Stress Center Peer Support

does any one no what kind of symptoms you have trying to stop xanax i am so shaky and panicky

Hi rev.!!!!

I know alittle about this because I've been taking xanax for 4 years now. I started off taking .25mg as needed....then went to .50...Then 1mg in morning and the same at night, and would take more during the day if needed.

About 2 years I took myself off all xanax at once. Thats when I had the worse withdrawl symtoms....I thought I was going crazy. I was shaky, extream panic, couldn't sleep, had bad sweats, felt so foggy i couldn't think, and so on....like I said I thought I was going crazy!!! and that all happend in just one day. so I had to start taking them again.
I'm not sure how much you take or how long you've been on them, but you have to slowly decrease your dose. I've read that it could take some people 2 to even 6 months(if not longer)to get off this drug compleatly. Just depends on how long you've been on them.
I am down to .50 in the morning but still 1mg at night.

Asking your Dr. how you should start decreasing
your dose would be the best way to start, since everyone responds differently.

I've done ALOT of research on this because I don't want to be taking these forvever. I have even bought one of thoughs pill books all about RX meds. It even tells you what kind of withdrawl symptoms you could have if you stop taking it all at once. The list is very long and scary.

So ask your Dr. and take it slow.

Hope this was alittle helpful for you.

Good luck and let me know how things go.
If you have any other questions about this please post it and I will try to help as much as I can!!!
(sorry about the bad spelling)

Dear rev. christopher -

I was just in rehab for getting off of benzodiazepenes (like xanax) and related things. There is the long-term withdrawal called PAWS (Post-acture withdrawal symptoms). It was terrible for me - shaking, sweating, a drown out panic attack, social phobia . . . It's very important that to lessen these symptoms that you withdraw slowly, stepping down the meds slowly. Mine was not necessarily that - after three days in detox, with phenobarbital to help, I was out on the main floor with nothing. The terrible feelings grew over several days to where I could not stand it and left the facility early. At home I found Gabapentin (Neurotin) helped me, also Thorazine. But you may not want to take something else. Please speak to your doctor and/or look up benzodiazepene withdrawal on the Internet. There was a great deal of information about it that I did not even receive in rehab! It helped alot.

Good luck and write to me if you want more info.