BuSpar as an as needed

[Yanni]

I've been having a very rough weak and finished my prescription of Xanax. I can't refill the prescription because it was voided by my doctor due to a fainting incident while having blood drawn. Some back ground, I'm horribly afraid of needles. I took .25 mg of Xanax half an hour before the test, went into the room and found out that they were pricking my finger instead. After roughly 30 seconds of balling my eyes out I fainted. My doctor was convinced it was because of the Xanax and not the blood test, with which I have had problems before. I have 8 5mg tablets of BuSpar and I've taken two so far this week due to stress and just horrible panic attacks. The Xanax helped me a lot. The BuSpar seems to be like Xanax, except half of the anxiety relief, twice the time to relieve the anxiety, and four times the hangover. I woke up feeling horrible after having BuSpar, and I've never had a hangover on Xanax.
I've been reading that BuSpar is often used as a daily 3 times drug to help with GaD as a prevention to panic attacks, not as a "as needed" drug if you will. Should I contact her at the next opportunity and find out what's going on? BuSpar doesn't help my anxiety nearly enough or fast enough, but Xanax does.
aside; I'm taking 40 MG of Prozac everyday for about a week and no signs of improvement have shown.

[alankay]

Fainting while having blood drawn is NOT uncommon. I'd see another doc as the xanax had little to do with syncope(fainting) from blood draws. I faint sometimes and my doc is like "Yeah, that happens". "Have it drawn lying down from the hand if needed and don't look at the process". You have to sit down a while before you can go yet just to be safe". "Here's the rx for valium and lexapro and we'll see you next time". "I'm here for you".
I think she wants to drop the xanax and using that as an excuse. She might be concerned about using it too much so a longer acting med with less potential for dependence might be better. Valium, klonopin, librium or clorazepate(tranxene) might be better and she might rx one of them if she is concerned about dependence. Fact is if your anxiety is not fairly well controlled, you may need a long term benzo to control it only on an "as needed"(occasional) basis. Many with anxiety disorders(like me) do.
Buspar should be taken daily(2-3 times). It might help some though. That med is highly variable between patients.
Hang in there with the prozac as it will take some time to work and is a good med(IMHO). Alankay

[Yanni]

I only have 8 busparoine pills left. My doctor is off until Tuesday, so should I start taking two per day? I haven't had a history of drug addiction and no one in my family has either. Vallium hasn't worked for me in the past when I've had to have surgery. I've had to take three 5mg Valium pills to even bring down the anxiety to be able ot cope with it.
Do you faint while on Benzos? I was told that if that happens, it's serious and that I should go to the ER or call an ambulance. Keep in mind, I've only fainted while taking Benzos in stressful situations, IE: having blood drawn. They asked me if I had taken anything and I said Xanax. They had my mom drive me home.
My sister has had very bad issues with anxiety and Ativan has worked very well for her. Should I try and get that if she won't RX me more Xanax to deal with my anxiety?

[wanttoheal]

Find another doctor that will listen to you. Your doctor sounds very insensitive to your needs.

[alankay]

Yes the doc might rx a longer acting benzo. Ativan is longer acting than xanax but not as long as diazepam. 15mg is not a giant dose. I take that for anxiety and find it works well. 15mg maybe 20mg for flights, interviews and dental appointments. I have fainted while getting blood drawn but it nothing to do with the benzo. Syncope in that situation is just a reaction some people get. A beta blocker might contribute to fainting but usually not a benzo at a moderate dose like 15mgs. Ask about ativan or even klonopin. Alankay