Anxious as He**

[Sonic]

OK, I'll be the first to post to this forum. I was a lurker, but never posted back before the board went down. I had nerve damage to my ulnar nerve a few years ago, and to make a long story short, I was on Gabapentin continuously for 2.5 years. After slowly weaning off the Gabapentin (have been off for 3 months now), I find myself constantly anxious, restless, uneasy, etc. I was aware that I had some anxiety issues before the whole nerve injury/Gabapentin thing, but they have never been this bad for me before. I find myself constantly obssessing over irrational or uncontrollable things. I always have tight feeling in my chest. I am irritable, unsociable, and pretty much miserable.

For a while, my Doctor blamed on Gabapentin withdrawal, but after over a month of anxiety, he put me on Citalopram (an SSRI), and Ativan, and also a sleep med called Zopiclone. I am experiencing only modest relief at best, after 2 months of this treatment. I would really like to go back on the Gabapentin. Heck, it's safer than the SSRI's and less addictive than benzos like Ativan. But the Doctor says it's not approved or researched for anxiety. Any suggestions?

Sonic

[froglady42]

Sorry to hear you have anxiety attacks and hope you find a solution soon.

I'm looking in because I'm beginning to suspect that I have anxiety attacks and want to listen to some of the conversations to see if it's possible that I should have it checked out. Nothing serious,,but I seem lately to hate to go out,,,,,even to the grocery store, and when I do,,,,about an hour into my shopping, I feel like I'm going to explode at someone if I don't get out of the store and on the way home. Usually happens only when I have a need to go shopping,,,,,could be just the rude people but I've not had this before about a year ago, and I prefer not to mention it to my dr. until I feel it's necessary to find treatment. I am very anti-chemical drug and would rather seek some sort of herbal remeday if possible.

[stac925]

Hi I'm sorry that both of you are having this problem

Sonic I know gabapentin has no been approved for aniexty. Your dr should be able to find a drug that works like it and well for you.

Froglady42 I think its worth mentioning to your dr. There are treatments that do not include drugs. One is learning how to breathe to calm your self.

[Jennybean]

I have been dealing with anxiety for over seven years now and I can relate to the symptoms and feelings that you are experiencing. I can honestly tell you that the Gabapentin has nothing to do with your anxiety. A year ago I was diagnosed with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (quick explanation: nerve damage due to trauma). I was on Gabapentin for several months without any change in nerve pain. Upon weaning off the Gabapentin my anxiety increased due to the detoxification. Thus, my anxiety medication was increased for a period of time allowing my body to "come down" at a more regular pace.

I have been on Xanax XR for seven years and personally I wouldn't trade it for the world. I remember one time the pharmacy mixed up my prescription and gave me plain old Xanax instead of (XR) the extended release formula. The result was not too horrible, but I could definitely tell something was not right. As far as addiction goes, I have been on the same dose of 1 mg since Xanax XR was first prescribed. I only went up to 2 mg when I was weaning off the Gabapentin. Addiction [*correction* Tolerance, not addiction,] is when your body becomes dependent on a substance and thus needs higher and higher levels in order to achieve the initial effect. So for me, Xanax has not proven to be habbit forming in terms of addiction. I hope this has been of some assistance. Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions about my experience with anxiety. You are not alone.

Best of luck,

Jennifer

[blondehart]

After going thru some traumatic experiences, I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety. I took Buspar successfully. Since I've moved to a colder climate, I find that I need the buspar every fall & winter (snow makes me very anxious). It works for me.

[Michael]

Jennifer- I wanted to clarify a statement you made, "Addiction is when your body becomes dependent on a substance and thus needs higher and higher levels in order to achieve the initial effect." This is not an accurate statement.

What you just described is tolerance, NOT addiction. Addiction is when a person continues to use a drug when it is clearly causing problems in their life. The drug is NOT helping them be a productive member of society, it typically makes them a burden on people in their life. There is a medical definition.

