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To: boop
I take one of the "Boogieman" meds in the eyes of most doctors as does my wife. I'm a Xanax user of 20 years next month and my wife is a 28 year user. Xanax actually likely saved her life when a shrink gave her Trazadone and Zoloft. That's when I learned about Serotonin Syndrome. I diagnosed what six doctors missed.

Both of us have neurological impairments {she's an incomplete quad} which makes use of antidepressants a higher risk for adverse reaction. I took quite a few antidepressant of the month by several doctors for what was diagnosed as General Anxiety Disorder. They all made it worse especially my sensitivity to certain sounds.

Two years into treatment I found a book called Phobia Free and a doctor linked many anxiety disorders to Cerebellar Vestibular related damage likely from severe life long sinus allergies in my case. It makes sense if my sensory processing system was damaged antidepressants would saturate my damaged sensory processing system thus triggering more anxiety. The disorder alone is severe enough to produce Myoclonic seizures in my upper Torso antidepressants made that worse as well. Certain sounds and certain visual effects set me off. Phobic induced anxiety? No. Not in my case.

I started out on 2 MG Xanax a day. Big mistake as it only works half the time. Finally I found a doctor who understood it and he took me off all AD's and kept me on Xanax but cut the dose to .5mg four times a day. Now it works enough to where I can somewhat control it.

When some doctors see the Xanax prescription and I tell them how long I've taken it they freak. I have to explain to them what is actually wrong. My primary care doc understands as does my allergist. My primary care doc writes the script now for me and my wife.

My biggest gripe about these crackdowns is it has in the past made it difficult to find a doctor to write the script. If you loose your doctor you can't just go to an ER and say hey I need Xanax. LOL. On the other hand the extra meds we had accumulated over the years got us through a six month stretch of no primary care doctor. I do not consider a three - six month on hand amount of any medication used long term and as directed without abuse as bad or wrong but rather in these time a wise move. No one but immediate family and our doctors know we take it.

12 posted on 12/29/2013 12:40:47 AM PST by cva66snipe ((Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgment? Which one say ye?))
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To: cva66snipe
I found that Xanax was a miracle drug for me. For years I was unable to sleep eight hours uninterrupted. On top of that I had severe allergies because of our cats. Xanax instantly curred both problems even though each were an off lable treatment. I take .5mg before bed and sleep (dream) soundly for eight hours. In addition, I stopped suffering from bronchial spasms (cats) during that time.

I don't characterise that drug the same as I do a great many opiate related ones. Then again I am dangerously allergic to all opiates. I guess I wouldn't know the addictive effects.

From what I can tell, Xanax may be an age related treatment. The off label treatment for sleep issues far out weighs those for anxiety in the 45 to 65 age bracket. In my case I just couldn't turn off the day or work. Sometimes it was just a patent related idea. I would toss and turn for hours. Xanax turned that off during sleep time.
14 posted on 12/29/2013 1:02:05 AM PST by PA Engineer (Liberate America from the Occupation Media.)
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To: cva66snipe; boop; anyone

Appreciate very much the sharing of your knowledge and experience! It’s one thing that makes this place such a treasure trove -

So, let me get this straight...Serotonin, when it is left in the neurosynaptic gap (not re-uptaken), leads to ‘feel good’,
however, in some reactions, there’s ‘too much’ serotonin? leading to the syndrome/toxicity?

I HAVE taken Wellbutrin for help with smoking-cessation, BUT, it made my head feel tight, almost like I was having an oncoming migraine, so I quit after a week.

I DO eat turkey several times a week though :)))


35 posted on 12/29/2013 6:29:09 AM PST by spankalib ("I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.")
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