New to the forum - Cold Turkey from Xanax/Ambien

I'm joining BenzoBuddies as I think I might be experiencing withdrawal symptoms from the subject drugs.  For a little over a year I've been prescribed Xanax (1mg or as needed, sometimes it was more and sometimes it was less.  I've been taking Ambien (10mg) for about 2 years.  My drinking has been a nice substitute when I haven't had the ability to obtain my refills.  Well finally, after many attempts to stop and get help for the issues that got me to start taking these drugs, I decided I need to quit.  I'm in an outpatient program but over the past couple of weeks I've been struggling.  The doctor said that I shouldn't take the Xanax anymore so my only outlet has been alcohol.  I know I'm just trading problems.  With that being said, I just found out from a fellow ex benzo user, that what I'm experiencing is probably withdrawals from everything.  I'm wondering how dangerous this could be.  I'm having what I can best describe as head shakes.  Like bolts of involuntary movements to my brain.  I can't concentrate on anything, I'm shaky, have hand and feet numbness, trouble sleeping, my insides hurt, I can't eat or keep much down, severe anxiety, and sound and light sensitivity.  Any advice is appreciated.  Thanks!

I'll just continue our conversation from the other thread here.  Was it just a couple of days ago that you stopped the Ambien as well?  And a week since any Xanax?

 

It's been a week for the ambien and 2 weeks for the Xanax.  At first I thought it was side effects from starting Lexapro but now I'm not sure.  Someone suggested this site for me to check out!  :/

 

You're definitely in the right place. 

 

Here are the options.  If you can, you could reinstate the Xanax and stabilize before starting a slow taper.  Only you know how bad you're feeling but my guess is that you may be pretty non-functional.  I can't believe a doctor would cold turkey someone from 3mg of Xanax, but it happens.  Ambien also needs to be tapered but I'm not as familiar with Ambien, I just know it has very similar properties to benzodiazepines.

 

You should be past the time for the possibility of seizures and I don't even like to bring up the subject of seizures, but you're mentioning shakes and involuntary head/brain movements and that concerns me.  If it were me, I think I'd be inclined to go to the ER and tell them what's going on and hopefully have them give you some Xanax to hold you over til you can get a prescription.  That being said, many people here have cold turkeyed from much higher doses of Xanax and not had seizures.  I feel obliged to mention the risk, though.

 

The other option is to continue with the cold turkey and tough out the symptoms.  They may last a significant amount of time though.

 

The other thing is that the alcohol is going to make things worse.  Alcohol down-regulates the same GABA receptors in the brain and throughout the body that benzodiazepines do, so yours are getting a double whammy right now.

 

Starting Lexapro also may be a factor in your symptoms.  Lexapro is usually a fairly mild AD as far as start-ups go, compared to others, but everyone may have difference start-ups with it.

 

Only you know how bad this is….but those are the options right now, as far as I can see.  I'm so sorry you're in this situation.

 

 

Thank you for your post.  That helps a lot.  If things don't start getting better over the next couple of days I might have to go to the ER.  I've met with my doctor a couple of times during the past couple of weeks and she keeps saying that what I'm feeling is normal, but at the time I didn't consider the fact that I might be having withdrawal symptoms so I don't know if she knows how much I was really taking.  I just started an outpatient program so it's a new doctor.  Thanks again!

Best of luck, Dancer. 

I appreciate that.  I saw your signature.  Do you mind if I ask what this water titration is ... and if you think it helped you?

Sure…it's when pills are too hard to cut, or someone wants to try reducing by a teeny tiny amount each day.  It's done by dissolving pills in liquid and drawing off a certain amount. 

 

I didn't do well at it.  I wasn't able to draw out the mix before the grains fell to the bottom and I gave up.  However, a lot of people have done well by it.  It can really help minimize symptoms if done correctly.

Oh okay!  Thank you!

 

 

 

Hi,

 

I read a lot and I am almost 5 months c/t from flurazepam, and from my numerous readings, shouldn't do it cold turkey, even worse with 2 meds...and when doing it c/t, the w/d symptoms might be worsen and you risk more permanent brain damages too!! Please  consider it...

