Aa
Xanax 10-16mg a day. How the heck do I stop?
Hi all, I'm new here, would like to give you all a little bit of information about myself. I'm almost 20. I started seeing a Psychologist just a few months ago after my PCP recommended me to one because I was asking him to up my xanax 1mg to 3 times a day. My PCP started me off on 1mg twice a day needed for anxiety about 9 months ago or so? I did take Valium as needed for dizziness from a specialist but I didn't get a high from it like some do, so I only took it when I needed to but when I started the Xanax (initially I started off on the lowest dose) worked my way up to 1mg twice a day, i would take what i was told to then initially began to increase the dose myself.
I have recently over the past 3 years started taking opiates wheather it was from a doctor or buying it from a friend. I've gone from taken just one 15mg percocet to 3 at a time a few times a day. I'm a light weight person, weighing about 120lbs, I work in the health field so I know a lot of ways of getting drugs, convinving doctors that I need it. I've spent hundreds of dollars a day on drugs just to get by until the next day. Any my drug of choice are pills.
So back to the Xanax. I tried convincing my PCP to increase the number of times I take it, he said if I needed 3mg a day that I should see a Psych. so I did that, now I get 60 2mg bars from him, and 60 1mg from my PCP a month because both doctors don't know about each other.
First, How long can I keep doing this, without the doctors knowing about each other? I just recently tried going to another doctor closer to my house and after my first visit they sent a letter saying they searched a narcotic website and saw my name, and is refusing to see me anymore.
Its hard to convince a doctor to write my narcot scripts because of my age. I've recently had to quit seeing this certain PCP because I owe them money from when my insurance wouldn't cover the visits I would make.
I see my Psych once a month, and sometimes twice if I can convince him that I've lost the pills, or they were stolen, etc. And instead of using the pharmacy that has my insurance, I go to a different store. I take about 3 to 4 bars right when I get them, sell a few to get extra money, and then when I get home I take 4 more. Then a few hours later, take 3 more, I can go an entire day taking up to 15 xanax. Basically taking them until I go to sleep, or until I run out. I remember when I first took a 2mg bar, I felt great, not a worry in the world. My anxiety was calmed. Now I need 10 pills a day, 3 at a time to even feel buzzed for 5 minutes.
My addiction is affecting my work, and my relationship with my boyfriend of over 5 years. It's affecting my family life, they have all noticed the pills im taking, and how much.
Does my addiction seem like it's going to lead to an intervention, or is there hope of me stopping it before it gets that far?
Thank you.
I have recently over the past 3 years started taking opiates wheather it was from a doctor or buying it from a friend. I've gone from taken just one 15mg percocet to 3 at a time a few times a day. I'm a light weight person, weighing about 120lbs, I work in the health field so I know a lot of ways of getting drugs, convinving doctors that I need it. I've spent hundreds of dollars a day on drugs just to get by until the next day. Any my drug of choice are pills.
So back to the Xanax. I tried convincing my PCP to increase the number of times I take it, he said if I needed 3mg a day that I should see a Psych. so I did that, now I get 60 2mg bars from him, and 60 1mg from my PCP a month because both doctors don't know about each other.
First, How long can I keep doing this, without the doctors knowing about each other? I just recently tried going to another doctor closer to my house and after my first visit they sent a letter saying they searched a narcotic website and saw my name, and is refusing to see me anymore.
Its hard to convince a doctor to write my narcot scripts because of my age. I've recently had to quit seeing this certain PCP because I owe them money from when my insurance wouldn't cover the visits I would make.
I see my Psych once a month, and sometimes twice if I can convince him that I've lost the pills, or they were stolen, etc. And instead of using the pharmacy that has my insurance, I go to a different store. I take about 3 to 4 bars right when I get them, sell a few to get extra money, and then when I get home I take 4 more. Then a few hours later, take 3 more, I can go an entire day taking up to 15 xanax. Basically taking them until I go to sleep, or until I run out. I remember when I first took a 2mg bar, I felt great, not a worry in the world. My anxiety was calmed. Now I need 10 pills a day, 3 at a time to even feel buzzed for 5 minutes.
My addiction is affecting my work, and my relationship with my boyfriend of over 5 years. It's affecting my family life, they have all noticed the pills im taking, and how much.
