xanax detox

[connda]

Connda, I can only go by what my psychiatrist told me but who really knows? Maybe they're just trying to get rid of old stock?

Yeah, that's why I suggested to run it by Sheryl. She works in this field and is very knowledgeable. I really don't know either, but if it is illegal, I don't particularly want my wife carrying it around in case she's searched during a routine police road block. Neither of us need that hassle especially if the drug is given to her by a doctor and dispensed as a prescription. The last thing I want is to get tossed in jail until we can prove that she has a legitimate doctor's prescription - or worse - shaken down and threatened for having 'illegal' drugs even though they we're prescribed by a doctor. Honestly, if it's illegal, I'd like to know too.

[flagator96]

Sheryl, thanks so much for your advice. I will seek counselling. Lumpini, I will explore your links shortly, thanks, and to inbangkok, re the difference between addiction and dependancy, am I right in guessing that addiction is being physically dependant on the substance whereas dependance is more of a psychological nature?

Hi Peterh,

Taking benzodiazepines for more than 2 weeks creates both a physical and emotional dependency, addiction, whatever you want to call it. The seat of your emotions is usually your brain. The brain gets structurally changed by the benzos usually after 2 weeks. In some people this happens sooner and in some later. Basically the GabaA receptors which relax your brain and body ( and do a whole lot more things) become down regulated by your own brain. The medication makes them super active and as a result your brain seeks equilibrium and reduces their numbers. Some people start with less GabaA receptors to begin with due to genetics or chronic stress ( the stress hormone cortisol also down regulates GabaA receptors), and some start with more receptors. The more you have available the more you can take the medicine without being dependent on it or experiencing any side-ffects from it. The more you stay on the medicine though, the more likely you are to become dependent. After a year or more it is a sure bet that someone is dependent.

As far as doctors are concerned, you need to find one that is either educated with the Ashton manual or that is willing to be educated about it and willing to help you. There is no other solution to my knowledge. Indeed as previously said most doctors are utterly clueless that it can take years for the brain to upregulate GabaA receptors again and how to help patients safely get off benzos. Benzobuddies is a great resource as well for support with this difficult but very important process. A lot of people have safely and effectively gotten off these dreadful meds by utilizing Ashton's manual and the website mentioned.

Now as far a getting to "the root of the problem", you will need to look beyond western medicine and the way it is practiced in my opinion. The reason is that western medicine in the majority of cases only treats symptoms, and not the underlying cause of a problem. It is a sick care system driven bgy financial motives more so than humanistic motives of helping people to find a cure. There are exceptions to this but they only prove the rule.There are exceptions were western medicine is superb such as emergency surgery, orthopedics, treating acute infections, cuts and bruises, etc. However, when it come to treating chronic illness a lot is left to be desired. Care appears to geared toward keeping people as a patients forever and not fully healthy, instead of curing them.

I like the work of Dr Lawrence Wilson, and you can google him if you wish. I think he offers the most sane approach in healing illness and restoring health. Nevertheless, you would need to wait until your brain is fully healed before you engage in a new wellness program that may involve supplements. It is important to stay off supplements as Dr Aston says in order to allow your brain to fully re-calibrate as quickly and as effectively as possible during and after the taper.

I wish you the best and if you have any other questions feel free to PM me.

[Ronn68]

Thanks to all posters for this interesting topic which has made me realize I have an addiction problem. I've been taking 1mg Ativan (lorazepam) for 7+ years to help with insomnia. After reading the Ashton manual I would like to go for a substitution taper.

My question is: where do I find a doctor who has knowledge or at least will be sympathetic to the idea and prescribe the necessary medicine? I can come up with a plan myself based on Ashton's manual but I obviously need a doctor's consent.

I live in Bangkok so if anybody can recommend a hospital doctor here to consult in this matter, I would be very grateful.

Out of curiosity, what makes you think you're addicted to Ativan just because you take it every day? Taking it to alleviate stress is one thing but addiction is another.

[Ronn68]

Connda, I can only go by what my psychiatrist told me but who really knows? Maybe they're just trying to get rid of old stock?

