Benzo Dependency/Addiction Xanax

[ideal4u]

This is both a question and a informative POST. I have had spinal fusion on L5/S1 in 2002, then a Morphine Pump in 2004. I have been taking oral Soma, Hydrocodone, and Xanax for years. I was able to taper totally off of the Hydro and Soma (it was HELL), but the Xanax was impossible for me to discontinue. I never used what I was prescribed (3 @ 1mg day) but I couldn't quit taking it totally. I had to take 1/2 of one pill a day just to survive the panic attacks. I was having severe panic attacks, blurred vision, pressure on my eyes and ears, felt terrible, rapid heart rate, and my everything was bothering me like I was super sensitive etc. I went to a Detox hospital, a total detox couldn't be performed as I have a implanted morphine pump which gives me Baclofen, Morphine & Clonodine into my intrathecal space of my spinal cord. They said I suffered from "Hyperalgesics" which is a fancy name to where your brain perceives pain like 10 times more than what it really is or was. (Do some serious research on this Hyperalgesic Syndrome). I was put on Valium every 6 hours for 3 days then switched to Klonopin or generic (clonazepam) afterward. They said that Xanax was one of the most terrible drugs on the market and hardest to discontinue. I can certainly attest to that, my desire to quit taking it was so strong, but I failed every time I tried, it was unbearable to the point I needed professional help. They say the the half life of Xanax is very short, It is fast acting but leaves your system very quickly so they changed it to Klonopin which they said is in the same family (Benzo's) but acts for much longer between doses. I haven't totally discontinued the Klonopin as of yet, but I see my regular doctor in 3 days to see what he has to say.

Has anyone ever experienced what I have been going thru? If you have would you please give me your thoughts or suggestions as to how to quit taking any form of Benzo's totally. I have read that sometimes it can take 18 months for your brain to go back to producing some type of natural hormone (maybe Serotonin) or something like that which thwarts off anxiety naturally. Is this true?  You would never think that such an inexpensive medication like Xanax would cause these type of terrible problems like what I have encountered. The main doctor I saw said that the best thing the FDA could do is ban Xanax, they say so many people have so many problems with this drug because of it's short half life. It is terrible to know that you are dependent on a medication, it made me feel like **** like I was some type of addict but I knew I wasn't. How do we ever break the cycle of taking this medicine (BENZO), and control it instead of it controlling you? All suggestions will be appreciated, and I hope maybe I have helped someone from what i have learned at the detox facility. Really research Hyperalgesics, you will be surprised to know that pain medication cause amplify your pain more than what it really is or was.

[Kevin_Bacon]

Not only is Xanax potent (1mg = 10mg Valium), it apparently binds much tighter to the GABA receptors tha any other benzo ... it's also the the only benzo that gives you a significant "buzz" even after long-term use ...

As noted above, switch to Valim or Klonopin and start a long, arduous taper. Cold turkey is out of the equation.

Ther's a UK benzo site that's superb -- think it might be found by searching  benzodiazepines  UK  withdrawal. It is unmatched by any other site. Go there.

Personally, I wish benzo's were banned completely -- they were introduced with much publicity with the approval of chlordiazepoxide (Librium) in the early sixties, as a replacement drug for the notoriously addictive barbiturates, which was a good thing -- but the addictive potential of these drugs started to become evident a few years, and millions of Valiums later.

So, maybe not banned entirely, but controlled to the max.

You can get out, but it could take a year or so, and expect sleep disturbances for ? .

Hope this helps,

-- KB

[GA Guy]

You're on the right track on discontinuing the benzos. Yes, Xanax is a nasty drug and very addictive IF used incorrectly. Xanax does have a short half-life, but it also acts very quickly and is indispensable for people who have infrequent panic attacks. In other words, Xanax is safe and effective if used sparingly and as needed. It's not an optimal benzo for daily dosing. If a benzo must be used, Klonopin or Valium is a better choice. You're on the right track with the klonopin. The key is to go slow and allow your body to normalize between dosage reductions. You'll still have withdrawals, but not nearly at the levels you would experience going cold turkey.