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Addicted To Xanax And Pregnant!!!

I'm 25 and 19 weeks pregnant. I have been taking xanax XR for over 2 years now and have suffered severe withdrawal symptoms every time I tried to stop taking it or ran out. I became addicted to it without realizing it and it caused me to go into convulsions 4 times. I hate taking it, especially while I'm pregnant but I don't have a choice because the withdrawals would be worse on me and the baby than if I keep taking it. I really want to stop taking it because it doesn't even help with my anxiety anymore. My dosage is 5mg a day as needed but I don't take it everyday, I only take it when I absolutely have to and most of the time I can go about a week without taking any but I do take it at least once a week to keep the withdrawals away because the thought of going into convulsions again really scares me. I know I'm going to have to go into rehab to get off of it safely but I was wondering if anyone else has had such severe withdrawals with xanax and if anyone continued to take it while they were pregnant? Also do you think it would be better for me to switch from the xanax XR to a mix of klonopin and valium? Would that help me taper off the xanax faster and safer? I have read that some people have taken that combination and it worked for them. I just don't want to switch meds and go into withdrawals. Any advice or suggestions are welcome.
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Avatar universal
oh, i hear ya girl...u sound exactly like me when i was preg. i hope i gave you some relief, the stress will kill u. u r right, if u just stop u will harm yourself and possibly baby. this was my first child as well, i feel your pain so much, god, i was so freakin scared i would be on here at 4 am until 7 trying to cope, i felt like a monster....the first dr i went to didnt even know what xanax was, then she looked it up in her little book and sid "omg, thats a class 4???  she made me feel terrible, i left there and took a bunch of vicodin...mother of the year, right???? then i found a good OB, like i said above. the point is, after having her, i regret all the suffering and stress i put myself through. this is such a great time for you, my gosh i was 36 when i got pregnant,,,you've got it made at your age...i suffer from panic attacks....have been off xanax for over 1.5 years, but am on klonopin...and i am suffering with MAJOR ANXIETY, as you can read in my post. point is, take a breathe, dont beat yourself up, you are doing the right thing..for you..and now one knows whats best for you BUT YOU...and your Dr...enjoy this pregnancy sweetie, i wish i could go back and do it again, the time i wasted stressing over xanax was a waste. not to say it cannot be harmful, but according to what i have learned over the years, its less harmful for those of us that suffer from panic attacks...and that is from my Drs mouth, not mine.....take care...do u know if its a girl or boy...do u have names picked out???? gosh i miss those days
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Avatar universal
Thanks for your reply, your post made me feel a little better. I'm just hoping that everything goes well because I really want this baby and I really want it to be healthy, I couldn't take it if something was wrong with it, I'd blame myself and probably end up in the psych ward. I'm not a drug addict, it's just that me and my Doctors made an honest mistake and benzos are very hard to get off of and sometimes I make up my mind to taper off of them again but I get panic attacks when I do that because all I think about is having another convulsion. My Doctors advised me to keep taking the Xanax but lower the dosage as much as I can and I'm trying. I only take it when I absolutely need it and most of the time I only take a small dose once every week or so just to keep the withdrawals away.
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Avatar universal
All of my Doctors know about my medications and they advised me not to stop taking them because not only would it endanger the baby but me as well. I tell my Doctors everything because I do want my baby to be healthy and there is no point in hiding anything, if I could just stop taking the Xanax I would but it could honestly kill me and or the baby.
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Avatar universal
i was in the same situation, actually, when i found out i was preg, i was shooting up morphine,,quit IMMEDIATELY, addicted to vicodin...25 a day, alcohlol, and dr rx'd xanax. i weaned my way down with the help of my Dr. took me a few Dr"s to not look down on me, i felt overwhelmed and so guilty and sure my baby was not going to be ok. i found a really good OB who said "you know what, you are doing everything right, weaning off meds, quit drinking, etc" But, the fact of the matter was FOR ME, and i am not a Dr, the stress of worrying about the health of my baby was killing me, so he kept me on the xanax through my pregnancy. as he said, the risks are far greater for stress related issues to baby....i was ojn xanax my whole pregnancy, she is know 2 and WONDERFUL....10 fingers, 10 toes...etc...lol...she is above standard in her education, height, everything went perfect. i am now off the xanax, but i feel your pain. to be pregnant and carry the burden of addiction and not only affecting you know..but the "what ifs" will kill you. as far as mixing klonopin, valium....again i am no dr, but...if your baby is 19 weeks it is very harmful to stop the xanax, if your Dr agrees, stay on what the baby is used to, and wean off SLOWLY UNDER DRS CARE. everyone shunned me when i told them i was on xanax while pregnant...this forum saved me from those feelings. i had so much support. there are those out there that have not walked in your shoes and will be judgemental....the textbook thing to say is OMG....maybe i got lucky, and i am NOT ADVISING ANYONE USING WHILE PREGNANT, but, if you are, the pressure amd the w/d...as i was told, could create more problems than the xanax...that is my personal experience, take it for what its worth. i am on klonopin know, and suffereing major anxiety, as you will see in my post, but a very low dose due to the fact of readdiction to pain meds after child birth.  good luck to you, and i am here if you need to talk
Helpful - 0
1552748 tn?1294211776
You are Nineteen weeks pregnant and have only started seeking help now'?
You need to speak to Your doctor and get his/her advice about how to best stop. You are risking the health of Your un born child
Helpful - 0
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