Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum.  ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.

Addiction: Substance Abuse Community

This community is a place to share information and support with others who are trying to stop using drugs, prescription drugs, alcohol, tobacco or other addictive substances. Discuss with others, the symptoms of addiction, addiction recovery, ways to quit like tapering and cold turkey, and withdrawal symptoms. If you are interested in general "chat", please visit our Addiction Social Community.
 | 

Please help im in love with Xanax addict and I need to understand his disease...

by addicted_to_an_addict, Nov 29, 2002 12:00AM
First of all I would like to say thank God for forums of this nature.  I have been up all night looking up Xanax and pot addiction, poetry of addicts etc and stumbled across this.  Call me crazy and I will say your right.  But I am in love with a wonderful man whos life has been through hell and back due to his 15mg a day use of xanax(for the past 2 years) and 7-8 joint a day addiction for the past 11.  He doesn't have his teaching career due to his disease. He is having withdrawals when he wakes up from sleep because of the xanax.  Stomach pains (excruciating in his own words), diarrhea, dry mouth, paranoia, moodiness, vomitting, everything.  I have researched xanax at my work because I administer medications daily to my clients and was so surprised that Xanax can cause coma, death and even seizures.  I am scared for his life.  I have tried to understand when he says "baby, i cant quit, it hurts too much, I just have to live with it.All the pain goes away when i pop that lil pill, you just don't understand."  But I want to understand, I just don't know how to.  

Lately he has come out of his denial admitting he has a problem and admitting he needs and wants help, he is just scared toand has no insurance.  I guess I have many questions on how i can help him without being so preachy, so pushy but also not losing myself to his addiction as well.  WE are in a long distant relationship which makes it even more difficult.  

Are there any free rehab programs in Miami or near Miami? How do I deal with all my feelings without hurting him in the process?  Please help.......ty  Ren
Member Comments (41)

by Pinkit, Nov 29, 2002 12:00AM
To: To addicted to Xanax
I wish I could help you, but I don't know much about Xanax addiction. I'm addicted to vicodin. My husband was on xanax about a year ago for a year. I don't think he was ever addicted to it though. He took it for anxiety. He took the 2 mg. kind 3 times a day. 15 mg a day sounds like alot. We recently moved to Michigan and when we moved up here the doctor would'nt prescribe it anymore and he didnt seem to mind much.

I'm not sure if they offer free rehab in Florida. I know they don't here, but they do offer free detox here in Michigan.  It's a 5 day stay.  You are right in assuming that xanax is very dangerous to get off. It's a Benzo as I'm sure you know so people have been known to go into a coma ect. if they try to stop cold turkey. He really should get help from a professional to get off of this. The doctor on this forum will be able to help you more with this. I hope he can get the help he needs. But please make sure he gets professional help because again this is a very dangerous drug to stop taking cold turkey once a person is addicted.

Please keep us informed we are all addicts or recovering addicts so no one makes judgements on people. We are here for you and your husband.

Lots of love and god bless

by Wardman, Nov 29, 2002 12:00AM
You will get some great info and insights here.  Xanax withdrawal can be life threatening, I don't mean to scare you.  I was taking 1mg a day for about 9 months.  When i stopped cold turkey, I thoght I was going to lose my mind and I wasn't even addicted to it.  I am not so sure what kind of programs there are with no insurance, but I am sure someone can point you in teh right direction. He must not stop cold turkey at that high dose!!  under ANY circumstance.

by percsnomas, Nov 29, 2002 12:00AM
To: Addicted to X
Hello!

The first thing that I would do at this site is SEARCH XANAX.

There are lots of "case histories" to read through, to help you understand what people really go through.

A friend of mine successfully got off Xanax, WITH A DOCTORS' SUPERVISION; and although I don't know all the specifics, I do know she was switched to a long acting benzo(Valium), and then did an extremely gradual taper(months).

Good Luck, and know there are a lot of us here for you.

by Pinkit, Nov 29, 2002 12:00AM
To: Everyone/ Ativan
I'm on ativan which I think is simalar to Xanax.  I've only been taking it for a few weeks because I am tapering off vicodin.  My doctor has me taking 1 mg. two times a day except for at bedtime and I take 2 one mg tabs.  I am now down to only taking 5 vicodin a day for 5 days.  This is horrible. Today has been the worst. I have so much anxiety and the ativan is doing nothing for me. Has anyone ever taken 3 one mg. ativan in a dose. I don't want to od, but I can't deal with this anxiety.  I'm not a large person either. I'm normal weight for my height so should'nt the ativan be helping??  I also know that ativan is addicting so I don't want that to be an issue if I take me.

I can't see my doc until Monday which I'll get another script for vicodin when I go. I really want to take more vicodin, but I can't or I'll run out befor Monday.  I am going to talk to my doc on monday and see if we can slow down on the vicodin taper, but she's not going to be in until then..  Plz any suggestions..

by hellbent, Nov 29, 2002 12:00AM
To: To addicted to Xanax
I had to kick a 15mg a day Klonopin habit 6-1/2 months ago. Klonopin is a benzo drug like Ativan, and I believe it is very comparable on a mg by mg basis.



I kicked cold turkey and lived. That's the good news. The bad news is that it was indescribably horrifying. I was kicking Oxycontin at the same time, but most of the really bad symptoms I had seemed specific to the klonopin. I didn't sleep for 23 days straight, and ended up in the er because I was truly losing my mind. There were all kinds of hideous symptoms that I won't go into: suffice to say that I felt like about as bad as you can, and every moment of every day I felt like didn't want to be on this earth for another second.



