I have more withdrawals can't swallow, eyes can't focus,mind can't focus,rapid nerve firing,grinding teeth,no patience,there's more but that's good. I have taking xanax for 7yrs. Past couple years 3-6 mg a day XR. I have taken a year to tapered down to .5 . Haven't taken any in two days. Withdrawal is terrible. The nausea is the worst. Does it really get better?goes away? How long do symptoms last? Can anything help? Not much info for it.help
Any help with withdrawal symptoms. extreme nausea,no appetite,no sleep,muscle spasm, headache?
Question posted by helpifyoucan on 30 Aug 2012
Last updated on 17 September 2012
6 Answers
Inactive
7 Sep 2012
Hello helpifyoucan,
Everyone has given you excellent advice. Benzo's can indeed be dangerous. You said you have cut down on the dosage a lot which is fantastic. If you can ask your doctor to give you a compound script that would help you very much as it will be a tiny dose. Also each time you taper down you should hold for 10 to 14 days until you're stable, then do another cut. Sometimes you may feel a little nausea, but that should subside rather quickly.
I took high doses of xanax for 25 yrs, but did a cross over with valium to make it easier as valium has a longer half life. It took me 18 months to taper, but now I think I may have protracted w/d. I am with high hopes all goes smooth for you and your soon free. Best of luck to you.
pamee
helpifyoucan
18 Sep 2012
A little update here for you guys/girls. Today is one week xanax free. Pretty amazing. I got a 7 day cleanse which consists of a drink and morning and night herbal pills. I have not had any withdrawal really. Things aren't normal yet... my eyes are acting very funny. Im also nervous that someday ill have to go on it(im a worrier). But it feels AMAZING to be off this stuff. The cleanse really works its only 35$. Ill keep y'all updated in the future
kimichi
30 Aug 2012
Everyone here has good answers. Benzodiazapine withdrawls are TERRIBLE oh and the teeth grinding and headaches are the worst. My advice from experiance Is super hot baths with Mr. Teals soothe and sleep bubble bath. Sleepy time tea. Valerian root pills and kava kava extract. With the kava kava root I'd get the extract liquid becouse the capsules don't really have exact amounts. It's a dropper it tastes bad so put it in some juice with lots of honey or sugar. In my experiance the kava has almost the same effect as marijuana and the valerian root is allot like a benzodiazapine. It won't get you high or nuthin but it will make you feel calmer and you won't grind your teeth or get stress headaches. As well as vitamin B, tons of B and C vitamins will give you energy and uplift your mood more than you'd think. The withdrawal process zaps your body of potassium and B vitamins.
Also some people find that antihistamines help you sleep and make you calmer. I feel for you and would love to get you feeling better ASAP. Any other questions I'm here.
helpifyoucan
30 Aug 2012
Thank you for the help/support it feels good. Im zapped so I can only say thank you
kimichi
30 Aug 2012
Your very welcome peach. I forgot to mention massage it can work wonders if there isn't anyone to give you one just take some lotion and massage your shoulders. This releases the toxins and therefore gets the bad stuff out of your system. I found pressure points can be very helpfull. There is one on your right palm from your pinky to the base of your palm. Press in between till you find a spot that kinda hurts when you press it. Press and hold firmly on that spot(it will hurt some) for a minute or so and release. If you did it right you will feel a rush of natural endorphins almost as if you took morphine. I do it when I have a terrible migrane and nothing else will work. Hope you feel better soon. And lotion on your hand may help you hit the pressure point deeper. Amazing how nerves work.
helpifyoucan
31 Aug 2012
Anyone know if I should expect withdrawals while tapering and then stopping all together? Also I have tried many times to cut down/quit. Always gave in. Thanks
kimichi
5 Sep 2012
Did at of my remedies help? I hope your doing better
helpifyoucan
5 Sep 2012
Yeah, I have been supplementing with Valerian rt, b complex,theanine,5-htp, and mag for a while now. I've been taking a very low dosage of xanax(a pinch of it) only at the last minute when I feel withdraw starting. I've been doing really well. I hope to be off this soon. Also just a pinch of it seems to curb the withdrals
kimichi
5 Sep 2012
Right on!! I'm glad your going the herb route and those B vitamins are essential. I'm proud it is very hard I know.
endlessPred
30 Aug 2012
I would not go from .5 to zero. I take .25 and I was told that I would have to cut this in half for at least a week before I could get off and if symptoms at thatpount, then drop 1/4 of the ,25. So that would be .25, 3/4 of .25, 1/2 of .25' final 1/4 of .25. That is one month right there. Slow and easy does it.
