Why are doctors so afarid to put people on Xanax?

[quadracersteve]

After spending years trying every antidepressant under the sun (most made me dizzy or sick or like an electric charge was going throughout my entire body very quickly) my PCP finally put me on Klonipin which worked O.K. but not long enough. Then finally Xanax. I've suffered severe anxiety and panic attacks (enough so that I dropped out of college twice and lost a job) for 32 years of my life. Like lots of people, I was just born with it. Thanks mom and dad(ha.ha.ha.) just kidding. But after 2 years of being on Xanax (the most productive years of my life) it was MY choice to get off it just to see how I felt because it had been a long time since I had had a real bad attack. My anxiety came back just like before, which was kind of depressing, and when I called to speak with my doc he had RETIRED! Since then NO ONE will even let me bring up the "X" word. Like it's taboo or something. Right now I'm on Ativan and for a lack of a better word it sucks. I feel a little dizzy, almost like a had a beer or two but my anxiety attacks and worse, panic attacks, are still alive and kicking my butt. Why, if a medication works so well, and is legal, do doctors close the door on it when there are people who NEED something like it. To me it's a shame

[Robbed]

It's always hard to say why this is the case. If you talk to MOST doctors, they will tell you that they won't prescribe it due to the habit-forming nature of it. But they don't seem to have a problem prescribing, say, Paxil and Effexor. And both of these are probably AT LEAST as habit-forming as Xanax. Also, side effects are generally MUCH less of a problem with Xanax than with SSRIs/SNRIs. In any case, this is probably THE reason why SO many people order drugs over the internet.

One more thing. Have you tried any non-drug means to deal with anxiety? And when I ask this, I mean did you give any non-drug means of dealing with anxiety (ie CBT) the time it really needs to possibly have a positive effect? The reason why I ask this is that it seems like you are SO ready to believe that your anxiety is just fate. And the fact is that it might not be. I think you are doing a disservice to yourself if you are just going to resign yourself to having anxiety for the rest of your life.

[quadracersteve]

If you're asking me if I spent time with psychs, reading books, tapes. Yes, years. Groups, no. According to the many psychs I spoke to there are no groups anywhere in my area (Nashua N.H.)
I wouldn't call it fate but just like someone with Diabetes who has to prick their finger and take insulin shots daily (because they were born that way), I know after psycho-analyzing myself as far back as I can remember, this is how I always have been. Living like this is a waste of time and after spending years of my life doing what the doctors asked and getting NOWHERE, maybe I am looking for the easy way out. My dad is 73yrs old and I'm tired of not being able to go out and do things with him. Let's just say my planned Fathers Day golfing trip (on Ativan) sucked. Couldn't even get out of the car at the parking lot. He doesn't have time to wait for me to get better the non-medicated way and sorry but I don't think that's possible for me and according to some of the psychs I spoke with there are people just like me who, unfortunately, need to be medicated. It's actually NOT what I want but what I do want is relief. Try not to forget, there are MANY levels of anxiety and man do I have it bad.
They say stress takes away years on your life. In that case I'm gonna be dead next week.

[ebony]

(like an electric charge was going throughout my entire body very quickly)

Like lots of people, I was just born with it. Thanks mom and dad(ha.ha.ha.) just kidding.

Since then NO ONE will even let me bring up the "X" word. Like it's taboo or something. Right now I'm on Ativan and for a lack of a better word it sucks. I feel a little dizzy, almost like a had a beer or two but my anxiety attacks and worse, panic attacks, are still alive and kicking my butt. Why, if a medication works so well, and is legal, do doctors close the door on it when there are people who NEED something like it. To me it's a shame

your comment about the electric charge really surprised me.
i always say a golden glow runs through me (amazingly, through the spine where the central nervous system is. go figure!)

Yes, you can be born with it. We have a joke in my family that everyone is either on antidepressants or canadian mist. that many people must be genetic!

I'm not sure why drs are so adverse to prescribing xanax. yes it is addictive, but i'm only upping mine now after 3 -5 years of it.
There's no reason for someone to just suffer.
Not much different than just being dead, IMO.

Keep looking. SOMEONE will help you.
I wish you well.

[Punk Rock Steve]

To QuadracerSteve...I just read your post from several months back and SHIT do I ever identify with you! I know was born with this disorder (I'm 54 years old now), drank for many years to mask it till I became a full speed ahead alcoholic (runs in the family too) and eventually even the booze didn't help anymore and actually gave me more anxiety/panic at the end. Been sober almost 8 years now and while that has been a great change in my life, what's left now is this evil, severe anxiety that I have. This weeks "Symptom Of Non-Choice" is a lot of palpitations...the two weeks prior my digestive system had a meltdown....it just plain sucks! The breathing issues are almost always present. I have tried many medications, but usually had too many side effects which just increased my anxiety levels. I take three .25 milligrams of Xanax a day right now, which is fairly low I believe, but I'm trying not to get too hooked on it...however, it appears that it's the only thing that works (most of the time anyway) for me...Would like to try CBT or meditation, but I just don't know that my anxiety will allow me to have the patience to even try these methods! Anyway...thanks again and hang in there...I know I do one day at a time :)

[Jking086]

Its all about stupidity and control. I think that the DEA gets a trip off of Schedualing Drugs and making Doctors scared to prescribe them. A doctor can loose his lisence if they give it to a drug dealer who gets caught selling them on the street. I hate how the few jerks who want to get high off of these pills ruin it for people who genuinly need them. Its all about the leverage of the government on these doctors.

[sweetnoel]

Docs never want to give you xannax or anything that actually HELPS people at all. All docs care about is their rep. and job. Almost every doc ive been to(and thats been plenty..haha) didnt even get to know me personally enough to know i wasnt some crack head drug dealer! im on xannax right now cause my family doc gave it to me when i was younger and docs after that have just kept me on it. But really i don't think that its addicting like most docs say it is....i have been on it for bout 7 years...and i only take it when i really need it....when my panic attacks really BAD...other wise i can go months on end without it. so if you take it only when needed then youll be fine..or at lest thats what i think!

[idreamofskiba]

My doctor put me on Xanax today! I didn't even ask for it. I think they're just getting a bit tired of me going in there all the time freaking out.

She suggested Effexor again, and I said absolutely not.

I like the fact that it's something I can take when needed, and not have to take every day if I don't.

I took half of one today, and it seemed to help quite a bit.

[rhoda]

Hey guys,

I was Xanax for a few years and was VERY addicted to it.
I was prescibed it in the first place because I could not leave my house - after a week I was walking down the street!!! Amazing...I believe it changed my life...

However, the highly addictive nature is dangerous. It took me a lot of discipline to get off it. My advice is to just be careful and take it only if very necessary...I think thats why docs are so adverse to giving it out.

[culljosh]

I believe doctors are not Xanax Happy anymore is cause:


Well like any medicine or thing to most strong people.
You become immune to things, which means dosage increasing.

I started on .5 mg Xanax and now am taking 2 mg XR Xanax
Which breaks up over my system for 12 hours.
So have to watch for Grapefruit items and Alcohol.

I take Lexapro along with this.
I do know that other medicines will do the same.

Cheers!