Day 3 xanax withdrawal

[[bc...]]

 

I have been taking .5mg xanax for anxiety once per day sometimes twice on odd occasion.

 

After being on and off xanax over the past 7 years with having periods of 6 months of not taking the medication but also have made the mistake of mixing with alcohol. I have stopped cold Turkey no taper

I have taken the step to stop taking this medication permanently. After 3 days my sleep is not very good. Have minimal anxiety. 

I am handling the symptoms at day 3 very well and thought I would be way worse

Am I over the worse of the withdrawals ? Previously in the past when coming off xanax things got better after 4 days.

I use cannabis to aid and mirtazapine.

What's anyone's thoughts on my situation or any help

 

[[Co...]]

Hello @[bc...]. Welcome to BenzoBuddies.

Did you stop cold turkey in the past? If so, from what dose and how did you fare?

0.5mg Xanax per day is a fairly low dose, and there is great variability in how people react. You might be fine in a few days, or withdrawal symptoms could go on for some time. Since you have already quit, it is probably better to wait and see what happens rather than reinstate.

Have you advised your doctor about your withdrawal?

[[bc...]]

@[Co...] all times in the past have been cold Turkey.

I have not advised my doctor of what my intentions are. I just want to be off xanax before it creates a bigger issue in the future.

My main reason for use is sleep as I have been a shift worker and it destroyed my sleep.

Also high anxiety level due to ex parenteral issues

[[Co...]]

@[bc...] I'm logging off for the night, but just a quick note to add to make you aware that repeated cycles of use of this class of medication can result in them no longer working as they once did and/or greater difficulty quitting in a subsequent withdrawal.* It is just something for you to consider. Not that sticking on benzodiazepines indefinitely is a good option either.

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindling_(sedative–hypnotic_withdrawal)

[[bc...]]

@[Co...] thankyou for that information. The times I have come back to xanax my tolerance has been lowered by I'd say 20% but doesn't take long before I peak at 0.5mg again ( normally within 2 weeks). 

I've also quit cannabis and xanax alcohol at the same time and came good in 5 days from both. But struggled insanely. When I stop it is normally short and sharp. That is why I am sticking with cold Turkey. 

 

I have now introduced gaba powder into my diet aswell as magnesium. Will update you on progress of this in 2 days

[[PE...]]

19 minutes ago, [[b...] said:

@[Co...] thankyou for that information. The times I have come back to xanax my tolerance has been lowered by I'd say 20% but doesn't take long before I peak at 0.5mg again ( normally within 2 weeks). 

I've also quit cannabis and xanax alcohol at the same time and came good in 5 days from both. But struggled insanely. When I stop it is normally short and sharp. That is why I am sticking with cold Turkey. 

I have now introduced gaba powder into my diet aswell as magnesium. Will update you on progress of this in 2 days

Hi hope you are as good as you can be.

About the gaba powder you bought. I don't know why they still sells it because it's not working. I tried it a few Years ago in high and low doses and got zero effect. It's not crossing the blood/brain barrier so it's impossible for it to work.

I was on phenibut daily for 6 years. That shit works but have a really nasty withdrawal and i really don't promote for it.

Best you can do IMO is to let those gaba receptors rest.

Peace..

[[ns...]]

3 hours ago, [[C...] said:

@[bc...] I'm logging off for the night, but just a quick note to add to make you aware that repeated cycles of use of this class of medication can result in them no longer working as they once did and/or greater difficulty quitting in a subsequent withdrawal.* It is just something for you to consider. Not that sticking on benzodiazepines indefinitely is a good option either.

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindling_(sedative–hypnotic_withdrawal)

Hi Colin, I wouldn't advise anyone on how to taper. I will tell you that when u start and stop and start again, you can cause an inner dose withdrawal or paradoxical reaction where the benzo actually causes a reverse reaction. If your going to quit,  quit, either taper or how ever u plan to do this but please,  don't go off and on. It wasn't by choice that I was off abd on, but 8 months ago went back on, 4 months ago I had and still have a paradoxical reaction, the taper is terrible because they are causing a reverse effect. For 4 months I've been tapering off of 4mg lorazapam.  1mg 4x per day, it has been a living nightmare. Now I'm down to 1mg split into 4 doses, almost there. The withdrawals come when I take my dose, panic attacks,  high Aniety, and every symptom of withdrawl you can have. 

