Benzos Xanax Withdrawal

[EighthChakra]

So near the end of my second semester in college I became very close with xanax (2mg) bars. Benzos have always been my DOC, stimulants fail to impress me for the most part because I have ADD and have taken Dexedrine and various other stimulants on and off for a lot of my life (don't get me wrong I love coke and e, but nothing kicks like a bar followed by a beer bong followed by, who knows?)The suckers cost me about [no pricing] bucks a pop and it is not another addiction I can afford to support, plus leaving campus meant leaving unlimited xannies I took at least one a day for about a month and didn't expect to withdrawal this bad! The last day I took any I took 3 bars, I was originally going to take 1 and use the other 2 to taper off, but soon after eating a bar I obviously decided to go out with a bang! Oh the bad choices I make on benzos! Back in my home town I can't find benzos for shit I have been smoking weed heavily and reducing my dexedrine to about 10mgs a day, I have been extremely lazy lately. I feel depressed about everything I can think of, I just feel sick and like something is missing, it is a terrible feeling. I havent been able to sleep despite spending 2 days in bed. I need to get over benzos for good because it is the only thing I have felt like i needed besides cigs but nicotine withdrawal is not nearly this bad! It feels like the day after smoking dope except not as dirty, alprazolam has branded itself into my brain chemistry and I feel terrible
What can I do? I have a script to clonidine would it be helpful in the withdrawal process? I know it is used for methadone/heroine withdrawal. Smoking weed seems to help, drinking not so much, it just makes me want a bar cause alcohol and xanax were always best friends

 

[RorerQuaalude714]

First, DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL. It'll only make the withdrawals worse. Second, you're in a potentially lethal situation here. Yes, I'm totally serious. Benzodiazepine, especially Xanax, withdrawals can be fatal due to the induction of tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures. This is serious business because you are at risk of having a seizure, ESPECIALLY with Dexedrine in your system. What was your average daily intake of Xanax (in milligrams) and what was the frequency? I know you said 2 mg a day for a month, but did it ever exceed this for longer than about 2-4 days?

Chances are, you'll need to talk to a doc asap and get put on a benzo taper regimen. Benzo withdrawal is serious fucking business.

 

[Halif]

Yes I agree with RorerQuaalude714 that you might need to speak to a doctor and get a benzo taper regimen. Sorry if you said it already in your post, but how long has it been since your last dose of alprazolam?

The last day I took any I took 3 bars, I was originally going to take 1 and use the other 2 to taper off, but soon after eating a bar I obviously decided to go out with a bang! Oh the bad choices I make on benzos!

This is the problem with getting a benzo taper script, though. It could well be too tempting to just neck them all in a couple of goes and be in a worse-off state than before.

alprazolam has branded itself into my brain chemistry and I feel terrible

Well put. Benzos seem to do that (brand into your brain chem AND make you feel terrible sooner or later. I really hope you can ditch them for good.

This is a worrying situation because you seem to be/have been taking several things together, and that puts you at greater risk of complications with benzo withdrawal.

Take care and keep us updated.

 

[EighthChakra]

First, DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL. It'll only make the withdrawals worse. Second, you're in a potentially lethal situation here. Yes, I'm totally serious. Benzodiazepine, especially Xanax, withdrawals can be fatal due to the induction of tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures. This is serious business because you are at risk of having a seizure, ESPECIALLY with Dexedrine in your system. What was your average daily intake of Xanax (in milligrams) and what was the frequency? I know you said 2 mg a day for a month, but did it ever exceed this for longer than about 2-4 days?

Chances are, you'll need to talk to a doc asap and get put on a benzo taper regimen. Benzo withdrawal is serious fucking business.

I took 2mg a day for about a month and sometimes would take 4-6 never more than 6mg. Its been about 2 days since my last xanax, do you really think I should see a doctor about it?

 

[EighthChakra]

It has been 2 days, i've also cut back my dexedrine a lot because I read about the dangers of seizures. At this point should I just tough it out or should I inform my parents and my doctor?

 

[RorerQuaalude714]

IME, never tough out benzo W/D's because of the sheer risk involved. Speak to your doctor first. He's not going to be happy that you were abusing benzos, but if he's competent, he'll see how serious the situation is.

 

[Pagey]

I would definitely do what Rorer said and see a doctor to get a taper schedule...I underestimated the dangers of benzo w/d and ended up having a couple seizures and now I'm just being put back on benzos so it didn't exactly help much!

 

[weekend addiction]

Your not gonna get a seizure with that kind of a dose and duration. But you might feel like hell for a little bit. Its better to get a prescription. Just don't tell your doctor what you have been doing. Trust me you don't want to be labeled a drug addict while simultaneously asking for abusable drugs. Most doctors in the Southern US would give you some depakote if anything and send you on your way. Trust me us junkies get no sympathy.

 

[burn out]

Lol @ the idea of using 2 bars to taper off.

 

[RorerQuaalude714]

Lol @ the idea of using 2 bars to taper off.

If only it was actually that easy to taper down .

 

[EighthChakra]

My doctor who prescribes me adderall will not prescribe me benzos or even ambien (which i once had a script for) because "with more than one controlled substances it's easier to get addicted" or something like that. I feel slightly better today and was able to eat something, although I still feel like shit. I never would have thought a month of taking bars would make me feel this bad when it was over

 

[Druidus]

Yeah, it sucks. I've gone through benzo withdrawal a few times, had three seizures probably related.

