How I got off Xanax - Benzodiazepine withdrawal
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How I got off Xanax - Benzodiazepine withdrawal
New Member
How I got off Xanax - Benzodiazepine withdrawal
Xanax is THE nastiest drug I think around and if people knew that it was going to be as much hell getting off they would of never started in the first place. Unfortunately, I was prescribed because I was also taking 6-8 norco a day and it finally wasn't working anymore and I needed to sleep so since I had occasionally taken it in the past, I asked for that, no big deal right? So everything is fine, Norco use goes to 8 and I get some roxycodone 30 ml 4 x's a day which grew to 6 - 8... you know the rest... so finally nothing is working anymore and given suboxone to get off the pain meds, but still taking the xanax, about 1mg a day, just before bed. Getting off the suboxone wasn't fun either, my brain was like a ball of snakes and I was crawling on the walls, ceiling. My only peace of mind was when I took aa hot shower, bath would've been better. After calling my pain management doctor and telling him I washed my roxycodone in the washer he cut me off. I went to my real MD and told him the truth and he helped me get through it. The xanax did help initially with the suboxone withdrawal, the doctor told me since I was already going to detox from it anyway, I might as well keep on it. Normally he would of prescribed some low dose valium just for one week. He also gave me some clonodine which was extremely helpful. So now I'm off the pain meds and but I had upped my xanax to 4 mg per day for about 2 weeks. I had to take it just to feel normal and function. I wanted to get off NOW, stop this train please! So I read online to taper down .25 per 2 weeks and that would've taken forever from 4 mgs and I figure it was a combo from the other stuff as well, and I had just been on it for a few months so I went faster than recommended and I am still suffering, but I have 5 days off xanax and 30 off all pain meds. I went in one week from 4 mgs to 2mg, waited a week, then cut to 1 mg, waited a week, then cut to .5 mg for a couple of days, then cold turkey. I wouldn't of been able to do it without the clonodine and lots of prayer. There is nothing fun not sleeping, eating or having absolutely no energy at all. This drug xanax is the worst to have to get off and I feel for people who have stayed on xanax for years.... they say it takes about half the time you were on it for your brain to recover fully. I took lots of vitamin b-12 and a
GABA supplement which helped replace the GABA loss in my brain and mainly it helped keep me from having a lot of anxiety. See, this drug ii hard to get off physically, but it really plays with your mind and doom and gloom WILL enter your head at one point and you just need to keep calm and realize it is just a side effect of the withdrawal, DO NOT GO GET ANTI-DEPRESSANTS as you will be fine in a few days, it takes a hard core 5 to 6 days for this stuff to wear off once you go cold turkey, even if you do the .25 mg cut per 2 weeks. If you can get some high blood pressure med called clonodine and take some gabba you will succeed but it won't be fun and you will wish you were dead at least a few times and be prepared to not sleep for no more than a few hours each night, you can do this! If I did it, you can too. Feel free to email me with any questions!
L 12-10-2011 at .
I agree anti depressants do NOT WORK...at least for me.
Tried them all and those are also a pain to get off of....side effects from getting off of those are brain zaps...and like short bursts of shocks like your going to faint.
And NONE helped with my depression the only thing that worked for my depression was vicodin and percocet.
I am on a very low dose of suboxone which helped greatly from the withdrawals of the narcotics.
I'm taking a low dose of klonopin like every other day....when I started to wean off of suboxone was taking 1mg of klonopin for like a week.
I also have .25 xanax.
I'm only taking very small amounts...and when I'm completely off suboxone for a week I'll take one to two mg of klonopin a day then a half every other day then I'm done.
Sounds like your tapering well.
