Question:

Dear Coral,     Have you tried to set an alarm for when to take your meds.  I have my inhalers by my toothbrush that way I can take the flovent BEFORE I brush my teeth. When I had to take the inhaled steroid in the middle of the day I set my watch alarm to remind me.  I think they even make little med reminder clocks that you can set to remind you.  Hope this helps  Pam.

Response:

I don’t know if this applies to you, Coral, but I work in the computer industry, and I’m at a computer 8-10 hours a day. I’ve set reminders in Outlook that pop up so that I don’t forget to take my meds. Whatever you try, good luck! — Grant Thornley   "Do you like my mask? It brings thing back from the dead."     Giles, Season 3

Response:

Thanks for replying guys: Chris, yes, Im going to check that pill thing out in a while after I leave the computer, Pam, thats a good idea,and yes I ve tried an alarm but I share the alarm with my hubby, who needs it to wake him up for work, so thats no good. Grant, thats a good idea, didnt think about that. (in a rush) thanks Coral

Response:

I realize that I have to take my maintenance meds if I want to live, but my problem is that I constantly loose track of the time that I have to take them and end up skipping a night or two. Now, Ive been on Flovent and Serevent night and day for two months now and begining to feel like a crack head constantly inhaling on my areochamber.lol but seriously, sometimes I cant keep track of the time and I end up forgetting to take em. And after a while it feels like I going through some type of withdrawal.

At almost any drug store, you can get a pill box with a built-in alarm.  In almost any department store, you can get a watch with a built-in alarm.  Either will cost you less than $50, and be well-worth the expense if it helps you remember your meds. Chris Owens

Response:

I realize that I have to take my maintenance meds if I want to live, but my problem is that I constantly loose track of the time that I have to take them and end up skipping a night or two. Now, Ive been on Flovent and Serevent night and day for two months now and begining to feel like a crack head constantly inhaling on my areochamber.lol but seriously, sometimes I cant keep track of the time and I end up forgetting to take em. And after a while it feels like I going through some type of withdrawal. Coral

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Question:

Hi, I was wondering what your opinions/experiances are with regard to brand names vs. generic drugs. I am curious about effectiveness/side effects etc. I think I will be starting on Ritalin but I am interested in your thoughts on what ever it is you take as I know sometimes meds. get switched. Thank You! Vince

Response:

I’ve been taking methylphenidate for 4 years now (since age 17) and I’ve definitely noticed a difference between the generic and brand name.  Next time I go for a refill I’m going to have my psych. put an exception code on the Rx so my insurance will cover the regular Ritalin because the generic is unpredictable.  Perhaps compounding matters is the fact that I’m on the sustained-release form, and generic SR seems to sometimes release too quickly or seemingly not at all.  It’s annoying.  It’s better than nothing, but when I had the brand name stuff I didn’t have that problem even with the SR.  I’d actually like to go back to a more frequent dose of the regular release rather than the SR, but I’ll have to see what my dr. says.  Hope this helps, Anne * Sent from AltaVista http://www.altavista.com Where you can also find related Web Pages, Images, Audios, Videos, News, and Shopping.  Smart is Beautiful

Response:

brand names vs. generic drugs.

My son takes Ritalin SR and only brand name. When he got the generic it made him terribly sick to his stomach and he said the drug effects were different. Not so with brand. Now we have the Dr. write on the prescription ‘medically necessary’ so the pharmacy will give him brand instead of generic. As best I understand it, generic drugs only have to have a certain percentage of the active drug per batch in order to be considered that drug. Therefore, the formulation per pill can be quite undependable. The brand name drugs are more careful to ensure consistency of dosage per pill. Just my .02 worth. Stefanie "Give of yourself unto others and to life, for what you reap is beyond measure or compare" Me…

Response:

I’ve been taking methylphenidate for 4 years now (since age 17) and I’ve definitely noticed a difference between the generic and brand name.

A friends son had much the same experience, not with SR, just plain. The brand name worked MUCH better and it was kind of a blind test because he didn’t know of the switch.

Response:

I’ve been taking methylphenidate for 4 years now (since age 17) and I’ve definitely noticed a difference between the generic and brand name. A friends son had much the same experience, not with SR, just plain. The brand name worked MUCH better and it was kind of a blind test because he didn’t know of the switch.

When our son was taking Ritalin, we, and his teachers noticed the difference between generic and brand.  They would call and ask if we had forgotten to give it to him…. Those were the 10 mg tablets, however.  We didn’t notice a big difference in the 20MG slow release, however.  Then again, we were living in a different area, and using a different pharmacy. Does anybody know how many pharmaceutical companies make generic?  When we originally complained to the first phamacy (large retail grocery chain), their pharmacist got a little huffy and said that their generics were "the finest" or whatever.  I know it’s a silly question, but was just wondering….:-)   Thanks

Response:

I used to work for a Pharmaceutical company that manufactured generics. Although we did not produce a generic for Ritalin, I can say that the company had to follow strict guidelines as to the way the drug performed.  The FDA splits hairs before they give approval on a generic drug.  One thing I remember them saying was that a drug had to perform within a certain percentage of deviance from the Branded product.  If you were taking a gen that was on the outer upper limit and switched to the outer lower limit, that is a big difference from drug to drug. Although my knowlege of this stuff is limited I hope what little I have said has helped…..

