Is it safe to take 5 mg Xanax daily for panic attack?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 28-year-old male. I have diagnosed with anxiety and panic attacks and prescribed 5 mg of Xanax daily dose for eight years. My last anxiety symptoms were two years ago, and my last panic attack was last year while eight years ago, I had a panic attack daily. Is 5 mg daily Xanax a minimal dose? Is it about time I withdraw? Is it possible to withdraw? If so, how?

Someone told me that taking 5 mg Xanax daily for eight years is not even harming or benefiting the system because my system got used to it and because it is a low dose. Is that right?

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Xanax 0.5 mg dose is not high. The drug is a rapid action Benzodiazepine drug and helps to reduce the anxiety symptoms. Abrupt stoppage of a drug after regularly taking for years might lead to withdrawal symptoms and precipitation of panic and insomnia. So it is advisable to reduce the dose of the drug slowly over about four weeks. Gradual dose reduction would not cause withdrawal symptoms. Reduce the doses by about 25 % every second week, and this will prevent the withdrawal symptoms. The drug is safe to use and can be used for long but should be used under regular supervision of a doctor only.