Yeah, that's why I suggested to run it by Sheryl. She works in this field and is very knowledgeable. I really don't know either, but if it is illegal, I don't particularly want my wife carrying it around in case she's searched during a routine police road block. Neither of us need that hassle especially if the drug is given to her by a doctor and dispensed as a prescription. The last thing I want is to get tossed in jail until we can prove that she has a legitimate doctor's prescription - or worse - shaken down and threatened for having 'illegal' drugs even though they we're prescribed by a doctor. Honestly, if it's illegal, I'd like to know too.

I don't think it's illegal, I just think they are no longer manufacturing it, according to my doc. Not to worry, I seriously doubt a cop would even know what Xanax was so you're fine if you're carrying it around.

[cheeryble]

Peterh123

If I understand you are only taking one dose per day of 1mg.

Lorazepam has a short half life.

In fact it has three metabolites as I remember and I believe the half life of the most sedative metabolite is very short indeed.

This is relevant to you because essentially you are withdrawing somewhat every single day, rather like someone who only has a drink before bed but has nothing in their system next day.

This and the fact you're only taking a third or quarter of the normal daily dose bodes well that you might not suffer withdrawal very significantly as a whole……although there will be the getting to sleep issue.

I would take as much aerobic exercise as possible to aid this, the heavier the better, and if possible yoga last thing at night.

It really does help.

Note Chapter 7 in

http://www.johnratey.com/files/2012Articles/Excerpt%20from%20Spark_%20The%20Revolutionary%20Science%20of%20Exercise%20and%20the%20Brain%20Loyola.pdf

[inbangkok]

Sheryl, thanks so much for your advice. I will seek counselling. Lumpini, I will explore your links shortly, thanks, and to inbangkok, re the difference between addiction and dependancy, am I right in guessing that addiction is being physically dependant on the substance whereas dependance is more of a psychological nature?

Here is a very, very brief explanation. Hope this helps........because I truly do think it is important for people to understand the difference and not label themselves as "addicts", or allow other to label them as "addicts" when they may be suffering from dependency.....

http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition/frequently-asked-questions/there-difference-between-physical-dependence

[infinity11]

i am late to the conversation so pardon me if this was already covered:

when does withdrawal kick in or does that depend?

i took 2mg sat night and none since

but today i don't feel so well

just to test, i took .25 mg to see if i feel a little better

i will know in about an hour or so

not enough to feel sleepy but just a tad to see if that is what my body wants

[Ronn68]

i am late to the conversation so pardon me if this was already covered:

when does withdrawal kick in or does that depend?

i took 2mg sat night and none since

but today i don't feel so well

just to test, i took .25 mg to see if i feel a little better

i will know in about an hour or so

not enough to feel sleepy but just a tad to see if that is what my body wants

You not feeling well probably has nothing to do with not taking benzos for a couple of days. I would have to know why you take benzos in the first place and how long you have been taking them and how much you usually take per day to get a better idea of your situation, though.

[infinity11]

i think it helped

of course the darn thing made me a bit sleepy but i am going to fight it

valium ativan and xanx withdrawal all involve my lower back and/or kidneys

make sense?

i think these things more than once a week are dangerous and even occasional use may effect the mood the next day

[Lumbini]

TUESDAY Sept. 9, 2014, 2014 -- Older adults who habitually use sedatives for anxiety or insomnia may have a heightened risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests.

The drugs in question are benzodiazepines, a widely prescribed group of sedatives that include lorazepam (Ativan), diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax). Older adults commonly take the drugs for anxiety or insomnia, often long-term, according to background information in the study.

That's despite the fact that guidelines call for only short-term use of the drugs, at most. In 2012, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) put benzodiazepines on its list of drugs considered "potentially inappropriate" for seniors, because of risks like confusion, dizziness and falls.

The current study isn't the first to link benzodiazepines to Alzheimer's risk, but it adds to evidence that longer-term use of the drugs -- beyond three months -- might be a risk factor, according to lead researcher Sophie Billioti de Gage, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Bordeaux, in France.

"For people needing or using benzodiazepines, it seems crucial to encourage physicians to carefully balance the benefits and risks when renewing the prescription," Billioti de Gage said.

But the study was only able to find an association between the drugs and Alzheimer's risk. It wasn't designed to definitively prove that the drugs caused the memory-robbing condition, according to geriatrics specialist Dr. Gisele Wolf-Klein, who was not involved in the research.