NOTHING will completely fix it, except for more benzodiazepines. I used to try to use opiates to help, and it really does, but it doesn't fix everything, not nearly. You could try poppy seed tea, though, for some relaxation and the ability to sleep.

Alcohol, in the short term, will improve your perceived condition. However, it will incur a cost that will hurt more in the long run; it extends the withdrawal, and worsens some aspects of it.

A lot of pot will be helpful, IME. But you need a lot.

You need to be aware of the risks of benzo withdrawal. Look it up. Be aware of severe symptoms, and try to judge when to go to the hospital. If it's not serious, and probably even if it is a bit, you'll be treated poorly, most likely, and get some clonidine, MAYBE, thrown at you with a stern "don't do drugs". I've never gotten much help or concern for my withdrawals save when I seizured; they'd still make me wait in triage for hours, putting me at the lowest ranking.

 

[Dread calm]

I never actually seized as such, but i have been through Benzo withdrawal twice. The first time as a naive little idiot who was getting large amounts of temazepam at low price, i knew nothing about Benzos only that they were great every night after a day of tweaking, i thought i was dying when i ran out until it dawned on me what was going on and i researched Benzo wd's. Got through that one pretty unscarred but the next time was MUCH worse and ive been laughed at for this but it was from zopiclone of all things, yeah the apparently safer, less abuse risk, non Benzo sleep aid. Well believe me it can create Benzo wd syndrome much sooner than you think, i was taking Around 45mg every night sometimes a Bit More for about 4 months and my god did it hurt when i ran out. Full body zaps, no sleep at all for nearly a week, full on delirium too. I'd rather come off the temazzies again than zopiclone any day, awful AWFUL drug to get hooked on.

 

[EighthChakra]

I never actually seized as such, but i have been through Benzo withdrawal twice. The first time as a naive little idiot who was getting large amounts of temazepam at low price, i knew nothing about Benzos only that they were great every night after a day of tweaking, i thought i was dying when i ran out until it dawned on me what was going on and i researched Benzo wd's. Got through that one pretty unscarred but the next time was MUCH worse and ive been laughed at for this but it was from zopiclone of all things, yeah the apparently safer, less abuse risk, non Benzo sleep aid. Well believe me it can create Benzo wd syndrome much sooner than you think, i was taking Around 45mg every night sometimes a Bit More for about 4 months and my god did it hurt when i ran out. Full body zaps, no sleep at all for nearly a week, full on delirium too. I'd rather come off the temazzies again than zopiclone any day, awful AWFUL drug to get hooked on.

I know exactly what you mean with zopiclone. I got 3 refills of zolpidem for a month long international trip from my family doctor for jet lag, plane/train trips, adderall come downs, etc. When you stay up on ambien it feels extremely good, almost like a benzo and when I discovered this I started using them recreationally with xanax (which was otc in the country I was in, dirt cheap too ). Well anyways when I ran out of those my psych said he would not prescribe me ambien again and I didn't sleep for about a week, I felt like shit for about 2 weeks. I think hypnotics can be as bad as benzos when it comes to withdrawal.

 

[Dread calm]

Ambien gives me such bad double vision it ruins it for me, i have to close my eyes like when you've drunk too much and the room spins. Zopiclone was great though, until i ran out of course.

 

[tricomb]

Switch to Diazepam, then begin a slow taper. You're on a moderate dose, but it's how long you've been taking them that will fuck you over, not how much you've been taking.

 

[Druidus]

I found clonazepam easier for tapering than valium, take your pick. I had been doing at least 30mg of temazepam, 4mg of ativan, and 2mg of xanax, often more, every day for a few years when I began to taper. I did not enjoy it, and still find the situation unpleasant and somewhat dysphoric.

Paradoxically, my first time trying methamphetamine properly I stayed up eight days, and missed taking my benzos for a good 6-7 of them. I should have been withdrawing quite hard, from other experiences without stims, and yet I was functioning, not craving benzos at all, until the crash. They can be, possibly, a short term palliative, though a risky one.

I feel horrible for you, because only benzo withdrawal, out of everything I've lived through, has proved to be more distasteful and abjectly despised than opiate withdrawal. It's horrible. The absence of an ability to relax, heightened anxiety (ludicrous levels!), twitchy restlessness, pains, headaches, nausea, complete inability, despite desperate need, to sleep, etc. No one deserves it.

 

[The.Ghost]

It could well be too tempting to just neck them all in a couple of goes and be in a worse-off state than before.

You can always ask the pharmacy to give you a week's worth of the script every week, instead of a month's supply at once. Or go day by day...you get the idea.

 

[Dread calm]

I'd blow someone for a strip of Benzos right now, been up since sunday and am feeling pretty grotty. . . . . . . . . . . . . mmmmm, temazepam!!

 

[fatinflorida]

I took 2mg a day for about a month and sometimes would take 4-6 never more than 6mg. Its been about 2 days since my last xanax, do you really think I should see a doctor about it?

Coming off Alprazolam cold turkey can be dangerous. I had a friend who, sadly, died after coming of a very long period of high alprazolam use. From recollection it was a heart attack (25 years old).

take care