1. < Depression & Anxiety
Profile picture for bvgrammy

Going off of Xanax

Posted by bvgrammy @bvgrammy, Nov 23, 2016

I have been taking Xanax for 25 years for Fibromyalgia and Anxiety. I am trying to wean myself off of it. Has anyone done this?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Depression & Anxiety Support Group.

Profile picture for ellerchim
ellerchim | @ellerchim | Mar 2, 2025
In reply to @dorothy1914 "To @ellerchim Hello, the Ativan did calm my palpitations for a short while. I also had..." + (show)
Profile picture for dorothy1914 @dorothy1914

To @ellerchim
Hello, the Ativan did calm my palpitations for a short while. I also had some Nighty Night tea. I checked our pantry and my husband has been buying an assortment of teas that are supposed to promote sleep. Thank you so much for your recommendation. I have a dental appointment on Wednesday and I hope I can sit still long enough for the hygienist to complete the work. I had to cancel my two previous appointments with her as I wasn’t able to leave the house. I won’t take an Ativan. Thank you so much for your concern.
Claudia

Jump to this post

Your husband is smart buying those!! There was also a tea out with melatonin in it also. I wish you luck at the dentist. I put that off for a whole year while I was taping again maybe drink some tea before you go in. All this tea does is just relax you it doesn’t make you fall asleep really fast. I’m glad to hear you didn’t have any kind of bad reaction from taking out Ativan again.. hope you’re feeling better tomorrow✨✨

REPLY
Profile picture for dorothy1914
dorothy1914 | @dorothy1914 | Mar 2, 2025
In reply to @flowergirl9317 "Actually my bio is my question, I was told if I try to come off xanex..." + (show)
Profile picture for flowergirl9317 @flowergirl9317

Actually my bio is my question, I was told if I try to come off xanex I'd die , I was put on it at age 15 and now I'm 54 I didn't know any better or what the med was or what it could do to my body over time , all in all honesty I wish I could sue tge makers of this drug, not only am I addicted, the state of Indiana whwre qe bought a home wont write tge perception so wvery 3 months i drive 14 hours 1 way to get it , i cant hardly take tgis ride anymore as i have other issues like deteriorating bones and more , help please . Thank you 🙏

Jump to this post

@ellerchim

Thank you so much. I appreciate your concern. As you can see I am still awake. I have developed a serious phobia due to a letter we received in Sept. 2024, from the IRS about someone trying to possibly use my social security number to gain employment. It triggered something in my brain and I developed an obsessive/ compulsive disorder. I know it sounds ridiculous but I truly feel this is what happened.

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for ellerchim
ellerchim | @ellerchim | Mar 2, 2025
In reply to @dorothy1914 "@ellerchim I have been off anti depressants for about a month but may have to go..." + (show)
Profile picture for dorothy1914 @dorothy1914

@ellerchim
I have been off anti depressants for about a month but may have to go back on something for a while. I fell off the wagon last week and took Ativan. I am trying not to do it again but when your legs feel like they can’t hold you up and your hands are trembling, it’s hard to just feel that way. I know the Ativan isn’t effective anymore. Today, I had some bills to pay and my right hand was in a spasm. I printed out the checks and just used cursive to sign them. My husband was helping me with the bills but he’s shaky too from stress and the Parkinson’s.
Please take care of yourself as well.

Jump to this post

Benzo Recovery and existence on Facebook is what you need to be on. You will find many many people with similar problems like yours and you also WILL find help. That was my last resort and the best thing I ever did. I got so much help on there and so many people I could relate to because they were having the same issues as myself. If you need more help, they will let you know what other benzo site to go to. I hope and pray you go on there that site is what saved my life and many others that are having serious side effects.If you have questions. Your questions are answered. . I never would’ve made it had I not gone on there, just a wealth of information. Please just check it out.

REPLY
Profile picture for ellerchim
ellerchim | @ellerchim | Mar 2, 2025
In reply to @dorothy1914 "@ellerchim Thank you so much. I appreciate your concern. As you can see I am still..." + (show)
Profile picture for dorothy1914 @dorothy1914

@ellerchim

Thank you so much. I appreciate your concern. As you can see I am still awake. I have developed a serious phobia due to a letter we received in Sept. 2024, from the IRS about someone trying to possibly use my social security number to gain employment. It triggered something in my brain and I developed an obsessive/ compulsive disorder. I know it sounds ridiculous but I truly feel this is what happened.

