The Xanax Solution

[Patrick]

Ok, I've been lurking over the past month or two, but I've decided that it's high time that I post something. I rarely can relate to most of the symptoms discussed here... I don't have heartburn, I will probably never have surgery, etc. But I have had reflux with nausea, and have been able to participate in a few threads regarding this, or the meds that I'm taking.

I just want to say that I've been taking Xanax for quite a while now, and after experimenting with the dosage, have achieved a level of health that I haven't felt in years. I can eat practically ANYTHING... pizza, coffee, soda, chocolate, even mexican food, and seem to have no problems at all. The only limitation I have is that I try to keep my meals small. I still eat mostly GERD-friendly foods, though, and save the nasty stuff for special occasions. I don't want to push my luck.

For me the answer is to take a Nexium 40mg in the morning, two Reglan 10mg's at night, and a .5mg Xanax twice a day. (I also take probiotics and gulp down Mylanta before going to bed.) The result is that I sleep like a baby, thanks to the Reglan and Xanax at night, but the morning Xanax makes me a little groggy, too. So now, instead of fighting my coffee addiction, I use coffee to counteract the effects of the Xanax, and I feel great. Coffee never really bothered me that much anyway, and I sprinkle some food tamer in there just to be safe.

But I can't believe how much better I feel, and it's mainly due to the Xanax. If I cut back my morning Xanax to a half-tablet, I feel more alert, but my stomach acts up, so I go with the larger dose and follow it up with coffee. Now, I no longer feel queasy when driving, I feel fine when I'm in meetings at work... nothing seems to bother me. Plus, the Xanax makes me kind of mellow, which makes me think that I probably had anxiety before but didn't know it... I've probably been anxious all of my life. I spend a lot less time worrying now.

I've seen various posts about Xanax lately, some critical of the fact that it's addictive. Yeah, and so is coffee. But if I spend the rest of my life hooked on coffee and Xanax, and my quality of life is good, I can't complain about that. My doctor says that I can take Xanax for as long as I want. So unless something better comes along, and it probably will, I'll keep doing what I'm doing.

[tricia]

I think it's great you're feeling better Patrick, but do you really think Xanax should be looked upon as a long term fix? I do recognize the fact that it can be beneficial with gerd, But shouldn't you eventually start to wean yourself off? and stand on your own two feet?

You said you wouldn't mind being on Xanax the rest of your life. I know everything is all warm and fuzzy right now, but after long term use of this drug and it's effects, i wonder what your sentiments will be say 5 years from now. That's when the effects will really kick in.

Just a friendly word of caution is all, have worked with addicts in the past, maybe that's why i'm so passionately against all drugs and really too biased to even be commenting on this thread. Take Care

[Patrick]

I did actually wean myself partly off the Xanax, when I wasn't sure if it was even working. I found that I was able to do this... the side effects were noticeable, but didn't ruin my life. I am confident that I can do this again if I ever need to.

I've always been opposed to taking pills for every little thing, too... always avoided sudafed, aspirin, etc. But that was before I became chronically sick. If I stopped taking my meds, that would put me back to where I was before. Let me paint a picture: I kept a plastic bag in my truck in case I puked while driving around, because I was always on the verge of hurling whenever I drove... never actually did, just felt like it. I couldn't attend staff meetings, because of the intense nausea, so intense that I could barely follow what everyone was saying. I couldn't tolerate caffeine, and felt "foggy" all of the time, even months after giving up caffeine. At family functions, could only eat the tiniest amounts, only certain kinds of foods, and even then I would feel severe nausea... extremely embarassing, and it made me look like a wimp in front of my wife's family. In fact, it's amazing that our marriage survived this phase of my life, my wife hated it. No wonder I considered suicide as an option; you couldn't pay me enough to go back to that horrible situation.

My doctor told me that long term usage of Xanax is fine, and I trust him. All I want is to feel normal again, the way that I felt 4 years ago. With these meds, I am close to normal, close enough that I can enjoy life again. Unless the meds stop working, or the researchers come up with a surgical procedure that would cure my problem, I have no intention of changing my treatment program.

