violet82

Hi, I'm new here, and I need some help, please.

I started using xanax two months ago. I got it at first from a co-worker who said "Here, take this, it will help you sleep." (I'd been going through a lot, and having bad anxiety and insomnia). Well, needless to say, I slept like a baby that first night. So I asked for more. I've been using about .5 mg every night and sometimes .25mg during the day.

Over the past two months, my anxiety has worsened, I've not been able to eat, have had nausea, vomiting, and extreme insomnia (not sleeping for 3 days sometimes, my dose is not helping me sleep anymore). I didn't know about the extreme addictive qualities of the drug and I am REGRETTING my decision to ever ever take it. Worst move of my life. I realize after finally doing research on the drug that what I've been going through during the day are withdrawal symptoms. It's just getting worse and worse.

I've set up an appointment to talk with drug counselor at my local hospital, and, hopefully they will be able to set up some sort of tapering program for me. I know that I haven't been on these that long, and that my dose is fairly minimal, but even that has had such a drastic effect on me!! I've lost 6lbs over the past two months. I only weighed 98 lbs to begin with...I'm 5'4, always been very skinny. I can't eat anything, when I do try, I gag and almost throw up. I'm scared. I'm scared of these drugs, I'm scared of myself.

Has anyone out there had a similar experience with these drugs? Has anyone taken them for only about two months and experienced such severe symptoms? Can you tell me what I should expect from coming off them, and how long it might take to recover from two months of use? Is a hospital the place to go for help? I don't have a regular doc. I'm just so overwhelmed....please tell me I'll be able to stop this.

Shining~Again

I was on that med for a month due to situational anxiety (death in family) and didn't
have any problem after the month was over. Was taking twice the amount of you and didn't experience anything you're talking about.

It sounds like you had something major happen that's causing you problems, that may not be 100% related to the xanax.

I would definitely suggest the hospital if you need, and your appt with the drug counselor is a great start. Hopefully they can refer you to a doctor within the hospital
or a nearby clinic. You need a thorough checkup due to the weightloss and gagging.

If you go over to the Newcomers Forum you'll be able
to get a lot quicker responses.

violet82

Thank you. Yes, I have had major stress in my life lately: loss of a friend, break up of a boyfriend, having to move back home and trying to go back to school all at once. However, it seems like these things should be getting better. Not worse. It's only getting worse. If its not the xanax then I don't know...I really feel like its playing a big part in it. If I don't take a pill, my anxiety heightens 10X. I just want to be done with it, but I'm afraid of withdrawal.

Shining~Again

That is a lot of changes to go through, whether they were positive or negative.
If you've not had a good source to talk about feelings, you may need to unload
to a safe person. The appt with the drug counselor is soon I hope?

A good checkup with a doctor too. Some supportive people around you also can do wonders.
I know there's a expectation of "I should be doing better by now" but sometimes, for
whatever reason, we can get stuck. If this is withdrawal from xanax, then you're having
a much harder time than you normally would and need some help to get back on track.
Since you said things are getting worse instead of better, get thee to that counselor ASAP.
((((hugs)))))
---and again, I'd suggest the Newcomers Forum to you as this one seems very quiet
for new posters lately. I'm not a person that posts often but I'm like "where the heck is everyone?!" ;-)

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This is just my opinion. After using xanax for 4 years 1mg 3 times a day. I thought it was time to quit. I went into a detox for 3 days and went home. Boy was I in for a big surprise. I had really bad withdrawals and it lasted for about 30 days. It was worse than any dope I ever came off of, because of how long it lasted. Just go through what you have to go through to get to the other side of this nasty drug. I don't think you will have to go through what I did because of the short time you have been on it. Detoxing off of Xanax can also be dangerous. A person can have medical problems and people have died from this detox. You might want to seek medical advice. Hang in there you can do this if you try hard enough.

NoWhereGirl

I didn't know until recently that the benzos could be as bad this way as any other addictive substance. I'm trying to get off opiates and never would have suspected the little 1mg Xanax I take to sleep could have a similar effect, until the day I couldn't figure out why I was still feeling horrible. My husband asked me if I'd taken my Xanax recently and I hadn't, and bingo, there was the culprit.

I'm worried about this now myself. I know my WD from opiates is going to get a lot worse than it is today so if I start taking these more/in higher doses to sleep and/or cope with the rest of it, then I'm just trading one for the other in the long run. I'm thinking no benzos right now either - kicking one is hard enough, much less having to deal with this later on.
Good idea to talk to a counselor about this, I'm sure they'll be able to help.

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For me it took a lot longer to come off benzos than any opiate I ever did. Coming off opiates it might be a bad time to quit the benzos. Hope this helps. logo

totallyhooked

Benzodiazapine withdrawal is 10x worse than pain pills. It took me 4 months to taper off sleeping pills, and it was pure hell. I quit high dose oxycodone with almost no side effects. BEWARE the Xanax. Go to benzobuddies.org and read.

dreamscape

I sincerely doubt that all your anxiety is related to xanax, but go to your doctor and tell all.

Don't flirt with benzos.

You've only been taking them for 2 months, be thankful for that.......the less time you're on them the easier it is to taper off.

Again, go to your doctor, please!

Captain1

That's strange I have had benzos since a little kid. I can go from 1mg three times a day to months without it. Never bothered my but I also take an antidepressant for the anxiety. Normally if I took a days worth of Xanax the next day I would not have any anxiety and would not take it.

It has helped me through my detox and withdrawals anxiety. But as others have said abuse is not good a detox of any drug sucks including antidepressants if you have ever tried.