Does my addiction seem like it's going to lead to an intervention, or is there hope of me stopping it before it gets that far?
Thank you.
Welcome to the forum, pillnuts. This thread that you posted on is a really old one. Nobody that posted on this thread is currently posting anymore except dominosarah.
If you want to post and get feedback from the peeps currently on this site, you can go to the top of the page and hit the orange post a question button.
Glad you know how slowly you have to wean off a benzo. Lots of us have been there and many are still attempting freedom from benzos.
When I first posted....because I found MedHelp thru my search engine question....I, too, posted on an old thread. Not many respond to them.
Just thought you would like to know that in case you want to post on a new thread yourself.
If you want to post and get feedback from the peeps currently on this site, you can go to the top of the page and hit the orange post a question button.
Glad you know how slowly you have to wean off a benzo. Lots of us have been there and many are still attempting freedom from benzos.
When I first posted....because I found MedHelp thru my search engine question....I, too, posted on an old thread. Not many respond to them.
Just thought you would like to know that in case you want to post on a new thread yourself.
WHAT? P,ease don't post that kind of stuff. I beg you to get help and go to rehab. You haven't been on so long, you CAN get off with minimum side effects.
I too have an addiction to Xanax. I have taken 16 mg per day and it doesn't get me high. I want to re iterate that if you really want to stop, wean down to just the bare minimum. You CAN die ore have a seizure if you stop cold turkey. I tried to do that but withdrawals are so bad I got more. I could almost make it 2 weeks. I'm trying now to get off them. They are so addictive that if I knew, I would have never asked for them. In the beginning, it was great, but now I'm in hell....
Thank you, I know am a bit late, but have not been on this site forever. I forgot all about it until I just got another friend invite. How are you doing?
Jan
Jan
if you go back to the main forum page and post a new post with your story, more members will be more apt to responding. this post is from five years ago. welcome to the forums, and hope you're able to find your way around. i wish i could help, but i have no experience in that department - but do know that SO MANY members do and can/will help you through this.
Hello everyone I have been taking xanax off and on for 3 years. I don't have insurance anymore, and my doctor is really expensive to see. I tried going to a clinic, because it wasn't as expensive. But the doctor wouldn't prescribe me anything. If anyone can sapre some of their xanax, or something close to tat, please let me know. I know it's easy to buy it on the streets, but that really scares me because yo never know if it has anything else in it.
Thank so much for your help(keeping my fingers crossed)
Thank so much for your help(keeping my fingers crossed)
Hi,
I am going to tell you a bit about myself, I see that you are at a young age in your life. I don't know you but I would never want you to lose years of your life and have to go through the pain of trying to get it back.
I was put on xanax 14 years ago, a very small dosage. The doctor increased it after about a month, I was taking 5mgs 3 times a day. What a change in myself and my life! I became this person that would stop at nothing to get what I wanted and the more I got...the more I wanted. Every time I had to face anything in my life, I would take an extra xanax, even to do the simplest of tasks.
I had lost all my morals, values and had lost all logic, I walked out on a wonderful marriage and a beautiful son (age 6) and I felt awesome! But I needed to get more xanax to get me trough the months, so I had different doctors, numerous pharmacies and within a few years I was getting 180 pills a month.
I went through years of lying, cheating and stealing to get what I wanted although I was a very successful women working as a manager of a jewelry store. I manipulated people out of tens of thousands of dollars, I conned my mother into opening a bank account in my name after my father had died and she sold the house, with the account in my name, you most likely can figure out what I had done to my mother. I had broken all ties with my children and other family members...my kids had lost their mother. I always seemed to step into abusive relationships and was almost killed with a noose around my neck. To keep me strong through the criminal proceedings of this I needed more pills, so I was now getting huge bottles of 380 pills a month, but that was not enough. I started smoking pot, not enough. I started buying more xanax off the street as I would sometimes take handfuls 1-2 times a day, that was not enough. I stole and bought other pills, some of which I did not know the names, that was not enough. I started to crush pills, again..not enough. I got into cocaine. Mixing up all kinds of cocktails, I had almost lost my life 3 times. I became very violent , and I would use anything, baseball bats, knifes..etc. By this time I had no job, no home, no family, no friends, even my dog was gone. Soon doctors found out what I was doing and the xanax was being taken away so I was snorting anything I could get my hands on. I was taken to the hospital one time by 3 police officers, whom I thought I could fight off with a baseball bat...I lost.