One reason is that the findings are based on prescription records. "We know the drugs were prescribed, but we don't know how often people took them, or if they took them at all," said Wolf-Klein, director of geriatric education at North Shore-LIJ Health System in New Hyde Park, N.Y.

Regardless, she said, benzodiazepines have enough known risks to warrant concern.

"There is absolutely no doubt these drugs have dangerous side effects," Wolf-Klein said. "It's important for people to understand that they can be addictive, and increase the risk of confusion and falls."

The study was published online Sept. 9 inBMJ.

For the study, Billioti de Gage's team examined the histories of nearly 1,800 older adults with Alzheimer's, comparing each one with four dementia-free people of the same age and sex.

They found that people who'd been prescribed benzodiazepines for more than three months were 51 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer's, versus people who'd never used the drugs.

The risk was almost doubled if they'd taken the medications for more than six months.

According to Billioti de Gage, people in the early stages of Alzheimer's can have symptoms like sleep problems and anxiety. That raises the possibility that benzodiazepine use is the result of Alzheimer's, and not the cause of the disease.

But she said her study was designed to counter this possibility. They only considered prescriptions that were started at least five years before a person's Alzheimer's diagnosis.

Billioti de Gage said the medications can be useful short-term. And, she pointed out, the study found no increased Alzheimer's risk among older adults who were prescribed the drugs according to international guidelines; that means using them no longer than one month for insomnia, and no more than three months for anxiety symptoms.

Dr. Malaz Boustani, who cowrote an editorial published with the study, said older adults have to be cautious about using the drugs, or any medication that can affect mental function.

"We need to take the side effects of these medications much more seriously," said Boustani, an investigator with the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University Center for Aging Research in Indianapolis.

According to the AGS, a number of drugs can cause older adults to feel groggy and confused. They include other types of sleeping pills, like zaleplon (Sonata) and zolpidem (Ambien); antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and chlorpheniramine (AllerChlor, Chlor-Trimeton); and muscle relaxants.

Both Boustani and Wolf-Klein suggested looking for non-drug therapies for sleep problems and anxiety -- partly because medications don't address the underlying problems.

When an older person seems to have sleep problems, Wolf-Klein said, changes in routine may be all that's needed -- like avoiding caffeine or limiting liquids at night.

When an anxiety disorder is the problem, Boustani said, cognitive behavioral therapy (talk therapy) is often effective.

"The bigger message is that we need to take care of our brains," Boustani said. "And the first step is to do no harm."

More information

http://www.drugs.com/news/anxiety-may-tied-alzheimer-s-risk-53073.html?utm_source=ddc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Today%27s+news+summary+-+September+9%2C+2014

[atyclb]

Your dosage is not low but not too high and you are catching this just in time . Download this manual and don't rush . This is the gold standard / bible anyone who pushes you to taper faster may not have experience this lady does . Keep us posted on your progress and congratulations on waking up to the most dangerous drug ever created !

benzo.org.uk : Benzodiazepines: How They Work & How to Withdraw, Prof C H Ashton DM, FRCP, 2002

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/

While I in no way believe benodiazepines are the most dangerous drugs ever created, I agree with the fact that this dose is not super high and he is catching it before it gets out of hand.

Benzodiazapines, like anything can have troubling effects for some people. This class of drugs has also helped numerous people as well.

OP, have you considered having a Dr. assist you and trying to wean yourself off over the course of several months? Seems like that would be a viable option given the fact that 2-3mg is pretty low still. Might be better than quitting all at once.

Good luck on finding a Thai doctor that can help. Thai doctors are good a getting you hooked on benzos, but seem to be relatively clueless on how to deal with withdrawal.

A family member of mine is in the process of tapering off of lorazapam. We consulted with a number of psychiatrists regarding assistance with withdrawing, but the standard action plan was to load this family member up with other drugs plus continuing the benzos at the same dosage level. I ended up drawing up a schedule from the Heather Ashton book mentioned above, and we ran our plan by our local primary care doctor so we have access to legally prescribed lorazapam and diazapam at the dosages needed to perform a successful taper. We're about two months into the taper. Very slow process in my family member's case. We're still trying to substitute diazapam for lorazapam. Success comes in baby steps. But it does come.

