Xanax withdrawal

After 20 years of  1.5 mg daily use of xanax prescribed to combat the agitation caused by Prozac I have completely tapered off xanax,  I have begun experiencing muscle contractions in my legs at night, difficulty going to sleep and staying asleep. I have been told that these sypmtoms can last for up to a year. Is that true and if so what causes that? I no longer take Prozac.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

You have received some good advice about magnesium and muscle contractions. Trouble sleeping will probably go away very soon as you develop a new normal sleeping rhythm that was disrupted by the Xanax. I don't believe that your problems will last more than a few more weeks.

[Paxiled]

Try supplementing with a 2:1 magnesium to calcium.  Solaray makes a good one.  Many of these medications cause muscle cramping, and withdrawal does too.  My own theory is that they somehow interfere with magnesium absorption, which is responsible for relaxing the muscles and the heart.  See if it helps.