Jump to this post

Nothing ridiculous about what happened to you. These benzos cause not only physical but mental symptoms when you get off it destroys the gabba receptors in your brain and takes a long time to rebuild again and that also goes for antidepressants. All these feel good drugs should be banned. They’re only good for 4 to 6 weeks and even then you can become dependent on them

REPLY
Profile picture for kb2014
kb2014 | @kb2014 | Mar 2, 2025
In reply to @flowergirl9317 "Actually my bio is my question, I was told if I try to come off xanex..." + (show)
Profile picture for flowergirl9317 @flowergirl9317

Actually my bio is my question, I was told if I try to come off xanex I'd die , I was put on it at age 15 and now I'm 54 I didn't know any better or what the med was or what it could do to my body over time , all in all honesty I wish I could sue tge makers of this drug, not only am I addicted, the state of Indiana whwre qe bought a home wont write tge perception so wvery 3 months i drive 14 hours 1 way to get it , i cant hardly take tgis ride anymore as i have other issues like deteriorating bones and more , help please . Thank you 🙏

Jump to this post

Mad in Americs was a resource I checked out. I did not medical advice from this site but harm from psychiatric meds is real

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for wm60
wm60 | @wm60 | Mar 4, 2025
In reply to @flowergirl9317 "Actually my bio is my question, I was told if I try to come off xanex..." + (show)
Profile picture for flowergirl9317 @flowergirl9317

Actually my bio is my question, I was told if I try to come off xanex I'd die , I was put on it at age 15 and now I'm 54 I didn't know any better or what the med was or what it could do to my body over time , all in all honesty I wish I could sue tge makers of this drug, not only am I addicted, the state of Indiana whwre qe bought a home wont write tge perception so wvery 3 months i drive 14 hours 1 way to get it , i cant hardly take tgis ride anymore as i have other issues like deteriorating bones and more , help please . Thank you 🙏

Jump to this post

So sorry to hear, I’m afraid it’s going to worse with the current administration. People refuse to understand depression and anxiety. I hope you feel better.

REPLY
Profile picture for wm60
wm60 | @wm60 | Mar 4, 2025
In reply to @kb2014 "Mad in Americs was a resource I checked out. I did not medical advice from this..." + (show)
Profile picture for kb2014 @kb2014

Mad in Americs was a resource I checked out. I did not medical advice from this site but harm from psychiatric meds is real

Jump to this post

Agreed if taken in extreme doses. For some people taken properly are a great help, problem is a lot are over prescribed.

REPLY
Profile picture for fhkrph95
fhkrph95 | @fhkrph95 | Mar 21, 2025
In reply to @dianrib "I found out the hard way how difficult it is to get off Xanax. My MD..." + (show)
Profile picture for dianrib @dianrib

I found out the hard way how difficult it is to get off Xanax. My MD never warned me of this . 3 days with no Xanax sent me to the ER with 300 BP.. horrid headache, nausea. I thought I was dying or having a stroke . ER team did a brain scan to check. People must be made more aware of this. Check with your Pharmacist. I did not have this problem with Prozac...quit easily.

Jump to this post

Are there any providers at Mayo Clinic who work with patients that are withdrawing from benzodiazepines ?

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for Colleen Young, Connect Director
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Mar 24, 2025
In reply to @fhkrph95 "Are there any providers at Mayo Clinic who work with patients that are withdrawing from benzodiazepines..." + (show)
Profile picture for fhkrph95 @fhkrph95

Are there any providers at Mayo Clinic who work with patients that are withdrawing from benzodiazepines ?

Jump to this post

Welcome, @fhkrph95. Good question. Tapering off a benzodiazepine safely and reducing the risk of withdrawal symptoms can take a long time. Tapering is most successful when you have the support and supervision from a medical professional. Mayo Clinic advises that you work with they physician who originally prescribed the medication for you. It is also helpful to have your doctor's support close by.

Are you still being seen by your prescribing doctor?

REPLY
Profile picture for fhkrph95
fhkrph95 | @fhkrph95 | Mar 24, 2025
In reply to @dianrib "I found out the hard way how difficult it is to get off Xanax. My MD..." + (show)
Profile picture for dianrib @dianrib

I found out the hard way how difficult it is to get off Xanax. My MD never warned me of this . 3 days with no Xanax sent me to the ER with 300 BP.. horrid headache, nausea. I thought I was dying or having a stroke . ER team did a brain scan to check. People must be made more aware of this. Check with your Pharmacist. I did not have this problem with Prozac...quit easily.

Jump to this post

I am still being seen by my provider, however, he is not well informed about the dangers of withdrawing from psychiatric meds. Most providers are not . Up until a few years ago, providers continued to prescribe these meds on a long term basis, not realizing how such meds, like benzos, can alter the architecture of the brain by downregulating the GABA receptors. Now we know better, but so many people , including myself, have already been harmed because of this lack of knowledge in the medical community.
I implore all providers to become familiar with the dangers inherent in long term use of benzodiazepines and the suffering that these medications cause and find ways to help the thousands of people who are struggling with this issue.

REPLY
1 reply
Please sign in or register to post a reply.