Hi im new to this site been on bp for a while im on xanax 2 0.5 mgs at bed time than if i need to during the day i take a 1/2 im ok still a little shakey.

Yes, Xanax can be dangerous because over time, it can become addictive. I was taking 0.25mg every three days, but I didn't really need it; right now I take it as needed.

I took trazadone alongside Zoloft for a long time to help me sleep, but it gave me horrible nightmares and finally I couldn't take it anymore. I am interested in what everyone has to say, because I am looking for a new anxiety medication too.

My anxiety disorder is PTSD and I must say that the trazadone made the nightmares much worse for me.

I am with you in agreement of certain things. I however disagree on some things.

First Trazadone is primarily a sleep aid. My wife took it for a year and it is also addictive just like a benzo is. I have not heard anything about any of the other things. If you take xanax daily don't think you won't have withdrawls from it. They will probably be worse then the SSRIs.

I take klonopin only. I don't take any antidepressant. I tried alot they give me tachycardia so I told them I want to try without one. It can be done. If taken daily I recommend klonopin because it has a much longer half life and each dose lasts 10-12 hours instead of 4-6 hours for xanax. This is a major reason xanax is so addictive because you have to take it more often. I took xanax 3x a day for 12 years and then became tolerant. Instead of upping my dose my new doc switched me to klonopin 3x a day. I have been able to ween myself down to 2 a day.

1 major thing you need to ask yourself is this. If you gain weight what is worse the weight gain or the anxiety. I gained weight when I was on effexor and zoloft and I didn't really like that part but I had 2 choices. Weight gain or anxiety. The choice was very easy for me. Most antidepressants can carry that side effect and most people hate it. Problem is there isn't alot you can do if you want to solve the problem if they work.

You could try natural remedies if you anxiety isn't that bad. There are alot of them just have to try ones to see how they work. My wife took something called 5htp which is a seretonin booster which is basically what ADs do. It did nothing so she stopped. She did get some slight withdrawls from that too because your brain has to go back to what it was before a drug.

There are really no psychiatric drugs for anxiety or depression that I have heard that don't have some withdrawl when you stop them. I know that isn't something you want to hear but I have been on meds for 15+ years and every one I have taken if I stopped had some withdrawl to it.

Forgot to mention my body is addicted to benzos so if I decide to go off I have to ween and will go through withdrawls. I choose to become addicted to those to help my anxiety. It was the lesser of 2 evils for me and something I felt was a better choice.

Have you tried Paxil?

I've tried so many that I forget what I've tried, but as said below, yes I'm probably totally addicted to Klenopin but the anxiety had stopped me dead in my tracks. I'd rather be addicted to a benzo than live my life anxiety ridden. However, I can say that the klenopin is starting to be non-effective which scares me. It's the ONLY thing that has ever helped me. I am at the maximum dosage.

Trazadone was given to me as a sleep aid. It caused me NO nightmares and unlike what I read in another post, it is NOT addictive. I took it for a whole year or more and just quit one day and have not taken it since. No withdrawals and my regular sleep was fine. The only thing I found with trazadone for a sleep aid is honey, you better be READY for bed when you take it cuz' it's a matter of seconds when you are ASLEEP! I slept like a LOG on those things. There was no morning residue from them.

I remember the first time I took trazadone. I had gone to bed and my son (who was in his 20's and driving me crazy with his late night hours) had lost his keys and was banging on the door. I staggered to the door like a drunk! When I went to talk to him my lips were like rubber! I completely felt totally drunk! So as long as you're sleeping on trazadone and not trying to function, I highly recommend it!

I also have taken Klonopin for years and I am physicaly addicted but not mentally because I have been on and off before. I also take Lexapro which has been a godsend to me.

I used to take serzone & it made me so lathargic that I was like a zombie. I also used to take zyprexa & it had the same effect on me. I'm currently takong lexapro, lorazepam, & seroquel, among other medications & I'm doing much better.

Trazadone is a good sleeping pill, but you might have a hangover. Remeron made me want to sleep all day and all night. Serzone also makes most people pretty sleepy during the day. Buspar works well for anxiety without causing sleepiness. It is not as strong a xanax and its not as addicting either.

All the meds you metioned did not help my extreme and debilitating panic attacks the only thing that helpes is carrying Zanax in my purse and taking it when panic strikes and within 3 minutes I'm as calm as can be. It's the only thing that works but I am an extreme case and don't know your situation.

ok well i take remeron but am coming off it, it does nothing for my anxeity what so ever, i take ativan and that sorts my head out strait away, am gna try paxil now so see how that goes

Thanks for your replies. I ended up on Wellbutrin and xanax. I know everyone says that Wellbutrin worsens anxiety, but so did zoloft and effexor, so i'm giving this a try. I really have to take a lot of xanax though!

I've taken trazadone, and for me, it was nothing more that an awesome sleep aid. Otherwise, wouldn't recommend it for depression/anxiety. I would, however recommend prozac. It REALLY worked for me. Also, I've taken Buspar (as needed) and you may as well not take anything. Totally and completely ineffective for me.

Everyone reacts differently to medication, so it's difficult to give advice about it. I've tried a number of meds and the only one that has truly helped me has been Prozac (Fluxoetine). When I began taking Prozac (after being on Effexor and gaining weight), I began to lose weight because the Prozac made me lose my appetite. I don't want to make Prozac sound like a desirous drug for people who want to lose weight -- but it did help me in that respect.