Please some more advice

[[el...]]

Please if anyone can help.  How do you find more help?  My doctors know a lot but tell me to do things that have made me worse!  I now have bad symptoms all night...headache...burning...they tell me if I don’t keep tapering they won’t see me.  My prescription is enough I think fir 12 days.  If I up dose  and hold they will be gone.  How do you find anither doctor?  My internist us on vacation fir a week ... thus has been the story all along and has backed off because if the politics.  Is thus headache and burning withdrawal?  I told the psychologist if I kept pushing it could be bad fir my health.  He said ridiculous...good fir health to taper .. but I want the symptoms.  Can this be rectified? Is it too late?

I feel like a big failure if inuodiseca little. Elise

[Guest [ba...]]

Burning, headaches (and lots of other nasty symptoms) are perfectly normal during withdrawal. 

[[Pa...]]

I can see you're in a difficult spot, you're scared and suffering and in your situation many would hold their dose in order to stabilize a bit but you can't because your Dr's are directing your taper, is this the case?  Have you looked for another Dr, one who would be willing to listen to your concerns?

 

As badsocref indicated, what you're experiencing is normal, when I was feeling as you are it helped me to read chapter 3 of  The Ashton Manual.  She lists our symptoms and why we feel them, it helped me to know what I was feeling was common. 

 

I'm uncertain about your last sentence but I don't feel you're a failure, it looks like you've been doing a smart taper but it still hurts, this is the nature of this process unfortunately. 

 

 

[[el...]]

Thanks for the responses. This is day three of this taper , the symptoms were even worse tonite. If I hold could it calm down?  I usually am an effective person.  This just is not going right.  But it can be fixed....I will try even harder to find an md.  I really don’t want to go up in dose.  Once in withdrawal does it get worse unless you up dose?  If you continue to taper....do people do that just to get off? The next cut is big , they changed it and want me to cut from 1 1/2 tablets to 1 1/4 If .25mg xanax tablets.    I know nieve  questions,  I am new to this.  If worse comes to worse I think my internist might  step in. 

Thank you for your answers, very helpful. Elise

[Guest [ba...]]

The symptoms you're experiencing are very common during tapering and withdrawal.  Symptoms often get worse right after a dose reduction, then they often improve somewhat.  But it's quite common for people to experience some degree of withdrawal symptoms during their entire taper.

 

To some degree, you adjust the intensity of your withdrawal symptoms by adjusting the size of your dose reduction.  Smaller reductions will lead to less intense symptoms than big reductions.  So make reductions that don't cause you too much discomfort.

 

A reduction from 1 1/2 to 1 1/4 is a 20% cut.  That's a big cut!  We usually recommend reductions of no greater than 10% and a lot of people cut by much less than that.

[[Ch...]]

Hi elise. 

 

I’m responding to your PM here because we must give taper advice only on the open forum.  This is for your protection in case bad advice is offered.

 

You’re tapering carefully according to your signature. If you have a physician who will step in and help you by continuing to prescribe as you lower your dose, that would be best in my opinion. It sounds like you are very sensitive to reductions.

 

Updosing once tapering has started is often not effective in alleviating symptoms. If it were me I’d try to continue with the small cuts you’ve been making.

 

Stress makes symptoms worse...I would do whatever I could to avoid stress while you taper. Chamomile tea, a heating pad, whatever helps keep things calm. Distracting oneself is also very effective.

 

You can do this... it’s hard, I know, but it’s what we do to get ourselves back to normal.  We’re here to help you get through it.

 

[[el...]]

Challis and others thank you.  Ok I will try and do this.  We were doing 1/8 cuts and then she decided to change it .  She is not happy with me for talking to the internist.  I complain sometimes and say things I regret.  The drug has me not thinking straight.  So I will stay on this cut of 1/8 fir the week and call her...she usually doesn’t respond but I will do the 1/8 cuts I guess .  I don’t think I could handle bigger.  I am disabled by this .  I have 2 more months at this speed .  If I do the quarter tapers a on the. That would probably be destined to failure?  What do you thunk?  Thank you elise

[[el...]]

I meant the cut is 1/8 th of a tab  or .03 mg.  If I did have extra pills would I do anything diuerentlt?  Just to vent a little I have been suffering from the day she prescribed this.  Something is not rught about this.  Tonite the pills did not work at all.  If I found a doctor, what would they change?  I appreciate your help and knowledge.  I could use my extra pills till my internist is back..,but not sure what  I would take....  Elise

[[el...]]

