Went CT from Xanax scared of seizures please help!

[[Ma...]]

Hello, I know I made another thread but I am very scared, I am only 23 and my birthday is on the 14th this month and I am scared I will die before that.

 

I was given Xanax 2 months ago but I took it only for 3 days and stopped without any withdrawal symptoms. However my original panic attacks and anxiety I was given this for came back and my therapist just told me to take Xanax and so did my father because they didn't think it's a big deal.

 

My timeline is a bit like this:

 

27th May - 0.125

28th May - 0.125

30th May - 0.125

31st May - 0.125

1st June - 0.125

2nd June - 0.125

3rd June - 0.25

4th June - 0.125

5th June - 0. 125

6th June - 0

7th June - 0.0625 (1/4 of a 0.25 because I thought I am having a seizure)

8th June - 0

9th June - 0 (today)

 

I am scared of going CT now and considering taking another dose because I am scared if having a seizure. I am home alone and fear I might hurt myself. Today I've had the worst foggy head and that's what I'm afraid of. My doctor will see me on Thursday but she wants me to keep taking it. I am so scared and I just want off this drug. Please someone tell me if I can CT and how long will I be suffering symptoms? My heart is racing right now but I am not sure if it's anxiety or the withdrawal.

 

Please guys I need some help and support, I am all alone in this mess, no one told me Xanax can be so bad and it just made me feel good. I feel so guilty for listening to my therapist and father and taking it. I should've fought my anxiety instead of fighting both of them now.

I am just so scared of a seizure

[[ea...]]

Marie, sweetheart,

You have nothing to fear. You  did not take benzos long enough to produce the damage yo read about ere on BB. Your doses weee very low. You did not use benzos along time. You rsk of seizures is EXTREMELY low. About NIL, to be exact.

Your fears and worries are very normal for someone getting off benzos.

You mention hurting yourself. That is something BB cannot help you with. If you really think you might hurt yourself, seek Medical attention asap.

Most of us feel just as you do. Let down. We trusted our doctors and therapists. And their advice on benzos turned out to be pretty dang wrong.  And so we learn. Slowly and painfully, we learn.

Learning to live without yet another damn pill can be really difficult. But this wlll always be better for us!

Let me know what you decide to do.

east

[[Ma...]]

Thank you East

I got scared because off benzos I began having weird dissociative symptoms, feeling like the world has changed and feeling different and a bit absent. I also got racing heart and sweating but that might as well be anxiety.

 

I am just worried about seizures, I have no suicidal thoughts and just felt a little emotionally disconnected from everything today as well as scared of seizures. I hope I wasn't taking long enough to cause significant WD symptoms and that I can get off this quickly. I want to be clean again, I've had anxiety since 16 and I've always fought it on my own.

[[Ma...]]

Bumping this because I am scared of seizures and I don't know if I should taper with 0.0625 for a bit more before making a jump just to be safe because I live alone and if I have a seizure I am scared no one will help me.

 

Should I taper off with 0.0625? Or make the jump now?

[[no...]]

Thank you East

I got scared because off benzos I began having weird dissociative symptoms, feeling like the world has changed and feeling different and a bit absent. I also got racing heart and sweating but that might as well be anxiety.

 

I am just worried about seizures, I have no suicidal thoughts and just felt a little emotionally disconnected from everything today as well as scared of seizures. I hope I wasn't taking long enough to cause significant WD symptoms and that I can get off this quickly. I want to be clean again, I've had anxiety since 16 and I've always fought it on my own.

Its all  anxiety  symptoms and nothing to do with the Benzo's because your freaking yourself out you have absolutely nothing to fear, your over thinking it and your thoughts are running away , try some breathing or meditation vids on you tube, or a nice relaxing bath or warm shower and calm yourself down its your own thinking that's the problem and nothing else. Do something active if you want anything that will distract your negative thinking house work, go for a nice walk whatever, your not going to die, have fits or any other bad thought you have its just all thoughts and thoughts can't harm you. I find telling then to F--K OFF!! When my head starts going really helpful 

 

 

          Nova xxx  :smitten:

[[Ma...]]

Thank you Nova. I'll be seeing my doctor tomorrow just to be safe but until then I got to hang in there.

 

I know I wasn't using for long but read stories where people got some pretty bad withdrawal from just 3 weeks of 0.25 daily. Yeah I used less but I just want to be off this ride and I promise I won't put Xanax in my mouth again.

[[Th...]]

You are not going to have a seizure.  I CT'd from 2mg of Klonoping and 30mg of Temazepam and didn't have seizures.  I know everyone is different, but even if you had a seizure, you might not even notice it.  Very few people get grand mal seizures or seizures that are life threatening.  It's very rare.

