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Didn't Go Into Medical Detox Yesterday...Tapering & Seeking Alternatives
I hope all of you are doing well!
I didn't make it into the in-patient medical detox yesterday for the Xanax. I have prayed and prayed about it...called different dr's, called my dr. and came to the conclusion that I will continue to taper & find the help I need. I don't want anymore medications...I'm so afraid that my 1 kidney will be damaged in detox. I have tapered down 2mgs. over the last 2 weeks and am doing pretty well.
I have an appt. with my dr. today and am going to let him know the severity of the Xanax addiction and see what he recommends. I told him before but he said to take an anti-depressant to help with the taper....didn't work!
I have also got the numbers to a couple Addiction Specialists, Therapists & Physciatrists and a support group. I have to have a plan going into my dr. today (he's always ready to write a new perscription) and I'm letting him know I NEED HIS HELP or I will get it elsewhere....no pills. The migraines, insomnia & heart palpitations are terrible.
I have been reading The Mood Cure at the advise of Stephanie and it really makes a lot sense to me.
Thank you all for the support! Stay strong and don't lose focus of your goals.....
XOXO
Tracy
I didn't make it into the in-patient medical detox yesterday for the Xanax. I have prayed and prayed about it...called different dr's, called my dr. and came to the conclusion that I will continue to taper & find the help I need. I don't want anymore medications...I'm so afraid that my 1 kidney will be damaged in detox. I have tapered down 2mgs. over the last 2 weeks and am doing pretty well.
I have an appt. with my dr. today and am going to let him know the severity of the Xanax addiction and see what he recommends. I told him before but he said to take an anti-depressant to help with the taper....didn't work!
I have also got the numbers to a couple Addiction Specialists, Therapists & Physciatrists and a support group. I have to have a plan going into my dr. today (he's always ready to write a new perscription) and I'm letting him know I NEED HIS HELP or I will get it elsewhere....no pills. The migraines, insomnia & heart palpitations are terrible.
I have been reading The Mood Cure at the advise of Stephanie and it really makes a lot sense to me.
Thank you all for the support! Stay strong and don't lose focus of your goals.....
XOXO
Tracy
Yes, you're right about finding another dr. When I saw my primary care physician on Wednesday he said stop taking the Xanax and take up to 5mgs of Ativan per day and also said to take 60mgs of Cymbalta. I did not fill either perscription-tore them up.
Yesterday, I saw the physciatrist who also specializes in addiction and her recommendation was to stay on 2mgs of Xanax, 30mgs. of Prozac and 50 mgs of Tradazone at night. She wrote a perscription for all 3. She said not to taper any more until I've taken the Prozac for a month because it's easier to taper. I went to drugs.com and checked the interactions between the meds she suggested and found that there were interactions so have chose not to fill them. She said I didn't need inpatient treatment because I have taken the medication as perscribed (actually not taking it as perscribed because the dr. is perscribing 120 per mo. and I have at least 40 left over so I don't refill when I'm able to) and felt that I needed the right regimen of medication along with therapy and that my dr. should have never perscribed the Xanax. To come back and see her on 9/27. That was pretty much her proposal.
I am contacting another physcologist on Monday who was recommended to me. She specializes in tapering and does intensive outpatient treatment including a therapy program. I'm going to schedule an appt. with her so that will be my 4th opinion (so far all 3 have said no inpatient...but have all recommended different meds). As you suggested "keep trying" I'm definitely in search of someone who understands that I don't want to take the Xanax.
Yesterday, I saw the physciatrist who also specializes in addiction and her recommendation was to stay on 2mgs of Xanax, 30mgs. of Prozac and 50 mgs of Tradazone at night. She wrote a perscription for all 3. She said not to taper any more until I've taken the Prozac for a month because it's easier to taper. I went to drugs.com and checked the interactions between the meds she suggested and found that there were interactions so have chose not to fill them. She said I didn't need inpatient treatment because I have taken the medication as perscribed (actually not taking it as perscribed because the dr. is perscribing 120 per mo. and I have at least 40 left over so I don't refill when I'm able to) and felt that I needed the right regimen of medication along with therapy and that my dr. should have never perscribed the Xanax. To come back and see her on 9/27. That was pretty much her proposal.