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That is interesting because my HMO changed their generic methylphenidate about a year and a half ago.  The generic they used to have actually worked pretty well, but the stuff they switched to seems to be defective.  I tried the regular Ritalin shortly after the switch to the new generic, and it was very effective.  Then for some reason my doctor didn’t put the exception code on the Rx, and I had to get the bad generic again.  It’s good enough for me to keep paying attention in school, etc., but I never know when I take it if it is going to be a dose that "works" or doesn’t. Anne * Sent from AltaVista http://www.altavista.com Where you can also find related Web Pages, Images, Audios, Videos, News, and Shopping.  Smart is Beautiful

Response:

This is a good analogy for me as one of the primary reasons for me trying it is to be able to pay attention in class and do homework. I also want it to be able to perform daily chores/maintenance etc. like other people. Vince

Response:

be glad they have generic Rialin – I lost my insurance coverage and now a months worth of adderal, which has no generic equivalent, costs over $100…count your blessings

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Question:

Hi. I am female, and have had severe asthma for 30yrs. I am looking to connect with anyone who has had severe asthma (frequent hospital emergency visits, multiple daily steroid and flovent use) and has found any tangible means, other than flovent and steroid use, to lessen its severity. I know my triggers well, and controlling them has minimal effect-I can’t live in a bubble. Does someone have a personal victory to share? Thanks, S

Hiya – Im 32, and Im presently disabled for asthma, but I am to the point now (after 3 years) where I can have a life, and going out the door doesnt mean Im going to have an attack. I take Proventil inhaler, albuterol + Atrovent in the neb, flovent, serevent, prednisone 15mg, claritin and prilosec.  It took a LONG time for the Flovent and Serevent combo to get me down to 15mgs on the prednisone.  At one point I was up to 60/day.   Right before I went on disability I was going to the ER at least once a week, it was awful.  The first year on disability was really pretty bad too.  But little by little I have gotten better.  Could I go back to work?  I’m not sure, especially since I was a chef.  Plus, who would hire me with my history? I can tell you that the Flovent Serevent combo really has worked for me and I seem to have very drug-resistant asthma, not a lot of the new stuff works for me, like Singulair, Accolate, they did nothing. I wish you the best of luck. Life is uncertain – eat dessert first. Nancy 8=: )

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Hi. I am female, and have had severe asthma for 30yrs. I am looking to connect with anyone who has had severe asthma (frequent hospital emergency visits, multiple daily steroid and flovent use) and has found any tangible means, other than flovent and steroid use, to lessen its severity. I know my triggers well, and controlling them has minimal effect-I can’t live in a bubble. Does someone have a personal victory to share? Thanks, S

Response:

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi. I am female, and have had severe asthma for 30yrs. I am looking to connect with anyone who has had severe asthma (frequent hospital emergency visits, multiple daily steroid and flovent use) and has found any tangible means, other than flovent and steroid use, to lessen its severity. I know my triggers well, and controlling them has minimal effect-I can’t live in a bubble. Does someone have a personal victory to share? Thanks, S

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Question:

i have to agree they all tell me that zoloft isn’t addicting either, but screw them all i go off it for 2 days and then have to start it again they say hardly any of the newer drugs are addicting, well i say, that they should try them themselves and then they will see

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Zoloft Withdrawal–The Darkest Period of my Life Antidepressants  "I had all the classic symptoms of a junkie coming off of heroine." My name is Virginia and I just finished seeing a segment on 2020 regarding withdrawal symptoms after getting off of an antidepressant. THANK GOD!!! There are other people out there that have experienced the same symptoms I have experienced! Every doctor in the past, (3), I have told about my withdrawal symptoms have told me that it’s not possible or that they’ve never heard of anyone having these

symptoms months after – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – attempting to get off Zoloft. I even got very upset at one of the doctor’s and told him that the symptoms I was experiencing were "real" and that I was not crazy! To make a long story short– The six months I was off the Zoloft was the darkest period of my life. I had all the classic symptoms of a junkie coming off of heroine. For three weeks straight, I had dry heaves, nausea, dizziness, panic attacks so severe I thought I was having a heart attack, cold sweats, a weird sound in my head, like breaking glass every time I’d blink my eyes, the disconnection of your brains ability to catch up with your vision when you look sharply to the left or right (almost like the old slide projectors that take a second and then click to the next picture), severe paranoia, and continual suicidal thoughts. If it were not for my husband taking time of from work to watch over me, I would not be here today! Unfortunately, I lost my job, and ended up having to get back on the Zoloft in order to live a so-called "normal life". And I can honestly say, it was like a miracle how quickly my nausea and dry heaves went away. I only wish that the first doctor I saw would have informed me about the possibility of becoming addicted to this drug, and given me the choice of alternative treatment or a life long commitment to Zoloft. Now the only symptoms I have are dry mouth and a stiff jaw…Oh, and paranoia about ever losing my health insurance. Virginia — Psychiatry is to Science as Astrology is to Astronomy

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – i have to agree they all tell me that zoloft isn’t addicting either, but screw them all i go off it for 2 days and then have to start it again they say hardly any of the newer drugs are addicting, well i say, that they should try them themselves and then they will see Zoloft Withdrawal–The Darkest Period of my Life Antidepressants  "I had all the classic symptoms of a junkie coming off of heroine."

Well, in my experience, if you taper off of the drug, much the same as you slowly build up to a dose perscribed by your pdoc, you will experience less side effects.  The reason why it seems like you are addicted is because your nervous system has become dependant on the drug, and if you were to just stop it, you will experience severe side effects for several months afterwards, which happened to me a few years ago.  However, it’s not anywhere near as severe of an *addiction* as heroine or alcohol. Frost

Response:

i have to agree they all tell me that zoloft isn’t addicting either, but screw them all i go off it for 2 days and then have to start it again they say hardly any of the newer drugs are addicting, well i say, that they should try them themselves and then they will see