 

As others have said, you were on a low dose for a short time period and even though you did a fast taper, you will be fine.  I was a short-term user (6 months) of 4 different Benzos at various doses, but I always had to updose to get the same effect from the Benzos as I reached tolerance.

 

Even my PCP said I could stop CT as he didn't think there would be any risk of seizures.  He was right about that, but wrong about Benzo WD.  He didn't even believe in Benzo WD.

 

At any rate, you'll be fine.  You are young and will most likely recover quickly?

[[Ma...]]

Thank you ThEwAy2, I am sorry that you had to through this too. I was taking this for health anxiety so you can see how my biggest concern is health. I honestly wish I never took this "magic" pill and I want to be free from it and back to my old life as anxious as it was.

[[Ma...]]

Should I just CT this completely and ride it out or take the 0.0625 if symptoms become too bad? Is dry throat a symptom of withdrawal?

[[Th...]]

A wide variety of symptoms are possible.

 

MENTAL/COGNITIVE/BEHAVIORAL SIGNS

 

Aggressive Behavior

Agitation/Irritability/Short Tempered/Rage Outbursts

Agoraphobia

Anhedonia

Anxiety/Panic/Terror Attacks/Development of Various Fears and Phobias

Apathy

Cognitive Impairment/Fog

Confusion

Crying

Depression

Depersonalization

Derealization

Dysphoria

Emotional Lability

Feeling numb or like a “zombie on autopilot”/Feeling over-sedated

Hallucinations

Hearing Voices

Impaired Judgment

Intrusive thoughts/Excessive negative thinking and feelings of doom

Irrational Thoughts and Behavior

Loss of Creativity

Mania

Memory & Concentration Issues

Monophobia

Mood Swings

Neurocognitive problems

Obsessive compulsive or other “odd” behavior

Paranoia

Personality Changes

Reckless Behavior

Self-Harming Thoughts and Behavior

Stress Intolerance

Suicidal Ideation

 

PHYSICAL SIGNS

 

Adrenaline Rushes

Akathisia/Restlessness

Allergies & Sensitivities increasing or developing

Appetite changes

Aura

Blood Pressure Issues, fluctuations

Cardiac Symptoms – Bradycardia (slow heart rate), Tachycardia (rapid heart rate), Heart Palpitations, Pounding heart

Clenching jaw, especially during sleep (TMJ)

Chills

Increased susceptibility to illness, stress on the immune system

Diminished Motor Skills – Clumsiness, Coordination Problems, Difficulty walking, Dropping things, Falling down

Dizziness/Vertigo/Balance Issues (General vestibular disturbances)

Drooling

Dysautonomia Symptoms

Dysphagia (swallowing difficulty)

Earache

Exhaustion

Fainting

Fasciculations (benign)

Fatigue/Lethargy/Weakness

Flu-Like Symptoms

Frequent Urination

Gastrointestinal Symptoms

Grinding Teeth / TMJ problms

Hair Loss

Headaches

Hearing loss or changes

Hormonal Issues

Hyperacusis (sensitivity to sound frequency)

Inner Vibrating or Buzzing

Intolerance to cold and heat

Itching/Skin Rashes/Hives

Joint Pain (And other joint issues)

Lightheaded

Loss of Coordination

Malaise

Menstrual Issues

Migraine with or without aura

Motion sickness susceptibility

Muscle Symptoms – Clenching, Cramping, Loss of muscle tone, Over-or under-active muscle reflexes, Pain, Spasms, Squeezing, Stiffness, Tension, Twitching

Nerve Pain

Paresthesia – Tingling, tickling, prickling, numbness, burning of skin

Perceptual disturbance (feeling of being on a boat, feelings of unreality, deja vu, etc.)

Peripheral Neuropathy

Photophobia

Phonophobia

Respiratory – Shortness of breath, Can’t get deep breath, Labored breathing, Over-breathing

Sensitivity to light and sound

Sensitivity to smells, including naturally occurring smells or chemicals such as fragrance

Sensitivity to temperature, weather and pressure changes

Shaking/Rigors/Tremors

Sleep Issues – Excessive sleeping, Insomnia, Myoclonic jerks, Sleep paralysis, No dreaming, Vivid dreaming, Nightmares

Slurred Speech

Sweats

Tachycardia between doses or in the morning, or generalized

Tight Throat/Ball-in-throat sensation

Tinnitus (Ringing or pulsatile effects in ears)

Tremors

Vision Issues – blurred vision, seeing spots, grainy visions, after-images, sensitivities

Weight Loss

Withdrawal symptoms that will intensify between doses or near dosing times

[[Ma...]]

