Life after Xanax - How long til you feel "normal?"

After taking Xanax for 2 years and now stopping cold turkey, how long til I feel "normal?"  How long til I have a clear head and an able body? Everything still hurts right now and I'm thinking half cleary after 10 full days but  it seems to be taking SOOOOOO long,

[silverberg]

if you have been on xanax 2 yrs. your dr. must of warned you about stopping cold turkey, THats a big NEVER EVER DO! CALL your DR> NOW! this is not a question of this forum this is a question for your DOCTOR!

[livinghell614]

I called my doctor last Tuesday morning after having what we believed to be a seizure on Monday evening. My doctor sent me for an EEG on Friday and I see him this Friday for the results. I'm sure if it were something important they would have called to have me come in before that.
I knew there were going to be withdrawal symptoms, especially since I stopped Vicodin, Xanax and Adderall (adderrall) all at once but I'm just wondering how long it takes before you're clear headed and feeling normal after Xanax?

[cnote]

dang! stopping cold turkey! 2 years!? youve gone 10 days!? wow! good for you!!!

[silverberg]

I am glad you are doing better, you did not mention you talked to your DR after you stopped and you also now state you had a seizure,  I must add in case someone else would read this. PLEASE PLEASE DO  NOT ATTEMPT TO GO OFF ANY DRUG WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR DOCTOR, this situation, turned out good,BUT THIS IS THE EXCEPTION and weaming off would of made withdrawl (withdrawal) easier.

[lboogie7729]

Can I ask how much you were taking a day? I've heard differing opinions on tapering/ Although I went cold turkey off Wellbutrin recently and didn't have a seizure it was by no means a pleasant experience! Best of look to you, stay strong!

[abby10]

Camparing Wellbutrin to Xanax is like comparing water to acid.

[ativan]

I agree with silverberg, god I dont know how you have tolarated cold turkey? Ive been on ativan for 30years and to go cold turkey well I couldent do it,
good luck
take care and please get the help you need.
janis.

[lboogie7729]

Abby, I wasn't comparing Xanax to Wellbutrin, just asking about  livinghell614's experience with quitting Xanax cold turkey. I have been on and off it for many years, so has my mother and we've heard the horror stories about quitting cold turkey. My boyfriend has been using it for 2 years and wants to go cold turkey but even going from 2 mg a day to 1/2-1 mg a day has him climbing the walls and feeling sick. Same goes for me, after taking 2-3mg a day for the last couple of years trying to cut down to less 1/2-1 & 1/2 a day has my hair standing on end and me waking up with nearly full blown panic attacks. I didn't seem to have too miserable of an experience dropping the Wellbutrin although I had been strongly advised against it so I am always interested in hearing other peoples experience with going cold turkey. I also quit a meth addiction of about 6 years cold turkey many years ago without any kind of tapering, detox program, meds, etc. and seemed to do fine to all of my doctors amazement. I figure if people post on here there is no harm in asking a question.

[abby10]

I hate Xanax, I can't believe most people are never aware of how addictive they are, and how horrible the withdrawals are. My body is shot, I'm in constant pain and the mental withdrawals are horrible too. This is after a one year tapper and my last dose was Oct 29, 2008. I did cold turkey many times, after insanity insued I would take a little dose to keep the w/d's at bay. It has been torture.

Based on what you are saying, I am assuming  that the meth addiction was much eaiser than xanax to come off of. I was curious about that.

[lboogie7729]

Yes abby10, oddly enough it seems like every street drug I have tried was far easier to walk away from than Xanax. I knew growing up how addictive it was because I witnessed it through my mom so I never relied on it, until the last couple of years. When I started taking Wellbutrin it really seemed necessary because the Wellbutrin wound me up even more than I usually was, but it really helped my depression. Add a serious problem with alcohol to the mix, and I was becoming a mess. I quit the Wellbutrin a few months ago and the drinking and smoking (tobacco and majiuana) a month ago, but I don't know how I'm going to go about getting off of Xanax. I thought about switching to another benzo that is longer acting like klonopin or maybe trying librium, but I'm not sure. I met someone who had major problems with Xanax and she was put on Klonopin and said she was doing okay, but she was bi-polar and on a variety of meds so I'd like to hear more from other people. I was in the psych ward last month when I OD'ed on a variety of meds (my fourth and final suicide attempt, it's why I quit drinking) and there was a woman in there who must have been close to 70 who had just gotten off the Xanax roller coaster after 22 years, but I didn't get to talk to her much. It scared me, no doubt. I warned my boyfriend. He began taking it 4 months before we got into a relationship thinking it was more recreational that it obviously is and got hooked quick. I think he has serious problems with depression and anxiety (today is the 10 year anniversary of losing his little brother to a rare blood disorder) so we are both struggling and appreciate any advice or input we can get. Thanks for sharing abby10, this drug is a beast and I truly wish you the best!

[abby10]

Yes, I drank alcohol and took the benzo's. I didn't take a pill with the drink but I took the 8mg a day not really thinking about it staying in my system when I drank. I lost someone closer to me than anybody in the world and tried suicide several times after I drank.  I have now found out that xanax and alcohol are notorious for suicide attempts and deaths. Benzo's act on the same brain receptors as alcohol, when I tried to stop drinking I kept taking xanax and then I would drink again.

While in the pshy ward they just gave more xanax. I got help no where. A detox tried to withdrawal me in 9 days. NOT....... Benzo's take longer to come off of than any known drug. I swear I didn't know they were even addictive. I thought the anti anxiety drugs were the one's to stay away from.

There is a wonderful web site all about the benzo's, benzo.org.uk it will help you tapper and it explains why and how to use klonopin and valium to tapper. Several other forums with people suffering from benzo addictions and people who have succeded and how good there life is without benzo's. One site is benzobuddies.org

Let me know if I can help any further.

abby

[lboogie7729]

I'm sorry to hear about your loss and personal struggles. I am grateful that you are here with us to shed light on this difficult subject for myself and others. Thanks for the websites. I got a chance to look at the benzo.org.uk for a few minutes and it looks like there is a lot of information on there! I am certainly going to spend some more time checking it out because I'm kind of on my own when it comes to dealing with my psychiatrist. He lets me dictate my treatment to an extent which is good in the sense that I don't feel like anything is being pushed on me, but on the other hand it puts the ball in my court to figure out what is best for me. I always say about myself and my mom that "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on t.v." because it's kind of odd that we are the ones doing all of the research and coming up with our own treatment plans. I think valium would be my next choice after xanax. I just started taking 5-HTP this week (which I had really good results with years ago) because I also have depression and problems sleeping along with the generalized anxiety. That website also mentioned GABA which is what I took for a couple of weeks while I was going off of the Wellbutrin and it really seemed to help so I am going to look into that more as another possible supplement to help with the long tapering/withdrawal process from the xanax. Thanks again for the information, every bit helps. I hope you are doing well and I'll be sending positive thoughts your way!