I started out on the wrong dosage of 2 MG twice a day which is where most of the issues and problems lie and after about 8 hours I was back into attacks. IOW rather than a higher MG it's better to spread out a lower MG more times per day. A different doctor cut it to .5mg 3-4 times a day and that allowed it to work all the time. It cut my daily use strength wise in half as well.
I've heard about the rebound anxiety but neither of us have experienced. Now if we forget to take it then at about the 12 mark our body lets us know. Yep were Benzo dependent. That said the idea of being confined to my home unable to interact with the outside world is a worse choice. I haven't taken Valium. I did about a year or so before onset take Librium and felt better than I had in years. After three months the doctor took me off of it.
My wife was put on it permanently after four doctors were checking her for a supposed heart attack. Finally they determined under stress a valve was closing down. No more episodes happened after it was prescribed. She took AD's for PTSD. Why? Because of an overdose or adverse reaction to a pain killer a dentist gave her that put her into hypothermia. Mepraghan I think was the drug. There was more but that triggered it and she was facing extraction of all her teeth.
The problem with the gold standard is the fact it is treating Phobic or Serotonin issue induced anxiety. Vestibular induced anxiety was mocked, ridiculed, and ignored up till the past few years where Vestibular research has validated it exist.
In the same respect it's ironic kids are often placed on Ritalin when they likely do not need it. That too ties in with what I'm saying. ADD ADHD has very close in symptoms of another likely more common issue called Central Auditory Processing Disorders. Kids with this have issues processing words especially verbal commands, sounds, and many times optics including reading difficulties or sentence structure difficulties like this and my previous post LOL.
Caffeine will not alter their state as it will with true ADD ADHD but something like a video game or a high action cartoon will trigger Cognitive behavior reactions. Mild antihistamines work for some kids with this. That's why I posted earlier I was misdiagnosed with ADD ADHD. Economic pressures in schools and Big Pharm feed the ADD ADHD epidemic. It's a funding bonanza for schools. C.A.P.D. isn't. C.A.P.D. usually means classroom adaption such as seating location so teachers lips can be read. Many CAPD patients can read lips faster than they can process auditory wise.
It is a change in our technology which has brought about the pushing to a persons limits of what some can process visual or auditory wise. You cross those limits and anxiety is the result. So is depression and loss of concentration. In my early school years in the 1960's one or two kids in the school had ADD ADHD. Anxiety disorders were rare in adults.
TV was still low action and in many homes black and white. Stores were not blaring out announcements, alarms, etc every few seconds. Classrooms had desk placed in a row facing the teacher not tables scattered about the room facing random directions as they are today. Many things have changed and these disorders have increased with those changes accordingly.
Taking any medication for as needed anxiety 3-4 times per day is a lot.
Since you've been taking it for 20 years it won't be "easy", but in the long run I will assure you that there are better options.
And take it from someone who knows anxiety myself, you will be much happier.
Remember what I said above.
Xanax lasts 3-5 hours, so it's no wonder you need it so often.
Nothing sucks worse than having anxiety that needs treatment multiple times per day.
Ask your doc about Xanax XR in a pinch.
It should last all day.