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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Withdrawal from Xanax
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
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Withdrawal from Xanax
by Nicoletosk, Feb 15, 2006 12:00AM
I have been on .5 xanax for 18 years, psychiatrist recommended. For 14 of those years, it was prescribed 3-4 xanax a day. I have brought myself down to one and half-2 a day maximum. I'm now working at going lower and hopefully one day, getting off it completely. For several weeks now, I've been on only three fourths of a tablet daily, taken by fourths.
I do have trouble falling asleep regardless of how tired I am and this is even with the use of sleeping pills.
I hope maybe you can tell me a safe and gradual way of either getting to the very lowest point I can go with them or get off completely.
It's scary to be so addicted to a drug like this!
Thank you. Nicoletosk
I do have trouble falling asleep regardless of how tired I am and this is even with the use of sleeping pills.
I hope maybe you can tell me a safe and gradual way of either getting to the very lowest point I can go with them or get off completely.
It's scary to be so addicted to a drug like this!
Thank you. Nicoletosk
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Feb 21, 2006 12:00AM
, Feb 21, 2006 12:00AM
You will have to consult your doctor, and do it under his guidance,but here is a recognized safe way of weaning yourself. think of this as a three week end cycle, in which you not only decrease the dose, but also the frequency. by the last week you should be taking the lowest possible dose every third day, then stop. Your doctor may want to cover you to make sure you don't have seizure risk.
I have been on Xanax for three months. I only took .5 - 1 Mg twice a week, never daily. I never had extreme panic attacks, just some anxiety in certain situations.
I was hospitalized this week, after it had been a few days since I took Xanax. My heart was racing, and creating such a pain in my chest, I thought it was going to explode. My entire body was shaking nearly like I was having a seizure, and I was almost blacking out. I thought I was having a heart attack, and dieing while driving, and drove to the nearest hospital. The doctor told me there was nothing wrong with my heart, luckily. I started crying in the hospital I was so happy. I was an emotional wreck. I really did not link this near death incident with me being off of Xanax for a few days, until I went on the web and read the withdrawal symptoms. I have gone cold turkey off of Xanax for three days now. Each day, nearly the same symptoms occur, just a lot milder each day. But know that I know what is causing this, breathing deeply, and trying to stay relaxed helps, until the episode passes. I read online that withdrawal symptoms can last a year, unless I go on some other medication, like an antidepressant. The past three days have been the longest of my life, and I really hate being on any medication. I am so anti anti-depressant, or anti-anxiety medication.
I know that I'm still in withdrawl, but it's frustrating to think that for such a short period of time, I was addicted.
I agree that you should not take an anti-depressant for it will start a new set of problems. I have read that the panic attacks will subside around 6 weeks off of xanax....I'm counting everyday.
I started xanax due to panic attacks and they are back. I do the deep breathing and try not to fight and flight, but it is scary as hell....as you know.
Take care
i also have trouble sleeping, and was on restoril for yrs and then switched to ambien by dr. was up to 10 mgs per night which made me extremely drowsy and forgetful the next day. i am slowly tapering off the ambien now to about 3 mgs per night and am actually sleeping better and more restfully. i hope to be off the ambien entirely in the near future.
many prescription meds relieve symptoms, mask the underlying prob and create addictions. i know that now - especially after taking paxil which was supposedly "non-addictive" and prescribed by a medical professional. i quit it cold turkey several yrs ago and thought i would DIE for the first couple of days and the doc said i was "over-reacting"...!!
hang in there...it WILL get better. in the meantime, keep urself busy to distract u from the feelings u r having. good luck
But I'm improving everyday and xanax is becoming a distant nightmare!
Good luck.
for xanax and rest of meds...
I have been off of xanax for a month and I tapered for a month. I took between 1mg and 1.5 mg per day for 2 months.
You will have minimum to no sleep for a few days and I did experience tinnitus (ringing of the ear) but it does go away. All the withdrawl symptoms eventually go away. I had a incredible tenseness in my stomach, I lost 10 pounds (the only good thing for me) weakness in the legs and the dreaded rapid heart rate. I can honestly say that I don't have any of those symptoms now. I am symptom free and xanax free!
You have to determine if you can hang in there with the withdrawl or go on a lower dosage and get off gradually. Your body is in somewhat of a shock from cold turkey and is rebelling. Xanax is a powerful benzo and it takes its time getting out of your bloodstream and system, after all it does suppress our nervous system and the chemical in our brain.
Hang in there, I am living proof that it does get better with time.
rosetoes
"Benzo Blues" written by a Psychiatrist which name eludes me at the present. I was on 4 mg per day and weaned off with no problems. I am currently back on it... but I was able to get off of it.
Good luck
...just weaned myself off of pain pills, that was hell. Now I am getting serious with Xanax. Currently taking 1.5mg/day down from 6mg. Cannot say these past few months have been any fun.
I'd like to think I could be totally off in three weeks but that is probably too optimistic.
The fear of never getting off these drugs and living a normal productive life is what concerns me the most! Physically I am a wreck. Finally went to a GP the otherday because I was so depressed. She handed me a sample of Zoloft. Did not know that stuff was evil until I started reading and hearing about the horror stories of it. Not going there.
Go to drugawarness.org and it will scare the heck out of ya.
Anyway, I would love to hear from any of you all 'cuase I know I am going to need some help through this.
SK
WHAT YOU ARE EXPERIENCING IS CALLED WITHDRAWL OF XANAX AND KLOPOLIN. It is ashame that no one tells you the cons of these drugs. You are in withdrawl. I took xanax for 3 months and have been off of them for 5 weeks now. I had tightness of the head, rapid