I am contacting another physcologist on Monday who was recommended to me. She specializes in tapering and does intensive outpatient treatment including a therapy program. I'm going to schedule an appt. with her so that will be my 4th opinion (so far all 3 have said no inpatient...but have all recommended different meds). As you suggested "keep trying" I'm definitely in search of someone who understands that I don't want to take the Xanax.
That makes much more sense. If your primary care doctor isn't willing to help you get clean, find one who is. You should be applauded for trying to improve your life and the last thing you need is a doctor who won't help you do that. I'd be curious why the psychologist didn't think you needed inpatient treatment. What did she propose? You need to surround yourself with healthcare providers who are willing to help you. Sometimes it is hard to find them, but they are out there. Keep trying.
I apologize, it was a kidney panel they were suggesting. I had the lipid panel done 2 weeks ago. I have a kidney panel (renal function) about every 90 days.
Thanks for the input...
Thanks for the input...
No reputable detox facility will do anything to you to hurt your one remaining kidney. You can live many years with only one kidney hence the reason they let you donate one. You worry about what detox facility will do to your one kidney but yet you've abused it by being addicted to and abusing the Xanax. I'm afraid I belive Nauty - I think you chickened out. NO shame in that, we've all done it. You need to get into an addiction specialist and do what they say. As long as they know about your kidney, you will be fine. the nurse that made that comment to you should be ashamed of herself. As I nurse I know that you have to be very careful what you say to people. You need to do what's best for your recovery, let the medical professionals worry about your kidney. An addiction specialist should be able to help you. And a lipid panel has absolutely nothing to do with your kidney function it's checks cholestrol and liver function. Good luck
I went from 2mg and stopped . how do you feel on 2mg ?
I tapered 120mg to 2mg in 6 weeks and the clean and feel like i have wd's which taught wouldnt have them
No rls , had that a month ago when dropped 120 to 20mg the next day but sad . depressed now and no energy
wondering how your feeling when you stop the 2mg keep me posted
Thanks and Good Luck
D-
I tapered 120mg to 2mg in 6 weeks and the clean and feel like i have wd's which taught wouldnt have them
No rls , had that a month ago when dropped 120 to 20mg the next day but sad . depressed now and no energy
wondering how your feeling when you stop the 2mg keep me posted
Thanks and Good Luck
D-
2mg from 5 is good. how do you feel? are you pretty stable at that dose. If your gonna taper trust me ....i now understand why so many choose not to do it. It is a long drawn out process that consumes every hour of the day. A true commitment day after day after day and can really be difficult. You must do what you feel is right for you, but if you cant do it.......I hope you reconsider. Good luck & God Bless.........
Nauty...................
Nauty...................
It may be a mistake but..... I'm down to 2mgs. of Xanax a day the perscription is for 5mg.
I don't believe I chickened out at all. The facility suggested I see my primary care dr. prior to coming in for a lipid panel.... it made me start thinking about the possibilities of damaging my remaining kidney. They also told me that I WOULD BE given other narcotics and go home on other meds. Not something I was wanting. I also realized that I really hadn't given myself a chance at tapering. I really didn't have a lot of knowledge on any of this until I came to this forum and found that there are other options out there. I've seen a physciatrist once, never a therapist and felt that maybe I should at least try that first.
An in-patient detox I would hope would be my last alternative..not my first. Just not something I wanted to do before trying to taper myself and seek the help of a dr. who knows what they are talking about.....
I definitely will reconsider if I'm unable to taper. I saw a female physcologist today and she said that an in-patient detox is not suitable at this time. Maybe that's a line of s**t but it did give me hope.
Tracy
I don't believe I chickened out at all. The facility suggested I see my primary care dr. prior to coming in for a lipid panel.... it made me start thinking about the possibilities of damaging my remaining kidney. They also told me that I WOULD BE given other narcotics and go home on other meds. Not something I was wanting. I also realized that I really hadn't given myself a chance at tapering. I really didn't have a lot of knowledge on any of this until I came to this forum and found that there are other options out there. I've seen a physciatrist once, never a therapist and felt that maybe I should at least try that first.
An in-patient detox I would hope would be my last alternative..not my first. Just not something I wanted to do before trying to taper myself and seek the help of a dr. who knows what they are talking about.....
I definitely will reconsider if I'm unable to taper. I saw a female physcologist today and she said that an in-patient detox is not suitable at this time. Maybe that's a line of s**t but it did give me hope.
