Drug Ratings for XANAXAverage Rating: 3.9 (900 Ratings)
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Results are sorted by Date Rating Was Added Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
Charts & graphs: Reviews Summary for XANAX | Top 10 Adverse Effects (reported to FDA)
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR XANAX | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
  | F M | | | | |||
| 5 | Severe Anxiety/Panic Attacks | I found that there was some increased dependence on the drug for a | The pill has helped to control my anxiety and panic attacks. However, it has not cured it. I have become more functional and able to feel comfortable confronting panic/anxiety attacks knowing that the xanax will help to reduce the duration and occurence of severe anxiety/panic attacks. I would definitley recommend it, but be wary of dependence. | M | 21 | 3 days | 7/19/2005 | 5 | severe panic attacks and anxiety | tired is all i've found with it | I was having such severe panic attacks that my family thought they were gonna have to hospitalize me. The xanax stopped them not dead in their tracks but sure helped alot I have only been taking 0.5 mg cut in half at night so I may have to go up to the full pill because after being on this low dose for around eight months it's probably not enough any more I have not found a better drug for panic and anxiety disorder | F | 47 | 8 days | 7/8/2005 | 4 | well..i was at a graduation party.. | Ok..I was at a party, and..my boyfriend gave me a xanax bar. Im a really little person..5'2, 105 pounds so i think it might have done this to me because of how small i am..but im not sure. I didnt do any other drugs through the night..just that one pill..and i woke up the next morning with people telling me things i didnt know i had done. My boyfriend told me some crazy sex stories that i wouldnt imagine doing in a million years but that i did do, and my friends told me i was wanting to go to the library and i had to be carried. Only thing i remember was getting into the bed..and sleeping. I lost total memory and i still cant remember..i just know what my friends told me i did. But..i guess it was fun? lol. | im scared to do it again.. | F | 16 | 1 days | 6/23/2005 | 5 | Recreational | Addiction | Gift from the Goddess. Makes sex incredible. | F | 62 | 14 years | 6/16/2005 | 3 | Alcohol | Increaesd anxiousness, stress | M | 33 | 5 months | 6/15/2005 | 4 | panic attacks | Right now sleepiness in AM. | I love the fact it can be taken PRN (as needed) and the quickness of its effects. Once I learned the early onset signs of a panic attack, I can pop a .5 and usually that does it. If not I take another .5 and that so far as always nipped it in bud. It has a made a world of difference for me and I dont feel like such a | F | 37 | 6 months | 6/13/2005 | 4 | Anxiety/Insomnia | none at first, but after a 12 days of nightly, low dosage use, the next day I had nervousness, palpitations, heart rate increase, weakness (flu-like), delayed breathing, shallow breathing. Once I felt like I was going to black-out, but I think I just over-reacted to the above symptoms and just got scared. I've never blacked-out before, so all the above was new feelings for me. All these symptoms would come and go, usually from 10am to 3pm. After that, everything was fine. This had to be the Xanax being metabolized from my system (i.e., a little withdrawal). | No side effects at first, except it would knock me out, which is what I wanted it to do. I was taking .5mg at night only (none during the day). After a few days on the stuff, my tolerance level increased and I found that I needed .75mg to make me sleep. It was after this increase that I began to experience side effects during the day. I would think this was due to withdrawal symptoms. As I read, withdrawals from this drug, even though you aren't addicted, can mimic the very symptoms the drug is supposed to fix. Thus the reason why some think they eventually need it 2-3 times a day or more. Xanax is good for it's intended purpose, anxiety, but once that is cured, don't continue to take it as a sleep-aid (insomnia). Don't get me wrong, some people need this drug on a daily basis just as diabetics need insulin. | M | 41 | 14 days | 6/13/2005 | 5 | panic/health worries | no known | Does anyone have any idea if there is any research or information about taking SMALL doses (HALF OF A .25) if you were to have severe anxiety while