New Member
Originally Posted by cr8tive007
Xanax is THE nastiest drug I think around and if people knew that it was going to be as much hell getting off they would of never started in the first place. Unfortunately, I was prescribed because I was also taking 6-8 norco a day and it finally wasn't working anymore and I needed to sleep so since I had occasionally taken it in the past, I asked for that, no big deal right? So everything is fine, Norco use goes to 8 and I get some roxycodone 30 ml 4 x's a day which grew to 6 - 8... you know the rest... so finally nothing is working anymore and given suboxone to get off the pain meds, but still taking the xanax, about 1mg a day, just before bed. Getting off the suboxone wasn't fun either, my brain was like a ball of snakes and I was crawling on the walls, ceiling. My only peace of mind was when I took aa hot shower, bath would've been better. After calling my pain management doctor and telling him I washed my roxycodone in the washer he cut me off. I went to my real MD and told him the truth and he helped me get through it. The xanax did help initially with the suboxone withdrawal, the doctor told me since I was already going to detox from it anyway, I might as well keep on it. Normally he would of prescribed some low dose valium just for one week. He also gave me some clonodine which was extremely helpful. So now I'm off the pain meds and but I had upped my xanax to 4 mg per day for about 2 weeks. I had to take it just to feel normal and function. I wanted to get off NOW, stop this train please! So I read online to taper down .25 per 2 weeks and that would've taken forever from 4 mgs and I figure it was a combo from the other stuff as well, and I had just been on it for a few months so I went faster than recommended and I am still suffering, but I have 5 days off xanax and 30 off all pain meds. I went in one week from 4 mgs to 2mg, waited a week, then cut to 1 mg, waited a week, then cut to .5 mg for a couple of days, then cold turkey. I wouldn't of been able to do it without the clonodine and lots of prayer. There is nothing fun not sleeping, eating or having absolutely no energy at all. This drug xanax is the worst to have to get off and I feel for people who have stayed on xanax for years.... they say it takes about half the time you were on it for your brain to recover fully. I took lots of vitamin b-12 and a
GABA supplement which helped replace the GABA loss in my brain and mainly it helped keep me from having a lot of anxiety. See, this drug ii hard to get off physically, but it really plays with your mind and doom and gloom WILL enter your head at one point and you just need to keep calm and realize it is just a side effect of the withdrawal, DO NOT GO GET ANTI-DEPRESSANTS as you will be fine in a few days, it takes a hard core 5 to 6 days for this stuff to wear off once you go cold turkey, even if you do the .25 mg cut per 2 weeks. If you can get some high blood pressure med called clonodine and take some gabba you will succeed but it won't be fun and you will wish you were dead at least a few times and be prepared to not sleep for no more than a few hours each night, you can do this! If I did it, you can too. Feel free to email me with any questions!
I need help. I'm on 11mg of xanax per day. I hate it, and I'm going to try the slow tapering method, of getting off this monster. What is GABA? And how much do you take? As well as b-12? Thanks
Junior Member
The trick with Xanax is slow and steady wins the race. I would go even less of a dose (.25) and cut 1/4's into 1/2 each with a razor. I'm at that dose every two days now cause I am pregnant and need to discontinue Xanax. I never took even 1/2 of the dose I was permitted and was always late filling the script anyway. I don't see what the big hoo ha is about Xanax but I have a healthy respect for addiction in its many forms I guess. I took it in small doses to help me relax and get to sleep, if I took a whole pill I would nod off drooling and sleep for 13 or 14 hours and my daughter and partner don't like that person too much and need me alert and awake. At 11 mgs a day your running serious risk of having a seizure and should see a Doctor and fess up so they can really help you.
I've been through benzo and opiate w/d and I can attest benzo w/d is much more unpleasant
but the trick again is slow and steady. GABA is the same chemical your brain releases naturally to help you relax, the same chemical that benzo's stimulate. Part of addiction comes when a chemical is introduced to your body that does something in place of what it could have done naturally. The body then becomes &dependant& on this chemical to produce such effects and during w/d it needs to recoup and begin making its own natural chemicals and endorphins again. It's difficult but not impossible. Remember most Doctor's do not understand how addicting benzo's are and how unpleasant the symptoms are some continue to visit the forum for support. If they had a warning label on these drugs that stated the true effects the pharmaceutical industry would never make a dollar.
I had to come off a 2-3 mg a day of Xanax habit cold turkey and it was the most horrible experience of my life. I didn't sleep at all for 7 days, felt like electric shocks were going through my legs and every time I closed my eyes it was like watching a horror movie filled with alien and demonic images on the back of my eyelids.
At 3 weeks into it I didn't know if I was getting better or worse and probably would have died if a friend hadn't come over with a few Klonopin for me. That allowed me to get the first real sleep I'd had i weeks and got me over the worst part. About a week later I began to come out of it and haven't done benzos since.
congratulations to all of you that have come of Xanax. That is a huge accomplishment.
