Xanax XR vs Short Acting Xanax Review

Overall 5.00 of 5 view all 4 reviews

PattyTherre
The heart of , NY

Xanax XR vs. Xanax. What's the difference? Lots of things!

a worrier, one of the many with a panic disorder, no longer suffering from panic attacks., health conscious, not one to take any medications, a ball of anxiety

Pros

works for social anxiety, doesn't cloud thinking, eases severe anxiety, works for panic disorders, not a lot of scary side effects, can give anxious people a new life, can be taken with MOST other meds, the only thing that worked for my PD

Cons

expensive if you have no insurance, can be physiologically addictive, has a few side effects, can cause drowsiness esp. at first, cannot just stop taking it,must wean off, short acting has a rebound effect, expensive if no insurance

JAN

2009

IMPORTANT NOTE: Before I begin this comparison, please know I am not a medical professional and I can't tell you what medications are right for you. This is just my own experience with both Xanax XR and regular Xanax and which worked best FOR ME. Please talk to your doctor about both options if you are advised to take this medication.

My name is Patty and I have a Panic Disorder

I have had anxiety since I was a very young child. I didn't know what was wrong but I knew something was. I starting having full-blown panic attacks as early as age five but really noticed them at around age 16. At one point, I was so anxious, I could barely leave my home. After I had my first son, my doctor was concerned that I wouldn't be able to properly deal with an emergency due to my anxiety and that scared me. I refused to consider medication of any kind up until then. I finally decided to at least TRY Xanax (alproazam) in a tiny dose. It helped a LOT. As the years passed, my dosage was adjusted and I was able to do things I only dreamed of: fly across the country many times, take a cruise, travel to huge arenas for my job in pro wrestling, live like a normal person! It wasn't always EASY to do anxiety-provoking things but the severe panic disorder that stole my life was just a menace.

I switched to Xanax XR very reluctantly when it first came out. I am not one to switch medications or to try new things. Here is what I think of both formulas and the one I have chosen and why. Please know this is just MY experience and everyone reacts differently.

Xanax XR vs Short Acting Xanax

Many people think Xanax is evil. They say it is addictive and makes a person spacey and "stoned". While it is true that stopping this medication quickly can be dangerous and you NEVER should do that, I have never taken more than prescribed, I have never felt stoned or spacey, and I never felt any kind of "high" from this drug. This is an anti anxiety medication. It helps to calm severe anxiety (or even mild anxiety depending on dose and needs). It can cause drowsiness at first. But evil? Not as far as I'm concerned. It gave me a life without out of the blue panic attacks that sent me to the ER thinking I was dying. It simply adjusted my "anxiety meter" to normal. Well, almost normal. I still have anxiety and will always have it but I now am not afraid of it.

Everyone has some anxiety. It's normal. It's actually necessary at times. However, when anxiety turns to panic attacks and when it interferes with your life in such a way that staying home is "safer" than chancing leaving the house to avoid a possible panic attack, you need help. Many people take antidepressants for anxiety and they help a lot. Some try therapy, relaxation, herbal remedies, etc. Way back when I was prescribed Xanax, it was supposed to be for about six months, and then weaned off. That was 22 years ago.

It used to be Xanax only came in a short acting form. It came in a variety of dosages and was to be taken several times a day. The half-life of Xanax is pretty short, about 4-6 hours. For those who just need a little help through tough situations now and then, Xanax is fast acting and generally free from bothersome side effects.

Those with a Panic Disorder generally need to take this medication daily because panic knows no time frame and rarely warns you that it's coming. There are pros and cons to taking short acting Xanax.

Pros:
* Works almost immediately after taking
* Wears off after a few hours
* You can choose when to take it
* Take only when needed
* It comes in very low dosages for those who need only a very small amount
* You can very slowly wean yourself off or down by taking halves of the pills or whatever your doctor suggests.