If it turns out that my doctor is wrong, and the Xanax causes problems, then I'll look at alternatives. But I won't give it up now, because it works, I feel good, and I want to keep on feeling good. I've seen a couple of negative posts about Xanax lately... don't recall if you wrote them or it was someone else... but felt that I needed to let people know that, in my case at least, it has changed my life. If someone else out there is unable to find relief from their GERD symptoms, I think that they should consider Xanax as a possible solution, especially if they also have anxiety. If you don't want to take pills, fine, don't take them, but some of us NEED medication to live a normal life.

[tricia]

Hi Patrick Hey, i'm not the enemy, i very much sympathize with you. Have read all of your posts.and i care. Went through a terrible two years of gerd myself and still facing other GI problems. I understand all of the ramifications and the self induced stigma associated with gerd. I totally understand what you're going through and feel for you.


I'm not pro drugs , i'm the girl who asks for an unmedicated colonoscopy. I feel there is a place for drugs like Xanax in the world of gerd. I feel it's a very useful tool but not a long term fix.

It's a strong drug and highly addictive, i hope your doctor is closely supervising you and warned you of all of the cons surrounding this medication. If he gave you no warnings, he's not a very good doctor.

I've seen the long term effects and feel people should be aware. You are painting a totally rosey picture of the drug.

I think there is a problem if you talk about Xanax and NEED in the same sentence Patrick and the fact that you can't go without it. This alarms me. I also find it alarming that you appear content to use it for the rest of your life without closely examining what started your illness in the first place..

Also all addicted people say they can quit anythine they want, but really can they? Some people are not suited for Xanax because of certain personality flaws and should be very closely supervised.

Finally, whether your problem be metabolical or emotional, the drug is not meant to be used as a permanent prosthesis. Whatever the problem that started your illness is, it's important to get to the root of it.

It's important to get to the ROOT of your problem and FIX it Patrick, not turn a blind eye to it. Because if you don't, in the longrun this drug will do you more harm than good. And what are you going to fall back on then? Only my opinion and i'm entitled to it.

Wishing you the best

[daw]

Originally posted by Tricia
Finally, whether your problem be metabolical or emotional, the drug is not meant to be used as a permanent prosthesis. Whatever the problem that started your illness is, it's important to get to the root of it.

It's important to get to the ROOT of your problem and FIX it Patrick, not turn a blind eye to it. Because if you don't, in the longrun this drug will do you more harm than good. And what are you going to fall back on then? Only my opinion and i'm entitled to it.
Wishing you the best

Unfortunately some people never find out what started their GERD or why it won't go away. Or they do find out and the only solution besides drugs is the surgery which may not be feasible for that person due to other health concerns, age, finances, etc.. Thank goodness other procedures are starting to be used and studied.

I too was medication adverse when I was younger. Now because of genetics and the wear and tear of age I find I am taking more medications than I ever thought I would. I fought taking meds for many years and finally realized the reason my family members died so young was because they didn't have the meds that are available now.

I agree a person needs to be aware of what meds they are taking and why and that definitly includes Xanax. But I think sometimes there is more harm in the constant worrying that a person will be come addicted. I've seen people suffer and physically deteriate because they refused to take tranquilizers or pain killers for fear of addiction. There has to be a common ground.

The Xanax is obviously doing something right for a person if it alleviates the symptoms. It may be the prevention of transient relaxation of the LES, the panic/anxiety/CCK/bile reflux problem or the muscle relaxation needed for esophageal spasms or hypersensitivity. I agree that a person should try and find out what the root of the problem is...and they just might find out that the solution for them is Xanax or some other psychotropic medication with similar properties.

[Patrick]

Sure, I'm open to the idea of trying something besides Xanax. Any suggestions? I'm not turning a blind eye to anything; this is the only treatment that has worked so far. I've already tried buspar, and that did nothing for my stomach at all, so I don't think that it's the anti-anxiety aspect of Xanax that works for me. I believe that it's the bile reflux/CCK connection. I've read the Shipko (sp?) stuff, and I have a rough idea of how Xanax works. But how can I get that same effect without the Xanax? If it there was an operation that would fix this problem, I'd definitely consider doing that. But at this time, Xanax seems to be the only treatment that works (in combination with the other stuff I'm taking). And it's not a 100% solution, I don't feel perfect, just an awful lot better than before.

