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
Hey Dee, Well yes I think you're now on the right path. The one thing I'll add here is that you can't get discouraged. Everything you feel is normal and there is really no way around this without at least little discomfort. Patience and determination is the key. Stay with the plan. If you run into problems and I sure hope you don't, put the pills into someone else hands. It's easier that way. You know before you even started to ramp up your dosage for pain you were already addicted to Xanax? So it's going to take time. You're very smart and I know you have done your homework. Best of Luck and keep posting on this board. I say thank you to you for all the work you have done in different communities on Med-Help. Best Wishes Always......ike
Thank you so much, the three of you have given me invaluable support. I did not even know what was wrong at first. Then when I started to have intrusive memories I looked it up and saw what was happening.
My doctor was shocked as I was on such a small dose. I guess it can happen to anyone. I am already feeling better.
Still recovering from my back surgery, I have only used Advil sinde the 4th week, thought I was doing great till I cut back on the Xanax.
Ugh, thank you so much for supporting me, it means so much
Dee
My doctor was shocked as I was on such a small dose. I guess it can happen to anyone. I am already feeling better.
Still recovering from my back surgery, I have only used Advil sinde the 4th week, thought I was doing great till I cut back on the Xanax.
Ugh, thank you so much for supporting me, it means so much
Dee
Your so right Dee! And Thank You for your Support!
1 out of my 3 meds was a benzo and I did c/t not knowing anything about it at all. The Methadone was bad enough, but the other 2 meds played so much on my system as well. It was like I came off upper, downers and all a-rounders. Ha! My detox went on forever it seemed and then the Mental took a long time too.
Heading out to Church and think Goodness my Hub turned the Clocks back!
I just wanted to Add, that we get so many people in this community that have Anxiety issues or Depression issues. I like to go over to those sites and see what others have to say. I do pick up a lot from all of these sites that are busy. Read & learn, all I can is my thing now. I guess in the older days I was to busy looking for that Party. Ha! Well in my younger, younger yrs. lol
You just follow the Drs advice and you will make it through and should not experience a w/d either. I have friends who take these things as needed and I warn them about running out. A few had and called me, as I told them they are going into a w/ds for sure. Yikes!!
Have a Great Day!
Bless
1 out of my 3 meds was a benzo and I did c/t not knowing anything about it at all. The Methadone was bad enough, but the other 2 meds played so much on my system as well. It was like I came off upper, downers and all a-rounders. Ha! My detox went on forever it seemed and then the Mental took a long time too.
Heading out to Church and think Goodness my Hub turned the Clocks back!
I just wanted to Add, that we get so many people in this community that have Anxiety issues or Depression issues. I like to go over to those sites and see what others have to say. I do pick up a lot from all of these sites that are busy. Read & learn, all I can is my thing now. I guess in the older days I was to busy looking for that Party. Ha! Well in my younger, younger yrs. lol
You just follow the Drs advice and you will make it through and should not experience a w/d either. I have friends who take these things as needed and I warn them about running out. A few had and called me, as I told them they are going into a w/ds for sure. Yikes!!
Have a Great Day!
Bless
Dear Vickie. You are so right, I have been around a long time, trying to help others the last 3 year, getting help the first 5
I never thought I would be in this situation, ever. I have been on xanax for many many years. I guess I thought once my back surgery was better I could just go back to the .50 at night. Now I know different and I have read some horror stories. I saw where once person was on 10 mg a day and his doctor died. I don't want to be that person. While I do have a panic disorder I have had it under control for 20 years. I usually just carry it in my purse. My big problem before back surgery pain was awful and I got the stupid idea of using xanax as a muscle relaxer, never again.
I am going to do exactly why my doctor said
I have a feeling when this first came out no one knew how dangerous it could be. Now there are thousands of heart breaking stories. I will get through this. I will write down every time I take one so that I can keep track and will wean down just like my doctor said.
Thank you for responding.
I was really embarrassed to ask but then thought this is what this is for people helping each other
Thank you again, Dee
I never thought I would be in this situation, ever. I have been on xanax for many many years. I guess I thought once my back surgery was better I could just go back to the .50 at night. Now I know different and I have read some horror stories. I saw where once person was on 10 mg a day and his doctor died. I don't want to be that person. While I do have a panic disorder I have had it under control for 20 years. I usually just carry it in my purse. My big problem before back surgery pain was awful and I got the stupid idea of using xanax as a muscle relaxer, never again.
I am going to do exactly why my doctor said
I have a feeling when this first came out no one knew how dangerous it could be. Now there are thousands of heart breaking stories. I will get through this. I will write down every time I take one so that I can keep track and will wean down just like my doctor said.
Thank you for responding.
I was really embarrassed to ask but then thought this is what this is for people helping each other
Thank you again, Dee
Dear Gnarly, thank you so much for your response. I just did not realize. I started Xanax a very long time ago. 3 years ago I was on .50 3 times a day. I weaned myself down to .50 at night.
Now it appears I have gotten in trouble by upping the dose while in pain then cutting my dose back to its normal dose once I felt better from the back surgery. I knew nothing about protracted
withdrawals. It took about 4 weeks for the crying to start.
Thank you so very much.
I am working with my doctor, I was just hoping there might be others I could ask for support. Thank you, Dee
Now it appears I have gotten in trouble by upping the dose while in pain then cutting my dose back to its normal dose once I felt better from the back surgery. I knew nothing about protracted
withdrawals. It took about 4 weeks for the crying to start.
Thank you so very much.
I am working with my doctor, I was just hoping there might be others I could ask for support. Thank you, Dee
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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~