help getting off xanax
 

Hi, this is my first post here, I've actually had some time clean before, 5 years and 2 years. Best years of my life.

Anyway, my doc prescribed Xanax and I'm having a heck of a time getting off, I haven't told him I've been taking more than I should, and I got some off the street 2 times already. The most I was taking in a day is like 2-3 mg.

I ran out 5 days ago and have been having some pretty bad withdrawals. I feel like I could lose my mind and my heart is pounding out of my chest.

My question is after 5 days do I still have a risk of seizure? Is it true that withdrawal might last longer cause I stopped cold turkey? Every where I read it says do not stop cold turkey. I didn't really have much of a choice.

I really appreciate anybody's help, I'm dying over here, God Bless, Rita

Welcome aboard, Rita. We're glad you're here. Don't go dyin' on us! I don't know much about benzos, but I've put in a request for some help.

Hold On, OK?

:grouphug:

Hi Rita,

Welcome and I'm so glad you found us.

I really suggest that you talk to your dr and tell him what you're doing and ask for his advice.

There is lots of support here, so I hope you keep posting.

Hi Rita, and welcome. I went through benzo withdrawal about 3 years ago. I did it alone, but I wouldn't recommend anyone do that.
I suggest you see your doctor and be honest about your usage.
I understand that physical symptoms you are having - they are absolute hell.
My understanding is that this can be very dangerous.
Please get some help, and let us know how it goes. I hope you continue to post and work towards getting some clean time again.
My best to you.

Rowan

welcome Rita. i think your dr. would be the best one to answer that just to be safe. i do know that i went cold turkey off of several, several things and it was really rough for a month or so, but you can get through it. i use that memory of the severe suffering to help remind myself not to go back and use. my hopes and prayers are with you.

Thank you
 

I'm going to see my doctor Sunday, I didn't understand how bad benzos could be, ugh!!

I quit heroin 10 years ago, thank god it didn't get to that point. Even though this is really brutal. Of course I'm terrified because the monster is awake.

I was always a big meeting maker and still have some friends who I can reach out to.

My mind is really messed up, I've got a massive headache, horrendous anxiety. The sad part is that even taking the Xanax I really wasn't even feeling much better.

I'm craving them though, this is crazy.

Thank you for your replies, I REALLY appreciate it, I'll definately check back in, Rita

Good to hear you will see your doc, Rita. You hit the nail on the head when you made reference to the monster being awake. The main thing is that you are aware of this and want to stop the cycle before things get worse.
I look forward to reading more of your posts. There's always someone on line here if you need to talk.

Hi Rita,

Welcome to SR...

I was prescribed six ml. a day...Crazy Huh? I ended up always doing more...I finally had to go to Detox. I couldn't do this on my own. I have heard that withdrawals from Benzos' are more difficult that withdrawing from dope. My experience? On the forth day I wanted to die...It was the worse withdrawal ever...

Please keep in touch with your doctor. My understanding is it takes eight days for the drug to be out of your system. (Urine checks, bloodwork). From there you still have cravings but not as severe.

You can do this. Keep posting, we are here for you....

Rita,

What TIME are you seeing your doctor tomorrow? I want to be able to pray for you while you are there. Please come back and post right away after your appointment.

Solitaire

I tapered for nearly 9 months to ease of them.........medical attention is critical.

PM me if ya like.

Tom

i COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND - I am also having trouble w/xanax on top of trying to quit drinking, and I still have about a bottle and a half of xanax left right now, prescription from a pain doc I found out that would give you xanax besides the pain pills, but I don't takt the pain pills I just go to get the xanax, I have been taking either xanax or Klonopin Also known as clonezapan for about 5 years recently about 6 mgs a day and I have gone through withdrawals on my own from xanax and know how brutal they can be and the other day me and my husband got into a fight I yelled at him and he went running to his parents and tell them all the problems I am having and talking about divorce and which he has no room to talk cause he is bi-polar and is not taking meds and seems like he doesnt want to go to a psychiatrist bbut acts like he is going to, so we smoothed things over trying to get off alcohol first on my own, which I have done before for 35 days, but I don't think I can get off xanax on my own, I think I need detox, but my husband doesnt think so , he doesnt understand how bad withdrawals are w/xanax plus I have a 13 yr old which my husband would have to take care of plus the insurance company said it could cost me around 2,000 for me to go to an inpatient detox and I am scared to get off cause the reason I was prescribed them in the first place was for an anxiety disorder, so they would need to give me some other medication for anxiety and severe panic attacks when I detox from xanax. Any thoughts?