I guess my attitude is that medical science is advancing at light speed, and there's always a new cure just around the corner. The PPI that I am currently taking only came out something like a year ago (?), and it's the first one that has really worked well for me. At times I feel like I was born at exactly the right time, to be fortunate enough to have some of these treatments available now. So while I may be on Xanax for 5 years, I wouldn't be surprised if something better came along before then. And maybe, someday, they might even come up with a surgical procedure that fixes my problem (it would help if I knew exactly what my problem was, I don't think it's very common, whatever it is).

After posting my response, I gave it some thought and wished that I hadn't. It's kind of a pointless discussion, arguing about the wisdom of taking medicine, vs. other treatments. I feel that we should wage war on this disease, using whatever weapons we have at our disposal. I wish everybody success in dealing with their GERD symptoms... and yeah, preferrably without surgery or medication. Hell, yeah! I don't want to take pills or get cut open like a fish, but I'll do whatever it takes to feel normal.

I appreciate your candor. Actually I don't really need Xanax, but I sure wouldn't like living without it. I could just quit my job, get a divorce, and go live with my mother for the rest of my life feeling sick to my stomach. But I don't see that as a viable option. With Xanax, I am able to cope with my condition, go to work, have a social life, and not make my wife miserable by being married to a sickly old fart. Take a walk in my shoes, and you'll see why I am so relieved to have finally found something that worked.

(And daw, thank you very much for your comments!)

[tricia]

Patrick you are TOTALLY misinturpreting Dr Shipco. He only recommends treating GERD, IBS, etc. with Xanax ONLY if you suffer from panic disorder as well as GERD He won't treat people with the drug Xanax who just have gerd and plain anxiety. .

He also DOESN'T acknowledge the bile reflux theory as a connection to plain old stress. ASK HIM please ask him, you'll see

. Panic disorder can not be self diagnosed, and is diffulcult to diagnose, and can only be diagnosed by a phychiatrist. . Panic attacks and phobic anxiety are often confused. People with phobic anxiety should not take Xanax.

For people with panic disorder , he recommends a 6 week regimen of Xanax, not long term treatment and also phychiatric councelling in conjunction.

Daw When the FDA approved Xanax, it was not recommended for long term use. Xanax was approved based on short term use and short term studies. It is not approved for the treatment of gerd, ONLY for the treatment of panic disorder.

A less addictive drug should be used for anxiety sufferers who have gerd.


A quote from Dr Shipco " The most important concern is that a correct diagnosis of panic disorder be made prior to starting alprazolam.(Xanax) It should not be used in place of a sleeping pill or a general tranquilizer. I consider it a medication specific for panic attacks,"

Another quote from Dr Shipco "The literature is clear that people who are not on any medication have a better long term prognosis"

You should know that 8000 people visit ERS a year due to Xanax addictions

You should also know that there have been quite a few deaths from seizures when people try to get off of Xanax.

It has also been linked to brain damage, liver and pancreatic cancer.

Xanax should never be used on a daily basis except for very short periods of time (less than 3 months)

Xanax can actually compound the problems it was given to treat instead of relieving them. It can cause major depression and homicidal/suicidal tendencies. These are common problems seen in treatment centers where persons on Xanax are treated for addictions.

Xanax can actually create a worse addiction than heroin.

It's banned in much of Europe, including the UK

Long term prognosis of Gerd is much better in people who have never used anti anxiety meds,


Withdrawal from long term usage should only be done in a medical setting because death can result. This advice comes from many medical persons and psychiatrists.

Xanax relaxes the muscles and releives symptoms, yes, but aren't their weaker drugs you can try?

Also Daw, in some people surgery won't cure these problems, the way surgery won't cure IBS, fybromyalgia, etc, all considered functional ( behavioral) GI problems Some Gerd patients problems are primarily functional. They have to work on this aspect.

