Aa
Xanax
Hi I am not sure that I am posting in the right place but thought I would try here first. I ruptured a disc in my back in early July. I was in so much pain that I started to use my normal .50 mg a day of Xanax 4 times a day.
As the pain got worse, I tried chiropractor,I started going to doctors to get an MRI. It took me several visits to find a doctor who would send me for an MRI. He said I ruptured a disc, needed surgery.
So for several months I was taking more than my normal dose of Xanax., it acted as a muscle relaxer. Once I started to recover I went back to my .50 mg a day. Within weeks I was crying all the time. I don't know if it was all the cortisone they gave me, which makes me emotional or the trauma of the surgery and then 3 weeks later my husbands surgery or what. I went to my anxiety doctor. He seems to think it was me reducing my dose of Xanax. He said my body/brain is now dependent and I am going to have to wean down. I thought I had done that by returning to old dose, he said that is not how to do it as it causes protracted withdrawal symptoms. I suffer from panic attacks is why I started the Xanax in the first place to use as needed for panic.
Has anyone else had to do this or had an experience with Xanax? I am shocked this has happened to me. I would have thought it could happen with pain pills but was very naive about the Xanax.
I appreciate any thoughts on this problem and what, if anything you did. Everything is making me cry. My husband thinks I have PTSD from the trauma over the summer and then his 5 day stay in hospital, I stayed with him, never left him. Forgot to take lots of my own medicine during this time. It was all about him.
Sorry for long explanation. Dee
As the pain got worse, I tried chiropractor,I started going to doctors to get an MRI. It took me several visits to find a doctor who would send me for an MRI. He said I ruptured a disc, needed surgery.
So for several months I was taking more than my normal dose of Xanax., it acted as a muscle relaxer. Once I started to recover I went back to my .50 mg a day. Within weeks I was crying all the time. I don't know if it was all the cortisone they gave me, which makes me emotional or the trauma of the surgery and then 3 weeks later my husbands surgery or what. I went to my anxiety doctor. He seems to think it was me reducing my dose of Xanax. He said my body/brain is now dependent and I am going to have to wean down. I thought I had done that by returning to old dose, he said that is not how to do it as it causes protracted withdrawal symptoms. I suffer from panic attacks is why I started the Xanax in the first place to use as needed for panic.
Has anyone else had to do this or had an experience with Xanax? I am shocked this has happened to me. I would have thought it could happen with pain pills but was very naive about the Xanax.
I appreciate any thoughts on this problem and what, if anything you did. Everything is making me cry. My husband thinks I have PTSD from the trauma over the summer and then his 5 day stay in hospital, I stayed with him, never left him. Forgot to take lots of my own medicine during this time. It was all about him.
Sorry for long explanation. Dee
Best Answer
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi there. Well Xanax does have a place in our world for severe anxiety attacks and such. I'm not a doctor so I want to be careful here. I did abuse Xanax for years and I can tell you it is not a pill in my opinion for long term use or as a corrective medication. There are other Benzo meds that act long term. The red flag I see is that a doctor has told your mother that Xanax is not addictive. That's just not right. Seek better medical advice and proceed with caution. Maybe start a new thread on your topic and keep posting best of luck.......ike
Thank you for posting this Dee! My mom has recently been given Xanax by her psychiatrist who keeps telling her it's not addictive at all. I had her read your post and mom finally gets it. She's going to ask her doctor for something else for long term.
Thank you and everyone here for taking the time to answer my questions. I am feeling a bit better, not crying all the time like I was. I am emotional still but at least I have a plan and that is what I am concentrating on.
I do have a good doctor and he is monitoring. He wrote down exactly what he wants me to do and how to do it
Thank you
D
I do have a good doctor and he is monitoring. He wrote down exactly what he wants me to do and how to do it
Thank you
D
Hey, so it sounds like you may be feeling a little better. This would be great. Sometimes coming off a benzo and Xanax is never easy. Keep posting and let us know how it's going. Great Luck to you Dee!......ike
Hi I wanted to come back and thank everyone for their responses to my question. I think "think" I will be ok.
Hi I really did not think of that so thank you. When the pain started in June the only thing my GP would give me were flexeril which makes me feel awful I started taking extra xanax as a muscle relaxer., Then I had the back surgery so did not need the extra xanax. I did not notice the problems till I stopped the pain meds. I do feel stupid, I never thought I would get in to a situation like this. And the crying over every little thing and all these memories coming up. I guess I am lucky I am not sick.
I'm trying not to look up the symptoms anymore just deal with this.
From now on anything I take I am looking it up. I just thought it was the narcotics I needed to be worried about. I feel very naive and yes stupid
Doing research I also found out that Tramadol can be a problem. The first surgeon gave me that, I never took it. Thank God for that.
I appreciate each and everyone of you for helping me. I am hard headed and just could not believe this had happened. I thought PTSD from my surgery and my husbands or the cortisone. Just did not realize, I know I am repeating myself. Thank you all again.
I'm trying not to look up the symptoms anymore just deal with this.
From now on anything I take I am looking it up. I just thought it was the narcotics I needed to be worried about. I feel very naive and yes stupid
Doing research I also found out that Tramadol can be a problem. The first surgeon gave me that, I never took it. Thank God for that.
I appreciate each and everyone of you for helping me. I am hard headed and just could not believe this had happened. I thought PTSD from my surgery and my husbands or the cortisone. Just did not realize, I know I am repeating myself. Thank you all again.
You are reading content posted in the Addiction: Substance Abuse Community
Is treating glaucoma with marijuana all hype, or can hemp actually help?
If you think marijuana has no ill effects on your health, this article from Missouri Medicine may make you think again.
Julia Aharonov, DO, reveals the quickest way to beat drug withdrawal.
Tricks to help you quit for good.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
You shouldn't feel embarrassed to ask us anything. We cover everything from A-Z!! There has been alot of progress with the meds that are out there. Knowledge is power and we always tell people you need to be your own advocate. Ask your doctor/pharmacist about everything they are giving you. Back in the day Xanax was just Xanax. Now we know differently. I am so glad your doctor is on board with you with this. Follow the taper plan he has you on. Crying is okay so let yourself just cry. It is actually healing. They tested happy tears and sad tears and found we release toxin type tears when we are sad so that is why we feel better once we do cry. Most of us have also found that once we are off some of these meds our pain gets better. We DO experience rebound pain for awhile as that is our brain playing tricks on us as the meds are reduced. I am not sure i answered one of your questions but wanted to add my support~