My Doc Will Not Refill My Xanax Im Feeling Sick (Page 26) (Top voted first)

I was prescribed Prozac & Xanax 10 years ago by my psychiatrist for depression & severe panic attacks. He started me on 1mg 3 times a day. Around Dec 2005 he increased my daily dose to 1 mg - 4 times a day. I have been a patient of his now for 10 years where I see him every 3 months. Through the years, there has been a few times were I had to call to reschedule my appointment and a couple of times he had to do the same. He would call in my meds for the amount I would need to get me through to my next appointment. This month I had an appointment for May 27th I called to reschedule due to transportation. I do not drive now and my ride canceled on me. so, I rescheduled my app. for June 17th I then requested my meds be called in until my appointment, a 3 week supply. She said she would call me back when it was called in later that day. Not hearing anything I called back the next day to find out what was going on. I was told my doctor feels uncomfortable due to liability reasons to re-fill my medication, until I see him again in June. I asked her what about the liability to take me off medication I have been taking for 10 years? She told me to go to my primary physician to get my meds. I told her my primary care doctor will not prescribe me those medications without my medical records from this office and I just signed a medical release form a few days ago at my first appointment with this new primary doctor, so she told me to go to an urgent care if my symptoms became to uncomfortable for me to deal with!! I had enough xanax to last me until today. I took my last xanax this morning and I am already starting to feel sick, my head feels cloudy, I feel like I'm getting the flu. My heart is racing, I'm feel really anxious & closed in. Has anyone out there gone off xanax cold turkey what more should I expect? I don't understand how a doctor can prescribe medication like this for 10 years and just make you stop so suddenly it doesn't seem fair. I have lost trust in my doctor now and I don't think I can continue to be his patient anymore. I am scared and I don't know who to turn too.

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Re: Anne (# 540)

Come on, half the people on this board are not receptive to your kind of rhetorics. If someone is not receptive to the message being delivered then that's what is counter-productive.

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Re: no name (# 2)

This almost rises to the level of malpractice in my book. I had to go to the hospital and they admitted me for 3 days when I happen to me one time and then sent me out with my meds and then another time I ripped my apartment apart for 3 days and was in a complete blackout cuz I was withdrawing so bad before somebody took me to the hospital to get me squared away so don't toy with it do what you need to do to get them

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Re: CoolGrandma (# 15)

Would you please tell me what natural herbal preparation you use instead of xanax? I have taken 4 mg daily for 26 years and my psychiatrist is getting old and I'm afraid he might retire soon and docs don't prescribe xanax much anymore. Thank you

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Re: Kat (# 548)

Kat, unless you have extras like you either need to start cutting down or find another practitioner

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My pain med pa-c told me that they can not give pain med to patients receiving anxiety meds... not sure if this is law or not but may be what is happening ---- be thee well

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Re: Kat (# 548)

I was also on a long term dose of 4mg. Over the last year I've slowly weaned down to 2 mg. However, at this time last year, I had a serious Grand Mal seizure several weeks after I had slowly weaned off the medication altogether, and it's prudent to look at weaning over a longer time period after so many years on this medication. Valerian root is known to have properties that are mildly similar, but not nearly as sedating. It can be helpful with withdrawal symptoms, but will not bring complete relief. It may help you sleep, but I find Benadryl more effective to address the sleep disturbance that accompanies Benzo reduction/withdrawal. Before you begin any weaning protocol, or herbal/OTC meds, please discuss it with your medical professional to ensure the medication and timing is correct for you individually.

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Re: Anne (# 540)

Not everyone go into certain professions for altruistic reasons. The era of Florence Nightingale are over. Yes, every one is different and handles their pain differently. If you are a healthcare professional. Then you would know that according to the ANA standard of nursing. A nurse should never dismiss someone complaint of pain. It is their duty to do a full head to toe Nursing assessment because that person may be suffering from psychosomatic pain and need help. Using lingo like, fake pain, real sufferers are not lingos of a compassionate healthcare provider. That person may need help of a different kind. Treatment targets the whole body. According to WHO good health targets the mind, body and soul. Any nurse would know that assessing a patient's complaint of pain comes from a combination of objective and subjective information. You may think the person is not feeling any pain, but to that person their pain is very real. Therefore, a good assessment entails a detail health history to try and target the source. Dismissive attitude like yours has no place in the nursing profession. So you are right, it is truly counter-productive. BTW, I don't think I am attacking you. I see it as debate and rebuttal.

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Re: SayWhat (# 554)

I think if you ask most nurses they'd say they became nurses to help people. I think you're wrong. Yes, nurses get paid better now but the hours put in and the stress of the job doesn't attract people just for money. If someone goes into the profession wanting the pay they probably won't last. I don't dismiss anyone's pain. It's subjective just like I said in earlier posts. But there are people out there that aren't really in pain using the system to either abuse the medication or sell it. Just because someone claims to be in pain doesn't always make it so.

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First of all, the law states unless you go to your doctor every 60 days, you can't get your scheduled prescriptions early, or without seeing your doctor. He has to know that w/d from Xanax is right up there next to alcohol. You should go to the hospital and let them know what's going on. If you have a weak heart, or are older, you could have a heart attack or stroke. I tell my patients anything you take for a long period of time, regardless if it's a scheduled drug, makes your body unhappy if you quit cold turkey. Xanax is one of the worse to try and come off of.

