macc

My Doc put me on Xanax 9 months ago for anxiety. I took 1mg XR daily and really didn't taper off. I stopped 10 days ago with the help of a few .25's and I'm feeling light headed all day, everyday. He started me on Paxil 5 days ago, but I'm really feeling weird. I have energy and am not having any other real symptoms besides constipation. But I'm walking around in a daze!

MootPoint

I've been staring at your post for the longest, because all I can really say is "talk to your doctor". That and...... if you have any nasty withdrawals, like convulsions, call an ambulance!!

You've made 2 med changes..... going off the xanax and starting the paxil. Who knows which is causing what? I can tell you that paxil MIGHT make you drowsy for a week or two.

I have to be very careful offering opinions because I am not a MD, pharmacist, or nurse, so..... I am not qualified to help and opinions can be dangerous. I just really want you to know that yor post has been read and thought about.

macc

Thanks Moot for the response.

He originally wanted me to go on Seroquel!! I'm thinking he thinks I need something pretty strong to control anxiety and OCD.

bushleaguer

Like MootPoint, I am not a doctor either.
But from everything I've read about benzos like Xanax, a person has to steadily wean themselves off to minimize side effects. It sounds that not weaning off of them properly caused your current ill-effects.
I recently told my doctor that I wanted to go from 1.5mg/day of klonopin to 1mg/day, and he instructed me to reduce my intake by .25 for a few weeks and then drop to the 1mg. He told me that making "substantial drops" isn't the way to go about it.....I didn't think .5 was that big a deal.

Anyway, I'd do what Moot suggested, and that is discuss all your symptoms and concerns with your doctor. He or she can modify your prescriptions and get you on the right track.

Best of luck!

macc

Well guys after 9 days of being off the Xanax XR 1mg, I caved in yesterday due to feeling so bad. Three hours after getting back on I was back to normal.

Really hard to believe I felt so bad.

MootPoint

Sounds like you were having withdrawal symptoms!
Not at all. Benzo's are hard to get off!

I've asked my doc to take me off of my maintenance dose of Klonopin (i don't abuse it anymore tho). He told me to drop it by .25. I am on 2 for sleep, so this is not a major drop. I'm experiencing some tremors in my hands and increased anxiety, but that's it.

WATCHMAN

Yes I have been using the X for a sleeping aid for the last 2 yrs. I have been told that it can effect your memory. Also your temperment. I am thinking of 25ing it eventually to just get rid of the habit. There have been times that even taking it I still didn't sleep. It does make you sleep effectively though most of the time minus the java helps to.

Siggy35

I was on Paxil prior to being on Xanax. I can assure you that Paxil is just as addictive as Xanax. The withdraw is different but still severe. If you are already taking Paxil and decide to quit, be sure and taper off of the drug. Try not to get into what I call "drug hopping" - switching from one drug to another. The reason I was on prescriptions for anxiety was because I was married to an alcoholic. I left him and have been drug free since last August (2004). Try and figure out what is causing you to feel like you need to take a prescription and find a way to handle it without drugs. Good luck to you and take care.

Siggy35

Hi Macc. Of course you felt horrible. Sounds like you were going through withdrawl. Since Xanax is what your body was craving, that is why you felt better when you took more - not normal per se. The withdrawl lasted for 3 days with me to a debilitating point. Then, symptoms faded gradually. In all, symptoms to some degree, lasted for a couple of months. Good luck to you. Siggy35

na4today

Xanax is so bad! The withdrawal I had lasted about 3 months, some days were bad and I didn't get out of bed but other days weren't as bad. I think you should see a doctor and do what it takes to get off the Xanax all together. With the experience I had with it, it was sucking the life out of me.
Good luck

findinganewme

OK, I may get beaten up for this but in my opinion is that Xanax is not a bad drug ..... if taken as directed. I did abuse it a time or two and took too much, and, of course, drank also ...... what a disaster in the making!

Everytime the doctors did want me to stop the drug, they did mention that it was VERY important to taper off slowly. I, thinking I'm this SUPERWOMAN tried cold turnkey once and thought I was going to lose my mind!

On that note, though, I like to say that there's a big difference between Paxil and Xanax. Now, again, this is MY opinion, as I am NOT a doctor (yeah, that sounds real safe ...... a Dr. with addictions ...... OOOOH, scares me to death.
Paxil is an anti-depressant and Xanax is strictly (I believe) for ANXIETY disorders. Although I have argued and argued with physicians over the years that the only drug that works for me is Xanax because I suffer from ANXIETY not DEPRESSION (well, at least THEN ..... sobriety tends to inflict depression). My point is that no matter how hard I tried, doctors tend to believe that if you're anxious, well you're depressed too. NOT TRUE! At least not with me. I could function just fine with monitored use of Xanax, but throw in an anti-depressant also and I act like a LUNATIC!

So, that, I believe is the reason perhaps that Paxil is NOT doing the same as Xanax. Maybe he prescribed it to get you off the Xanax, but it doesn't make any sense to me since it does two different things.

