Hello and Good Will

[[sw...]]

I am here because of a short-term(2 month), abrupt stoppage of Xanax and Klonapin. I am currently experiencing several frightening withdrawal symptoms. The posts on this site have offered me some hope and comfort and to know that I'm not alone in this horrendous battle. As I progress, I wish to offer my support tho those I can help. I have been blessed with a wife and a son who completely understand what I'm going through. I know that some people have to face this alone, so I feel blessed.

[[ea...]]

 

Hello, swervedriver,

 

Welcome to BenzoBuddies, an informative and supportive forum for people wishing to get off of a benzodiazepine.

Please take some time to create a signature, as this helps other members know more about you. Here is the link:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=9432.0

 

Withdrawal from a benzo can be quite challenging, as the symptoms can involve every part of the body - and mind. Here is a link to our Withdrawal section, where you will find suggestions on how to cope with your symptoms:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=146.0

 

Professor Heather Ashton is considered the foremost authority on benzo withdrawal. She ran a clinic for many years, and has written about the subject widely. Here is a link to The Ashton Manual:

 

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/

 

We call abrupt stoppage of a drug "cold turkey." It is thought that doing this may lead to more severe withdrawal symptoms. But - you will survive this. So many of us before you have gone through this, and are glad we stuck it out. You are blessed to have a supportive wife and son! That is wonderful.

I am glad you found us, and look forward to reading your posts. I hope you will join right in.

east

 

 

[[sw...]]

Forgot to mention my dosages:(which a low and short term compared to so many others. But the withdrawal is strong nonetheless.)

 

Current: Klonapin, .5mg, tapered to .25 mg and holding for 7 days

Lexapro: 9 days, 5mg first 6 days, 10mg 7-9, exacerbated Xanax withdrawal, quit cold turkey.

Xanax: 2mg per day, 6 weeks, quit cold turkey

 

[[sw...]]

 

Hello, swervedriver,

 

Welcome to BenzoBuddies, an informative and supportive forum for people wishing to get off of a benzodiazepine.

Please take some time to create a signature, as this helps other members know more about you. Here is the link:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=9432.0

 

Withdrawal from a benzo can be quite challenging, as the symptoms can involve every part of the body - and mind. Here is a link to our Withdrawal section, where you will find suggestions on how to cope with your symptoms:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=146.0

 

Professor Heather Ashton is considered the foremost authority on benzo withdrawal. She ran a clinic for many years, and has written about the subject widely. Here is a link to The Ashton Manual:

 

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/

 

We call abrupt stoppage of a drug "cold turkey." It is thought that doing this may lead to more severe withdrawal symptoms. But - you will survive this. So many of us before you have gone through this, and are glad we stuck it out. You are blessed to have a supportive wife and son! That is wonderful.

I am glad you found us, and look forward to reading your posts. I hope you will join right in.

east

 

Thank you so much. I made the mistake of taking these nasty drugs thinking I could handle it. They were given to me by my family physician to help with recovery from a strained back muscle. I had taken Xanax before, but in very short bursts. Never had a problem until regular usage. Now I am experiencing so many classic symptoms, the most frightening being the burning/stinging hands, fingers, and the occasional toe or two. I also am suffering from an acute case of OCD and hypochondria, neither of which had been present before the medication. Had I known what was in store, I would have given the script back to my Dr. and politely have said, "Physician, heal thyself."

[[ea...]]

Your story, unfortunately, is quite familiar to me. What Ive now come to realize is that I had a responsibility (to myself) to educate myself on these drugs before I started taking them. Yes, our doctors should have known, but it isn't all their fault. I don't know why there is such a disconnect here - most physicians do not know how bad withdrawal can be for some people. I worked in a detox hospital, and they didn't know, either!

 

Your symptoms are quite classic. I promise you, they will go away in time. The best weapon you have for them is to distract yourself...all the time. Get busy and stay busy, doing whatever you can.

 

I got extremely OCD during withdrawal. Its funny to me now, but it wasn't then. (Not the hand washing kind of OCD - I became obsessed with how clean my house was!) Most of this has now gone away now.

 

Definitely read the Ashton Manual, if you haven't already. Its full of great information.

east

[[sw...]]

Your story, unfortunately, is quite familiar to me. What Ive now come to realize is that I had a responsibility (to myself) to educate myself on these drugs before I started taking them. Yes, our doctors should have known, but it isn't all their fault. I don't know why there is such a disconnect here - most physicians do not know how bad withdrawal can be for some people. I worked in a detox hospital, and they didn't know, either!

 

Your symptoms are quite classic. I promise you, they will go away in time. The best weapon you have for them is to distract yourself...all the time. Get busy and stay busy, doing whatever you can.

 

I got extremely OCD during withdrawal. Its funny to me now, but it wasn't then. (Not the hand washing kind of OCD - I became obsessed with how clean my house was!) Most of this has now gone away now.

 

Definitely read the Ashton Manual, if you haven't already. Its full of great information.

east

 

One again, I thank you for the support. And I have indeed read he Ashton Manual....a little too late, unfortunately. But informative nonetheless.

 

For the record, I don't blame the doctor entirely. I blame myself. With good reason. My brother was a opiate/xanax addict for 10 years. It ended in 2009 when he decided to quit the benzos cold turkey. He wound up deluded, shot a .357 mag through a neighbor's house, (no one was hurt), had seizures, then attempted suicide. Now he's fine. Helped my parents to an early grave, but he's fine. Like an idiot, I compared his 10 years to my 2 months and figured nothing could happen to me. Wrong answer.

 

 

Please read my thread "Short Term Use and a Cold Turkey Mistake" to get the details of my current situation if you are at all interested.

 

Peace

[[ea...]]

swerve, you aren't the only one who had a clue and did it anyway. Im a nurse, and even worked in a detox, and on a psychiatric unit. And I took benzos. Sometimes, I think we all think we are immune  to the troubles others have.

 

I am sorry about your brother. He is lucky to have survived. But he did, and it sounds like he's doing okay now....and so will you. You ARE learning from his mistakes...just doing some of that learned the hard way.

east