you were pregnant? Appreicate any input. thanks | F | 29 | 3 years | 6/8/2005 | 5 | anxiety | xanax works wonders for me. It calms me down and keeps me from having uncontrollable anxiety attacks. I suffer from a chronic lung disease,xanax helps me feel at ease with my difficulty breathing.I suffered from anxiety for 20 years not realizing there was something like xanax available for me, until I spent 2 weeks in the hospital, was told patients with my illness rely on xanax. I am very happy with the results of the drug. | F | 56 | 16 days | 6/8/2005 | 4 | anxiety, stress | Some sleepiness, some lightheadedness | This was given to me for a few days after my first anxiety attack. I took it when I needed it until I saw my general practictioner. When I saw him he added Lexapro and took me off the xanax and the Lexapro made me deathly sick for three days. So now I just use the xanax whenever I feel like I may be having a panic attack and it works great and I recommend it to be taken whenever you need it. I know its said to be addictive, but if you are responsible and just take it when you think you need it, its extremely helpful | F | 23 | | 6/1/2005 | 5 | anxiety/insomnia | none | Xanax works very well for me. Helps me to calm down when i start feeling anxious or overwhelmed. Also works very well when I can't get to sleep at night. I don't always need it. Some weeks I have to take it every day and then sometimes I can go weeks without taking any. I defintely like it better than the anti-depressants my doctor has had me try. Those are terrible. They really mess with your brain. Xanax just takes the edge off and helps you cope.(especially for PMS!) I am a stay at home mom of five boys and let me tell you this has been a life saver for me! | F | 35 | 2 years | 5/20/2005 | 5 | Generalized Anxiety Disorder, PD | Initially [for the first 3 days], slight drowsiness after a .5mg dose, which I could fight off easily. | A very potent and effective drug which has changed my life by making things easier. However, the addiction potential makes it risky for those facing substance abuse presently or in the past. Misusing this drug [i.e. mixing it with alcohol] results in a marked disinhibition along with memory loss. Use with caution. | 22 | 1 years | 5/10/2005 | 3 | anxiety, insomnia | no side effects other than drowsiness from the drug | I would have no problem falling asleep at night, but would wake up 3 to 4 hours later with anxiety and could not go back to sleep. Doctor tried sleep medications but they were not powerful enough to stop the anxiety. First night on .5mg xanax I was able to sleep almost 9 hours. Next few nights 7 or so and now im back to 4 or 5 hours max just taking .5mg I break a .25 in half to take during the day if I feel anxiety and it seems to work well. I've only been on this a short time. Not sure if I should move onto Effexor XL as my doctor is suggesting if the anxiety persists. | M | 34 | 2 weeks | 4/27/2005 | 4 | generalized anxiety | sleepyness/fatigue. this stuff knocked me out the first few times i took it (.25-.5 depended on level of anxiety). After a week or so, side effects wore off when i took a low dose. I take it on an as needed basis. usually 4-8 (.25 mg pills) a week. | It definately helped. Made work/life more bearable and i am much more calm in situations that previously had me flipping out. I was perscribed this along with Zoloft, and they both seem to be working fine. | F | 22 | 2 months | 4/26/2005 | 5 | panic attacks/anxiety/insomnia | none, except sadness if I take it alone and go to sleep (weird!) | Posted below, discontinued effexorXR that ned is a b%$#@ to get off of, too many neurotransmitters for me personally. Since I added Lexapro and still continue to take the Xanax, things are better. I find in conjunction w/an antidepressant one needs less Xanax, decreasing potential for addiction to the benzo and some great cognitve behavioral therapy isn't a bad idea either | F | 34 | 1 years | 4/23/2005 | 1 | Recreational | I took this drug after drinking 2 bottles of Heineken and a shot of Jagermeister and proceeded to blackout (I literally remember nothing from 10 minutes after I took the pill until the next afternoon at around 4pm when I woke up), completely go insane towards everyone I was with, crash my car going at least 55 into a tree in someone's front yard, and get a DUI for driving drunk. This drug is ridiculous, and all of you people talking about how you