Xanax support. Please advise?

[[da...]]

I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack. My heart beat has been really strong. I went out and had it tested at the Pharmacy and it was 148/84!

I tested it at the same pharmacy when the Xanax was working and it was 122/82. My home BP monitor always says it's absolutely normal though, even when I'm stressed during a reading. I feel very weak, like I'm going to faint and my breathing is labored. =/ I felt kinda like this with the Ativan withdrawal, but even then, my heart wasn't AS pounding. When I awoke this morning from my anxiety, my BP was 138/81 on my home monitor, just imagine it was like 170/110 or something had i been at the pharmacy. I'm scared =///

So very scared.

[[...]]

Why don't you stop taking your blood pressure? Knowing your blood pressure isn't going to help you at all.

[[fi...]]

darkskywaves,

 

I tried a home BP monitor, but it was not consistent.  I was advised by a nurse that the regular monitors (where you manually increase the pressure) are more accurate.  I did experience the same symptoms as you when I was detoxed too quickly from Klonopin.  I had to ultimately reinstate and taper at a much lower dose.

 

If your side effects continue to be severe, you may want to see a doctor (if nothing else, to calm your mind).  However, I did have some of the same exact w/d symptoms as you and it was scary.  Whatever you decide to do, we will support you.  I have had to stay at the same Klonopin dose for 9 months because of what the rapid detox did to me.  I'm just listening to my body before I do another taper.

 

Wishing you well ...

 

fg

[[da...]]

yeah that's what i find weird. It's just from a .125 cut of Xanax. and it didnt get so bad until about 5 days into it. Now I feel extremely weak, burning all over my body, and I have a hard time taking a full breath. I could reinstate the 1mg but I don't think it'll do anything. I think it'll just be the same. In order to feel well again I'd have to updose I'm sure of it. But I don't want to at the same time because it's going backwards. I want to be off of this drug, not be a slave to it. At the same time I'd like to be stable if I go to the doctor. I can barely go out right now as is. It's a hard decision =/

[[fi...]]

I know what you mean.  I could hardly walk and just turning over in bed caused such shortness of breath it scared me.  There was no way I could make it to the doctor.  If things don't improve, could you just go back up by .125 mg.?  That's what I have had to do with my Klonopin taper.  Like you, I want to be off of these benzos, but my body simply couldn't handle the .125 mg. cut at that time, so I had no choice but to go back up by .125 mg.

 

At any rate, praying for you to have wisdom as to what to do ...

 

fg

[[da...]]

Sounds like a silly question, but did you have the pounding heart thing too? That's the biggest one that scares me. I had a minor window last night after an attack. Fell asleep for 5ish hours, woke up in the middle of another attack, but much worse and left me really weak which has basically ruled my day. Also the headaches worry me too. All in all. I don't know. My mother thinks it's a bad idea to reinstate anything, and I'm half and half on that boat. I just don't feel like being like this anymore. Need to get a better plan in place because I can't taper off this Xanax.

[[An...]]

I was also bedbound and in a terrible state. My younger son had to take care of me, change my sheets, calm me down in my panic attacks and even help me wash. It was humiliating.  Noone else in the family would come near me, they didn't know how to deal with it.  And this was just on 2 WEEKS of Xanax.

 

I don't know how I did it but somehow I found the strength to get myself to a psychiatrist.  I thought he was going to commit me because I was in a terrible crying state but he didn't and he immediately switched me to Valium and the rest is history.  No more suffering like I did on the Xanax.  It hasn't been easy but nothing compared to the Xanax period.

 

I am telling you this because if the only reason you can't get to the doctor is because you can't get out the house, I think you just have to force yourself.  Perhaps Xanax is not the right med for you either but discuss with doctor.

 

I found that betablockers helped me with the palpitations too.

 

Good luck.

 

Angel

[[fi...]]

Yes, I did have a pounding heartbeat, tremors, leg cramps and spasms, horrible anxiety that I had never experienced before and would wake up gasping for air in the middle of the night.  I also had extreme muscle weakness, some insomnia and nausea.  I would never wish upon anyone what I went through.

 

fg

[[ho...]]

I did as well!! and today I had a hard time breathing all day....  It landed me in frt. of a heart specialist, I wore a heart monitor for 3 days! I was fine, they never even mentioned noticing that heart was racing like crazy!?  Racing heart and feeling like I could not catch my breathe was one of my WORSE symptoms... and still is just not as severe.  This would happen 2 days after a cut and last 2 days at least. So be perpared for this to not go away anytime soon...you should just relax and take deep breathes (count while u inhale and the same as u breathe out) 

  You should definately get to dr. the truth is the worse u r feeling is better for them to know YOU NEED HELP!

  Good luck .......your body is trying to heal....you were taking xanax which relaxed your body so as u take it away it is going to rev. up before it can repair itself and slow down again...please get off the xanax I've told u it's an almost impossible battle u r fighting...after one dose of K or V u will feel sooo much better!

[[ba...]]