Personally, I use lorazapam for sleep, due to the fact the Ambian (Zolpidem) is extremely expensive even in generic form and requires a visit to a hospital. Over time you build up a resistance to benzos. Lorazapam will work from me over about a 6 month period. Once I work up to 2 mg and it stops working, I taper off completely and stay off for a few weeks or longer. A 'taper' for me takes about 1 month to switch from lorazapam to diazapam and then to taper until I can quit. I personally have no craving for the drug, but stopping too fast will induce anxiety if not outright panic, and exacerbates insomnia. If done over a 4 week period, it's not difficult for me to stop. Everybody is different.

exercise is a good way to help induce sleep. melatonin can also help and is not addicting.

[indoroids]

I still get Xanax from my psychiatrist - the only difference is that it's now the Thai version no longer imported. But have to get it from the hospital

usually you get only in ridiculously low ammount supply

[Ronn68]

I dunno. I take Ativan on an "as need" basis for anxiety but 2 mgs a day is absolutely my limit but I rarely take that much. usually I take 1 .5mg tablet and if that doesn't work I take another .5 mg and that almost always does the trick. My problem seems to be an overly sensitive nervous system as a result of too many years of drinking beer on an empty stomach which means that going to noisy crowded places with bright lights definitely leaves me on edge. But when I'm at home I never take Ativan because I guess that's my "safe zone".

[cheeryble]

My problem seems to be an overly sensitive nervous system as a result of too many years of drinking beer on an empty stomach which means that going to noisy crowded places with bright lights definitely leaves me on edge. But when I'm at home I never take Ativan because I guess that's my "safe zone".

I can identify Ron

It's not like i'm looking for things to make me nervous it's like there's a mechanism in me looking for danger that's way too over sensitised.

A loud noise and I duck for cover.....then look round to see other people just acting normal.

I even start to feel dodgy at a place where there's a slight vibration in the floor from machines......I'm sure my danger radar is watching out for something primordial like an earthquake.

I'm off Ativan and have had to stop drinking because even beer or two leaves me even more sensitised next day......I do my best to "act normal" and I largely have a nice life, but have to say if there was something I could take long term without side effects I would like that.

Just can't seem to find anything.

[flagator96]

My problem seems to be an overly sensitive nervous system as a result of too many years of drinking beer on an empty stomach which means that going to noisy crowded places with bright lights definitely leaves me on edge. But when I'm at home I never take Ativan because I guess that's my "safe zone".

I can identify Ron

It's not like i'm looking for things to make me nervous it's like there's a mechanism in me looking for danger that's way too over sensitised.

A loud noise and I duck for cover.....then look round to see other people just acting normal.

I even start to feel dodgy at a place where there's a slight vibration in the floor from machines......I'm sure my danger radar is watching out for something primordial like an earthquake.

I'm off Ativan and have had to stop drinking because even beer or two leaves me even more sensitised next day......I do my best to "act normal" and I largely have a nice life, but have to say if there was something I could take long term without side effects I would like that.

Just can't seem to find anything.

Your symptoms are due to chronic GABA A receptor dowregulation / dysregulation. Benzos, alcohol and chronic stress can all contribute to this.

You can take probiotics with Lactobacilus cultures in them. Also you can eat lactofermented dairy foods like yoghurt sour milk etc. It is important to get good early sleep, each night to normalize stress hormones, and perhaps try some breathing meditation on a regular basis. These practices can restore your nervous system back to normal. It takes time and patience , but you can do it!.

[inbangkok]

i think it helped

of course the darn thing made me a bit sleepy but i am going to fight it

valium ativan and xanx withdrawal all involve my lower back and/or kidneys

make sense?

i think these things more than once a week are dangerous and even occasional use may effect the mood the next day

Plenty of people use these drugs safely. However, if you are using them for fun, or without medical guidance, I would suggest you stop (not saying you are...just a friendly word of advice).

[Ronn68]

My problem seems to be an overly sensitive nervous system as a result of too many years of drinking beer on an empty stomach which means that going to noisy crowded places with bright lights definitely leaves me on edge. But when I'm at home I never take Ativan because I guess that's my "safe zone".

I can identify Ron

It's not like i'm looking for things to make me nervous it's like there's a mechanism in me looking for danger that's way too over sensitised.

A loud noise and I duck for cover.....then look round to see other people just acting normal.

I even start to feel dodgy at a place where there's a slight vibration in the floor from machines......I'm sure my danger radar is watching out for something primordial like an earthquake.