Cons:
* It has a rebound effect. When it starts wearing off, you get shaky and feel anxious. Not because you're anxious but because the medication is wearing off.
* You have to remember to take it throughout the day and night if you are on a daily dose.
* If you forget a dose, you'll feel shaky and nervous. It's unsettling and may even cause a panic attack, which is exactly what you don't want to happen.
* You may end up taking too much if you take it during a panic attack. I remember taking a half of a dose, waiting, taking another half, waiting, another half ... and then BOOM, I was exhausted because I didn't need as much as I took. I didn't overdose BY ANY MEANS (I take much less than my doctor feels I should and always have.) but I just was SO anxious that I wanted it to stop so I did as my doctor told me to. But ewwww. The next four hours or so, I was pretty darn tired.

And then Xanax XR came along ...

My doctor told me about it and I said NO WAY. I was NOT about to mess with what works. I had been on a dose that worked for me for a long time with no need to raise it. True, I was a little tired of having to remember to take a pill every 4-6 hours and I did feel it wear off but still. I wasn't going into uncharted territory!

I don't remember why I finally decided to give the new long acting Xanax a shot. It was, at the time, supposed to be a once daily medicine. Their website still says it is but it isn't. It wears off after about 18 hours meaning most people should take it every 12 hours and that is how it was prescribed for me.

After a week of complete fear of what would or would not happen, I realized my anxiety level was low and that I didn't feel that rebound effect at all. I felt ...GOOD! All the time. I didn't have to think about when to take a pill throughout the day and I didn't panic. I didn't even have high anxiety. There are pros and cons to the longer acting medication as well.

Pros:
* Take one in the morning and one at night and forget it. Some may need to just take one a day.
* No rebound effect unless you don't take a dose for about 36 hours. Then you'll feel a little nervous.
* Seems not to make me drowsy at all and doesn't seem to really have any side effects.
* Allows people to get on with their life without carrying around pills and without having to remember to take a medication all day and all night.
* Makes me feel much less anxious all day and night. I don't get the spikes of a fast calming effect then a fast wearing off effect. I just feel ... normal!

Cons:
* Doesn't work immediately so it isn't as effective as the short acting Xanax for immediate panic relief.
* Some may feel like they lost their "safety net" of having a Xanax with them "in case". I felt that way at first so my doctor gave me short acting Xanax to carry around "in case". I still have the same amount in the bottle. Never needed to take them. But it was nice to know I could if I "had to".
* May start at a higher dose then the short acting Xanax. I am not sure about that since I don't know at what dosage the XR starts. I know regular Xanax starts at .25mg.
* Can't taper the way you can with the short acting Xanax. Can't split the pills so you have to wean off with the short acting and the long acting together which is a pain. If you plan to take the medication for just a short time, the short acting Xanax is much easier to wean off of.

So what is my choice?

With no hesitations at all, Xanax XR is my choice. I would never go back to trying to remember to take very low doses of pills all throughout the day and trying not to feel the rebound effects that always came with the short acting Xanax.

I have a real Panic Disorder. I am not just a little nervous or a little anxious. Like some people have clinical depression that they will need medication to control, I have PD. I suffered badly for so long and I never want to suffer like that again. Believe me, I tried EVERYTHING from bio feedback to yoga to relaxation tapes to hypnosis to acupuncture to "flood" therapy to talk therapy to behavioral therapy to EMDR therapy to several expensive Panic Disorder programs (with tapes and books and all that stuff) to, well, everything non medicinal there was. My brain simply did not want to let go of that fight or flight reflex that almost robbed me of having any kind of life at all.

I do NOT recommend that people run to the doctor for medication if they just have mild anxiety. There are many good ways to treat that without medicine. But, if you get to a point where anxiety is literally ruining your life, seek medical attention. These days, antidepressants are the first line of defense because they are not thought of as addictive although getting off those can be dreadful and you must taper just as you have to taper off of Xanax.