Seeing multiple doctors, asking for a "new" script because they "lost theirs AGAIN". Some of these actions are also illegal and at a minimum a person with an addiction issue.

Tolerance is when your body becomes accommodated to the drug and may require more to achieve the same results. It applies to opioids, (OxyContin, Percocet, Lortab, etc. Benzodiazepines can also cause tolerance, just because someone increases their dosage on Xanax from 1 to 2mg per day does NOT mean they are addicted. They are usually dependent on the drug, you cannot just stop taking Xanax or Ativan. W/D's would come on fast and can be life threatening with the Benzo's.

This is just a touchy subject for me. Many physicians do not understand the terminology.

So, Jennifer, I am glad the Alprazolam XR is helping you. It is a good drug. Good Luck.

md

[Jennybean]

Michael, thank you. You are absolutely right. I got confused (a recently reoccurring problem for me) and when I read it again I realized my mistake. I was simply trying to make the point that I am not addicted to my medication even though I have been on it for such a long time. Most doctors only prescribe it to be used for a short period of time, i.e. not years. I'm glad you caught my error and clarified the situation. Thanks again.

[fisheater]

What you just described is tolerance, NOT addiction. Addiction is when a person continues to use a drug when it is clearly causing problems in their life. The drug is NOT helping them be a productive member of society, it typically makes them a burden on people in their life. There is a medical definition.

Seeing multiple doctors, asking for a "new" script because they "lost theirs AGAIN". Some of these actions are also illegal and at a minimum a person with an addiction issue.

Tolerance is when your body becomes accommodated to the drug and may require more to achieve the same results. It applies to opioids, (OxyContin, Percocet, Lortab, etc. Benzodiazepines can also cause tolerance, just because someone increases their dosage on Xanax from 1 to 2mg per day does NOT mean they are addicted. They are usually dependent on the drug, you cannot just stop taking Xanax or Ativan. W/D's would come on fast and can be life threatening with the Benzo's.

This is just a touchy subject for me. Many physicians do not understand the terminology.

So, Jennifer, I am glad the Alprazolam XR is helping you. It is a good drug. Good Luck.

md

While I agree with your definition of tolerance, I have to disagree with your addiction terminology. I know people that are productive members of society yet they are clearly addicted to drugs like nicotine. Also, dosage does not really define whether someone is addicted to a drug or not. As an example, many of these people inhale the same amout of nicotine on average per year, but they are still addicted/dependent on nicotine.

Xanax is particularily dangerous in my opinion, because it is a "triazolo" benzodiazepine, and binds much more tightly to the gaba-benzo receptor in the brain than other tranquilizers. When people try to quit they can go into serious withdrawal because of the intense rebound effect, and can end up on the drug for years. I have a copy of an internal 1990 FDA memo stating that Xanax is so habit-forming that some people will never be able to quit the drug.

By the way, the principle researcher on Xanax and its sister drug Halcion, Dr. Louis Fabre of the Fabre Research Clinics, was suspended in 2005 by the FDA for alleged fraud and the negligent death of one of his patients. Dr. Fabre was responsible for 4 of the 7 Phase II trials on Xanax and many additional studies including pivotal trials that the FDA relied upon to approve this drug. He was disciplined no less than 14 times over a 30 year career for repeated violations of the federal guidelines governing drug research. Here is the shocking FDA disqualification letter against Fabre: http://www.fda.gov/foi/nidpoe/n33l.htm

[Michael]

Fisheater- As far as Xanax goes, I have read the study. However, I know individuals that used up to 2-3mg per day and were able to stop. One was, lets just say I know with 100% certainty was able to quit over a period of about 5 months. And for the people it helps and really have anxiety/Panic Attack issues, I believe the it is one of the best Benzo's available in the U.S. Ativan, Valium, etc. are older drugs that metabolize into many different drugs and have long half life.