I agree that you need to go back up a bit and talk with the doc. You can get off but there is no need to bring back all the anxiety for too quick of a withdrawal.
helpifyoucan
30 Aug 2012
Yea I see what you mean. I did think .5 was a small amount. But your right its not
helpifyoucan
30 Aug 2012
Interestingly there is no anxiety. Just withdrawal
endlessPred
30 Aug 2012
Good there is no anxiety. You had mentioned mind not focusing and mood change. Those often are driven by anxiety.
Have you gone back to a better dose again? Lot of us are wondering.
helpifyoucan
31 Aug 2012
Yes I did
endlessPred
31 Aug 2012
Thanks for letting me know. You are doing a tough thing and I hope you will be better soon. Just a bit more time. My prayers are with you. Karen
helpifyoucan
31 Aug 2012
Yea thanks Karen. On the inside I am a fairly anxious person although the loss of focus is a summary of this strong feeling where it feels as the fluid is sucking out of my brain and there is no energy to pay attention to the environment
helpifyoucan
31 Aug 2012
For anyone who is wondering no anxiety? ! I attribute that to the food I eat
jk13
30 Aug 2012
Your chances of stopping this particular medication will be much much better if you do a proper taper. Tapering down to quickly can be extremely hazardous to your health, and even in some cases has caused death. Benzos in general are not like opioids where you go threw withdrawals (excluding methadone) for a week and are done with it. Xanax as a chemical has an extremely short half life. If your body is fed a slow stream of a short acting medication, it may feel long acting, however it is still a short acting drug. This short duration of action makes withdrawal that much more severe in most cases that I've heard of (not that any benzo is safe to stop and or taper too quickly, just that Xanax will hit you with withdrawals quicker than the others making a taper more difficult). By stopping too much too quickly, you run the chance of getting a syndrome of going through withdrawals that will last for months! Really.
You need to up the dose, get your body stable, then talk to a doctor. If you've been able to decrease the amount, that's great, and just go up to a level where you once again feel normal. Wait a week, then decrease the medication by a tiny fraction every 10 to 14 days (withdrawal time, then time for your body to become stable for the next taper). You have to remember, if you took that medication for a long period of time, it will also take a long time to stop taking it.
This sort of situation can be potentially very dangerous, so please do call a doctor or go to the er! Benzos (and alcohol, and really most drugs that act on the GABA can kill if stopped to abruptly). Please do check my info against sources such as is found on this site or on wikipedia.
I hope that this is of some help to you, and I sincerely hope that you feel better soon!!
Jeff K
helpifyoucan
30 Aug 2012
Thanks jeff. This is not easy, thank you for the help
Inactive
30 Aug 2012
do a proper taper and I'm sorry to say this but maybe rehab too if you continue to have problems... hope you feel better soon! I've been through withdrawal from opiates and no withdrawal is fun just try to hang in there... I wish you luck! :)
kellyandtodd
30 Aug 2012
Hi, I'm sorry your suffering, it's dangerous to go through benzo withdrawal, if you can you should slower your taper, this site below might be able to help,
www,power-surge.com/educate/xanax.htm
Hope this helps
Southern girl
30 Aug 2012
I'm a RN, and Kelly is right, that can be deadly, you should call your doctor and at least explain to this to him,
helpifyoucan
30 Aug 2012
Thank you I will look at the site. Thank you both
kellyandtodd
30 Aug 2012
Your very welcome, I have been there!!
balbanese
30 Aug 2012
Fact is you cut down way too fast, no recovery group for support? A Dr on board sure would help as well. Based on how much and how long, step down (with the resources mentioned) should take place over 5-11 months. No misery, no relapse. You can still get help and avert all this, just an opinion that's all it is, my opinion. Best to you.
helpifyoucan
30 Aug 2012
Thanks for your support and input. I agree it was faster than most people. Although I don't have much of a choice. No health insurance. I can't find much on higher doseage /longer term usage and withdrawal from it. What helps? Thanks!
Paige78
30 Aug 2012
Hi helpifyoucan, withdrawal is TOUGH, and please know you are NOT alone. Is there a chance that you could get a refill to do a taper as Balbanese suggested? If that's not the case, it might help to take benadryl, or excedrin PM to help you sleep. Very warm baths are amazing, so please don't understimate them. You asked if this will "go away." Of course it will, but it will have to run it's course. So please be patient with yourself, keep coming back here for added support. Pat yourself on the back, you CAN do this!
Related topics
xanax, headache, muscle spasm, nausea/vomiting, sleep disorders, withdrawal, sleep, muscle, appetite
Further information
- Xanax uses and safety info
- Xanax prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Xanax (detailed)
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