They must have seen something in me that I had not because the did not arrest me or charge me even with the drugs I had on me at that time. They did cuff me and take me straight to the hospital where I was examined and found to be on my last life. I was detoxed. This was the most horrifying experience I had ever had, I cant being to explain the pain I went through. It took 2 weeks in the hospital and another couple under supervision. Yes, there is a great possibility of seizures , heart attacks and psychosis.
I was detoxed 10 months ago and each and everyday is a struggle to survive without drugs. I now have dementia, vision problems, liver problems...but I am alive!
I a 46 year old woman now that is finding out just how much the world has changed in 15 years..so much technology. I can`t remember my kids growing up in the years or even how they looked, I can`t remember any part of my life. It`s like I was frozen in time and now someone has put me on this planet and I am suppose to know how to survive?...I don't. With the help of a counselor I have I am now on disability, I have a beautiful 1 bedroom apartment, I have a car , I have a cat but most of all I have a life with my children, who are now grown. I know I have a long ways to go, I did not get to where i was over night and I will not be fully recovered over night.
Remember, this is JUST a short version of my story. Benzo's (xanax) is very dangerous, PLEASE DO NOT LET THESE DRUGS TAKE YOUR LIFE AWAY.
I am going to tell you a bit about myself, I see that you are at a young age in your life. I don't know you but I would never want you to lose years of your life and have to go through the pain of trying to get it back.
I was put on xanax 14 years ago, a very small dosage. The doctor increased it after about a month, I was taking 5mgs 3 times a day. What a change in myself and my life! I became this person that would stop at nothing to get what I wanted and the more I got...the more I wanted. Every time I had to face anything in my life, I would take an extra xanax, even to do the simplest of tasks.
I had lost all my morals, values and had lost all logic, I walked out on a wonderful marriage and a beautiful son (age 6) and I felt awesome! But I needed to get more xanax to get me trough the months, so I had different doctors, numerous pharmacies and within a few years I was getting 180 pills a month.
I went through years of lying, cheating and stealing to get what I wanted although I was a very successful women working as a manager of a jewelry store. I manipulated people out of tens of thousands of dollars, I conned my mother into opening a bank account in my name after my father had died and she sold the house, with the account in my name, you most likely can figure out what I had done to my mother. I had broken all ties with my children and other family members...my kids had lost their mother. I always seemed to step into abusive relationships and was almost killed with a noose around my neck. To keep me strong through the criminal proceedings of this I needed more pills, so I was now getting huge bottles of 380 pills a month, but that was not enough. I started smoking pot, not enough. I started buying more xanax off the street as I would sometimes take handfuls 1-2 times a day, that was not enough. I stole and bought other pills, some of which I did not know the names, that was not enough. I started to crush pills, again..not enough. I got into cocaine. Mixing up all kinds of cocktails, I had almost lost my life 3 times. I became very violent , and I would use anything, baseball bats, knifes..etc. By this time I had no job, no home, no family, no friends, even my dog was gone. Soon doctors found out what I was doing and the xanax was being taken away so I was snorting anything I could get my hands on. I was taken to the hospital one time by 3 police officers, whom I thought I could fight off with a baseball bat...I lost.
They must have seen something in me that I had not because the did not arrest me or charge me even with the drugs I had on me at that time. They did cuff me and take me straight to the hospital where I was examined and found to be on my last life. I was detoxed. This was the most horrifying experience I had ever had, I cant being to explain the pain I went through. It took 2 weeks in the hospital and another couple under supervision. Yes, there is a great possibility of seizures , heart attacks and psychosis.
I was detoxed 10 months ago and each and everyday is a struggle to survive without drugs. I now have dementia, vision problems, liver problems...but I am alive!
I a 46 year old woman now that is finding out just how much the world has changed in 15 years..so much technology. I can`t remember my kids growing up in the years or even how they looked, I can`t remember any part of my life. It`s like I was frozen in time and now someone has put me on this planet and I am suppose to know how to survive?...I don't. With the help of a counselor I have I am now on disability, I have a beautiful 1 bedroom apartment, I have a car , I have a cat but most of all I have a life with my children, who are now grown. I know I have a long ways to go, I did not get to where i was over night and I will not be fully recovered over night.
