, As my intro says I'm a life long sufferer of GAD and panic attacks.  A few years back I was on Effexor and Xanax daily with great success.  Eventually My Doc gave me the green light to taper off and I did with no problems.  Fast forward to 2 months ago.  I changed jobs and started suffering bad anxiety and panic attacks again.  The Doc prescribed Lexapro and Xanax (Xanax as needed).  Well, I didn't take the Lexapro but started taking Xanax daily.  1/2 pill in the morn, 1/2 in the evening.  I'm on the lowest dose (.25 I believe).  I decided I was feeling so good that I would taper off (Doc says ok as she didn't want me taking it dally anyway).  Wow....I think I'm having withdrawal after only 5 weeks of taking Xanax???  I feel awful.  I may have tapered too fast?? I just wanted to reach out to others who have been through this for mutual support.  Plus I have taper questions!!

[[Ch...]]

Hi and welcome to the forum, lizziebenzo.

 

Five weeks on Xanax is long enough to develop a dependence.  Glad you've caught this now as it should make it easier to taper off, though it sounds like you indeed may have tapered a bit too fast.  I tapered Xanax and found that cuts of .0625 (a quarter of a .25 tablet) worked best for me.  With a little more info about your taper I'm sure we can help you get it on track and stabilize so you can taper off and manage the symptoms.

 

Here's a link to  General Taper Plans where you can post tapering questions.

 

It helps to include your benzodiazepine information in your posts.  To make that easier by adding it to each post automatically, you can go up to Profile, choose Forum Profile, write the information in the text box and click Change Profile.

 

Glad you're here.  You're going to be fine and feel well again.  Takes a bit of time.

 

Challis 

[[li...]]

Thank you Challis99!