Xanax withdrawal and pain

I have chronic back and leg pain.  I have noticed that since I have started this withdrawal process I have a new kind of nerve pain in those

areas.  More like twitches and jumps.  Sometimes like warm fluid moving around.  And it tends to get really bad at night.

 

I have noticed people mentioning pain during withdrawal.  I am hoping this is a withdrawal symptom and not an escalation of my regular pain.

 

 

The timing suggests it's probably withdrawal, unless you've done something to cause this to happen, other than withdrawing from benzo's that is.

Just wanted to add that I have had a lot of pain after coming off of Xanax, and I know others coming off of benzos do, too.  The most severe pain being in my legs, hips, and low back.  I get the pain, twitching/spasming, and a burning feeling (especially in my legs).

 

You also mentioned you've had chronic back and leg pain.  Out of curiosity, when did this begin?  Before or during benzo usage?  I only ask, because it wasn't until I was on the benzos that I started getting some pain in my back and down my right leg that was like a sciatic nerve pain.  I never did see a doctor for it, but now I'm becoming convinced that pain started from being in tolerance on the Xanax (and possibly from my long-term Paxil use, too).  I'm hoping as I heal, this problem will fully resolve.  Actually, the type of pain and the location of the pain I was experiencing earlier on has already changed and intensities are lessening the longer I have been off the drugs, so I'm quite sure that was the problem all along.  I guess time will tell!  

 

I've also seen people mention that whatever types of aches and pains they dealt with prior to benzos, were temporarily magnified when coming off the benzo (due to how this affects the nerves and muscles, etc., and it seems like it sometimes targets those areas that were already vulnerable.).

 

Anyway, like Pamster said, unless you did something recently to cause this, it sounds very typical when coming off these meds.

I get the hotspots which I think you are describing as warm fluid.  I also get cold spots, pin pricks, sharp pains all over, numb feet, buzzing feet, ear aches.  I have an injury on my left anke and right wrist that when they start to hurt, I know I am in trouble.  I have had all this stuff as I am sure I was in tolerance withdrawal and its followed me all the way down.  I must be getting used to them.  I know someday they will just go away.  there really is no way around it.  Accepting is the best thing you can do.  Part of it.  stay strong.  Linder

I have 4 herniated discs in my neck from a car accident over 30 years ago.  The 2 discs that are herniated in my low back just started to really bother me 3 years ago.

 

I only got an MRI last summer.  So really didn't address the pain till August.  Had 2 steroid injections 2 months apart that sent my whole system into high speed.

I had to double my dose of BP meds and benzos just to keep my heart rate below 130.

They are wearing off which is allowing me to get off the benzos.  This pain is different in my left leg. I am hoping its not from the injections since that is about where the huge needle went in.Burning almost searing pain above my sciatic nerve area.

And my leg jumps for about an hour when I lay down at night.  Weird it just jumps, no control over movement.

That is new. I have trouble falling asleep now in a way I never did due to this leg thing and twitches and jump here and there.  I am thinking benzos might have had some effect on nerve pain

and I have taken them regularly at night.  Last 2 nights are the first time I have used a pain pill at night.  I did sleep well since I wasn't in pain.

 

The pain doc had wanted me to take them at night but I was worried about mixing drugs, and they in the past wired me a bit at night.

 

It's almost as if the withdrawal changes everything about your body.    Some nights my palms itch so bad, and others nothing.  My eyes seems to see in separate depths

from time to time.  I am really careful with my back now so I am fairly certain I didn't hurt it. 

 

I am going to cut again this weekend.  If i have to use pain meds at night I might as well move forward.  I take a fairly low dose of hydrocodone. 

I still feel so excited to be done with this stuff.  Just glad to be able to share my issues and thoughts with people who understand.  I sure am getting alot of stuff on my DVR watched.

The new back pain must have been the benzo withdrawal.  It was better after second night.

 

With the steroids wearing off my low back pain is almost back to what it was, but glad to know I didn't have something new.

 

All in all has been a fairly good week.  Can't get to sleep till about 1 am, I take my dose about 10 pm.  I am using melatonin and L-theanine,

magnesium at night as those things helped me before I put these pills in mouth.

 

So about 5-6 hours of fairly good sleep.  AM nausea subsiding.  But tomorrow night I plan to cut my dose in half.

So I preparing myself for more symptoms.  Have started to notice my hands shaking a bit off and on during the day.

 

Haven't had this happen since I drank way to much coffee in high school with freinds.

 

I am trying to approach this in the best frame of mind I can..so trying to find these symptoms interesting.

As in woa...wasn't expecting that.

 

 

Hi Coffeelover,

 

I know what kind of pain you are describing.  I had had the usual over all burning that would come and go but as I have progressed through the withdrawal months I began to have burning in spots around the hips, sides, buttocks, down the back of my legs.  I also started having the tingling, and numbness on the bottoms of my feet and at times they feel bowed out like there is fluid in them and the bottoms of my feet feel full and bowed as I walk on them.  My legs have felt waterlogged and heavy at times.  The burning in spots is different from the fluid feelings for me.  I have also had the cold spots too but not as often.  I had cold on top of my feet one evening.  It just changes.  But I wanted to share with you that I have had these symptoms.  They come and go in degrees.  Hang in there.  Hope4us

That describes my legs...heavy..warm fluid.  Maybe when this stuff is out of my system my back won't hurt as much.    My back did start to hurt right about the time i had started using benzos.

 

I have worse problems in my neck and it doesn't give me the grief my leg and back have been.

 

Thanks for the information and support.

Dear Coffeelover,

 

Yes, again you describe these symptoms exactly as they are.  I wanted to mention that I have the the back pain as well.  It is in my lower back and it is acute and hips. I stretch and it can make it worse but I still carefully stretch because without the benzo effect I believe that the stretching would help.  I used to manage aches and pains with yoga and it seems strange that the yoga doesn't help much right now, but when I get a slight lift of symptoms the stretching feels good.  I had back pain before the benzos but it is worse along with all the other bodily pain.  I notice a lot all the popping in my joints as they seem loud and worrisome, but when I get a slight lift of symptoms, I don't notice the popping and the symptoms you describe are less or gone.  So it will go away as time goes on.  My palms tingle and sweat too along with the tingling numb feet.  Anyway, I know what you describe and as I said before these symptoms come and go and they will go eventually.  Hang in there my friend. Hope4us

Benzos are muscle relaxants.  I found the back of my neck and shoulders really really sore during the withdrawal.  When I tried to stretch, I found that I was very stiff (any stiffer, I'd be dead )  Since being off (14 days now) I'm much less stiff, but still some stiffness.  I now see that it was part of the withdrawal. 

Yes, the stiffness is a big part of this process I think.  I try to stretch everyday and I told my husband that it feels more like physical therapy because it really hurts instead of feels good and it doesn't relieve fatigue.  Stretching just doesn't feel good when the symptoms are overpowering.  Hope4us