Question:
I have been taking .25 mg of xanax three times daily for several years. I am now able to handle the panic attacks a lot better, so there are days that I only take one a day. I feel that just having the xanax nearby helps tremendously. I also take zoloft for depression. Maybe this helps with the panic. I know I hate those attacks. Such a feeling of helplessness! Good day, Sherry
Response:
Asper Oggus schreef: For panic disorder, Xanax is intended to be started at 0.5mg three times a day, and gradually increased over a period of weeks until the level where no more panic attacks occur is reached (unless the side effects become intolerable before this point). The manufacturer says that this level is usually between 5 and 6mg a day, but I have very rarely seen anyone take that much. The manufacturer also says that as much as 10mg per day (!) may be needed. Again, I’ve never seen anyone on such a high dose. My guess is that anyone taking 10mg Xanax every day for any length of time is going to have an extraordinarily difficult time stopping the medication.
In clinical practice it seems that average Xanax dosage is between 2-4 mgs. But there are indeed people who need a lot more and I’ve come across people more than once who actually take those 10 mgs. YMMV seems to be the message here. I take 2.5 mg myself and shouldn’t take more because of occasional drowsiness at this dose. I also know people who benefit from 3 times .25 mgs. So it’s a matter of trial and error to find out what suits you best. Tapering off Xanax can be done from any dosage if it is done *very slowly*. Some people experience no withdrawal symptoms at all.Moreover, if you do, Xanax can be complemented or replaced (while tapering off it) by a mildr, longer-acting benzo like Tranxene. Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What’s a normal daily dose of xanax? Seems like some people take .5 a day, others take like 10 mg… what’s a good solid normal dose? Are any other drugs as good at relieving panic for others? Because I don’t think anything compares! It also seems to be a good antidepressent. But I already take 1 m at night and don’t know if I should take some in the daytime too. It always helps my mood when I do, helps me cope. I don’t take Xanax on a regular basis, only "as needed." I think doses seem to vary widely from person to person. I take (believe it or not) 2mg when I take it. (Yes, all at once.) I don’t have a tolerance – it’s just how I’m built or something. Doesn’t make me tired or anything. I don’t use it much for panic except on the rare occasions when I can actually identify warning signs of a PA far enough in advance for it to be of value (it takes about 30-45 minutes to work for me). It also helps a lot with what I call "depressive crises," although I hope that I will be able to find an antidepressant that just prevents those from happening in the first place. (I’m actually using Ambien for these "crises," because it works a lot faster than Xanax for me. I take 10mg – 20mg was what I was taking for sleep.) -elizabeth
Response:
What’s a normal daily dose of xanax? Seems like some people take .5 a day, others take like 10 mg… what’s a good solid normal dose? Are any other drugs as good at relieving panic for others? Because I don’t think anything compares! It also seems to be a good antidepressent. But I already take 1 m at night and don’t know if I should take some in the daytime too. It always helps my mood when I do, helps me cope.
Dosages of *any* med are very personal and YMMV, a matter of trial and error which should be solved with your doctor. OTOH, average therapeutic dosage is 2-4 mgs. Indeed there are people who actually need (and can stand) much higher doses of 8-10 mgs (I would be fast asleep for a week if I tried that, being on 2.5 mg and still sometimes feeling drowsy – not an unpleasant feeling BTW). Then I also know people who do very well on a small dosage like .75 mgs.The point with Xanax is that it works very fast and also for a very short while; after 4-6 hours the positive effect will stop. It is very well possible that 1 mg at night is not enough for you (why at night? Sleeping probs?). I always took my 2.5 mgs in doses of .5 mg five times a day (yes, also in the middle of the night, to avoid waking up in total panic). This worked well for me but as I live in Europe where in some countries including mine (the Netherlands) *time released* Xanax is available since September I now take that and take my 2.5 mg in one dose in the morning, never having to worry about taking another dose until the next morning and this keeps me on a much more even keel – it’s close to ideal medication. Unfortunately USA trials have been stopped for reasons nobody seems to want to disclose (neither Upjohn nor the FDA) and Xanax SR will not be for sale in USA which is a shame. Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –
Response:
xanax? Seems like some people take .5 a day, others take like 10 mg… what’s a good solid normal dose? Are a
first lets get are strenghts right xanax(alprazolam comes in 0.25mg 0.5mg 1.0mg and 2 mg tablets as far as i know there is not a normal dose because we are all different…normal anxiety is usually 0.25mg to 0.5mg 3 times daily and for painic the dose is usually 4 or 5 mg daily… and never is the dose to be over 10mg per day… or above what the doctor tells you…. with xanax there are many good drugs that cut down panic and anxiety because with xanax the smallest dose possible to control symptoms is always the best.. good luck… chuck hope this will help
Response:
What’s a normal daily dose of xanax? Seems like some people take .5 a day, others take like 10 mg… what’s a good solid normal dose? Are any other drugs as good at relieving panic for others? Because I don’t think anything compares! It also seems to be a good antidepressent. But I already take 1 m at night and don’t know if I should take some in the daytime too. It always helps my mood when I do, helps me cope.
