xanax dosage question

[CosmicG]

I am currently taking .5 mgs of xanax twice daily for anxiety. It has only been about ten days but already I feel the need to increase dose to 1 mg twice daily. Anyone here have any experience with xanax ? What is a normal therapeutic dose and how soon should one increase dosage.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

0.5mg alprazolam is a relatively low dose for many people. My doctor usually has me send a follow-up message 3-4 weeks after starting new medications, and clonazepam was no exception. He increased the dose from 0.5mg 2x daily to 1mg 2x daily; I imagine if you tell your doctor what is going on, then your experience will be similar.

 

[downerhead]

A half mg is a low dose but the question of whether or not you need a dosage increase depends on what you're after.Is your current dose effectively controlling your anxiety or are you still having symptoms?Remember that the "benzo high" that lots of us know and love is actually a side effect that is supposed to go away after a few days of use.The drug is still doing it's job,you just stop"feeling"it.Also it depends a lot on the frequency of your symptoms and their severity.If your anxiety is pretty constant and severe and you have frequent panic attacks then you may require a higher dose of a strong benzo and need it around the clock.That's the case with me anyway.My symptoms are severe and constant so I require the power of Xanax and with it's relatively short action Xanax is a 4 times a day drug for cases like this.This is how my psychiatrist explained it to me.If you are after the high then you will find it doesn't happen for long with daily use.There is only so much you can increase your dose.If you feel that your symptoms are still present,ie you are still experiencing anxiety or still having panic attacks,then you probably do need a higher dose and may need it more frequently than twice a day.Oftentimes patients on a short acting benzo like Xanax find themselves experiencing greater anxiety in the afternoons if they are on a twice daily dose.Another dose a day may help even out the peaks and valleys for you.Discuss this with your prescriber and be honest about how you are feeling and how effective your medications are for you.Doctors are normally pretty good about working with you on getting you to an effective dose that controls your condition as long as they feel you are being honest with them.Some aren't so understanding and just absolutely refuse to put you on an effective dose of a medication that works.In that case it is usually time to find a more compassionate doctor.Hope this helps.I know from long experience how much going through a constant freakout for no reason sucks.

 

[CosmicG]

I have had the same GP for almost ten years now and he has never hesitated to give me anything. He doesnt even warn me of the fact that benzos are addictive but i am not naive in the matter. He seems to be all about prescribing meds which I am fine with because this is what works for me. Honestly xanax is the only drug so far that I have tried that succeeds in making me feel "normal" which I define as being comfortable in my own skin. As dark of a road everyone makes benzos out to be, they are the only class of drug that I feel truly helps me and that is all I care about. I function much better as a human being on Xanax. I suffer from extreme anxiety and paranoia after many years of self destructing behaviors that hurt myself and the people I love even more.

Xanax does remind me of my addictive nature but it is the only thing that works and I cant see being without it. I know its unrealistic and pathetic to rely on something so much, but it makes me happy and I feel that I can really reach out and touch people now. Xanax makes me feel like me, something I havent felt in a long long time.

 

[neurotic]

If your anxiety is constant then id suggest trying a longer lasting benzo such as diazepam or clonazepam. I was on alprazolam (xanax) before, now I'm on clonazepam and I find it way better. I dose it once in the morning and I'm good for almost the whole day.

That way you don't need to redose and keep upping your dose. Id only use xanax as an immediate fix for anxiety/panic attacks, otherwise its bad for all day anxiety cuz it lasts too short.

Regarding dependencs, well don't do thdm everyday. I usually do 2-4 days a week, and never had any problems.

 

[CosmicG]

Well I saw my doctor today and after explaining my thoughts he went ahead and upped my dose from .5 mgs of xanax twice a day to .5 mgs of xanax three times a day. I feel a lot more comfortable at this dose but wonder how long will the relief last after reading everyone elses feedback.

I appreciate my GP for being so willing to give me the drugs I feel help me the most. It seems odd that many doctors will not which makes me wonder if my doctor is a good or a bad one. I suppose its all based on opinion, but he is not shy about prescribing this type of drug and in my case I consider it a blessing finally able to walk in my own shoes again.