long term xanax use

Posted by chrisweber @chrisweber, Jul 17, 2023

I have been taking xanax for approx 15 years. I was on .75 mg until 2019when my doctor raised it to 1.50mg daily. In Jan 2021 - april 2021 i tapered off using valium underthe supervision of a psychiatrist - I was ok for month or two after that and then was hit with all over body shaking and a psychiatrist put me back on the 1.50 mg - i've been trying to taper down but the last time it was such hell that i;,m afraid - i'm 64 and i don't know if my body can take that again as i now hve neurological symptoms and severe headaches post covid- any ideas?

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bethpeters4 | @bethpeters4 | Jun 18 10:24pm

Look up Jordan Peterson's story. He was put on Xanax for years and was put through a lot trying to get off of it. No one should be on Xanax for that long. I'm so sorry that you have had to take it for that long. Please update on how you are doing.

con123 | @con123 | Jun 26 8:13pm

I noticed some activity on this thread from last summer and I wanted to update you on my "progress". I am now benzo-free, and it was damn hard. The psychiatrist who tapered me off gave me nothing but an antihistamine and a fare-thee-well as I turned 65. What happened then was a nightmarish 8 or 9 months when I did not sleep and felt terrible anxiety. I had some temporary relief using CBD/THC gummies, but it was inconsistent. I usually had to NOT sleep for several nights to get the sleep pressure to finally sleep. My PCP referred me to a sleep specialist (neurologist) who affirmed that my insomnia was not ok. She was actually going to prescribe Klonopin again. I declined because it had been so hard to get off it and asked for something safer. She was concerned about the anxiety but I assured her that if I could sleep, I would not be anxious. Lunesta works pretty well for helping me sleep. It is not as effective as Klonopin was, but at least I know I will have a good 5-6 hours, where I am "out" and I dream and I feel I've slept well. Some nights I get 7-8 hours. She was willing to try a number of medications to be sure I got sleep. I would love to be able to sleep without a pill, but I'm happy to be sleeping at this point. Good luck everyone.

con123 | @con123 | Jun 27 2:56pm

Good for you!! We do what we have to do. I realize there is a risk of dependency with all these drugs, but my doctor said the side effects of chronic insomnia are as bad, if not worse, than the drug we might take to get the sleep we need. I gave it a really good go, and failed. But to sleep is so important for our mental - emotional state and brain health. What I did not fail, was getting off Klonopin - used it for 12 years and have been off it since October. I feel my brain is healing even now.
It was thoughts that kept me awake - stupid thoughts like song lyrics or made up stories - not even anxiety about anything. I could not stop my mind from going on and on all night, as tired as I was. I find that Lunesta calms those thoughts, so then I can fall asleep. I still wake with leg cramps or sweats sometimes, but I can do a little something to help with those and fall back asleep. Best of luck!!