What really is addiction.??

[miarose]

Just went to my GP today,went to have a straight talk with her,explained about my anxiety,and how it was keeping me nearly housebound,how I was anxious in bed, and how somedays I couldn't walk accross the floor...Well I got my answer..taking xanax was causing all my problems.I needed a higher dose than I was given 25 years ago..Take lyrica she said,25mg twice daily,and we can increase the dose as you need it...to cut a long story short,I came home with lyrica,and a side effect list as long as your arm..wrapped all in a bag and threw them in the bin..reason being,I had a niece who took lyrica,and she changed from a lovely person to a horrible wreck in a few months,and her dosage was trebled in that short time...it nearly killed her coming off it,but thankfully she made it.I am taking 0.5mg more xanax now than when I started 25 year ago...makes you wonder what are they are talking about ,when they mention addicton..??..

[thomson1898]

Hi Miarose

Sounds like your trip to the doc didn't go as you would have liked.

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the medication you mention but I do know the choice to take it or not is entirely yours. Have you ever been referred for therapy of any kind? If this is the route you would prefer, perhaps you could write to your doctor to tell them. You could explain your reasons for not wanting meds & ask for alternatives. Alternatively you could get an appt with a different gp.

Sorry if not much help, take care

x

[miarose in reply to thomson1898]

Hi thomson...I was just making a point there,that we can develope a tolerance to all meds,and after a while ,the dose has to be increased,this includes a/ds too,so why do they dwell so much on xanax and diazapam,also there ars side effects coming off all meds..I know that from experience...also I might add,I am waiting to do cbt again,but theres a waiting list of one year..hope your keeping well yourself..love Miarose.xx

[Hidden]

HI Mia x Its worth remembering that when one person suffers terribly with one medication, it is not a indication that another will, its a matter of finding what suits you and going with it, saying that I can fully understand that you have been put off by nieces,s bad time. You also have to remember that every known side effect every going is printed onto that info sheet and it has to be so for legal reason. Even in only one person in a million gets it x My sister is a pharmacist she tells me this often x Maybe as Thomson said you could go back and ask about some sort of therapy now, its seems you have been suffering a long time, maybe getting to the root of the anxiety may help xx Donver x

[miarose in reply to Hidden]

Hi Donver,yes I understand your point about the side effects ..but its scary when you read you could take a heart block and die,its just too much for me to handle,with my med phobia,Iam waiting for CBT ,it was great last time,but I slipped back,hopfully I wont do that second time around..take care Donver..love miarose.xx

[Photogeek]

Hi Miarose

I am surprised your Dr. Didn't refer you for therapy. They don't like prescribing

Zanax as they are supposed to be a shirt term thing. You become addicted to

Them and it takes more and more of them to have the desired effect.

Lyrical like all tablets has side effects but you do t become addicted to

Them. That's the difference.

If you read any list of side effects they can be scared but Zanax has side effects

Too.

I think it's better to be honest with your Dr. Otherwise you will stay

The same.

Kind hugs

Hannah x

[Photogeek]

Miarose. I just read a really good article about Zanax by American psychiatrist

From CNN. It was such a balanced article and really understood how crippling anxiety

Can be. I can message it to you if you would like to read it.

X

[miarose in reply to Photogeek]

yes please do,i need all the information I can get.xxxx

[anne1964]

Hi there

I totally understand how you feel about meds........... I've always struggled changing and hate taking new ones......

Ive been on mirtazapine for about 9 years.... on and off, this time prob about 3 years.......

I had a breakdown last august/sept and saw a psychiatric nurse prescriber who recommended lyrica (Pregablin), i was taking diazepam whcih worked for me all day long panic, but they dont like you to take diazepam consistently for more than two weeks.... so I was given pregablin, I take 100mg twice daily..... it did help get me out of that horrible place, I didnt have any noticeable side effects, but I do worry about when I have to come off them....... but I guess this is cos generally Im not in that awful place that I was.

Evryone has a different experience and Im sorry your neice had such an awful experience..........

I hope you feel better soon ....... Luv Ker xx

[miarose in reply to anne1964]

hi Anne,so glad you got yourself sorted,I could get sorted too,only for this med phobia I have,as soon as I swallow a tablet ,I panic,xanax is the only med I can take without panicing,but my doctor says,i'm on them that long,that their doing me no good ,he told me not to suddenly sTop taking them though.as I could take a seizure..take care love Miarose xxxx

[anne1964]

Yup Ive developed a bit of a phobia, and I had a terrible time when they were messing with the meds, I was taking diazepam, then gave me buspirone but cos you can only take that short term-ish they changed to pregablin, I had a terrible time and it made my panic much worse...... I took the tablet and sat there waiting for the side affects..... luckily I didnt have them but I started on 75mg which I think is a relatively low dosage......

I did have to have an ecg first but the doc said he woudnt have done this andthat the nurse prescriber was being over cautious........... I do know that you cant just stop taking them or you can be very ill they said. So Im a little anxious abuot when I have to come off them........

Anyway I woulndt say Im totally sorted and back to normal, Im still fighting the fight, but started cbt and will start counnselling next week............. I do have the pieces of my life to pick up still after returning home from teesside, but I am certainly much better and at least getting on with life, I can go out etc. Its just taking longer than I expected.......

Im going to try and start doing my hats again when this sick note runs out in 4 weeks.........

Luv Ker xxx