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MedHelp Member's Question

Xanax

by shubunkin, Jun 11, 2003 12:00AM
I take .75 mgs a day of Xanax.(.25) 3 times a day. Are there drugs I could change to that would be easier and safer to taper off of and what are they? I get horrible muscle tension when I go any lower than this dose and panic attacks.
Member Comments (51)

by mrmichael67, Jun 11, 2003 12:00AM
Xanax is a short acting benzo.  You should go to Valium (diazepam) or Klonopin (clonazepam) to taper with.  They are both longer acting benzos.  If you were under the care of a doctor and were getting ready to taper, they would do the same.  Actually, they would switch you over to maintain you as well....or they should.

by Inmytree, Jun 11, 2003 12:00AM
Been watchin you guys for awhile and just wanted to let everyone here know, this place matters ( Au Contrare Bill Murray!)

My question is this.... As this is my 5th day clean, is there any better feeling than that magical 5th day when our bodies become whole again, our soul is on the mend, we take showers instead of baths, our families exist again, friends are no longer pillars to be avoided and the world seems like a better place?  If I could bottle this fleeting few upcoming days I would but I believe by coming to this forum and seeing ths struggles and fight in all of you people I will carry on w/ each of you in my heart. Thank you to all of your unseen faces and words of wisdom ( Thomas , Meth et al. ) Rage, Rage against this evil machine I say! This is probably my 50th time raging, but what the hell, no one ever said I was smart... Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil... yeah right..Keep writing ya'll, I'll keep reading....

by Kurt Cobain, Jun 11, 2003 12:00AM
To: MrM, tree, all
Good advice as usual, mr m. . .always enjoyable to hear from others who, for good or ill, KNOW.  Theoretical knowledge provides a "good start" as a background for helping others, but the most helpful people in my life as regards the issue of addiciton are those who have been there, done that, eaten-the-T-shirt kind of people.  I'm sure just about everyone here could say the same.



Inmytree, don't know about that "day 5 magic", specifically (since it seems most of my withdrawal misery lasted longer than that), but I am very familiar with the feeling. . .that the bondage has been lifted and you are being welcomed back into the human race.  The cell door has been unlocked, and the freedom to just walk away is exhilarating. . .but pretty friggin' scary as well.  Enjoy these days of freedom, my friend. . .if you put enough of them together, you'll find that they will never really go away.  Jeez, that sounds really corny, doesn't it?  And yes, you WILL have shitty days clean and sober, too, plenty of them -- but there's nothing so bad in life that getting high won't make it suck even worse when the junk is gone.



Peace,



Kurt

by Nana42, Jun 11, 2003 12:00AM
This might seem a silly question, BUT....If I'm taking 4 Vicodin a day and 1 Clonazepam at night for sleep, will the withdrawl from Vicodin be easier?  Or will my body already have a tolorence built up to the Clonazepam and not work as well for w/d's?  See where I'm going with this?  



I'm seriously feeling like this is where my addiction should stop and am trying to figure out a plan as to how to accomplish this the easiest way.  I'm also taking Prednisone (20mg/day)...so my pain is gone, but my head still WANTS the Vicodin. AND...when I cut back on the Vicodin, I go through high anxiety and panic attacks. (I posted a few days ago with all of this...so sorry if it's repetitious for some of you).



I'm just at a point where I feel that things have gotten out of control for me and I'm using the Vicodin to do day-to-day functions and for the 'high' it gives me.  Time for me to stop the merry-go-round and stand of solid ground again.



Any suggestions?

by hippy, Jun 11, 2003 12:00AM
To: nana
the panic and with drawls are bad for a week

then it is just depression and lacl of energy

by Nana42, Jun 11, 2003 12:00AM
To: hippee
How uplifting and encouraging!  Sign me up for THAT!!!!  NOT!



*I'm really not a sarcastic person, but I'm totally seriously looking for answers and help...*

by Roxy30mg, Jun 11, 2003 12:00AM
To: Nana42
I'm also taking Vicodin ES 7.5. I also take a mg of Clonazepam to get to sleep. They work great for getting me to sleep. The problem I have is I also take them together along with 25mg's of Amytryptyline. I have chronic back pain. The results are just in from my MRI. I have five degenerated discs along with two bulging discs. I take the Vicodin about every four hours now. The good thing about the Clonazepam is I don't wake up in four hours to take a Vicodin. When I do wake up though I'm usually hurting pretty bad. So, the bad part is I've been double dosing of Vicodin when I wake up. I know I'm not doing the meds the way I should but, at this time I'm too weak to try and stop. My meds are all prescribed to me except for the Clonazepam. That I bought online and was sent to me from origins unknown. There was a lot of foreign stamps on the package they came in. I got five hundred .5 mg's. Are your Clonazepam precribed to you? I no the combination of meds I'm taking isn't recomended. The forum Doctor already scolded me for my drug taking methods on a different thread. Be careful I wouldn't want you getting hurt to be an example for me.

by Nana42, Jun 11, 2003 12:00AM
To: Roxy30mg
Thank you for your reply!  I'm sorry to hear about all the pain you're in.  For me, the Prednisone pretty well zapped all of mine.



As for the Clonazepam (generic for Klonopin I think), it is Doctor prescribed.  I didn't even really know what it was until he said I should start taking one at bedtime, so I did some research.  Then I came here and see that people use it with withdrawl.  I had no idea you could buy that stuff online...and I'll take your advise and not even entertain that idea.  I'm trying to stick to my doctors recommendations, but I don't think she knows how addicted I am to the Vikes...I've told her, but she just brushed it off and said "Naaaa...you're not on that much to be addicted".  Well, I've been on it for a year now and am SURE that I am.



