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Thread: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

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    Featured Member Lizette's Avatar
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    Default Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    Hi. I'm weaning off Lexapro and Xanax. I feel jittery. It driving me nuts. I haven't had a Xanax-free day in 5 years. I wonder what it's going to be like on the other side, no drugs.

    Has anyone else taken these types of medication and stopped? How was it? How are you doing now?

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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    How much are you taking now? I was taking Paxil when I was younger. I was on a 1/2 pill dosage. They told me to take one every other day? I would 1/2 your medication if you want to ween yourself. I never think its a good idea to just stop medication like that. Im no doctor but since youve been on it so long a very slow ween would seem right.
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    Featured Member Lizette's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    Quote Originally Posted by TigersMilk
    How much are you taking now? I was taking Paxil when I was younger. I was on a 1/2 pill dosage. They told me to take one every other day? I would 1/2 your medication if you want to ween yourself. I never think its a good idea to just stop medication like that. Im no doctor but since youve been on it so long a very slow ween would seem right.
    I'm being monitored by a phsyician. She says its standard withdrawal. It sucks. I reduce about 25% of the dose every month for about 4 months.

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    Veteran Member bloodydewdrop's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    have you talked to her about doing a valium taper? valium stays in the bloodstream longer than xanax, and some people find it reduces their withdrawals. also, if you're really uncomfortable, ask your doctor if you can slow the taper down (or make more frequent reductions at a smaller amount) and avoiding caffeine and other stimulants will help. i hope you begin to feel better....cutting back to quickly can be bad. how long has it been since your dose was reduced?

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    Veteran Member SthnrnGrl77's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    uuugh , just go slowly. don't get pissed at yourself if you need a little sliver, i can't imagine stopping cold turkey esp if you've been on it for a long time. just gradually reduce your dosage and you'll be fine i would think.

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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    Stay strong sweets!

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    Veteran Member merely_lurking's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    I'm surprised you are weaning off both at the same time. I would stay on the Lexapro for awhile while you're weaning off the Xanax. Valium is a longer acting benzodiazapene then Xanax, so could lead to a smoother withdrawal, like dewdrop said... I tapered off medications that I was on (Wellbutrin and Adderall) late last year without any physician supervision, just slowly reduced my dosages. Everything went okay, but now I want to go back on them again. I miss the energy boost I was getting from them...
    A fat chick is like a big, warm, comfortable pillow that you can also have sex with....

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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    My dearest friend is/was a xanax fiend. Get off of it while you can! It f'd her up and once she was off for about 3-4 weeks, she was a much happier person. She had to switch doctors though, b/c the idiot kept prescribing it (like 50 at a time of the highest dosage - 2mg), even after ODing MANY times. Once the addiction set in (for about 2 years), she was unbearable to be around. The anxiety was worse than ever (when she'd actually do something)and all she did was sleep or sit there and look stoned. She's been off for about 1-2 years and just takes depacote and some other anti-anxiety pill. I can actually take her out w/o worrying about her freaking out or passing out. I am sooo glad she got herself off of this. Wish I could give you some advice...all I could say is once you get this out of your system, believe me, it will all be worth it. Best wishes!!

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    Featured Member Lizette's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    Quote Originally Posted by Hello_Kitty27
    My dearest friend is/was a xanax fiend. Get off of it while you can! It f'd her up and once she was off for about 3-4 weeks, she was a much happier person. She had to switch doctors though, b/c the idiot kept prescribing it (like 50 at a time of the highest dosage - 2mg), even after ODing MANY times. Once the addiction set in (for about 2 years), she was unbearable to be around. The anxiety was worse than ever (when she'd actually do something)and all she did was sleep or sit there and look stoned. She's been off for about 1-2 years and just takes depacote and some other anti-anxiety pill. I can actually take her out w/o worrying about her freaking out or passing out. I am sooo glad she got herself off of this. Wish I could give you some advice...all I could say is once you get this out of your system, believe me, it will all be worth it. Best wishes!!
    Thank you. Xanax sucks. I never wanted to take it in the first place. My doctor was like, Oh no, you absolutely need it! Now I'm dependent on it. Same with Lexapro. I wanted talk therapy, not drugs. I went to many different doctors and they all wanted me on pills. I feel as if I am going to be stuck with these stupid mind-numbing drugs for the rest of my life. Although I am being supervised, I am weaning against the doctor's wishes. I haven't had a panic attack in over 4 years. I completed an engineering degree and took a job as an exotic dancer. What do I have to prove to these people that I can make it on my own?

    < end vent >

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    Featured Member Hello_Kitty27's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    Lizette, you can TOTALLY make it on your own. I have seen my friend through some very tough times....she has bipolar disorder, severe anxiety and mild schizophrenia. She has tried to commit suicide several times, but she will admit that all the pills they had her on only made her addictions worse. They would give her other drugs to counter-act the addictiveness of the xanax (at one point, she was on 9-10 different prescriptions...22 yrs old). Anyway, it was crazy. Getting an engineering degree is amazing! I am having a hard time putting myself through school part-time for an econ/business degree! All I have is some stupid office job now, being a dancer is a lot harder work than that. I don't know how you did it, but that is commendable. If you can do that, you can totally wean yourself off these drugs, You're right, they are mind-numbing. Good luck to you, it will take time, but please believe that you can do it. Doctors these days are prescription-crazy. I don't understand it.....stay strong. You're obviously a smart, strong person, keep it up.