I'd love the expert's opinion on this ..... the Docs on this site. I'd also like their explanation why Dr.'s are so insistent on putting someone on an anti-depression when "all" (that's funny) one suffers from is anxiety.

I can tell you that stopping COLD TURKEY is dangerous ...... the w/d then is so BIZARRE and you shake terribly (I couldn't even drive), can't think straight, get some phobias that never existed before (afraid to go out), and many more.

You should tell your doctor what you are experiencing. Also, the other thing I was told about anti-depressants is that they sometimes take weeks to actually work!

I hope I've helped somewhat. I'm still buzzled by doctors and their fright of prescribing xanax (when it can help tremendously) ..... and their lack of knowledg on how to take someone off the med without SHOCKING your body and going through w/d's such as yours.

I wish you well ...... let us know how you're doing!

HEALINGProcess

Hey all so I hope people still Log into this site and respond to post from people. But anyways to anyone who sees this. I guess I have to tell my story yall yall can understand and give me good advice....So I am going threw xanax withdrawals. I never took 1mg of the medication a day however, Im not sure how familiar yall are with how the xanax pill looks but the one I was taking was a long pill that had lines in it ( cant remember how many) and thats not because xans cause memory loss just never counted them lol. but Anywho I broke a piece of the pill off with my nail and only took that much of the pill a day. So for example if the pill was separated into 7 slits in the pill... one pill would last me 7 days. I only took over 1mg perhaps 4 times.. and of those for times I prolly took 3mg in one day. So yea... 1 crumb of the pill a day for about 4 months. Obviously this crumb of the pill as I call it did not get my high..that was not the intention the 4 times I abused it was but the crumbs were not. The only reason I continued to take them was because I was afraid of Withdrawls as I had a Panic attack after the 4 times I abused it. So I kept taking them very ignorant of how to actaully taper Off the drug.. and ignorant of the fact that this drug is meant for short term use and the longer you take it the worse, along with how much you take of it at one time. But anywho Ive learned now. Here I am 19 Days Post my last Crumb of the pill.. and im still dealing with some anxiety.. I came clean and told my doctors about this and I believe they were mad at me, as one responded "IM not prescribing you xanax, you wont get any xanax from me" as obviously that was not my intention in the first place I was just afraid and embarrassed. So after the doc told me that I felt even worse and felt like I should of just kept my mouth closed because I knew I probably was going to get that type of Judgmental response.. them thinking I was a drug seeker of some sort. I do not believe I actually have Anxiety Disorder...however I was under alot of stress which is what persuaded me to try to medication in the first place..Big mistake as I know now..But this post is my story..I would like answers and I hope to perhaps help someone else as I have been reading others stories and they have in some way some how soothe me a bit during my Xanax withdrawals.. Because of my small dosage I believe that I wasnt in any serious medical danger so I felt confident to go Cold Turkey (C/T) Days 1-4 were the Hardest sleep was pretty difficult but I did sleep most of the night.. after taking a Benadryl or 2.. Days 5-8 were still not easy .. as I had some lingering anxiety and shake.. basically the feeling of impending doom.. of something bad is going to happen.. im constantly checking my pulse .. and highly aware of my heart beat and I have twitches from time to time during this time.. and numbness for short periods in my knees and feet. I believe this to me all "normal" withdrawal anxiety systems... please tell me if Im wrong. but anyways Days 9-14 were alot better than days 1-8.. I could actually be at work and not feel heavyness in my chest itching me to call 911 ...the heavyness feeling it was hard to breathe.. my eyes felt like they were popping out..hard to drive ...felt like I was going to have a "panic attack" at any moment.. but before my detox I had alot of Panic attacks where I had to pull over and try my best not to call 911 ... telling myself its not real and its just a panic attack even though it literally felt like I was about to go in like 8 different ways... im assuming thats what panic attacks are like for most people..But anyways here I am day 19.. and I still deal with lingering anxiety from time to time where I have small twitches here and there.. Still no real appetite..Ive lost about 8 pounds in 3 weeks..OH YEAH and also my eyes turn slightly red.. Im guessing do to the negative thoughts that flow in my head... and me having to fight them telling myself its just the anxiety... Is this bad? is this normal? is it just my anxiety talking?... So finally my question is... How long does this usually last ?! Like I pray that I didnt do any real damage.. and that in 2 months ill be looking back on all of this and Just Thanking God for sparring my life and Sanity.. Oh yea and to help anyone else going threw this Ive been eating bananas, drinking green tea, exercising as much as I can, and staying away from any caffeine or fast food.. I don't do any other drugs and I don't smoke.. I'm just hoping that soon maybe even a week from now this will be all behind me.. im surprised its still lingers seeing that I know for a fact I wasn't taking 1mg of the pill ....Questions, Comments, Answers.. Much appreciated... thanks for listening.

Blacky

I don't know, I am down to .05 a night of klonopin from 3mg a day after a month and a half. I will stop completely in another 5 or so days. This is under the care of a doctor.

Maybe you might look into finding another doctor to consult if things continue.
I hope you start feeling more normal. I hope I do as well .. ha ha ..

and .. Welcome to SR ..