deadphish
Member
Hi,
My name is Dave. I have determined that I have some anxiety problems and some social ones specifically. My symptoms are most commonly situational. Like shaky hands, (my left more than my right) and stuttering. I grew up pretty normal but can remember having very slight hand trembling as early as college (I am 31 now).
I get the most anxious when eating and drinking publicly and it is almost impossible for me to use two utensils at once (like eating and cutting a steak) without major trembling in my left hand. I tend to order meals that just require eating with a fork so I can just use my more steady right hand. Drinking out of glasses (especially without straws is very rare for me in public. And drinking with my left hand is out of the question. The only thing that gets me through family dinner outings and social situations is to have some alcohol. It usually only takes me about 1-3 beers to feel pretty confident again (and in turn I am much more relaxed in conversation).
While I don't consider myself an alcoholic per se, I am getting tired of having to "booze myself up" for social gatherings so I finally decided (after about 8 years of dealing with this) to see a doctor. I saw a general DO and he tested my reflexes and talked to me a bit. My reflexes were whacked and off the charts as he put it. He said I had a number of options including prozac, paxil, etc. I told him a friend of mine that has major anxiety takes xanax and it has really helped him. So he prescribes me 30 tabs of 2mg xanax to be taken once daily. Not the time release kind.
Day 1: I take my 2mg dose and in about half an hour am asleep for 3 hours. When I wake up I feel very relaxed. I make some hot tea and am pleased to see that I am drinking dangerously hot liquid from a small mug with NO TREMBLING!!! YAY!! I stay pretty relaxed the rest of the day and just kind of bask in the my new found calmness.
Day2: I take a half a pill (1mg) and again conk out for about an hour or so. Wake up feel relaxed. Go about my daily routine and 7 hrs later take the 2nd half of the dose. Fall asleep again for a bit. After waking up I go about my business and have a very good nights sleep.
Day 3: I again take a half pill and proceed to go out and eat in a public restaraunt. I feel very relaxed. I drink from a cup (no straw) no signs of trembling. Everything is good. I come home and type on my computer with no trembling (which is normally a problem for me) and am starting to feel very good about this new medicine. I decide to not take the other half (1mg dose).
So then I decide to checkout some more info on xanax (and other meds online to see what the dealio is. I begin to get pretty concerned as I read over and over how addictive it can become and how most people dont take it regularly for very long. The image I have of my life starting to turn around for the better starts to crumble as I realize I am about to get addicted to a very powerful drug.
You should know that I have (up until recently) been a heavy pot smoker and have done my fair share of LSD and mushrooms in my ealry twenties so some of my symptoms might be hardwired into my nervous system by now. Before seeing the doctor I took it upon myself to quit smoking pot so I could at least give my brain a chance to start clearing up. And I wont ever do harder drugs again.
So my main question is: Should I be taking xanax regularly? Situationally? Should I just stick to having my few beers before social events and not worry too much about real medication? Is there a better or more natural remedy for what I have? I don't want this intro post to be much longer than it already is, but I can provide more detail if needed. Please if anyone can offer some guidance here I would really appreciate it.
dave
My name is Dave. I have determined that I have some anxiety problems and some social ones specifically. My symptoms are most commonly situational. Like shaky hands, (my left more than my right) and stuttering. I grew up pretty normal but can remember having very slight hand trembling as early as college (I am 31 now).
I get the most anxious when eating and drinking publicly and it is almost impossible for me to use two utensils at once (like eating and cutting a steak) without major trembling in my left hand. I tend to order meals that just require eating with a fork so I can just use my more steady right hand. Drinking out of glasses (especially without straws is very rare for me in public. And drinking with my left hand is out of the question. The only thing that gets me through family dinner outings and social situations is to have some alcohol. It usually only takes me about 1-3 beers to feel pretty confident again (and in turn I am much more relaxed in conversation).
While I don't consider myself an alcoholic per se, I am getting tired of having to "booze myself up" for social gatherings so I finally decided (after about 8 years of dealing with this) to see a doctor. I saw a general DO and he tested my reflexes and talked to me a bit. My reflexes were whacked and off the charts as he put it. He said I had a number of options including prozac, paxil, etc. I told him a friend of mine that has major anxiety takes xanax and it has really helped him. So he prescribes me 30 tabs of 2mg xanax to be taken once daily. Not the time release kind.
Day 1: I take my 2mg dose and in about half an hour am asleep for 3 hours. When I wake up I feel very relaxed. I make some hot tea and am pleased to see that I am drinking dangerously hot liquid from a small mug with NO TREMBLING!!! YAY!! I stay pretty relaxed the rest of the day and just kind of bask in the my new found calmness.
Day2: I take a half a pill (1mg) and again conk out for about an hour or so. Wake up feel relaxed. Go about my daily routine and 7 hrs later take the 2nd half of the dose. Fall asleep again for a bit. After waking up I go about my business and have a very good nights sleep.
Day 3: I again take a half pill and proceed to go out and eat in a public restaraunt. I feel very relaxed. I drink from a cup (no straw) no signs of trembling. Everything is good. I come home and type on my computer with no trembling (which is normally a problem for me) and am starting to feel very good about this new medicine. I decide to not take the other half (1mg dose).
So then I decide to checkout some more info on xanax (and other meds online to see what the dealio is. I begin to get pretty concerned as I read over and over how addictive it can become and how most people dont take it regularly for very long. The image I have of my life starting to turn around for the better starts to crumble as I realize I am about to get addicted to a very powerful drug.
You should know that I have (up until recently) been a heavy pot smoker and have done my fair share of LSD and mushrooms in my ealry twenties so some of my symptoms might be hardwired into my nervous system by now. Before seeing the doctor I took it upon myself to quit smoking pot so I could at least give my brain a chance to start clearing up. And I wont ever do harder drugs again.
So my main question is: Should I be taking xanax regularly? Situationally? Should I just stick to having my few beers before social events and not worry too much about real medication? Is there a better or more natural remedy for what I have? I don't want this intro post to be much longer than it already is, but I can provide more detail if needed. Please if anyone can offer some guidance here I would really appreciate it.
dave
.
