Xanax (for Panic Attacks) + CPAP

[cpapguru38]

Here's my plan:

If I feel a panic attack coming, I'll first try my CBT and breathing exercises.

If that fails...

Try them again.

If that fails...

Take one half of a 0.5 mg Xanax.


Since being on CPAP therapy, this was my first real panic attack since February 15, 2009. Hopefully, they'll get fewer and far between.

Here are some things that work well for me:

1. You won;t feel like it, but get and do something. Do the dishes, take the dog out, something that requires movement and thought. It distracts you from the panic feeling. I always find that if I sit and try and breathe, they come on. If I get busy and do something they go away.

2. Talk to someone. Not about our pending attack, just anything. How is the weather, what's new. Start talking, next thing you know, the pending attack has subsided. t is documented that if one is laughing or talking it is almost impossible for a panic attack to progress, because the cycle is broken.

3. If no one is around, call someone. Talking almost always ends my attacks.

4. If you decide to take a xanax to end the anxious feeling, place it under your tongue and let is slowly disolve. Works ten times faster and you feel the calming affect almost instantly. Swallow it and it has to work it's way through your stomach. Take it on a full stomach and it might take 45 minutes to begin working. The taste is bearable, just a little bitter, but won't make you vomit or anything. It's not bad. My doctor told me this tip.

All in all, once you can "laugh at a panic attack in the face" and understand them and no longer fear them, they usually don'c come round so often. I literally laugh to myself when I feel one coming on and just say.."here we go this will be fun" get and move around and it goes away.

[MrSandman]

I hope I didn't help bring on your attack talking about my recent attack in a thread. I haven't had a full blown panic attack since then but I have been taking .5 Klonopin morning and night and Lexapro was raised back to 40mg. I was down to 10mg and no Klonopin. I have been living in fear of another attack and have feelings every day like I am going to have one. I start to get too focused on my breathing it seems and then think something is wrong and then just try to forget about it. I think the drugs help only because they destroy my memory and make it easier to forget just about everything. Which sucks. I don't want to go through life numb and emotionless. I get comments about the way I talk for the past 18 years or so with people telling me I am so monotone and have I ever heard how I talk. Now that is a stupid question and then I get self conscience about how I am talking. I think it is a zombie effect from the drugs because I never heard this prior to the drugs.

I wonder why I wasn't prescribed Xanax. I do not have an addictive personality at all. I am for sure a HSP and a little OCD. I would bet everyone with panic and anxiety issues is a little "PURE" OCD or a little too self conscience.

I quit the Skoal last year and I quit Mountain Dew a few weeks ago but replaced it with Sierra Mist. 20 years of Mountain Dew and just said I quit. No more caffeine for me. I want to see if that helps with the anxiety. My next move is to go to straight water. I am walking more and plan to buy a bike to ride with the kids. This is my year of change you can believe in .

I hope weight loss will follow. My VB% dropped dramatically to around 18% recently although it fluctuates up to 38% or so at times.

But seriously though, just reading up on panic attacks or about them can make me feel like I may have one. They scare the heck out of this old Marine and I am not afraid of much.

[justme55]

without xanax I usually have one AHI per every hour I have slept. Nobody thinks it is important to check and see if I need to raise my pressure and I am not able to do that manually. So, the expense of a sleep study where I had taken a xanaX before the study has not been adjusted and it has been over a year. I wonder if you are on CPAP therapy then why would xanax be a problem? The cpap is supposed to keep your airway open so how can xanax affect that?

[Suddenly Worn Out]

Panic attacks do not last all day the way you describe. Ask any psychiatrist whose sub-specialty is anxiety disorders and they will tell you the same thing. Panic attacks are very specific events. They normally are very intense, can feel like a heart attack or a cardiovascular event in some cases. And usually the person will feel literally scared to death. Normally, a panic attack does not last more than 45 minutes to an hour. If it lasts more than about an hour, its probably not a panic attack.

There are other anxiety disorders. There is GAD or Generalized Anxiety Disorder. GAD is where you just have generalized anxiety most or much of the time. But I never heard of a panic attack that lasted from 9:30 am to 4 pm.

Eric

WHAM! Panic attack. A bad one, too. It wasn't so intense, but it lasted for hours, and I think I had two back-to-back. Basically, from 9:30 am to 4pm, I was in some state of panic or anxiety.

[2Tim215]

I have multiple health issues that don't leave me much choice to use medications that can cause dependency. I have truly been blessed that it hasn't been an issue for me. But I too just keep them on stand-by for Flare-ups, etc. When the time comes I do need them its good to know they are here and readily available. I end up discarding most of them compared to what I might use because they have expired. My doctor said I could still use some that are outdated a bit but might not be as strong. My co-pays for the those meds a fairly inexpensive. My Cymbalta is quite expensive but has helped a lot to keep the narcotics on the shelf. The Nasal Pillows are working for me so I'm hoping that doesn't change when I get my new S9 Autoset machine. I have OCD and I'm claustrophobic. Never thought I was until my first MRI. Now its strictly open MRI's! There is a lot a good information in this thread. I believe if we can continue our therapy while avoiding any dependencies and keep our panic attack/claustrophobia issues under control we are on the right path!

