Coming down off Xanax
Posted , 4 users are following.
This is more of an FYI than a question to anyone. I had an Anxiety/Depression episode which started about a year and a half ago-related to some deaths in my immediate family and then a Probate battle with my only living sibling.
Anyway, I was having trouble getting to sleep a year ago, so I talked to my GP and he prescribed .25 mg of Xanax taken about an hour before sleep. That really did the trick and helped me relax quite a bit. I took that light dose of Xanax for about a year or so.
Recently, my Anxiety/Depression episode more or less came to an end and I decided it was time to get off the Xanax. I stopped cold turkey and it's been about a week and a half-I'm still feeling a wee bit of 'discomfort' towards the evening, which I presume is some withdrawal symptoms. Initially when I dropped off I had trouble sleeping at night-getting to sleep and then the quality of my sleep was not good.
Currently my sleep is getting better-I get to sleep quickly and the quality of that sleep is improving. I'm still experience a tiny bit of 'discomfort' from the withdrawal, but that should be over with in a week, I estimate.
Just wanted to pass on that information for those of you taking light dosage of Benzodiazepine medication to help you relax/sleep. FYI.
3 likes, 11 replies
chris_50725 Guest
Posted
I believe it is painting over the cracks and 9/10 can bring on the anxiety worse when you come off the medication
I am all for therapy and lifestyle changes
I prefer to suffer longer and get through the problem naturally than to take meds
This is just me everyone is different
I worry that under meds it’s not the real me and that thought does not sit right with me
Guest chris_50725
Posted
If you can make it without meds my hats off to you, chris. I didn't take any medication for Depression/Anxiety until I was almost 40-when I was diagnosed with clinical depression. Then I started taking an SSRI medication-Paxil.
magmag1116 Guest
Posted
Wish you all well. It was great that you didn’t go through a very nasty withdrawal period. I am on 15 mg of diazapam and my dr wanted me to detox it slowly. I seriously dunno how to start as I had really bad experience tapering off my 3 mg lorazepam a few years before . I just wish there is sth that helps to ease the uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. Any tips would be great . Thank you
Guest magmag1116
Posted
Just take it slow and easy, magmag. If you are on that high a dose you really need to taper down very slowly, in my estimation.
I also drink a lot of water to help detox my system, that seems to help. I am sleeping a great deal lately, probably that's related to coming down off the Xanax. I feel the need for a lot of hour-long naps.
magmag1116 Guest
Posted
Guest magmag1116
Posted
magmag1116 Guest
Posted
will20275 Guest
Posted
Hi Phil,
After stoping the Xanax did you have headaches or pressure in your head? The reason I ask is I've been taking Xanax for years. I would take it maybe 1 or 2x a month. But the past 5 months I'm on celexa and I needed the Xanax to help me throught the adjustment with the me. I was taking 1/2 of .25 about 3 or 4 nights a week. I've now not taken it in 9 days. I'Ve developed a slight headache in the morning and I'm just wondering if it's from the stoppage of Xanax or from my allergies or anxiety. My dr said its my anxiety. He said that I was taking a minimal amount. But sometimes the doctors don't realize what the patient really experiences. Thanks for your info. Xanax has really helped me in my worst times.
Will😎
Guest will20275
Posted
Hi Will. No headaches or pressure in head, but I feel a general 'discomfort' like you might have if you were addicted to cigarettes and were trying to quit (I quit smoking over 35 years ago). I feel a little 'fuzziness' in my hands and feet, almost like a wee bit of numbness. That's about it.
I know I was taking only a very low dosage at .25 mg/day, but I wanted to share my experiences quitting that just as general knowledge in this group. Many of you also take Xanax on occasion, so.....
Been a week and a half for me, thus far. Still cold turkey with no desire to change.
Guest
Posted
Anyway, I got my first bill from the new attorney and he really hit me hard - went right through the retainer and tacked a couple more thousand Dollars on it. He has done a lot of work to catch up on a complicated case, but I was still surprised at the size of the bill. I got upset and I could feel the anxiety coming on at work. Came home, fed the dogs, did a few things around the house and my tummy was really upset. So, I finally threw in the towel and took that one small dose of Xanax.
I feel better now and, once I get over this Probate Case I will get off the Xanax completely. But I wanted to keep you up on my effort to wean-off of it. I made it 26 days without a pill before today. But, there will be day to day events in our life which agitate those of us who suffer from Anxiety. This too shall pass.
magmag1116 Guest
Posted
Sorry to hear what you are going through but in the same time I am happy to hear that you made it through 26-day Xanax free. Keep it up! Hang in there, everyone in the world is dealing with their own matters just they not everyone will disclose their hardship. You are definitely not alone !! Hang in there !!