Brief Answer:
Pin needles sensations can occur due to anxiety

Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for choosing HCM for your health related queries

You have anxiety and are on Xanax XR 0.5 (Alprazolam) for about 2 weeks. Now you have pin needles sensation in head and body which are aggravating your anxiety. Blood pressure is also raised and you are advised to take Propranolol 20 twice daily.

Yes pin needles like sensation can occur due to anxiety and such symptoms further aggravate anxiety, but increasing the dose of Xanax is not right option. The doses you are taking are good doses and increasing the dose may result in excessive sedation, cognitive impairment etc side effects. You are also taking propranolol which will also control anxiety. The pin needles sensation are not really dangerous. They can occur due to deficiency of iron, vitamin B12 etc nutrients and which are associated with anxiety also. Other possible reason for these symptoms is smoking. Cigarette smoking cause activation due to nicotine and result in such symptoms and aggravation of anxiety. So I would advise you to take B12 supplements and to stop or reduce smoking and this will result in improvement.

If even with this anxiety persist then consult a psychiatrist for treatment. For proper treatment of anxiety medicines like SSRIs are commonly used. Sertraline, Paroxetine etc medicines can be used in your case and will control anxiety without causing much side effects. These medicines also don't result in development of tolerance and are free of serious side effects. You can consult your doctor for prescription of these drugs. Use of these drugs will ameliorate the need to increase the dose of Xanax.

Apart from this I would also advise you to try relaxation exercises and breathing exercises. This will reduce anxiety and pin needles like sensation and will result in better functioning. No need to fear about these sensation most likely these are due to anxiety only. Get your blood pressure checked regularly till BP come in normal range.

Thankyou. Please ask again for more doubts.

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Brief Answer:
Symptoms are related to agoraphobia to some extent

Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for follow up question

The anxiety is related to travel or moving away from familial surrounding and to some extent these are symptoms of agoraphobia. This is a type of anxiety disorder and cause significant distress to individuals. Xanax can be used in SOS basis in events of serious anxiety like during travel but the drug can control symptoms only and for proper treatment there is need of anti-anxiety medicines.

SSRIs as I have mentioned earlier also will control anxiety. These drugs will help in increasing confidence and your anxiety will decrease. Your heart workup and endoscopy came normal so there is no need to worry from medical cause of such symptoms. Along with these medicines Relaxation exercises and behaviour therapy will also help to reduce your symptoms. Behaviour therapy especially systematic desensitisation will help to reduce your symptoms. You can consult a psychologist for that. This will keep you relaxed in anxiety provoking situations.

Thanks, ask again for more doubts.

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