Xanax Withdrawal...feeling lost and confused

I really didn't have a tapering period done. I understand everything that the Ashton Manuel is stating. I stopped taking xanax on December 17th. I'm having a lot of withdrawal symptoms. I'm feeling lost and confused. I don't feel like myself at all anymore.

 

-tightness in my chest

-headache

-chills

-crying fits

-feeling numb

 

Should I contact my Dr.? What should I do? I don't know? I feel like I'm freaking out!

Tell us about your taper.

 

Where did you start at and how fast did you go?  Whats the deal with the 7mg of Xanax sometimes?  Do you still have any Xanaz left?

(the reason I was taking 7mg. of xanax was an error on my part.) I had recently put a pet to sleep and I was very upset.  I didn't realize I had been taking that many. I ended up taking to many of them. Then I ran out of them. I tried to go cold turkey. It didn't go so good.  So, I ended up going into the hospital and being checked into the psych ward at the hospital during the 4th of the July weekend. In the hospital I decided that going cold turkey was too fast for me. Dr. & I discussed it and I was sent home with the fact that I was to to bring the dosage of xanax down to 4mg. daily if needed. It was tough and an uphill battle but I was able to do that. Then for 4mo. I was able to take between 3-4mg. daily if that many. So, that is what I mean by the fact that I really didn't taper the xanax. I was doing fine by taking 1 1/2mg. at night time to just

quiet my thoughts at night time and 1/2 during the day by Dec. 17th. I saw the Dr. on that day and he seemed to think that I could go off xanax. At this moment I don't think I can do this. I don't feel like myself anymore. My family is getting upset with me because they don't know how to deal with me. They're getting upset. What do I do? :'(

Do you think you need to reistate and do you have any Xanax left?

No, I have none left and Yes,I think I may need to re-instate xanax

When is the soonest you can get Xanax?  Do you think you you can hold out that long?

Kathy,

 

I don't know how severe your withdrawal is right now.  But if you feel you need emergency attention then I dont think you should hesitate.  It happened to me before and that's what I did.

Kathy I agree with Karl I think if you feel you need to reinstate at a comfortable dose then by all means get some medical advice and do it.  Sounds like your taper has been fairly rapid from quite a high dose, if I understand your signature line correctly.

 

If you need help you should seek it - don't be afraid, this can be done.  It just needs to be done correctly and with the right support.

I've had my Dr. paged @ 11:15am and it's 2pm now. I've called again and they said that they can only page the Dr. 1 time for a patient.

So, I'm laying in bed waiting for the Doctor to return my call. I feel really sick to my stomach. It feels to me like a sinus infection has settled in.

My face is killing me and my neck feels swollen. Any suggestions?? I'm starting to get myself upset again.

Kathy,

 

As I said before, if you need emergency help then you have to go get it.  Today is Sunday and it looks like your Dr. isn't calling you back and no Dr's office is open today.  In my area there is a emergency walk-in center that is open 7 days a week.  You need to get a temporary prescription and and then make an appointment with you Dr.

 

I want you to be honest here.  Most people do not run out of pills at the end of their taper, especially not if they tapered as fast as you.  Now did you maybe take a little bit more than than you wanted to during X-mas?

I've been totally out of them since 12/17/09 and haven't had any of them since. Nothing during Christmas time

 

kathy-

 

I am so sorry you are feeling bad. It is hard to understand what kind of a taper you did from siggy line....not sure if you C/T'ed and then reinstate and tapered too fast, either way, would explain why you are feeling this way. I would agree that it may be best to reinstate a benzo at dose low enough to feel stable, stabilize and then start a taper, with the help of BB and your doctor. You have no choice but to wait for your doctor to get in touch with you..in the mean time, can you relax, deep breath, take a warm shower or bath to help with the stuffy head/sinus feeling, drink some decaf tea and distract yourself? If you do speak with your doctor, maybe a longer acting benzo w/b better..the Xanax is hard to taper, so fast in and out..just a thought.

 

Just Breathe

kathy,

It's a very bad day apparently.  I'm not going to tell you to calm down, because I know that just saying it doesn't work.

At least it never worked for me.

I am hoping you will be able to cope without adding pills back again, and also that you will hear from your doctor, but it is the

holidays and they may be slow to respond.

 

You never said if you had an emergency room handy or not. 

Sometimes, just knowing that there is one nearby has helped me cope in the past, but I have never had to actually go.

(not yet, anyway).

 

Please do take a hot shower/bath first to see if it helps, and maybe get try to get some sleep if possible.