Not saying you will, but I got so bad on Zanax that I would forget how many I would take on some days.A side effect of Zanax is loss of memory and believe me for nine months while on that medication my memory was poor.

If you can try detox.

I also had a severe anxiety disorder but you know what i learned? Zanax made it worse!!! It was so crazy!!!

Thinking of you.

yes, I know all about memory loss and forgetting how many I took, especially in the first 2-3 yrs, I know I was taking more than I thought. and I think you might be right with xanax making anxiety worse. So do you think an at home detox is possible?

ONLY under medical supervision, but as I said I couldn't do it at home with my drs. help. I had to go to detox.

saw doc today
 

Well he put me on Klonopin which I will be tapering off. The withdrawals were so bad I think I was ready to jump off a bridge.

The doctor wasn't really sure about what a safe taper might be. He upped my Paxil and said it should be a month or two.

I just have to be careful not to get caught up in the Klonopin. I'm going to try and find out what kind of taper I should be doing. My doctor is pretty good and is open to information I'll bring him.

So I'll definately keep everyone posted, thanks for the prayers and support, I really appreciate it so much, God Bless, Rita

klonopin is very hard to get off of, I have gone thru withdrawals from both Klonopin and xanax and Klonopin was much worse than xanax, in my opinion I think cause klonopin has a longer half-life, it only takes 6 hours for one 2mg pill t o get oout of your system vs Klonopin takes 24 hours for 2mg to get out of your system. I would seek the advice of a doc if I were you.

Missymae, I think you may be right about going to detox, especially since my husband doesnt understand and I am trying to get off of both alcohol and xanax, I dont think he realizes the extreme emotional feelings I am having while trying to quit plus he is bipolar and is not even tryimg to do anything about it-I think he is a hypocrit and besides that cant stand being around him when I try to quit something like drinking he is not a good support system and he doesnt understand the severety of trying to quit xanax, that it would take a long time to taper off and that some people have seizures if they try to go cold turkey on either alcohol or xanax. I am just venting. any comments are welcome.

nice to meet you, rita. glad you were able to see your doc. be safe, k

Hi,
Put the focus totally on you...Grab onto all the support you can. Here is a great place. Someone mentioned that Klonapin is a harder detox than Zanax. I have heard this to be true...I don't understand your Doc.

Detox I feel really is the way to go based on my exoerience...

i have to admit a certain ignorance when it comes to benzos ... SLEEPINESS was never really my 'thing'. But I do know a few things about them ... Like, for example, people DIE getting off of them. I *doubt* that would happen to someone taking 2-3 mgs a day. Now, I realize thats a hefty dose when it comes to xanies, but ... they MAKE 2mg bars, I've had them before, with basically zero benzo tolerance, sure, it laid my ass OUT for like 24 hours, but ... if it didn't kill me, it really can't be THAT much to try to come off of. Painful? Absolutely. I'm certain it is. But I don't think you'll croak coming off that dose. That being said ... PROBABLY the reason Klonopin is being given would be the same principle as why Methadone/Bupe are given to wean people down ... the long half-life means less pill-taking, less up-down, better chance to live a normal life while weaning down. Doesn't mean it's going to be easier to get off of, though, unless you SUCCESSFULLY wean WAY down before quitting. And even then, it is likely to be a LONGER, but LESS SEVERE detox when quitting from a low level of a long half-life form of benzo (I'm assuming it works the same as with opiates ... although, to be fair, I quit off of Bupe, not Methadone, and it may be that Klonopin is more equivalent to Methadone ... which is, of course, a major major bi*ch to come off of, from what I hear...)

I dunno. Sounds to me like in-patient detox may be the way for both of you, but if you CAN successfully wean (HINT: HAVE SOMEONE DIVVY YOUR PILLS OUT TO YOU ACCORDING TO A SCHEDULE ... seems pretty obvious to someone who's done it, but ...) down for awhile first ... your time spent in detox should be considerably less hellish. But DON'T let yourself f**k your weaning schedule up even ONCE, or consign yourself to checking in immediately. Have family hold you accountable to this, so that you can stay on track. ALL IT TAKES is ONE f**kup of your weaning schedule to be back at SQUARE ONE so get all the help to manage it that you can.

Btw, THIS SHOULD BE TWO SEPARATE THREADS, folks ... let's try to get both people all the support they need ...