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    Veteran Member FieryFox's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    I'm actually in psychology right now, and JUST learned about these drugs. Yeah, they tend to have a dependancy. When you come right off of it, you will basically have similar symptoms as an alcoholic since xanax depresses the central nervous system like alcohol. I found this:
    Xanax - Withdrawal

    Essentially, withdrawal symptoms for the tranquilizers feel like the opposite of the therapeutic effects. The short-acting benzodiazapines (Xanax, Halcion, Restoril, Ativan, and Serax) can produce especially severe withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms, that are similar to those in alcohol withdrawal, include jittery, shaky feelings and any of the following:

    • rapid heartbeat

    • shaky hands

    • insomnia or disturbed sleep

    • sweating

    • irritability

    • anxiety and agitation

    So, take it easy and just try to work through it, once it's out of your system and your body is used to not being on it you'll get back to normal

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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    Try this one its all about me people seemed to loose interest so I stopped making entries I shouldnt have because I know that one day it would possibly help someone . http://www.stripperweb.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48861

    I still get a bit pissy very easily but its getting better I have a lot of energy now it seems . Mood gets bad around dark pm me if you would like to talk I really do know how you fell and I wont forget about you in a few days .

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    Featured Member Corey's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    I just happened to stumble across this thread. It's so coincidental. Last Feb. I had my first physical panic attack. It was due to taking valium and/or xanax and ambien for around four years to sleep. So, in the last three months I have weaned myself off valium only to find I had to wean myself off caffiene, ( which I had been doing for nearly 17 years) changed my work hours to sleep earlier, took up yoga on a continouus schedule...and I still couldn't sleep. So, the doc puts me on trazadone. It seems absolutely like the answer, the HG , if you will. On the bottle is said to take 50 mg every night. I got a months worth. He DIDN'T GIVE ME A REFILL !!!!!!!!! And I am down to my last 25mgs


    Why would he give something for a month and then make me go cold turkey?

    I don't know what's going to happen. All I know is that I haven't felt this good in years; my dark circles are gone, my income has gone up and I don't think I have been this level headed....EVER.

    Lizette I have been through what you are going through, so recently. Try to taper off, it will be so much easier on you.

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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    Hey Lizette, I know it's been just a few days, but I'm wondering how you're doing. I hope all is well.

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    Exclamation Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    DO NOT go cold turkey on Xanax--it can kill you.
    You need to wean off (like .25 mg less every one or two weeks over the course of at least a month) preferably under a doctor's supervision.
    I had the same problem several years ago and withdrawal was hell. I took a medication called Risperdal and that helped a lot though.
    If I were you I would change doctors immediately. Any doc who keeps you on anti-anxiety meds for that long doesn't know what he's doing.
    There is also a good book out called "Stopping Anxiety Medication" (or something like that. It gives a taper schedule and has lots of relaxation exercises to help you deal with withdrawal symptoms.
    You also might look into a substance abuse support group just for moral support.
    Believe me, I know that you can't imagine how you will get through your days without the drugs, but you can. I did.
    Good luck, and feel free to contact me if I can be of any help.

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    Featured Member Lizette's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    I love you guys! Thank you for your support. I'm going to keep this thread alive to track my progress.

    I used to take .75mg 3-4 times/day. I'm down to .25mg 2 times/day and .5mg once/day. It was .25mg 3 times/day. I had to change it because I was seeing spots, which was too much for me to handle.

    I don't feel high anymore. It's awesome.

    My current dose of Lexapro is 15mg/day. It used to be 20mg. I'm going down to 10mg at the end of the month. Maybe some of my libido will return. Lexapro withdrawal sucks too because for one week, I feel absolutely depressed, as in "life can't go on" depressed. I know it's just the seratonin levels readjusting. Still sucks.

    With all this money I'm saving by cutting back on drugs and firing my doctor, I am totally pampering myself with massages, manicures, pedicures, movies, etc.

    My new doctor is my dad. He's retired, never been a shrink, but he loves me and wants me off this shit too.

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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    That is great news it takes a while be prepared for some whacked out days but dont give up honey you are almost there ! I will be watching you like I have said to all if you would like to pm me feel free I am here for you .

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    Featured Member Hello_Kitty27's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    What a great idea to pamper yourself like that. A girl has got to do that for herself once in a while, and what better time than now?!? I'm glad there are people on here that have been through this same thing. I'm sure it helps a lot!

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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    I'm curious as to why you're trying to get off of them both at once, rather than getting off of the Xanax first and then the Lexapro. I would imagine that might make it easier.

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    Default Re: Weaning off Xanax and SSRI

    Well I am checking up on you are things okay I certainly hope so , I am going out of town for a week so hang in there kid will check on you when I get back.

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