Thank you for your responses!  So helpful and made things seem solvable.  If they stand firm and I can’t get the prescription and am forced to do the quarter cut..... I know I am really sensitive.... would it be doable?  Thank you , Eluse

[[Pa...]]

I meant the cut is 1/8 th of a tab  or .03 mg.  If I did have extra pills would I do anything diuerentlt?  Just to vent a little I have been suffering from the day she prescribed this.  Something is not rught about this.  Tonite the pills did not work at all.  If I found a doctor, what would they change?  I appreciate your help and knowledge.  I could use my extra pills till my internist is back..,but not sure what  I would take....  Elise

 

A different Dr might allow you to go at a slower pace, this is the only thing we've found to help manage withdrawal symptoms.

 

What do you mean by the sentence I've bolded, what extra pills, what are they?

 

 

[[Ca...]]

Im wondering if this article might help you understand the possible different mindsets that could be in play with the Drs, and perhaps help with any future conversations...

Sorry if its no help, and that its a bit of a read..

 

https://www.benzoinfo.com/2016/09/05/dont-harm-them-twice-when-the-language-surrounding-benzodiazepines-adds-insult-to-injury-part-1/

 

Sorry your in a tough spot Elise, It can be hard enough getting free without added Dr stress and adequate tapering supplies (if needed)...

 

Many people have gotten through though, -despite the challenges, and you will too..

 

[[to...]]

Please if anyone can help.  How do you find more help?  My doctors know a lot but tell me to do things that have made me worse!  I now have bad symptoms all night...headache...burning...they tell me if I don’t keep tapering they won’t see me.  My prescription is enough I think fir 12 days.  If I up dose  and hold they will be gone.  How do you find anither doctor?  My internist us on vacation fir a week ... thus has been the story all along and has backed off because if the politics.  Is thus headache and burning withdrawal?  I told the psychologist if I kept pushing it could be bad fir my health.  He said ridiculous...good fir health to taper .. but I want the symptoms.  Can this be rectified? Is it too late?

I feel like a big failure if inuodiseca little. Elise

Elise - please try to not feel like a failure - you are not a failure.  I have had a hard time with my taper and finding a doctor that will help me.  Fortunately, a few weeks ago, I found a  Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who is amazing and is helping me and also helped me find a therapist that is helping me with dealing with anxiety and the anger I have being put on Xanax and all the pain and anxiety I have felt since being put on it.

First - if you are not happy with your doctor , you can do a internet search - doctors in (whatever your state in) that will prescribe Xanax (since that is what your signature says you are taking)  You will see a list of doctors in your state and you can check with your insurance and see if they cover any of them.  Then I would choose a couple and call their office and asked if they help with tapering.  That is what I did and also you can search for a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who can help to and can prescribe your medication.

I am truly blessed to have found one a few weeks ago that is caring and understanding and is helping me with my taper.  I moved to another state last October and it took me 9 months to find someone who would help me.

 

I had never had a panic attack until I was put on Xanax and then was cold turkeyed from it after 3 months.  Then I had panic attacks daily, multiple times a day for several months - I had them until I was put back on Xanax and it took a year to stabilize.  It is hard and it is scary but you can do it.  With the small dose you are on, I believe you can do this and be successful.  Being on here shows you are trying and we are here for you.

 

Remember to be kind to yourself, it is NOT your fault you are in the situation you are in.

 

Take care

 

[[el...]]

It is an old prescription, 8 years , about 25 pills.  Not sure if they

Would work.  I am trying to find a new doctor.  Not feeling great in afternoon and wondering after

Tapering like this how one would even know how much to take.  Eluse

[[el...]]

That last statement was incomplete.  After tapering so hard like this how would one know how much to

Take to up dose?  Elise

[[ba...]]

Go up as little as possible...as small as you can cut the pill. And see if that helps.

 

All the symptoms you've described I have dealt with as well. I'm at the tail end of getting of benzos. Each month I've made reductions, and for about 7-10 days per month its pretty bad and the rest of the month is fine. So to answer a question you had a few posts back...if you hold at your taper it should get better.

 

The symptoms for me seem delayed. I seem to feel the worse of my symptoms beginning a week after a reduction

[[el...]]

I wish I had that luxury, t o hold.  I am scared I will not come out of this whole.  I think as someone pointed out, my doctors look at me as I drug seeker.  The may not understand it is about the symptoms, I hate this drug.  I will try Monday to get back to the longer taper. Wondering if the burning anxiety I feel from the taper will be permanent as they push me ?  Wondering with the the quarter cuts I will not get my life back,  have been on it three months and have lots of side effects. So sad about this.  Thanks fir the responses.  Elise

[[di...]]

