Just Started Taking Xanax

I started having severe anxiety attacks (all day long), and other anxiety symptoms on July 7th. I have had this happen in 1989 and 2011 and recovered on my own in 3 months without medication. My body has become hyper-stimulated. A week ago I couldn't take the daily crying for 8 hours and pacing the yard, so I took 1/2 of a 0.25 mg Xanax of my sister's. The racing thoughts and crying immediately stopped. However, they made me very sleepy. I went to my doctor. He prescribed me 0.125mg 3 times per day for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I have NEVER taken medication in my LIFE and I'm 61 years old. Only Advil and vitamins. No depression, no surgeries, no diseases. I am blessed. My question is... does the sleepiness or fogginess get better with time? I still feel anxious when the dose wears off. Will that get better too? I don't really want to take a higher dose as it makes me so sleepy. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

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Welcome to the Forum. I'm not sure they make a 0.125 Xanax, I'm sure they are the .25 mg Xanax and you are splitting them. The sleepiness will always be there although at your small dose you will be able to tolerate it, even taking a full .25. Then perhaps a .5, and then a 1mg after some time. The kids here take the 2 mg pills, and a few at a time. Xanax is highly addictive with extreme caution used for older patients. The fogginess is another story, again especially in older people. I remember those .25's, started on 10 of them in 1988. Xanax is very hard to discontinue, and worse yet more Doctors are discontinuing to prescribe them, which can be traumatic for the patient in the end. Be aware of these potential problems, they work great by rewiring your brain, which really isn't good

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I am 68 years old and have had GAD for 20 years. I currently take .5 mg twice a day. The sleepiness stopped for me after a couple of months of taking them. I also start to feel anxious when I miss a dose or two. I haven’t noticed too many adverse effects over the years, so I’m much happier taking them than dealing with anxiety constantly. I’ve been hearing, also, that they may start to discontinue prescribing them, but I’ve got my doubts. Plus, there are many more medications in the benzo family that hopefully would be available

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Yes, the side effects should improve with time, as your body gets used to the medication, and you stay at one steady dose.

The FDA does warn that Xanax carries the risk of being habit forming, and may cause side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, headache, mood changes, and irritability.

Ref: Xanax Information

Is there anything else I can help with?

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Re: VerFree (# 3)

For seniors however, the side effects can become worse, and we are more likely to be cut off by our providers, it's in the current training ==============================================

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the elderly may be more sensitive to the side effects of benzodiazepines.

These side effects may include:

drowsiness
lightheadedness
depression
headache
confusion
dizziness
impaired coordination
Older adults who are prescribed alprazolam should be started on the lowest possible dose (0.25 mg) and increased slowly as needed. This can help prevent some of the more serious adverse effects.

Metabolism In The Elderly
A younger adult taking alprazolam will process the drug much quicker than an elderly person. Alprazolam will peak in a younger individual’s bloodstream within the first two hours of taking it.

Within 11 hours, the total concentration of alprazolam in their blood will reduce to half (half-life). In older adults, the half-life of alprazolam is about 16 hours. This longer half-life can lead to a toxic amount of alprazolam in their system if they take it too frequently.

Falls & Fractures
Benzodiazepines account for a large number of avoidable emergency room visits. Many older adults taking alprazolam experience falls and fractures as a result of impaired coordination and confusion.

The risk of falls and fractures is highest in the first two weeks of taking alprazolam and with each increased dose.

Risk Of Dementia & Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that affects behavioral and cognitive functions, especially memory. Alzheimer’s may be a cause of dementia, which is the loss of cognitive abilities that is severe enough to interfere with your life.

Several studies have shown benzos to be a risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s in geriatric patients. However, early symptoms of dementia mimic symptoms of anxiety and insomnia, which is a possible reason for this association.

Does Xanax Cause Alzheimer’s?
Although it does not cause it, several studies have found benzodiazepines may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s. This association may be linked to the longer half-life of alprazolam in the elderly.

Taking alprazolam long-term can lead to a large accumulation of the drug in your system. This increases the likelihood of memory impairment and may lead to irreversible effects on cognition and memory.

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