My chance encounter with Mr. X

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-10-2006
My chance encounter with Mr. X
5
Tue, 06-19-2007 - 10:32am
Hi ladies,
So I was feeling a bit stressed last night, we were at our neighbors house swimming and I had these overwhelming feelings and my girlfriend asks me if I wanted to try one of her Xanax. I said what the h**l. It is only .5 mg and she said only take HALF which I did (2.5 mg). About 30 minutes later, all my worries are much less and I feel great. It wasnt like I was flying or anything, I just felt much calmer. Although at first I had a had a case of the giggles so I went inside and we had a chuckle, that was a bit wierd, but it passed. Even when Nick gave me a hassle at bedtime and dh was in a sullen mood, I felt like I dealt with him better. She even gave me some extras so have on hand. I didnt say anything to DH. Is that a true girlfriend or what??
Christine

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Christine

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Tue, 06-19-2007 - 12:07pm

Christine,


I'm, about so sound like your mother here, and I do apologize in advance ;)


I'm sure your girlfriends intentions were good, but I am a big believer in NOT sharing one's prescription drugs. No matter how harmless that might seem: They are prescription for a reason.


However, I think you learned something, which is that an anti-anxiety medication can help you in some situations.

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-10-2006
Tue, 06-19-2007 - 12:26pm
Hi Paula,
No offense taken :). I did talk to my PCP about something to help me calm down about 2 months ago as at the time I was not doing so hot coping. I explained to him that I was having mild panic attacks and was actually taking a vicodin (which I do legit have for my migraines) to help me calm myself (HE wrote the RX for that one!). I can only take half anyways, a whole one makes me nauseous. My PCP is about 65 years old, very old school, and basically told me that I needed to go to therapy. Honestly, that would probably help, but with a higher deductible ($1000) and my insurance only covering 50% of the visit, I would be responsible for quite a bit out of pocket. I have been mulling finding a new PCP and I think it is time to find one that will actually hear me when I talk.
Christine

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Christine

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Tue, 06-19-2007 - 2:52pm

Hi Christine,
I understand your encounter with Mr. X lol. I too have been having panic attacks (all thru the school year in fact). First my doc put me on lexapro, which does help some, but when the pressure mounted higher, it wasn't working so well and my panic attacks increased.

My doc finally broke down (after my insistance) to give me a presc for Xanax. THey are also 5.mgs. I took one and it calmed me completely, but also made me extremely sleepy. I didn't want to sleep, I just wanted to calm down. And when I took the nap I had extremely STRANGE dreams lol. Were talking about flying babies in the sky and a police officer raiding someone's house wearing a Bunny Costume LMAO.

Anyway, the next time I took one I cut it in half. This time it was at the insistence of my husband who said I was flipping out, take your damn pill lololol. I was extremely stressed as we were trying to get ready to go out of town for a wedding and I had 50 mil things to do first that morning. So by the time we started driving out of town, I took it.

Wow, this time not so sleepy, and I was so calm. I told my husband "Boy this pill works so well, Your still doing the things that really bug me, but I'm not so bugged by them anymore" Hehehehe. We had a good laugh over that one.

Lainie

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-10-2006
Tue, 06-19-2007 - 4:10pm
Hi Lainie,
About 3 years ago, when dh wasnt working, I was a nervous wreck and my doc (same PCP) that told me to go to therapy, put me on Effexor. It worked and I took it for about 9 months, had to wean off it, that took 2 months and I gained 35 pounds. Never again will I take something every day, unless I get to the point where I just cant cope every day. I have willed myself to not allow myself to get to that point if I can help it. Later on, I went on amitryptyline for migraines, but gained weight on that - another 30 pounds! Didnt help the migraines either. I must be predisposed to gaining weight on those types of meds. So I went off that too, lost the weight again plus another 23 pounds. I have a history of anxiety and depression too. For various other reasons, I think it is time to find a new PCP as well, I got the feeling that when I went in and talked to him about my edginess and stress, he didnt take it seriously and brushed it off like a therapist could solve everything. Well, talking to someone once every 2 weeks probably isnt the answer, which would be about all I could afford, KWIM?
Christine

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Christine

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Tue, 06-19-2007 - 4:19pm

Oh man, they made you gain weight??? Like thats gonna help you with depression!!! You know the therapy is a wonderful thing, but sometimes you still need a little extra, because therapy isn't "instant" like meds are. It takes time and sometimes years before you work things out.

But my gosh, if you have to pay for it yourself, thats gonna be a burden on your pocket book and thats no help.

You probably already know this, so I may sound dumb here, but remember Xanax can be addicting, and you don't need addiction on top of all the other things going on in your life with your child and all. I try to take my Xanax only when I absolutely "half to" so I won't become dependent on it. That will just add another "thing" to our lives that we have to cope with. In fact I have only take the 1 and a half pills since I got the presc 2 weeks ago lol. I'm hoping it will last me quite awhile, and if I'm careful and not take it on a regular basis, I will be okay.

nice talking to ya sweetie!

Lainie