Quote- "I have to disagree with your addiction terminology. I know people that are productive members of society yet they are clearly addicted to drugs like nicotine. Also, dosage does not really define whether someone is addicted to a drug or not. As an example, many of these people inhale the same amount of nicotine on average per year, but they are still addicted/dependent on nicotine"

Let me first state that while nicotine is certainly addictive, I was NOT referring to that type of drug. I do know of anyone who was clearly addicted to a "controlled substance" and was fully functional. It just will not happen over time, tale tell signs will emerge. However, I know of individuals terminated becaise they were spending too much time in the designated smoking area.

A person with real addictions issues will not be able to function in society on most opioids, Benzo's, alcohol, Barbiturates, and the whole host of other drug classes.

Quote, "Also, dosage does not really define whether someone is addicted to a drug or not"

I never said that dosage was an indicator of any kind for addiction, I even stated, "just because someone increases their dosage on Xanax from 1 to 2mg per day does NOT mean they are addicted."

I do not believe nicotine is a good example to use for purposes of this discussion as it does not cause any significant mind altering effects after the person is accommodated to the drug. At least that is what I have been told and observed. A person using nicotine may seem to have a calming effect when using nicotine, but I believe it is only relieving their W/D's.

[fisheater]

Fisheater- As far as Xanax goes, I have read the study. However, I know individuals that used up to 2-3mg per day and were able to stop. One was, lets just say I know with 100% certainty was able to quit over a period of about 5 months. And for the people it helps and really have anxiety/Panic Attack issues, I believe the it is one of the best Benzo's available in the U.S. Thank you for your response. I don't see how a drug that takes 5 months (!!) to withdraw from can be considered the best of anything. As the FDA admits, many fail to quit because the withdrawal symptoms are so intense. Several European countries refused to approve xanax for panic disorder because its safety had never been proven.

Let me first state that while nicotine is certainly addictive, I was NOT referring to that type of drug. I do know of anyone who was clearly addicted to a "controlled substance" and was fully functional. It just will not happen over time, tale tell signs will emerge. However, I know of individuals terminated becaise they were spending too much time in the designated smoking area.......A person with real addictions issues will not be able to function in society on most opioids, Benzo's, alcohol, Barbiturates, and the whole host of other drug classes. You admit that nicotine is an addictive drug, yet it doesn't fit your definition of addiction. How can that be? Certainly, some drugs are more addictive than others, isn't that why xanax is a controlled substance and alcohol and nicotine are not?

I do not believe nicotine is a good example to use for purposes of this discussion as it does not cause any significant mind altering effects after the person is accommodated to the drug. I think its excellent example. I seem to recall big tobacco trying to deny nicotine was addictive.

A person using nicotine may seem to have a calming effect when using nicotine, but I believe it is only relieving their W/D's.
The same argument can be made against long term use of tranquilizers.

[Michael]

Sonic and Jennifer- I want to apologize for re-directing this thread in a manner that was not helpful. I know better and would like to share info.

Jennifer, again, I am glad the Xanax XR relieves your symptoms. Everyone has their own opinions, IMO Xanax is just as safe as any of the other benzodiazepines. Most important, your physician has a treatment plan that works for you.

I have taken Xanax, and many of the other anti-anxiety drugs. (At different times of course) I tapered off Xanax relatively easily, that was a choice of mine.

Has anyone been prescribed Buspar, and if so, was there any decrease in anxiety?

I have actually been a member on this forum for 3 years give or take. A long story short, I had not visited the site in a while and could not get my old password e-mailed to me. (Several years ago your password was not an option. Then they allowed it to be changed, but I didn’t)

I have Chronic Pain due to a motorcycle accident, I was wearing a helmet and it saved my life. My accident caused severe problems with my neck muscles (Myofacial Pain Syndrome), fractured upper disks (C3-C4), and also have problems with my lower back. The physical therapy and the cleaning of the "road rash" was extremely painful.

