MEDICATION DISCUSSION
FORUM
May 7, 2012 - Facts and Information Obtained and Confirmed:
Pharmacia & Upjohn Pharmaceuticals manufactures brand name Xanax. There are several generic Xanax (alprazolam) manufacturers.
Xanax is a medium duration benzodiazepine (minor tranquilizer) medication used primarily to treat anxiety and panic disorders.
Although Xanax starts working within the first hour after ingestion.
It takes about 11.2 hours for the system to break down 50% (half-life) of the active ingredient (alprazolam)
Xanax is initially more potent than Valium (diazepam) and lasts about one third to one half the time of Valium.
Many claim the shorter duration and greater potency cause the individual to take more pills more often, which can increase the rate of dependence.
Xanax can cause dependency and/or addition.
Xanax is a regulated Class IV controlled substance by the United States Food and Drug Administration
Usually it comes in 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg and sometimes 2 mg tablets.
A realistic daily dose is 0.25 mg to 1 mg taken 1 to 3 times per day. (The manufacturer says more than 4 mg per day may be used in certain cases.)
Depakote ( divalproex sodium )
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XANAX alprazolam
I have been on Xanax 1mg four times a day for panic disorder since 2002 and it works well. However, I worry about long term effects like liver damage since I have heard that benzodiazepines are hard on the liver. Can it cause permanent liver damage? Thanks in advance.
Hello, I have been taking the brand name Upjohn Xanax for 10 yrs for panic disoder with agoraphobia. Recently I have had to switch to a generic because of financial reasons. My insurance doesn't pay for brand name and I have had bad experiences with some generic manufacturers in the past. I had an allergic reaction to purepac 2 mg. tablets and since found out that the inactive ingredients can be different and they were in the purepac from the name brand. I started taking Greenstone 2 mg. tablets 3 days ago. As Greenstone is owned by Upjohn I assume they may be the same. The ingredients are the same. Active and inactive but they don't seem to last as long in my system as the name brand. The name brand lasted about 4 hrs. and greenstone lasts approximately 3 to 3 1/2. I also see from the FDA that the generics of meds can have a bioavailability of +or-20%. So I am wondering if this is the reason. That to me is way too much leeway. I would like to know if this is all in my head or does that happen with generic about how long they last and how strong they are?
Hello, My question is the one about my experience with switching from brand name upjohn xanax to different generic manufactures. I was asking about the different bioavailabilities between the different generic manufactures? The leeway of 20%. Sorry I had forgotten to put my email address and other info. I am currently taking Greenstone which Upjohn owns this generic company and am finding that it doesn't seem to last as long in the system. Is this a problem with generics? Thanks again and sorry for the post. I hope you see my other post. Jean
I have been on a generic alprazolam for three years, since the death of my husband, for anxiety attacks. I have never taken more than .05 mgs. a day, most often taking only half a tablet. I would like to taper off the drug completely, and one doctor put me on Ativan instead, which caused me to have terrible anxiety attacks. My regular doctor put me back on the alprazolam. Can someone tell me the best way to taper from such a small dosage? Thanks for your help.
I'm regular with 0.5 for sleep disorder and it's work great so I m ready to take it for my life because I feel fresh everyday after taking this. It's cool
I have been on Alprazolam prn anywhere from 0.5 to 2.0 mg daily for 4 years. For about 6 months of that time I took Xanax XR 0.5 to 2.0 mg for more consistency. At the time I was living with a stepchild who had a lot of problems with violence and I was jumpy all the time. Now I do not live in that situation and I would like to stop the alprazolam. For the last month I have averaged about 1mg per day. I have moved away from my prescriber and would like guidance about tapering off. Thank you.
