This Xanax is a mofo!

[Soonerdean]

Starting day 19 and things are slooooowwwwlllyyyy getting better.  One of the most annoying symptoms still present is out of the blue this wave of severe depression, fever & sweating will hit me hard and last for about 2 hours and my face and neck turns red during that time.  Almost as quickly as it starts it will stop.  Insomnia is still a problem and when I do get out of bed my body hurts all over.  I'm allergic to ibuprofen and NOT supposed to take any kind of asprin but I do take asprin along with a Norco when I wake up.

As I mentioned earlier...I'm also tapering from eight 10/350 Norcos a day and currently I've been able to hold at 3 tabs a day for 5 days.  Today I'm going to do 2.5 tabs as I only have 20 tabs remaining.  I can honestly say this has been the most difficult thing I've ever done but I am seeing results.  I'm longing for the day that I can fall asleep on my own, sleep the entire night and when I wake up my head is clear and I don't feel the need to reach for a pill.  I long for the day that my head is clear and my mind is not racing with the thoughts of when I get to take my next pill.  I also pray that God will use this to his glory and somehow this nightmare I've been living will help someone else.  This has been an epic struggle for me.....litterally life & death.  One that caught me completely off guard and unprepared.  

I am just amazed at how easily the human body/mind becomes addicted so quickly to benzos and opiates.  I'm equally amazed at the damage these chemicals do to the lives of the people taking them.  I realize these meds do have their place in society and that they have probably helped thousands of people but they were "hellish" for me.  The lesson I learned was to deal with life on my own and not to depend on drugs/pills to get through.  

Anyway...I have a long way to go but I've also come a long way in 19 days.  Keep senind me good vibes and I'll keep
GIVING IT THE FINGER!

[KirstenHere]

Congrats on day 19...you have truly inspired me this morning. Thank you!

[mellie4]

Sounds like you're doing great.  I never knew how easily you can become dependent on these things either.  I took it as prescribed and even brought up addiction/dependence and was told to not worry about it!!  I did my own taper because I didn't like taking things and was concerned about how much they had me on.  It was one of the hardest things I ever did and I didn't have to worry about addiction, just physical dependence.

Since you're allergic to ibuprofen, can you take something like Aleve?  I believe that's Naproxin.  I know a lot of people like it because you don't have to take as much.  That may help with the aches and pains.  Do you take Melatonin or Alteril to help with sleep?  I find Alteril works really well for me.  Have you checked out the Thomas Recipe?  It has suggestions for things that help with the withdrawals.  If you haven't, you may find some things that will help some of your symptoms.

Are you going to AA/NA or do you have some type of aftercare in place?  It seems the people that have aftercare do much better than those who go it alone.

Congratulations of tapering so well.  Keep it up.  It sounds like you're definitely mentally ready to put all this behind you!