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Zoloft Withdrawal–The Darkest Period of my Life Antidepressants  "I had all the classic symptoms of a junkie coming off of heroine." My name is Virginia and I just finished seeing a segment on 2020 regarding withdrawal symptoms after getting off of an antidepressant. THANK GOD!!! There are other people out there that have experienced the same symptoms I have experienced! Every doctor in the past, (3), I have told about my withdrawal symptoms have told me that it’s not possible or that they’ve never heard of anyone having these

symptoms months after – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – attempting to get off Zoloft. I even got very upset at one of the doctor’s and told him that the symptoms I was experiencing were "real" and that I was not crazy! To make a long story short– The six months I was off the Zoloft was the darkest period of my life. I had all the classic symptoms of a junkie coming off of heroine. For three weeks straight, I had dry heaves, nausea, dizziness, panic attacks so severe I thought I was having a heart attack, cold sweats, a weird sound in my head, like breaking glass every time I’d blink my eyes, the disconnection of your brains ability to catch up with your vision when you look sharply to the left or right (almost like the old slide projectors that take a second and then click to the next picture), severe paranoia, and continual suicidal thoughts. If it were not for my husband taking time of from work to watch over me, I would not be here today! Unfortunately, I lost my job, and ended up having to get back on the Zoloft in order to live a so-called "normal life". And I can honestly say, it was like a miracle how quickly my nausea and dry heaves went away. I only wish that the first doctor I saw would have informed me about the possibility of becoming addicted to this drug, and given me the choice of alternative treatment or a life long commitment to Zoloft. Now the only symptoms I have are dry mouth and a stiff jaw…Oh, and paranoia about ever losing my health insurance. Virginia — Psychiatry is to Science as Astrology is to Astronomy

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – i have to agree they all tell me that zoloft isn’t addicting either, but screw them all i go off it for 2 days and then have to start it again they say hardly any of the newer drugs are addicting, well i say, that they should try them themselves and then they will see Zoloft Withdrawal–The Darkest Period of my Life Antidepressants  "I had all the classic symptoms of a junkie coming off of heroine."

Well, in my experience, if you taper off of the drug, much the same as you slowly build up to a dose perscribed by your pdoc, you will experience less side effects.  The reason why it seems like you are addicted is because your nervous system has become dependant on the drug, and if you were to just stop it, you will experience severe side effects for several months afterwards, which happened to me a few years ago.  However, it’s not anywhere near as severe of an *addiction* as heroine or alcohol. Frost

Response:

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -salarmy4me wrote:

I am trying Serzone and Visken and am on only the second day. Visken is a beta-blocker with anti-anxiety and   anti-depressant properties. The initial testing of visken with ADs showed good results. People recovered faster than with   antidepressants alone. Visken has to be used only with certain antidepressants, though. Only Paxil, Prozac, Effexor, and   Serzone have been augmented. Of course, the combo has to be studied more, but maybe I am the guinea pig for the   combo. Dr. Bob’s discussion on this showed that 15 mg is the right dose: 5mg three times a day. The side effect profile is   benign. Interestingly, I had a burst of crying in joy today. I never had that with serzone alone, but perhaps its actually the   Serzone that has finally kicked in. If anyone is interested, I will tell you more about the augmentation strategy. * Sent from AltaVista http://www.altavista.com Where you can also find related Web Pages, Images, Audios, Videos, News, and Shopping.  Smart is Beautiful

I’m interested…I tried Serzone but it didn’t help with my OCD. Am now on Effexor-XR. What is Visken? Thanks!

Response:

I am trying Serzone and Visken and am on only the second day. Visken is a beta-blocker with anti-anxiety and   anti-depressant properties. The initial testing of visken with ADs showed good results. People recovered faster than with   antidepressants alone. Visken has to be used only with certain antidepressants, though. Only Paxil, Prozac, Effexor, and   Serzone have been augmented. Of course, the combo has to be studied more, but maybe I am the guinea pig for the   combo. Dr. Bob’s discussion on this showed that 15 mg is the right dose: 5mg three times a day. The side effect profile is   benign. Interestingly, I had a burst of crying in joy today. I never had that with serzone alone, but perhaps its actually the   Serzone that has finally kicked in. If anyone is interested, I will tell you more about the augmentation strategy. * Sent from AltaVista http://www.altavista.com Where you can also find related Web Pages, Images, Audios, Videos, News, and Shopping.  Smart is Beautiful

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Question:

Drop 50mg per week – it’ll take a few weeks, but you’ll probably avoid any wd symptoms. On an optimistic note, I stopped taking Zoloft without tapering – had mild headaches for a few days and that was as bad as it got

Response:

I had no trouble at all going off zoloft.  I went off pretty quickly with no witdrawal symptoms at all.  Effexor, otoh… — Power concedes nothing without a demand.                                  Frederick Douglass

Response:

hi… i might be going off zoloft (sertraline) soon b/c it seems to be pooping out… not sure yet.  if i do quit it, how should i?  i’ve heard about withdrawl & that we should taper down by half a mg?  i’ve been on it since august `98, and i’m on 200mg now & have been for at least a few months & also risperdal & wellbutrin what happened to you if you stopped taking z, particularly at this high a dose?  i’ve heard about some fantastic dreams during withdrawl… what should i expect???   thanx,    lorraine

My experience with going off zoloft, nothing.  I went to 150 then 100 then 50 three days each.  The only problem was the delay, waiting to start prozac again.  zoloft had no beneficial effect for me.  For what it’s worth, I quit Effexor cold, definitely not recommended, but I had no bad experience there either. Charles

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – hi… i might be going off zoloft (sertraline) soon b/c it seems to be pooping out… not sure yet.  if i do quit it, how should i?  i’ve heard about withdrawl & that we should taper down by half a mg?  i’ve been on it since august `98, and i’m on 200mg now & have been for at least a few months & also risperdal & wellbutrin what happened to you if you stopped taking z, particularly at this high a dose?  i’ve heard about some fantastic dreams during withdrawl…  what should i expect???   thanx,    lorraine — .

– maybe it pooped out because the Risperdal is interfering(blocking) it? Eric Steroids caused my depression…prednisone should be illegal. Before you buy.