 

Best of luck

 

 

 

 

Hi,

 

I read a lot and I am almost 5 months c/t from flurazepam, and from my numerous readings, shouldn't do it cold turkey, even worse with 2 meds...and when doing it c/t, the w/d symptoms might be worsen and you risk more permanent brain damages too!! Please  consider it...

 

Best of luck

 

Hi frenchcowgirl,

I saw another post of yours mentioning 'permanent brain damages'.  Do you have some supporting reference for this?  If so, can you post it as I've never seen any definitive research about permanent brain damage from benzo withdrawal.  Alcohol, yes, but not benzos.

 

Thanks,

Challis 

I have read that clinical studies aren't long enough to prove it, but case studies show that some people are suffering from permanent damages....and that cold turkey withdrawal can enhance the risk....the risks might be low, but it is one that I wouldn't take....I am 5 months out and I'm afraid that my cognitive issues might be permanent.

 

 

 

 

I have read that clinical studies aren't long enough to prove it, but case studies show that some people are suffering from permanent damages....and that cold turkey withdrawal can enhance the risk....the risks might be low, but it is one that I wouldn't take....I am 5 months out and I'm afraid that my cognitive issues might be permanent.

 

Do you have a link I can read? We all want to know the possibilities of this, but so far what I've read has been theory only. 

I will try to find, but in fact, if I remember, those damages might also be the result on a long use of the benzo...will come back to you. In order to help my brain to recover, I am taking Tumeric...prevents panick attacks, heil depression....turmeric is a brain healer....lots of clinical studies about it...helps also to reverse Alzheimer/alleviate the symptoms...tumeric is a very old medicine...helps also for the gastric symptoms from the benzo withdrawl, its first recognized benefit.

 

Hi Challis 99,

 

I didn't find the article mentioning that getting off of benzo cold turkey might cause brain damages, but I found the one from Dr. Lader, who is a well known doctor who use to testimony in trials involving Big Pharma and Benzo and it is about the possibility of permanent brain damages related to long term benzo use.

 

Here is the link: http://www.whale.to/a/benzodiazepines_q.html

 

And the quote:

 

[1.5 Million addicted in UK, and millions damaged.  Now its moved on to drugs like Prozac while nutritional medicine is suppressed.]

 

See: Toxic psychiatry quotes  benzo.org.uk : More Quotes

 

[2010 Nov] Drugs linked to brain damage 30 years ago  Secret documents reveal that government-funded experts were warned nearly 30 years ago that tranquillisers that were later prescribed to millions of people could cause brain damage.  The Medical Research Council (MRC) agreed in 1982 that there should be large-scale studies to examine the long-term impact of benzodiazepines after research by a leading psychiatrist showed brain shrinkage in some patients similar to the effects of long-term alcohol abuse.  However, no such work was ever carried out into the effects of drugs such as Valium, Mogadon and Librium – and doctors went on prescribing them to patients for anxiety, stress, insomnia and muscle spasms. ....There are an estimated 1.5 million "involuntary addicts" in the UK, and scores display symptoms consistent with brain damage....Professor Lader said yesterday: "The results didn't surprise us because we already knew long-term alcohol use could cause permanent brain changes. There should have been a really good, large-scale study but I was never given the facilities or resources to do it.

    "I asked to set up a unit to research benzos but they turned me down... they could have set-up a special safety committee, but they didn't even do that. I am not going to speculate why; I was grateful for the support they did give me. There were always competing interests for the same resources, so maybe it wasn't regarded as important enough."

    He repeated the small study and found similar, inconclusive results, but then gave up. "I was getting on with other research and didn't want to be labelled as the person who just pushed benzos... I should have been more proactive... I assumed the prescribing would peter out, but GPs are still swinging them around like Smarties."

