Husband mean without Xanax

[ksmith2451]

Is it typical for someone to be mean and short-tempered when coming off of Xanax?  My husband decided on his own that it was time to give it up (effects have caused us a lot of pain - emotional and financial).  He's been tapering off now for a few days and is down to 1 2mg Xanax XR a day.  He has changed from pleasant and easy going to miserable and very short-tempered.  He snaps at the smallest thing and it's breaking my heart.  My kids are feeling the effects too.  Is this normal and should I expect it to decrease over time?  

[ksmith2451]

wow!  everyone has been so great!  i'm glad i found this place.  it's great to know i can reach out.  to answer some of your questions:

*  How long was he on them? - Off an on for about 9 months. He really abused them though - taking  10-20 mg at a time - then he'd run out and go to the ER to get another refill.

*How many milligrams was he on to start? - .25 - last script was for 2mg XR

I've never struggled with an addiction and I think the hardest thing for me to be able to understand is how to support and help him.  Sounds like I just need to muster this mood change and hope to see improvement over time.  Any ideas on when I should start noticing an improvement?

Thanks again for all of your very kind responses!!

[kimmieb]

absolutely sounds normal, unfortunately....benzos hit your central nervous system big-time...you take them away, and your CNS literally goes berzerk....VERY difficult emotionally, physically, psychologically, mentally, everything....it makes you feel like you're going crazy at times....benzos work directly on the CNS....anything that does that is REALLY going to affect your entire being....i tapered off of ativan (another benzo similar to xanax), but did it under a doctor's supervision, fairly slowly (although not as slowly as i thought i was going to....kinda freaked me out when he said, "ok, now that's it, starting tonight, no more"), and with the aid of another medication, which then i weaned off of as well.....so i didn't have quite the same reaction as your husband.....HOWEVER, about a year ago, i had surgery, ran out of my ativan (took them solely for sleep at night, never abused them once in five years), and didn't think it would be a big deal, just figured i'd get my script refilled whenever i felt recovered from surgery and could get back to my neurologist.....boy, i went into full-blown benzo withdrawal and felt like death....i probably COULD have died in retrospect....my whole entire body just literally shook uncontrollably for days and nights....i thought it was menopause (cuz i'd had a hysterectomy)....ha!!!!...shows what i knew about benzos back then....but anyway, it was right after that that i figured out what it was and how nasty these benzos really are....i called my friend who's a pharmacist and he told me all about the way they work on the CNS and that's why getting off of them is soooooo bad (not to mention dangerous if not done properly and slowly).....so anyway, that's a long answer to  your very short question!  but yes, how your husband is feeling and acting sounds absolutely like what i felt like....

hope things get better....really, he's probably struggling big-time....support does help though, so if you can muster it, i'm sure he'd appreciate all you can give right now :-)

blessings to all of you....
kim

[lady67]

I was super mean when I was coming off of a binge or if I knew I was out of pills and wouldn't be able to get any.  I was the wicked witch of the west.  I really feel sorry for my family during those times.

[avisg]

If you look in my journal there are  taper schedules from the site Decisions is speaking of .Most of her tapers require valium to use to taper with.

[Decisions]

I have sent a few others to this site to understand more about benzo withdrawal.
I really feel itoffers excellent advice regarding a taper schedule, and ways to combat the w/d symtoms, and safely get off of this drug.
Please at least check out the FAQ and the "ashton manual".  Both were very helpful in learning about benzo drugs in general.

Here it is..  www.****.org.uk

Best wishes, and I hope all goes well for you and family..

[avisg]

Yes tapering like that he is acting how anyone would .He is going way to fast ,tapering off of benzos takes weeks not days he should only be going down a little at a time every One to two weeks.How many milligrams was he on to start?

[confused456]

I am sorry that the kids are feeling the effects from this and I THINK its normal, and also it should decrease over time but how long was he on them?

[GoingToMakeIt]

Great minds think alike. :)

[GoingToMakeIt]

It is very possible for this to be from the changes in his chemistry. It is also possible that he is tapering too quickly.

[ladyboop]

Sounds like he is going to fast. With xanax you have to go slow. I never abused it. But took it for medical reason. Was on it maybe one year. 3x a day. My Dr tapped me down slow. I never had any meanness or anger. Now with the pain pills thats a different story.

I am sure other's who have been there will post soon. Good luck and keep posting. You will find lots of help and support here. Most everyone here is Cool Beans!!!

               Lady