Hi, @wiserranter -- wondering if you would tell us a little bit more about your experiences with taking Alpralozam and then with going off of it cold turkey?

Doctor prescribed when I had a panic attack one morning on the way to work. Was able to manage it until I found that I needed more so I ended up taking the full legal does of 2m three times a day but could function or thought I could but it got me thru that period of twenty six years. Thinking back on what I could remember I might have done some things that at the time I thought were good decisions. They were not after remembering just little things or saying things that just was not me. Don't remember the first couple of months after coming off and from what I was told it was best. Coming off the drug affected my CP and my back muscles so that has left me with bent back syndrome which is called CAMPTOCORMIA. When I tried to stop taking it myself I would go across the street and become stationary as I could not move anything until I could calm down enough to get across. So that led to avoiding things again. But now that I have a clear mind I am in no pain just bent over. I lost so many years being on the drug that time has flown by so quick. It is a mind altering drug and should be better regulated.

@wiserranter -- that sounds like quite a rough time realizing you weren't completely yourself on the Alpralozam and then with the effects you've had coming off of it.

A few others on Connect who have talked about this medication and whom you may want to meet are: @vdouglas, @cheineck, @lg1963, @sadiesmom, @mrser52, @watermelon, @alfalfa, @gman007, @bekinprogress and @jimhd.

Have you had any more panic attacks recently?

Lisa, as moderator of this blog, are you employed by Mayo Clinic? If so, are you sharing the information with doctors there? I'm VERY surprised many of us lived to tell our stories about detoxing from Effexor. My doctor weened me off in a month. It should have taken MONTHS. I truly lost my mind. One night I overdosed on Xanax just to get some relief from the HORRIBLE side effects of withdrawal and ended up in the hospital with a bp 44/11. This DRUG should not be on the market and anyone who prescribes it should be personally responsible for seeing that their patients successfully leave this drug behind....forever. Anyone who quits cold turkey is signing their death certificate. Not only the physical pain but the mental anguish, hallucinations, FEAR, and wondering if it's worth living with what you are going through is enough to kill an elephant. I know we are all different but that's the problem. Doctors lump us all into ONE group and if Suzy withdrew in a month, you sure are heck should be able to. NOT SO. I told my doctor in the middle of the withdrawal that I had to live to see this through for my beautiful daughter....that I was contemplating suicide and it would devastate my daughter if she even knew I had these thoughts. She responded, "Are you sure?" What the hell kind of answer was that? I walked out of her office and only see her on a monthly basis to get a Xanax prescription. And I hear that Xanax is even harder to withdraw from than Effexor. I'm so screwed. My mantra these days is don't put anything in your body until you have totally researched it and know what the whole story of taking that drug is from beginning to end....

Hi @sadiesmom, the moderating team are employees of Mayo Clinic. You can learn more about why and how we moderate here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/about-our-moderators-and-mentors/
Mayo Clinic Connect is an online community where people can share their experiences and connect with those who've faced similar experiences. It is an open, public forum, which means medical professionals can read and learn from the patient perspective, an important and necessary ingredient for improving health care. In fact, we just launched a new blog series last Friday called Experts by Experience to help bring the patient narrative to the general public and all those involved in delivering health care. You can read more about the initiative here: http://mayocl.in/2E6cDTf

I hope that you shared your experience in detail with your doctor. Tapering off a medication is definitely not "one size fits all".