[Julie]

Xanax, along with a ton of other meds that supposedly calm you down, will relax you enough so that your palate and tongue close off your airway even more than it is to begin with, making it twice as hard for Cpap to be effective. It's one thing to use it for a couple of weeks while adjusting to Cpap, another to keep taking it indefinitely because it is counterproductive.

[tattooyu]

Panic attacks do not last all day the way you describe. Ask any psychiatrist whose sub-specialty is anxiety disorders and they will tell you the same thing. Panic attacks are very specific events. They normally are very intense, can feel like a heart attack or a cardiovascular event in some cases. And usually the person will feel literally scared to death. Normally, a panic attack does not last more than 45 minutes to an hour. If it lasts more than about an hour, its probably not a panic attack.

There are other anxiety disorders. There is GAD or Generalized Anxiety Disorder. GAD is where you just have generalized anxiety most or much of the time. But I never heard of a panic attack that lasted from 9:30 am to 4 pm.

Eric

WHAM! Panic attack. A bad one, too. It wasn't so intense, but it lasted for hours, and I think I had two back-to-back. Basically, from 9:30 am to 4pm, I was in some state of panic or anxiety.

Perhaps not one attack, but the after-effects can leave you jittery. It was probably more like strings of panic attacks that seemed like one entire attack.

[avi123]

I searched the board and found some threads saying that most people do well with Xanax and CPAP therapy. Let me share last night's experience with you.

Yesterday, after two months of being in the clear.. WHAM! Panic attack. A bad one, too. It wasn't so intense, but it lasted for hours, and I think I had two back-to-back. Basically, from 9:30 am to 4pm, I was in some state of panic or anxiety. I called my doctor, instead of rushing to the ER, and he called in a low-dose prescription (0.5 mg) for Xanax. After work, my wife and I took a small walk, and then picked up my prescription. After, I took half (0.25 mg) at around 9 pm, and it really took the edge off.

Xanax stays in the body about 3-4 hours.

I got ready for bed, put on my new PapCAP, loaded up my Pur-Sleep scent and settled in. I just couldn't fall asleep. It took me an hour, possibly more, to fall asleep. I woke up again shortly thereafter, looked at the numbers and my AHI was like 15! I felt like the pressure was not nearly enough for me, so I upped the minimum pressure from 12.8 to 13.2, and it was good. I fell asleep, and my numbers this morning were good, but not great.

AHI was 5.
AI was 0.8 (usually <0.5).
HI was 4.2.

So, for me... if I absolutely have to take a Xanax close to bed time... I have to up the pressure! I'm not crazy about taking a med like Xanax, but on rare occasion, it does help the anxiety just not the apnea.

Comments,

=>I take 0.5 mg Alprazolam ER (generic Xanax, extended release) before I go to sleep, once daily, but it is not a sleep medication.
Xanax is for anxiety disorders. I also take 300 mg of Gabapentin for sleep and other medical condition. If I can't fall a sleep after masking within 30 min, I take 5 mg of Zolpidem which is a generic Ambien, and I fall a sleep within 15 min. If I don't fall a sleep after 30 min I take another 5 mg of Zolpidem which is a sleep medication.
=> Panic attack is not anxiety disorder, but a sort of psychological condition.
=> To deal with anxiety disorder your best bet is to do it via a psychiatrist (as I do).
=> To deal with panic disorder you best bet doing it with a psychologist (no need for Rx)
=> 40 years ago I had panic attacks (agoraphobia) driving thru tunnels and flying. But I have desensitized myself.
=> Presently, I still have Social Phobia (peeing in public places), also while giving a urine sample for testing.

[Sir NoddinOff]

=> Presently, I still have Social Phobia (peeing in public places).

Slightly OT, Avi, but I had to smile at that cuz I suffer from a form of that too, tho it's only when people are watching (called 'shy bladder, in general). I know exactly where it came from. When I was about ten my dad enrolled me in the local Dayton YMCA. In those days you were required to swim nude because swimming trunks were considered to carry germs. Anyway, before you were allowed to go in the pool, you had to strip down, get in line, then stand nude in front of the urinal with the swim instructor staring at you - then of course, you were supposed to pee. They'd always say stuff like: C'mon, everybody's waiting, go ahead and pee! If you could produce nothing, you went and sat on a bench until you could produce something. After about three attempts they'd let you into the pool anyway, where of course, I pee'd like a racehorse. I suppose I'm lucky to be able to pee at all these days. Oddly enough, I'm an excellent swimmer, but unfortunately I have trouble peeing when people are standing next to me! It was a crazy world back in the Fifties. That'd be child abuse in today's world.