It can be difficult to think straight when you're going through this but if you don't have the luxury to hold, you certainly don't have the luxury to updose. My concern with using the old pills is that if they are expired, they may have lost potency so it's difficult to know what you're really taking. I wouldn't throw them out because of the issues you're having with your doctor. I would forget that they exist and keep them in case of emergency. What you are going through might seem like an emergency but unfortunately, it can be a lot worse. An emergency would be if you were feeling like this and have no access to pills.

 

I remember you saying in a previous thread that you live in a remote area and don't have much choice with who your doctor is. Is it impossible to travel further or is it the inconvenience/cost that is stopping you? I thought tolnbltp's suggestion to approach doctors specifically asking if they will help you with a slow taper from Xanax was a very good one. I would do whatever I could in your shoes to find a doctor that can at least not harm you. It could improve your situation drastically.

 

I strongly advise against updosing. Any relief will be temporary and you'd be digging a bigger hole. It would be better to have a mindset of this not being an option and definitely don't mention it to doctors because they will take it as a sign of addiction which won't help.

[[el...]]

Hello again,  I am doing the last night of .375 mg .  I have left a message for my doctor to talk about the taper and she will not call me back.  Also there is a renewal for my prescription , it doesn’t totally cover the pills for a month.  But pretty close.  Tonite took the 1 1/2 tabs and slept fir 2 hours with burning scalp.  I was crying all day having weird head feelings.  Can’t function.  Tomorrow supposed to do the 1/4?cut.  I am terrified and thinking of doing the 1/8 th tablet cut we started out with.  Thinking of putting in another call to her.  I can only think she is fed up I talked to the internist about the taper.. incorrectly thought the 7 percent cut was too long.  I was wrong... I am in withdrawal now I think all the time?  Also severely anxious... so could be complicated.  Am I destined for health problems long term?  Do I just keep tapering every week as they want ?  Dies burning scalP at night wean withdrawal?  Of course the dose doesn’t help me sleep right now.  Will try chamomile.  One other question ...two nights ago .., I had my one and a half pills by my bed side ...I took the whole and just rested fir a minute before taking the half and I fell asleep!!! I woke at two am and realized it so took it.  I think this affected my stability and is why felt worse past two days.  Can I go totally crazy from this?

I need some hope to believe I can get through this.  I found a addiction specialist 2 hours away, he is a hospitalist ... need a referral ... working on it.  My freinds have possible referrals out of state...could do on line.  Not sure how prescriptions would work.  I am afraid will be so debilitated soon.  Is that true? 

I can not say why she would suddenly change th be taoer fri 7 percent to 16 percent.  If I am

In constant withdrawal is continuing just to taper the rught way?  Thank you for your comments..they really help.  Am I destined to fail the taper?  Also they have made me so afraid to talk to anyone... I have an appointment with my internist.. wonder if should ask her gir help...she might...I would be taoering in my own if she would but political allly she may not help.  Elise

[[el...]]

I had two days in a row if feeling c

Very weird, like depersonaluzed, I think.  So so scared.  Is this really bad?  Could this be bad long term?  So sad, E lisr

 

[[el...]]

I know I have so many questions and anxiety.  With this taper now it is hard to think, don’t want to really see my friends...will this resolves when over?  Is this just part of tapering? Elise

[[Pa...]]

I know I have so many questions and anxiety.  With this taper now it is hard to think, don’t want to really see my friends...will this resolves when over?  Is this just part of tapering? Elise

 

Your symptoms and all normal Elise, and I know it's crazy to call this awful mess normal but it's important that you educate yourself so you don't have as much fear.  Please take some time to read the symptoms listed in chapter 3 of  The Ashton Manual, it helped me to not be so afraid, I hope it helps you.  She tells us why we feel them, all of these symptoms are from the drug, they're not you.

 

Agoraphobia, fear and avoiding people are all common too, so don't worry about not wanting to see your friends, when you recover from this, you'll be back to your old self, I did.

[[el...]]

Thank you, I have read it many times.  But your nite is reassuring.  I am supposed to taoer tonite...so scared to but know I need to to get my life back.  Thank you elise

[[ba...]]

Elise,

 

have you read this? http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=232042.0

 

taken from Pamster's signature. Very helpful!!!

[[el...]]

Yes, I did awhile ago.  I will relook at it.  I guess my hurdle now is to get over the fear of theses side effects which are making it hard to move forward, especially when they are pushing the taper .  Thank you, Elise

[[el...]]

Thank you Pamster, I like that sentence , they are from the drug , not you.  I am so afraid when I iff the drug some of those symptoms may remain, so thank you.  E