New Member
I have been on xanax on and off for 13 years. Not only do i have severe anxiety but i am agoraphobic.
To add to that anxiety i have MS and rhuemtoid arthitis(sorry for any misspelling guys These conditions also cause anxiety.
The last time i was on xanax i was on 2mg bars and taking about 10 a day because my anxiety was so bad. Mind you i am 4'11 barely 100 pounds and also on oxycotin for my pain.
I thought it was impossible for me to live anxiety free without my xanax but i went to my famiy doctor and explained to him that i didnt want to be dependent on xanax forever.
He put me on wellbutrin and told me to slowly taper off the xanax.
It has been one week now and I am down to 1 2mg xanax a day (2 if something happens like leaving the house or unpaid bills lol) but I did not have any withdrawl symptoms.
It is possible to get off of xanax without going through hell people just need to find something that works for them.
Many people say that antidepressants do not work but i find that is only true if you try to stop taking xanax and just switch to the other meds.
Piin up Like you I have ben on a myriad of scripts for years first wellbutrin ( 750 mg day) to help quit smoking
10 years ago ,then
stayed on it for depression
zanex for Anxiety disorder Then oxi for IBS after a year of trying to find out why i had it including cat scans etc They finally said it was 95 % stress. Which makes sense but it cured me over night problem is i abused it
within 3 months and ended up going on sub oxone about a year later 4.5 years ago to get off then to a rehab for booze and benno's for 6 weeks. I ve just gone with the flow taking my meds and going to work for the last few years but have cut WAY back o the subs because i realized
how hard they were to come off by reading and trying once early on I went way to fast and wasnt ready. My doctor was not happy with me he basically has condemned me to a life of sub ox. If he dies i guess im screwed. I left my benzo behind on a trip last weekend and it was a nightmare one i never really knew about until then because i always had more then i needed. Now I want out badly but I have to admit
Of all the meds i take I &need the zanex the most & its my crutch. Im afraid Ill seek other replacements if give it up. Oh I take 1000 mg of Depakote to keep my & balanced as well& Im working on a sub taper now 4 mg day and doing well since jan 1
i will get off that ????
i have all the meds to do it zanex ambian etc.BUT Its the benzo's im really worried about . Ive been taking them the longest
about 1 mgs day for years but much more this last year 2-3 mgs
year because of multiple
family tragedies in my life that compounded with me having a heart attack last month and By pass surgery which i know was caused partially
from stress at home & work. Im out on disability know i start a physical re hab on the 15 i cant wait maybe thats what ive been missing all along
physical activity to get the blood moving I know it will help. How do you get GABA ?
Platinum Member
Just happened across this thread, and wanted to offer a couple of cautions that need mentioning here.
Detox off any benzodiazepene medication (xanax, valium, klonopin, ativan, etc.) can cause seizures.
It it not something to take on yourself, without professional guidance and supervision.
It is essential to taper down off the dose you were at very slowly, to lessen the chance for a seizure.
Some doctors will temporarily prescribe an anti-seizure medication during the detox.
Just because you were able to stop abruptly and not have a seizure does not suggest that you should pass on advice to others that puts them at risk of seizure.
Think before you post advice that could potentially risk another person's life.
Benzo drugs should NOT be taken with other opiate medications.
Both of these types of drugs act to suppress the nervous system.
The nervous system controls such vital functions as breathing and your heart beat.
When you hear of celebrities such as Whitney Houston or Heath Ledger dying from prescription drugs, this is generally the reason.
They have mixed benzos and opiates - drifted off to sleep, then their breathing and heart rate were slowed to a stop.
The result is a coma and/or death.
This is nothing to take lightly.
Just because it's been &ok& for you to mix them in the past, does NOT mean it is perfectly safe for you to do any time.
It is a serious danger.
S thus, the same risk applies.
God bless,
You will know the truth - and only the truth can set you free.
Advanced Member
Originally Posted by tlcmel
I agree anti depressants do NOT WORK...at least for me.
Tried them all and those are also a pain to get off of....side effects from getting off of those are brain zaps...and like short bursts of shocks like your going to faint.
And NONE helped with my depression the only thing that worked for my depression was vicodin and percocet.
I am on a very low dose of suboxone which helped greatly from the withdrawals of the narcotics.