I don’t take Xanax on a regular basis, only "as needed." I think doses seem to vary widely from person to person. I take (believe it or not) 2mg when I take it. (Yes, all at once.) I don’t have a tolerance – it’s just how I’m built or something. Doesn’t make me tired or anything. I don’t use it much for panic except on the rare occasions when I can actually identify warning signs of a PA far enough in advance for it to be of value (it takes about 30-45 minutes to work for me). It also helps a lot with what I call "depressive crises," although I hope that I will be able to find an antidepressant that just prevents those from happening in the first place. (I’m actually using Ambien for these "crises," because it works a lot faster than Xanax for me. I take 10mg – 20mg was what I was taking for sleep.) -elizabeth
Response:
For panic disorder, Xanax is intended to be started at 0.5mg three times a day, and gradually increased over a period of weeks until the level where no more panic attacks occur is reached (unless the side effects become intolerable before this point). The manufacturer says that this level is usually between 5 and 6mg a day, but I have very rarely seen anyone take that much. The manufacturer also says that as much as 10mg per day (!) may be needed. Again, I’ve never seen anyone on such a high dose. My guess is that anyone taking 10mg Xanax every day for any length of time is going to have an extraordinarily difficult time stopping the medication. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What’s a normal daily dose of xanax? Seems like some people take .5 a day, others take like 10 mg… what’s a good solid normal dose? Are any other drugs as good at relieving panic for others? Because I don’t think anything compares! It also seems to be a good antidepressent. But I already take 1 m at night and don’t know if I should take some in the daytime too. It always helps my mood when I do, helps me cope. I don’t take Xanax on a regular basis, only "as needed." I think doses seem to vary widely from person to person. I take (believe it or not) 2mg when I take it. (Yes, all at once.) I don’t have a tolerance – it’s just how I’m built or something. Doesn’t make me tired or anything. I don’t use it much for panic except on the rare occasions when I can actually identify warning signs of a PA far enough in advance for it to be of value (it takes about 30-45 minutes to work for me). It also helps a lot with what I call "depressive crises," although I hope that I will be able to find an antidepressant that just prevents those from happening in the first place. (I’m actually using Ambien for these "crises," because it works a lot faster than Xanax for me. I take 10mg – 20mg was what I was taking for sleep.) -elizabeth
Response:
What’s a normal daily dose of xanax? Seems like some people take .5 a day, others take like 10 mg… what’s a good solid normal dose? Are any other drugs as good at relieving panic for others? Because I don’t think anything compares! It also seems to be a good antidepressent. But I already take 1 m at night and don’t know if I should take some in the daytime too. It always helps my mood when I do, helps me cope.
It varies, hugely. Reading your other post, you say you are currently withdrawing from… Halcion, was it? Are you getting any preofessional help with that as, generally speaking, withdrawals should be handled with gradual reductions. The reason I mention this is that your doctor might well adjust your Xanax dose to take account of the problem. I suppose an average dose of Xanax taken continuously (juding from posts to here) would be between 1-5Mgs per day but I have met someone who was prescribed as much as 20Mg when he was at his acute worst. How he could even walk still amazes me 
Personally, 1Mg at a time stops an attack for me – but I’ve known people take 2Mg at a time. There are other medications – other benzodiazepines such as Klonopin and Ativan and the whole range of antidepressants – which will work on panic attacks for some people, but it does seem that the consensus here is that Xanax works best for actual attacks, if not for GAD. My advice, FWIW, is to go back to your doctor – but perhaps you already have? Good luck, either way. — Gary Cooper
Response:
What’s a normal daily dose of xanax? Seems like some people take .5 a day, others take like 10 mg… what’s a good solid normal dose? Are any other drugs as good at relieving panic for others? Because I don’t think anything compares! It also seems to be a good antidepressent. But I already take 1 m at night and don’t know if I should take some in the daytime too. It always helps my mood when I do, helps me cope.
I seem to do fine on .5mg/day, but do have those days now and then where I will take 1.5 mg. Take care and keep punching…Dan
Response:
What’s a normal daily dose of xanax? Seems like some people take .5 a day, others take like 10 mg… what’s a good solid normal dose? Are any other drugs as good at relieving panic for others? Because I don’t think anything compares! It also seems to be a good antidepressent. But I already take 1 m at night and don’t know if I should take some in the daytime too. It always helps my mood when I do, helps me cope.
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