If you ARE prescribed Xanax (generic name: alprazolam), discuss which of the two options is best for you. You can take short acting Xanax with XR so, if need be, you can take the XR and have a small dose of short acting Xanax available in case you get into a very high anxiety situation and feel you need supplementation.

For me, Xanax XR is a Godsend. I take it in the morning and live my life. I take it at night and continue to live my life. I haven't had a panic attack in ages nor have I felt super anxious even in very anxiety provoking situations. Obviously, in situations where anxiety is normal, I feel nervous. But it never spirals out of control as it used to. And even my "what if" thinking is nearly gone. I do still what if (What if the crowd is big and I can't get out of there? What if I want to leave and can't? What if I get vertigo and everyone laughs at me for falling down?) but it doesn't stop me from doing things.

Some of my progress is my own doing. I learned all I could about Panic Disorder and anxiety and how best to deal with it. I read many books, I taught myself to stop the what iffing with SO what ifs, and I have matured and realized I simply won't die from a panic attack and I don't really care if people look and point at me if I do something embarrassing. But make no mistake, Xanax XR is what has kept me on an even keel and allowed me to try new ventures, go to new places, and generally just have as normal a life as I can have.

Again, which formula, or any, you take should be thoroughly discussed with your doctor and you can always switch from one to the other with no issues. Both now come in generic form so you won't be killed with copays. And you can now get a three-month supply as opposed to having to get a monthly prescription. As an aside, Xanax doesn't cause weight gain or sexual side effects like antidepressants do. Still, if your doctor wants you to try one, follow his or her advice. I am glad I followed my doctor's advice.

Remember, there is no shame in admitting you have a Panic Disorder. It's a shame when you try to live with something crippling when there is help out there for you!

I hope this was informative and gave you some insight into both formulas!
Patty

Xanax XR vs Short Acting Xanax is recommended by PattyTherre

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Comments about PattyTherre’s Review

In response to pitcherday's comment from Nov 4, 2009 at 8:23PM:

I agree. In my case, my panic disorder was so out of control that I basically couldn't do anything. Nothing worked. Antidepressants made me sick and didn't help and Buspar was a huge joke. It was only after being put on Xanax that my life came together and I have been on ever since. I have never abused it and never will. I don't get any sort of high from it and never did. I used to get tired. Now I don't. Otherwise, I don't feel anything except normal. I don't think I will ever get off it at this point and, if I do, will do so slowly and with medical supervision.

Many drugs are "addictive" in that they can't be stopped quickly. The abuse comes in when people use a drug for recreation rather than its intended use. I never have done that with any drug. I am just glad I have something that works for me and that allows me to live a full life. I don't sweat the issue of getting off it because I probably won't. And I don't sweat the addiction part because I was "addicted" six month after I started it and that was 20 years ago! I have never needed more more more. I reached a level that was right for me years ago and that is where I have stayed.

I also agree that Xanax should not be prescribed for a few panic attacks and that there are other things that can be tried first. I went through a dozen types of therapy, biofeedback, even acupuncture before I finally realized that I had to have something to help me to help myself. Thanks for the feedback!

I am appreciating everyone's thoughts on this product... I have a prescription for short-acting Xanax. I have bipolar disorder, and being on anti-depressants makes me manic, so that would not be a good strategy for me. My psychiatrists tried other ways to help my GAD, which is kicked into hyperdrive during episodes of mania for 6 years before they prescribed Xanax. I can go for a month without using it, or have to use it several times in a month. I do like that it wears off after a few hours, and I can take another dose if need be (and usually it need not). If I am taking it during high anxiety,or at the beginning of a panic attack, I don't feel a "high" from it, I get alleviation of my symptoms.

A responsible doctor would not prescribe this if you've just had a few panic attacks. If you are taking it for an "official" PD, I don't think you would get addicted to it in the sense of those that abuse it for the high feeling or as a gateway drug. Think about other controlled substances like Percocet or OxyContin. If you have crippling chronic pain, a daily dose of those drugs, addictive and subject to abuse as those may be, can give you a "normal" life. Getting addicted, is getting addicted to a normal life, in my un-medical, normal person opinion.