I'm off Ativan and have had to stop drinking because even beer or two leaves me even more sensitised next day......I do my best to "act normal" and I largely have a nice life, but have to say if there was something I could take long term without side effects I would like that.

Just can't seem to find anything.

Your symptoms are due to chronic GABA A receptor dowregulation / dysregulation. Benzos, alcohol and chronic stress can all contribute to this.

You can take probiotics with Lactobacilus cultures in them. Also you can eat lactofermented dairy foods like yoghurt sour milk etc. It is important to get good early sleep, each night to normalize stress hormones, and perhaps try some breathing meditation on a regular basis. These practices can restore your nervous system back to normal. It takes time and patience , but you can do it!.

It's very ironic that you mentioned the probiotic cultures Lactobacilis because I just started taking those a week ago to restore my gut after having screwed it up from drinking too much and a bad diet. And now you tell me it helps with anxiety? Wow, that's great! I can kill 2 birds with one stone.

[Ronn68]

My problem seems to be an overly sensitive nervous system as a result of too many years of drinking beer on an empty stomach which means that going to noisy crowded places with bright lights definitely leaves me on edge. But when I'm at home I never take Ativan because I guess that's my "safe zone".

I can identify Ron

It's not like i'm looking for things to make me nervous it's like there's a mechanism in me looking for danger that's way too over sensitised.

A loud noise and I duck for cover.....then look round to see other people just acting normal.

I even start to feel dodgy at a place where there's a slight vibration in the floor from machines......I'm sure my danger radar is watching out for something primordial like an earthquake.

I'm off Ativan and have had to stop drinking because even beer or two leaves me even more sensitised next day......I do my best to "act normal" and I largely have a nice life, but have to say if there was something I could take long term without side effects I would like that.

Just can't seem to find anything.

Why did you stop taking Ativan?

[cheeryble]

Why did you stop taking Ativan?

I went on a meditation retreat.

One morning I started feeling extremely strange and sensitive and later had to leave to go home.

It was like driving in a cloud and I was in fact in a depression.

My (pretty aware) doc had read that benzos could bring on depressions and he just said that's it we've got to get you off them.

(I had done it once before but travelling around Canada I got too agoraphobic to carry on and a doctor friend gave me enough ativan until i got home.....and I was on it again. )

So my doc changed me to diazepam and put me on tricyclics to aid sleep and withdrawal and I toughed it out over quite a long period and that's been it no more.

After effects of booze have gradually got me off that despite being very heavy including DT withdrawals too many times.

I'll add that i found after being on Ativan a long time and three doses a day.....typical then....because of the short half life it was very much up and down each day.

It's certainly best avoided but remarkably I functioned extremely well i did a lot of stuff in my Ativan years. The fact is an anxiety prone psyche is very painful and does not function well, stagnation by procrastination etc..... and depending on stage of life etc, in some cases an addiction to the right drug.....even til death....may just occasionally be the lesser of two evils.

Edited September 12, 2014 by cheeryble

[flagator96]

Why did you stop taking Ativan?

I went on a meditation retreat.

One morning I started feeling extremely strange and sensitive and later had to leave to go home.

It was like driving in a cloud and I was in fact in a depression.

My (pretty aware) doc had read that benzos could bring on depressions and he just said that's it we've got to get you off them.

(I had done it once before but travelling around Canada I got too agoraphobic to carry on and a doctor friend gave me enough ativan until i got home.....and I was on it again. )

So my doc changed me to diazepam and put me on tricyclics to aid sleep and withdrawal and I toughed it out over quite a long period and that's been it no more.

After effects of booze have gradually got me off that despite being very heavy including DT withdrawals too many times.

I'll add that i found after being on Ativan a long time and three doses a day.....typical then....because of the short half life it was very much up and down each day.

It's certainly best avoided but remarkably I functioned extremely well i did a lot of stuff in my Ativan years. The fact is an anxiety prone psyche is very painful and does not function well, stagnation by procrastination etc..... and depending on stage of life etc, in some cases an addiction to the right drug.....even til death....may just occasionally be the lesser of two evils.