I don't want to scare you, but it sounds like you need to know what kind of demon your man is trying to face down.



The best, and really the only sane way to come of benzos is a slow taper. How is he getting these drugs? If it's legitemate, the prescribing MD should have no problem hammering out a taper schedule. Whether he can stick to it is the question. Most can't, but it can be done.



If he is procuring benzos illegally, he can try to taper himself, dropping perhaps 1mg every two weeks. How long has he been on them? That can be as determining a factor as dosage in withdrwawal severity. If he has insurance with a detox clause, or kaiser, he can perhaps get on an outpatient taper, picking up doled out amounts daily. They will almost certainly want to get him on a longer acting benzo like klonopin for the taper: the problem with xanax is that it's a very short acting benzo, and needs to be taken frequently to stave off withdrawals.



This is a great website for information. Check it out...



www.benzo.org.uk



As far as the pain of withdrawals, he will likely have to go through some of that, no matter what. If he wants a pain free ride out he may never get clean. The mindset that there was some real pain coming my way and that I would handle it no matter what was instrumental in my overcoming that first horrible month. Looking back, it was a worthy tradeoff for a way out. Those things take your mind body and soul in ways you never ever realize until you are of them.

by I'm Done, Nov 29, 2002 12:00AM
Help Me! My addiction to Norco is out of control. I am taking 800MGs a day (80 pills + 26,000!! tylenol). I know, I know... I am killing myself.  I have tried to taper a few times but it is so hard. I have backed it down temporarily to about 200-300mgs of hydro a day and I can feel the affects. I have talked to a Dr. I can sort of trust. She is willing to helop me but I think she is still wary of my overall goals (I would be too if I were her! She is dealing with an addict). With this level of addition am I facing dangerous results from going cold turkey? I have requested either bup. clonadine patch or both from my doc to help. I only have about 30 norco's left in my possession and that will not change for a week or so. I am in for some pain. I need to know the best solution! How do Meth. clinics work? Inpatient only? Can I get meth. on the street and do the detox myself? Hard to tell from where I am right now but I have an incredible sense of discipline usually.



Please please help, I am starting to feel it bad!



I'm done (again!)

by hippy, Nov 29, 2002 12:00AM
To: addicted to a addict
you might want to go to the web site for xanax called



benzo.org.uk

or

benzo busters.

peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by hippy, Nov 29, 2002 12:00AM
To: addicted to an addict.
if you don't have ins, all you have to do

is go to the detox and tell them he wants to kill himself

and then they have to take him , that is the law ,

and they will bill him later.

in essence it is true because addicts are killing them selves.

peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by vikequeen, Nov 29, 2002 12:00AM
To: i am done
Am I reading this straight? you are taking 80 pills a day? Please tell me I am reading this wrong. For one where in the hell do you get them? Two 26,000 mg of tylenol? Your liver is dying. you need help fast! Norco is just another trade name for vicodin and I assume its the same mgs like 5/7.5/10 mg. Please tell me more I take like only between 7-9 7.5 vikes a day and thats not bad. w/b Baddgirl

by hippy, Nov 29, 2002 12:00AM
To: ronsin
ronsin , i read your post below, and trid to get in touch

but it did not go through, i left my email below.

try geetin touch with me.

by Rex1, Nov 29, 2002 12:00AM
To: I'm Done
Well, I have read about high dose cases like this, and this is a very high dose.



There may be good news, and that is that you may be able to substantially cut your dose, and still be on a dose high enough to cover your pain.



At 14 Norco a day, my highest dose ever, I felt like absolute ****, and had anxiety, depression, and sleep problems. I also had some breathing problems.



You came here because you need help and you know it. Congratulations on taking the first step! I think I agree with BadGirl, this is such a high dose, that if I were you, I would get in to see a Specialist - an addictionologist or perhaps a Pain Management doc ASAP. Put everyhting else on hold, as this dosage if continued could be lethal. My doc told me that Norco is not particularly bad on any organs, but with enough in your system can cause your heart to stop or a stroke.



Don;t wait - get in to see a specialist as soon as possible, even if you have to pay for the first appointment out of pocket. When you see this Doc, lay everything and I mean everything on the table - 100% accuracy on what you are taking. It will likely be uncomfortable for you for some time, but you have taken the right first step down the right road, OK?



We will all be praying here for you.



Good luck,



Rex

by RobynBanks, Nov 29, 2002 12:00AM
To: IloveXanex?
You might want to try the tough approach if you really can't live with it (his addiction); "Its Xanex or me"!!!!.......Otherweise, He's got to make the effort. Good Luck

by Bodymechanic, Nov 29, 2002 12:00AM
To: Xanax
Your boy friend will need to be highly motivated if he is going to have any chance to get and remain clean.  The cold fact is that you can do nothing except keep yourself out of harms way.  Your boy friend found his way into this and like every addict will need to find his own way out. If it is your intention to marry this person, as an addict myself, I suggest you reconsider any permanant bond with this person.

by Rex1, Nov 29, 2002 12:00AM
To: Cindy, Forum-Ph.D., I'm done
Hey guys, can we get your advice here for ImDone?







by hellbent, Nov 29, 2002 12:00AM
To: I'm Done