If it were me, I would not go back to Xanax.  It's WAY to short acting, and while it will make every single w/d symptom disappear RIGHT NOW, it will only be waiting for you around the corner. 

 

I would also not order Valium online.  It's illegal, as in felony illegal, and you don't know what is in the pill.  Anything that comes through customs DOES get checked, especially if it comes from India, where most overseas pharms are. 

 

If your doc doesn't support you, I agree with everyone else regarding the ER visit.  They're not going to "commit" you-- My experience with ER docs and tapering or withdrawing from benzos has been pretty okay.  They KNOW that you simply cannot stop a benzo. 

 

I'm so sorry that you're experiencing this in such a short time frame.  But you can do it. 

 

Do you happen to have any beta blockers on hand?  A simple beta blocker such as Toprol will reduce your heart rate.  As long as you don't have low blood pressure, this shouldn't be a problem.  Maybe I'm confusing your post with another one, but didn't yo once write that you had high blood pressure?  Toprol will work for both, and its cheap in its generic form (Metotorpol).  And I'm sure your GP would prescribe you a beta blocker, as they are pretty safe and will take care of w/d tachycardia and hand tremors. 

[[da...]]

Went to the ER last night. Got told I had the flu and rebound anxiety after waiting for 3 hours cold and incredibly weak and major depersonalization issues. Got weak. Took two Xanax(1 mg) and felt a bit better so I could sleep. I know it was a really bad idea and probably has set me back big time. (I had already taken .75 that day, at (.5)12pm and

(.25)6pm, took the 1mg at 3:30am)

 

I've taken .25 today at 3:00pm. Gonna take another .25 now. I've had a hellish day. Feel like I can't even walk to the bathroom without my BP going way up and me clutching my chest waiting to die because of the major depersonalization issues. I feel like I want to give up. I'm thinking of going to be committed. But I fear theyd take me off the the drug completely or rapid taper. I'm already terrible. I wanted to stabilize. Then attack it. But I don't think I could feel better unless I upped the dose to 1.5 mg or 2 a day, and that to me would be a big mistake.

 

I don't know what to do. I feel utterly useless. I haven't been eating, don't know what to eat other than soup and Ensure. Everything else makes my heart beat out of my chest. My father had a stroke when he was 35 and I'm 27. I'm constantly worried about this stuff. Also now with the screw up, I don't want to have a seizure from not taking enough.

 

I'm sorry I keep coming back with the same concerns =/  I also feel some of this has to do with Lexapro withdrawal too. I quit it C/T in the summer and I know I shouldnt have. I tried reinstating it but I had horrific symptoms(I used ativan which started this whole dependance mess in the first place.)

 

I don't know any more =/

[[ho...]]

You should have told the ER you were in acute w/d from xanax!!!!!!!  I can't believe u left w/o asking for a long acting benzo.

So sorry your having such a hard time! Go back and read our posts.  Going up is your option, but than what!?

Hope u find the answer your looking for....

[[fi...]]

darkskywaves.

 

I wouldn't worry about a stroke.  I went through exactly what you're going through (after a rapid detox at a hospital).  I did have to reinstate Klonopin and start tapering much slower, but this was after the bad 5-day detox where I felt I was going to die.  I wouldn't go to a detox center now if you can help it.  Just my opinion.  The quick taper they put you on is just too hard on the body.  I have yet to hear of a person who regretted tapering too slowly.  I have been at the same level of Klonopin (1.75 mg.) for the last 9 months (due to what the detox did to my body).  I am finally sleeping better and slowly recovering, so I hope to resume my taper at the beginning of next year.

 

At any rate, we're here to support you no matter what course you take.  Did you say you were working with a doctor to come off of the Ativan?

 

fg

[[da...]]

I brought up the benzo idea. He just told me to go to my GP and get something going from there =/

 

I told him that I had done a cut and felt intense anxiety and everything. All he had to say is that it was just rebound anxiety probably and to keep taking the Xanax and perhaps go on an SSRI again.

 

Fishingguy: I'm thankful for your advice. I also am in the same idea frame. I know theyll taper me fast and hard at the ward. I was just thinking of it as an option because as you know, things get desperate. I might go ahead and ask for Klonopin instead. I think the doctor might be a little more receptive to it than a Valium crossover. I can only hope. As I post this, I've had some definite relief. I think the Xanax is slow acting in my body for some reason, when I was in distress from coming off Ativan(I was taking it to alleviate the anxiety that you get when you go back on an SSRI, didn't work.) For me, it took about an hour and half to feel effect and 2 hours to get full effect. It was weird. And as I say on my sig, after reading about the toxic effects of Xanax and everything(I hadnt read anything just wanted relief and the doctor prescribed this, didnt ask for it) stopped c/t for 33 hrs and had no effect. And even then it wasn't this it was cold shakes and such.

[[fi...]]

Yeah, I think a longer-acting benzo will work in your favor.  Is there another doctor you can go to if you can't work with your current one?

 

fg

[[da...]]

