Had to quit Xanax cold turkey (pregnant)
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Frisco, TX
Posts: 1
Had to quit Xanax cold turkey (pregnant)
I'd been on Xanax for 4 or 5 months and had to quit cold turkey 5 days ago when I found out I was pregnant. I really could use some advice as to how to deal with the withdrawal. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
an addict named Mike
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Posts: 188
If you have been off them five or six days, you have already been through the rougher stuff and things should start to taper off in the comming days. Valerian root is excellent to help you sleep (available at health food stores). Long hot baths help some with the cramping and muscle aches. Doctors usually perscribe tremador? or another anti-convulsant because It is very dangerous to get off xanax or any other benzodiazapines "cold turkey" without medical supervision. If you were on a larger dose for a longer period of time, you could have easily killed yourself, your baby, or the both of you due to seizures associated with the withdrawles. Anyway, glad you are getting by OK. If you have trouble quiting, have had other addiction issues, or if you would just like some support and guidance from others who have been where you have been, check out www.na.org for Narcotics Anonymous meetings in your area. I hope I have been of some kind of help to you. Best of luck, Mike L.
PS--I'm not a doctor. lol
PS--I'm not a doctor. lol
Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: florence, kentucky
Posts: 1
I was addicted to xanax from April 2002 until one month ago. I quit cold turkey and was taking 5 mg per day all this time. Had NO withdrawal symptoms except mild muscle cramping and a little trouble falling asleep at night. I was NOT under a doctors supervision, because my doctor didn't feel I needed to stop. I realized that the drug was taking control of every second of every day. I have three children and just would not allow this to go on for a minute longer. My husband said he wanted his wife back and I did it. My only advice is that xanax does not make your problems go away and no one needs it. I do have anxiety disorder, but there are other things that I can do to deal with that, walking, breathing deeply, taking a hot bath, etc. I hid behind xanax for so long because I didn't think I could live without it, now I know I can. Good luck.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: The Basement
Posts: 724
If you have been off xanax for 5 days then the worst is behind you. If you are tapering off and have not yet quit it is best to consult with a doctor. It can be very dangerous to detox anything by yourself and actually to xanax I have personal experience detoxing by myself. It wasn't pretty and I ended up in the hospital.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,139
Congratulations on the pregnancy scamp!! 
Detoxing off benzos {Xanax} can be dangerous and should always be monitored by a doctor...It sounds as though you have already made it through the most concerning time, although I would keep in touch with your prescribing doctor and let him know of any symptoms you have that are of concern!
Some good ideas for coping with the WDs are warm baths, heating pads, mild exercise, not letting yourself get hungry, drinking plenty of fluids and getting your rest. A good, light-hearted movie night with some comfort food {aka popcorn and chocolate!
} are also good ideas to take your mind off things!
Melatonin is an all natural sleep aid and Ibuprofen helps with the aches and pains BUT definately check with your doctor FIRST!
Babies are a gift from God and you should be proud of yourself for giving this one such a healthy start!
**{HUGS}}
Jane
Detoxing off benzos {Xanax} can be dangerous and should always be monitored by a doctor...It sounds as though you have already made it through the most concerning time, although I would keep in touch with your prescribing doctor and let him know of any symptoms you have that are of concern!
Some good ideas for coping with the WDs are warm baths, heating pads, mild exercise, not letting yourself get hungry, drinking plenty of fluids and getting your rest. A good, light-hearted movie night with some comfort food {aka popcorn and chocolate!
} are also good ideas to take your mind off things!Melatonin is an all natural sleep aid and Ibuprofen helps with the aches and pains BUT definately check with your doctor FIRST!
Babies are a gift from God and you should be proud of yourself for giving this one such a healthy start!
**{HUGS}}
Jane
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: west covina ca
Posts: 13
pregnant quit cold turkey
Hi,i think its great that you made that decision. And i guess we are both on the same boat, my last dose was thurs 3/1/12. I havent got much sleep. I tried to taper off and went from taking 1mg and a half to 1/2 in 3 weeks. I suddenly got the urge to just quit, i was about to start taking 0.25 and just went completely off of it. I didnt want to call my neurologist because im afraid he's not gonna let me get off of it. I called today but he was unavailable. Waiting and hoping that tomorrow ill feel better. I dont want to take anything and want to give my little growing baby a good chance as im 8 weeks pregnant. Anyone with some good advise would be greatly appreciated. Im new to this site, didnt even realise i had a problem Boy wasnI wrong!!
Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 101
Are you addicted to xanax or dependent on it? Meaning, do you take it in a responsible way and cannot stop because of the withdrawal symptoms, or do you take it in a irresponsible, abusive way? I think the approach to stopping would depend greatly on this.
If you're dependent, you can do a water titration, or the benzo water taper, to reduce your dosage safely. You can check out the Ashton Manual (Google it) for instruction on how to do that. You have to be careful with c/t with benzos. It's the equivalent of telling a severe alcoholic just to stop drinking, you can die from it.