love it need to wake up and realize that if you love a drug you have a problem. This drug is nasty, it's addictive, and it can easily cause blackouts with or without the addition of alcohol. Why doctors even give this to their patients is a mystery to me. I have taken this drug on a few occasions and never has it been a positive experience. I have friends who became addicted and then moved on to bigger things, such as Oxy's. I have also seen people who were prescribed Xanax and will never be functional without it again. I despise this drug. | People think they need medication for typical human emotions because they are too weak to realize these negative feelings are illusions they've created for themselves. I used to have panic attacks and I worked through it without medication. I haven't had a panic attack in years and quite honestly, I doubt I'll ever have another. I'm glad our society has deteriorated into one which popps pills for anything that may be of inconvenience rather than combat it with intellect or logic. You're all sad and pathetic for loving your supposed | F | 22 | 12 times | 4/20/2005 | 5 | agoraphobia and severe panic attack | None | This is TRULY a miracle drug. I no longer have arrythmias or panic attacks that confine me to my room for months at a time. | F | 53 | 15 years | 4/13/2005 | 5 | anxiety | the first week of takeing xanax i was tired, but it worked the first time i took it. after 2 weeks or so, i lost 3 lbs. and my energy levels were through the roof! all the side effects of this medicine were very low...now i am on buspar and take xanax only when needed, but its still the best out there. | xanax works great for people with hypothryoidism. | F | 28 | 1 years | 4/12/2005 | 1 | some anxiety | It caused full blown panic and anxiety attacks. It caused depression, suicidal tendencies, poor self esteem, very poor judgement. Started into withdrawal and had to keep taking more. It caused my miscarriages. It ROBBED me of 20 years of my life. A rating of 1 is extremely too high for this drug. It should have never been put out into the market. | DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG!! It should be pulled from the shelves. | F | 49 | 21 years | 4/11/2005 | 1 | insomnia | Muscle pain, dry itchy painful eyes. Very addictive and I wasn't warned about that. | Stopped taking it over a year ago and still suffering. Had a seizure after I stopped, even though I withdrew gradually. | F | 65 | 3 years | 4/10/2005 | 1 | insomnia/ fibromyalgia | At first none, but soon after heart palipitations acid reflux, depression, weight gain, muscle twitching and numbness | The first while I was on it I did not know the heart palipitations were from that , so I ended up on a beta blocker, then acid blocker, I took it for 8 years , and all hell broke loose when I tried to stop. I lost 45 pounds had agoraphobia, Suicidal, burning body parts, seizures halucinations , and on & On.At 5 months off I finally had to go on a benzo with a loger half life , and it took over a year to wean myself off. 8 months clean and i still suffer physical symptoms.It is a drug from hell. If you don't take it do not start, and if you do don't stop, go to benzo group@yahoo you'll find over 2000 people in similar situations | F | 44 | 8 days | 4/10/2005 | 5 | panic attacks/anxiety | short term memory loss about a hour after drug takes affect. | It's the best drug I've ever taken. Before starting .25 mg. once daily I was drinking to much trying to mask the anxiety and the churning feeling in my stomach. No longer crave alcohol after taking xanax for four years. It's changed my life and I can cope on all levels now. To me, it's a wonder drug. If you really need it it won't make you high but only calm and focused. I can't imagine going through life without it. | M | 53 | 4 years | 4/9/2005 | 3 | extreme social anxiety | just makes me really tired. helps me get a really good nights sleep! | i dont know if it really helps the social anxiety all that much. just makes me really relaxed but doesnt make me motivated to socialize or anything | F | 24 | 10 times | 4/9/2005 | 3 | Panic attacks, anxiety | Extreme fatigue, pain in the right side of my head | I only use it as needed. For me, even 1/2 pill is too much. Makes me too sleepy. I take a 1/4 of a pil or even less. But I always notice the pain in the right side of my head when I take it. Makes me wonder. They say long term use causes brain shrinkage. Is this what