Going to beat this

[[Ga...]]

I started Xanax sometime back in 2014 to help me sleep (which I realized now started with a coffee habit I picked up). I was prescribed .25mg as needed. I took it intermittently at first but I began getting worse with anxiety/anger/fear/paranoia. I thought it was me and that Xanax was helping with the issues so I began taking it more regularly. Had no idea it was causing these issues. I CT in November 2016 and had what I know now was a partial seizure where I briefly lost my vision. Still had no idea it was from Xanax and once the episode occurred countless other symptoms showed up simultaneously. I went back on the Xanax because it helped the crippling anxiety from not knowing what was wrong with me. Other symptoms did not disappear because I was in tolerance withdrawal and hadn't gone up in dosage. I ended up getting countless tests done to no avail. Nobody knew what was wrong with me and summed everything up to either anxiety or vestibular migraines. I knew they were wrong and still searched for an answer. Meanwhile, I asked for an increase to .5mg because I was taking them more frequently to help with being in public and was running out too fast. I had the .5mg but still hardly ever took that much. I realized in April of 2017 that the DR/DP (I finally figured out it was one of the issues) and other persistent symptoms may be from the Xanax, despite being told my dose was too low to be causing issues. I did a cold turkey on April 27th and 3 days later I felt exactly how I felt the day I had the seizure. I knew at that point I found the answer to my health issues. I'm now on Day 106 of a CT and dealing with just about every symptom. I am still dealing with shame for not realizing Xanax was the culprit which started giving me issues way before my seizure. But I'm determined to heal and put all of this behind me.

[[Ca...]]

Hello,  - Welcome to BenzoBuddies!

 

Congratulations on getting off of Xanax.  That is a huge accomplishment!

 

I'm so glad you decided to join the forum - you'll find plenty of information and support here. Our members have gone through all aspects of benzodiazepine use and withdrawal, so you'll be able to connect with others who understand what you're going through and can tell you what has worked for them.

 

I also went through benzo withdrawal and have been benzo free so I understand some of the issues you are facing.  I find this community to be very supportive.

 

Please feel free to post to any of the specialized boards, which can all be accessed from the BenzoBuddies Community Forum homepage. Based on the information provided in your introduction, the following links may be a good starting place for you:

 

 

Post-withdrawal Recovery Support

Cold Turkey, Detox & Rapid Withdrawal

 

When you have a chance, I highly recommend that you take a look at The Ashton Manual, which is an authoritative source on what to expect during withdrawal and recovery, authored by Dr. C. Heather Ashton, who is an expert in the field. It provides a great deal of information that can be very reassuring during any stage of this process, including a list of common symptoms with helpful explanations on the reasons for their existence.

 

Please take the time to Create a Signature. This will allow members to see where you are in the process, so that they can better support you.

 

Again, welcome!

 

Carol Jean