Recently quit Xanax

Hi, I am now 17 days out from my last dose of Xanax. For about 4 or 5 months I was taking a low dose of Klonipen for sleep problems. Meanwhile, I would take a low dose of Xanax (about .25 - 0.5 mg) here and there during that time. I tapered and quit Klonipen when I realized I needed more to get the same impact. I thought that went ok, but in retrospect maybe my weird symptoms started then.

But about a month later, I started taking the same small dose of Xanax but a bit more often, maybe 3 times a week. I would notice rebound effects so after about 4 months  or so I started taking 0.25 mg every day and continued for about 8 months. Occassionally I would take a bit higher dose, but mostly stuck to that does. Then, as I started feeling the need for more (0.5mg for a week), I decided that I needed to quit.

So I tapered down from that one week of 0.5 mg to 0.15mg in 3 weeks. I took a week off because of some work stuff going on, and then tapered the rest of the way in about a week or 10 days. Starting at when I got to about 0.05mg and continuing through the 17 days since I got down to 0 I have been getting very weird symptoms, many of which I was experiencing while taking the Xanax but much worse now - extreme mental fatigue, racing thoughts, lots of tension throughout my body but mostly on the right side, some real strong irritability, waking up in the night and not getting back to sleep, dizziness, feeling of a parallel set of thoughts going on to my normal ones.

Anyway, I am planning to stay off of Xanax and other meds that my doc is trying to offer. But I am definitely suffering. So I am wondering if I should be doing anything else to help with this withdrawal period - specific food, supplements, etc. And I want to make sure there are no dangers that I need to be aware of - so far I do not have any suicidal thoughts, but I have read a lot of nightmare stories.

Hello digable,

Welcome to Benzo Buddies!

What you describe in terms of your symptoms is very common for withdrawal. You are only 17 days off and this period can present with the strongest symptoms, it's called the acute phase. With time, these will ease up as the nervous system starts to recover.

Supplements can be tricky. What works for one person may perhaps cause a reaction in another.  The best 'tool' I used in my withdrawal recovery was distraction. I found if I distract myself from the symptoms, it was easier to get through the rough spots.

Try not to read stories that frighten you, while some people may have intrusive thoughts, that is not the case for everyone.

I'll give you a link to the Post Withdrawal Support board. You can post there and receive feedback from members.

You'll find good support from some very kind people here, we understand what you are going through.  Let us know how we can help.

Post-withdrawal Recovery Support 

pianogirl 

OP said>>>Anyway, I am planning to stay off of Xanax and other meds that my doc is trying to offer. But I am definitely suffering. So I am wondering if I should be doing anything else to help with this withdrawal period - specific food, supplements, etc. And I want to make sure there are no dangers that I need to be aware of - so far I do not have any suicidal thoughts, but I have read a lot of nightmare stories.

I would steer clear of supplements. They seem to either not help or make many ppl worse. We definitely do not want worse and more suffering. Personally, I am using meditation, clean whole food plant based diet, and light cardio. The intense exercise seems  to rev up sx's but the light cardio has a temporary anti-anxiety effect. Good luck and huge congrats for getting off these drugs. I know it is hard but try to stay the course.