Violenza666
Bluelighter
So I got by one 1mg of klonopin and .5mg of xanax today. And I feel fine.. I think also my oxycodone helps with that... maybe masks the shitty feelings. Not sure. Does anyone think that would help with the WD?
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BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic
Xanax tapering update..
- Thread starter Violenza666
- Start date
K'd-OUT-in-AZ
Bluelighter
Yes, opiates help with the withdrawals but its only masking them temporarily. If you continue to take Oxycodone on a regular basis to get off the Xanax your going to find yourself in another mess. Realize that the psychological withdrawals of benzodiazepines are almost as tough and all opiates can do with that are numb your feelings. Mild physical withdrawals continue for a long time after your finally off the Xanax as well. Lasted more than a year when I was able to get off them. I relapsed and back on them because I couldn't stand those lingering effects. Everyone is different though. Basically what I'm saying is that you can't continue to take opiates to fight all the withdrawals associated with benzodiazepines.
Violenza666
Bluelighter
I take Oxycodone for chronic pain. I am in pain management for multiple problems with my cervical and lumbar spine and fibromyalgia. I was just wondering if this was going so well because of my opiate treatment. I basically decided I don't need xanax anymore and wanted to taper off. As far as the oxycodone goes my dr will taper me down when we decide its time for me to stop that. I am getting facet joint injections currently and they're not really helping and I want to avoid surgery at all costs.. but I just think it's that time since I am panic attack free and have been for some time. Maybe because I am scripted opiates right now it is a good time to taper down on the xanax? Then later when and if my back is fixed and the opiates wont be there to help me taper down from the xanax.. Its a double edged sword I guess.
K'd-OUT-in-AZ
Bluelighter
Oh...okay. I didn't realize that. Maybe right now would be the best time to taper off them then. I found it easier when I was on Methadone maintenance. I thought that you were asking if taking opiates illegally (without a script) specifically to fight the withdrawals would help.
Violenza666
Bluelighter
Yea I didn't word my post correctly. All of my medications are scripted. Before when I was not on my pain medication and I tried to do this I felt like shit, but right now it's easier. That's cool, I just don't want to deal with nasty benzo withdrawl I have a child to raise I cannot do it and care for her at the same time its too hard. So yea I am gonna give this a go. I feel great, and don't even notice that I lowered my dose. You think I should lower it by a half or quarter mg a week? I was thinking lowering it weekly would be good. I have 2 weeks until I see my psychiatrist again so I wanted to go in there and say hey I did this and I am doing fine. He gave me the option to trade my xanax for valium.. I still get anxiety just not panic attacks and I prefer valium to klonopin and xanax. Also I think it would just lower the cocktail of medication I am currently on and keep my anxiety at bay and save me money in the process. I am in a very positive place mentally, kind of feel like "no time like the present" ya know? Also I am quite proud of myself for defeating panic disorder even if I did it with the help of medication.
When I take opiates, I have alot less anxiety, therefore take less benzos.
Honestly, I was able to knock off the biggest dose of my xanax at the very beginning of my taper. I dropped from 3 mgs daily to 1-1.5mgs right away just having trouble sleeping for 4 days. I would suggest trying to see "how low you can go" in the beginning of this taper, as it will knock time off in the long-run. Instead of having to taper down from the 3mgs, or lets say 2.5mgs I was able to start my taper at ~1.25mgs.
Some other bluelighter have agreed that they were able to knock a decent amount of their dose off in the beginning, and then your body will be a little more sensitive to the lowering of the dose as it gets smaller and smaller.
Gods speed.
Honestly, I was able to knock off the biggest dose of my xanax at the very beginning of my taper. I dropped from 3 mgs daily to 1-1.5mgs right away just having trouble sleeping for 4 days. I would suggest trying to see "how low you can go" in the beginning of this taper, as it will knock time off in the long-run. Instead of having to taper down from the 3mgs, or lets say 2.5mgs I was able to start my taper at ~1.25mgs.
Some other bluelighter have agreed that they were able to knock a decent amount of their dose off in the beginning, and then your body will be a little more sensitive to the lowering of the dose as it gets smaller and smaller.
Gods speed.
cage rat
Bluelighter
Not sure about half or quarter/week, but weekly sounds like a good idea (maybe 2 weeks). You should put a call in to your psychiatrist if you can if you're trying to come off of these, no reason to do it on your own. Valium/Klonopin would be the best pure benzos to use while tapering off, they have very long half lifes, the longest of pure benzos (close to max 100 for valium and about 50 for klonopin). Xanax has the shortest half life of all benzos, even in XR form, so I don't really recommend it even if it does give you the most control of anxiety and WD symptoms immediately. If you take roxi for chronic pain on a daily or close to regularly basis and it also helps you with this, there's no reason to stop taking it. OCs may help even more but I don't know if you want to get those at this point in time, even if you are taking opies for chronic pain OCs are really damned addictive and coming off one powerful substance and starting another extremely powerful substance isn't the safest. Again, talk to your doc..
