Just curious anyone taking xanax, how much and how often are you taking it? I am currently taking .25 mg just about every day, is that a lot and am I going become addicted????

That's a pretty low dose. I would never tell anyone they can't get addicted to benzo's (which is what xanax is) because anybody could. In general if you are mindful of your dosing then you can keep a handle on it. I don't know how long you have been on it, but, I'm gonna think if you are taking it every day .25 may not work after a time. But, you never know it may, everyone is different. I started on .25 but that was too low for me, my anxiety was over the top. In the event you realize it isn't working as well speak with your Dr. first before increasing the dosage.

Personally, I have taken between .75mg to 1.5mg per day. Never any more than that. I don't feel compelled to take it if I don't need it. I generally was taking a dose in the morning and then one in the evening when anxiety was at it's highest. I do still tend to take it at night because I get a little restless and slightly anxious, but, it calms me down to sleep. It really helps me and I don't feel any ill effects or different. I am also on Lexapro which is really helping with the panic/anxiety. We are all different. I personally don't feel a propensity toward addiction but I am very careful not to go over the above dosage. This I just know through my own personal life experience. I have been taking it for 4 months or so, the last 2 months probably every day. Hope this helps. Take care, Mich

I also take Xanax. I take a quarter of a .25mg 1 or 2x per day as needed. I may go several days without, and then take it everyday for a couple of weeks. I have been doing this for 1 year and have not become addicted. My doc says it is a very low dose, more like a placebo dose. But it helps me that's all I know. I was worried about that at first, but I do watch it carefully.

I USE TO TAKE 0.25 ONCE A DAY BUT NOW IT IS LIKE EVERY THREE DAYS THE ZOLOFT IS HELPING ME TOO.

How do you cut it in such little small pieces without it crumbling, lol? I'm glad that amount works for you, I think the less you have to take of any medication is a good thing as long as you get benefit from that dose. It wouldn't have even dented the anxiety I was feeling. I have to say, it doesn't work as strong as it used to. But, thankfully, my anxiety levels are lower so I don't need the intensity it had before nor do I need to increase the dosage.

When I was having high anxiety/panic, my doc recommended .25 three times a day. I guess the idea is to get over the panic attack then calm down the system afterwards. I did this dose many (not all) days for a couple of months till my AD kicked in fully. I had no trouble stopping and KNOCK WOOD haven't needed one in a week or two right now. Nice to know they are there though... .

(I did experiement a bit--sometimes I would need 2 tablets of .25 to still the panic, then I wouldn't need one for days and days...)

I am very grateful to xanax which made me feel normal when I was crazy with panic. But I do respect it can be addictive and try to use it only when my nervous system is in overdrive, never just because I am having everyday stress....For that I try to take a walk, have a glass of wine, ride my horse, escape into a book..

I've been taking just about every day for about a month and a half now. I have noticed the last few times I've taken it, and like I said, I take .25 mg only once daily, it hasn't really been keeping the anxiety away, down, but not away. It still makes me extremely tired and that's one of the reasons I don't want to up the doseage.

I wake up with this incredible amount of nervous energy, you'd think I could run a marathon and still not be tired. I really would just like to feel normal....whatever that is!!

I take .25 3 times per .5 at night, as prescribed by my doc. My anxiety was really bad a couple weeks ago. This was to get over that bad hump and let the zoloft do it's job. I don't see him for 2 more weeks, so I'm going to continue that dosage. It has helped TREMENDOUSLY! I don't feel like I'll get addicted. It just feels good to feel ok again! Alot of times I feel like I don't even need it now, but I'm going to keep going as prescribed, till I see the doc next. I don't feel the least bit ashamed or scared to take it. It just feels too good to get relief from anxiety!!!

I am 46 days since last period .. this is longest time between in 8 months. I find when this happens my anxiety gets very high, along with the GERD and hair falling out etc. etc. etc.. you get the picture .. I have been taking .25 when needed during this phase .. its not every day though ..

i meant to say i take an 0.25 dose like every 3 days. i break it in a quarter since i have 1mgs. sometimes it crumbles but i still take it as long as i have a small dose in me. lol

Maine Mom--glad to read you are feeling better!!