 

 

Creepy, I know, but as I am actually interested in getting involved in a class law suit because I am a teacher and might NEVER be able to do my job again (like some teacher who have been benzo addict), I will keep myself informed about this subject. In the past, it has been denied that benzo are addictive, and people are suing big pharma because of that...I wouldn't be surprised to see the same thing happening about brain damages. 

 

Also, concerning c/t withdrawal, as sometimes symptoms can last years (Lader confirms that some people reports still suffering of withdrawal symptoms after 10 years), to me, if winning off of benzo alleviate the withdrawal symptoms (and probably how long they will last), it makes sense that the possibility of brain damages related to withdrawal might be higher when withdrawing c/t...

 

Moreover, I have a scientific background in research, and I think it might be difficult to prove that the c/t withdrawal implies a possibility of brain damage and that it's not its long term use. My specialty isn't medicine, but I will talk to my doctor and think about a frame study that could measure it. Maybe I could do a study about it with my benzo buddies? What do you think, Challi 99?

 

I do not recall where I read these studies. But I read two that supported possible permanent brain damage. The studies were in older men, who used benzos abusively and for a long time, plus they drank heavily. So - it wasn't clear what caused the damage. And when I say they abused these drugs, I mean it. Huge amounts, daily, not prescribed. Bought on the streets. Plus drinking a LOT.

Otherwise, I am have not read anything that would indicate permanent damage for people who didn't do these things.  But - a lot of us worry about it.

I can only speak for myself....but I feel my brain has fully recovered. Oh, I have residual issues, but my memory and ability to comprehend have gone back to levels I haven't felt in nearly 25 years.

east

[2010 Nov] Drugs linked to brain damage 30 years ago  Secret documents reveal that government-funded experts were warned nearly 30 years ago that tranquillisers that were later prescribed to millions of people could cause brain damage.  The Medical Research Council (MRC) agreed in 1982 that there should be large-scale studies to examine the long-term impact of benzodiazepines after research by a leading psychiatrist showed brain shrinkage in some patients similar to the effects of long-term alcohol abuse.  However, no such work was ever carried out into the effects of drugs such as Valium, Mogadon and Librium – and doctors went on prescribing them to patients for anxiety, stress, insomnia and muscle spasms. ....There are an estimated 1.5 million "involuntary addicts" in the UK, and scores display symptoms consistent with brain damage....Professor Lader said yesterday: "The results didn't surprise us because we already knew long-term alcohol use could cause permanent brain changes. There should have been a really good, large-scale study but I was never given the facilities or resources to do it.

 

Thanks for the link…I've read this one before and if you read very carefully, the permanent brain damage has been linked to alcohol only at this time.  I've read other studies that say the 'brain shrinkage' in longterm benzodiazepine users is consistent with the normal brain shrinkage in older people.  Makes sense. 

 

More studies should be done…that's a given.  Not sure what they're waiting for… $ for research from the drug companies?  LOL…not.

 

Also, these drugs obviously cause temporary brain damage. 

 

As East said as well, my own memory and cognition have surged in recovery to levels I had forgotten.

 

Challis

French cowgirl.. The feeling that you are permanently damaged is one of the classic benzo lies.

 

Read more about it here.

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=87594.0

I know, but a fact is that some studies related the fact that those damage may be permanent....anyway, I am loosing lots of things because nobody told me that benzo were addictive and to not STOP them abruptly. So, and I am surely not the only one, I think this should stop and that those big Pharma and doctors have to be accountable for all those people suffering from the benzo. I don't know why people are so afraid to unfold the truth...For more than 30 years, the truth about benzo has been hidden, there are documents proving it...I am not afraid! I will unfold the truth...I have all my time, lol!

This is all very informative.  I feel like the past week was better for my thinking ability.  I am also able to read and write better... however I did start taking the ambien again to sleep.. It's my only relief.  I've thought about getting back on valium or something less strong to taper off but I feel like maybe the worst is over..  Not sure though... I've still had a breakdown about once a week where I end up drinking.  That's been really tough because I keep trading chemicals to hit those receptors.  I'm thinking the drinking may be worse for me then the benzos but I don't know... :/