XANAX Reviews (ALPRAZOLAM)Average Rating: 3.9 (928 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare XANAX with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 |
More on XANAX: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR XANAX | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | PTSD, Anxiety | light sedation, calming feeling | this medication has changed my life! I am one of those people who tries not to take any medication, but my PTSD is pretty bad and sometimes there is only so much I can control. I have taken ativan and klonopin before and both of those drugs make me hostile. Xanax makes it so I can take a deep breath and sort through my anxiety and rationalize it. I take .5 mgs when I'm out somewhere feeling anxious or flashback-y and it helps. If I'm having a panic attack I'll take the 1mg. It wasn't easy getting a prescription for this either - a lot of doctors hesitate because of the addiction factor. I have been lectured by many doctors, but fortunately, my primary care doctors understands that I need this medication, especially since I don't do well on antidepressants. | F | 21 | 1 years | 12/23/2009 | 5 | GAD and Panic Disorder | Slight sedation. | This drug has literally saved my life. It's the only thing that has eased my horrendous anxiety. I have tried SSRI's, exercise, meditation and yoga and NOTHING compares to the instant calm I feel with this. I take .5mg as needed. For someone with panic disorder and GAD, this is my "insulin." I wish doctors would listen to their patients and not be so afraid of prescribing this drug. As long as it's not abused and you have a vigilant doctor, it could possibly improve your life to the point of functioning again. I keep a couple in my purse in case of an attack. Somehow just knowing it's there eases my mind so I can function better. It's that good. | F | 32 | 5 years | 12/11/2009 | 5 | Anxiety/Unable to Sleep | Tiredness, Feeling Calmness, Relaxation. It does increase appetite so weight gain may occur. | This is a very good drug to take for inability to sleep & also for peri-menopause sysmtoms. I have tried Ambien and it is expensive and I felt as though I was having a seizure. You can get "attached" to Xanax so be careful. It is better to take this drug instead of Excedrin PM which make me restless and makes my heart race. Do not drink alcohol with this drug! | F | 48 | 10 years | 12/11/2009 | 5 | anxiety and panic attacks | Was put on drug along w/ clomipramine when hospitalized for suicidality 25 years ago. Still on both. History of OCD, anxiety worsened by marijuana, psychedelics. Drug works really well except for time delay 15-20 minutes, but now I anticipate better and avoid this problem. Even greatly helped me write exams years ago on moderate dose; relaxation resulting in better recall. Coffee and xanax do not cancel out – I get the best of both, relaxed and alert. But hungover if too much the day before, sometimes with flu-like aches. Helps immeasurably with stressful social situations. | Smoked pot again about 10 years ago just a couple of times and xanax didn't work anymore. Put on antipsychotics. After several months gave them up and am fine on xanax. Was concerned about addiction. Told 4 mg daily is threshold for that, but alcohol use seriously lowers threshold. Originally I'd been on 2 mg daily plus horrible halcion in the same family (see my halcion entry 3/10/2009). Now on 3 mg daily, usually in 2 installments. Drug is wasted on a full stomach! One shrink said I might as well throw it in toilet if I've eaten first. However, once I take it, with LOTS of fluid, I wait 10 minutes and then eat; otherwise hunger keeps me anxious because of low blood sugar (part of problem with pot). Once was off antidepressants 5 weeks: my sexuality went from nil to like a teenager; kept taking xanax which had no negative effects in this dept. BEWARE withdrawal if quitting or cutting down. Cold turkey from xanax or any benzodiazepine can literally kill you from stroke; even fast cutting down can easily lead to seizure. Anyway, couldn't live without this drug, which, like all benzos, is based on brain's own GABA antianxiety chemistry; but I've read (non-medical) just buying GABA may not work because of something to do with blood/brain barrier. I don't understand this so do your own research. | M | 63 | 25 years | 12/8/2009 | 5 | paranoia | fatigue | i only get anxiety/paranoia at bedtime. when i take it i fall right asleep, FAST. i love it =) saved my life. | F | 24 | 2 years | 12/8/2009 | 2 | akasthisia | None. I do not think this drug works in the sense that I cannot feel it. My akasthisia is better (caused by Abilify)but I would rather take Valium. Valium calms me while Xanax does not do anything at all. | I cannot "feel" anything from Xanax. It is as though I am taking a placebo. Nothing at all happens when I take one. | F | 59 | 6 months | 12/3/2009 | 4 | anxiety and insomnia | just the desired effects...calming and sleepiness | my doctor only prescribed .50mg which barely has an effect on me so usually have to double for triple. | M | 37 | 1 months | 11/23/2009 | 1 | anxiety | Drowsiness, clumsy, food cravings, more anxiety, slight urinary retention, stomach pain, bloating. | I rated this dissatisfied because although it took away my anxiety at first. After only about a week on it, if I didn't take the next dose I felt the withdrawal symptoms. I experienced worse anxiety between doses and eventually stomach pains/bloating. It's highly addictive. I've used this drug in the past just to help me with my fear of flying. One dose and that was it. But a longer duration just didn't work for me. Be very careful not to rely on this unless there are no other avenues to turn to. I stopped it completely 3 days ago and I'm starting to feel like myself again with much less stomach distress. | F | 46 | 30 days | 11/13/2009 | 5 | Anxiety | Slight sedation... be careful about addiction and tolerance as xanax is short acting meaning that you can feel it wearing off and feel the anxiety come back and need to take more | If