Response:

hi… i might be going off zoloft (sertraline) soon b/c it seems to be pooping out… not sure yet.  if i do quit it, how should i?  i’ve heard about withdrawl & that we should taper down by half a mg?  i’ve been on it since august `98, and i’m on 200mg now & have been for at least a few months & also risperdal & wellbutrin what happened to you if you stopped taking z, particularly at this high a dose?  i’ve heard about some fantastic dreams during withdrawl…

I’d strongly rec tapering the dose gradually – over about a month. If you do this it may well be you get no side effects at all. I’d suggest lowering your dose by a few mg & doing this every few days. If you start to feel bad then stick at that dose, or even go back up for a few days. If you’re going onto another SSRI or similar you can switch straight from one to the other – probably with very few side effects. OTOH I know people who’ve come off this stuff cold turkey & had no problems. Others get bad if they’re just a few hours late with their pill – a real YMMV I guess. ali

Response:

hi… i might be going off zoloft (sertraline) soon b/c it seems to be pooping out… not sure yet.  if i do quit it, how should i?  i’ve heard about withdrawl & that we should taper down by half a mg?  i’ve been on it since august `98, and i’m on 200mg now & have been for at least a few months & also risperdal & wellbutrin what happened to you if you stopped taking z, particularly at this high a dose?  i’ve heard about some fantastic dreams during withdrawl…  what should i expect???   thanx,         lorraine — .

Response:

Question:

I have never experienced any sedation or gotten any "buzz" from Xanax, in fact it actually energizes me without making me "speedy", if that makes sense.

It does make sense, and that happens for me at low doses as well. How much have you taken at a time? I am totally screwed up with sleep and energy due to the fact that I work full time night shift and then watch my highly hyperactive toddler all day until 4 or 5 when my eldest daughter comes home to help. So I am always tired and yet cannot fall asleep..frustrating!

You have my sympathies! I often have trouble falling asleep due to pain, and I have problems with waking up in the middle of the night. I’m convinced this has had a deleterious effect on my mental functioning. :-/ -elizabeth

Response:

I have never experienced any sedation or gotten any "buzz" from Xanax, in fact it actually energizes me without making me "speedy", if that makes sense. It does make sense, and that happens for me at low doses as well. How much have you taken at a time?

  In the middle of an extreme panic attack I have once or twice taken 3 mgs at a time..and have taken 2 mgs at once for slightly less severe but still awful ones..Now though I never take more than 1mg at a time, I dont need to with the other meds, in fact dont take any sometimes cause I just plain old forget. May -elizabeth

– "Believe me! The secret of reaping the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment from life is to live dangerously!"      -                Nietzsche

Response:

Hi Diana,     If you have never seen a p-doc yet, who prescribed the meds? 25mg is a good starting dose for zoloft, this should keep the side affects bearable. Zoloft taken daily and xanax whenever needed has worked very well for me, but then again YMMV.  The p-doc you are going to see  should be very caring and understanding towards your feelings. One that could try to understand what it is like to feel the way we do. I know mine does. I wish you the best of luck and hope the zoloft works for you. Please keep us posted. steve

Response:

Hello everyone haven’t posted lately but i am back, I finally made a appt with a psych doc today, my appointment if for next tuesday this is the first time for me, alittle nervous, can anyone give me any suggestions on what to look for with her to make sure she is the right one for me?  been having PA for 9 years now and finally being medicated for it .05mg of xanax and 25mg of zoloft is that a good combo? Thanks, Diana

Response:

The med combo is pretty standard, however that Zoloft dose is probably too low for any therapeutic benefit…although with all of the SSRI’s you must increase the dose gradually…and you can anticipate some increase in symptoms while you are going on any meds.  SSRI’s are more popular these days than TCA’s  because they effect fewer systems (less side effects) and are more site specific.  Xanax is a standard med to be used as needed., usually in combo with another med… however, I’ve been doing a lot of reading about a rebound effect … something I experience always, so I stopped.  In terms of your shrink… a good dr. should educate you about the disorder in addition to writing scripts for meds. Find out what percentage of her practice is anxiety patients.  Also, check out the Anxiety Disorder Assoc. web site for more ideas on getting a good shrink: www.adaa.org  GOOD LUCK!!  Keep us posted on the outcome.

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Steve, thanks for responding my family doc got me started on the meds and referred me to the psych doc.

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Hello everyone haven’t posted lately but i am back, I finally made a appt with a psych doc today, my appointment if for next tuesday this is the first time for me, alittle nervous, can anyone give me any suggestions on what to look for with her to make sure she is the right one for me?  been having PA for 9 years now and finally being medicated for it .05mg of xanax and 25mg of zoloft is that a good combo?

Zoloft (SSRI-antidepresant) and Xanax (benzo) make a good combo although our reactions to meds are very personal. One of the things to find out is whether your pdoc is a *benzophobe* (one who doesn’t prescribe benzos because of the alleged *addcition* problem). If she is, she’s not the right one for you. Also you should feel at ease with her. You should be listened to and treated like a responsible adult. You should be able to work on treatment together rather than the doc just telling you what to do. She should explain what she prescribes and proposes and why and then you should *agree* on what’s the right course to take. Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Thanks, Diana

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Hi Diana, The only words of advice I can give are not medicine -related. Don’t go into your appointment believing that your doctor can wave a magic wand, say all the right things and heal you. Yes, you can be healed but you will have to work hard. Also, do a lot of reading and decide what sort of therapy will work for you. (If I have to talk about my childhood one more time, I will scream!) Also, if you don’t feel comfortable with your doctor, say so Finally, if you trust your doctor, follow his/her advice. I know how big a step it is to go to a pdoc….good for you! You’re one step closer to feeling better.  Good luck. Let us know how it goes. Charley – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone haven’t posted lately but i am back, I finally made a appt with a psych doc today, my appointment if for next tuesday this is the first time for me, alittle nervous, can anyone give me any suggestions on what to look for with her to make sure she is the right one for me?  been having PA for 9 years now and finally being medicated for it .05mg of xanax and 25mg of zoloft is that a good combo? Thanks, Diana

Response:

Hey Diana!!  I’m on Zoloft, 100 mgs., and Xanax .25 mgs. as needed.  Be careful with the Zoloft…I didn’t have many side effects but it definitely increased my panic attacks in the beginning.  Hang in there…Zoloft has worked great for me.  I still have a few "muted" PAs but I can handle them much better now.  And the fact that I can drive to and from work and even make it to stores (close to home) by myself is amazing!!  I’m going up to 125 mgs. of Zoloft starting tomorrow on the advice of my pdoc…good luck and keep us all posted. Melissa

Response:

Hi, I take only zoloft 50 mgs. And it works well for me. Except around pms time when anxiety is high anyway. I feel some symtoms but they are very mild. It took 4 weeks to see the difference so give it awhile to work, the longer the better I feel.