It sounds like you had a negative experience with meditation. The fact that you were already on medications then is probably the cause of the bad experience. Overall all these meds (benzos, trycyclics, SSRIs) they will exacerbate chronic anxiety and depression because they do not work on the real cause of the problem. They just treat symptoms. More over will slowly and surely poison the body in the long run. Alcohol and stress are also destabilizing factors as they contribute to imbalances in brain chemistry. Meditation and relaxation techniques can and will heal your body. It is process though and it takes time to fully heal just as it took time to develop these problems in the long run. Most people feel better every week after they clean their life out of all these toxic chemicals and learn how to manage stress with meditation and perhaps some CBT ( cognitive behavioral therapy) counseling if needed. Breathing meditation can heal on it's own as well. It is taught all over Thailand as Anapanassati ( breathing meditation) Once you start cleaning your body out from all these chemicals you will feel better and better every week/month till you are back to normal. Aother great resource on nutrition and healing is Dr Larry Wilson's website. You can google that at your leisure. Long story short is that the body can and will heal itself if it is given the right conditions and tools.

[flagator96]

My problem seems to be an overly sensitive nervous system as a result of too many years of drinking beer on an empty stomach which means that going to noisy crowded places with bright lights definitely leaves me on edge. But when I'm at home I never take Ativan because I guess that's my "safe zone".

I can identify Ron

It's not like i'm looking for things to make me nervous it's like there's a mechanism in me looking for danger that's way too over sensitised.

A loud noise and I duck for cover.....then look round to see other people just acting normal.

I even start to feel dodgy at a place where there's a slight vibration in the floor from machines......I'm sure my danger radar is watching out for something primordial like an earthquake.

I'm off Ativan and have had to stop drinking because even beer or two leaves me even more sensitised next day......I do my best to "act normal" and I largely have a nice life, but have to say if there was something I could take long term without side effects I would like that.

Just can't seem to find anything.

Your symptoms are due to chronic GABA A receptor dowregulation / dysregulation. Benzos, alcohol and chronic stress can all contribute to this.

You can take probiotics with Lactobacilus cultures in them. Also you can eat lactofermented dairy foods like yoghurt sour milk etc. It is important to get good early sleep, each night to normalize stress hormones, and perhaps try some breathing meditation on a regular basis. These practices can restore your nervous system back to normal. It takes time and patience , but you can do it!.

It's very ironic that you mentioned the probiotic cultures Lactobacilis because I just started taking those a week ago to restore my gut after having screwed it up from drinking too much and a bad diet. And now you tell me it helps with anxiety? Wow, that's great! I can kill 2 birds with one stone.

Fixing the gut is equivalent with fixing anxiety. So you are actually addressing two sides of the same coin. Lactobacilus bacteria in your gut communicate with the brain via the vagus nerve. that communication commands your brain to activate it's genes for creating and increasing the number of GABA A receptors in the brain which leads to more relaxation, better sleep, and better overall emotional well being.

You may want to check these out:

1 http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201206/do-probiotics-help-anxiety

2 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/25/probiotics-new-prozac.aspx

3 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21876150

[BKKSnowBird]

How do recomend fixing the gut? I to had many years of drinking on an empty stomach and never thought it could be a link to my anxiety.

[flagator96]

How do recomend fixing the gut? I to had many years of drinking on an empty stomach and never thought it could be a link to my anxiety.

Well it is the gut as well as the whole body. You can read Dr Mercola's article linked above.

There is a great deal of good information in it. You can also do a nutritional balancing program by following Dr Lawuence. Wilson's protocol to restoring the body. You can google Dr Larry Wilson for the website.

It is important to remember that this is a process. There is no quick fix in healing the body from years of stress and various insults. With time and patience however as well as using the right tools, our bodies can reverse the damages and gain back good health. The sooner you start to do these things the better. Time is of the essence.

[jacky54]

Took it regularly in Thailand for years and valium in the 70's, stopped overnight but never had any 'withdrawal symptoms' I think as it's not long lasting people are tempted to take it too often, if you are not abusing xanax in the first place you should have no problem stopping. Don't let scare stories put you off it's proper dosage.

[Neeranam]

Took it regularly in Thailand for years and valium in the 70's, stopped overnight but never had any 'withdrawal symptoms' I think as it's not long lasting people are tempted to take it too often, if you are not abusing xanax in the first place you should have no problem stopping. Don't let scare stories put you off it's proper dosage.

Jacky, I think your trolling is funny in other threads but not on ones like this.