We can get ourselves so worked up when we feel bad.  You are going to get thru this, but I know how troubling it can be

when we hit a roadblock.

Alos, my wife has helped me get past an episode... just by talking me thru it.

Your BB,

-David

My husband just went to pick up my Prozac re-fill and my Dr. has called in xanax @ .25 mg x 1 as needed.  I'm hoping this will help ease and bring myself into a more stable mood. My whole problem is that he didn't tell me he was going to do this. The last time I spoke to him was on the 21st of December. And at that time he told me that I was going through xanax withdrawal. I'll definitely need to get an earlier appt. with him to

discuss what I need to do next.

 

I've taken a nice hot shower and I'm ready to make myself a cup of decaf tea(thats all I drink). I'm so happy to be back on this site. It has eased my spirit to talk to people with the same problems that I'm experiencing and what they did to help themselves. I'll be back a few zillion times more.

 

My husband seems to be getting frustrated with me and I'm feeling badly about it but what can I do? I need his support now more than ever. He wants the old me back. I said to him "I'd give anything for that to happen right now."

kathy,

I'm glad you have been able to get his immediate problem resolved. 

Our minds just start racing when we can't seem to get the help we need.

 

You have come a long way and endured at lot up to now, so make sure you are determined to stay the course.

We all are going to need to learn how to deal without any more meds that absolutely necessary. 

It takes real courage to be strong enough to ride out the rough spots.

 

I know all about the spouse issue, and I hope your relationship is stable, since we really really need that support.

Remember to always try to be appreciative for the help they provide, and ask for patience.  Hopefully, they will be.

Everyone needs some support at one time or another, even if they don't have benzo problems.

 

I can hear the calmness coming thru your latest post, so I know you are better, and that makes me feel better too.

But at some point, in the future, there will be more storms to weather, so remember to prepare yourself mentally to handle them.

your friend,

David

This is good new Kathy but please be careful not go wild on the Xanax!

I'm so happy you have managed to get some xanax - best to stick at a stable daily dose for a little and then do a slow taper from there.

 

I too sensed a more calm you now that you've managed to get to your dr - I hope you feel a little better now that the added stress of not having any meds on hand has passed.

 

Re your husband - would he be willing to go with you to your dr appointment or maybe do some reading on the benzo.org.uk site - it may help him to understand.  It is important that he at least understand - I know he wants the old you back, but that could take a little time, so you both have to be prepared. 

hello,

i too was taking high doses of xanax and quit cold turkey. I had the worst withdrawal symptoms including yours. I dont know if it will help but i switched to clonopin for the tapering and it seemed to help. hang in there!!!

So, the best thing is to get the next available appt. w/my Dr. and perhaps bring my husband along so he can tell the Dr. how I was. He can then understand better how to deal with me and the situations that we'll be going through. I do feel calmer now that I was able to get some of the

medication but I want the Dr. to help me with the tapering business end of it.

Do you have a plan on how to take this .25 mg Xanax until you see the doctor?

 

Patty  xo

kathy,

If it isn't asking too much, please let BB know what your doctor recommends after you meet with him. 

If he is very familiar with this problem, it would be good to know what advice he can offer.

 

On the other hand, if he doesn't have too much experience with w/d problems, and dosage issues, and it might be good

to pass it by other BB posters to get their own suggestions or comments.

Happy Days!

-David

No, I really don't have any plans w/the small dosage of xanax he just gave me.U'm just trying to feel better.  I just woke up and I feel really sick to my stomach. I've got such a headache that I'm walking around my house as if I've got a stiff neck. It's killing me. I almost feel like I'm going to throw-up

What dose are you taking daily at present?

 

I'm taking .25mg tablets when I get really worked up. I then get really really tired and I end up sleeping for a while. I've also made an appointment with an Ears, Nose and Throat Dr. tomorrow. I feel like my sinuses are giving me lots of problems. My equilibrium is totally off and I'm sick to my stomach. It's mainly on the left side of my face. Last time all this happened w/xanax issues and all I ended up in the emergency room w/acute sinus problems. I had to have them put the medicine in intravenously.I've taken .25mg maybe every 4-5hrs.

Xanax wasn't the drug I was on, but I know that taking a regular dose can make life easier.  I know they say to take it only when required, but I personally believe that in w/d the same dose should be taken daily at the same time across the day and then start to taper from there.  Not quite sure if that's what you're doing.

 

Good luck with the ENT dr, I hope he can help with your sinus issues.  Could be the w/d process, but best to get it checked.