I feel happening in my head each time? It makes me want to use it sparingly. I don't trust it entirely. | F | 43 | 8 months | 4/8/2005 | 4 | undetermined lightheadedness | Lack of energy, metabolism has slowed, need naps to get through the day | It stops the lightheadedness, but after taking it for so long, I'm dependant upon it. The beginning withdrawls from this medication are horrible and could potentially be deadly. | F | 33 | 4 years | 3/30/2005 | 4 | Anxiety | Lethargic, Short Term Memory Loss | Don't take more than you are prescribed | M | 34 | 2 years | 3/24/2005 | 5 | Panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia | After taking Klonopin, and Ativan over the years, Xanax has helped the most, AND has had the least amount of side effects. I thought recently that my 160 pulse was from the Xanax, but I have been taking it for 1 year now, and added EFFEXOR XR 3 months ago. (BAD MOVE) I have had absolutely NO side effects from taking Xanax. | Xanax has saved me when I go into full on panic attacks, and my heart flutters. I love Xanax. I know it's addictive, however, so far so good after a year, and I haven't had to increase it. When I added Effexor XR to my | F | 34 | 1 times | 3/11/2005 | 5 | panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia | I was just reading, that the one thing I have noticed, is that after about 10 months after beginning Xanax, my liver enzymes have increased as well, but I also was taking Vicodin for a year due to another disease. | I do wonder if Xanax, taken over a long period of time, does affect one's liver enzymes? I never had any problems with my liver enzymes until taking this medication, but it still helps. Kind of like a catch 22! Best wishes all. | F | 34 | 1 years | 3/11/2005 | 5 | Depression and anxiety | None except I suspect it could be partly to blame for my gaining about 35kg over the 11 1/2 years - enough to make you depressed! I also hve slightly raised liver enzymes in my blood. I don't know if Xanax is to blame. | After resisting using drugs for 18 months after the onset of my symptoms at the age of 41, I was given a sample of Xanax. I was warned it was addictive and researched it for myself. I did not want to use it but my life was a mess in that I couldn't socialise etc after being an extroverted person all my life.I had a family of 4 children to care for and a very understanding and kind husband. I reluctantly tried Xanax and found immediate relief. I have been taking it for almost 12 years now. I take 2mg per day (morning and midday) and occasionally extra for anxiety provoking situations (like visiting the DOCTOR). I don't like being addicted to a drug but it is better than having a rotten life. I was eventually diagnosed as having fibromyalgia which seemed to have caused my problems. I have tried a few antidepressants but they either don't work or give me worse anxiety. I am lucky that my doctor seems to feel taking Xanax indefinitely is OK as I am not raising the dose. I try to cut back sometimes but have not been successful. | F | 52 | 11 years | 2/27/2005 | 5 | Depression and anxiety | See my last comments. I am repeating this as I made a mistake in my email address. It is lindaloveslife1@hotmail.com | F | 52 | 11 years | 2/27/2005 | 4 | aniety and panic attacks | Without this medicine, I have an increase in blood pressure. When I take it, which is when I notice that I am becoming quite anxious and nervous, it slowly eliviates those feelings. I only usually have to take .5 miligrams daily, and occasionally may take it twice daily, the second time being in the evening, before bedtime. Since I am Menopausal, it helps me to get a better nights sleep too, and believe me, I have tried everything from music to relaxation therapy! There are times, when I may not even have to take it everyday. It may be addictive, for all I know, but there are certainaly worse things to be addicted to. As I said, without it, my blood pressure climbs from the extreme anxiety that can sometimes manifest itself in me. I really never much have panic attacks, since I've been on it. I do not take it though, just because I think I have to, at the same time everyday!! I know, when one of these anxious feelings are coming, and this one .5mg, slowly calms me down. | If it's additive, then that's fine with me, because I can | F | 55 | 17 years | 2/26/2005 | 5 | Anxiety | None.... withdrawals between doses | Don't stop taking abruptly | M | 34 | 2 years | 2/22/2005 | 4 | M | 49 | | 2/22/2005 | 5 | anxiety | none....just relief from the anxiety and panicky feelings | After the birth of baby 3 i suddenly began having daily anxiety...Dr. put me on prozac and it made me more jittery....switched to .5 xanax xr and one .5 regular xanax in the afternoon and i'm back to myself. Dr. says that if you don't need it, it won't work for you. He knows that some people will need this short term, others long term. For post-partem moms this varies. We need to get over the anxiety of addiction and help ourselves function! | F | 33 | 1 months | 2/12/2005 | 4 | BPD, Panic Attacks, Anxiety, PTSD, | Very addictive, even if I do not feel panicy I still have to take the drug daily as I begin to shake, sweat, feel sick, and get muscle pain within hours. I am on a high prescribed dose of 4 mg daily and am wanting to wean off to valium. Sedation and sleepiness, but that is the intention. | F | 24 | 6 years | 2/10/2005 | 4 | anxiety | addictive/ | F | 17 | | 2/7/2005 | 4 | | 2/6/2005 | 4 | Anxiety | Withdrawal symptoms in between doses. Feel flighty & anxious if I try to cut back. | Great for anxiety, but if you try to taper down or take less over a couple of days, you feel like you have the flu. | M | 34 | 2 years | 2/2/2005 | 5 | Panic attacks | One a scale of 1-5 it's off the chart - 100 - as in 100% effectiveness. I have only been on xanax a few weeks but what a difference. No panic attacks. And I've suffered with acid reflux for TWO years, and since I've started this medicine, I've had no reflux whatsoever, even at night. Prilosec did not even work as well for me as this medicine has. And I can't take anti-depressants - went back and forth between a few different brands (paxil and lexapro to name a few), not only did they knock me out but I experienced severe difficulty in urinating and had to go off the meds completely; xanax has posed no side effects.. some mild drowsiness but I'm able to function fine throughout the day and I sleep like a baby at night. | its known to be addictive but the benefits of this medicine outweigh any addiction risks in my book - I once again feel normal - like I did when I was a teenager - without any health woes OR worries! | F | 41 | 2 months | 1/30/2005 | 3 | | 1/27/2005 | 5 | panic and anxiety | Just a little tired at first. I took 1ml. three times a day as prescribed in the beginning for about 6 months. Then found out I was pregnant and quit all in the same day. I didn't know any better at the time. Withdrawal from xanax was bad and lasted a full week. | I knew I could not function without something and hold down a job. I have found and it seems over the years, doctors have realized it doesn't take very much xanax to work. I can take just .25 a day and cope now. I could have then but I didn't know it. I don't even take it everyday. I don't worry about getting addicted to it. My life would have been a mess if I didn't have xanax and an understanding psychiatrist. It is a wonderful drug if it is not abused. I can think clearly and focus much better than if I didn't have it. | F | 47 | 19 years | 1/22/2005 | 3 | Sleepiness | F | | 1/21/2005 | 5 | Anixety | none | F | 42 | | 1/17/2005 | 5 | F | 18 | | 1/11/2005 | 5 | Anxiety and Depression | None | Very Good Medicine if Taken Properly | M | 44 | 2 months | 1/9/2005 | 4 | Alcohol withdrawal symptoms | Sleepiness at dosages over 1mg. VERY PRONOUNCED WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS. | After an extended length of heavy alcohol consumption I was very physically addicted to alcohol, although not mentally -- I seriously wanted to quit at this point, but if I didn't get a drink every few hours I would experience sweating, dysphoria, severe anxiety to the point where I was jumping at shadows and SEVERE insomnia (I went five days without sleep easily when trying to quit). I found a doctor and told him I had previously been diagnosed with Anxiety Disorder and was relapsing (this was true enough, though I omitted my alcohol situation). He proscribed Prozac (20mg) and the generic form of Xanax, Alprazolam (proscribed at 1mg every six hours or as needed). Well, after a short period where my body got used to the Xanax (I was very sleepy and uncoordinated for about three days as I recall) I was much better. When I felt the anxiety coming on I took .25mg to | M | 33 | 3 months | 1/8/2005 | 3 | panic attacks | Grogginess sometimes in the morning. | M | 27 | 5 weeks | 1/5/2005 | 5 | Anxiety | None | Brought my anxiety much lower & also brought my blood pressure down | M | 34 | 1 years | 12/31/2004 | 5 | Anxiety, Panic DO, OCD | None | I have Persistent Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety and OCD. Xanax has really helped me. I take xanax and zoloft both. Zoloft is an over time thing, but the xanax works right away. I have experienced insomnia, also sexual side effects. But I can deal with that better than being worried and anxious all the time. Very addictive though. It is hard to give up. | F | 27 | 4 years | 12/21/2004 | 5 | Fibromyalgia | none | F | 25 | 1 years | 12/19/2004 | 5 | Panic Disorder / Panic Attacks | Slight memory loss while on the med. Occasionally will make you tired but still completely functional. Other than that - absolutely no bad side effects! | I was so afraid to take xanax for the first time. I read this entire board so that I could be prepared for the worst side effect. But desperation forced me into taking it and, luckily, there aren't bad side effects! I am so happy that I have it. It's the only thing that makes me feel normal again and will conquer even the strongest attack. It takes about 20-45 minutes to kick in, but is a lifesaver for me given that my attacks last for at least an hour and a half. For a quicker effect, I let it dissolve under my tongue for a few minutes before swallowing. I don't know why doctors are so hesitant to prescribe this med...probably because there's more $ to be made in antidepressants. I take the lowest dose at .25mg only when necessary. | F | 29 | 3 months | 12/14/2004 | 5 | stress anxiety | I am 17 years old and i have been through the entire family of bensoz's furazepam, diazapam(valium),temezepam(restoril, Bromazapam, Lectopam, Alprazolam(xanax)and my favorit of all the best of that best NITRAZEPAM(Mogadon. when times get hard i take a couple of .50mg xanax and 2 10mg mogadons amd its like the world dont exist and i am in a better place than this but its all a lie reality comes back | M | 17 | 4 years | 12/9/2004 | 4 | Social Anixety | very mild sedation | I take .5mg on a as needed basis. Works ok, but I think I am going to try klonopin. The klonopin reports seem to show a better control of social anxiety symptoms over xanax. | M | 19 | 2 days | 12/8/2004 | 5 | Depression, Anxiety | Just some sleepiness at first. This went away after a week or so. | I was prescribed Celexa and Xanax when I came down with very severe tinnitus and hyperacusis (hyper-sensitivity to all sound). The Xanax kicked in immediately to reduce the depression/anxiety until the 40 MG of Celexa became totally effective many weeks later. I was taking .375 MG of Xanax 5 times a day. This dosage gave me a very steady, even dose of Xanax over the entire day and it worked wonders. After the Celexa became fully effective, I started cutting down on the Xanax VERY gradually over a VERY long period of time (six months). I had absolutely no problems tapering off. My hyperacusis disappeared completely and I underwent Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) to habituate to the tinnitus. I am still taking the 40 MG of Celexa and don't plan on stopping. I have no side-effects from it, feel great, and, since there is severe depression in my family, my doctor and I feel that it is best that I stay on it. I still take .125 to .500 MG Xanax once a day on an as-needed basis, when I cannot sleep due to sensitivity to caffeine and some medications. Luckily, I have a very supportive and understanding psychiatrist who constantly monitors my usage, but understands my needs. | M | 53 | 43 months | 12/7/2004 | 1 | insomnia | weight loss, ejaculation problems | M | 90 days | 12/7/2004 | 1 | in bad Kaiser hospital | Confusion, insomnia, hyperactivity | This drug is on the | F | 39 | 3 days | 11/26/2004 | 5 | anxiety | teeth grinding, sleepiness if taken too much | Works best for anxiety. I've taken valium, soma, zoloft, and this is the best. It is addictive, like all the others, but better than spending the rest of your life not being able to leave the house or go to work. | F | 25 | 1 months | 11/15/2004 | 2 | anxiety | memory loss, tolerance, withdrawl, and diminishing returns | F | 24 | 6 years | 11/15/2004 | 3 | Anxiety | Tiredness and sometimes a headache. | F | 40 | 8 months | 11/12/2004 | 5 | to get wasted | really drunk feeling, stumbling, slurred speach | greatest thing since qualudes. | M | 18 | 20 times | 11/9/2004 |