If you take xanax for more than 2/3 weeks there will be withdrawal - you DONT have to be abusing it. Xanax withdrawal is a nightmare and can be life-threatening..

[jacky54]

Not trolling, took it for 6 years here and no withdrawals at all, maybe I did not abuse it like some though. If I had I would not be on here moaning about it. There is a lot of hysterical nonsense about xanax, life threatening? pure BS.

Edited September 13, 2014 by jacky54

[infinity11]

not sure about availability in thialnd

colonopine (spelling?) though probably also a benzdiaapeam, is a possible better, anxiety alternative for occasional use

[Ronn68]

Why did you stop taking Ativan?

I went on a meditation retreat.

One morning I started feeling extremely strange and sensitive and later had to leave to go home.

It was like driving in a cloud and I was in fact in a depression.

My (pretty aware) doc had read that benzos could bring on depressions and he just said that's it we've got to get you off them.

(I had done it once before but travelling around Canada I got too agoraphobic to carry on and a doctor friend gave me enough ativan until i got home.....and I was on it again. )

So my doc changed me to diazepam and put me on tricyclics to aid sleep and withdrawal and I toughed it out over quite a long period and that's been it no more.

After effects of booze have gradually got me off that despite being very heavy including DT withdrawals too many times.

I'll add that i found after being on Ativan a long time and three doses a day.....typical then....because of the short half life it was very much up and down each day.

It's certainly best avoided but remarkably I functioned extremely well i did a lot of stuff in my Ativan years. The fact is an anxiety prone psyche is very painful and does not function well, stagnation by procrastination etc..... and depending on stage of life etc, in some cases an addiction to the right drug.....even til death....may just occasionally be the lesser of two evils.

You must have been doing a lot of mgs of Ativan a day at 3 doses? 2mg is the absolute limit for me. I don't know about you, but I attribute my agoraphobia and anxiety to my drinking. I had no history of anxiety at all but about 12 years ago, after a night of heavy drinking, I went shopping at the mall (I lived in the US at the time) and that's where I had my first anxiety attack although to be honest I didn't know what the hell was happening to me at the time. And after that I had no anxiety attacks until about 3 years ago when I took my cat to the vet (here in Thailand) and BAM!- had a major attack right there in the clinic and it was hell. I literally thought that I was losing my mind but I couldn't just go home with my cat being taken care of so I snuck off to the bathroom and sat on the toilet and somehow managed to control myself until they were finished with the cat. Even then I could barely keep my composure and had to ask one of the staff to go out and get a taxi for me as I was so trembly I could hardly walk. Somehow I managed to get home in one piece and when I got upstairs I crawled into bed exhausted and went to sleep for a few hours and was then ok. That was a day I will never forget. The funny thing is that I was not drinking any alcohol at the time (I had actually been sober for a year at that time) but I was drinking tons of ice tea everyday (with the sugar, of course) As of now, I haven't had an attack since then but my agoraphobia never has gone away totally. I have also been taking benzos for a little over 2 years now on an "as needed" basis and sometimes just having a few in my pocket leaves me with enough confidence to get out and not have to actually take them. I still firmly believe that this anxiety thing I have is the result of some kind of chemical imbalance( too much drinking and too much sugar and a poor diet without the veggies?) because I never had a history of anxiety and only got it when I was older. I can function now but going out in public- especially to crowded, noisy places that are well lit can be a challenge and I usually pop a tablet or 2 before even going. Do you think that this is going to be a life-time thing for us? If not, what can we do to eliminate this problem? There must be SOMETHING we can do, right? And can you tell me about your agoraphobia? How did it come about and what do you do to alleviate the symptoms when you're out in public? And can you fly despite your condition? I've been wanting to go to Europe for vacation for quite some time now but with this condition flying is out of the question.

[Ronn68]

Why did you stop taking Ativan?

I went on a meditation retreat.

One morning I started feeling extremely strange and sensitive and later had to leave to go home.

It was like driving in a cloud and I was in fact in a depression.

My (pretty aware) doc had read that benzos could bring on depressions and he just said that's it we've got to get you off them.

(I had done it once before but travelling around Canada I got too agoraphobic to carry on and a doctor friend gave me enough ativan until i got home.....and I was on it again. )

So my doc changed me to diazepam and put me on tricyclics to aid sleep and withdrawal and I toughed it out over quite a long period and that's been it no more.