Response:

One of the things to find out is whether your pdoc is a *benzophobe* (one who doesn’t prescribe benzos because of the alleged *addcition* problem). If she is, she’s not the right one for you.

I second this…even if I didn’t take benzos, I’d avoid benzophobic doctors just on principle! As everybody has said, Zoloft and Xanax is a good combination for panic disorder. 25mg is a starting dose of Zoloft, not a therapeutic dose; around 50mg, many people start to get some benefit, 100 is often enough, 200 is the high end (though you *can* go higher, this is the "official" recommended maximum). Doses of benzos are pretty individualized – are you taking it "as needed," or on some schedule? When I was using it for panic attacks, I needed 2mg to stop them (I didn’t take it all the time, just when I felt an attack coming on), but that’s just me. I actually don’t know how much other people use for this purpose – anyone? -elizabeth

Response:

Xanax is a standard med to be used as needed., usually in combo with another med… however, I’ve been doing a lot of reading about a rebound effect … something I experience always, so I stopped.

I’ve got a question about this: how many times a day were you taking it? I think that Xanax does not last equally long for everyone, so some people can get by taking twice a day but others need it four times a day. -elizabeth

Response:

Xanax is a standard med to be used as needed., usually in combo with another med… however, I’ve been doing a lot of reading about a rebound effect … something I experience always, so I stopped. I’ve got a question about this: how many times a day were you taking it? I think that Xanax does not last equally long for everyone, so some people can get by taking twice a day but others need it four times a day. -elizabeth

 Personally I had trouble taking it PRN because my pas were often OOB (as in while sleeping or nothing at all) although after enough of them I developed pretty much a state of constant anticipatory anxiety ..I could literally think myself into a panic attack trying to figure out how to avoid them..enter agoraphobia..Anyhow when I finally got Xanax I found if I had a PA it would generally take me 1.5-2 mgs to stop it..and I had little success with twice a day dosage,so I decided to stop the PRN route, as that is almost sure to leave anyone like myself with lots of hours of anxiety, as Xanax lasts 4 to 5 hrs at most for me. I now take it regularly .05 mg to 1 mg every four hours while awake, and if I rememeber..I do skip doses lots of times without even noticing it since my other two meds are helping a good deal too I think. But I can’t imagine twice a day being a very good xanax dosing..I would think 3 times at least given its short action. I have had almost no…nada..zero PAs for 6 weeks or more *knock on wood*, and my anxiety level is low enough to live with..I am sorry I was talked out of Xanax for so long because its tailor made for me and allows me to live, like a ..well not normal..but like a person anyhow ;- May — "Believe me! The secret of reaping the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment from life is to live dangerously!"      -                Nietzsche

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Personally I had trouble taking it PRN because my pas were often OOB (as in while sleeping or nothing at all) although after enough of them I developed pretty much a state of constant anticipatory anxiety

I pretty much *exclusively* had OOTB panic attacks; I can only think of one instance in which there’s been an apparent trigger (it was a couple months ago – anxiety about school, actually). However, I experience an aura that predicts panic pretty consistently. I’ve never had one in my sleep, but then again, I don’t sleep much. :-} Anyhow when I finally got Xanax I found if I had a PA it would generally take me 1.5-2 mgs to stop it..and I had little success with twice a day dosage,so I decided to stop the PRN route, as that is almost sure to leave anyone like myself with lots of hours of anxiety, as Xanax lasts 4 to 5 hrs at most for me.

Yowsers. It lasts a lot longer than that for me: if I take a large enough dose to be sedating, I can actually get a full night’s sleep (7-8 hours). Most people do need to take it at least 3 times a day, though. I now take it regularly .05 mg to 1 mg every four hours while awake, and if I rememeber..I do skip doses lots of times without even noticing it since my other two meds are helping a good deal too I think.

Every 4 hours? Wow. Do you wake up in the morning feeling cruddy? When I tried taking Buprenex by itself (without a regular antidepressant), I found that I would get nasty rebound depression if I missed a dose. I think that sort of thing (short-acting) is better if you have an antidepressant (or two to smooth things out. (Now I’m just using the Buprenex as a p.r.n.) -elizabeth

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Personally I had trouble taking it PRN because my pas were often OOB (as in while sleeping or nothing at all) although after enough of them I developed pretty much a state of constant anticipatory anxiety I pretty much *exclusively* had OOTB panic attacks; I can only think of one instance in which there’s been an apparent trigger (it was a couple months ago – anxiety about school, actually). However, I experience an aura that predicts panic pretty consistently. I’ve never had one in my sleep, but then again, I don’t sleep much. :-} Anyhow when I finally got Xanax I found if I had a PA it would generally take me 1.5-2 mgs to stop it..and I had little success with twice a day dosage,so I decided to stop the PRN route, as that is almost sure to leave anyone like myself with lots of hours of anxiety, as Xanax lasts 4 to 5 hrs at most for me. Yowsers. It lasts a lot longer than that for me: if I take a large enough dose to be sedating, I can actually get a full night’s sleep (7-8 hours).

 I have never experienced any sedation or gotten any "buzz" from Xanax, in fact it actually energizes me without making me "speedy", if that makes sense. I had awful drowsiness on Klonopin that never went any and I was not even on a full therapeutic dosage any of the three times I took it. I still do not sleep well and have Ambien that I take on occasion and find somewhat helpful, but If I take it more than two days in a row it seems to lose its effectiveness for me. I am totally screwed up with sleep and energy due to the fact that I work full time night shift and then watch my highly hyperactive toddler all day until 4 or 5 when my eldest daughter comes home to help. So I am always tired and yet cannot fall asleep..frustrating!  Most people do need to take it at least 3 times a day, though. I now take it regularly .05 mg to 1 mg every four hours while awake, and if I rememeber..I do skip doses lots of times without even noticing it since my other two meds are helping a good deal too I think. Every 4 hours? Wow. Do you wake up in the morning feeling cruddy?

