Panic Attacks and the Lap Band

[three sixty six 1]

Benhangal - I have been on anti depressants for 17 years for panic attacks. I have an occasional attack now usually brought on by hormones, and usually in the middle of the night. My doctor gives me 30 xanex a year. 30 period!! He does this, because he knows I have to have them with me at all times because of the horrendous fear of a panic attack. He knows I don't take them. The reason I say this is because Xanex is a highly addictive drug that is not presribed to be taken on a continual basis.

So one doctor is giving them to you, and another lapband doctor knows you take them continually. Unless the Xanex from your area is different from here I can't believe someone is prescribing you this. If this is what you are really doing, I think you should get your panic attacks controlled with the proper medication before you get a lap band.

I AGREE!!! Xanax is a controlled substance that should NOT be taken four times a day, every day! You need a medicine that will control, like Paxil or Lexapro.

PLEASE get a new doctor - I would not trust a doctor who allows his patients to take a highly addictive drug so often!

This isn't your fault; your doctor (and frankly, your pharmacist), should know better.

Edited May 22, 2008 by three sixty six

[Lunabeane 2]

Actually...you can take xanax three to four times a day. There is a Xanax XR that is on the market for those that need the medication throughout the day. While some doctors are more concervative than others and will not prescribe xanax, many doctors provide doses this high. My doctor gives me 90 pills at a time...but tells me to take them when needed. I take about 1 a week when I NEED them. My doctor knows me and has been my doctor for 15 years. He knows my life and my family...we are partners in dealing with my mental health.

If this woman is working with her psychiatrist, is able to be productive in her work/personal life, and feel comfortable with the situation then she has every right to follow her doctors instructions. While everyone has different experiences with their doctors and some have varying opinions on taking medication for anxiety and depression...everyone has their own very personal journey when it comes to their mental health.

I really don't mean to offend anyone but we're not talking about the sniffles here. She wasn't asking if people felt that it was OK that she was taking a certain medication...she was asking if she could take them before and after surgery.

Regarding taking meds after surgery. My doctor said that I would not need them after surgery if I was taking the pain medication. Like I said before, I only take them sporadically, but I have not needed to take them and have felt very little anxiety that I couldn't control with deep breathing exercises and meditation. If you have trouble taking pills...xanax comes in an under the tonque form that you won't have a problem taking. Good luck to you.

[sistasassy 6]

Thank you Lunabeane.

I know I will probably not be on Xanax forever but for now it is the only thing that works. I would rather this than the shakey aweful feeling I had on some of the other meds. I have scaled back (on my own) on my Xanax a couple of times and have ended up in the ER both times. All of my docs say not to scale back and to give my body time to "reset itself" and that we will scale back later.

I do not want to feel defensive about taking my meds the way I do. Everyone has assured me that any level of addiction that may become involved would be minimal and would not even require a rehab setting to weaning off of them. Doctors and nurses alike assure me that taking my meds faithfully the way I am is the best way to be FOR NOW.

I only began having these attacks in February and they were virtually uncontrollable in the beginning. My system really got out of whack and the docs feel the meds will calm it down but that it will take time.

As Lunabeane stated so well, I just wanted to know if I would be able to take my Xanax after midnight with a sip of Water. Does not take much for me to get them down. And, yes, I wondered how soon I would need to take it after surgery since I would have a fair amount of other drugs in my system from the surgery.

I don't want to under medicate beforehand or over medicate after. I am very very cautious with how much I take or with any combination of meds I take. I am also in very close contact with my pharmacist about all my meds as well as a back-up pharmacist for confirmation (my uncle is the head pharmacist at a huge and widely respected hospital.

Everyone has assured me I am safe taking my meds daily the way I do. I am in NO WAY a drug addict and if you were to meet me and speak to me in person, you would in no way know I was taking any medication at all. My job is highly technical and very professional and I do it well, even on this medication.

Thank you for all your responses though. I know they came with good intentions and I do appreciate them and am greatful for the time you took to respond.

[brandyII 9]

benhamgal,

I think you're fine and you were just worried that you'd be able to take your meds prior to surgery. I'm glad you finally feel better now and hope you continue to, brandyII.

[sistasassy 6]

Thanks Brandi. That is exactly it.

[brandyII 9]

three sixty six,

she was taking a dosage that was under the danger zone for addiction and everyone is different. She's working with a psychiatrist and is finally getting her panic attacks under control. Lexapro and other similar drugs by themselves maybe helpful as an antidepressant but when it comes to anxiety and panic attacks they don't work for all people and they may need more assistance.

[brandyII 9]

Thanks Brandi. That is exactly it.

No probs! brandyII:smile:

[Froggi 4]

I was told I could take my meds but after surgery I will need to crush them or open the capsule and mix them with a drink/food.

[brandyII 9]

I was told I could take my meds but after surgery I will need to crush them or open the capsule and mix them with a drink/food.

All doctors must be different, I'm on many meds for many different things and I don't have to do anything special with my drugs. Maybe right after surgery if a pill is very large but other than that I'm fine.

Time released meds may be different and I'm not on any of those.

[Froggi 4]

I have probs swallowing my pills already as is...so I will always need to crush mine or open them. Pills get stuck in my throat.

[brandyII 9]

Well that's understandable, you do what you have to do to get them down. It can be harder in the morning to get anything down so maybe hot tea or something might help after surgery. For me some go before food, some after food, some with food, it's always something!

[Froggi 4]

Yeah I have to take huge huge drinks like drink almost a whole bottle of Water and pills still get stuck and I def wont be able to do that after surgery and it would suck for a pill to cause a PB. lol.

[dogluvr 1]

I have a panic disorder, I take lorazepam, 3x daily. I havent had any problems, besides the first time I PB'd I thought I was going to die. But I lived ;c)

[sistasassy 6]

doglvr, I figure I will believe the same thing. My panic attacks (the big ones) usually result in all the heart attack testing cuz it is so hard to tell the difference -- other than the fact that I live through the panic attacks.

[Enchanted 2]

I'm really surprised at the people commenting negatively about the meds and dosages this person is on. As someone else mentioned, she's under the care of professionals that she trusts...and the results have been good for her.

Depression, anxiety, etc. -- these are very tricky to treat and it sometimes takes several tries before the right combination of meds is found. What works for one person simply won't work for another.

To suggest that Teri find another doctor because you happen to disagree with her treatment plan (even though you don't know her and know nothing of her medical history) is irresponsible at best.

Asking questions to come to a better understanding of why a certain med is being taken is one thing . . . but to make a broad statement? Not so much.