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Xanax withdraw HELP PLEASE

Posted , 9 users are following.

valentina72419
valentina72419

Hi everyone. I am 26 years old and I could really use some help.

I was taking Xanax 0.25mg daily for 2 months. I have bad case of anxiety.

After i noticed it makes me feel bad i estimated (maybe wrong), that i should stop taking it cold turkey. And i did so 1 week ago. (I had no idea what are possible side effects of doing so nor did anyone tell me you can get addicted by these pills).

I had symptoms like leg cramps, complete insomnia for 3 days, little derealization and vertigo (more like i cant be stable while walking and will fall, but i never do).

All the symptoms passed except vertigo. And anxiety came back to bite me on the ass😢Even worse than before but i am handling.

What i cant handle is vertigo. It is driving me crazy. I am locked up in the appartment scared to go out. I even took vacation at work so i can heal during this time.

Anyway, i went to see a doctor and she told me to take some antidepressant for sleep - i didnt, i took smtg herbal (valerian) and it helped.

Can anyone tell me how long will this vertigo last? What can i do to make it less?

I am very scared😢

0 likes, 19 replies

19 Replies

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  • kelley91245
    kelley91245 valentina72419

    Posted

    Yep those benzos are hard to stop. As far as vertigo goes there are some good videos on YouTube. I had vertigo for months. I fell down at least 5 times a day. So, watch some videos if you get a chance. I sometimes take benadryl for sleep. I think in that class of drugs it was used for anxiety at one time. Some think to check out. Good luck! Been there and done that
    • valentina72419
      valentina72419 kelley91245

      Posted

      Thank you for replying! 

      Omg, vertigo lasted for months? How did you survive?

      I am scared very very much!

  • shul
    shul valentina72419

    Posted

    Hi there,

    Take a deep breath. You will be fine, and your symptoms are normal.

    It is because you went cold turkey.

    You have been on a small amount for a short time, but even so you need to taper off slowly.

    Try one every second day, for a week or so, and then every third day.

    If you can break them in half, do so.

    Slowly lower your dosage over a long period of time.

    As long as it takes.

    It took me 3 months.

    You might still have a bout of insomnia or other symptoms, bu they will be less severe than when you go cold turkey.

    It's also very important that you eat every few hours.

    You might be through the worst of it, but you are putting yourself through unnecessary distress by rushing.

    Please feel free to reply.

    I went through the same thing a few years ago, so I know how scary it is.

    Best wishes,

    Shul

    • valentina72419
      valentina72419 shul

      Posted

      Hi, thank you for your reply.

      I really can’t calm down. I am drowning here and hoping it passes soon.

      I really do not wish to take xanax again after i’ve been off for 7 days.

      I am in fear of seizures, no one told me about this.

      I can barely eat, my heart feels like its going out of my chest😢

      At least i can finally sleep.

      Did you have any side effects?

      Thank you so much! 

    • valentina72419
      valentina72419 shul

      Posted

      I got from my doctor Mitrazipan 15 mg to help me sleep. 

      I didn’t take it yet.

      Would this be able to help me?

      Thank you ❤️

    • nigel45109
      nigel45109 valentina72419

      Posted

      Being honest and frank, stopping xanax cold turkey was a silly thing to do. Shul has told you what to do, and you ignore his advice about going back on them, and cutting down very slowly? Just because you are off them for 7 days, is no achievement at all,

      because of the state you put yourself in. There is no easy or quick fix for this, its not just going to go away. Once you get high anxiety, its very difficult to recover from it. Also, dont forget that you were anxious before you went onto xanax. Carrying on as you are is not the answer, you are going to make yourself worse. Getting rid of the anxiety is going to take a long time. Its not going to go away by doing nothing as you are now. You have 2 choices. You go back on the xanax and reduce it very slowly, as shul suggested or, you take the mirtazapine, which is a sedative anti depressant. Going back onto xanax and slowly reducing over a long period of time is likely to be the easiest thing for you now. However, your pre xanax anxiety levels may still too high, for you to come off xanax. Its likely that you are an anxious person, and will need some form of medication for some time

      The second option taking mirtazapine, is likely to be slightly more difficult, as its likely to take a few weeks to start working on a deeper level, although it should enable you to sleep better straight away, which on its own will improve you. You may be a person that needs medication for some time. Mirtazapine is much more likely to provide you with a longer term solution for your anxiety. Please stop ignoring advice on here and from your doctor. Sorry if this sounds harsh, but you are not listening to good advice at the moment, and making it much harder on yourself.

