Xanax Withdrawal (Page 2)

Okay. I've been eating Xanax like candy since February when my dr did prescribe me 1 mg a day... But I often took more than that. I went from about 8 mg a day to 1 mg a day a few weeks ago... My withdrawal symptoms are awful, I even had a seizure 2 months ago when I tried to go cold turkey. I have excessive sweating, my forehead is on FIRE, I can't eat, I feel like I'm panicking constantly. What are my odds of dying at this point? I mean, it's been a few weeks... Wouldn't that have happened by now? I'm scared. My dr cut my 1 mg dosage completely in half to .5 mg a day... I just need some advice... I don't know what to do.

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What am I doing wrong? My posts keep being submitted for review? I've never used this site until now.

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It isn't wanting to post anything that I type.

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All the hospital did was give me fluids, look at blood & urine, & sent me on my way with some meds that I have read don't help. I feel awful

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They didn't do an EKG either. I think I might have had a C/T scan as well as I was complaining of heart/chest & abdominal pain. Alright get back to your Doctor, get some more medicine and wean yourself off of them slowly, or take a few mg a day for the indefinite future. If possible don't let your Doc know about this to prevent a supply interruption. In any case it WAS a Xanax withdrawal and your body was freaking out from when you were popping them like candy. I would tell anyone, and I have told my newer doctor that alprazolam is poison. He too isn't well versed in withdrawal problems.

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No, no EKG or anything. I missed my doctor appointment because I went to the ER first.
Now I'm feeling shortness of breath.
I don't know what to do. I'm panicking.

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And I have to make these meds last. My doctor only gave them to me to "wean off" my meds because I lied to her before

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How did you lie, that I don't think you mentioned. How were you able to eat 8 per day supply wise? I'm sorry the Hospital didn't help. How many do you take today, as you can follow some methods for detoxing without an inpatient stay in a program

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Hydroxyzine is an antihistamine . They believe it helps with Anxiety & treats withdrawals. I've been prescribed it before when I run into a doc that doesn't want to prescribe my measly 2mg/day Xanax. I've taken the same dose for 10 yrs. Never any more. (except for when I have to change doctors & "they don't prescribed that". ) if you were to take 2mg or less a day, your withdrawals would be mild. At least from my experience. This Hydroxyzine is Not effective. It acts like any other Allergy medication. Fogs my brain. Does absolutely nothing for my panic attacks. Just makes me want to sleep & throw up. Everyone is different. I know this is a med page. But I did have some positive results from Theanine -natural medicine. (Google that & you'll find one with a booster).

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2 mg a day is not "measly" in anyone's book. Xanax is most powerful

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That is visteril and it will help for withdrawals and anxiety. I know how you feel. Usually besides the sweating I have awful nausea till I get more benzos. Hang in there. Good luck.

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That is real crappy for your Do tor to do that.If you have Ptsd u need to find another Doctor as long as u can keep from overtaking .If you have no reason to be taking them then just stop&yes you could die -they tell u never stop taking suddenly.My Doctor has also done this.Ifyou have someone in the family or something I would get a few&just take when u have gotta take them.I"m going to a psychosis I can't be sick&shaking&all it's pathetic that ppl a using that is the reason ppl that really need this drug we aren't having a easy time with it.Pisses me off.

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So true.Do what this person is saying.They will let you die the Doctors seem to not give a damp anymore.

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Hiya, so sorry you're going through this awful process. My own suggestion would be to reduce Xanax slowly (but seems that's happened) and introduce a long acting benzo e.g. Diazepam. The reason why Xanax is so prone to over self medication, is that it doesn't hang about in your body so you don't wake up with a hangover; it's not very sedating so you can have a really relaxed day enjoying life without having to go on a bender. Now imagine the period of effect as a tunnel, quickly up and quickly down. I have been told that only 4% of a population have the disordered brain chemistry to over self medicate. However lets say that you are naturally very anxious so Xanax helps your GABA (calming) receptors. Also your dopamine system may well be poor so the sharp drop in dopamine is v unpleasant and you need more. For myself, I self medicated from about 12 but ended up a partner in one of those v big accountancy firms and drank, took pills that the doc, pharmacy never heard of, to get out of bed (ephedrine, phentermine!). I had my alarm set at 4 to take them and at 4:30 to take 30mg diazepam. Took clonazepam 4mg or 8mg or frankly a small handful mid day plus some stimulants whenever. Also took codeine and Tramadol, Xanax, and 5 Lorazepam (again a handful really), 4. Could work fine but this neat list grew quite quickly as it became insufficient to cloak my self hatred. It got me out of the world and in a golden bubble, floaty and dozing watching the same dvd for at least a year.