I'm taking a low dose of klonopin like every other day....when I started to wean off of suboxone was taking 1mg of klonopin for like a week.
I also have .25 xanax.
I'm only taking very small amounts...and when I'm completely off suboxone for a week I'll take one to two mg of klonopin a day then a half every other day then I'm done.
Sounds like your tapering well.
just had to quote this golden post.
Wow are you serious?
Clean as of 5.29.2014
&Do you have another day 1 in you?&
Some people are lucky and come off drugs easier than others. Furthermore many times it is a lot to do with the mental state and the actual fear of w/d that gets us. You can have a seizure coming off benzo's so yes please, always keep that in mind.
Benzo's are widely prescribed along with opiod medications. A responsible physician knows that a patient whom is tolerant to both classes of medicine will be fine as long as they take their prescribed dose and do not mix it with alcohol or other street drugs. That's where the problems come in. I was on xanax and suboxone for almost two years safely. Never took more than the prescribed dose. If your not being monitored by a physician and prescribed by a physician mixing the two drugs is playing with fire. Suboxone is generally not as dangerous to mix with benzo's as is Methadone for example. But yes, the risk of respiratory depression is always there. With all drugs, the difference between therapeutic and poisonous is the DOSE.
GABA is widely available in health food and vitamin stores. Get a good brand and follow the instructions. I remember it being in the middle as far as pricing, a little expensive but not too bad. I recently picked up some energy drinks with GABA as the main ingredient. I've finished my xanax tapering schedule as of three days ago and feel fine, but I went SLOW SLOW SLOW taking literally crumbs of a pill. If I'm not feeling discontinuation symptoms now I doubt I'll feel any. Xanax has the shortest half life of the benzo's (12 hrs) and w/d symptoms usually kick in around that time.
To anyone considering coming off Xanax or a benzo, don't be afraid to tell a Doctor your issues and ask for help. Most of them are familiar with addiction and are willing to help a patient who is struggling. Let them set you up on a real low dose and commit to a tapering schedule, you'll be much more succesful that way.
I'm still not having any w/d symptoms after stopping xanax nearly a week ago, six days. I took my last .25 mg and I'm fine. Mind you it was a four month slow taper!
Originally Posted by Miss Misery
I need help. I'm on 11mg of xanax per day. I hate it, and I'm going to try the slow tapering method, of getting off this monster. What is GABA? And how much do you take? As well as b-12? Thanks
I think I'm a different case because what I did to get off of xanax people say does not work but it worked for me a few times. I was up to 10mgs of xanax a day. What I did was switch to kolonopin. [I] started on 4mgs for 4 days, 3mgs for 4-5days, 2mgs, 1ms, .5mg, .25 mg then I got off and was fine. No wd no problem except you need a support group to stay clean, otherwise you will relapse. This doesn't work for everyone but it may be worth a try. Even though I was taking 5 2mg xanax a day 4mg of kolonopin was enough to stop the wd. Also I don't feel the kolonopin, because they are so long acting, so it was easy to stick to my taper schedule. Like I said this may not work for everyone but it did work for me and may be worth a try.
L 06-23-2012 at .
New Member
Originally Posted by korbon
I had to come off a 2-3 mg a day of Xanax habit cold turkey and it was the most horrible experience of my life. I didn't sleep at all for 7 days, felt like electric shocks were going through my legs and every time I closed my eyes it was like watching a horror movie filled with alien and demonic images on the back of my eyelids.
At 3 weeks into it I didn't know if I was getting better or worse and probably would have died if a friend hadn't come over with a few Klonopin for me. That allowed me to get the first real sleep I'd had i weeks and got me over the worst part. About a week later I began to come out of it and haven't done benzos since.
I quit 12mgs a day habit cold turkey too, but after the third day of no sleep or food and the brain zaps I had to get 6 valiums from a friend to tapper. Don't know how you made it 7 days with no sleep.
Platinum Member
Originally Posted by resmith309
I quit 12mgs a day habit cold turkey too, but after the third day of no sleep or food and the brain zaps I had to get 6 valiums from a friend to tapper. Don't know how you made it 7 days with no sleep.
I don't feel like writing another post on the tremendous dangers of stopping benzodiazepenes too quickly, so I'll just repost what I wrote earlier on this thread.
I work in the substance abuse field, in a long-term treatment center for women.
