muscle tension, chest twinges, crying spells

I have successfully cut back 1/8th off of one of my xanax tablets 0.5 2 times per day four days now.

The muscle tension and weird chest twinges and aches have returned. I get achiness down my arms off and on too. I've had these before, except they were more severe when making a bigger cut.

Am I alone or has anyone else experienced this? I feel like I'm tensing up without realizing it. It's so strange

Also, it seems whenever I make a cut, I'm more emotional and crying all day.

I have successfully cut back 1/8th off of one of my xanax tablets 0.5 2 times per day four days now.

 

The muscle tension and weird chest twinges and aches have returned. I get achiness down my arms off and on too. I've had these before, except they were more severe when making a bigger cut.

 

Am I alone or has anyone else experienced this? I feel like I'm tensing up without realizing it. It's so strange

 

Also, it seems whenever I make a cut, I'm more emotional and crying all day.

Hi Mia,

You are not alone having these symptoms. My tension was in my neck, shoulders and teeth clenching and don't know I'm doing it. My knees and feet ached but they are much better since being off the poison. We always say that the emotions are like being on a roller coaster, some days you feel fine, the next emotional and crying, the next depressed. Hang in there and ride the peaks and valleys!! It does get better!!

T2

Hi Mia,

Here is an excerpt from The Ashton Manual regarding muscle pains....

Muscle symptoms. Benzodiazepines are efficient muscle relaxants and are used clinically for spastic conditions ranging from spinal cord disease or injury to the excruciating muscle spasms of tetanus or rabies. It is therefore not surprising that their discontinuation after long-term use is associated with a rebound increase in muscle tension. This rebound accounts for many of the symptoms observed in benzodiazepine withdrawal. Muscle stiffness affecting the limbs, back, neck and jaw are commonly reported, and the constant muscle tension probably accounts for the muscle pains which have a similar distribution. Headaches are usually of the "tension headache" type, due to contraction of muscles at the back of the neck, scalp and forehead - often described as a "tight band around the head". Pain in the jaw and teeth is probably due to involuntary jaw clenching, which often occurs unconsciously during sleep.

At the same time, the nerves to the muscles are hyperexcitable, leading to tremor, tics, jerks, spasm and twitching, and jumping at the smallest stimulus. All this constant activity contributes to a feeling of fatigue and weakness ("jelly-legs"). In addition, the muscles, especially the small muscles of the eye, are not well co-ordinated, which may lead to blurred or double vision or even eyelid spasms (blepharospasm).

None of these symptoms is harmful, and they need not be a cause of worry once they are understood. The muscle pain and stiffness is actually little different from what is regarded as normal after an unaccustomed bout of exercise, and would be positively expected, even by a well-trained athlete, after running a marathon.

There are many measures that will alleviate these symptoms, such as muscle stretching exercises as taught in most gyms, moderate exercise, hot baths, massage and general relaxation exercises. Such measures may give only temporary relief at first, but if practised regularly can speed the recovery of normal muscle tone - which will eventually occur spontaneously.

I have successfully cut back 1/8th off of one of my xanax tablets 0.5 2 times per day four days now.

 

The muscle tension and weird chest twinges and aches have returned. I get achiness down my arms off and on too. I've had these before, except they were more severe when making a bigger cut.

 

Am I alone or has anyone else experienced this? I feel like I'm tensing up without realizing it. It's so strange

 

Also, it seems whenever I make a cut, I'm more emotional and crying all day.

I think most everyone goes through being over emotional at various times during their taper.  I had periods when even TV commercials would make me cry.  I think what you said about feeling that you are tensing up without realizing is accurate.  My take is that your nerves are firing erratically and making muscles contract even at a really miniscule level.  I even got blurry vision from the eye muscles contracting. It is very odd but it is temporary and not a sign of something else wrong.  Healing from benzos is not like healing from a physical wound; it's in fits and starts all over your body. 

I have had this too. Muscle tension is nowhere near as bad as when I tried to stop cold, but I do find that I am tensing muscles without even realizing I'm doing it until something hurts.

And the crying, yeah, it's hard for me since I'm a blue collar worker drone and we're not expected to show any kind of emotion. Every time I've reduced the dosage, for a few days after I seem to be especially "raw" emotionally.

Thanks all! And thanks for the link and info Teresa.

I'm finding that cutting 1/8th is less painful than when I tried a complete half of a tablet. But there's still the nagging symptoms although mild still working their way in.

My blood pressure did go up a bit yesterday. And as it is, I have health anxiety! So of course getting all worked up about it is going to send the BP up higher.

The muscle tension still goes on in my back, radiating a "tight" feeling across my chest from time to time. Even my toes get cramped! 

Hi Mia:

Sorry you are having these sx. I can relate to the crying. My emotions are all over the place and sometimes I just get this overwhelming feeling of sadness and tear up. I try to recognize it for what it is, a healing process. All my emotions have been shut down by benzos. Getting off them is both a neurochemical withdrawal and an emotional awakening. I find it really tough to cope with the emotional flooding sometimes and crying is a good response. True, what others say, benzos are muscle relaxants and so it's natural that you would have tension and twinges. I guess I get some of that too, especially in my shoulders and neck. I find that exercise helps loosen me up. Thanks for noting that you have had all these sx with your cuts, but that they are not as strong now, it is a hopeful message , however unpleasant. Trueblue