I wake up feeling better than I ever have in my life; I no longer sleep through the alarm or take an hour to drag my butt out of it. As I said though (I think) I am also on Pamelor 50mgs and 20mgs of Prozac and I no longer necessarily take xanax every four hours..On days off at home I have forgotten to take any at all even, and then there are days where I know I am going to be better off to take it every 4 hours  before I *need* it after six…I have never had any aura at all for my OOB attacks and over the years I have accumulated a ton of triggers that I am now working on overcoming..the big one so far was not only to ride comfortably in a car but to drive myself..Now that the Pamelor/Prozac is kicking in, I am taking the xanax pretty much prn..I dont generally take more than 2 mgs total on any day now, and as I say I have never felt more competent or alive in my life =) When I tried taking Buprenex by itself (without a regular antidepressant), I found that I would get nasty rebound depression if I missed a dose. I think that sort of thing (short-acting) is better if you have an antidepressant (or two to smooth things out. (Now I’m just using the Buprenex as a p.r.n.) -elizabeth

May — "Believe me! The secret of reaping the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment from life is to live dangerously!"      -                Nietzsche

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This is nonsense.  Being an introvert is a personality trait which is neither inherently good nor inherently bad. -snip and rearange- It’s not introversion that causes depression, it’s listening to all the people telling you that something is wrong with you for not wanting their company. Um, excuse me, but did you actually read this post, or did you see the word "introvert" and then write a lot of stuff?  Where did anyone say anything about this personality trait being good or bad?  There’s absolutely nothing here that says that.

I liked Mason’s response, but I agree it seemed not really in direct response to your post.  If I had to take a guess at it, I would suggest that maybe Mason is still hearing people tell him he should be more extroverted, and so he is taking a moment out of his day to tell those voices to "shove off".  I suppose the fact that these voices also are, or are not, your voice is probably more relevent to you than him. Just my 2 cents of course.  Mainly relevent to me and my voices really. Sincerely Stewart — The Metaphor Man  *and*  The Great Defender of the Self (remove the SPAMBLOCK) Please send me an e-mail copy of your posted response.

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Nina wrote And maybe it’s useful to stop, to focus, to think "this moment.  now.  just this experience, this moment, now." But what if every moment of every day of my life, my body hurts, because I have Essential Tremor? What if this moment sucks, because I feel lonely, and weak, and sick, and tired, and my room is a wreck? What if the moments are bad? What then?

Oddly enough, IMHO, you just go with it.   Sincerely Stewart Hiding out in the shitty present to avoid dealing with the shitty future.  :-) — The Metaphor Man  *and*  The Great Defender of the Self (remove the SPAMBLOCK) Please send me an e-mail copy of your posted response.

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"this moment.  now.  just this experience, this moment, now."

But what if every moment of every day of my life, my body hurts, because I have Essential Tremor? What if this moment sucks, because I feel lonely, and weak, and sick, and tired, and my room is a wreck? What if the moments are bad? What then? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Nina, stuck inside on a snowy day, this moment, now!

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I lean far to the introvert side of the scale, of course.

This is nonsense.  Being an introvert is a personality trait which is neither inherently good nor inherently bad.  It is also completely different from depression.  There are extremely introverted people who bubble along happily and live healthy and productive and happy lives, who get married and have good friends.  It is a temptation to get depressed if you listen to the constant crock of shit criticism from your mother onward, about how you "ought" to be doing such-and-such and you’re abnormal for not having more friends and so on. I am really happy being by myself.  I do have a girlfriend and other friends but I no longer force myself to go to parties and just stay home unless I really want to go.  I reached an age of realization, and what a blessing it was to understand that I could simply tune out other people trying to set some sort of compulsory social interation standard for me.  If they "needed" other people all the time, fine.  I’ll do  whatever I damn well please, thank you very much. It’s not introversion that causes depression, it’s listening to all the people telling you that something is wrong with you for not wanting their company. –  Mason Barge "If this is coffee, please bring me some tea.  If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."  – Abraham Lincoln

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Ack. "Keep your eyes on the ball", was what my coach told me long ago, and it still works! DG

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I lean far to the introvert side of the scale, of course.

Me too Which made my bad game worse, etc.  So I started thinking:  focus.  It’s about now. It’s about this moment.  Life is only this moment, in some sense. Anchor yourself to now.

This is interesting, Nina. Things have been better for me lately, and when I read your post I realized that it was because I HAVE been doing this, focusing on the moment rather than the past or the future… Obviously, you can take this to its logical extreme, but that’s pretty unlikely for me.  But I see this kind of behavior in a lot of us, brooding on the future and the past until we achieve immobility.  And maybe it’s useful to stop, to focus, to think "this moment.  now.  just this experience, this moment, now."

I have spent too much time brooding on the past. Obviously, I am never going to forget Jim and the love we had, but slowly I am moving away from the constant awareness that he is no longer in my life. I find it a little  sad that I actually let the monthly anniversary of his death slip past me last month, but it is also a good thing that I was not planning what I should do to remember him on this day. Patricia {who had to count back to find that he died nine months ago…}

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Nina, <snipped outstanding post Excellent idea, and great food for thought!  Thank you for reminding me why I enjoy reading ASD so much!  In the moment, now, it’s snowy outside, but I’m home from work and having a wonderful time reading this newsgroup.  It *is* hard to remember to live in the moment sometimes. But I think this way of thinking helps. Holly

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what i remember about this is that introverts tend to have more brain wave activity than extroverts, so they seek less external stimuli. to put this in another way, so no one can say "are you insulting ______ ?": introverts tend to be "overstimulated" in relation to extroverts, who tend to seek out activities in order to achieve more stimulation.

Oooo, this is interesting.  I am thinking of the books by Donna Williams called; Nobody, nowhere, (1992);  Somebody, somewhere, (1994); and Like color to the blind,  (1996).  She is "autistic", and describes what her life is like.  To say that she experiences what others would deem "normal" as somehow an overwhelming overstimulation, would be an understatement. Interesting stuff. Sincerely Stewart — The Metaphor Man  *and*  The Great Defender of the Self (remove the SPAMBLOCK) Please send me an e-mail copy of your posted response.

