[rushnit]

I have been prescribed Xanax for over a year and a half. I am an addict. I am now in recovery from Alcohol and other drugs and now want to stop taking my anxiety pills. How do I wean myself off? I am supposed to take my Xanax twice a day, they are 1mg. I haven't taken any since last Friday. I am really stressed out and angry...is this normal? Is there anything I can do to make it easier?

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by rushnit

I have been prescribed Xanax for over a year and a half. I am an addict. I am now in recovery from Alcohol and other drugs and now want to stop taking my anxiety pills. How do I wean myself off? I am supposed to take my Xanax twice a day, they are 1mg. I haven't taken any since last Friday. I am really stressed out and angry...is this normal? Is there anything I can do to make it easier?

Xanax detox is tough. It has dangers too like seizures. You have to be careful with this. I normally wouldn't suggest a cold turkey for benzos. You have gone four days already so I hate to suggest taking anything though without knowing exactly how you are doing. I know you don't feel well. But have you been having electric shock syndrome? If you have you will know what it is. Please answer that question and if you are having it, tell me about it. Tell me about how things go when you sleep. Tell me exactly what is happening with you. Will wait until I see your reply to make any suggestions.

[jpl788]

Originally Posted by Robert_325

Xanax detox is tough. It has dangers too like seizures. You have to be careful with this. I normally wouldn't suggest a cold turkey for benzos. You have gone four days already so I hate to suggest taking anything though without knowing exactly how you are doing. I know you don't feel well. But have you been having electric shock syndrome? If you have you will know what it is. Please answer that question and if you are having it, tell me about it. Tell me about how things go when you sleep. Tell me exactly what is happening with you. Will wait until I see your reply to make any suggestions.

I had a benzo WD seizure coming off xanax. This was about a week and a half after my last dose as well. I would suggest a very slow ween off.

As for the electric shock syndrome, I'm having that now coming off Celexa. Is there anyway to tame it?

[Robert_325]

Sadly the best thing that one can do for the electric shocks that I have had any luck with is a medicinal dose of benzo. I really hate to recommend that considering your history. Sometimes an antidepressant will help some people with this. Of course you are detoxing from one now so that is why you are having the symptoms you are having. How bad have the electric shocks been? How much xanax were you using prior to detox and for how long? Will try to make a suggestion based on your reply.

[jpl788]

Originally Posted by Robert_325

Sadly the best thing that one can do for the electric shocks that I have had any luck with is a medicinal dose of benzo. I really hate to recommend that considering your history. Sometimes an antidepressant will help some people with this. Of course you are detoxing from one now so that is why you are having the symptoms you are having. How bad have the electric shocks been? How much xanax were you using prior to detox and for how long? Will try to make a suggestion based on your reply.

Well its been about a week maybe week and a half that I've been off Celexa and about two days ago were the first times I experienced any withdrawls. I've forgotten my Celexa at home on vacations before so I knew what I was going to face going pretty much cold turkey. The only symptom I have a problem with is the shocking sensations. They can be bad periodically throughout the day. Sometimes it will be a half hour or hour before I feel it for a moment or so.

I had a prescription for Xanax from August 06 until December 06. I was abusing it taking up to 15 miligrams a day sometimes. My average dose was probably about 7 miligrams a day. I ran out of my script and didn't want to buy it off the street so I just stopped taking it. I went a week before I had my seziure and after that I was hospitalized for 2 days and when I got out I experienced some withdrawls but nothing as bad as this(for celexa).

Not only did I fight addiction with Xanax, I had a steady opiate addicting I just kicked this past april. I was using Vicodin, Percocet, Oxycottin for about a year and a half and ended up having to go to rehab to fix that.

I'm sick of detoxing seems like thats all I do anymore hah. Its just ironic that the worse withdrawls I've had are from this stupid SSRI that I was prescribed in rehab!

My energy is low, I'm still functional though and probably from the outside cant even tell I'm withdrawing.

[Robert_325]

At least you have detoxed from about all the drugs one can detox from. There shouldn't be too much more you have to go through. I know it's a drag believe me.

Doesn't sound like the electric shocks are as bad as they CAN be. I have had them that literally lifted me off the floor. I mean they hurt bad. Felt like someone had stuck a huge electric cord down my throat or elsewhere. Be glad yours aren't like I'm describing. Of course that doesn't make your symptoms any better because they weren't just like mine.

