Tapering off Xanax - or C/T due to relatively short term use

[[Vo...]]

Day 7 since my last dose of Xanax...

Nothing crazy so far in symptoms but I do have muscle stiffness, heart palpitations, agitation, anxiety and tension are through the roof.  I'm wondering if anyone had any thoughts based on my history of using Ambien and Xanax, if I am doing the right thing waiting on the symptoms and trying to push through cold turkey.  Reading everywhere how cold turkey is never a good idea.  Should I try to immediately taper or would it do me a lot of harm if I kept pushing and risk a major symptom happening? Would deeply appreciate any advice.

 

 

[[Pa...]]

Hi VonDark,

 

Well, you know what I'm going to tell you, push on through.  The half life on Xanax is so short, you're likely seeing the worst of it right now, but your fear of more to come is a  withdrawal symptom, it's one of the worst because it makes them all worse. 

 

Going back on the drug is not going to guarantee you a symptom free withdrawal, take one look around the forum to see the misery and uncertainty of those tapering to know that this is true.  I hope you won't go back on the drug, this will only add more uncertainty to your already struggling brain, it's doing it's job, it's repairing the damage the drug did to it, adding the drug back in my opinion will hurt more than help.

 

Pamster

[[Ch...]]

‘Nothing crazy so far’... I love reading this.  I’d say you’ve got this, my friend.  Xanax will let you know immediately how this will go, in my experience.  My symptoms always emerged right away...I don’t believe there are any nasty surprises ahead after a week off.  I’d look for things to begin to ease anytime.

 

We’re here for ya...keep posting if you need reassurance.

[[Vo...]]

Day 8  CT off Xanax  ..... Had bad night, had to deal with akathisia that started up and lasted into the morning.  Psych wants to take me off Prozac and put me on risperidone but I doubt that will help

[[Pa...]]

Are you schizophrenic, that's what my Mom took for her schizophrenia. 

[[Ch...]]

Changing meds right now is a little dicey IMO. By akathisia do you mean restlessness and pacing? I might give Requip a shot instead, if your doc agrees. No dependency issues. I’ve taken it for years for Restless Legs Syndrome which is also a central nervous system condition.  Requip is a central nervous system depressant, and I’ve always wondered if it helped my own withdrawal.

[[Vo...]]

No real psych issues, My only issue was severe anxiety from a one time triggered event, and it led me to this.  Was a happy father of 2 kids with a loving wife.  My only real consideration is whether to re-instate if the akathesia becomes unbearable.

[Guest [Bn...]]

You are a very short term user it looks like you have alot of good advice on what to do.  Hang in there!  Keep posting! 

[[Vo...]]

Thanks, I will do my best

[[Pa...]]

Hang on VonDark, you can get through this, I have confidence you'll return to who you were before this happened to you. 

[[Vo...]]

Thank you

[[Vo...]]

9 days out from Xanax C/T

 

And  outside of insomnia, hypersensitivity to noise, several very unpleasant ideations, some restless agitation and intrusive thoughts, I'm having a pretty good day so far.  Psych took me off Prozac and wanted to put me on an anti-psychotic, which I wont take (he refuses to accept that I am benzo-tolerant)  Praying that the symptoms from last night aren't coming back anytime soon.

[[Ch...]]

Keep on keepin on.

[[Vo...]]

10 days out......super jittery with same symptoms, no sleep outside of the 4 hours given by Remeron

[[Pa...]]

You sound miserable and I know it's awful, but I see you didn't say you have any new symptoms, that in itself is good news!

[[Ch...]]

Four hours is okay.  Zero for me for the first few days, maybe 20 minutes by day 10.

Not trying to minimize, I know this is miserable. 

 

 

[[Pa...]]

Hi VonDark,

 

I'll answer your PM here.

 

In looking at the beginning of this thread I see that your physical symptoms were pretty ugly, but it sounds like those have pretty much abated and now you're dealing with the mental ones? 

 

What if those leave you soon as well, what if your recovery is just around the corner and you just have to hold on a few more days?  What if?

 

I've been supporting your continued cold turkey because of my time here, what I've learned from the thousands of members who pass through BenzoBuddies.  I've seen members reinstate and do proper tapers and they're grateful and thankful they did.  I've seen more regret this decision and very few who were on the drug for a short time be glad they did.  But the decision was there's to make, just as this is yours, this is about you, and we'll support you whatever you decide to do. 

 

Let us know what you'd like to do and we'll help you all we can. 

 

Pamster

[[Ma...]]

Hey VonDark, I have got to agree with everyone else.  Very short term user and already off 9 days !

I know you are miserable but reinstating at this point, is a bad idea imo. Hold tight , you got this and all of us are here if you need to vent and talk.  Pamster And Challis are 2 best on bb.  You are in good hands  . Mary 💜💜

[[Vo...]]

Mary, Pam,

 

Thanks so much for your thoughtful replies.  I want to stick to this cold turkey with my last ounce of strength.

 

I guess what I would like to do is have a plan in place in the event symptoms become so bad I have to try reinstating. I never really noticed inter dose withdrawal taking the .5 at night would that be the right amount to try starting back on 1x per day?  Again, this is only in case I have absolutely no choice.

 

Thanks as always

[[Pa...]]

If you never took more than .5 mg of Xanax, then that would be a good place to start.  I wouldn't expect you to have interdose withdrawal given your short time on the drug. If that doesn't work then you could go up a bit more.  If it were me though, I'd take them to the nearest pharmacy and ask them to dispose of them.  But that's just me, no control, one time I took my Ambien and locked it in my safety deposit box at the bank. 

[[Ma...]]

VonDark, the really horrible thing about reinstating is having to do it all over again.  You were so short term, and your body reacted to the Xanax so quickly, starting again could cause a worse reaction.  That's the thing with benzo's, each time you stop and start, you are risking a worse response.  Now, that certainly doesn't always happen, but it happens enough, that you are taking a chance.  If you need plan B, then I would go back to where you felt tolerable at, we say tolerable because you can still function with your symptoms but you didn't reinstate more than you needed.  I definitely, knowing what I have seen on bb over the last 3 years, would not reinstate.  You are going to finish this whole ordeal a lot quicker holding on and not reinstating.  Benzo's suck, and if you have an opportunity to get them out of your body quickly, take it.  We are here with you, fingers crossed, Mary.

[[Vo...]]

11 days from my last Xanax......super jittery and agitated with same symptoms, taking Remeron 2x at night to get maybe 3 hours sleep.

[[Pa...]]

The power these drugs have is scary isn't it?  The quantities you took and the duration of your use is nothing compared to what we see here, but look at what it has done to you.  Your brain adapted to the drug so quickly, it ceased it's normal function in order to accommodate the drug, that's pretty scary.  Your short time use of the drug altered your brain, why do we give a stupid pill that kind of power over us?  I think if most of us would have known what this drug does, we wouldn't have ever touched it.

 

 

[[Ma...]]

I know you are tired of hearing this VonDark, it's awful and you just want it to stop.  We know, but we are here hoping each day to see that new number and hopefully soon, you will be telling us about your first improvement.  We will celebrate with you!!  We are here with you, Mary 💜💜

[[Vo...]]

Thank you Mary and Pam, your support really means a lot.