I was given Ativan by my family doctor for anxiety. I don't remember how much I was originally taking, but I was taking it for a few years. Then she said I was addicted to it and sent me to a psychiatrist. She (the psych doctor) tapered me down to 0.5 mg a day. Some days I wasn't even taking it. I had some really severe withdrawal along the way. But I got through it.
A couple of months ago I began feeling bloated and nauseus a few hours after I ate. I was also having pain in my upper back. I thought it was my gallbladder, but the doctor says no. She said I have some sludge, but that shouldn't be causing my problems. Anyway, sometimes the back back is excruciating, and the nausea really bad. I found that when I took my Ativan the nausea and pain in my back eased up. So what I hadn't been taking, I took. Not a lot, but whatever I had, when I really needed it.
Then I ran out of the Ativan. Til the next month. So a friend of mine gave me 15 (0.25 mg) Xanax. I took one a day. A couple of the days I took 2. Now I am out of the Xanax.
PROBLEM: I am experiencing withdrawal symptoms. I have been through really bad withdrawal with the Ativan. It was terrible, but I got through it. I am worried that taking that Xanax could give me worse withdrawal. I only took it for 15 days, but I was addicted to the Ativan before.
MY QUESTION: IF THE WITHDRAWAL IS FROM THE XANAX, CAN I GET THROUGH IT ON MY OWN ??? If it is only as bad as the Ativan withdrawal, I can do it. I stopped taking the Xanax few days ago. Is it going to get worse??? I'm sure some of it is Ativan withdrawal, because I have been taking more than usual lately, but my heart never pounded like this before, and that scares me. I can't tell my doctor because I know she will get angry. ( I need a new doctor, but that's not the point now.) PLEASE, PLEASE ANY THOUGHTS ??? THANK YOU !!