In any case, does anyone have any insight as to my first question here?  Regarding the Clonazepam and withdrawls? (other than it's horrible and then you start in with depression and lack of energy!)



Thanks everyone...It's so great to have a place to get answers without exposing yourself to your family/friends.  *guess that makes me a closet-abuser...although, by the looks of my closet, it could use some abuse!  It's a mess!!!!*

by Nana42, Jun 11, 2003 12:00AM
To: .
I just read my post and thought it looked odd that I refer to my doc as he at one point and she at another.



I should clarify....I see a female GP and a male Rheumy.  They are both in the same clinic and are both well aware of what each one is doing.

by mrmichael67, Jun 11, 2003 12:00AM
I think I know where you are going with it.  I would imagine the withdrawals will be the same.  You might have to take an extra clonazepam to feel the anti-anxiety effects from it as you might be tolerant to it.  But, taking the one clonazepam shouldn't affect your withdrawals from hydrocodone at all.  Benzo's act on different receptors than opiates do.  If I were to detox, I would have xanax or ativan on hand as well as an ounce of weed.  Weed doesn't make me paranoid at all.  Of course, weed wouldn't help some for that very reason.  If it makes you paranoid, then I would say avoid it like the plague.  If you can smoke it, then by all means, do.  If you were to take a benzo for withdrawal, you would do best with one that gave some bang, like xanax or ativan.  I wouldn't do it for more than a week either.

by Nana42, Jun 11, 2003 12:00AM
To: mrmichael67
WHO ARE YOU??????  You give such great advise and seem to be so concerned about everyone...



I'm just curious if you were a doc at some point or in the medical field in some capacity...???  You're very informed and it's so nice of you to offer advise and caring words, just out of the goodness of your heart.  Are you here often? I'm quite new, so I don't know anyone.



ps. Thank you for responding to me on my question.

by mrmichael67, Jun 11, 2003 12:00AM
I am not a doctor, but I did educate myself.  I have logged countless hours of reading and more reading on the very things we usually discuss here....for myself and others.  I am most versed in opioids, though.  I first started to read about opioids because I wanted to know about what caused me to be like I am.  You are very welcome, by the way.  I have been here, on and off, for a few years.

by mystere, Jun 11, 2003 12:00AM
To: Nana42/Everyone
Hi and Welcome!--if you are serious about getting rid of those demon pills this is the place to be--I wish I had found this sight when I was only taking 4-5 pills per day!  I am detoxing (again) from my insatiable hydrocodone habit--I was up to 12-15 pills (10/325) per day--It started after my neck surgery several years ago--Nothing and I do mean nothing made me feel like those vicoden--I had energy, housework was a delight, and everything seemed just about RIGHT WITH THE WORLD. There was nothing I couldn't do when I was on those pills---And Then one day I took my morning "happy pill" and I noticed after about an hour I didn't have that "warm fuzzy full of pep" feeling that I had grown quite accustomed to--Sooo I decided--what the hell I'll take another one and yes the wonderful feeling returned--Then several weeks later I discovered 2 didn't quite do the trick so I thought what the hell I've got a lot to do today and you can't really overdose on three pills and the rest as they say is history--The insidious part about the pills is that they sneak up on you--It may not be tomorrow or next week but IT WILL HAPPEN! --and before you know it you are taking 15 per day--And when that happens that wonderful energetic feeling has been long gone and you at the point of just trying to prevent withdrawal symptoms--All of my pills were obtained through a doctor's legitimate prescription--I used several doctors and several pharmacies--I was extremely adept at hiding my addiction--No one knew including my husband and he's a physician--He knew I took "pain medicine" but had no idea how many pills I was consuming--until 2 months ago when my world came crashing down--I was caught in a whopper of a lie about leaving my pills in a hotel when we were out of town--My husband found out and he was devestated--I came very close to losing the man I Love and adore--Anyway the moral of this story is please stop while you can--As far as the withdrawals go the fear is actually worse than going through it. A friend of mine had been taking three pills per day and went cold turkey--He experienced mild symtoms but nothing like some of us have been through--I can't say it enough--There is life after those pills--A REAL LIFE--You just have to keep on fighting for it--Good luck we are all here for you--This board saved my sanity--That's why I keep fighting--There are a lot of wonderful people here--The Thomas Recipe Works! Lots of Love--You're in my prayers--peace/Mystere AKA N.O. Lady



Anne

by Nana42, Jun 11, 2003 12:00AM
To: mrmichael67 and mystere
Michael67...thank you.  That's all I can say and I mean it from the bottom of my heart...thank you.  What we do without people like you in the world!  



You said that Clonazepam shouldn't affect my w/d from the Vikes.  Did you mean that it won't help?  Or that by me taking it now, it shouldn't minimize it's effectiveness when that day comes that I decide 'TODAY IS THE DAY'.



You also said that I should have xanax or ativan on hand for w/d...actually better than the Clonazepam.  Right?  Where do I get those?  My doctor?  If so, do I just ask him for it?  Will he give it to me?



I've smoked weed, but it mostly made me feel iky...kinda nauseous (probably because when used to smoke it, I was already three-sheets-to-the-wind with alcohol...which I don't drink anymore).



mystere...I'm hearin' ya and I take what you're saying very seriously.  That's why I'm here I guess.  I have a 4 week supply of 4/day sitting in my bedroom...and I'm thinking that by the time they are gone, I want to be done.  This is my hope.  I know that some would say to just throw the damn things away...but I don't think I can do that.  Not just yet.  How weak, huh.



Anyway, thank you guys for your support...hopefully one day I'll be able to return some good somewhere.



Nana

by Nana42, Jun 11, 2003 12:00AM
To: mrmichael67