All pharmaceuticals have a potential side effect, OTC or prescription. This may sound brash, but I asked my Dr. about a different medication that I was going on and had potential for addiction... I asked "what if I get addicted?" he said: "what's the difference if you're not coming off of it?" This was after trying the other options, and I had to admit... he did have a valid point.

I am a 57 yr. old male and have been taking .25-.50 mgs Xanax daily for 15+ yrs. As a child I would cry in class for no reason, had extreme panic and anxiety through adolescence. This all carried on into adulthood; affecting personal and business relationships. I finally got relief when my doctor suggested Xanax. It has been a G-d send. I have taken Zoloft and Paxil but Xanax is what my body needs. I have not tries the XR version. I will also add that I have never had any adverse side affects.

I struggle with Panic disorder, Xanax has helped me for many years and continues to help me on a very low dose now. I recently tried Xanax XR, I did not have a good reaction to it, I went into instant tremor and withdrawal like symptoms with very high anxiety. I called my Doctor right away, took my Regular Xaxax 0.5mg Dose and I was then fine. The DR. explained that there might be something in the XR that does not agree with me? I seem to be the only person that XR does not settle right with?? Other than that, I feel Regular Xanax is a great helpful drug for people who suffer from anxiety disorder when taken in the correct manner and not abused. I have tried all the other drugs...zoloft, Paxil, celexa, and so many others. Regular Xanax is the only one that has worked and helped me live a normal life. I am glad to read here though that the Xanax XR does work well for many. Its always important to work close with your Doctor. Everyone is different and responds different to Medications. So what works wonders for one, may not be the answer for another. Xanax is one of the best on the market, and tolerated very well when taken for the right reasons in the correct manner. But never adjust dosage or stop taking without consulting your Doctor first!!!

In response to Comisado's comment from Oct 12, 2009 at 3:04AM:

I do have to also say that putting someone on Xanax after just one possible panic attack is foolish. People should try other methods before resorting to medication of any kind. There is behavioral therapy that helps some people and there are other things a person can do to ward off panic attacks. Then there are antidepressants which help panic. Generally Xanax is not given to someone if they haven't tried and failed to control their panic with the other methods first. Your doctor should have known better. I am on the XR type which lasts 12-18 hours so I don't get the rebound anxiety. But I do remember when I did and that was never pleasant. I take one in the morning, one at night and that's it. Nothing in between. I don't need anything and if I get nervous, I deal with the things and behaviors I learned. I never reach for a pill bottle.

Anyway, I am glad you are doing well now.

In response to Comisado's comment from Oct 12, 2009 at 3:13AM:

I appreciate your comments. I have been on Xanax for over 20 years for a very severe panic disorder. I was started on a tiny dose and eventually got to the dose that works for me. I have not built up a tolerance or needed more in years. I am at a level that works but it hasn't stopped working as well even after several years on the same dose.

Of course, I am aware that if I stop fast,I could be in very deep trouble. But many drugs are the same way. I know people on Paxil who literally can't get off it. They are so very sick and have very terrible reactions.

While I totally tolerate Xanax, I can't tolerate antidepressants. I get every side effect there is and they don't help me at all. I have tried several and gotten off them all because they made me terribly sick. And withdrawal was awful. Ugh.

I think people need to be aware of the potential for abuse and the reality that taking Xanx or anything but a short period of time will lead to having to slowly taper off. I would have to take a year or more to get off but I have no intention of doing so. For me, it's the only drug that allows me to live a normal lfe. I fly, I go on cruises, drive, go into huge crowds, and do all the things that I couldn't do before. I was housebound for a year before Xanax. For me the benefits outweigh the risks. I have no kidney liver or other health issues due to it. So while I do understand your situation and am so sorry you had such issues, there are success stories too.

I will check out the website you noted though as I am always eager for info.

