Benzo withdrawal- long term??
 

Hi everybody hope all is well! I'll keep this kinda short and to the point... I've got 100 days clean today, pretty much the longest of my life! I feel good, real good compared to the lows of my using days... But I was prescribed Xanax for 9 years, before I quit I was up to 4-5 mg a day on top of klonapin and attivan. My question is does anybody else have long term withdrawals from this crap? My biggest are the anxiety, racing thoughts, trouble sleeping, headaches, etc. how long can I expect it and is there any releif from it? Btw I am in NA and attend meetings as much as I can. Thanks in advance!

Benzo withdrawal is the longest withdrawal out there. And it sounds like you were taking a lot. It really can take a long time for your body to get back to normal function.

If you're having concerns, definitely see a doctor. But I'd be willing to bet by 6 months at the most, you'll be feeling MUCH better.

And congrats on 100 days!

That does sound like quite a lot. I was on Ativan 2mg for 5-7 yrs? Not sure. I drank like a fish during that time, too. I have been sober for almost 2 yrs minus a 2 day binge in March. I have been off Ativan for over a month & rarely have symptoms. It takes time for your body & CNS to heal but it gets better w each passing day.
Hang in there.
It does get better.
Congrats on 100 days!

I was told in rehab that benzos are the hardest to get off of and the cravings and withdrawals can last years.

I'm 17 months sober and fight the cravings for benzos every day.

It took me a couple of months. Don't stress yourself out thinking of the worst case scenario! I was on valium for years and ativan for months before I gave it up.

Thanks everybody for your replies! I might add that the quantity I was using was also to offset the effects of other substances while using. The cravings aren't AS bad, they get better every day. It helps a lot just knowin I'm not gonna use no matter what. Thanks again for the input everybody!

We do heal after long-term benzo addiction. I did. I was on klonopin for a decade, prescribed 20 to 30 milligrams a day for the last couple of years.

If you are out of the acute withdrawal phase and just dealing with intense anxiety, insomnia, etc., you stand a great chance of recovering in a few months.

I did. But my acute phase was pretty nasty, including a 10-day stint in the hospital, three of those days in four-point restraints.

I healed after a year.

I was on up to 4mg of Klonopin a day for about 10 years, as well as 20mgs of Ambien for about 20 years, and in the last few years became a very heavy drinker as well. I am almost 6 months clean and sober and I am having terrible pounding headaches and muscle pain. But part of the reason I was on the meds was due to an auto-immune issue that causes pain. I was told to expect about 2 years. I've had more good days than bad, especially recently, but the headaches are really bad. 5 months was a really big turning point for me…I am starting to understand that the clarity I have about my sobriety seems to be much more apparent in retrospect, looking backwards (no, I am not Edward Bellamy) really helps me see patterns. I anticipate that will continue.

Congrats on 100 DAYS!

Back in 2005 I quit a 16 mg xanax habit. I tried cold turkey along with methadone. After a few days I went into Dts. It took the drs awhile to figure out what was wrong because I didn't get to the hospital right away. I was living with my parents at that time and they thought I was just having some kind of breakdown. Anyway the hospital did a tox scream and found methadone but no xanax. So they have me Valium and clonidine I woke up and came out of the convulsions delirium and all. I didn't even feel the opiate detox because I was so out of it. Well I tapered with Ativan for 6 weeks and got into treatment slowly I started feeling better but it did take a while. My benzo withdrawal was the worst experience I've had to face. I hope you feel better ASAP