Suffering but Hopeful and Thankful

[[Tw...]]

I quit Xanax 14 mg per day 6 weeks ago. I have been taking benzodiazepines for 20 years. I am looking for any suggestions or advice on how to cope with the withdrawal symptoms. 

After quitting Xanax cold turkey at an inpatient detox facility, I experienced severe confusion, hallucinations , muscle spasms, severe panic attacks, severe insomnia,  complete lack of sleep, and muscle spasms. These symptoms are all gone now. 

Currently, I am still experiencing night sweats, low blood pressure, brain fog, difficulty with short term memory, physical coordination problems, impaired motor skills, excitability, hyperactivity, and sensitivity to light, sound, touch and smell, can't drive, can't work, and it's embarrassing to go out and engage too much with the public because of my clumsiness and rapid speech. 

 

 

[[Rh...]]

So it seems your past the acute withdrawal phase and have entered the “post acute phase”.  This is where the worst of the symptoms have left, subsided in intensity or you have windows and waves.  For me, the only thing that has ever helped even remotely was magnesium glycinate and low dose melatonin (for sleep).  BUT you have to start at very teeny tiny doses of each one at separate times and see how you react.

You are still so, so early in your recovery phase and the fact you’ve already felt some small improvements is a great sight of healing already taking place.  Everything else will go in time and/or you’ll have the windows and waves pattern wherein symptoms lessen or go away (windows) or come back or new symptoms appear (waves).

Time is the truest healer though and finding ways to cope and distract are the best things to do. I go on walks (several some days), pray, do house chores (as I’m unable to work), hang with my kids, do gardening and yard work, etc…some people are bedridden and can’t do much so there is meditation, podcasts, TV or reading (if your able) tapping, grounding, and lots of other things.

You can do this and this too shall pass!

Edited April 26 by [Rh...]
Spelling

[[PE...]]

Wow that was a big dose of xanax! I was also on big doses and quit fast. You done really good so far but it might take some time before you are 100% ok.

I'm 7 months out and doing ok. Still some mental discomfort and tinnitus but can't really complain. 

Well done!

[[je...]]

I am so sorry you had to endure a cold turkey. That must have been brutal. You are still very early in recovery but it sounds like you have some level of functionality if you’re able to go out and interact with the public. That is very promising. 

The best thing most of us find to deal with symptoms is distraction. If you can find something that you enjoy to focus on and take your mind off your symptoms it will really help a lot. This can be anything from building puzzles, knitting, gardening, baking, doing projects around the house - whatever interests you and whatever you are physically able to do. 

I hope that you will see some real improvement in your symptoms. You have a wonderful attitude because gratitude and hope will help you mentally conquer this journey. You can do this!

[[Tw...]]

17 hours ago, [[R...] said:

So it seems your past the acute withdrawal phase and have entered the “post acute phase”.  This is where the worst of the symptoms have left, subsided in intensity or you have windows and waves.  For me, the only thing that has ever helped even remotely was magnesium glycinate and low dose melatonin (for sleep).  BUT you have to start at very teeny tiny doses of each one at separate times and see how you react.

You are still so, so early in your recovery phase and the fact you’ve already felt some small improvements is a great sight of healing already taking place.  Everything else will go in time and/or you’ll have the windows and waves pattern wherein symptoms lessen or go away (windows) or come back or new symptoms appear (waves).

Time is the truest healer though and finding ways to cope and distract are the best things to do. I go on walks (several some days), pray, do house chores (as I’m unable to work), hang with my kids, do gardening and yard work, etc…some people are bedridden and can’t do much so there is meditation, podcasts, TV or reading (if your able) tapping, grounding, and lots of other things.

You can do this and this too shall pass!

Thank you so much for your advice and suggestions. It gives me Hope and Encouragement. I appreciate your feedback a great deal. 

[[Tw...]]

15 hours ago, [[j...] said:

I am so sorry you had to endure a cold turkey. That must have been brutal. You are still very early in recovery but it sounds like you have some level of functionality if you’re able to go out and interact with the public. That is very promising. 

The best thing most of us find to deal with symptoms is distraction. If you can find something that you enjoy to focus on and take your mind off your symptoms it will really help a lot. This can be anything from building puzzles, knitting, gardening, baking, doing projects around the house - whatever interests you and whatever you are physically able to do. 

I hope that you will see some real improvement in your symptoms. You have a wonderful attitude because gratitude and hope will help you mentally conquer this journey. You can do this!

I greatly appreciate your feedback and suggestions. Your positive coping skills are Wonderful ! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. 

[[Tw...]]

17 hours ago, [[P...] said:

Wow that was a big dose of xanax! I was also on big doses and quit fast. You done really good so far but it might take some time before you are 100% ok.

I'm 7 months out and doing ok. Still some mental discomfort and tinnitus but can't really complain. 

Well done!

It is nice to hear from someone else who quit big doses of benzodiazepines. What kind of symptoms did you experience with Benzodiazepine withdrawal? 

[[Tw...]]

What kind of mental discomfort are you experiencing? 

[[...]]