Been on xanax for 3 months 3 bills a day of .25 mg how do you taber off without getting side effects Bob
I have been on xanax for many years, at least 20 years. After the birth of my first son, I suffered post partum depression, and generalized anxiety developed as well as panic attacks. Many were the psychiatrists who filled out the prescriptions with medications that just made me more nervous, triggering more panic attacks. Beleive me I have tried many prescriptions for considerable amounts of time and my experiences were negative, resigning to my jobs and being dependent upon other to go out. During the nineteen-eighties a doctor started to prescribe xanax. As time went by my Gad, panic attacks were under control and I was able to feel as normal as possible being able to work. During the nineties we lost our medical insurance and I had to go to the public hospital. These psychiatrists do not prescribe xanax, and in short time I was ill again. Medications such as buspar just worsened my panic attacks. Since 2000 I was able to be reevaluated, and was placed on xanax again, an trust me I am planning to stick to it, with caution, but it is the only medication that permits me be ok. Most of the time I only consume .25mg or .5, only as needed. I feel great. I will never forget the statement that a doctor once told me, ..."if you feel well with this medication,why change it." I have sufficient self-control not to overdose and use it only when needed. An Sgot is performed evey year as a precaution to liver damage.
I don't care for Xanax. It consistently gives me a headache in the right side of my brain. It makes me too sleepy. I also know another person who gets headaches when they take it. I don't really trust it for this reason.
When it comes to being addicted to this medication just say NO MORE. You can taper with this med which is the best way to do it, but if you REALLY DO NOT need it, don't take it. Leave it for those special occasions when you really need it not just when you want to.
i suffer from severe depression and my doctor put me on prozac and xanax. i generally don't feel the need to take the xanax but when I do I'd take maybe 3 .25mg tabs. it works great and I would recomend it. I disagree with it being addictive and I never have side affects.
I am presently taking 4 mgs of Xanax to help me sleep. I would like to get off Xanax because of the side effects. I have been taking Xanax for a couple of years and feel that it has increased my level of fatigue substancially I have 2 questions. I know that quitting outright could cause serious problem, so I am attempting to reduce the dosage by 1/2 mg per month. Do you think that taking supplements that are designed to help reduce stess and help with sleep is a good idea. One person recomended Kava Kava. I also go to Yoga when I can, and am learning to meditate. I feel that if I could get off Xanax and be able to get enough sleep, I would function much better. I would appreciate any advice you could give me
I was getting 2mg alpix alprazolam from ourprescriptionsforless.com. These were so much stronger than anything i've ever gottten in usa. Came in foil packs, never more than 2 months from manufacture date. After site went down ordered from overnight in usa and got the sandoz brand with the gg on them. I could eat 3 or 4 and feel nothing. Stopped with my meds for awhile but life just is not the same after being on xanax for 10 years without it. I bought the brandname. A little better. Still nothing like the european. Is it that maybe some companies have them in sulfate form, some in hcl? Is the freshness the key? Friend got his script from walgreens. Purepac 2mg yellow bars. Said I had to try. Said he took usual 2 mg dose and was stumbling around and out of whack seriously! Only alpix were that strong. Needless to say, 1 quarter bar purepac = sandoz gg white bar. Yes the whole thing. Purple upjohn 1mg from europe is = to quarter bar purepac. Thats the best besides purpac 2mg I know of. If you can find or know where to get a 2mg alprazolam that has alp on one side and a split on the other, called alpix I believe please call me 206-423-7596!! I miss those! But if those are not available, the yellow purepac are the way to go for sure. Seem to last 5-6 hours instead of 3-4 also. Alpix Im raving about lasts 5-6 also.