[avi123]

=> Presently, I still have Social Phobia (peeing in public places).

Slightly OT, Avi, but I had to smile at that cuz I suffer from a form of that too, tho it's only when people are watching (called 'shy bladder, in general). I know exactly where it came from. When I was about ten my dad enrolled me in the local Dayton YMCA. In those days you were required to swim nude because swimming trunks were considered to carry germs. Anyway, before you were allowed to go in the pool, you had to strip down, get in line, then stand nude in front of the urinal with the swim instructor staring at you - then of course, you were supposed to pee. They'd always say stuff like: C'mon, everybody's waiting, go ahead and pee! If you could produce nothing, you went and sat on a bench until you could produce something. After about three attempts they'd let you into the pool anyway, where of course, I pee'd like a racehorse. I suppose I'm lucky to be able to pee at all these days. Oddly enough, I'm an excellent swimmer, but unfortunately I have trouble peeing when people are standing next to me! It was a crazy world back in the Fifties. That'd be child abuse in today's world.

Comment,

I think that I started to get my agoraphobia when at age 13 in 1942 we were bombed by Italian bombers flying off Rhodes. Our shelter was underground but had no emergency exit.

http://www.paniccure.com/Open_Letter/Ag ... r_cure.htm

[SleepingUgly]

=> Panic attack is not anxiety disorder, but a sort of psychological condition.

Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder.

=> To deal with anxiety disorder your best bet is to do it via a psychiatrist (as I do).
=> To deal with panic disorder you best bet doing it with a psychologist (no need for Rx)

You can see a psychologist if you have an anxiety disorder of any sort, including panic disorder, or you can see a psychiatrist. They will likely approach it from different angles.

[lazer]

I searched the board and found some threads saying that most people do well with Xanax and CPAP therapy. Let me share last night's experience with you.

Yesterday, after two months of being in the clear.. WHAM! Panic attack. A bad one, too. It wasn't so intense, but it lasted for hours, and I think I had two back-to-back. Basically, from 9:30 am to 4pm, I was in some state of panic or anxiety. I called my doctor, instead of rushing to the ER, and he called in a low-dose prescription (0.5 mg) for Xanax. After work, my wife and I took a small walk, and then picked up my prescription. After, I took half (0.25 mg) at around 9 pm, and it really took the edge off.

Xanax stays in the body about 3-4 hours.

I got ready for bed, put on my new PapCAP, loaded up my Pur-Sleep scent and settled in. I just couldn't fall asleep. It took me an hour, possibly more, to fall asleep. I woke up again shortly thereafter, looked at the numbers and my AHI was like 15! I felt like the pressure was not nearly enough for me, so I upped the minimum pressure from 12.8 to 13.2, and it was good. I fell asleep, and my numbers this morning were good, but not great.

AHI was 5.
AI was 0.8 (usually <0.5).
HI was 4.2.

So, for me... if I absolutely have to take a Xanax close to bed time... I have to up the pressure! I'm not crazy about taking a med like Xanax, but on rare occasion, it does help the anxiety just not the apnea.

Comments,

=>I take 0.5 mg Alprazolam ER (generic Xanax, extended release) before I go to sleep, once daily, but it is not a sleep medication.
Xanax is for anxiety disorders. I also take 300 mg of Gabapentin for sleep and other medical condition. If I can't fall a sleep after masking within 30 min, I take 5 mg of Zolpidem which is a generic Ambien, and I fall a sleep within 15 min. If I don't fall a sleep after 30 min I take another 5 mg of Zolpidem which is a sleep medication.
=> Panic attack is not anxiety disorder, but a sort of psychological condition.
=> To deal with anxiety disorder your best bet is to do it via a psychiatrist (as I do).
=> To deal with panic disorder you best bet doing it with a psychologist (no need for Rx)
=> 40 years ago I had panic attacks (agoraphobia) driving thru tunnels and flying. But I have desensitized myself.
=> Presently, I still have Social Phobia (peeing in public places), also while giving a urine sample for testing.

Comment,

It is frightening to me that we seem to be on the same medications at present.

And I also share in the "anxiety" and phobia you speak of.

I'm also afraid of snakes. Even little gardner ones.

[Julie]

Have you considered trying RET for your attacks?

[HanzT]

Gabapentin causes panic attacks for me. You might look into easing off it, if your doctor agrees. I was taking it to help me sleep and it, after a few years, was making things worse. I have no idea why it changed, but it seemed to help for years, then started my panic attacks (from what I can tell). Don't just stop taking it though. You need to slowly come off it, if the doctor advises it is ok to do so.

[napstress]

I have found that on nights I take Xanax, my AHI is lower. But I have UARS, not apnea. Could be the RERAs rear their ugly heads when I am tense.