By the way, I forgot to mention.... it can take several years for someone to build up a tolerance of the toxic variety that I experienced. You can NEVER say "I won't build up a tolerance" because tolerance initially begins when dependence develops.

I am not a doctor and none of what I say is medical advice. I was once aspiring to be a Physician, but since my awful experience with Xanax, I have since decided to be an aspiring Attorney.

For anyone concerned that they may be dependent on benzos such as Xanax, Klonopin, etc. please research "iatrogenic addiction" , "benzodiazepine tolerance" and please visit benzowithdrawal.com and see for yourself the members whose lives have been reduced to bedbound crippling side effects from just being ON therapeutic doses of benzodiazepines such as Xanax. I am a member there but I am in no otherwise way affiliated with the website.

BENZODIAZEPINE AWARENESS!

Xanax almost killed me!

This story frightens me. I am a member of benzowithdrawal.com because Xanax almost killed me after only 1 year of use for anxiety attacks. During use of my low dose daily Xanax, I developed Cushing's Syndrome, PCOS, seizures, tremor and interdose withdrawal and tolerance withdrawal symptoms. I was taking my meds as prescribed, but my body became tolerant to the Xanax----not only did it stop working, but it made me very very sick because my body needed more, more, more, and I wasn't giving it to my body! I finally decided to taper off of it, which resulted in violent convulsions, seizures, vomiting, crippling vertigo (could not walk or care for myself for 3 months) and my periods stopped for 8 months. Finally, a year and a half later, my brain is healed. I thank God every day that I am no longer a prisoner to this evil drug ----this goes for all benzodiazepines, not just Xanax! I actually thought I had Panic Disorder....little did I know, my panic attacks were caused because my body was craving Xanax between doses....a year off the Xanax....not one single anxiety attack. The anxiety attack I experienced that prompted my doc to put me on Xanax was due to a bad reaction from a birth control pill. I never had Panic Disorder until I became dependent on Xanax ... over one single harmless anxiety attack. Tragic. I have lost years off of my life.

In response to kt047's comment from Aug 25, 2009 at 9:35AM:

Thank you for leaving a comment. I hope my story helps others struggling with PD. There IS life while having a PD and pretty darn good! :)

Great review! I'm glad to hear the Xanax XR is working for you. Thank you for sharing your experiences with this medication, as well as PD.

In response to LadyMagic's comment from Apr 10, 2009 at 10:15AM:

For me, the product works so well that I feel the benefits outweigh the risks. My brother and two sisters are on Xanax as was my father. My mother was very anxious as well and they gave her Librium back in the day but she didn't take it. Obviously anxiety is something that runs in the family. I take it exactly as prescribed and don't drink at all nor do I take any other sedatives (except for a Benadryl antihistamine now and then). People DO have to be careful when on any type of medication to not to take anything that will interact with it.

Excellent review. I do not think your review is too rosy. You had the blessing of having relief and a positive experience so of course your review is positive. Plus you used it properly. I've seen the results of people abusing it. Not a pretty picture. Also when mixed with certain other medications it can cause violence and can depress the respiratory rate to the point of death. I'm glad you're experience has been a good one, Patty. : )

In response to jackhandy's comment from Apr 3, 2009 at 6:43PM:

I completely agree that being on Xanax for any length of time does cause a dependence. However, if you were diabetic and lost your insulin, the same problems would ensue. Same with many medications. I like the XR because I could go two to three days without really feeling the effects of withdrawals as compared to the short acting which is almost immediate. Absolutely Xanax should be used with caution and only for those with true GAD or PD. There are other medications that are less potent that should be tried first. But I have no regrets. Xanax gave me back my life and the XR made it even better. I always take my Xanax with me of course but I keep a few in my purse and always have a few elsewhere "in case" I lose my medication. I never have but I can imagine it was not fun for you since you were on the short acting Xanax and they only last around 4 or 5 hours before the rebound kicks in. I think you'll like the XR better. Thanks for writing. You bring up valid points that readers should know about.