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Re: Verwon (# 3)

I agree with almost everything you said, except that withdrawal abruptly from Xanax or any other benzodiazepine is not dangerous. It can be fatal, and the Dr. should decrease it over a week or two at least. It is much like the danger of stopping cold turkey from alcohol, it probably won't kill you, but it MIGHT, therefor a Dr. should decrease it gradually over a week or two. But realistically as you said, he isn't obligated to. I think it is a shame that a patient's frustration is considered "drug seeking behavior", but it IS. Anyone would be upset in this circumstance, but like you said, you WILL be labeled, so keep your cool and be very controlled, while not letting them just forget about you. This is a delicate balancing act to achieve, kind of like when the police harass you. You cannot get abusive, angry, or hysterical, or you will be arrested, even if you are in the right. They have the power and have to follow laws that are increasingly stringent lately. For instance, I used to be able to order my medications 4-5 days early, but in the last few years, they have changed that for any controlled drug like Xanax. I now have to wait for exactly 30 days to get my refill of a similar drug. They also call the drug store directly now and don't give you a written refill.I see mistakes arising from this, but I guess there were too many forged or altered prescriptions. It's too bad it's like this, but it is. The patient comes last because of the lawbreakers and lawmakers.

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Re: roro (# 551)

That is not true in Kansas. I take opioid pain meds and xanax. I don't know about other states.j

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Re: Brady (# 560)

Been there no longer take them same reason u r going threw I was on them for 30 years had sesures be careful it's dangerous that med Xanax will run u crazy

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Get to the ER as soon as possible. Withdrawl from benzodiazapines can be very serious. Your psychiatrist is either very ignorant or very stupid. If you very to start convulsing, have a seizure, signs of a stroke or heart attack, he would be a prime target for a huge malpractice suit.
Once more, get to the ER NOW!

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The hospital neglected to give my Xanax and I had a seizure,you may not die from withdraw, but you don't even realize or remember what happens if you do have on, so to me that is very dangerous for the patient and all others if you drive, stand,walking ect. Can't go more than 3 days without or I will have seizure.

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Reply to Mike84 (# 556) --

Everyone is different. It all depends on metabolismm, MGs taken daily, and how long the patient has been on the drug, the health of the heart, does the patient have DVT? An enlarged heart? There’s so many factors to consider. It’s been my experience that Xanax is one of the worst and I won’t prescribe it. I tell them to never mix a benzo with alcohol; it’s deadly. Both are CNS depressants, so taken together, you could simply stop breathing. I’ve known of two people that passed from that combo; not my patients!

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Re: GatorGetter (# 564)

So just to be clear you're a Physician? Psychiatrist? Internal Medicine?

What risk does xanax pose to deep vein thrombosis or an enlarged heart? That makes no sense! Xanax is indicated for short term management of acute anxiety or in rare cases (like mine) long term use for Panic Disorder.

Xanax is the #1 drug for Panic Attacks. Its fast onset, high bio-availability, and short half-life make it a perfect fit for people with Panic Disorder. What would you have them do take Diazepam, Clonozapem, Lorazepam or Chlordiazepoxide which have much longer half lives? A prophylactic, if you will?

All benzodiazepines pose a risk when it comes to dependence and withdrawal. I don't understand how you can have the irrevocable mindset that xanax is so bad. It's one of the most widely prescribed medications in the world and has shown no (cardiovascular, renal, hepatic... etc) serious health risks with the exception of acute/post-acute withdrawal of the drug itself.

What if someone with a bad ticker or dvt were to have a panic attack? Their bp skyrockets causing heart failure. Their bpm goes off the charts causing the bloodclot to move to the lungs, brain, or heart. The role xanax would play in this situation could ONLY be beneficial!

I'm of the "empirical" opinion that, in many cases, xanax is a life saver (literally and figuratively speaking)! Have you ever had repeated massive panic attacks, Doctor!?

Do you find that people dependent on Xanax are "feening" for a high, or are they attempting to escape withdrawal? What clinical or empirical experience do you have with xanax, or it's legitimate users, to have such a jaded opinion of the medication?

Taking Xanax prn is a way better alternative than numbing someone out on longer acting benzos. Again, just a humble yet empirical opinion from a former USAF officer, combat veteran and current PTSD/Panic patient and government sector Lawyer/Investigator.

P.S. No one EVER dies from taking alprazolam as prescribed. It's people who abuse it by mixing it with other CNS depressants i.e. opiates, ethanol, barbituates..etc. The LD-50 for Xanax alone would require a human being to eat so much of it they'd literally be so full that they couldn't even eat enough of it to overdose and die.

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Re: Angry 65 year old (# 571)

Then ur among the lucky ones that don't suffer with those side effects. That still doesn't mean that it's not true. They wouldn't list it if it weren't a possibility. Evidently during trials when the drug was being studied for safeness some of the people had those side effects. If it affects one person they put it in the warnings. Thankfully it isn't you but believing someone that hasn't researched it isn't the way to go. At least if you're going to disagree site me somewhere that states we're wrong. Don't just agree because it doesn't affect you.

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Re: Mike84 (# 556)

12 to 24 hour half-life, don't estimate or assume important info

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I've been on xanax for 5 yrs. As of today, tbd dr took my refills away. Someone tell me what to do? No one cares... The flippin drug laws in fl are horrid and no I do NOT get any from any other dr. I did go to er, was admitted for mastoid infection that has my whole system in a whirl. I was told it could go to my brain n spinal cord. With this being done I hated that florida red flagged me...so the dr refused my xanax? I'm nearly 60 and this is going to kill me. Can I get something otc? Thanks.

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Re: Miss B (# 576)

Try Benadryl. It helped me when my doctor stopped my Xanax. It is the closest thing OTC you will find honey. Please talk to someone. Please do not hurt yourself lovie... Trust me it is NOT WORTH IT...

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