Interdose withdrawal with Xanax

So I've been holding at 5mg a day for about 4 years. Recently I noticed about the hour before my dose I start getting shakey, dry mouth, dizzy, upset stomach and derealazation badly. I take 1mg 5xs a day every 4 hours. I'm not sure if I'm just over thinking it and doing this to myself. I had planned on starting a taper again, but things have been less than good.

 

I see my therapist tonight and am considering up doesing. I don't want to, but I don't know if I'm strong enough to do this.

That definitely sounds like interdose withdrawal. I sometimes play around with the times I take it if that starts happening. I dose 4 times a day. Xanax is short acting as you probably know and those sx are common.

 

I am holding at .5 and sometimes when I get those symptoms I'll take the dose an hour early. I try not to updose if I can help it. Strangely enough, tapering helped these symptoms. I was on 2.5 for years. I tapered down in 2020. My interdose withdrawal is much better now on this lower dose.

 

 

I also noticed that my interdose withdrawal got better when I started tapering. I was having paradoxical symptoms and bad interdose WD. That's why I started tapering in the first place. You didn't mention that taking the med can cause problems so you're probably not 'that bad' yet. I understand if you updose but you will probably acclimate to that dose as well. Eventually, you may have to get off Xanax to get rid of all the problems associated with it. No matter what you decide, I wish you the best.

 

What you describe sounds like you have hit the ceiling and have tolerance WD.

 

HM

I have tapered before I was on 10 mgs daily, as you can see on my bio my taper log. I had to stop and hold due to being violently sexual assaulted. Since the hold I was doing well the last year has been extremely stressful, I moved back into my childhood home and got into a relationship with a narcissist.

 

Luckily no I haven't hit the point the meds no longer works at all. I plan on getting off them at some point but I have kids and right now need to be stable.

 

During my taper I actually felt amazing, I was in a very good place mentally.

 

I hate being back here and if it wasn't for where I'm at in my life I wouldn't want to increase again. If I hold here and deal with the wd will I stabilize or do I need to do something to my dose?

 

Also this time around my ocd is very bad and my symptoms are much more physical. During a actual panic attack I feel like I'm in psychosis

Lostdaydreaming,

It sounds like Xanax is still working for you hence your being able to hold and stay somewhat comfortable. If you hold where you are, you should stabilize. That doesn't mean no WD symptoms. It means they are tolerable and you are in a place where you can function. That is when most people would do another cut to taper further, but you have to decide for yourself if that is what is best for you in your life.

 

What types of WD symptoms are you having and what dose are you holding at?

 

HM

I'm currently at 5mgs daily, taken 1mg every 4 hours. I've been hold at this dose since 2017. At about the 3 hour make I start getting uneasy and anxiety, about 3 and a half hours anxiety, dry mouth, shaking, sweating, nauseated, racing thoughts, dr, dp, heart racing, vertigo, ocd that I did not have before hyper sensitive to light and sound, and body sensations, muscle pains and cramps. When I take 1mg at 4 hours depending on how bad my anxiety and or panic is I will start to feel some relief after 30-45 mins of taking it, sometimes a hour. I have random very intense panic attacks.

 

This has been about 2 months and getting worse, I used to have almost no anxiety when I up dosed and held at the dose I am now I was doing good and planning on tapering again, but I'm in a extremely toxic relationship, I've released with my agoraphobia and also can't be alone with out a bad panic. The physical symptoms my nails feel like I have stuff under them and I want to tear them off, I pee a lot, get sick. No longer functioning I just lay on the floor and zone out into apps and TV 

lost.

It sounds like you are having WD between doses. It's probably not a good time to cut your dose. You could try taking .5 mg every 2 hours and see if that helps you carry over from dose to dose? I really don't know. I take my doses every 3 hours except at night, when I may miss a dose due to sleeping or being too tired and comfortable to get up. Are you wanting to get off Xanax? Is that your eventual goal? If so, I would do my best to stabilize at the dose you're at now and then very slowly taper and continue to take frequent doses. Xanax has the shortest half life of all of them which is why I take my doses so often. I'm doing a liquid taper to make it easier. I am sorry you're having WD symptoms that feel intolerable. I wish I could help. I hope you get it figured out soon.

 

Take Care

 

HM

To me this sounds like interdose withdrawal. I had most of these symptoms as well. It helped once I started tapering slowly but there were also withdrawal sx from tapering.

 

I wouldn't updose unless I had no other choice but that's me. Everyone is different. I never found that going up on the dose helped me at all.

 

These days if I occasionally have those interdose withdrawal symptoms, I will move the doses a bit. For awhile I was feeling Shaky about an hour before one of my doses so I moved it back and that has helped for now.

 

Ultimately, tapering off these drugs is probably the best solution. Easier said than done though!

How are you doing, lost?

 

Have you changed your dose(s) or when you take them? I hope things are getting better for you. My doses are getting low enough now that I am back to having GAD. I am always a bit anxious even with my Xanax doses. I may have to hold at this dose an extra week. I'll see how I feel.

 

Keep us posted on your progress.

 

HM

 

 

HM

I've been a mess. I see my doctor tomorrow to determine if I up dose. I've litteraly been laying on my floor watching movies and TV shows. In the dark with a fan on me. I can't even have my ac unit on because I've gotten so hyper sensitive to light and sound.

 

I talked to my therapist and she thinks it would be beneficial for me to up dose and stabilize, or try to change over to kolopin. I have only ever taken Xanax so I don't really want to take kolopin. I know Xanax when they work, work.

 

When I tapered before I was in a really good place in my life and was able to taper slowly and with almost no sxs. I am also taking Phenergan 25mgs 3xs and day as well as methocarbamol 300 (I think) 3xs a day. I have de quervain's tenosynovitis and my c5 and c6 in my neck are degenerative and I also have a bone spur compromising my ulnar nerve. I was taking oxy, they gave me 5mg but I would break them into 4 pieces and only take 1 piece at night, I was on those for almost a year and a few times I was taking more. My last oxy was April 29 and I did go through some withdrawal from them, I cold turkeyed them. That's when my interdose started with my Xanax. I thought maybe I would stabilize once the oxy cleared but I don't think that's gonna happen.

 

I do want to get off them completely one day, but for right now I just want to be able to function. I shower once a week and I have a panic attack the entire time. My life completely been stopped.

 

I don't want to up dose, but my youngest son's on summer break and he's having to suffer because of me. I feel so defeated

lost,

 

If you have to updose then that's what you have to do. I hope the updosing helps you. You can updose and stabilize before you think of tapering again. I am sorry you're suffering. I hope the updose brings immediate relief for you so you can participate more in life a little bit. Let us know how your Dr. appointment goes and how much you updose and if it helps like you want it to. My last cut brought about an increase in my GAD and I also have severe insomnia. Here's to hoping we feel better soon.

 

Hope to hear back soon,

 

 

HM

I'm sorry you are having a rough time. You should definitely do what's best for you. I'm doing a super long hold because it's best for me right now. Hopefully you can get some relief and tackle things once you are stable and feeling better.