After effects of booze have gradually got me off that despite being very heavy including DT withdrawals too many times.

I'll add that i found after being on Ativan a long time and three doses a day.....typical then....because of the short half life it was very much up and down each day.

It's certainly best avoided but remarkably I functioned extremely well i did a lot of stuff in my Ativan years. The fact is an anxiety prone psyche is very painful and does not function well, stagnation by procrastination etc..... and depending on stage of life etc, in some cases an addiction to the right drug.....even til death....may just occasionally be the lesser of two evils.

It sounds like you had a negative experience with meditation. The fact that you were already on medications then is probably the cause of the bad experience. Overall all these meds (benzos, trycyclics, SSRIs) they will exacerbate chronic anxiety and depression because they do not work on the real cause of the problem. They just treat symptoms. More over will slowly and surely poison the body in the long run. Alcohol and stress are also destabilizing factors as they contribute to imbalances in brain chemistry. Meditation and relaxation techniques can and will heal your body. It is process though and it takes time to fully heal just as it took time to develop these problems in the long run. Most people feel better every week after they clean their life out of all these toxic chemicals and learn how to manage stress with meditation and perhaps some CBT ( cognitive behavioral therapy) counseling if needed. Breathing meditation can heal on it's own as well. It is taught all over Thailand as Anapanassati ( breathing meditation) Once you start cleaning your body out from all these chemicals you will feel better and better every week/month till you are back to normal. Aother great resource on nutrition and healing is Dr Larry Wilson's website. You can google that at your leisure. Long story short is that the body can and will heal itself if it is given the right conditions and tools.

Easier said than done. I've been on benzos for 2+ years and never abuse them (2 mgs is my limit per day although I usually take .5mg to 1mg not every day but on an as needed basis which means usually I take them every other day). I don't agree with you that benzos cause stress or anxiety because that would defeat the purpose of taking them in the first place, no? I'm not talking about people who take way over the recommended dosage prescribed by the doc or people who abuse them with booze because that may be another story. You're right about the need to get to the root of the problem but getting down to why you are so anxious and stressed out doesn't mean that your symptoms will just disappear. Meditation, exercise, improved diet, vitamin supplements, trying to have a more positive outlook on life, etc, DO help but doing any of these things or all of them isn't the CURE, if you know what I mean. I'm convinced that my anxiety is a chemical imbalance caused by too much beer and a poor diet (not enough veggies and fruits) AND stress because I didn't even have this problem until I was about 33 (I'm 46 now). As of now, I'm doing everything I can to improve which means better diet, no beer, exercise, and a positive outlook, etc. Will I be taking benzos forever? I sure as hell hope not but until the "old me" comes back I'll probably keep taking benzos to "mask" the symptoms when they come. I also started taking probiotic supplements about 10 days ago. Is it just my imagination or is my gut not feeling a lot better? I mention my "gut" because judging from what I have read, there is a clear link between a bad gut and anxiety disorders, and too much boozing and a poor diet can really screw up your gut as it did mine. The only positive thing is that usually for me, after I lay off the booze for a few weeks my gut starts getting back to normal and I hope the probiotics are helping.

[Ronn68]

How do recomend fixing the gut? I to had many years of drinking on an empty stomach and never thought it could be a link to my anxiety.

Trust me, there IS a clear link to a bad gut and anxiety because that's how I feel I got it. You need to take probiotic supplements because that's the fastest and easiest way you can get rid of all that bad bacteria in your gut and replace it with good bacteria. I've been taking probiotics for a little over a week now and I'm already starting to feel a difference. Forget about the yogurt. Forget about the fermented veggies. Take probiotic supplements. They're are plenty of shops that sell them and you can even get online and order them. I ordered mine online but after I went jogging at Lumpini Park a few mornings ago, I went to that pharmacy that is right at the Silom-Rama 4 intersection (actually you take a right onto Rama 4 Road and it's right there on your left) and they sell probiotics which is good news because I don't have to order online anymore if I don't want to. So if you live in the vicinity. that pharmacy would be very convenient. Just be sure that if you drive there and park on the side of the road in front of the pharmacy you don't stay too long because the traffic cops will write you a ticket now and that's almost what happened to me.