In response to LaurieM's comment from Jan 31, 2009 at 11:21AM:

Day one of going to XR. For what it is worth, I have to say that this thread presents a relatively rosy picture of Xanax and the benzos in general. I too have severe PD. I have been on Xanax for nearly a decade. Recently my Xanax was stolen out of my bag while travelling and I was forced to face the music. Addiction is drug seeking behavior, pushing doses upwards chasing a high. It doesn't sound like anyone here is doing that. Dependence, though, is another story. When one realizes how intensely tied they are to this drug it is astonishing in its severity. Any of you who have been on 2+mg (or more) likely have some idea of what I am talking about. Now imagine being stuck in an unknown place, on a three day weekend and facing down the fact that the rebound anxiety you feel at the moment is but a drop of water in an ocean of anxiety. That isn't a good feeling, and once you have it you can still say it is a "godsend" but you also must say that your life is now a PART OF IT. Not the other way around. You can't choose to just brush it off if you lose your meds. You will be in a bind if you move and need to find another psych. It is serious business. I heard all of this, I "knew" it all - until I felt the crushing, absolutely overwhelming quality of a full withdrawal rebound. Luckily I was back on Xanax in 18 hours. But 12 of those hours were terrible in a way that I could never convey to anybody. Xanax is powerful, it is great for anxiety, but it carries a whopping price. You will soon live your life around it. And if you disagree with this (and, as I said, have been on a substantial dose for more than 3-4 years) - you are in for a surprise.

Just FYI. Use caution.

In response to meowky's comment from Mar 22, 2009 at 10:28AM:

I am so glad this worked for you. It helped me sooooo much. Xanax has a bad rap but, for people with true panic disorder, it can be a life saver.

I was having crippling panic and anxiety attacks and xanax xr CURED me, I know they say there is no magic bullrt but it is pretty damn close. I don't feel high or groggy or anything, just normal and like life is tolerable and hopeful. Try it!

In response to janades's comment from Feb 12, 2009 at 2:13PM:

I agree about the whole addiction thing. I need this medication and I don't abuse it. I'm not worried about building up a tolerance to it because I would have by now if I was going to. I am glad it worked for you. PD really is awful and you can't truly understand it unless you have dealt with it.

I have been taking 1 mg Xanax for 24 years now, and agree with you that it is great for PD. I started taking it before they knew it was addicting. (Duh.) But as long as the dr. gives it to me, the addiction is not a problem! lol I'm like you, I have never abused them and take a smaller dose than I am allowed to. I hope you have continued success with them.

In response to GigiandAdonai's comment from Feb 4, 2009 at 6:44PM:

That is when the short acting Xanax is best. Sometimes, just knowing you have it in case helps I remember just looking in my purse and seeing the little pill case with a few Xanax in there and calming down. I guess just knowing it was there if I needed it helped. I haven't been like that in a long time but I remember it all very vividly. Many people abuse it which is a shame. Using like you do can really help a person get through a tough situation.

In response to aniesaxon's comment from Feb 7, 2009 at 4:41AM:

No. I don't even know what night terrors are but they sound scary! I have really not had any side effects but then again, it's been so long that any I have seem like part of my life now. Ativan works well and fast and I know Paxil is good for anxiety as well. My sister took it for depression and general anxiety and it worked so well but she gained a lot of weight and eventually just had to wean off it. PD sucks eggs! lol.

Great review and very interesting. I also have had pd for several years and currently take ativan and paxil. I had been perscribed xanax about 8 years ago but had night terrors with it. Have you experienced any of those with the Xanax XR?

Wonderful and very informative. I was put on Xanax years ago because as I got older I began having panic attacks over really strange things. I don't take it on a reg. basis. My doctor prescribed it and when I feel the out of control anxiety coming I take it. I think it took me about 15-18 mos. to go thru a 30 pill prescription. That's good!