Caved again. Took 1mg(two pills again tonight.) My BP was spiked at a constant 170/110 and I felt extremely weak and feared everything. Back to 122/80 now. And I waited a while to see if it would come down before I caved. I feel like I let everyone down. But this addiction is killing me. I plan to take the up dose at least until I can see my doctor and beg him for Klonopin or Valium and get off this shit. I can't do this to myself anymore. It's ruined my life. I'm not strong =/

[[An...]]

Caved again. Took 1mg(two pills again tonight.) My BP was spiked at a constant 170/110 and I felt extremely weak and feared everything. Back to 122/80 now. And I waited a while to see if it would come down before I caved. I feel like I let everyone down. But this addiction is killing me. I plan to take the up dose at least until I can see my doctor and beg him for Klonopin or Valium and get off this shit. I can't do this to myself anymore. It's ruined my life. I'm not strong =/

 

Don't panic!  You haven't ruined your life!  Honest!

 

I suggest you take the dose you feel comfortable on for today but try not to raise it any more.  Tomorrow try to get an urgent appointment with your doctor and ask him for a longer-acting benzo to taper from.  The Xanax is obviously not the right one for you as has been suggested in previous threads.  Once you are on the longer acting benzos, you should feel much better and you will head towards recovery. 

 

For now, try to relax and know you are going to do something proactive about this situation.  We understand, we have been there and are here to support you.

 

Angel

[[Ni...]]

Caved again. Took 1mg(two pills again tonight.) My BP was spiked at a constant 170/110 and I felt extremely weak and feared everything. Back to 122/80 now. And I waited a while to see if it would come down before I caved. I feel like I let everyone down. But this addiction is killing me. I plan to take the up dose at least until I can see my doctor and beg him for Klonopin or Valium and get off this shit. I can't do this to myself anymore. It's ruined my life. I'm not strong =/

 

Hi darkskywaves,

 

I hope you don't feel like a failure and that you 'caved again'. Goodness, your BP got quite high. I would do as Angel says and make an urgent care appointment tomorrow. You are quite strong and you are trying to deal with this head on. I think a longer-acting benzo would probably work better for you. I would also strongly emphasize to the doctor your concerns about your BP and heart rate.

[[ba...]]

Darkskys,

 

Don't feel like a failure!  You did what your body told you to when seeking help didn't offer you anything. 

 

I'm sorry the ER doc told you to go elsewhere.  On most occasions like that, I have literally made a small scene and said basically--"This is my body, I know what I need.  If you don't agree with me, I want a new doctor to look at me."  It sounds b**tchy, but sometimes it has to be done.  They'll tell you it's rebound anxiety and they'll tell you to re-start the medication.  But they are ER docs; they're only mission is to stabilize a patient for the time being.  Any time after that, they feel, is not their problem. 

 

Did you get my message about the beta blocker?  Again, your GP should prescribe this to you.  It WILL reduce high blood pressure and tachycardia and hand tremors.  And, like others have said, ask for a longer lasting benzo.  I'm not even sure you need Klonopin since you've only been taking them for a minimal time and they can be as potent as Xanax.  I'm think Librium.  Ask your doc.  Good luck! 

[[Ni...]]

Darkskywaves,

 

I have heard many patients withdrawing from a benzo with the heart rate issues be prescribed a beta blocker by their doctor to help with tachycardia and high BP as banana has said. If it were me, I would discuss this option with my doctor. Good luck and hang in there.!

[[fi...]]

Darkskywaves,

 

I hope you are doing better today.  Don't feel like a failure.  I had to go back on benzos after an over-rapid taper.  Like benzohno said, you were just listening to your body.  The fact that you are still determined to get off of this drug proves that you are strong.  Hang in there.  We are all supporting you and know how hard it can be to come off of benzos.  You will make it!

 

fg

[[...]]

Darksy waves--

 

You can get through this. I went through a very similar experience to yours after only a week on Xanax. It's hell, but it's not permanent. I know exactly how you feel.

[[da...]]

Update: I'm off the Xanax entirely now, crossed over to Klonopin about 4 days ago. I'm in the hospital right now. Hoping things work out. The psych I'm seeing seems like she has a lot of knowledge about benzo withdrawal and says we'll taper slowly off the Klonopin. My only concern lately is that my BP has been consistently high ish. 140/90 for a while, but it has come down to 126/87 and 130/84 today, so I'm hoping it's on a downward trail.

 

Thanks for all the support!!

 

I'm on 1mg of Clonazepam.

[[Ni...]]

Hi darkskywaves,

 

I'm sorry you had to go to the hospital. I hope it's helping to have support while tapering, I know it must be really unpleasant to have those BP spikes. Also, I hope the Klonopin is working for you and that they are going to do a slow taper for the Klonopin.

 

We'll be thinking of you and let us know how you're doing.

 

Nicolette

[[ba...]]

I'm sorry you're in the hospital too, but I'm SO happy that you've switched to Klonopin... This is a great step for you.  Hopefully 1 mg is enough. 

 

And I'm sure they can give you something like a beta-blocker for your BP. 

 

Best wishes, keep us posted.