As much as I hate the shocks the only option I know of other than taking benzo would be to take a small dose of the celexa. You've got over a week under your belt though. I really hate to see you taking more drugs with the history you have. I would probably call the dr in this instance and ask what he recommends. The seizure history concerns me with the existing shocks. You should probably be on dilantin or depakote while you are going through this with the celexa. Theses meds help as they are used as anti-seizure medications. Let me know how this goes for you. I really think you should be on one of the meds for seizures at least while all this is going on. I know you don't want to have another seizure. Good luck.

[jpl788]

Originally Posted by Robert_325

At least you have detoxed from about all the drugs one can detox from. There shouldn't be too much more you have to go through. I know it's a drag believe me.

Doesn't sound like the electric shocks are as bad as they CAN be. I have had them that literally lifted me off the floor. I mean they hurt bad. Felt like someone had stuck a huge electric cord down my throat or elsewhere. Be glad yours aren't like I'm describing. Of course that doesn't make your symptoms any better because they weren't just like mine.

As much as I hate the shocks the only option I know of other than taking benzo would be to take a small dose of the celexa. You've got over a week under your belt though. I really hate to see you taking more drugs with the history you have. I would probably call the dr in this instance and ask what he recommends. The seizure history concerns me with the existing shocks. You should probably be on dilantin or depakote while you are going through this with the celexa. Theses meds help as they are used as anti-seizure medications. Let me know how this goes for you. I really think you should be on one of the meds for seizures at least while all this is going on. I know you don't want to have another seizure. Good luck.

I'm thinking of calling my doctor. I have gone a week without Celexa before I couldn't take the DT from it anymore. I could take an 1/8th of a pill today and be fine tomorrow, however in 2 days I would be right back where I was today. I tried a taper method before getting off it but it seemed that no matter how small a dose I adjusted to, once I was not taking it at all I got the DT's.

I'm thankful I guess that my shocks aren't as bad as others have reported, but I do wonder how long these are expected to last. Like I said I have heard people say they never completely go away.

[Robert_325]

If we do permanent damage to our CNS we can have some shocks last indefinitely. Hopefully that hasn't happened. I know I have some permanent CNS damage but thankfully I don't get the shocks any longer. I really do think that you should see the dr. This is where they can help. You would be smart I think to ask the dr for an anti-seizure medication if you are going to do this. I am confident the dr will either agree or tell you to not stop the celexa one or the other. Stay in touch. Good luck.

[jpl788]

Yeah I should, but it wouldn't be probably until this upcoming Monday that I could go. I forgot to mention I was only on the Celexa from April 22nd until the past week, so hopefully that I did not cause any permanent damage in such a short time. Also, I was weening myself off Celexa since the beginning of July with my highest dose being around 5mg. I was even chopping quarters into halfs so I was taking a very small dose, just enough to not make me DT the next day.

[Robert_325]

I wasn't really that concerned about CNS damage from just from the celexa. I was thinking more about the accumulative effects of all the different drugs over time. That could cause the damage too. It's not likely, just a possibility. Good luck with the dr.

[python134r]

Benzo dependence can be worse exponentially because of the risks involved if "just stopped" Death , although rare is in the equation so if possible discuss with a knowledgeable health care professional. Keep strong, it gets better

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by python134r

Benzo dependence can be worse exponentially because of the risks involved if "just stopped" Death , although rare is in the equation so if possible discuss with a knowledgeable health care professional. Keep strong, it gets better

I agree with what you are saying about the dangers of benzo dependence. However this person is not taking benzos. He hasn't taken benzos since 2006. I really doubt that he is having any benzo problems at this time.

[jpl788]

No benzo addiction right now, I've taken maybe 6mg of Xanax since my seizure in 2006. I don't know how CNS damage is detected, but when I had my seizure they ran 10000 different tests on me(mainly because they couldn't figure out why I had the seizure, I wasn't aware benzo withdrawal could lead to a seizure so I didn't tell my doctor I stopped taking my xanax at first...whoops) Anyways all those tests came back fine and my brain was in good condition.

Last night I went out to the bar and i noticed alcohol kinda dumbed down the Electric Shock Syndrome somewhat. Its 7am and Ive been awake for an hour and I can tell I'm still going to be suffering today.