    • nigel45109
      nigel45109 valentina72419

      Posted

      Also, if you havent done so already, stop drinking or eating anything with caffeine in it. Caffeine is fuel for anxiety.
    • valentina72419
      valentina72419 nigel45109

      Posted

      Thank you very much for your response.

      You are correct, i will do so now.

      Thank you very much!

  • jean01846
    jean01846 valentina72419

    Posted

    First of all; I'm sorry you're hurting and scared, and this is NOT YOUR FAULT in any way. OPINION ONLY, but from 1st hand experience and thousands of hours of research: Taking ANY med now, after being off for a week, is no guarantee of help/symptom relief. It could also make things much worse trying to come off/down the next time due to something called kindling. Basically, going up down up down is NOT a good thing. ANY benzo, antidepressant, benedryl, sleep med, alcohol, NOT a good idea. You are only adding more 'brain-altering' chemicals into a brain that is already trying to heal from chemicals. The brain just requires time to heal; time to return to it's natural 'pre-chemical' state. Please research, and get a friend or family member to read/research with you. Education is key, and: stay calm, plenty of water, clean eating, light exercise, something to distract you and keep your mind off of it... everyone is different, and heals at a different pace. Many have come off of benzos before you, and have written down lots of things to help you through this. We DO heal! Unfortunately, doctors are not well-educated on benzo withdrawal, are generally not much help, and only want to give more meds to relieve symptoms. Get comfortable/accept being uncomfortable for awhile. Take care of you, huge hugs, PLEASE start reading, these people WILL help you, they've been there. W-Bad(World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day). B.I.C.(Benzodiazepine Information Coalition). benzo org. Dozens of facebook groups... benzodiazepine recovery... benzobuddies.  DO NOT just read the 'horror stories', read the 'it took awhile, but I healed stories'. HAVE HOPE. I healed, after being on a MUCH higher dose, for a MUCH longer time; YOU WILL TOO! smile

    • chelsea46220
      chelsea46220 valentina72419

      Posted

      I have to agree with Jean. Do not go back on Xanax. Withdrawing is a horrible thing and it will take some time to heal but it will happen. All your symptoms are just your body trying to heal from the benzo’s being gone. Try to stay strong, take a deep breath and I know this sounds silly but welcome the symptoms because as you go through them you are just one day, one step closer to healing. I hit a tolerance withdrawal while on Ativan for over a year, the smallest dose like you, and I suffered from EXTREME anxiety all day, everyday for 2 months straight. I mean complete body shaking, couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep. I slowly withdrew after the 2 months when I finally realized what was happening to me and I honestly haven’t felt better. Yes, I still get anxiety, but I deal. I take herbal supplements, journal, go to therapy and I am doing really good. No one ever told me that benzos were addictive and hard to get off of, just like you. Get your mind set on getting through. To get out, you must go through and you can do it! If it helps, I have a friend who took .25mg of Xanax every night for a year and withdrew cold turkey which is not advised and they were ok. They made it through and so will you! 
    • valentina72419
      valentina72419 chelsea46220

      Posted

      Thank you so much.

      It is hard to breathe when i feel like i am missing air 🤦???

      Probably anxiety symptom. It is bothering me very much since i got off.

      I will try ti be patient! But thank you for comforting me ??

  • michelle68080
    michelle68080 valentina72419

    Posted

    Congrats on getting off the xanax!!! Worst pill ever..  Google Dr Heather Ashton . She has a lot of info on Xanax tolerance and withdrawls. Doctors know nothing  about xanax tolerance!!! I tapered slow.  My last pill was 12 weeks ago today. I still have some withdrawals but slowly getting better.  ...just keep thinking to yourself. This is the drug leaving my  body and try to accept it. Don't fight it. You will heal. It just takes time. Some longer than others.  Try to download anxiety meditation apps. Worked good for me. I used Bach Flower. It's a spray called Rescue Remedy.  Worked good. Hope this helps and just remember it just takes time. Good luck. 

    • valentina72419
      valentina72419 michelle68080

      Posted

      Thank you very much for your reply! 

      Yes it is the worst thing that ever happened to me. And my psychiatrist said it is safe to take it every day. 

      I dont understand how doctors can do that to a person!

      I was never addictive, never had any experience with drugs.

      This is just absurd. I went for a long walk and it is better now.

      Thank you for support❤️

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