And people who are cured by fundos take a long time to recover because they have temporary functional problems.and their bodies have to re learn everything.


Patrick, i think your doctor is irresponsible in giving you this med and giving his blessing of long term use. I wish you could be supervised by a pyschiatrist who really is the only professional who should treat with this drug. Cognitive behavioral therapy may be helpful.in conjuction.

I just don't think anyone should resign themselves and SHOULD look for the answers,whether they are metabolic or anxiety based, and fix them. I beleive any problem can be fixed. I beleive you'll feel better for it.

Patrick good luck to you, please think about what i said at least and realize you are taking a very potent, addictive drug. I realize it helps your symptoms but think about the long term ramifications You may be worse off in the long run Are you only thinking about the present and not the future? By the way, did you research it? The drug itself? Take Care

[The Pard]

Hi Tricia,

Geary, Hallsy, Patrick, and how many others are doing better with less than 1mg of xanax a day and you are warning them of the addictive properties.
I am sure that if they start to need 2, 3, or 4 mg a day they will be off to their doctor for wheelbarrows full of xanax and he will cut them off very carefully.
If you think that those who have had the fundo are off all meds you might be surprised.

Some are taking xanax only as needed and I am sure that Patrick will try to skip a dose from time to time, depending on how he feels.
there are other alternatives that many people
are taking with less stigma than xanax
Robinbird is taking Klonopin with great results.
Alprazolam is another close cousin without such
stigma and how many women with PMS are taking Valium with care and responsibilty with few
complications? If there is a tendency to up the dose to get a buzz then the doc would be irresponsible if that was not monitored.

Now that patients are being tracked by computer
and by their HMO for excessive use and expense
there is much less chance of abuse unless the patient is paying cash for the meds.
At least they are much cheaper than PPIs which
are also not supposed to be for prolonged use.

Patrick might be able to get off PPIs with the help of xanax.. at least I hope he tries to do so.

Do you feel the same way about the meds that are being taken by schizophrenics and bi-polar
sufferers and suggest that they should get off them as soon as possible?
What about the meds that doctors prescribe for high blood pressure which many docs are afraid to stop for fear that the patient might develop an aneurism and die? Were they intended for prolonged use or only until the patient lost weight and stabilized their cholesterol ratio?

Warnings like yours are stressful to someone who is taking xanax and may cause them to need an even higher dose to reduce the added anxiety and worry.
I was was even becoming stressed by reading your post.

Dr Shipko can not recommend long term
Xanax until the supporting studies are done to
prevent him from being sued.

I object to kids being put on ritalin at the drop of a hat and that is more accepted by many doctors, teachers and bureaucrats without the needed testing. Ritalin was never tested on children but it is being used at the insistance
of teachers and school psychiatrists who would expel students who are not able to concentrate and learn.
Maybe Patrick was one of these students and
still needs a crutch.

The Pard...
in the trenches for Patrick.. :)

[daw]

Tricia, First off, I am not disagreeing with you about the possible problems of Xanax. I just want to address some of your statements.

"Daw When the FDA approved Xanax, it was not recommended for long term use. Xanax was approved based on short term use and short term studies. It is not approved for the treatment of gerd, ONLY for the treatment of panic disorder. "

That's true of many meds but they are still being used for other illnesses and symptoms. Aren't PPIs approved only for short term use? My doctor tells me that statins are being used for arterial inflammation and they are finding many other benefits besides cholesterol lowering....but you won't find them listed in its approved uses.
And all these meds can damage the liver.

Any lay person who reads a PDR would be scared silly of all the listed side effects of every medication.
Except for the addicting possibilities of Xanax, it's not worse than say a PPI.

All this talk is stressing me out about my taking Xanax, even if it is a very low dose. I will consider asking my doctor about an alternative (I was on Ativan in the past and it sometimes gave me heartburn...lol) and hope I don't have to increase my GERD meds. Hey I'm worried enough about having to take both Pepcid and Nexium long term.

[tricia]

Pard you said Do you feel the same way about the meds that are being taken by
schizophrenics and bi-polar sufferers and suggest that they should get off of them as soon as possible?