Now, if you're addicted to xanax, that's a whole other ball of wax. Throughout my entire pregnancy I wrestled around with a xanax addiction and as soon as my son was 6 weeks old me AND him went straight to an NA meeting. I thought I was different because it was xanax and not an opiate or some other sort of drug. Boy was I wrong, it was like comparing a house cat to an alley cat, same darned thing. It was the best thing I ever done. Going to meetings gives you the support, and the steps starts the healing process, it'll help you drag the crap alll the way out the closet. It took me many years to get there because I thought xanax wasn't that bad. That stuff is the DEVIL.
Start your meetings now. You'll need it through your pregnancy. Don't worry about judgement from others because we have all been in a compromised position. The forums are awesome, but in early recovery you really need the face to face meetings to make it through.
If you're dependent, you can do a water titration, or the benzo water taper, to reduce your dosage safely. You can check out the Ashton Manual (Google it) for instruction on how to do that. You have to be careful with c/t with benzos. It's the equivalent of telling a severe alcoholic just to stop drinking, you can die from it.
Now, if you're addicted to xanax, that's a whole other ball of wax. Throughout my entire pregnancy I wrestled around with a xanax addiction and as soon as my son was 6 weeks old me AND him went straight to an NA meeting. I thought I was different because it was xanax and not an opiate or some other sort of drug. Boy was I wrong, it was like comparing a house cat to an alley cat, same darned thing. It was the best thing I ever done. Going to meetings gives you the support, and the steps starts the healing process, it'll help you drag the crap alll the way out the closet. It took me many years to get there because I thought xanax wasn't that bad. That stuff is the DEVIL.
Start your meetings now. You'll need it through your pregnancy. Don't worry about judgement from others because we have all been in a compromised position. The forums are awesome, but in early recovery you really need the face to face meetings to make it through.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: west covina ca
Posts: 13
I have been taking it responsibly i guess.? I never took it in high doses or to get a high from it or anything only when i would freak out since my panic attacks are very severe. I just feel as i wasted my time going thru hell for the past 5 days for nothing. But i dont want to feel sicker than i already do. I will definately make it to a meeting soon, i need to get the info for one close to me. How did ur babies turn out? Fine i assume cause otherwise u would of probably mentioned it. Thanx for ur reply it trulu brings me comfort to know people care. God bless
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,126
Actually, the thread is 8 years old, but you are new, and your problem and struggles are now, so welcome!
I was addicted to benzos, took them as prescribed for the most part, and wound up in a heap of trouble after a decade of use.
And Dee isn't rude, by the way. He's a site administrator and his posts are filled with compassion and grace. It's very common for people to revitalize old threads with new posts and people jump in just to tell folks how old it is in case others were posting thinking the original poster needed immediate support.
But don't worry. We have all been there and your situation is the one that is important.
I was addicted to benzos, took them as prescribed for the most part, and wound up in a heap of trouble after a decade of use.
And Dee isn't rude, by the way. He's a site administrator and his posts are filled with compassion and grace. It's very common for people to revitalize old threads with new posts and people jump in just to tell folks how old it is in case others were posting thinking the original poster needed immediate support.
But don't worry. We have all been there and your situation is the one that is important.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 1
detox
ive been two weeks without xanex. Was taking two pink pills a day for 5 months. I was not prescribed a relative gave them to me. How do I deal with this mania. Its bad I am doing and saying things that are out of my character entirely, I need some advice bad.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: los angeles
Posts: 2
ay bro i need help man i been taking it everyday for 5 months as well ... i smoke weed idk if that will help with the withdrawal and i have all signs except seizure do you know if im stil at risk for it ? its been offically 5 days since its been in my system please help me !
Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Southlake
Posts: 1
I've been taking xanax for 20 years due to anxiety. I take .50 twice a day. I was running low on xanax so I cut myself down to one a day and made a call to my doctor to renew by scrip. He had to fax it to Medco which have taken their sweet time filling out the order and mailing it by USPS aka snail mail. I've been completely without xanax for four days. No aches and pain but jittery a little bit anxious and hot flashes so I've been taking a extra blood pressure pill (lisinopril) so it doesn't spike. I've been wanting to get off xanax so I feel I've made it through the worse. I don't know whether to start up one my scrip arrives or stay off it.
I never abused the drug and only a few times took more than perscribed.
I never abused the drug and only a few times took more than perscribed.
Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Posts: 367
Originally Posted by Rfd 
I've been taking xanax for 20 years due to anxiety. I take .50 twice a day. I was running low on xanax so I cut myself down to one a day and made a call to my doctor to renew by scrip. He had to fax it to Medco which have taken their sweet time filling out the order and mailing it by USPS aka snail mail. I've been completely without xanax for four days. No aches and pain but jittery a little bit anxious and hot flashes so I've been taking a extra blood pressure pill (lisinopril) so it doesn't spike. I've been wanting to get off xanax so I feel I've made it through the worse. I don't know whether to start up one my scrip arrives or stay off it.
I never abused the drug and only a few times took more than perscribed.
I never abused the drug and only a few times took more than perscribed.
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