Thanks Sissy. I meant to say my dose is .25 3 times during the day and .5 at bedtime. Yes I'm feeling better this week. What a difference a week and some xanax can make!!!

Hi everyone,

I too am on xanax for internal tremors and anxiety. I had been taking .25 twice a day then .12 twice a day and
last month took .06 (1/4)- used a pill cutter- only at night. Ten days ago I stopped all of it, but yesterday
the tremors and anxiousness returned (for no reason). I am distraught- had to take 1/4 this a.m. before work.
I hate depending on this medication- I was "normal" before getting ill in February. Does anyone know
if this is a rebound effect from my stopping the Xanax???? I am truly discouraged.

Sometimes I get the tremors and anxiousness which I could bear. I wonder if it is from the xanax. When I take it it calms down. However, there are many mornings I don't take it at all. I'm glad I have it, REALLY GLAD.. but, I don't feel compelled tot take it. But, I find it is really helpful and I don't care if I need to depend on it or not. I used to be afraid of meds at least the ones I am using now Lexapro and Xanax. I feel way better than I did. I hope I don't need anything else going forward, what I have works just fine to handle the ups and downs. I am not worried about addiction. I can't say I am not a little apprehensive if and when I want to get off the Lexapro, but, I'll deal with that when and if I need to. How I was feeling before these meds was truly horrific. Just as some women say they would take BHRT or reg. hormones and choose quality of life vs the chance of cancer or whatnot shortening their life. I will take the withdrawal symptoms over feeling like cr@p. It's purely a personal choice.

QUESTION FOR THOSE WHO TAKE XANAX REGULARLY... HOW MUCH DOES YOUR DR WRITE YOUR SCRIPT OUT FOR? MINE WROTE ME ONE LAST OCTOBER FOR 30 PILLS (0.25MG) TO TAKE 3X A DAY. SINCE LAST OCT, I THINK I'VE TAKEN 1/2 THE BOTTLE. SO I DON'T TAKE IT OFTEN, BUT SOMETIMES WHEN I WAKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WITH MY CHEST FLUTTERING, I TAKE ONE AND I'M ABLE TO FALL BACK TO SLEEP. I JUST RECENTLY STARTED DOING THIS (TAKING THE XANAX FOR THE FLUTTERING) AND LIKE EVERYONE ELSE SAYS, IT HELPS ALOT JUST KNOWING YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THEM. I USE MAIL IN SCRIPT PLAN AND WAS JUST WONDERING IF THE DOCS WRITE THEM OUT FOR LIKE 90 DAY SUPPLIES....

Well, depending on your doctor and their comfort level (yes, some Dr.s work from a fear of a patient becoming addictive) my feeling is if this is a legitamite medication which it is then until you KNOW for a fact that a patient is acting in an addictive manner then prescribe the stuff. It really does help. I have a great psyche who seems okay with RX'g it. The only way you could get 90# per month is if he changes the dosage to be 1mg 3x a day and that may be too high for comfort. I take at the most .50 3x a day, which equates to 45 per month. Especially if it's being billed through insurance. Xanax is pretty inexpensive, I pay out of pocket for the meds and for the psyche. I don't even use my insurance Kaiser. They are more conservative and I didn't have the patience to have to beg for something that really was helping me and made to feel like I was going to end up an addict. My Dr. at Kaiser, the first time she prescribed it kept saying you know this is addictive. I said I am perfectly aware, when I asked for it again 2 months later, you could tell she was uncomfortable. I just got pissed off. It wasn't like I was calling every 15 days asking for a refill. I told her I was insulted and until I showed her I had over abused the drug that all medications AD's included have their issues i.e. withdrawals etc. If the drug is on the market for use and it helps me then I want to use it. I just finally decided forget it and got a private Dr. Sorry for the long winded answer. It just chafes my hide that we have to feel embarrassed or shamed to ask for medication that proves helpful for us. We are adults, it is our job to monitor our drug habits. Do some people become addicted, ABSOLUTELY! But, there are probably more that don't and use the med properly and within guidelines.

