XANAX withdrawal

Sorry your going through this.

I was taking Xanax for 2 years. I’m 66 and have gradually increased over the 2 years up to 4 mgs a day. My psychiatrist had me try different anti depressants over the last 2 years. I’m now taking celexa. It was a gradual increase to 40mg. My body built up a tolerance to the Xanax and probably stopped working a few months ago or better. All the symptoms had the same as anxiety but I believe it’s withdrawal. I’m weaning off .25mg a week. I’m at 3.25mg. I’ve been nauseous and trouble with everything. I was on Celexa for years and stopped in 2020. Ever since pandemic I’ve been a basket case, paranoid, phobia, anxiety and depression. I don’t know what came first the anxiety or med problems. My psychiatrist also has me taking hydroxyzine 10 mg. It’s an antihistamine to help with the anxiety symptoms and withdrawal. He suggested adding Buspar but my husband and I don’t think that would be a good idea. Read bad things on that med. We never thought xanax would be this bad. He suggested going up to 60 mg a day of celexa for 2 weeks. Asked pharmacists and most thought it would be safe. Very terrified by all of this. I would appreciate any comments. Please don’t put me down since I’m having such a difficult time. Thank you.

I was taking Xanax for 2 years. I’m 66 and have gradually increased over the 2 years up to 4 mgs a day. My psychiatrist had me try different anti depressants over the last 2 years. I’m now taking celexa. It was a gradual increase to 40mg. My body built up a tolerance to the Xanax and probably stopped working a few months ago or better. All the symptoms had the same as anxiety but I believe it’s withdrawal. I’m weaning off .25mg a week. I’m at 3.25mg. I’ve been nauseous and trouble with everything. I was on Celexa for years and stopped in 2020. Ever since pandemic I’ve been a basket case, paranoid, phobia, anxiety and depression. I don’t know what came first the anxiety or med problems. My psychiatrist also has me taking hydroxyzine 10 mg. It’s an antihistamine to help with the anxiety symptoms and withdrawal. He suggested adding Buspar but my husband and I don’t think that would be a good idea. Read bad things on that med. We never thought xanax would be this bad. He suggested going up to 60 mg a day of celexa for 2 weeks. Asked pharmacists and most thought it would be safe. Very terrified by all of this. I would appreciate any comments. Please don’t put me down since I’m having such a difficult time. Thank you.

@flow65, I too am sorry for you having to endure this. I know because I’ve been there. .25mg per week reduction seems a fast pace to me. But there are others on this forum who are more knowledgeable than me, so let’s see what they say. The nausea was terrible for me, and thus lost 70 lbs. I did control it, finally by trying a myriad of OTC and Rx drugs. How are you doing with the nausea? I may be able to offer some suggestions to help. Hang in there…it can be done, but it can be a tough road, too. Think first about your weaning rate. Let us know how you’re doing.

The psychiatrist told me most likely my body has been intolerant to the Xanax for a few months or better. Last year he started me out slow with Xanax. I was able to drop off 1 mg. Eventually on 4 mg. Then I was taking 3.75 mg a day. This was for awhile. (3 of 0.25 mg in am, 4 of 0.25mg in afternoon, 4 of 0.25mg evening, 4 of .25 mg before bed). He removed one 0.25mg of afternoon everyday for a week. He removed one 0.25mg of everyday of evening for a week. This is where I’m at now. It’s a total of 3.25 mg a day. I’ve been nausea for awhile even before weaning. I try onadesteron (doesn’t always work) sometimes have heat in my throat. I was told long time ago I had GERD and acid reflux. I was on Nexium for a long time. I had a scope and colonoscopy this year by a surgeon and was told I don’t have that now to take pepcid. But the heat again. I had a gastric emptying test. So many tests for the nausea. Not sure if it’s from Xanax, celexa, anxiety, depression. Thank you.

I feel you’re tapering much too quickly. Some take months to years to taper comfortably and effectively. Your dose was really high. Are you familiar with the Ashton Manual? Google this and take a look. This is the best tapering method out there to date.

I was taking Xanax for 2 years. I’m 66 and have gradually increased over the 2 years up to 4 mgs a day. My psychiatrist had me try different anti depressants over the last 2 years. I’m now taking celexa. It was a gradual increase to 40mg. My body built up a tolerance to the Xanax and probably stopped working a few months ago or better. All the symptoms had the same as anxiety but I believe it’s withdrawal. I’m weaning off .25mg a week. I’m at 3.25mg. I’ve been nauseous and trouble with everything. I was on Celexa for years and stopped in 2020. Ever since pandemic I’ve been a basket case, paranoid, phobia, anxiety and depression. I don’t know what came first the anxiety or med problems. My psychiatrist also has me taking hydroxyzine 10 mg. It’s an antihistamine to help with the anxiety symptoms and withdrawal. He suggested adding Buspar but my husband and I don’t think that would be a good idea. Read bad things on that med. We never thought xanax would be this bad. He suggested going up to 60 mg a day of celexa for 2 weeks. Asked pharmacists and most thought it would be safe. Very terrified by all of this. I would appreciate any comments. Please don’t put me down since I’m having such a difficult time. Thank you.

You are tapering much too quickly. Really slow tapers have much better results. You should be switching the Xanax over to Valium. Speak to your doctor about this. The Ashton Method is probably the best benzo tapering method to date. This method has helped many. Reducing 25 % per week is just too much. I don’t want to say too much here because I’m not a doctor. What I will say is if your doctor knew how to taper you wouldn’t be here on Connect seeking advice.

My husband figured it out. He says I’m at 13% (1.75 mg a week). He read that no 2 people are alike. Plus he read whatever your dosage is to begin 50 % reduction the first 2 weeks and then after that a 25% reduction the next 2 weeks. Another site he read if you’re on 6 mg the first 2 weeks you cut down to 4.5mg and the next 2 weeks you cut down to 3 and so on. We mentioned about the Valium to the dr. He believes I could get worse because of my sensitivity to medicines (we’ve known him for yrs). He mentioned awhile back when it was time to get off Xanax he was taking it slow. Like I said my body was in a withdrawal before reducing the Xanax. I know you’re not a dr. Not trying to be difficult. Just scared, anxious, stressed and depressed since the pandemic and everyday problems. I’m also on this site to see how people get thru terrible times. I appreciate all your help and any other advice. Thank you.

Again, that’s way too fast especially using Xanax which has a very short half life. I’m nearing the end of taking Xanax for 25 years. I’ll be 70 years old. Good luck on your journey! Let us know how you’re doing.