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One of the differences between so-called introverts and extroverts, in a clinical sense, is that extroverts tend to live in the moment while introverts tend to live in the past and future.  I lean far to the introvert side of the scale, of course. That’s (I think) because we tend to think of introverts and extroverts in what I’d call the "social" sense– like extroverts are gregarious, outgoing people, and introverts are shy, solitary people.  However, that’s only a tiny piece of what these terms mean in a psychological sense– I learned this from my sister the psychiatrist some time ago, and I’ve never forgotten it, because it really highlights a big behavioral difference between certain people.  See also the paragraph that I kept from my original post, above.

Yeah, odd as it sounds, I bet one can even be a socially outgoing and gregarious introvert.  I am thinking here about say someone who physicall appears to be the life of the party, a person with friends by the dozens, but who actually "lives" inside, always feeling somehow disconnected from the party around them. But I am sure few people here on ASD would recognize that odd condition.   Just kidding of course. Sincerely Stewart — The Metaphor Man  *and*  The Great Defender of the Self (remove the SPAMBLOCK) Please send me an e-mail copy of your posted response.

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Just my 2 cents of course.  Mainly relevent to me and my voices really.

Stewart, honey, you’re hearing voices? pavanne, concerned — For more information about this service, send e-mail to:

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Something I’ve been thinking about. One of the differences between so-called introverts and extroverts, in a clinical sense, is that extroverts tend to live in the moment while introverts tend to live in the past and future.  I lean far to the introvert side of the scale, of course.

It’s funny, in person I appear to be quite extroverted.  I’ve long ago gotten over the crippling shyness that scarred my teen years; I’m quite adept at mingling and making small talk; I have no fear of social situations; I’m well read enough to be able to converse with almost anyone.  And yet I suffer from the same problem of living in the past and future, and not in the moment. And one of the things that’s been troubling me most is my inability to enjoy much of anything these days.  I start thinking about doing something, and then I think of all the reasons I shouldn’t, and I do nothing.  

The story of my life, Nina.   This all really struck me last week when I was playing racquetball last week, something that I’m awful at but really really enjoy. Instead of enjoying what I was doing, instead of focusing on the game, I was just awash in misery, thinking of other things.  Which made my bad game worse, etc.  So I started thinking:  focus.  It’s about now. It’s about this moment.  Life is only this moment, in some sense. Anchor yourself to now. And it really helped.  Obviously, you can take this to its logical extreme, but that’s pretty unlikely for me.  But I see this kind of behavior in a lot of us, brooding on the future and the past until we achieve immobility.  And maybe it’s useful to stop, to focus, to think "this moment.  now.  just this experience, this moment, now."

I felt like these two paragraphs were aimed at me, they are so very apropos to my situation this year.   John

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -bm…@haven.ios.com wrote:

In <01bb6ec9.66374280$5de5d3c6@#glang, "Lori Lang" <70471.1…@compuserve.com writes: I need some help from anyone who can give it.  I’m 36 years old and I’ve been an insomniac my whole life.  I have trouble getting to sleep and if I get to sleep I can’t stay asleep.  I get 2-3 hours of sleep a night.  When I was young, I started taking antihistamines at night (I had allergies) and although I didn’t feel great the next day, I slept.  Any time I didn’t take them, no sleep.  I’ve gone more than a week with no sleep at different times in my life.  I could take antihistamines until last year, when they started irritating my stomach.  I had to get some help. I follow all of the rules:  no eating after dinner, turn down the lights at night, meditate, stress reduction, blah blah blah.  I’m convinced that whoever came up with the list has never had a sleepless night, because those things don’t seem to matter.  I’ve tried melatonin, homeopathic remedies, acupuncture, herbs.  I finally went to the doctor and had a sleep study done.  It came back that my sleep is severely abnormal, I’m not getting to stage 3 or 4, and that I should take antidepressants. I’ve tried 4 different antidepressants.  I had allergic reactions to 2 of them (Prozac, Effexor), and two made me sick (Pamelor, Serzone).  The only thing that has helped is Ambien, but that’s nothing that anyone will prescribe for me on an ongoing basis.  But it’s heaven.  It’s the only thing that works. Unfortunately, I’m not someone who feels okay without sleep.  I’ve been told by three doctors now just to live with it because that’s the way I am.  I’d almost rather be dead than live like this.  It’s a nightmare (so to speak). Nobody feels okay without sleep.  Almost everyone on this newsgroup knows how devistating sleep deprivation can be.  It’s a shame you found three separate doctors who merely told you to "live with it".  Are these general practitioners? Have you seen a sleep specialist?  It seems to me that you need the help of someone who specializes in sleep problems and can understand the severity of your problems when you don’t sleep.  I don’t know too much about Ambien but I have seen postings here from people who have taken it regularly – one person for a couple years, I believe. Please, see a doctor who is both willing and capable of understanding your sleep problems.  Too many doctors know very little about sleep disorders and don’t understand their seriousness. –BillM

http://www.micronet.fr/~mondor

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"Lori Lang" <70471.1…@compuserve.com

wrote: I finally went to the doctor and had a sleep study done.  It came back that my sleep is severely abnormal, I’m not getting to stage 3 or 4, and that I should take antidepressants.   I’ve tried 4 different antidepressants.  I had allergic reactions to 2 of them (Prozac, Effexor), and two made me sick (Pamelor, Serzone).  The only thing that has helped is Ambien, but that’s nothing that anyone will prescribe for me on an ongoing basis.  But it’s heaven.  It’s the only thing that works.