Always talk to a Dr. Some people don't fair well when they cold turkey benzos.

IvanKatz

Have you seen a Psychologist? If not, I'd say tht would be your next step.
after going through the "meds" for 4-5 years (legally prescibed) and then having a problem with them. I finally broke down and saw a shrink. Sure enough, I scored very high on the adult AHDA scale. While I have not started any meds for that, I have had some sucess with my high anxiety! How??? Just being about to "unload" 40 years of baggage that has been weighing me down lately. I've only been 5 times but I must say that it has helped quite a bit!

justaflu

I started taking Xanax and other benzos for acute anxiety in 2001. This November 31st, 2011, I did the VERY dangerous and completely wrong way to do it by going cold turkey from 6-8mg a day to nothing. Nada. And it suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucked. I feel for you. All I can tell you is that one day you will wake up and not feel like a ******* looking through a fishbowl at a world that isn't really there.

It will happen! Just push through every second by staying busy. And don't do it without telling EVERYONE, or you will just take it again.

Although, unlike me, please tell a doctor.

handsome11208

Benzos are no joke

Katiekate

I have come off of benzos, 2 and a half years free.

From what you have written, it sounds to me that you are experiencing tolerance withdrawal. Benzos are very powerful, and as stated above no joke.

I have , over the last couple of years talked to many people who have experienced and are healing from benzo withdrawal.

It's important that you taper these meds very slowly. I hope the doctor you are seeing is educated about benzos. 2 months is a short time to be on, but that does not mean you will not have a hard time getting off. I hate to say that, but it's the truth.

Your body is already craving more drug, that is why you are having trouble eating, I was emaciated by the time all was said and done. It's important that you stay well hydrated and get some food in you, you body is working overtime. I'm so sorry you find yourself in this situation, there a many of us out there. It's hard to do, but coming off them is possible.

Sending you a big hug Kate

Justfor1

Xanex is one of the harder benzos to come off of because it's very short acting. Def. go see a Dr. who will taper you off probably with a longer acting benzo.

mm15

It only takes a few weeks for a persons body/brain to become dependent on benzos. I know someone who only took them for 3 weeks and it took her 7 months to taper. And I have been taking them for 15 years now - currently tapering using Valium because of the longer half life. Xanax is probably the hardest benzo to quit. It sounds like you are dealing with tolerance withdrawal and need to slowly come off of them. Quitting them c/t is dangerous. I did that with Xanax and ended up in the ER after hallucinating all night. If you look up the Ashton Manual you can find a proper taper schedule- that should make this a little easier on you. I will be honest though, it's a hard drug to come off. But you can do it. Stay strong and trust that you'll be ok.

superreal

I I was put on 3 differnent ssris and kolopin and zanax in a matter of 3 months for anxiety.. i feel like since i have been off i am having intrusive thoughts and horrible panick attacks.. is this normal?? Im seeing therapist and prayers are appreciated.. any advice. Been off everything for a month and a half and teying to detox. I get more nervous when i am at home with my family because i have more intrusive thoughts about them. My doctor had mw start taking them because he didnt think anything was wrong with me..thought i was crazy when i kept telling him my headaches were bad.. via a nuerologist it was dx as occipital nueralgia. Never having severe anxiety or inteusive thouvhts since those meds, im scar3d i screwed my brain up. I dont care how long you take them it has screwed me up

kzaug2014

Hi Super,
You need to post a new thread ( on the upper left side of the page. )

Benzos are one of the tuffest withdrawals to suffer through. It takes a lot of time & determination ( but it's so worth it in the long run. )

In 2002, I was put on xanax for a mo., w/3 more mo's of weaning, when my hubby was in a coma on life support for 31 days.

Even, after weaning down, I went through 2wks of horrible withdrawals.

And, last yr., I quit a 10yr. Klonopin habit, in which I went through 5 mos of withdrawals.After the research I did, I found out that it can take over a yr. for one's brain to heal.

Take heart though, what you are experiencing is normal!

Shining~Again

*snorts coffee up nose*
good lord.

For anyone reading this thread I wanna say this:

I must of been on serious drugs when I wrote that post in 2012.
What a load of ****. I definitely have changed my opinion on withdrawing from benzos since then.

I can only imagine I wasn't very "out" back then OR I was padding/hiding the truth - my only excuse for that ******** post back then is I must of been referring to taking massive amounts of benzos during the "situational anxiety" and then had no problem going back to my normal dose.

jesus....

back to my coffee

ps- superreal - yes, those feelings are normal to have for quite some time after stopping benzos. Continue to talk to the therapist about this and please post again.
and kzaug- you're doing terrifically by sticking with it and sharing while not feeling all that well. Thanks for sharing your wisdom...everything you wrote to superreal was spot on.

OpioPhobe

Super - For what it is worth, I went on a bender over the summer that involved a lot of booze and benzos mixed together. At my worst I think I was pushing 3mg/day of Xanax. I know that is peanuts compared to the long-term users, but for me that was a ton. Going into a had no tolerance. The bender lasted about 6 weeks, and involved amphetamines / Wellbutrin too. I caught a withdrawal from one of those substances, but it really wasn't that bad. The horror stories I generally hear about benzos are long-term users that stop abruptly. You should definitely talk to your doctor, and you might be extra sensitive to benzos or something like that. However, given that the withdrawal is largely centered around anxiety a lot of it can be self-perpetuating. The withdrawal I had was very mild, but I only took the stuff for 6 weeks. I am sharing my experience to try to set your mind at ease somewhat. If you go around reading up on horror stories coming off of that stuff you are going to find a list of symptoms that covers just about every ailment you can imagine.