I HAD MY FIRST PANIC ATTACK ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO I WAS GIVEN .25 ALPROZOLAM.SINCE THAN I GOT MY PHYSCIAN TO PRESCIBE ME ALPROZOLAM,AND IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE ,IF TAKEN WITOUT ABUSE IT CAN DEFENITLY IMPROVE YOUR PANIC. JUST KNOWING YOU HAVE IT WITHOUT EVEN TAKING IT PROVIDES RELIEF.I AM NO DR LOL, BUT BELIEVE ME WHEN I TELL YOU IT WILL HELP YOU. AND SSRI I THINK ARE ADDICTING. I HAVE DONE SOOO MUCH RESEARCH IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE SSRIS GIVE YOU THE SYMPTOMS OF PANIC AND THEN WHEN YOUR SUPPOSIDLY ABLE TO GET OFF THE SSRIS YOU GET WITHDRAWL SO UNBELIEVABLE YOU HAVE TO GO BACK ON THE SSRI. IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS, ALPROZOLAM(XANAX) IS 7.99 A BOTTLE OF NINETY. SSRIS RANGE FROM 60.00 AND UP.MY BEST ADVICE IS TO GET A DOCTOR TO PRESCIBE YOU XANAX AND TAKE ONLY WHEN YOU FEEL PANIC STRONGLY COMING ON. ALSO VERY IMPORTANT JOG OR TAKE LONG WALKS. EXCERCISE RELEASES ENDORPHENS TO EASE YOUR PANIC ATTACKS.ALSO AVOID CAFFIENE AND CHOCOLATE AT ANY COST.ALSO IF YOU FEEL AN ATTACK COMING ON SPLASH COLD WATER ON YOUR FACE IT REALLY HELPS OR A TAKE A BATH.IF YOUR AT WORK WHEN AN ATTACK COMES ON THATS WHEN YOU LASTLY RESORT TO THE XANAX AT ONLY .25 -.5 THATS IT! ONE LAST VERY AND I CANT STRESS IT ENOUGH VERY EASY WAY TO AVOID AN ATTACK DONT THINK ABOUT HAVING ONE THATS WHAT STEMS THE BEAST TO COME. BELIEVE ME.GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE.REMEMBER YOU DONT NESSISARALLY HAVE TO TAKE THE XANAX JUST KNOWING YOU HAVE THEM CAN BE SUFISE.
i have graduated to four milligrams of xanax per day, allegedly the ceiling dose. It now just keeps from going into withdrawals. I have taken as much a 30mg at once without any real sedation. What is going on? Is it possible that i have developed that much of tolerance. As perviously mentioned in other postings, i am starting to believe that much of this has to do with which generic i get from the store, the yellow school busses are really much more potent. The brand name xanax that say xanax are decent. I have some sticks that say G3722 that are split on both sides. i also have sticks that say GG249 can you id these?
how much stronger in xanax .25 mg than .5 mg or so. i have never heard of .25 and that is what my doctor perscribed for me. will this make me light headed or anything like that. what are the side effects?
I sometimes take .5 mg 2 hours before bedtime to help me get a good nights' sleep. I may take it for 4-5 nights in a row then I stop for days and days. Can someone tell me how long it takes for for xanax to leave my system? In other words, how long before I have to take a UA should I stop taking it? Thanks! TL
Where can i find a picture of this pill?How easy is it to obtain?
I BEEN ON XANAX 2MG FOR 2 YEARS AND IT HELPS STILL DOES THE YELLOW ONE I TAKE BECAUSE ITS CHEAP AND INSURANCE DONT COVER IT BUT THIS MEDICINE IS ADDICTING SO BE CAREFUL WITH IT IN 2001 I STARTED WITH O.5 NOW BACK ON IT SINCE 2004 TO 2006 ITS ALL GOOD NOW
Question: Which is stronger. o.5 mgs or o.25 mgs.
Answer: 0.5 is stronger
I have raed constantly that Xanax is either addictice or that one can become dependent on it. Is there a particular dose that will cause these effects. In other words, will the .5 MG/day that I'm taking cause addiction or dependence or must a higher dose be taken?
I have tried long-acting xanax (round blue pills) for insomnia. The whole pill will make you stumble around like a drunk, esp. a few hours after it enters your body. Half a pill works well to put you down, and the next day you feel good. But, if I don't take another pill the next night, then the following day I am totally depressed, actually to the point of suicidal thoughts. The Xanax definitely alters your brain chemistry. The highs are nice and soothing, but the lows are a dark existential miasma of human suffering.
