help with side effects weaning off xanax, please

[Clarissairene]

Hello,

I have taken xanax .5 1 time a day for the past 2 years due to anxiety and panic attacks. At one point I was taking Lexapro for 1 year and did great weaning off of that. I was a little dizzy and thats all I expeirenced.

Now I have been trying to wean off xanax for a few months and just when I seem to be down to nothing.... I need to take 1 or 2 for a panic attack and go right back to my once a day daily routine in fear of a seizure or something! One phyc told me that my dosage at .5 a day  is so low that I can stop cold turkey. I dont agree with that, especially since I have taken this for 2  years. It was to the point that I was taking .5 a day just so that I would prevent any panic attacks or "jittery anxiety" and then if I did have a breakthrough panic attack i would take .25 more and would help.

Okay- so now I am down to .25!!! Yeah!!! For about 2 weeks and was ready to cut down to .12 until I felt dizzy, scared, faint all of the stuff we all feel so I took .75 and was fine. I feel that way every night now that I am taking .25.... is that normal? I thought since my body still had xanax in it I would be fine until it was all out of my system completely for days? So I  have been fighting the symptoms for 1 week and have not given in ... just taking the .25.

Okay- so finally to my question... what are the side effects you all feel when withdrawing. I have a super tight jaw... Like if I was chewing gum all day. I have major headaches and am on edge and really short with people. When I come home from work, I dont even want to talk to my hubby and keep it short with my son. I have tried excersiing to help and it does a little bit but the jaw tight ness and headaches kind of worry me. Is that normal for a withdrawal. Next week I go to .12 and then hopefully I will only take as needed instead of daily. Thats how I should be taking it to begin with.

Any advice or information on your experiences would be greatly appreciated!!!!

ps- wondering why I am stopping.... want to have another baby. My obgyn is okay with me taking xanax on an as needed basis only.

[Clarissairene]

Thanks for commenting.

I was kind of relieved to hear I am not the only one who feels jaw pain or headaches when withrdawing. I guess I wanted to know what other felt with withdrawal symtpoms and I was hoping mine aches and pains were related to withdrawing from xanax and not something else.

I am defiently getting off xanax before getting pregnant. We have wanted another baby for about a year now... I have been preparing in every way. I lost weight, I am eating really healthy, excerising, now if i could only be xanax free. Thats all were waiting for :(

Last night was awful. I was even foaming a little in my mouth. It was weird. I was so tense and jitteriy and again, didnt talk to my husband too much and just very withdrawn from everything. It just feels so tiresome to talk so I dont. But around 9pm I excersized and felt really great after that. the jaw pain went away as well as the headache... well I also took my .25 xanax at 6pm to so I am sure that helped.

[Summer123]

My dr. told me that if you are on 2 mg or less that you won't have a seizure while stopping.  That being said, that does not mean you will not have other side effects of withdrawal.  If you are taking .25 mg, I would stay on the dose for 1 to 2 weeks and then cut the dose in half for another week or two before going off of it.  I have experienced headaches and jaw pain while withdrawing from xanex.  Don't know if it's O.K. to take xanex if you are pregnant.  If I were you, I would get off the xanex before getting pregnant.