These meds are dangerous, how they affect people is different for everyone, please just go off, taper or whatever to get it done. It's a small dose, should be fairly easy right now, so just please do it ok, would hate to see anyone go thru horrible symptoms like many of us do.but you're at an advantage right now, that's such a small dose, you can taje your time, or just do a quick taper. Depending on your symptoms you might just be one of the lucky ones who skates thru it,  but please don't go back ok.

Just sayin

[[bc...]]

@[ns...] ohh wow. What you just said ill never forget.

run well I can run hard and fast and don't look back.

I'm going into day 4 now. I'm still felling not to bad little bit of anxiety but bearable. Can't sleep but I can feel my brain starting to try trick itself to fall asleep.

Thankyou for your words.

 

[[Gr...]]

Probably that's it, if you weren't  using it every day. I am on different benzo for many years, but I cannot even say that I am "on it". Just occasional cautious use as really needed. Took it just once in the past 7 days. Only minimal dose (0.25mg or even less, xanax equivalent, if compared) and not daily, just when needed. I do not consider myself addicted, or having any kind of tolerance or withdrawals. It works as usual. Was smart enough to visit benzobuddies to scare me to death and watch over myself. Long ago I used it for 2 weeks and tapered for 1 or 2 and that's it. At that time I had parallel withdrawals from stopping heavy caffeine use. Wanted to calm myself, but ended with headaches, more anxiety and poor sleep for a month.

Edited January 9 by [Gr...]
error

[[Co...]]

Welcome back to BenzoBuddies, @[Gr...]. What brings you back after such a long time? Are you OK?

[[bc...]]

Day 4 is coming to an end.

Feel pretty good. Hands feet are little bit clammy

I can feel my body re-adjusting. I get a wave of anxiety and quickly my body responds.

I can't think of anything stressful or be involved in stressful situations. I've eliminated stress for 2 weeks.

I can 100% say these withdrawals are way way less then last time. But this time I didn't mix with alcohol and I fact I stopped alcohol for 6 months while on xanax. Maybe the alcohol is what made withdrawal worse last time

5 hours sleep last night also.

 

 

 

Edited January 9 by [bc...]

[[bc...]]

@[Co...] would I be at risk of kindling even tho my withdrawals are minimum. 

There will be times where i will need to take on only occasions. It wqs prescribed to me as 1-2 0.5mg tablets. I only took 0.5mg only. every now and again I redose and take 2 0.5 mg tablets

 

My tolerance through out the year really stayed the same didn't increase. 

Thanks in advance

[[Co...]]

Hi @[bc...]. Kindling, as I understand it, is the product of chronic use, cessation, and repeated chronic use of sedative medications and alcohol. Specifically, it is the withdrawal process which can cause kindling to occur. And the more cycles, the greater the risk. I am not aware of a risk of developing kindling effects with truly occasional use. I expect that what constitutes chronic use will somewhat depend upon the half-life value of the medication/drug. So, perhaps, (and I am guessing here) taking diazepam (half-life of 36-200 hours) once per week might constitute chronic use, but zolpidem (half-life of about 2 hours) taken once per day might not. There are probably other factors of course - the big one being individual variability in susceptibility to kindling effects.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindling_(sedative–hypnotic_withdrawal)

[[bc...]]

I more then likely will be in the firing line there I use to use ambien, temazapam,zolplcone for 2 years also, long history with benzos.

Day 5 today.

Wow what an achievement so far. I am proud of myself.

Last night I achieved 7 hours of full sleep Un disturbed.

Feeling way better then yesterday but still abit to go. I'm through the thick of it now I think.

Now it's time to start looking at my overall health and start the journey of stopping mirtapine. 

Fingers crossed that it will be a breeze but thinking I will have some dramas.

✌️ 

[[ns...]]

4 minutes ago, [[b...] said:

I more then likely will be in the firing line there I use to use ambien, temazapam,zolplcone for 2 years also, long history with benzos.

Day 5 today.

Wow what an achievement so far. I am proud of myself.

Last night I achieved 7 hours of full sleep Un disturbed.

Feeling way better then yesterday but still abit to go. I'm through the thick of it now I think.

Now it's time to start looking at my overall health and start the journey of stopping mirtapine. 

Fingers crossed that it will be a breeze but thinking I will have some dramas.

✌️

Great job! Hang in there, it could get Rocky but maybe not! You just might pull this off! If you do, Just don't go back on them ok, please don't risk it. I'm amazed, keep a ck on your cns ok, 5 days amazing!

Take care now 

Ns