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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
I simply need to know if these are Xanax withdrawl symptoms
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.
I simply need to know if these are Xanax withdrawl symptoms
by Eddie 14, Apr 23, 2006 12:00AM
To make a long story short. Fear of having had a heart attack, or CAD that was not properly diagnosed drove my anxiety through the roof. Bad family history.
So, in addition to cognitive therapy, I was started on .5-1mg of xanax XR daily. Took it for 5 or so months. Started in November, maybe .5 3-4 days a week. Come December ramped up to .5-1mg daily through March.
Felt I was doing better, hate being on meds, and had just about every heart test done.
So, I tried to stop pretty much cold turkey. Couldn't sleep for **** for 2-3 nights. Got through that.
However I then tried to taper off - harder with XR as I would just go every other day, then every third day etc. Got down to every 4th day, did pretty well then went over a week.
I'm finding I get the following pains. If it's withdrawal, I can live with them and just suffer, but I always fear it's a medical problem, even though my cardiologist says my heart is fine.
1. Shooting pains/shooting cramps (none last longer than 10-15 seconds) in my arms (bi-lateral) mainly in the forearms. In both of my "lats" under my arms, and through my chest. Again, always shooting, never crushing.
2. Nausea at times.
3. shooting pains right up the center of my chest, again always shooting. Never, ever short of breath.
4. GI distress - cramps in various parts of my stomach, mainly upper, but throughout my abdomen (other tests cleared me of any cancer fears)
5. a "fullness" in my upper chest, like way upper. NEVER with any shortness of breath. Almost like I need to burp constantly.
6. occasional shooting pains in my neck, jaw, and head.
Here is my problem. I've been comprehensively worked up for cardiac causes (everything short of a catherdization). I can exercise without problems etc.
While on xanax daily I didn't have too many of these other pains. Now, it gets worse 3-5 days after my last xanax xr.
You saw my above symptoms. Here are my questions.
1. Could they all be related to physical withdrawal of xanax?
2. Could I really get physically addicted in 4-5 months at that low of a dose?
3. I was 8 days out after my every 4 day plan (since XR is long acting I really couldn't lessen the dose), yesterday and had all of those symptoms going on. I did take 1 pill and things got better, not 100%, but cut down by about 90%.
With Xanax XR, my understanding is I can't really cut a pill in half as it's the coating that makes it long acting?
Was going every 4 days, then totally stopping OK?
Basically, if I KNOW that those above symptoms are just withdrawal, I can deal with pain no problemo.
Thanks.
So, in addition to cognitive therapy, I was started on .5-1mg of xanax XR daily. Took it for 5 or so months. Started in November, maybe .5 3-4 days a week. Come December ramped up to .5-1mg daily through March.
Felt I was doing better, hate being on meds, and had just about every heart test done.
So, I tried to stop pretty much cold turkey. Couldn't sleep for **** for 2-3 nights. Got through that.
However I then tried to taper off - harder with XR as I would just go every other day, then every third day etc. Got down to every 4th day, did pretty well then went over a week.
I'm finding I get the following pains. If it's withdrawal, I can live with them and just suffer, but I always fear it's a medical problem, even though my cardiologist says my heart is fine.
1. Shooting pains/shooting cramps (none last longer than 10-15 seconds) in my arms (bi-lateral) mainly in the forearms. In both of my "lats" under my arms, and through my chest. Again, always shooting, never crushing.
2. Nausea at times.
3. shooting pains right up the center of my chest, again always shooting. Never, ever short of breath.
4. GI distress - cramps in various parts of my stomach, mainly upper, but throughout my abdomen (other tests cleared me of any cancer fears)
5. a "fullness" in my upper chest, like way upper. NEVER with any shortness of breath. Almost like I need to burp constantly.
6. occasional shooting pains in my neck, jaw, and head.
Here is my problem. I've been comprehensively worked up for cardiac causes (everything short of a catherdization). I can exercise without problems etc.
While on xanax daily I didn't have too many of these other pains. Now, it gets worse 3-5 days after my last xanax xr.
You saw my above symptoms. Here are my questions.
1. Could they all be related to physical withdrawal of xanax?
2. Could I really get physically addicted in 4-5 months at that low of a dose?
3. I was 8 days out after my every 4 day plan (since XR is long acting I really couldn't lessen the dose), yesterday and had all of those symptoms going on. I did take 1 pill and things got better, not 100%, but cut down by about 90%.
With Xanax XR, my understanding is I can't really cut a pill in half as it's the coating that makes it long acting?
Was going every 4 days, then totally stopping OK?
Basically, if I KNOW that those above symptoms are just withdrawal, I can deal with pain no problemo.
Thanks.
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Apr 23, 2006 12:00AM
, Apr 23, 2006 12:00AM
everything you described sounds like withdrawal, especially if your doctor has ruled out heart disease. But it may not be pure withdrawal, but a combination of physiologic withdrawal and your anxiety about withdrawing. I would have advised you to go the full three weeks of every fourth day before stopping, and cutting the pill in half and decreasing the extended time in your body is what you want, not something to avoid.
Doc even did a 64-slice CT on my heart (severe family history) but mine was clear as could be.
Wow - 4 months can cause addiciton at that low of a dose?
It is strange how these all sure feel like cardiac problems.
thanks.
It was hard hard work but I did it and so can you. You will lose weight (the only good thing I could remember about tapering), heart palpitation, ringing in my ears, tense stomach and for the first 4 days, I slept around 2 hours total. Racing heart when just walking slowly. All did subside within a 3 week period...gradually getting better each week.
Now that I'm off of them, I can say that xanax did help me at the time I needed them and I would take them again, just never on a regular basis, only as needed. You won't get hooked on them if you take them periodically when your having a stressful day, travel, etc. Just dont start taking them 3 times a day for over a few weeks. Even if you have to do so, it is possible to stop, you just need willpower.
You say you had Tinnitus "ringing in the ears" after stopping the Xanax.
How bad was this and was it a high frequency type of sound like a tea pot whistle? Did it go away?
Appreciate any info.
Marksman
How long did it take you to successfuly get off of the drug and how many mg's were you taking and for how long?
Sorry to get back to you late, I haven't been on the system lately.
The "ringing in the ears" lasted only a week and that was on and off. Of all of the withdrawl symptoms, I feared that the most. I thought it would drive me crazy at night, but it did go away. It was recommended to me to buy a sound machine or fan to assist with ringing...it drowned it out.
The tenseness in your stomach lasted longer and it was painful. That too goes away. I use to get hot flushes as well.
The heart palpitations were scary but I understood that they were normal and I wasn't on the verge of a heart attack. Muscle spasms, weak legs