And your pride is well placed, my panic disorder was extremely disabling when I had it. Happy for you! Good job and good luck coming off :D
Violenza666
Bluelighter
^Thanks alot, I was having 5-6 panic attacks a day and was housebound at one point. It is extremely disabling, and it can ruin your life. My heart goes out to ANYONE who is suffering with Panic Attacks because it's a terrible condition and I find unless somebody has been through it, they don't "get it".. I got on Xanax and I would still get them but nowhere near as much but they were mostly blunted... I would only get the super bad ones occasionally. Now I have been panic attack free for the past few months. Which is why I feel it's time to say goodbye to Xanax. As for the OC, I think Roxicodone is just as good, it's just instant release. I take it every 5 hours, every day. Then when its time to come off I will taper as well, and probably keep some xanax around for when that happens. I think Roxi and OC are most likely equally addictive. My pain management dr did tell me when It was time for me to come off of opiate treatment she would taper me down and make it as painless as possible.
I see my psychiatrist in 2 weeks, we discussed this a little bit in our last visit and that's when he gave me the option to trade the xanax for valium, but I decided instead of doing it dead bang Id rather taper down some on my own and then when I go in next time accept the trade. That way I wouldnt have been freaking out without any xanax left to taper down with.
I see my psychiatrist in 2 weeks, we discussed this a little bit in our last visit and that's when he gave me the option to trade the xanax for valium, but I decided instead of doing it dead bang Id rather taper down some on my own and then when I go in next time accept the trade. That way I wouldnt have been freaking out without any xanax left to taper down with.
cage rat
Bluelighter
Yeah my diagnosis included severe agoraphobia, GAD and severe panic disorder. I have talked to people that have never had panic attacks and they tell me they'd probably have an easier time with mental symptoms than physical symptoms of a panic attack and think they can brush them off. I tell them they're ignorant. Starting to take an antidepressant may also help any re-occuring anxiety in the future if you aren't already on one.
But for sure, you should be fine. Good luck.
Violenza666
Bluelighter
Yea I had severe agoraphobia as well. I sat around my house with a loaded gun and was gonna shoot anybody who came through the door. It happened right after I had my daughter.. Some women get post pardum depression I got post pardum anxiety complete with panic attacks and agoraphobia... it was ridiculous. I was afraid to leave the house with my child because I was scared I would have a panic attack, pass out and someone would kidnap her.. I also thought I was stroking out or having a heart attack everytime I had a panic attack. It got to be ridiculous. Many trips to the ER then to a psychiatrist.. I was diagnosed with panic disorder but even after my diagnosis I was afraid it was something worse.. I was a complete nutbag for a while.. My friend who has a fractured back in 3 locations and refuses pain medication was giving me a lecture and questioning why I needed Xanax.. She just didn't understand why "the toughest girl she knows is afraid of so much". "you will fight at the drop of a hat why are you freaking out like this?' "you dont need that medication blah blah"... I told her until she has been through it she has no place to comment. I came close to cussing her out numerous times.. because unless somebody has been through it they will never get it. My psychiatrist had someone close to him suffer with panic disorder and wrote a book on the subject.. He only deals with patients who have panic disorder. I lucked out when I found him, he is great. My husband has had panic attacks as well so he completely understands and I lucked out there too. My parents think it's made up. It's really fucked up, but fuck people who don't get it or don't try too. I think people suffering from panic disorder need support from friends and family as well as medication and therapy.. wow long winded rant over. haha Message me anytime you want to talk though and thank you for your support!
unsettled
Bluelighter
That's so true about people who haven't had panic attacks can't understand what it's like, there is no possible way for them to understand it unless they experience it. I've given up on trying to tell other people about my anxiety disorder unless I have to, they just don't get it. Some people think I actually take Klonopin everyday for fun. God I would love to have never had a panic attack, never have to be on benzo's. Panic Disorder is true hell. Tapering is hard, I take 1.5mgs of Klonopin daily and recently stopped taking the xanax cause it was too up and down for me, I can really feel even the slightest drop in my medication at this point, best of luck to you, I know how difficult it is.
Yea I hate the "just man up" answer from my friends..... I'm telling you I used to never goto the doctorl or be worried about shit. I used to pull rotten teeth out with pliars, give myself tatoos from cutting open my skin with fish hooks, all kinds of crazy shit.
So to goto the doctor and tell him that I was thinking that I was dieing, and having panic attacks was crazy. Like I only got sympatyh from 2 people that I knew that had been through them.... which is 2 more ppl than others have been able to relate to.
But yea it wasn't a matter of me being scared, it was a chemical imbalance in my brain. I always explained to the psychiatrist that I had always been a crazy fuck, then one day I just started having episodes in which I felt like i couldn't breathe, and I had accepted death.
So to goto the doctor and tell him that I was thinking that I was dieing, and having panic attacks was crazy. Like I only got sympatyh from 2 people that I knew that had been through them.... which is 2 more ppl than others have been able to relate to.
But yea it wasn't a matter of me being scared, it was a chemical imbalance in my brain. I always explained to the psychiatrist that I had always been a crazy fuck, then one day I just started having episodes in which I felt like i couldn't breathe, and I had accepted death.