1 hour ago, [[T...] said:

What kind of mental discomfort are you experiencing? 

TwylaOlive, whatever symptoms are left, you've done it and really quickly!) My congratulations on being benzo free

As for mental discomfort, i had fits of ocd; emotional swings when one day it was depression, next day - irritation, third day - delight, etc and then all over again; some chemical irresistible anxiety in the evening and was very shaky in general. Perhaps something else. What really helped me deal with all the symptoms, including physical ones, is the knowledge that all the symptoms, unbearable as they were, didn't mean i was really ill but were something to go through and wait out. I did read and translated lots of benzo information then, shared and discussed it with my benzo friends. It helped us no end) And the translating itself had a great calming effect on me, my best distraction)

Smooth steady recovery to you!)

Edited April 27 by [...]

[[re...]]

That is so so dangerous as abrupt discontinuation from THAT high of a short acting benzo like xanax is not recommended  and it needs to considered barbaric and it should be considered crimes against humanity no different than torturing pow's. 

Having said this what's done is done, BUT I would really monitor yourself and if you get REAL bad. I would consider reinstating at the proper dose of a long acting benzo and then tapering from there. But it sounds like you may have an addiction and will not be able to do this. No judgement, but that is way beyond any therapeutic dose of xanax. Sounds like you were doing bars. Were you getting this from a doctor or from a "supplier"?

What I have seen is the compulsive approach users to benzos usually get better quicker than the therapeutic users. I think it has something to do with antifragility. And the body goes and brain go on a high level of healing to reach homeostasis way faster. 

[[PE...]]

6 hours ago, [[T...] said:

It is nice to hear from someone else who quit big doses of benzodiazepines. What kind of symptoms did you experience with Benzodiazepine withdrawal? 

Hi. I was vomiting and had akathisia badly for a few months. With anxiety and migraines. Insomnia of course. The usual stuff

[[PE...]]

6 hours ago, [[T...] said:

What kind of mental discomfort are you experiencing? 

@[Tw...] I have some anxiety when I wake up. But it's subsiding after I been up and had coffee 

[[Br...]]

Hi. I’ve been lurking around here for years and years but haven’t yet made a comment but this post made me. I was prescribed Xanax and Ambien at TWELVE years old (along with Adderall but I dropped that) and was on it with the same doc going up to 4mg Xanax/day and 20mg Ambien up to now age 29. He abandoned me with no other doctor and I was forced to cold turkey (after being on from age 12-29 without missing a day). I couldn’t find anyone to help and went into a horrible psychosis situation. Sorry for the ramble,., been up 6 days now today. Just wanted to post because it’s so nice for everybody not to feel alone. 

This all happened in January and I’m so so scared. Not functioning physically .. but I just want to know how everybody is working or making an income??

gosh I’m so scared omg. My muscles. 

[[Bu...]]

Hello @[Br...],

Welcome to BenzoBuddies.

I am so sorry for everything that's happened to you.  I'm so glad that you commented though, so that we can offer you our support.  

There is a search bar at the top right of the page where you can look for threads that discuss how people are working and earning a living during this.  You can also feel free to start a new thread with this question.

I'm sure that you know that we have a kind, caring community here, so please let us know how we can be of help to you. I'm glad you decided to say hello.

[[Co...]]

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

It is dangerous to quit (with no taper) those kinds of doses after anything but short-term use - you risk very dangerous status epilepticus seizures. If you cannot find another GP to to help you, in your shoes, I think I would go to the hospital and explain the situation.

When did you take your last doses of each medication, and at what doses?

[[Tw...]]

[[Tw...]]

On 27/04/2024 at 11:44, [[r...] said:

That is so so dangerous as abrupt discontinuation from THAT high of a short acting benzo like xanax is not recommended  and it needs to considered barbaric and it should be considered crimes against humanity no different than torturing pow's. 

Having said this what's done is done, BUT I would really monitor yourself and if you get REAL bad. I would consider reinstating at the proper dose of a long acting benzo and then tapering from there. But it sounds like you may have an addiction and will not be able to do this. No judgement, but that is way beyond any therapeutic dose of xanax. Sounds like you were doing bars. Were you getting this from a doctor or from a "supplier"?

What I have seen is the compulsive approach users to benzos usually get better quicker than the therapeutic users. I think it has something to do with antifragility. And the body goes and brain go on a high level of healing to reach homeostasis way faster. 

I live close to Mexico and I was buying Alot of Xanax and Klonopin from Mexico. 

[[Tw...]]

On 29/04/2024 at 03:00, [[C...] said:

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

It is dangerous to quit (with no taper) those kinds of doses after anything but short-term use - you risk very dangerous status epilepticus seizures. If you cannot find another GP to to help you, in your shoes, I think I would go to the hospital and explain the situation.

When did you take your last doses of each medication, and at what doses?

I last took benzodiazepines on March 12, 2024, and that day I took 12mg Xanax. During the past 7 weeks without the benzodiazepines, the went to the hospital for 23 days and I saw outpatient doctors the rest of the time. The doctors have given me medicine to prevent seizures.