I witness benzo withdrawal on a daily basis.
Just happened across this thread, and wanted to offer a couple of cautions that need mentioning here.
1. Detox off any benzodiazepene medication (xanax, valium, klonopin, ativan, etc.) can cause seizures. It it not something to take on yourself, without professional guidance and supervision. It is essential to taper down off the dose you were at very slowly, to lessen the chance for a seizure. Some doctors will temporarily prescribe an anti-seizure medication during the detox.
Just because you were able to stop abruptly and not have a seizure does not suggest that you should pass on advice to others that puts them at risk of seizure. Think before you post advice that could potentially risk another person's life.
2. Benzo drugs should NOT be taken with other opiate medications. Both of these types of drugs act to suppress the nervous system. The nervous system controls such vital functions as breathing and your heart beat.
When you hear of celebrities such as Whitney Houston or Heath Ledger dying from prescription drugs, this is generally the reason. They have mixed benzos and opiates - drifted off to sleep, then their breathing and heart rate were slowed to a stop. The result is a coma and/or death. This is nothing to take lightly. Just because it's been &ok& for you to mix them in the past, does NOT mean it is perfectly safe for you to do any time. It is a serious danger.
3. S thus, the same risk applies. &&
I do not know how to make this any clearer.
6 valium do NOT constitute a proper taper.
This is simply too dangerous.
God bless,
likes this.
You will know the truth - and only the truth can set you free.
New Member
Originally Posted by ARTIST658
I do not know how to make this any clearer.
6 valium do NOT constitute a proper taper.
This is simply too dangerous.
God bless,
Very correct, after more than 2 weeks the long half life of the valium wore off, I thought I was in the clear but the withdraw suddenly returned twice as bad and had to call 911. Its called the kindling effect. I'm now going with a slower taper over the last 2 weeks. Took my last valium today. I do have one saved incase the intense withdraw returns.
New Member
I have been on xanex for about a year...i dont take it unless i need to for sleep....well i am 6 days into my detox from suboxone and cannot sleep...so i am gonna try them for the next week or so....when the suboxone wd is gone should i taper the xanex
Platinum Member
yes. always taper benzos, even if you've only been on them a short time.
Junior Member
I was wondering if I could get some help..@iloerose- I stopped taking .5mg 2x a day of Klonipon for 1 month and half about a week ago.
I am also on 2 mg of Suboxone.
I got on the Klonipon to help me taper off Suboxone.
What I mess I made for myself.
I just made things worse.
I have never felt more horrible.
On and off the drug, I haven't been myself since I began trying to play doctor once again, after having been on Suboxone for 3yrs, and actively participating in my life and in my recovery.
Over a week ago, when I stopped taking the Klonipon, I tried to take 1mg of Xanax daily to manage withdrawal symptoms, in addition to Sub, and Ambien.
Even on the Xanax, I was experience major withdrawal from Klonipon. I've had a seizure once before in relation to benzo withdrawal many years ago, so I know what symptoms feel like before a grand mal seizure.
These last 7 days have been horrible.
It feels like Opiate withdrawal 100x worse.
Yesterday I stopped everything except Suboxone.
I was in bed all day and I had awoke at 2 a.m. Wed morning.
At 1 a.m last night I couldn't feel my mouth, face, and I couldn't walk.
I could barely speak, and it was difficult to hear.
I had this horrible taste in my mouth.
My feet felt stuck to the floor and I could feel my heart pounding out of my chest.
I called the e.r. they told me to call the prescribing doctor. Like I've said, I'm in recovery and have come such a long way in overcoming my addictions, and here I am again.
Part of me is in denial I think, because I feel like I' however, I feel like I did when I was using.
I'm engaged, and my fiance is wonderful, and I feel terrible as he is in recovery as well and has to deal with this again.
He tried to tell me to hang in there.
I could tell he was growing in patient as he has been working overtime and is completely exhausted.
I can't imagine how powerless he
but like I said, I
know what it feels like when a seizure is a possibility, and last night I experienced some very frightening symptoms.
I caved in and called in my brother who was able to help me with 1 mg.
as he takes it as well.
It took sometime to feel better, but I do feel better.
Still not myself, but I don't feel like there's electric shocks going through my body and I could speak fluently.
I could barely speak last night.
It was terrifying.
