Hello everyone,
I haven't visited this site in about 4 days. As I have told everyone I am coming off of xanax. Okay the first day was hell when I knocked every pill I took into half doses. The past couple of days I adjusted and had some minor withdrawal symptoms. Today I cut it down to .25mg morning and I just took bedtime dose of .25mg just a little while ago. I wasn't going to take night time dose but thought differently thinking do this slowly. So for the next three days I am going to take this lower dose and after that lower it to one .25mg. a day. I got a little shaky and had some anxiety today. I was worried about all this seizure stuff.
My advice to anyone who is going to come off this stuff is don't look up xanax withdrawal on the internet because it will scare you. I have only been on 1.5mg. a day for about a month. I actually felt very good since Friday. More aware and less nervous. The xanax was working against me. I had all kinds of side effects while taking the dose I was on but then when it was knocked down to half the dose I started feeling really good which scared me because I thought something was wrong because I was feeling too good.
I did not want to take tonights dose but I was having some withdrawal symptoms soI decided I am not messing around. I need to let my body get used to the idea of just a little bit of xanax. I can tell everyone the first day was hell but I have been comfortable. The doctor wanted me to almost quit cold turkey but that isn't going to work so I am slowly tapering whether he likes it or not.
Benzos are nasty drugs to come off of and I will say that never again will I take them. I will take my time coming down off these even though I am a short term user. They have caused me more anxiety than they are worth. One of the withdrawal symptoms is anxiety. I have been doing okay with the anxiety part there has only been a couple of times when I felt like I was going tohave a panic attack.
All I can say is so far I feel much better, and more aware. Even though I have been anxious about coming off these pills I have been doing okay. I have been using progressive muscle relaxation and am trying out some yoga. Well the beginners yoga I did todaykind of did not work well because I was tense and anxious when I did it now I have sore legs but oh well.
I just thought I would drop a line so everyone knew that I haven't fell off the face of the earth. And to tell everyone to make sure they don't look up xanax withdrawal online while you are weaning off of them because it is scary and scared the crap out of me.
Patty
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Aurora86
said:
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... Glad to hear you're doing okay and starting to feel good. I how you feel coming off the Xanax. I was on .5mg for almost 4 years and I decided that I'd cut down to .25mg this past summer and instead of experiencing withdrawal my anxiety came back in full force which caused me to see a psychiatrist and up my Lexapro to 30mg. But I am completely off Xanax...I have only taken one in the past 4 months. I keep half a bottle in my purse with me at all times. I don't like to take it but my doc said to keep one one me when I'm not home incase I get a full blown attack and can't control it - at least I'll be able to calm down some with the Xanax. I'd rather have the attack then feel loopy and ditzy (lol). Keep going with getting off the Xanax. You can do it!!! Good luck!!! |
Irish
said:
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... Hey Patty, I figured you just took a few days off myself. My suggestion on any med you take is to not look it up on the internet. It's the worse thing us anxiety disorder people can do. I like what you said about one of the withdrawals is anxiety. LOL. That was perfect. Once we get into that What am I going to do, OMG, what am I going to dowe are in a temporary fix and you have to let it burn itself out. By reading about any med, you light a fire. Progressive muscle relaxation is what I was interduced to on that second session, but the therapist is keeping me on the muscle relaxtion for now, until I get it right I guess. As you say it is good and I'm glad to see you are using it as well. I have heard great things about yoga, but have never done it. Once I am more into thsi Bi-Feedback, I probably will try it. If your yoga didn't work today as you said, try again another day. I think we all do a lot of failing because anxiety disorder can block a lot of patience in all areas. Anyway good luck and I hope your job situation gets better in figuring out a solution on how to go. Take care....Ed |
Gilligan
said:
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... Hi Patty: I was just thinking about you and bam there you are. It’s not like you to be MIA for four days. I’m supper happy that you are doing well. I think yoga is great I do it myself. Keep in touch, George |
nicka
said:
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good way to help with anxiety hi, i read yourClick Here! story and i think this might be of some help,: |
PattyPanic
said:
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... Thanks you guys. I woke up this morning and was full of anxiety because I did not want to take another xanax but after what I read you are supposed to gradually come down off these things. Gradually coming down off these things is causing me more hell than if I just quit them. It's causing me so much anxiety. Right now I am on a really low dose of these things and really feel more aware but then I get loopy with anxiety about getting all these weird withdrawal symptoms. I get all scared but then I have to remember that the people online were and are taking doses that I would never dream of taking. One person was actually taking 20mg. a day. Here I am worried about being on .50mg a day. I am finding that meditation has been the most helpful. Yoga has worked but I was so tense last time I did it I kind of made my muscles sore. I guess part of this disorder is we all think too much. At least I know I do. Sometimes to the obsessive point. It's like coming off this medication is obsessing me right now. I really don't want to be on it and it scares me everytime I take a pill. That is where the anxiety is coming from. I hate having this anxiety disorder sometimes. I just want to enjoy the small simple things in life again instead of worrying all the time over stupid sh/./. Patty |
inspired
said:
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Glad To Hear From You & Congratulations Patty, So good to see your blog and that the stopping of xanax has made a good change in how you are feeling. I'm still on 3mg a day and planning on cutting back with doctor's approval and help in January. I know I still need it now, but your blog gives me lots of hope that I can cut down eventually. Yes, we all do think way too much. I go to the obssesion point way too often. I've done it all my life - bring on the anxiety!! The medication and side effects are big ones for me too. I always read the stuff they give you with the meds & then go to my computer and read everything there - especially side effects. I know you and others are right about that part - it is NOT a good idea. Why look for something else to worry about? Please keep in touch and let us know how you are progressing. All My Best, Norell |
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