Xanax (alprazolam) for PTSD

[anthony]

Introduction

Xanax (alprazolam) is an anxiety drug for oral administration. Xanax is used to treat anxiety disorders. Xanax is primarily based for panic disorder.

Suitability

Xanax is suitable for those who are 18 years plus. Xanax is not recommended for adolescents or women who are pregnant. Whilst Xanax can be used on minors, the facts for increased seizure far surpasses it use over other drugs.

Dosage

The recommended dosage is 1 - 10mg per day, however; the more common dosages for treatment of PTSD could be much higher than the recommended dosage per day.

Side Effects

All drugs have possible side effect/s, which need to be taken into consideration when being prescribed.

You have approximately a 1:2 chance of having side effect/s with Xanax from the clinical studies performed.

Xanax has the following possible side effects:

Central Nervous System
Abnormal Involuntary Movement
Agitation
Akathisia
Anxiety
Change in Libido (Not Specified)
Cognitive Disorder
Confusion
Confusional State
Decreased Libido
Depression
Derealization
Disinhibition
Dizziness
Dream Abnormalities
Drowsiness
Dysarthria
Fatigue and Tiredness
Fear
Feeling Warm
Headache
Impaired Coordination
Increased Libido
Insomnia
Irritability
Light-headedness
Light-headedness/Dizziness
Memory Impairment
Muscle Tone Disorders
Muscular Twitching
Nervousness
Paresthesia
Syncope
Talkativeness
Tiredness/Sleepiness
Vasomotor Disturbances
Weakness
Gastrointestinal
Abdominal Distress
Constipation
Decreased Salivation
Diarrhea
Dry Mouth
Increased Salivation
Nausea/Vomiting
Cardiovascular
Hypotension
Tachycardia/Palpitations
Cardio-Respiratory
Chest Pain
Hyperventilation
Nasal Congestion
Tachycardia
Upper Respiratory Infection
Sensory
Blurred Vision
Musculoskeletal
Muscle Stiffness
Muscular Cramps
Rigidity
Tremor
Sensory
Blurred Vision
Tinnitus
Cutaneous
Dermatitis/Allergy
Rash
Sweating
Other
Decreased Appetite
Edema
Incontinence
Increased Appetite
Infection
Menstrual Disorders
Micturition Difficulties
Nasal Congestion
Sexual Dysfunction
Weight Gain
Weight LossWarnings
Certain adverse clinical events, some life-threatening, are a direct consequence of physical dependence to alprazolam. These include a spectrum of withdrawal symptoms; the most important is seizure. Even after relatively short-term use at the doses recommended for the treatment of transient anxiety and anxiety disorder, there is some risk of dependence.

Spontaneous reporting system data suggest that the risk of dependence and its severity appear to be greater in patients treated with doses greater than 4 mg/day and for long periods (more than 12 weeks).

Patients should be advised to notify their physician if they become pregnant or intend to become pregnant during therapy.

Patients should be advised to notify their physician if they are breast feeding an infant.

Read more from the fact sheets on Xanax:
Xanax Description (http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/alpraz.htm)
Xanax Pharmacology (http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/alpraz_cp.htm)
Xanax Dosage Information (http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/alpraz_ids.htm)
Xanax Side Effects and Drug Interactions (http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/alpraz_ad.htm)
Xanax Warnings and Precautions (http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/alpraz_wcp.htm)
Xanax Overdose Information (http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/alpraz_od.htm)
Xanax Patient Information (http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/alpraz_pi.htm)

[veiled]

Anthony, I know it is a locked thread but noticed the dosage on here. I have to just add experience here. I just want to point out it is extremely rare someone has to take 10 mg or more a day to treat. No doctor I have ever seen (except the one who dosed me so high and was a GP who did not warn of addiction and what that meant) has ever seen a patient who actually had to take 10 mgs a day and were shocked to see someone function on that much. My husband says they had me on 12 mg briefly but I do not recall that, I only recall 10 mg max. My doctors were experienced in PTSD and treatment but my main one with 25 years in the field almost fell out of his chair when he saw my dosage and it took that to make me "normal" and I was the first he saw dosed so high.

To this day and on this forum I have yet to meet another who had to take this much or did. If you are on this much you need a good therapist as it can be brought down. While now I do not take it regularly and take it if just means it is so bad I need hospitalization to calm me with drugs from a trigger I still have to take a 3 mg dose. This seems to be more of the norm for someone's daily dose spread out over the day used to the drug.

I have to strongly advise major therapy as the weaning process is nothing short of hell.

[anthony]

I know of sufferers who take xanax like tic tacs! 10mg is a major dose, however; whilst that affects your body, it does not affect others the same. Some will be less, some will be more. You will find males are generally on higher doses as their metabolic rate is vastly different to a females. One of my own friends was on over 20mg of xanax with other drugs. I couldn't believe how much he was putting in his system, and how much the doctors where prescribing him. It was a death sentence IMHO.

[veiled]

That was pretty much how my docs felt, it could end up being a death sentence.