Remember, this is JUST a short version of my story. Benzo's (xanax) is very dangerous, PLEASE DO NOT LET THESE DRUGS TAKE YOUR LIFE AWAY.
Well see I get 60 of the 2mg bars a month from my psych, then ill get 60 1mg from my doctor. so if i sell some of the 2mg bars i still have some left over, and then i have the 1mg pills. im also addicted to percocet, mainly the 15mg ones. Also the high doeses of norco, the yellow ones that look like vicodin.
I would like to stop and just take them as I NEED them, not because im bored and it helps me get through work and what not. I just like the high it gives me, makes me in a better mood, im really going to try to taper off. I'm going to give myself a week because I know I can't just stop before my vacation next week to California for a week. I know i wont be able to go through the w/ds while im on vacation, i hope you can udnerstand that :(
thank you all for your advice.
I would like to stop and just take them as I NEED them, not because im bored and it helps me get through work and what not. I just like the high it gives me, makes me in a better mood, im really going to try to taper off. I'm going to give myself a week because I know I can't just stop before my vacation next week to California for a week. I know i wont be able to go through the w/ds while im on vacation, i hope you can udnerstand that :(
thank you all for your advice.
u r playing dangerous games..legally u can get caught doing this..and that would be the pitts especially if u r in the health care field..main thing is what u r doing to urself tho
I looked at ur xanax dose..u r not being rx-ed enuf to take 15 pills a day? do r u runningout early and doing CT off benzos? or r u buying them after u run out? benzos r dangerous to stop ct..a slow taper is needed with a dr's supervision..i think i would appeal to the dr I trusted the most to help me/then the other has to GO! stopping supply is crucial//there is an example of benzo tapers in the health pages/xanac is the strongest benox..most use a taper going down to valium then chlorazepate or librium at the ned..it is a slow taper..and aftercare is needed
Is it narcotics of benzos the is ur problem? if both..people usually detox off the narcotics first due to anxiety and insomnia during narc wd
Whichever, whatever, whoever...sumpin has got to give and u need to make a plan
I looked at ur xanax dose..u r not being rx-ed enuf to take 15 pills a day? do r u runningout early and doing CT off benzos? or r u buying them after u run out? benzos r dangerous to stop ct..a slow taper is needed with a dr's supervision..i think i would appeal to the dr I trusted the most to help me/then the other has to GO! stopping supply is crucial//there is an example of benzo tapers in the health pages/xanac is the strongest benox..most use a taper going down to valium then chlorazepate or librium at the ned..it is a slow taper..and aftercare is needed
Is it narcotics of benzos the is ur problem? if both..people usually detox off the narcotics first due to anxiety and insomnia during narc wd
Whichever, whatever, whoever...sumpin has got to give and u need to make a plan
COMMUNITY LEADER
Benzo's are very dangerous to go cold turkey off of and need to be tapered very slowly. What are you willing to do to get yourself off of these? Do you have someone who can hold them for you? This is your life we are talking about here......You need to come clean with all your doctors and tell them what is going on. They can help you with tapering too. You are going to have to cut all ties with your dealers also. Getting clean takes alot of strength and determination and requires us to change the way we live and who we associate with. You have to really want this. Stick around here and keep posting. sara
Thanks for your comment, I crashed today and ended up calling my dealer and bought 4 of them and took 2, have the other two for tomorrow. I know I'll end up going to my psych to see if I can get my script early. I didnt know you could experience seizures from stopping cold turkey. Congrats on being that many days clean! thank you
Amy
Amy
I never took this many but did take xannax always 1 aday sometimes more and because I am on methadone had to get off them! ASAP well it took me 6 months just to get off them and it was pure. What ever you do do not stop cold turkey u can have sezuries and even death not trying to scare you just being honest w/u. Taper slowly off them. I went from 2 day then to 1 1/2 and so on all way down to nibble not half but nibble off of a 0,25 the white ones. Took me few weeks start sleeping again. I have been off them over 120 days now and you couldn't pay me to take another one ever. Need help or have questions feel free message me private or on post
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