Oh blimey I do go on, apologies. AS I mentioned the best approach is to move to diazepam say 10mg morn, 5mg lunch, 10mg evening (check with doc if possible but you have to put your health first - in training in UK they spend 7 days on mental health. My old GP said I should go to a holy mountain in Syria and beg to God on my knees that all my personality could be harshly cleansed!!!) 10mg diazepam is approx equal to 1mg Xanax so if you are on that amount of Xanax then I would reduce the diazepam to nil over a month. e.g. after 4 days morn is 10mg one day then 5 mg next - aim to remove middle dose first. I may sound like a know it all but my sister passed and i had some fits and psychosis and they prescribed me 20mg diazepam a day. But in 3 months I have a whole (albeit quite small) cabinet full of diazepam, lorazepam, alprazolam (nothing like xanax - they can't get anywhere near the molecular structure), nitrazepam, temazepam, clonazepam, tramadol, codeine, SOMA, Modafinil, Adderall, ambien, lunesta (Z drugs are rubbish yes!) - exactly like ten years ago. Have to get them from India and not too bad although i have just sent examples of the bentos to see what i was really taking. The Lorazepam is great but pretty sure not lorazepam.

A very short term measure would be to take paracetamol (acetaminophen) and codeine, plus some specific drowsy antihistamine for night (Nytol? good as ambien). You won't die, you just feel you will and that is hideous. A non judging shoulder to cry on would be so helpful. All docs are awful and 25% of them are addicts. Usually the rich private ones - they know what works. BTW First rehab (Never again! although v funny) they wouldn't accept me till I gad gone down to 4 mg a day, I went 40 to 8 in 4 months and then a lovely friend and my sister helped me through last 4 and I did get a bit nasty. The purported doc didn't know what xanax was and first night took me off xanax (equivalent to 40mg diazepam) and put me on on 10mg diazepam and off Atarax and Zoloft. I had night terrors like you would never believe and next day nearly caused a riot doing a really hammy performance whilst thinking oh that's alright actually. Hope this helps - i do hope you have someone to help. Its not a weakness, its effective medicine for you which unfortunately has a sting in the tail for you. No-one ever who has asked me about it understands anything about v basic depression even if they're on anti-depressants and you forget the idea of someone living in your head quickly as, mention rehab, shake of head, make sure you go to meetings, you must make your life, and then you need to. "Anyone telling me must, should, etc, gets in a right tizzy when you just walk off!.. "anyone who says 12 step should be forced to do a month. The camps look hilarious in US films. I qualify for virtually everything ending in A but in the UK the meetings look like they're being held in a crumbling house of lepers. Good luck!!

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I'm not an MD, but I read and know of many people getting themselves off of Xanax, and not one of them had a seizure. Now mind you, these people weren't on high amounts of Xanax and they weren't on them for more than nine months. That's not to say that can't happen, but the friend I know did not cold turkey themselves off the medication, they did it relatively slowly. Again, I'm not a doctor.

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I've been taking 1 mg xanax a day for anxiety and to help with sleep for over 10 years. My doctor told me he couldn't fill my prescription for 6 months because I was positive for marijuana which I hadn't consumed in months! I actually had quit and told him I could come in today if he needed me to prove I was clean. He said the laws prevent him from doing that and I'd have to wait the 6 months. Ok, I understand the laws... but what am I looking at here? Is 1 mg going to be hell to come off and what do I have to look forward to enduring? I'm 53, 5'6" and 116 lbs. Do I have a chance since there is no way of weaning?

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I am taking 2 mg Xanax given when my husband died. Started at .25 mg. Then went to over 6 years when Covid dropped my income 3/4, I had to sell my home and live on SS only. I have only been on 2 mg for about 6 months. I am so tired all of the time. I want to get off Xanax. I have read where Melatonin helps withdrawal. My symptoms are heart palpitations, shakiness, fatigue when I try to wean.

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Re: Chris (# 36)

Melatonin would help for sleeping as it makes you tired. Yet you say you are tired all the time, which is normal for Xanax. The symptoms you mention are familiar, nothing sounds abnormal in your post. You might try to limit your dose for nighttime use. Strive to cut down to 1 mg (slowly), and then continue from there. You might seek a Doctor to help in your taper to zero. There is a Benzo bud forum that could possibly be of use to you. Look for the Dr. Ashton method of kicking Xanax. I almost died when I stopped Xanax, surprised I didn't have a stroke. If you are taking 2 mg it can happen on as little as a milligram or two

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Re: Missy (# 31)

We’ll said! My PA and doctor will watch me DIE! Literally. because I lost my Xanax.

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Re: Ihatethis (# 26)

Please please make them last! When you feel like you absolutely have to take one,,try getting into a tv show or something like that for 30-60 mins,, Then take one. Im trying to help, in my own way here, because I really don’t want you to end up like me! I’m sorry that you’re going through this. You may try a different provider in the meantime.. I would try to find another doctor BEFORE you run out. My PA is done prescribing my Xanax so now he says “I’m off of it!” Believe me I am not or I wouldn’t feel like I’m going to die any day now. I hope you get help. Please keep me informed. Thanx.

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Re: Ihatethis (# 22)

Try getting some colozePAM, maybe that will help you. Just a suggestion.

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