used responsibly is an absolute godsend! Because of its short half life and fast onset its perfect for situational anxiety. It's such a shame that this medication has such a bad reputation (caused by doctors not eduating people about it's addictive nature and some people abusing them... I have to order mine from the internet - but I use it very responibly.) | F | 24 | 1 days | 11/12/2009 | 5 | Anxiety, severe panic attacks, dep | Very relaxed, don't have a worry in the world, and happy, i guess happy from being calmed down | This is the best benzo, this is the heavy hitter, i think it works the best, it helps stomach pain, sometimes my headaches, definately stop a panic attack, and relieve your stress, i think the world would be more happy and calm if everyone was on this, but people should not abuse it and ruin it for people like us who need it. I been on this since i was 16 very lightly until i was about 24 and been on it steady up to 4 mgs a day, i lowered my self to 2 mg a day and now back at 3 mg a day, i will admit it is addictive, but not to bad to lower your doseage if you wanna wean off just start taking halfs for a few weeks then just nibble on em for a few more weeks, seriously, 100% great pill if used in the right hands, my doc told me the benefit outweighs the side effects which i have none except relaxation. | M | 30 | 14 years | 10/19/2009 | 3 | Sleep | Eye twitch that wouldn't go away, I got very mean and snippy while on it and ultimately it made me horribly depressed, had to kick it. But DAMN that stuff could knock me out! | M | 30 | 7 days | 10/15/2009 | 5 | anxiety/stress/insomnia | none | I've had anxiety and insomnia for a year. I have only been taking Xanax for one week now and I am finally getting some long overdue sleep which should help the anxiety & stress. Hopefully won't have to take it for an extended perion. I feel great. | F | 54 | 1 weeks | 10/13/2009 | 5 | panic/ anxiety | None, a little tired when I first started taking it | This stops panic and anxiety attacks dead in their tracks. I took it for 4 months, 4 times a day. Not addictive in low doses. I had no withdrawel symptoms. I went off it when I started in Lexapro which worked beautifully. I was taking xanax prn and all of a sudden realized that the lex had kicked in and i hadn't taken a xanax all day! Was a great feeling! I keep it with me in case of emergency. I loved xanax. | F | 35 | 3 years | 10/8/2009 | 3 | panic disorder | sleepiness and drowsiness | Keeps panic away, but finding the right dosing is a problem. In me there is a wear off effect that begins anywhere between 11 and 16 hours after taking the Xanax XR. This is what makes finding the dosing hard. I cannot quit this med no matter how hard I try, but the doc says that is because of the strenght of my panic disorder coming through. | M | 51 | 4 years | 10/3/2009 | 5 | anxiety & panic attacks | Worked great for 7 years until my doctor was on vacation and did not refill for 5 days - I thought I was gonna die!! I was truly addicted!! | I went to another doctor that put me on Celexa 30mg. and I feel great!! I quit the Xanax completely (sure it took a few months) but I am no longer (for lack of a better word "addicted") I feel so much better knowing that I don't "have to have" a Xanax handy at all times. The PANIC & ANXIETY ATTACKS ARE COMPLETELY GONE. I dont worry anymore about having another attack at all. If you are afraid that you NEED it too much - there are easy ways to get off it. Take Care. | F | 48 | 7 years | 10/1/2009 | 4 | Panic attacks | Drowsiness, and that "I don't have a care in the world" feeling | This is very fast acting for panic attacks which is why I was prescribed it, and it works very well to help control them. I can physically function with Xanax where as with other anti-anxiety drugs would make me go to sleep. Sure I got a warm fuzzy feeling, but that's what Benzodiazipenes are supposed to do. The drawback I found was that for longer lasting episodes of anxiety, it wears off to quick, and you have to up your dosage if you're taking it regularly. | F | 25 | 6 years | 9/18/2009 | 4 | anxiety, insomnia | I have odd memory lapses. I can't remember things I've done or said weeks or months ago that relatives remember. Diarrhea if none taken for 24 hrs; diarrhea if too much taken. | Taken for 20+ yrs after divorce; now no sleep without .5mg and melatonin. Am switching to valium and will taper off xanax that wears off too fast and wakes me up. I think it causes lack of emotion or "flat affect" which reduces enjoyment of life. | F | 65 | 22 years | 9/14/2009 | 5 | migraines, anxiety | Dry mouth, occasional sleepiness and forgetful. | I have had migraines for over 10 years. I have tried several preventative medications - depakote & topamax gave me the WORST side effects ever. The tiredness, forgetfulness, scatterbrain side effects of these drugs was 10x worse than Xanax. After recent family tragedies, I was unable to sleep. I would take Tylenol PM, benadryl, excedrin PM, melatonin.. OTC meds which used to work so well on me. None worked. I ended up on Xanax to combat my anxiety after my fathers death.. and started noticing that my headache/migraine frequency/severity had been lessened - having about 50-75% decline per month. It has been amazing for me. I know there are risks of dependency,but if you're a chronic migraine sufferer -- you will know what that ANYTHING that relieves that pain is worth it... I take .5 mg's per day..sometimes less. | F | 1 years | 9/12/2009 | 5 | Anxiety & depression | None | From the day I took my first dose, my severe anxiety and fear of speaking in front of others disappeared. It helped immensely with depression which I'd had since I was 11. For years now I've been on .5 mg. 3 X daily. Never had to increase. | F | 59 | 24 years | 8/13/2009 | 4 | anxiety | Tolerance build up. | Works well for about the 1st year to stave off panic. After the year, it still calms, but not nearly as much as it used to. I am hoping my dr. will try me on something new next time I go. | F | 28 | 5 years | 8/10/2009 |