Lexapro and Xanax

I am prescribed to Lexapro and Xanax. This is the final solution in what seems to be a horrible struggle against fear, anxiety and panic attacks. I have been on Effexor for almost a decade, and believe me when I say that withdrawal effects were like hell. I did try to get of it somehow, with the full support from my family. I thought all was ok, until the anxiety came and I couldnt even get out from the house. Anyway, Im on meds again, and I would like to know about this current combination, is it any good?

I must point out that even though, all these medications you have mentioned, and almost all other, have their basic effect, how will they actually affect the patient, depends on the patient himself. This especially goes for all those drugs that affect the brain chemistry, so sometimes side effects will occur, while in some patients wont. Also, sometimes the meds can only make the situation worse then before. As for Lexapro and Xanax, patients who use those, should be constantly watched for respiratory and CNS depression. Dizziness, confusion and similar conditions should be expected.

emalia wrote:

I am prescribed to Lexapro and Xanax. This is the final solution in what seems to be a horrible struggle against fear, anxiety and panic attacks. I have been on Effexor for almost a decade, and believe me when I say that withdrawal effects were like hell. I did try to get of it somehow, with the full support from my family. I thought all was ok, until the anxiety came and I couldnt even get out from the house. Anyway, Im on meds again, and I would like to know about this current combination, is it any good?

 

I was prescribed to effexor and xanex since i was 18, I am now 23 and successfully got off of effexor. my doctor has put me on lexapro. i don't have insurance therefore i have to seek treatment at a health clinic where they do not prescribe xanex. the anxiety & panic attacks and fear is sometimes unbearable some days i can't even get outta bed in fear for my life... i know how crazy that sounds but i'm sure you can relate

In response to: " Posted: 01/15/09 - 17:43 Post subject: re

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emalia wrote:
I am prescribed to Lexapro and Xanax. This is the final solution in what seems to be a horrible struggle against fear, anxiety and panic attacks. I have been on Effexor for almost a decade, and believe me when I say that withdrawal effects were like hell. I did try to get of it somehow, with the full support from my family. I thought all was ok, until the anxiety came and I couldnt even get out from the house. Anyway, Im on meds again, and I would like to know about this current combination, is it any good?


I was prescribed to effexor and xanex since i was 18, I am now 23 and successfully got off of effexor. my doctor has put me on lexapro. i don't have insurance therefore i have to seek treatment at a health clinic where they do not prescribe xanex. the anxiety & panic attacks and fear is sometimes unbearable some days i can't even get outta bed in fear for my life... i know how crazy that sounds but i'm sure you can relate "

I am 51 and was diagnosed with major depression and generalized anxiety disorder at age 24. Except for the MAOI's, you name an anti-depressant and a benzo and I have been on it. My current daily combo is Celexa 40mg, xanax 3mg, and Adderall 30mg. I switched from Effexor 350mg to Celexa about two years ago and lost 35 pounds without even trying. That seems odd considering Effexor influences norepi in addition to seorotonin, unlike the SSRI's, but I lost weight. In my case I believe the Effexor was actually increasing my anxiety and the result was increased appetite (to which I gave in). I think I am a good example of someone has suffered no ill effects from any of the things mentioned. The key to any and all of this is to always start and stop any of these meds slowly and to know that most side effects will diminish, if not disappear, in time. Try not to panic if you develop common symptoms. These are indeed powerful drugs and they are affecting your brain chemistry- they have to to succeed. Always keep in mind, however, that the human brain is an amazingly adaptive organ and will likely overcome the bad effects. Additionally, all of these drugs have been tested over and over again, and are unlikely to cause most people any serious, irreversible, harm. Do not fear to tread in an area that has a much better chance of improving the quality of your life than reducing it. Patience is a necessary virtue for success in this area.

Yes indeed psychiatric medicines can and do cause brain damage. Mri and pet scan images of peoples brains before,during and after the use of several diffrent classifications of psych drugs have shown to permanently change how the brain functions in relation to neurotransmitter chemisty. People believe that these drugs are tried true and tested but the endpoint of the these drugs when tested are much diffrent then the actual results that are measured.Believe me I have worked in this field for over 25 years and I am ashamed of ot. I thought I was helping people but in the end I have hurt people. 99% of people seeking treatment will get better on their own and have you ever noticed how much talk there is about people never staying on their meds but trying to come off them. The big drug companies make billions off of these medication and who do they test them on the Poor. I never had a person who made over $50,000 ayear sign up for one of these drug studies, where we pay them a mere couple of hundred dollars to poison them and push the thresholds of how much a person can take without first dying and then measuring if they feel better but not really knowing why they do. Maybe because they are getting a couple of hundred of dollars or a good meal or maybe a good nights sleep in awhile. Do you know how many homeless people I have had in these studies, probably 60% are. So of course they feel better when you study a depression medicine because they have a bed, a meal and a place to stay especially when we so the 30 day inpatient studies. Believe me people it is a farce and what goes on in the psych world is a crime and people including myself should be punished. Maybe not in this world but the next. have been to numberous parties where ceo's of these big drug companies have said they make billions of a drug that cost them pennies to make and they really dont care if it works or not.