I'd take opiate withdrawal any day over this.
I will be calling the doctor and explaining my symptoms.
She stopped prescribing it because she was upset that I was
on Suboxone and didn't tell her that I was also an addict. My fear of opiate withdrawal from Subs. led to this mess, and what a set back it feels like.
I want so bad to feel like myself again.
Enjoy working out at the gym, and going to my meetings.
I'm also a Mom of a 16 year old beautiful girl, and she needs me.
Please, if you have any advice, if anyone has any support or advice, I'd greatly appreciate the feedback in regards to the best way to taper from this horrible medication, I'd greatly appreciate it.
I have .5mg left.
I'm worried that my Doctor won't help me, and I'll have to go to the hospital.
I just can't do that right now...AGAIN, after years of recovery.
I've got too much on my plate.
I'm going for my wedding dress and I should be experiencing the beauty however, here I am once again, because I was fearful, willful, and thought I had all the answers.
I prayed to my higher power to help me live through this, because I've got so much life to live and enjoy.
Really, I had my foot in the door and on my way to state prison for felony D.U.I. 7 years ago, and I've come such a long way and have rebuilt my life, and my self-esteem through AA, and a wonderful support system.
This disease is so cunning, baffling and insidious.
It found a way to slip in and I fear that I'm not strong enough to go through this again.
I apologize for going on.
I'm just scared, I guess.
I lost 2 dear friends to Xanax and Opiate overdoses.
Last Sunday we had a memorial for my very close friend.
I can't get the vision of him out of my head the last time I saw him.
He had told me he was on his way to meeting up with someone who had 90 sticks of Xanax, and should
I need any due to my Klonipon withdrawal I should call him.
He looked high to me that day on more than a few Xanax and 4 days later he was found dead.
I just can't end up like that.
I've got too many people that love me and rely on me today.
I want to live, free of substances so I could enjoy life completely sober, but is it possible to get off this drug, Klonipon? Thanks for letting me share all of this.
It's been a rough evening.
Still havent really slept even with the .5mg.
I think I'm addicted to the freaking sleeping pills too.
I'm making a promise to myself and my higher power right now, that when I attempt to get off Suboxone again, I'm not touching anything else till I&m completely off and only for 4 days.
I shouldn't just stop taking benzo's should I? I feel like maybe I should've just dealt with it, but I don't think I would've made it through the night.
Advanced Member
i'll help all that i can and iloerose should be here soon for u.
YES, u need to taper from those benzo's real SLOW and steady.
dropping too fast is extremely dangerous as u know.
seizures is always an issue with them.
all benzo's are HIGHLY addictive along with many of the sleeping pills.
u need to get free with ur doctor's help from the benzo's and then work a steady plan to taper from the subs.
i can really help u get off the subs as i have been on them many times myself.
the subs are an excellent TOOL to get off other drugs, but they MUST BE USED CORRECTLY or they are just like any other med.
many ppl don't realize that suboxone/subutex are both opiates too and they can be abused, which can certainly lead to addiction.
i am proof of that fact i'm sorry to say.
using the klonopin and/or xanax to help with withdrawals from subs is not suggested.
it's a wonder u haven't gone into precipitated withdrawals (pw) which i can assure u do not want to happen.
u'll become deathly ill within minutes and may need to go to the ER on some occasions.
i messed around and lied to my doc and put myself into those pw and i wanted to just die.
i was so sick i couldn't even stand up.
be COMPLETELY HONEST with ur doc and she will help u i'm sure.
they do not like to be lied to or not told the entire situation.
u can understand that i'm sure.
tell her u want to get ur life in order and want to taper from all of the benzo's ur taking.
tell her ur using the sub to get completely clean.
bet she's more than willing to help.
then post here again and maybe starting ur own thread.
u'll get lots of advice and support from many others.
then we'll get u off the sub.
there is a sub therapy plan here devised by a long time member by the name of robert325.
his plan has helped sooo many others including myself.
i follow his well-written plan when i'm helping others here with their sub issues.
i'll find the sub therapy link and post it for u.
one thing before i go....if u don't want to change ur life for the better by getting off all drugs and WANT IT MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE nothing said here will matter in the least.
that has to be ur TOP priority.
let us know what u want to do.
i'll get that link for u now....
glad u posted.
u've definitely come to the right place.
suboxone/subutex therapy plan
Last edited by K 10-25-2012 at .