NO Pard People who have -panic disorder as well as schizophrenia, etc have a chemical imbalance in their brain and the seriton levels need to be altered in order to live normally. Beleive me, i want schizophrenics to stay on their meds, i live next door to a half way house for schizophrenics and i can sure tell when they don't take their meds. It's not pretty.

When you don't have one of these disorders and you take a drug such as Xanax and your chemical makeup in your brain does not need altering, you run the risk thar ---------overtime, you can become either disinhibited, violent, or have marked personality changes.

You said GW takes Xanax , and Hallsy, well as i remember correctly, GW was DIAGNOSED with anxiety- panic disorder That is what the drug is meant for.PANIC DISORDER.ONLY Was GW even properly diagnosed ? i heard he wasn't doing well right now.. Has Hallsy been diagnosed with panic disorder too?

Well i posted the warnings about Xanax in my last post that are all out there , everyone should be informed before making a decision. It is banned in other countries for a reason.

And if that link by Shipco is posted, his links about warnings of the drug should be posted as well. And it should be mentioned that he only endorses it for anxiety panic disorder

FDA Psychiatric Drug Products group leader Thomas Laughren, M.D. agreed
that much of Upjohn’s information concerning withdrawal events was often poorly organized and confusing.” The official expressed “frustration that so little useful data have emerged…

Upjohn admits, “Certain adverse clinical events, some life-threatening, are a direct consequence of physical dependence to XANAX.”

Don't mean to scare you Patrick, i suppose you are only on low doses, but you should be aware of what you are taking, be careful how you use it,don't up the dose and do something to fix your problem. Have you had a PH, endoscopy? neurological tests?

Don't know if you guys remember John C who was on the old board and had a Hill repair, well after he had the Hill a neurological problem was found.

One last thing Pard, on the other board, you suggested Xanax to a 21 year old kid who was diagnosed with gastritis. It's not candy you know.

Daw I agree with much of what you say, PPIs are bad too, and every drug has side effects that would scare you.

The drug companies are making a fortune on PPis and Xanax--and are probably hiding the truth, just as tobacco companies did. Daw i doubt xanax will ever be used for gerd alone, it doesn't cure it, neither does it cure panic disorder. Doctors give strong warning it should only be used for panic. Two reasons It alters the serotin levels. It's addicting properties are a huge concern too.

I'm feeling guilty now, don't mean to scare the heck out of people, just want them to be aware.life with Xanax isn't always a bed of roses and shouldn't be used as a long term solution.-- and should be strongly supervised. Now i think i'll go crawl in a hole.

[daw]

According to my PDR Nurse's Drug Handbook, Xanax is classified as an antianxiety agent. It's uses are listed as: anxiety, anxiety associated with depression with or without agoraphobia. Investigational: Agoraphobia with social phobias, depression, PMS(?). This is a 2000 edition maybe things have changed since then. Of course the side effects are numerous as expected. The rest of the info, including the warnings of psychological and physical dependence, is grouped with the rest of the Benzodiazepines. Maybe it needs an update. I'm not trying to be sarcastic but it sort of makes you wonder.

It does mention that one should not decrease the daily dose more than 0.5mg over 3 days if therapy is terminated or the dose decreased. When you are only taking 0.5mg a day what does that mean? I err on the side of caution and decrease by 0.25mg and even 0.125mg a day.

Tricia said " I'm feeling guilty now, don't mean to scare the heck out of people, just want them to be aware life with Xanax isn't always a bed of roses and shouldn't be used as a long term solution.-- and should be strongly supervised. Now i think i'll go crawl in a hole."

Don't be guilty and don't crawl in a hole....it hurts your knees and even more importantly we need you here so we can have good discussions. :)

[The Pard]

Hi Tricia,

Geary's MD doc diagnosed his anxiety based on about 20 questions asked in his office.
I hope that Partick's doc can do as much.
He may have already asked those questions informally before prescribing xanax.

I never said that anyone should self-administer
any meds that are prescription and especially those which are FDA controlled. As far as I know,
all the posters here are seeing a doc and that should be the course that they follow to get meds
with the proper supervision.

