xanax withdrawal...please tell me this will be over soon

[Clarissairene]

I think I am having withdrawals but dont know. If it is I am going to stick it out but what if I am not and I should be going to a doctor... not sure what to do. How long do withdrawal symptoms last?

I took xanax .5 once a day for 2 years because of anxiety. I cant leave the house without it or I will panic. I have never abused it, just have never gone a day without 1 for 2 years. I did wean down to .25 about 6 months ago and started to get anxious again so I bumped it back up every now and then.

So- now we want to have more kids and I need to stop taking it. I have tapered down to .25 for 2 weeks, had to take .50 fridya night it was awful. Now.... this week every day I have a AWFUL headache around 1pm and it lasts until late evening. I do work in front of a computer, not sure if that helps. And then my neck is tight, my jaw hurts so bad. like i have been chewing gum all day long. My mouth is foamy, i know gross... and I feel anger and dont want to talk to anyone. I tried to visit a friend last night and i kept moving around and very jittery and couldnt even talk right.

Does this sound like withdrawal from my xanax even though my dose was so low and I have cut it in half before and have never felt like this... all though I didnt do it for 2 weeks consisitently.

I desparetly want to be rid of this drug. Now that i have moved states I really havent found many docs who want to prescribe it anyways so now is a good time.

Please help... I feel so bad and dont want to give in. I am aslo hoping what I am expierincing is withdrawals and not something else. How long will this last??!!

Thanks

[Jacqui805]

Sounds like w/d to me.  Alprazolam (Xanax) is very addicting.  I was on the same dose for four yrs along with the Fentanyl patch (200mcg).  It's gonna take 1-2 weeks, but you've got something that makes it more complicated.  Stopping that med can cause rebound anxiety.  When you stop, you can have more anxiety than when you started, so it may even be that.  Either way, you need to stop, and it sucks, but you'll get through it.  I have been so anxious for two weeks and it's better, but still bad and it keeps me up and has gone into full blown panic.  You will get through it, but you need to wean.  Continue to do so and even if you feel like taking more, don't.  You cannot stop this med properly without weaning.  Weaning helps to alleviate rebound anxiety.  Sleep aids can have a rebound affect when stopped, as do other benzodiazapines like Lorazapam (Ativan).  Good luck, but keep your mind busy as since it will race, it will help you to get through it.  Keep lights low, and noise down if possible.  T.V. can make it worse with the lights and flickering, and noise.  Keep it peaceful.  It will be hard to concentrate on things, but you need to find something tolerable to keep your mind busy.  When you try to relax or sleep it'll likely get worse.  It will get worse before better, but better nonetheless.  I am at Day 13 and just got my first partial night's sleep last night.  It was broken, fitful, and I wokeup many times with anxiety.  BUT I got sleep for once in 13 days.  You CAN do it.  

[avisg]

I think it would be good to contact your doctor ,he will have more of an idea then any of us would about what is going .......good luck
                                                        avis

[IBKleen]

One more thing: there is also a forum here at MedHelp dedicated to anxiety. You may want to go there and get some more opinions. It can't hurt.

[anjel75]

I am sorry... not WC... WD

[anjel75]

Some of them sound like WC's but some sound like nothing I have ever heard of. The jaw thing, definitely, because when you are anxios you just bite really hard and hold it there. The only WD I had from it was lack of sleep.

[IBKleen]

Since you tapered well and you were not on a high dose to begin with, it may not be withdrawal. It is hard to tell.

Since you are thinking of getting pregnant, maybe this would be a good time to go and get a good check up. tell your doctor what you are feeling.

I feel bad because I know that the anxiety can stiffle you. Good Luck.