Advanced Member
also read the post above (post #15) by ARTIST658 about benzo's.
it is exactly what u need to do about it.
artist says she works in the substance abuse field and i have read her posts here before.
she is ALWAYS spot on with her advice and suggestions.
pay attention to that post carefully.
taking benzo's with sub = huge problems for anyone!
New Member
I feel your pain, this is the worse drug ive ever had to come off ... im stuck on 5 - 8 bars a day at the moment, and alot of you probably dont beleive it (my dosage) but my friends watch in horror as I take 3 bars as soon as I open my eyes, and wash it down with bourbon.
I cant get help from the Dr's no more, they cut me off a long time ago so I get all mine off the street now. Ive tried .25 drops but depending on my day depends on my intake. Im going to try and stick to 10mgs a day for a week and see if I can, then drop to 9mgs. Sometimes I wonder if its better to go cold turkey and not suffer for the next 3 - 4 months as I inch my way to freedom. I try to sleep as much as I can coz when im asleep I obviously cant take any.
This looks like a VERY good thread with lots of info, im going back to the top and read it word for word (even though I wont remember this tommorow) il take a picture right now and put it on my desktop with a note to tell me to come here. Yes thats how bad its destroying my memory.
La 10-28-2012 at .
New Member
wow ... so thats what they are ... brain zaps! I have a heart condition aswel, and when cutting down off the xanax I would get these &zaps& and I would see black spots floating around in my vision and feel dizzy and I have never fainted before but this feels like I am 1 second away from fainting when it happens ... I thought this was maybe a side affect from my heart, but now I see its not.
Sad part about these &zaps& is .... I kind of like them ... I feel disoriented and light (like floating) and almost an out of body sensation ...
Originally Posted by skinart
I feel your pain, this is the worse drug ive ever had to come off ... im stuck on 5 - 8 bars a day at the moment, and alot of you probably dont beleive it (my dosage) but my friends watch in horror as I take 3 bars as soon as I open my eyes, and wash it down with bourbon.
I cant get help from the Dr's no more, they cut me off a long time ago so I get all mine off the street now. Ive tried .25 drops but depending on my day depends on my intake. Im going to try and stick to 10mgs a day for a week and see if I can, then drop to 9mgs. Sometimes I wonder if its better to go cold turkey and not suffer for the next 3 - 4 months as I inch my way to freedom. I try to sleep as much as I can coz when im asleep I obviously cant take any.
This looks like a VERY good thread with lots of info, im going back to the top and read it word for word (even though I wont remember this tommorow) il take a picture right now and put it on my desktop with a note to tell me to come here. Yes thats how bad its destroying my memory.
and yeh, of course taking your xanax with bourbon is the way to go
i think there is more of a problem than just the xanax skinart.... can you stop the bourbon. ?
and its actually dangerous to go cold turkey off xanax. the brain zaps are but one thing can happen. you can have seizures. its nothing to be 'liking'
you have to taper off slowly
Last edited by A 10-28-2012 at .
New Member
Hi new to forum I'm tapering off Xanax 7years of being on it I finally told my dr I don't want to take it anymore so many side affects.. I've tried c/t several times please don't every do it. I almost died doing that. So when
c/t wouldn't work I became so depressed due to side affects I was scared it tell my dr over the years of fear the she would stop my meds. I finally told her a month ago she was not happy about it at all. But started me tapering at .25mg every to week reduction I'm seeing her monthly so when I saw her I told her I had some wd effects and not ready to lower again she told me that we are going to taper even slower her attitude was more positive this time. Now she asked me to half the .25mg making it .125mg and to take as much time as I needed till I was comfortable reducing again. This put me at ease now. I feel I'm in control of my tapering and not rushed to reduce every 2weeks. I have always taken 1.5mg daily on e a day before living out the house. I'm at 1mg right now and will start reducing again in the next few days or week. I'm glade my dr changed her attitude and is more positive which gives me more confidence to be Xanax free. She did give me a scrip for beta blocker prn I'm not sure I want to take them. She said that it is better to taper of Xanax without other brenzo like Valium etc. because it will send mix messages to my brain and will not help in full coming off of Xanax and that it is better to taper off Xanax by itself and use beta blocker prn. I may have not been on a high dose
but due to being on it for 7years has made me become dependent on them daily. As its nearly 4am and I have to go to work in a few hours, insomnia is a big problem I've been having. Which causes me to be m
Platinum Member
Joy in Life, tell your doc about your insomnia, I don't know if melatonin or an OTC like tylenol pm will even work for benzo related insomnia. Also drink Sleepy time tea, 4 teabags to 2 cups of water. Avoid any processed food, energy drinks, coffee, soda, alcohol. What beta blocker are you on?
