xanax taper.Horrible neck, trap,shoulder, arm pain and numbness. Anybody else?

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Hi. I am presently 6 months into my taper. I was given Xanax for stress from a minor back injury 4 yrs ago that turned into a bad habit. My back healed fine but my Xanax consumption did not. I started with 1mg a day for a year or so and then gradually increased it over the next 3yrs to 5mg a day. I like a lot of other people used it for everyday stress. I eventually figured out this was an addictive substance that was not healthy for me. My taper began 6 months ago dropping my dose 10-20% every two weeks and then switching to valium when i got down to 1mg of Xanax. I am down to 3mg of valium a day. I have only a few weeks to go before I am done.

My first symptoms were knots in my upper back and trapezius muscle about 6 weeks in. Also between my shoulder blades. I couldn't massage it out as much as I tried. Over the next few weeks of tapering the pain has spread to where the trap meets my neck, then my shoulder, then my forearms tingled, and then to my hand. All symptoms have been on the right side up until 4 weeks ago. Now both hands can tingle, feel cold, or feel swollen and tight. The pain seems to float around to different areas. Everyday seems to be different symptoms. Working out feels good and bad. I lift pretty light weights since I'm in my 40's and don't push it anymore. That sometimes make my hands hurt or forearms hurt.

I went to a top notch spine Dr. ( #2 hospital in the country) 3 months into my taper (before I knew about withdrawal symptoms). I thought I may have had a neck/disc issue since I had the symptoms that went along with it. I also had minor cervical spondylosis (very common,No symptoms) that showed up in the back injury mri 4yrs ago , so I figured it was that or a bulge. He said I was fine since I could do full head rolls and rotations and my symptoms described were all scattered. Nothing I did with my head or neck triggered any symptoms  like a disc issue would. He said "I make money on MRI's and you don't need one". He asked if was under stress. I said yes. He said I had knots all over my back and shoulders. I never told him I was tapering off Xanax. It wasn't even on my radar. Also I knew people who have had neck issues and it wasn't the same as mine. So I did cover my bases with the DR. I did feel better after the Dr. but that only lasted a couple days. A week later I found this website. Thank God. I had no Idea I was taking poison.

    When I am preoccupied with something my symptoms seem to go away. For example, work, house fixer upper projects. Also I had a stomach bug last week that was going around. and since I was sick I didn't have any neck, hand, or arm pain. When I felt better it came back. As I get closer to the end, the symptoms have gotten worse. I obsess over my pain which makes it worse. I have a ton of other symptoms.

         

  Does anybody feel the same? Man, what a horrible drug! Thank You!!!!

 

other symptoms that come and go- itchy hands, teeth hurt, tight jaw, wrist pain, neck cracking, muscle twitches, week grip strength, feet tingle, front side neck pain-tendon that runs under collar bone, muscle aches, despair, obsessive thoughts

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Hi, i think your doing great...!!!

Many people need to slow things up a bit at the end, not sure if that applies to you..?

Im sure your aware that these are powerful muscle relaxants, and your body is having to adjust to not having them in the mix...

That would be my guess...

Hope it settles for you...

 

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I am also tapering xanax. I have a shoulder injury from the past which still hurts. I get the numbness in my hands also pain in my wrists , shoulder and arms sometimes.

 

Feel better soon