First, let me say I sympathize with you.  Don’t give up hope!  Myself I have had a very bizarre sleep schedule my whole life, but I feel better since I recently figured out I have Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (with a non-regular pattern and bouts of sleep-deprivation…but anyway…) I might not have any advice for you, but I have a question because I am very curious about sleep disorders.  This question is for anyone who happens to know:     Why/when are anti-depressants prescribed for sleeplessness?  Are they only used in cases like hers where the sleep is very abnormal? When I complained to my physician of frequent insomnia, I was first told to take benadryl, and another time prescribed Xanax (only 10 of them.)  So, those would be more in the sedative category I guess (with benadryl actually an antihistamine and drowsiness being a side-effect?) I always hated the way those made me feel the next day–I don’t WANT to sleep for 9-10 hours and wake up feeling as though I have a brick on my forehead!  I love to be awake and doing stuff.  I tried melatonin too–it made me groggy but did not make me want to sleep, and when I finally went to sleep it was for 9-10 hours and I’d wake up a little groggy.   So, now I know that my natural sleep schedule is somewhere around sleeping from 9AM to 5PM, and I’d be comfortable doing that.  BUT in the mean time, I have in the past lost jobs for being late, been late for class, and I can’t guarantee I’ll ever make it to the bank, the post office, a dentist appointment, etc.  I’m almost impossible to wake up before that time–I sleep through all kinds of alarm clocks.   Now I have to get a job (I’m beyond broke from my summertime binge of sleeping when I want–but I ended up feeling like I was home with a disability), which means I have to get up at a decent hour to apply for a job, even to apply to work the night shift.  I have just recently tried taking 5mg of Valium, and am amazed that it has worked great for me!  I thought I would end up feeling groggy, but I have felt sleepy in a natural way in about 15 minutes after taking it, and wake up in the morning (ok well, it’s still the afternoon, but at least it’s early afternoon) feeling ALERT, moreso than I normally do. My alarm clock wakes me up!  (Still takes a few to get me out of bed, but at least I hear the alarms now.)  And I can do that after sleeping only 6-7 hours. So, can anyone tell me about problems taking Valium in order to sleep? Is my reaction similar to other people’s, and could I possibly use it to reset my circadian clock?  I have only tried it three times so far. I’d much rather sleep naturally, but it looks like that’s not going to happen. Thanks for listening, ~Moo * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Speak out against hatred and discrimination! Write your Senators TODAY and tell them to vote NO to the ridiculous "Defense of marriage act." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * http://www.mindspring.com/~moomoo/index.html

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In <01bb6ec9.66374280$5de5d3c6@#glang

, "Lori Lang" <70471.1…@compuserve.com writes:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

I need some help from anyone who can give it.  I’m 36 years old and I’ve been an insomniac my whole life.  I have trouble getting to sleep and if I get to sleep I can’t stay asleep.  I get 2-3 hours of sleep a night.  When I was young, I started taking antihistamines at night (I had allergies) and although I didn’t feel great the next day, I slept.  Any time I didn’t take them, no sleep.  I’ve gone more than a week with no sleep at different times in my life.  I could take antihistamines until last year, when they started irritating my stomach.  I had to get some help. I follow all of the rules:  no eating after dinner, turn down the lights at night, meditate, stress reduction, blah blah blah.  I’m convinced that whoever came up with the list has never had a sleepless night, because those things don’t seem to matter.  I’ve tried melatonin, homeopathic remedies, acupuncture, herbs.  I finally went to the doctor and had a sleep study done.  It came back that my sleep is severely abnormal, I’m not getting to stage 3 or 4, and that I should take antidepressants.   I’ve tried 4 different antidepressants.  I had allergic reactions to 2 of them (Prozac, Effexor), and two made me sick (Pamelor, Serzone).  The only thing that has helped is Ambien, but that’s nothing that anyone will prescribe for me on an ongoing basis.  But it’s heaven.  It’s the only thing that works. Unfortunately, I’m not someone who feels okay without sleep.  I’ve been told by three doctors now just to live with it because that’s the way I am.  I’d almost rather be dead than live like this.  It’s a nightmare (so to speak).

Nobody feels okay without sleep.  Almost everyone on this newsgroup knows how devistating sleep deprivation can be.  It’s a shame you found three separate doctors who merely told you to "live with it".  Are these general practitioners? Have you seen a sleep specialist?  It seems to me that you need the help of someone who specializes in sleep problems and can understand the severity of your problems when you don’t sleep.  I don’t know too much about Ambien but I have seen postings here from people who have taken it regularly – one person for a couple years, I believe. Please, see a doctor who is both willing and capable of understanding your sleep problems.  Too many doctors know very little about sleep disorders and don’t understand their seriousness. –BillM

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I need some help from anyone who can give it.  I’m 36 years old and I’ve been an insomniac my whole life.  I have trouble getting to sleep and if I get to sleep I can’t stay asleep.  I get 2-3 hours of sleep a night.  When I was young, I started taking antihistamines at night (I had allergies) and although I didn’t feel great the next day, I slept.  Any time I didn’t take them, no sleep.  I’ve gone more than a week with no sleep at different times in my life.  I could take antihistamines until last year, when they started irritating my stomach.  I had to get some help. I follow all of the rules:  no eating after dinner, turn down the lights at night, meditate, stress reduction, blah blah blah.  I’m convinced that whoever came up with the list has never had a sleepless night, because those things don’t seem to matter.  I’ve tried melatonin, homeopathic remedies, acupuncture, herbs.  I finally went to the doctor and had a sleep study done.  It came back that my sleep is severely abnormal, I’m not getting to stage 3 or 4, and that I should take antidepressants.   I’ve tried 4 different antidepressants.  I had allergic reactions to 2 of them (Prozac, Effexor), and two made me sick (Pamelor, Serzone).  The only thing that has helped is Ambien, but that’s nothing that anyone will prescribe for me on an ongoing basis.  But it’s heaven.  It’s the only thing that works. Unfortunately, I’m not someone who feels okay without sleep.  I’ve been told by three doctors now just to live with it because that’s the way I am.  I’d almost rather be dead than live like this.  It’s a nightmare (so to speak). Does anyone have anything to offer that I haven’t tried? Thank you.  Sorry if I sound whiney, I’m just sort of desperate. Lori

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