Posted by JohnL on April 22, 2000, at 6:07:07
In reply to Xanax withdrawl, posted by Mojo on April 21, 2000, at 20:59:33
> Hi, I am currently taking 1.25 mg of Xanax per night. It was initially prescribed for panic disorder/generalized anxiety. I have been taking it for 21/2 years. My doctor just recently retired and has left me hanging. I have scrambled around trying to find another doctor and have an appointment with a psyc in May. I really want to get off this Xanax but the withdrawl syndrom is terrible! My heart palpitates, and I get daily "body jerks" as if someone came up behind me and said "BOO!". Butterflies in the stomach follow. This is almost an exact re-accurance of the origional symptoms that I needed to go on the medication in the first place but I know it is from trying to taper off the Xanax. I have been going down .25 mg a week. Apparently this is just too fast for me. Has anyone else had to taper off this medication? I don't want to be on it forever. Any input would be appreciated. I realize there is a risk of seziure so I have slowed down the tapering because of the "startle reflex" I am experiencing. Mojo
Mojo,
I sure feel for you. It sounds like a very difficult process.On the bright side however, 1.25mg is very low. Usually addiction concern isn't an issue except with higher doses than that. But it is likely the long time period you've been taking it is causing the difficulty getting off. As a sidenote, isn't it amazing what a difference of .25mg can make? I've always been fascinated that such tiny increments of certain drugs can make such a profound difference, either during treatment or in trying to discontinue.
Anyway, here's an option that could help. Until you see the new doc, decrease your dose only by an amount you can tolerate. Perhaps .125mg a week. Just hang in there and do the best you can until you see the new doc.
Then at your appointment request a short-term small-dose trial of an antipsychotic like either Stelazine or Zyprexa. My own doc uses these interchangably for the exact same symptoms that Xanax is prescribed for. You will likely retain the calmness and mellowness you need and be able to withdraw from the Xanax without the body jerks, boo, butterflies in the stomach, etc. A tiny dose of an antipsychotic can work wonders, and is interchangeable with Xanax for the exact same symptoms, yet with no addiction. And with small doses, longterm side effects are practically nill. Hope this helps.
Many times the symptoms of panic disorder and anxiety are caused by the chemistry of elevated dopamine. Drugs like Xanax, which work on the GABA system, do nothing to fix the elevated dopamine, but they do mask the problem very well. In your case it may be that Xanax has masked the underlying chemical problem, but not addressed it. If that is the case, a tiny dose of an antipsychotic will not only rid you of the symptoms, but correct the underlying cause as well. JohnL
poster:JohnL
thread:30919
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000420/msgs/30940.html