The anxiety is not related to my MVA, but I take Valium as a muscle relaxer. I obviously never combined two benzo's at the same time. I alternate Valium with Soma, I am amazed the DEA does not classify carisprodol as a CIV controlled substance.

Hope everyone is well and had a good Turkey Day.


md

[scientist1]

Hi all,
I was on neurontin for migraines for many months. I decided to go off of it due to significant weight gain (the stuff made me ravenous!). Anyway, when I came off of it I went into what I can only describe as the deepest darkest place inthe world. I didn't know why I was alive. I couldn't understand why anyone cared about anything. I couldn't even muster the energy to get out of a chair and get a stray baseball for my son.

My neurologist really didn't know what to do, but I now recognize these as symptoms of depression. It turns out that if you have a history of depression (which I did, but didn't realize until the dark blackness occurred again) coming off of neurontin can cause depression. I am now on lexapro and wellbutrin, (for 7 years) and probably will be for life. Anyone using neurontin or trying to come off of neurontin, please be careful.

-L

[fisheater]

Hi all,
I was on neurontin for migraines for many months. I decided to go off of it due to significant weight gain (the stuff made me ravenous!). Anyway, when I came off of it I went into what I can only describe as the deepest darkest place inthe world. I didn't know why I was alive. I couldn't understand why anyone cared about anything. I couldn't even muster the energy to get out of a chair and get a stray baseball for my son.

My neurologist really didn't know what to do, but I now recognize these as symptoms of depression. It turns out that if you have a history of depression (which I did, but didn't realize until the dark blackness occurred again) coming off of neurontin can cause depression. I am now on lexapro and wellbutrin, (for 7 years) and probably will be for life. Anyone using neurontin or trying to come off of neurontin, please be careful.

-L

Neurontin is the drug that Warner-Lambert scammed on the public by promoting its use for the off-label treatment of conditions that were never approved bythe FDA. Since the drug was primarly approved for the treatment of seizures and neuralgia, the drug company could only make a huge profit by promoting its off-label use. Many thousands of victims had the same experience as you in coming off of this drug, so please don't blame yourself or any supposed pre-conditions you might have had.

Thanks for warning others, as I was trying to do with Xanax addiction and withdrawal. Sometimes though, people don't want to hear bad news!

[uvamomb]

I have had problems with anxiety attacks and obsessive compulsive disorder for over 30 years. Xanax, not extended release type, but regular has been a Godsend to me. Also, for the obsessive thoughts antidepressants can really, really help. There are some that are better than others for obsessive compulsive disorder. Ask your druggist or physiciatrist. It's rough, really, really rough to feel like you are feeling. I do hope you'll get help soon.
Kathy
P.S. I take the extended release Xanax at bedtime instead of the regular one, and that has helped too.

God bless,
Kathy

[Suq]

I just wanted to add that xanax has been a lifesaver for me. And I am so thankful to the dr who originally introduced me to it. I was only on .25 a day for over 5 years and that helped me tremendously. It is only because of dental work and resulting tmj/teeth pain that i had to increase the xanax. I'm under the care of a specialist and trust his judgment. I also trust my judgment about what enters my body and why I use it. Michael, i read all your posts and appreciate all your positive responses. Everybody have a great holiday, Suq

[fisheater]

I also trust my judgment about what enters my body and why I use it.

Fair enough, but if part of trusting your judgement includes reliance on the safety and honesty of the FDA and its approval process, I highly recommend researching psychiatric medications on your own.

A good place to start is with the principal researcher on xanax, Dr. Louis Fabre, who is currently being disqualified by the FDA for fraud and negligence in the death of his patient. Many similar allegations of fraud have been made against Fabre for his xanax and halcion clinical trials. These trials are still used by the FDA in the xanax NDA database for approval of this drug.

http://www.fda.gov/foi/nidpoe/n33l.htm

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002606643_drugtexas06.html