Tracy
I have a book that has some suggested amino acids for getting off of benzo's I will look it up and get back to you later on...
XOXO
XOXO
to me it sounds like you just made a huge mistake. They would not treat you with your kidney issues if they felt it was life threatening to your health. Sounds to me like you just plain chickened out........I totally understand, but I think you made a mistake. Please reconsider and go.......your issue is HUGE
Nauty................
Nauty................
oops. didnt see that you were talking about benzos! sorry! haha DONT take the VALIUM!
Thomas Recipe:
1. Valium (or another benzodiazepine such as Klonopin, Librium, Ativan or Xanax). Of these, Valium and Klonopin are best suited for tapering since they come in tablet form. Librium is also an excellent detox benzo, but comes in capsules, making it hard to taper the dose. Ativan or Xanax should only be used if you can't get one of the others.
2. Imodium (over the counter, any drug or grocery store).
3. L-Tyrosine (500 mg caps) from the health food store.
4. Strong wide-spectrum mineral supplement with at least 100% RDA of Zinc, Phosphorus, Copper and Magnesium.
5. Vitamin B6 caps.
6. Access to hot baths or a Jacuzzi (or hot showers if that's all that's available).
1. Valium (or another benzodiazepine such as Klonopin, Librium, Ativan or Xanax). Of these, Valium and Klonopin are best suited for tapering since they come in tablet form. Librium is also an excellent detox benzo, but comes in capsules, making it hard to taper the dose. Ativan or Xanax should only be used if you can't get one of the others.
2. Imodium (over the counter, any drug or grocery store).
3. L-Tyrosine (500 mg caps) from the health food store.
4. Strong wide-spectrum mineral supplement with at least 100% RDA of Zinc, Phosphorus, Copper and Magnesium.
5. Vitamin B6 caps.
6. Access to hot baths or a Jacuzzi (or hot showers if that's all that's available).
Does anyone have a detox...tapering recipe for benzos? I see one here frequently for opiates.
Thanks,
Tracy
Thanks,
Tracy
Hi beachtowel,
Well, I have only 1 kidney (donated the other). I talked to the nurse at my dr's office last Thursday to get a refill on my inhaler and told her I was going into the detox. She said she was familiar with where I was going and they would be using Bup? Sub? (not sure what those are) but she said with me having only one kidney I'm risking damage to my only kidney and to come into the dr. today. I guess they didn't believe that it was as severe (xanax addiction) and if they weren't going to help me I was seeking help elsewhere. She said they would run a lipid panel to make sure everything's ok with the kidney, do an ekg and some bloodwork before I put my body through that. So I thought it couldn't hurt.
Well, I have only 1 kidney (donated the other). I talked to the nurse at my dr's office last Thursday to get a refill on my inhaler and told her I was going into the detox. She said she was familiar with where I was going and they would be using Bup? Sub? (not sure what those are) but she said with me having only one kidney I'm risking damage to my only kidney and to come into the dr. today. I guess they didn't believe that it was as severe (xanax addiction) and if they weren't going to help me I was seeking help elsewhere. She said they would run a lipid panel to make sure everything's ok with the kidney, do an ekg and some bloodwork before I put my body through that. So I thought it couldn't hurt.
I had been on anti-depressants for 13 years( Prozac, Paxil, Lexapro, Zoloft, Wellbutrin)...then stopped taking them 3 years ago....that's when he perscribed the Xanax for anxiety & panic attacks. I was probably going through some type of withdrawal from stopping the antidepressant. He gave me the Xanax and here I am 3 years later...addicted to it.
He gave me the Cymbalta & Wellbutrin XL to take (at different times) a couple of months ago...but with the side effects I've been having from the Xanax I couldn't tolerate the side efects of either of those two anti-depressants.
Keep up the posting...you're going to make a difference here. I read as many posts as I can every day and everyone is so amazing...
XOXO
Tracy
He gave me the Cymbalta & Wellbutrin XL to take (at different times) a couple of months ago...but with the side effects I've been having from the Xanax I couldn't tolerate the side efects of either of those two anti-depressants.
Keep up the posting...you're going to make a difference here. I read as many posts as I can every day and everyone is so amazing...
XOXO
Tracy
how long have you been taking the antidepressant? they can take a few weeks to a month to work.
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