Hello everyone. I suffer from spinal stenosis as well as generalized anxiety disorder. My doctor has me on quite a few meds.

Norco 10/350 2xday
Neurtontin 300 2xday
Motrin 800 2xday
and
Xanax .50 1xday

My pain is far from gone, and my anxiety meds help me sleep, because I save my one pill a day until bedtime. I suffer all day with pain and anxiety and I feel as though she may be under perscribing my meds to me. I have been on the pain meds for close to 10 years now. The anti anxiety meds for a year and a half. The xanax dose works fine, keeps me calm, but the thing is, if I take my dose in the morning at 9, by 2 or 3 I am feeling stressed again! Also, the pain medication make it tolerable sometimes. Other times I have to suffer. I do have a tolerance because I have been on them for so long, and I am nervous about talking to my doctor. I can live with the pain meds, but I really feel as though it would help me so much to be able to take the xanax 2 or 3 times a day. Can someone please give me some suggestions on how to bring this up to my doctor and what to say? I don't want her to think that I am a junkie trying to get a fix, I really just have a hard time dealing with the outside world in general most days, because I have to save my med to keep my mind and heart from going crazy at night so I can sleep. Sorry if this was long winded.. I am just so stressed and I really need help with how to go about this... thanks everybody.

Xanax is a poor drug for generalised anxiety, and it's frustrating to see so many docs giving it. The drug would make much more sense as a hypnotic, as you have discovered.

You may wish to talk to the doc about a benzodiazepine which has a longer half-life, so that it does not have this 'on/off' effect that alprazolam has. Diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, and possibly clonazepam may be worth bringing up.

Thank you nephro.

I agree with nephro. It seems to me that switching to Diazepam may be an effective solution to your problem.

It has a very rapid onset and the long half life would be ideal for what you are describing, especially if the doctor wants you to maintain the single daily dose regimen. As an added bonus, the Diazepam may actually help in the relief of your chronic pain due to it's skeletal muscle relaxant properties.

JMO of course but, I wouldn't ask about changing both the pain meds and the anxiety med at the same time. Ask about the one that is causing you the most trouble first and then the other maybe a couple of months down the road.

I know that doctors can be a pain but, don't be afraid to let him or her know that the meds are just not as effective as they used to be. It's not a secret that your body will build a tolerance to the medications over time and a change may certainly be in order.

Just judging by the amount of meds you are currently taking, you have done your part by taking the medications responsibly. I mean given the amount of time you have been taking these meds, your doses are quite moderate IMO.

Best of luck to you!

Thank you Bryan. I will talk to my doctor exactly how you described. I think that my medication doses are what they are because I am afraid to talk to her about changing them. I don't want to be labeled, on top of the anxiety. The anxeity is what makes it hard for me to bring it up in the first place! Funny how things work, ya know!

Trust me, I know.

Just keep a positive attitude during your talks with the doctor and present your ideas, just as that ideas.

The goal is not to make up the doctor's mind for them or tell them what to do(we all know that won't work), it's to plant the seed up suggestion and hope that they take your thoughts and formulate them into their own ideas.

Like I said, if I was a physician and noticed that you have been taking your medications responsibly without frequent requests to up the doses, etc. I would have no problem bumping up your doses just a touch.

That seems to me that is all you are asking for. Not to triple the dose but, to titrate the meds up a tad to get the desired results previously obtained at lower levels.

No matter what happens, if nothing else, I would take nephro's advice and make the switch to Diazepam now instead of later. You will be thankful in the future.

I wish you the best of luck and please keep us posted on your progress.

Well, things went well at the doctor. She increased my norco by one pill per day, and increased my xanax by one a day as well. She also increased my neurontin, and put me on Zoloft. I am very greatful I have a understanding doctor who actually listens.

On a sadder note, Im not sure how many people here knew, but about a week ago my mother was in a car accident caused by a drunk driver. She was in critical condition for almost a week, until we decided as a family, not to let her suffer anymore. She passed early this morning. I do not think that it has truely hit me yet, because I don't think I would be able to be sitting her typing this. I am glad that I got to the doctor and got my xanax when I did, because believe me, they have come in handy today.

I am going to fight tooth and nail to get this jerk the maximum sentence the law allows, I will be at every parole hearing, and I will make sure that he remembers her every chance I get. He took my best friend away from me, and I will never have her back. I'll never understand why life is sometimes life is so unfair.

I know shes in a better place now, pain free, happy to see the ones she has lost in her past, and that does bring me some comfort, but it does not make me miss her any less.

Sorry for ranting, I think I am going to take a few xanax and attempt to cry myself to sleep. If I can't sleep, I'll be back on in an hour.

And one more thing, if you ever decide to go out for some drinks, PLEASE find someone sober to take you home. You have no idea how many people can hurt because of one stupid persons mistake.

RIP MOM... I love you forever and always... Love, Jeans

Oh, I am so sorry to hear of this, and I do hope your Xanax relieves you, though it tends to inhibit the grieving process, which a natural way to move forward. I have to admit though, I'm pretty sure I'd use it in your position, even though I know this.

I also hope the drunk-driver does one hell of a long stretch.

2 x 0.5mg alprazolam per day is not bad. If you feel their effect wearing off though after some time, try not to increase the dose.

The situation is now not just generalised anxiety but acute anxiety as well. When the acute stage changes, and I hope it does soon, you may wish to ask for a longer-acting drug so that you can achieve a steady state with it.

Kimberly555, I am so sorry about your mother. Know many prayers for peace and comfort are going up for you.

I want to add, the day I lost my 15 year old nephew (who was like a son to me and my husband), my doctor called in a xanax script for me.
I did take them, I don't remember the dosage or strength. This was 9 years ago.
I had the worst delayed grief. He passed on July 2- I quit taking the xanax in August, and was a horrible mess well into November. It all flooded over me about a week after stopping the med.

Of course I grieved the entire time, but the xanax got me through the days after, the funeral, the visits (although I did lose it at one point, there were too many people when we were allowed back in the house, and I wanted us to be alone) but really, I wish I had been rx'ed another med.

Just take it to get through this rough time, and if you still need a med, have something else.

Again, my thoughts and prayers are with you.