friend addicted to xanex

[helpme60]

I have a friend who takes xanex to help with her bi-polar disorder.  The xanex is prescribed by her doctor so that's legit.  She's had a rough half of a month and took her months worth of xanex in 18 days and wanted me to call my doctor and as for a prescription of xanex for myself and give it to her so she wouldn't have to go through any withdrawl symptoms.  I actually did this a few years ago and it didn't help her.  She just took those and wanted me to do the same thing again a couple of months later so this time I told her that I would not call my doctor.  That I hadn't done her any favors before when I did that and that if there was any other way I could help that I was more than willing to do so.  She was very disappointed and said that she thought I was the one person that would understand and was very shaken when she hung up the phone.  She tends to have a very bad temper and I don't want to be the brunt of her anger so I don't know how to help her.  Any suggestions?

[xanweaner]

Hi,
To summarize my withdrawal experience - it has been very challenging and at times, very difficult. The best part is that the shaking that I had suffered which was one of the reasons it was prescribed for me (as well as positive experiences I had in the past) has not returned during this tapering down period.

My withdrawal began on Oct.07. I have been taking Xanax since April 07. However, my dosage was a bit more complex than yours as I was taking the long-acting Xanax as well as the short-acting...so it's been a 2-part withdrawal so far.

I liked the post by Ryan with his proposed schedule, but I would like to add that it is very important that you customize your time-line and don't rush it. Better to be successful than to rush it. Most experts agree that your tapering should be customized as to how you are feeling.

Right now, I am going on my 4th week of cutting down on my late morning dosage. I currently take Xanax .25 in the am and have cut down to 1/2 (or .125 mg) every 4 hours after early am dosage. My last dosage is in the evening, around 7-8p.m. I use Ambien 10 mg. for sleep.

I suggest that you read everything that you can find on Lorazepam withdrawal - both from a patients' as well as medical experts' perspectives. This has proven to really help me as it confirms many of the feelings and symptoms that I have experienced. Also, be sure that you have informed your physician of this decision. It was my decision to stop taking xanax. I hate that you have to watch a clock for your next dosage as well as the fact that it is an extremely addictive drug. But, it was my drug of choice when we began taking it.

What keeps me going is my commitment to want to stop taking it. No matter how badly I feel, I just sit it out until it's time for my next dose. There were some days that I didn't want to leave the house and face people, as I was extremely tearful as well as had a feeling of uneasiness and things didn't feel "real" - I think it's called derealization?

Good luck! Just be ready to take your first step and know that you can do it, one hour at a time.

[islandgirl1947]

Hi,
I would like to know if you've had a bad or good withdrawal experience coming off the Xanax. I'm thinking about  coming off 0.5mg of Lorazepam but I am worried about the tapering period and side effects.
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
islandgirl1947

[xanweaner]

I would recommend to your friend that she read everything on xanax withdrawal and weaning. She needs to withdraw properly, with the guidance of her physician. Also, I hope that she is under the care of a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist to ensure that she has been properly diagnosed. I am surprised to read that she is only on xanax for her "bipolar" disorder. Where is her mood stabilizer?
Xanax is a great drug but unfortunately, very difficult to get off of without great psychological and sometimes physical discomfort. I know personally, because I am in the process of weaning down. I am now in my 4th month, and doing it slowly so I have no relapse. Good luck and provide her support and understanding, but no more pills!

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

Addiction to Xanax is an extremely difficult addiction, and your friend is acting like an addict.  She needs to get off of it and she will need professional help to do that.  You did the right thing by not enabling her addiction, now you need to suggest treatment.