what would you do?

[[at...]]

Facts:

unprescribed use for 6-7 months, xanax .5mg to 1.0mg/day (but not every day).

 

 

Long story short:

The last month I've been using less and less of the xanax... not sure why, maybe I am dealing with the anxious situations better.

 

Friday 8-22-14:

I didn't take any for at least 36hours and maybe up to 72 hours(mind has been foggy since I started, days kind of blend).

I woke up around 3am, feeling dizzy, anxious, out of it and pretty weak physically.

 

Went back to sleep(somehow)

Woke up(felt same symptoms but nowhere near as intense as 3am)...I thought the worst was over.

 

 

I talked to someone who knows about these meds... and was told to take a usual dose and start a taper.

 

I thought the tough part was over and was hesitant to take any, but, I took a little less than my usual dose(8-22-14, 11pm).

 

I did get a little relief but the same symptoms are still present... I did take a little more today, and it did help but still have the symptoms.

 

 

 

1)  What am I supposed to do to feel better til I can get help? (hoping to talk to a psychiatrist to get me on a taper)

2)  Did that lapse in time that I didn't take any screw up any chance I had for a taper? or do I just need to keep dosing(no more than my usual amount) til I get some relief?

 

 

If it wasn't for the possibility of seizures, I would go cold turkey(not fiending, I want this OUT-I AM DONE) but have been advised against that by buddies on here and a personal friend. 

 

 

3)  Also,  last time I tried to schedule a psychiatrist appt(ironically, to get xanax legally), they told me it would be months......any words of advice to get scheduled sooner?(i am hoping to get squeezed in on monday)

 

 

 

Thanks for any words of advice

 

 

 

 

[Guest [ba...]]

The seizure thing is way overrated.  Very very few people get seizures - even when they c/t.  It's something like 3% overall, but most of those people either had a history of seizures, or they used high doses or they polydrugged.  If those conditions don't apply to you, then your risk is probably less than 1%.  I'm not saying that you should c/t, but I wanted you to know the data.

 

No, I don't think you screwed anything up by taking a day or three off.  The 'window' I've heard about is more like two weeks for reinstating.

 

I don't have any advice for getting into a psych any faster.  S/he may not be much help anyway regarding tapering (many aren't).  You might be able to talk with your regular doctor about getting off these pills much faster than you can get into see a psych.

[[at...]]

Thanks for the reply.

 

 

seizure thing- still scary, but, I'll take note.

 

good to know about the "window"

 

I do plan on calling a psychiatrist first...if that doesn't work, I'll talk to my doctor.(at worst, I'll get some anticonvulsants)

 

 

 

I thought of more questions(for anybody) while reading your reply:

 

1)  what happens if i go cold turkey for longer than 2 weeks(window) and then want to "reinstate" due to same or worsening symptoms?

 

2)  what's a good anticonvulsant?(so I can tell my doctor)

 

3)  do you have an opinion on PAWS being less of a chance/severe by tapering? (can going cold turkey increase risk/severity of PAWS?)---my non educated opinion tells me that if I am going to have a long drawn out PAWS phase, it will happen regardless of tapering or cold turkey.

PAWS is my main concern, now that I think about it. (seizure is up there also, but, PAWS for 2+ years doesn't give me much hope for recovery)

 

 

 

[Guest [ba...]]

I don't know about those questions. 

[[be...]]

Thanks for the reply.

 

 

seizure thing- still scary, but, I'll take note.

 

good to know about the "window"

 

I do plan on calling a psychiatrist first...if that doesn't work, I'll talk to my doctor.(at worst, I'll get some anticonvulsants)

 

 

 

I thought of more questions(for anybody) while reading your reply:

 

1)  what happens if i go cold turkey for longer than 2 weeks(window) and then want to "reinstate" due to same or worsening symptoms?

 

2)  what's a good anticonvulsant?(so I can tell my doctor)

 

3)  do you have an opinion on PAWS being less of a chance/severe by tapering? (can going cold turkey increase risk/severity of PAWS?)---my non educated opinion tells me that if I am going to have a long drawn out PAWS phase, it will happen regardless of tapering or cold turkey.

PAWS is my main concern, now that I think about it. (seizure is up there also, but, PAWS for 2+ years doesn't give me much hope for recovery)

 

PAWS doesn't last for two years or more. More like three months. I C/T off 13 mg of Xanax and Paxil at the same time and never had a seizure. So I wouldn't worry about having one. Two anti seizure (there are a lot of them out there) would be Depakote or Neurontin. ~~~ Bets

[[at...]]

thanks benzogirl

 

 

over the past few days I have still been trying to figure out what I am going to do.....

I want to go cold turkey but some of the (horror) stories point to tapering.  Some of the cold turkey stories just make me want to go for it.....

 

I have been tapering for the time being before I decide jump...still haven't stabilized yet, and not sure I want to.

 

Went to a psychiatrists today...no dice.  He recommended another doctor.  Seems all the other doctors are booked for a few months..except one which I will see in a month.

 

The short half life of the xanax is not right. 

 

 

I still can't remember when I started for sure...

at best, my average daily use is: .75mg/day if I started 11 months ago

                                  at worst:  1.42mg/day if I started 7months ago

(I got 300mg at one time....sams club mentality)

[Guest [ba...]]

(I got 300mg at one time....sams club mentality)

 

Love that analogy! 

[[va...]]

ummm... what is PAWS?

[[Be...]]

Hey bud,

 

PAWS stands for  Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome.

 

Many of us that are sensitive to benzo poison get this. What it is is once we get off of benzo poison we still experience severe symptoms as if we were still in acute withdrawal .The time frame varies individually.

 

For me, PAWS lasted 2-3 months after my withdrawal. After that symptoms have still  been  present but have gradually (ever so slowly ) waned month to month both in frequency & intensity. At 17 months off I am almost healed. At times, I will briefly get symptoms that feel like "acute" but they now only last a few hours if even that. These symptoms are often referred to as "waves". For me the waves have steadily declined the last few months. So this to me is a sure sign of healing!

 

Hope this helps to answer your question.