I have panic disorder really bad - I was put on (brand name xanax).25. I took these for about 4 years with no problems. Then of course the insurance had to get involved, I had no choice but to take the generic. My doctor put me on .5 of the generic. I can absolutely tell a difference, but went ahead because of finances and continued the generic. My daughter had the same condition and has been prescribed (brand name xanax) and she has to break them into. So for the heck of it I took one of her brand .25 and it knocked me on my butt. When I was on the brand .25 I also broke them in half. So when I had to do my mail order for the generic brand of which I get a three month supply which cost me $19.00. Then I asked how much for the brand name - $327.00 for the same amount. There is something drastically wrong when there is this much difference between the generic and the brand. I would think the manufacturers of the brand names would get on that same horse, because the patients are being forced to take the generics and I believe in my heart that there is a big diffenence in potentcy and affect on the patient. These companies are playing games with our lives - to bad were it one of their own family memebers that had to take the generic crap instead of the brand name.
I have been taking xanax for approximately 16 years for panic disorder. I began my treatment with two .025 mg a day but within the last year, due to high stress in my life, I developed hypertension which was the tail wagging the dog. The physician felt the hypertension was the result of stress so he increased my xanax to .025mg three times a day. My hypertension (with medication) and the xanax is controlling both conditions. My question is this. I take generic xanax (due to insurance requirements). Now that medicare has taken xanax off of the formulary, I must now shop around for the best price on generics. I currently take purepac, however, I can purchase generic xanax from Mylan Laboratories for half the price of the Purepac. I am wondering if there is a difference in the chemical properties between the two brands and will I notice a difference in the effects of the medication. Panic disorder is difficult enough to live with without having to worry about changing brands. Please respond.
Hi, I am currently taking anything up to 2mg of xanax at a time as needed. I don't take it that often. A few months ago when I started on it I was taking a generic brand and I could tell that it worked quick and well. I still don't take it that often now, and have switched to brand name because even the 2mg don't seem to affect me at all anymore. I am also on well-butrin and lexapro for depression. could this have anything to do with me not getting any results with 2mg brand name xanax any longer. If so is there anything stronger that would work better for me. I don't want to be nocked out. I want to be able to function. but I also really need something to kick in quick when I take it and work well. thanks. please help asap. thanks.
How does it take to get off Xanax if you have been taking it for 4 weeks .25mg 2 twice daily and sometime keep doses. I did not know how addictive this medication could be come. About a month ago, I was rush to the emergency for rapid heart rate after they ran different test they decided it might be aniety, so the doctor wrote me a prescription. I had 30 tables and was told to take twice daily as needed. the first week I hardly took any meds, but a week later was get in ER for rapid heart rate. The doctor ran the same test and this time ordered a ct scan and all the test came back negative. I than decided to take med when needed and decided to follow up with a cardiologist. It been four weeks today and I want to stop taking the meds. Please give me some feedback!
I have been prescribed Xanax to help me with the withdrawals of going off Effexor and anxiety attacks. I was prescribed 0.25MG to be taken every 6 hours. The only effect I have is extreme tiredness!!!! I actually could fall asleep at my desk. Any suggestions on how to take so I am not soooo tired? Doesn’t seem to help my anxiety either. Has anyone taken something that works better then Xanax? PS it is Generic Brand Purepac.
i am flying first time to usa in september,what dosage of zanax do i need to really feel relaxed.
I have been on Xanax 1mg 3 times a day for the past 4 years, going cold turkey and giving up for 3 months The first week was the worst with blurred vission tremors sleeplessness but it did come good after the 1st week My problem is my partner unknownst to me was taking my xanax also up to 5-10mg at a time Somehow she has conned her docter in to giving them to her It is very hard in Australia to be prescribed Xanax She went in to docs not telling him she was three months pregnant and told him she was depressed and wanted xanax as she had tryed mine and it worked for her As course the dill supplied her with them My partner gave birth to a 6 pound 15 baby girl 9 days ago The baby was born with very erratic and low blood sugar levels and was suffering with tremors On giving mum a blood test benzos showed up on her blood test She told me she had not had any for months Could someone please tell me how long Xanax shows up after taking them with a blood test and also could someone also advise the risks associated with breastfeeding whilst on Xanax Yes she is back on them again High dose too as is walking around in that drunken Xanax stupour. Thankyou
Continued...
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