As I recall, someone said that Xanax was a bandaid too. Patrick needs a bandaid to get on with his life. I think this is between him and his doc
(who is probably amazed at his improvement).

See you on "Groundhog Day" :) (kidding)

The Pard

[tricia]

Daw your handbook doesn't correlate with FDA reccomendations , textbooks i have here or any phychiatric site, or Shipco. Wonder why that is. Xanax is only reccomended for 2 very specific phychiatric disorders. Maybe the medical community has taken it upon themselves to branch out these disorders.

Daw how long have you been using Xanax off and on and does your doctor reccomend it for long term use.? Why did you stop takjng it?

I notice a few posters on here have said doctors won't renew their prescriptions.or even start a prescription mainly because of the addiction properties.

Pard lol You were the one who compared it to bandaids and aspirins, i compared it to a crutch You don't wear bandaids forever though, you have to take them off sooner or later.

Patrick , i apologize if i offended you, i'm still concerned over long term use of this drug and addiction, and it's much more dangerous than a coffee addiction. It's banned in many countries and there are many lawsuits surrounding it. It should be monitered by a phychiatrist, not a GI or GP.Literature states that even small doses can cause problems.

I know you're feeling better , and that's great, but it's always good to hear both sides of a story. Hope you won't resign yourself and will search for answers while on this drug. I hope you continue to feel well. Best of luck

[daw]

" Daw how long have you been using Xanax off and on and does your doctor reccomend it for long term use.? Why did you stop takjng it?"

What difference does it make. I've been on a small dose of Xanax for way over 3 months so I guess I'm doomed. It's been nice knowing everyone. Actually I really need a good antidepressant now.
Had enough of this...see you in the other topics.

[Patrick]

Tricia, this might come as a surprise to you, but I actually did a lot of research into Xanax before talking to my doctor about it. And yeah, the doctor and I discussed it for a long time before he felt that it might be a good thing to try. I haven't seen a psychiatrist because I never felt that I had mental health problems, just nausea (I know, there's that whole chicken and egg thing with anxiety and GERD, but I never really felt very anxious before). Besides, I really like my family doctor... I don't think that he's irresponsible at all. On the contrary, he's the best doctor I've ever had.

I think that the bandaid/crutch analogy is appropriate, that's pretty much what Xanax is for me (works better than the Ritalin did, heh heh!). But I do intend to keep experimenting with the dosage, both for the Xanax and for the other drugs I'm taking. As far as the Xanax goes, though, I'll probably have to purchase a pill cutter, because I think that my ideal dose is .375mg twice a day. I don't see how people could stand to take more than 1mg a day, it makes me a little drowsy as it is. If the Xanax stops working, I have no intention of upping the dosage. Maybe by then, they'll have something better.

Pard and Daw, thanks for jumping in. Daw, I'll probably see you in heaven soon; well, I may take the low road, it's hard to say. And Tricia, I guess that we can just agree to disagree. I know that you mean well, but you have to realize that just because someone doesn't agree with you, doesn't mean that they are ignorant. You keep implying that I haven't done my homework, that I'm going in blind, etc. I feel very comfortable with my decision to try Xanax (I say "try", because I don't know how long I'll be on it), and my quality of life is now very good. No regrets.

[tricia]

Patrick, didn't mean to imply you were ignorant,or going in blind.,i 'm sorry if you perceived it that way

You were the one who started this thread praising Xanax. Were only people who are FOR it allowed to respond?

It's a discussion forum and you should expect that not everyone is going agree with you. No two people in the world think the same.

I compare this to... say.... if someone raves about how synthetic heroin helps their back pain on a public message board.( which a lot of people use) it's my responsibility to warn other people of the possible risks and dangers,such as gradually increased dosages, addiction, withdrawl ,overdose etc because this person is only posting the good things about it.

Xanax is said to be even more addictive than heroin.


I don't take back anything i said because it's my responsibility, i'm passionate.I could care less who agrees with me., i wanted to get my message out. Thanks for the 3 on one guys. Au revoir I'm done i wish you continued good health and happy trails

[Patrick]

I could use some of that heroin right about now.