Thank you for this list!

Is there anything about how long should I watch out for seizures? How many days will be the worst symptoms and if symptoms will be milder the less I was on this drug? Anything like that? I just need some hope to get me through the fear that I will have a seizure or die from this withdrawal

[[...]]

Honestly, it sounds like your anxiety is getting the better of you. Definitely talk to your doctor but I'll tell you what my doctor told me. I have been on two and a half mgs of Xanax for 14 years. He told me my dose was most likely too low to cause a seziure. I was surprised because I thought of my dose as high. At any rate, you've only been talking it for a very short time and a small amount. Hopefully your doctor can advise you about the panic though. It seems like your anxiety is what is getting to you.

[[Ma...]]

Could be anxiety having a hand in this, I am just very worried about seizures for some reason, I feel guilty I was pressured into this and took it for so long, it was helping at the time, but I just want to be safely off this drug and not take it again. It's really hard when I was taking it exactly against health anxiety and here I am with health anxiety

[[Ma...]]

Okay so a little update: Went to my doctor today - she wasn't mad I took Xanax for 9 days and said that the doses were small enough that I could just quit cold turkey but she was kinda impressed that I did a quick taper - she said it's not a medically right way but it was a safer way. I am still somewhat scared of seizures but I guess I have to wait it out now since I got nothing to lose.

 

She however wants to put me on Valium and Lexapro in the future because I was supposed to take Lexapro just I couldn't deal with the side effects so I quit after the first few doses. Anyone has any experience with Valium and Lexapro?

[[So...]]

Ummm Valium is a long acting benzo.

Xanax is a short acting benzo.

You don't want Valium if you don't want Xanax.

Lexapro is an SSRI

I know doctors always WANT to prescribe something for anxiety, but honestly there are other natural treatments and therapies you can try before meds.

I would research that and do some SSRI research first.

[[...]]

Well, that's really up to you and your doctor to decide but Valium is definitely a benzo. It's longer acting but it's still a benzo. If you are this scared of seizures and side effects you might want to look at other options. But, hopefully you can figure out how to control your anxiety in a healthy way. I am a lifelong anxiety sufferer so I can relate!

[[Ma...]]

Thank you SRR but I just wanna get off benzos. I was handling my anxiety just fine before my father forced me on these pills and the stupid lockdown. I am scared of a seizure now as I am withdrawing.

[[or...]]

Marie, a couple of things.

 

One, as many on here have told you, you will not have a seizure. I CT'd from a pretty high dose of Xanax a few years ago (as much as 4 mgs a day) and I didn't have one.

 

Two, I would push back as hard as you can against others wanting you to take valium or Lexapro. I know your doc wants to *help* you, but just step back for a minute. All of us here are slowly trying to untangle ourselves from drugs. Right now, except for your bit of Xanax (and yes, why not taper it to zero -- there's no downside) you're drug-free. Why not keep things that way? Marie, pills don't "fix" anxiety. Or anything else. And they bring with them a host of other potential problems: rotten s/x, tolerance, and then miserable withdrawals. Why set yourself up for that?

 

YOu may reject this next part, but it's worked for me. When I got rid of my drugs, I knew I needed help. I am an anxious person. I get depressed sometimes also. So I sought out a therapist (NOT a psych or anyone who has a prescription pad). An old-fashioned "talk therapist", not someone who does CBT. I've been seeing her for a few years and she's been more help to me than I can tell you. You really can get on top of your anxiety if you work at understanding what's making you so anxious. Sure, therapists' offices are closed, but most of them are doing tele-therapy. I meet with my therapist online 2 x a week. I bet you could find someone who would work with you about your anxiety.

 

So those are my observations.

 

Hope you find help. Anxiety is miserable, I know.

 

Best to you.

 

 

Katz

[[Ma...]]

Thank you Katz. I actually have a talk therapist and I've been seeing her since 16. She was always against drugs but since the lockdown my anxiety skyrocketed - I have health anxiety so you can imagine. And since I was anxious for 3 months, lost 12 pounds and failed all my classes. As a last resort my therapist sent me to a psychiatrist who gave me Xanax. And then my father and therapist just pressured me to take a bit. They assured me nothing will happen and well this happened. Really really shitty withdrawal. I am 5 days at 0 now, so I am hoping this will began easing up. That brain swelling thing followed by sudden fear of death is the worst symptom. I am going to stay away from drugs and I am angry that I was so desperate that I gave in after 8 years of refusing. They broke all my defenses because after 3 months of intense anxiety I was too tired to fight, isolated and alone cause of COVID. If I die I want to die sober and I want off this hell drug. I want my soul back.