Benzos Is it Ambien or Xanax causing my rebound anxiety?!

I didn't know if this should be under opiates because I am trying to quit 4 months Kratom (after 6 months Suboxone, itself after 5 years H). I felt like I was through it, especially stopping at so low a dose (10g/day), but on day 5, when it should be getting better, it got worse: crazy physical anxiety (numb/prickly hands and arms; burning /ants under skin, panic). I stopped 5 days of .5mg Xanax at night, but also gabapentin and clonidine, so I don't know what it is.

Plus, because I was feeling so bad, I didn't stop the 10mg Ambien at night, went backon Kratom. Finally after day 14 I stopped Ambien: even worseb anxiety. Had to go back to Xanax .5 at night for 2 days. Next night ok, slept, but then last night panic attack, had to take xanaz.

My question: do Ambien and Xanax piggyback? I mean, why exactly is my anxiety so bad? I stopped Ambien 4 nights ago. I had 6 days off Xanax. But is going from Ambien to Xanax like not stopping? I had no benzo or Xanax habit before. back on the low dose of Kratom so can't be that. Help!
Thank you in advance.

Yeah, the Ambien and Xanax piggyback enough in an effects way. they are additive. It might be the Ambien or Xanax but, no drug testing questions.

I would have kicked the Kratom before I quit the Ambien and Xanax, if possible.


Cut the Kratom by some amount,to lessen anxiety.

jjacobsen said:

I didn't know if this should be under opiates because I am trying to quit 4 months Kratom (after 6 months Suboxone, itself after 5 years H). I felt like I was through it, especially stopping at so low a dose (10g/day), but on day 5, when it should be getting better, it got worse: crazy physical anxiety (numb/prickly hands and arms; burning /ants under skin, panic). I stopped 5 days of .5mg Xanax at night, but also gabapentin and clonidine, so I don't know what it is.

Plus, because I was feeling so bad, I didn't stop the 10mg Ambien at night, went backon Kratom. Finally after day 14 I stopped Ambien: even worseb anxiety. Had to go back to Xanax .5 at night for 2 days. Next night ok, slept, but then last night panic attack, had to take xanaz.

My question: do Ambien and Xanax piggyback? I mean, why exactly is my anxiety so bad? I stopped Ambien 4 nights ago. I had 6 days off Xanax. But is going from Ambien to Xanax like not stopping? I had no benzo or Xanax habit before. back on the low dose of Kratom so can't be that. Help!
Thank you in advance.

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Hey mate I've had a very similar experience to you in regards to using a combination of benzos, clonidine and kratom to taper myself off a very high opiate habit. The habit and dependance manifested itself from a long term anxiety disorder that I was self medicating.
I can tell you that during the taper/detox if you redose on ambien or Xanax it will hinder your progress in the sense that it seems to reset the withdrawal process which is no doubt a huge contributor to your insomnia and anxiety. Essentially I found that if I was to go a week or so without any benzos and use clonidine with kratom it would ease my anxiety but I was suffering from benzo withdrawal. If I then took a dose of ambien/Xanax/diazepam my withdrawal process seemed to 'reset' and the anxiety returned. So to answer your question - yes they piggy back. My advice to you is to cut the ambien and Xanax out entirely and try to use your kratom and clonidine combo to ease the symptoms. It will be uncomfortable at first but it will subside and then it is much easier to reduce your kratom and clonidine intake over time. It worked for me and I am currently down to one microgram of clonidine a night for sleep. Try to imagine that Everytime you redose your benzos you will suffer some sort of rebound withdrawal which is causing the anxiety. This is entirely my experience trying to get off the methadone and I'm sure you know your body and mind better than me but this recipe worked for me.

If you have any questions about tapering dosages I'm happy to provide you with some recommendations

Edit- the gabapentin will help you immensely in combination with the kratom and clonidine. It's an excellent combo.

Thanks! So helpful. Unfortunately I'm out of Gabapentin and clonidine. I'm done with Ambien but I just can't get through the panic attack at night without the .5 Xanax. Seems unlikely I'm still in some reset of Kratom withdrawal as I'm back on Kratom.

Only idea I have to avoid Xanax at night for 5th night in 6 days is phenobarbital (no idea what dose to take) or serequel. But after what's happened, I'm terrified of some med making it worse. Ahhh!

Also, I don't know if you guys know Kratom well, but it is stimulating at low doses and sedating at high. I'm on super low dose cuz I've been tryiny to quit don't want tolerance again, but because I'd rather deal with ANYTHING than this debilitating anxiety, maybe I should take high dose at night? Well worth having to taper again if it works. Thanks again.