I have been taking 1/2 of a .25 off and on since 1990. I do get 90 day supply prescriptions, but that may be because my doctor knows me and knows how many times the meds have expired before I've used them all. I think if he's comfortable with your rate of usage, it shouldn't be a problem.

Could your anxiety and tremors be from a sudden drop in hormones? I'm no expert but it seems like that with that tiny dose and slow weaning you wouldn't be getting rebound effects at this point.

Wow you guys are making me think I take too much. .25 stopped working pretty quickly. only .50 works or at the most .75 which at times I take twice a day. I almost don't need my morning dose anymore but I sometimes I do. I hope I am not overdoing it. I still need it at night for sure because I get restless and a bit anxious, it helps me sleep with no side effects. I feel ok. It's just you guys seem to get by with so little. Anyone on the board who take Xanax in bigger doses than chips and 1/4? I might make a separate post for this

It all depends on wt, metabolism, drug sensitivity, etc. I wouldn't worry as long as your doc is okay with it and you stay in the range he recommended.

I'm a bit chubby prob 40lbs overweight, metabolism kinda slow (at least that's my excuse, lol), My Dr. is okay where I'm at right now. Xanax just relaxes me, at night when I sleep I take .75 which makes me sleepy. If it's during the day .50 is good just to get rid of anxiety and I don't feel sleepy or drugged. It really is a decent medication for anxiety in my opinion. Thanks for responding. Have a good weekend. Mich

I completely agree. Also, another reason not to worry, again, it can be different for everyone, but I used to work in a small psych/rehab hospital and the Xanax addicts I remember were doing 8 and 10 mgs and more a day and needing more. So not to worry A good weekend to you too!

MY DOCTOR WANT ME TAKING 0.5 TWICE A DAY SO HE GIVES ME 1MG TABLETS TO CUT IN HALF. BUT I USE JUST 0.25 WHEN I NEED IT AND HE ONLY GIVES ME A 30 DAY SUPPLY AND 1 REFILL.BUT SINCE I SON'T TAKE THAT MUCH I HAVE LOTS FOR WHEN I DO NEED THEM. NOW MY PCYHIATRIST WOULD GIVE ME LIKE 60 WITH 2 REFILLS.

My psych wrote for .25 3x per day and .5 at night. He seemed perfectly comfortable doing so. Michu, I don't think .5 is too much, that's what my pcp had originally written for. .5 just happens to make me sleepy, so that's why I stick to .25 during the day. I have taken an "extra" .5 one night when I really couldn't get to sleep. Sometimes I skip my evening .25 just in case I need that little "extra" in the middle of the night. Sounds like we are both very aware of our b bodies and what and how much we are putting in. Don't feel anxious that you're taking too much, sounds like you're doing just fine. Glad you're feeling better. I think my zoloft is starting to kick in, made it up to 25 mg finally and with the xanax as my "little helper", what a difference it has made!

I'm so happy you are feeling better. Thanks for the feedback, it makes me feel like I'm not overdoing it. When meds work they really do make such a big difference. That's why you have to try and not google too much about side effects or other peoples experiences cause it can scare you from trying. It's good to be informed of course, but, I finally decided to stop reading different forum boards because there is a horror story for every kind of med out there. But, as always when one thing is handled another thing pops up but I guess I would rather deal with lower back pain (it's a few days before period time) than panic/anxiety/depression. I have had lower back pain but not for a long long time. Probably my lazy couch potato ways are biting me in the butt (literally, lol). I've kinda been laying around for quite a while due to the anxiety stuff, probably 4 weeks or so, it's gotten better within the last week or so cause the Lexapro is kicking in. Maybe I'm due for a massage?? Hmmm, sounds good to me. Have a great night!! Mich

I just reread my post and I realized I just segwayed into a whole "nother thing about my back.... I'm an@l about my posts and if they make sense, lol....