I was at 4mg of Xanax at one time and I went form 4mg to 2mg like it was nothing.What got me was going to 1.5
mg from 2 mg. I had to go from 4 doses a day to 3.It took a week to feel normal again but I done it but never could get any lower.Recently I have been having anxiety attacks and my BP and pulse were high so I was put back to 1 mg 3x per day. I haven't been taking it that way,I cut then in half and still take .5 3x a day.I told the Dr I didn't want to up my dose so now I have all these extra xanax laying around that will go unused. I was fine with .5 for over 2 years and didn't see a need to go any higher.I know why my BP and pulse are up and why my anxiety is bad,I am in pain everyday from my back. Meds for back are not working so my plan is to just go off them starting Sunday after I work my weekend so I have 5 days to recover from the c/t.Shouldn't be to bad since I have done it so many times. I see no reason to keep taking pain meds if they aren't effective for me any longer and I don't want to go to a higher dose if it were offered to me.
New Member
i started taking xanax march 15 2012, it seemed like a wonder drug i never took the full dose when i started , i started at only 1/2 of the .50mg pill i did it 3 times a day , it caused me alot of depression since i used to looooove to drink and i no longer drank after starting this drug. i explained to my dr the type of seizures i would have occasionally i was later diagnosed with a condition called &pseudoseizures& thats seizures thats not epilepsy just triggered from stress, anxiety . a few of the seizures were triggered from a severe hangover i would get in early 2012 i was drinking 12-14 12oz budwesiers at each session.
im trying to quit on my own im down to breaking a .50 alprazolam pill into 4 pieces and im taking 1 of th 1/4 pieces a day this was very helpfull seeing that b12 can help me i have some already in my medicine cabinet i cant really get dr guidance on quitting because the dr is writting scripts for me for 120 1mg pills each month! i was able to get social security dissability i dont want to loose it i tel the dr i want to quit xanax im thinking of going to mexico to buy alot of .25mg xanax pills so i can break those into quarters so i can reduce my dose smaller from that
Please help me! I loved reading your post. Maybe you can help me!
I am completely off the benzos but now I can not sleep at all. I have been
free of the bezos for about 3 weeks. I can not sleep at all. I picked up some
GABA supplements yesterday and have already taken 3 of the capsules, 750 mg.
Last night, NO SLEEP! I am sleepy but will not fall asleep. I hope I do not have
to start the benzos again. I have had to fill in with trazodone just to be able to
get a little sleep. I have had to quit taking it all the time because it started making
my stomach hurt. Any ideas? Thanks for you time.
New Member
Originally Posted by rebuilder
Please help me! I loved reading your post. Maybe you can help me!
I am completely off the benzos but now I can not sleep at all. I have been
free of the bezos for about 3 weeks. I can not sleep at all. I picked up some
GABA supplements yesterday and have already taken 3 of the capsules, 750 mg.
Last night, NO SLEEP! I am sleepy but will not fall asleep. I hope I do not have
to start the benzos again. I have had to fill in with trazodone just to be able to
get a little sleep. I have had to quit taking it all the time because it started making
my stomach hurt. Any ideas? Thanks for you time.
Have you tried Benadryl? Most pharmacies package it generically as a nite time sleep aid 25mg diphenhydramine per pill. It gives me a good 5-6 hours of ok sleep when I have to deal with benzo withdrawal insomnia. Recommended adult dose is 1-2 before bed, I take 3 or 4 an hour or two before I want to sleep and I'm 175lb adult male. I don't feel groggy in the morning from it either. An hour of shooting hoops or bike riding when the withdrawal symptoms aren't too debilitating helps as well. I imagine any exercise you enjoy would help some with insomnia. I go thru all of that because I always use up my monthly xanax scrip in 2-3 weeks....stupid. Good luck.
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