Taken completely off Xanax

[PaigePalange]

My mother had been taking Xanax for many years and she started seeing a new doctor who said it was an addicting medication. The doctor took her completely off of Xanax and gave her something else that made her go crazy. Since she has been off Xanax she's had seizures for a while now. She's fallen and busted her head open and she can't drive. She has never had a history of seizures before this. Can this doctor get in trouble or even be sued? I fee like a doctor should know the complications of taking someone completely off of a medication they have taken for years and he just really did not care.

[Coperniki]

I've had seizures from getting off benzos too, not fun. To my research there are things known about seizures but a lot of unknown. A guess it could be a ripple effect, maybe a seizure disconnected something in the brain and because of that anytime that part of the brain is stressing... Seizure time. Just an idea. Hope it gets better, benzos are poison. As you see.

[Sarbie]

Whatever the cause, the seizures are putting your mum at serious risk of harm.

[BearsFan1966]

I'm confused too! maybe we need some clarification??

[Krissy_123]

Ok ya it does it say that. I'm confused by this post now actually?? If the seizures have been going for over a year what does this have to do with the Xanax then?? Yes you can have seizures from stopping,but has this been going on way before the doc took her off the Xanax??

[BearsFan1966]

oh I reread one of her comments and  it said she has been having seizures for over a year.

[BearsFan1966]

Sorry misread the year thing...

[Sarbie]

If your mum continues to have seizures she is at serious risk of injury. Benzo withdrawl is very long and unpredictable. Maybe you could ring a drug and alcohol clinic and see a dr who specialises in withdrawal.

[Krissy_123]

Last November isn't a year off her Xanax. It's 6 months. So ya it's possible it could be something to do with the Xanax. Espesically if she was on it for years.

[BearsFan1966]

I am so sorry you and your mom are going threw this. I can not believe the drs can not find any thing wrong with her or giving her any thing to help stop them.
I had 4 seizures a few years back and when I had my fourth one they put me on meds. They did all the test and could find nothing wrong either. I was told after the 4th one they had to report it to the Dmv and put me on meds. I lost my license for 6 months. I later found out that the tramadol I was on was causing them and once I stopped taking it they went away and I was able to ween myself off the seizure meds  and have not had any problems.
The main concern is the fact that her brain is rebooting every time she has one!

My prayers are with you both and please keep me posted as to how she is doing....I wish I had the magic answer but I can not see it being the Xanax due to the fact she has not been on them for over a year. But I am not a dr and I am sure you told them so hopefully they figure it out soon!

[PaigePalange]

She was taken off Xanax abruptly last year and has been having seizures since. She takes a medicine called depakote I don't know if I spelled that right and sometimes they give her Ativan. None of her medications seem to be helping them because she still has seizures. She can have three a day and some days she doesn't have any. It's really hard to deal with. The doctors are ordering more tests but in the mean time she just has seizures and I don't know what to do or how to deal with it.

[BearsFan1966]

Some thing just does not seem right with this....She has been off for almost a year? Hummm not sure. what other meds is she taking right now? I just do not know what to say I thought that she was just taken off of them.....It sounds like she is seeing all the right drs.

[PaigePalange]

The other doctors know she was taken off and didn't really say much about it. She has anxiety and that's why she was put on them and had taken them for years. The medication stopped in October or November and she had her first seizure in November. She fell to the ground and busted her head. Ever since then she's had seizures.

[PaigePalange]

She's told the other doctors that she was taken off them and they said nothing really. The doctor took her off of them last year around October or November and she had her first one in November and has had them since. They say she has seizures because she has part epilepsy and part of it is stress but it seems weird that she never had a seizure until she was taken off her Xanax. If I took her to the hospital every time she had a seizure we would go almost everyday and she doesn't want to go to the hospital because she doesn't want them to keep her for a while. She can't work because we never know when she's gonna have a seizure. Everything is just kind of hard right now.

[Sarbie]

Do the doctors know she was abruptly taken off Xanax? If your mum is experiencing seizures she needs urgent medical attention. When was the medication ceased?

[PaigePalange]

She's been to the hospital and a neurologist and they've given her medication for seizures but she still has them. Her neurologist has ordered tests and they have not seen anything which I guess is good but she still has seizures for a little over a year now. I sleep in the same room as her because she has most of her seizures at night and has no clue. It's very stressful for me because I'm always so worried she's going to fall somewhere or something bad is going to happen.

[Sarbie]

Hello Paige, have you called an ambulance when your mum had a seizure or has she stayed home while these symptoms continue? If your mumis is not being treated for withdrawl from her medication your mum must be taken immediately to hospital, your mum is in urgent need of medical attention. Do not wait and see if she has another seizure, gets worse etc etc. Your mum needs medical treatment immediately. After you have your mum at the hospital then please post and let us know how things are. As we will be here to support yourself and your mum, but first things first. Your mum is seriously I'll and needs hospitalisation. NO your mum should not have been taken off her medication.

[BearsFan1966]

I would get her to an ER right away! At least get her to a new dr. From what I have read on here Xanax is highly addictive and for him to just cut her off like that is not good. I would look into legal help regarding your questions regarding suing him. Seizures are very scary I know this from personal experience! Maybe the new meds is having a reaction to another one she is taking not sure but she needs to be checked out ASAP..Keep us posted as to how she is doing please