panic attack/anxiety caused by opiates

[returntozero]

swim is a healthy male 24 years old. he has a good amount of experience with prescription painkillers such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, and considers them to be among his favorite substances.

one month, swim came accross a steady supply of oxycontin 80's and was doing about 20-40 mg's per day for about a month straight. one night a couple hours after ingesting a dose of about 20-30 mg, he felt a bit odd and weak. this later developed into a full on panic attack with chest pains, shortness of breath, dizziness, trouble walking, sweating, etc. the attack lasted most of the night and reoccurred the next day. the doctor prescribed a low dose of xanax and diagnosed the experience as a panic attack.

swim had never had anything like this happen before. swim quit all opiates for a couple months after this happened, and now occaisionally takes a few norcos or oc's, but now they give him anxiety! swim knows the doses he takes are not dangerous, but still his heart often races and he experiences intense anxiety while on these drugs. he usually couneracts this by taking .5mg or so of alprazolam but wonders how safe this combination is. this has basically messed up one of swim's favorite hobbies and he wants to know how he can enjoy opiates again.

any feedback would be appreciated.