Worried about taking Xanax

[stevybob]

I was recently prescribed .25 mg xanax up to 3 times daily for anxiety an panic attacks, and I am worried about how I will react in presentation I have to give.

( I was prescribed .5 mg Klonopin about a year ago but stopped taking it after 5 months becaues I didnt notice any benefit)

I was really worried to take the xanax for the first time. I was worrried on how it would effect me, if it would knock me out, or just make me completely unable to function. having the medicine availible to take was actually causing me anxiety.
I decided to just go for it, and decided to try it in a simple lecture class because I didnt want to take it for the first time in a high stress situation, and about 12-15 mins after taking it, It worked, and I felt really relaxed with no anxiety at all for the first time in public in over a year! the effects seemed to ware off before class ended (1 hour 15 min class) but I still felt happier than I have in a long time and with low anxiety for a couple hours afterward.

but now, even after this positive experience, I am worried how I will perform if I have to take a test or give a presentation or do something more than just sit in a lecture class.

I'm particularly worried about a group presentation I have to give next week. Im worried that with the xanax I will be unable to understand what I have to say, or I might say incoherent things because I just dont know whats going on or something...

Does anyone have any advice, or experiences they could share to help me?

Thanks in advance.

[alankay]

Yeah I had the same issue with speech class in college. I used clorazepate, a benzo like xanax and atenolol, a beta blocker. Xanax won't do much except lower anxiety(unless you take too much). You still will be the same exact person you are, just less anxious and calmer. The more you take the calmer you'll be and so not as sharp so ........ always take just enough to feel fairly "normal".
Practice any speeches to help lower the anticipatory anxiety you must be feeling. Use that anxiety to motivate yourself to rehearse your speech. It will help a great deal, trust me.
I bet you'll feel anxious until just after you begin. As you realize you going to be able to to this you'll calm some. I did allot.
Anyway you have to take a fairly large amount of xanax for you to be truly out of it because it is potent. Alankay

[Enduronman]

Yeah I had the same issue with speech class in college. I used clorazepate, a benzo like xanax and atenolol, a beta blocker. Xanax won't do much except lower anxiety(unless you take too much). You still will be the same exact person you are, just less anxious and calmer. The more you take the calmer you'll be and so not as sharp so ........ always take just enough to feel fairly "normal".
Practice any speeches to help lower the anticipatory anxiety you must be feeling. Use that anxiety to motivate yourself to rehearse your speech. It will help a great deal, trust me.
I bet you'll feel anxious until just after you begin. As you realize you going to be able to to this you'll calm some. I did allot.
Anyway you have to take a fairly large amount of xanax for you to be truly out of it because it is potent. Alankay

Awesome AK!