OK, I have been self medicating with 1mg xanax (though on average 4-5 a day) for the last 10 days. I started this pattern due to a very serious overload of academic related stress and then one very close call with a full blown panic attack smack in the middle of an important mid-term exam. I decided I could not risk these feelings affecting my 4+ (in grad school now) years of a perfect 4.0 gpa. I was scared.
So i did a little web assisted self diagnosis (ok not the best way to go about things I know) and went bang! "there we go a little xanax should get me through this rough spot!"
Well there is no doubt it helped to a significant degree, but I have some issues with this self prescribed treatment.
1) It isn't really doing what I was shooting for. The anxiety is much lessened, and there have been not a hint of panic attacks. But, it seems to be too short acting and I tend to take one (or more) anytime I think there might even be a possibility of a recurrence of detrimental anxiety or in high stress situations a possibility of a panic attack.
In short I believe I am overdoing it. Though these incidents do happen to me and can potentially negatively affect my rather ambitious goals, so too can a dependence on a substance I know can be quite habit forming. Maybe even more so than the symptoms themselves in the long run.
2) Over the course of the last 10 days I have taken 48 of these 1 mg dosages. I know that can't be good. I have 2 1mg dosages left.
What should I do? I'm I going to experience any significant withdrawal symptoms just from this 10 days use? I cannot afford for that to happen and will take ANY steps necessary to prevent that if that is the case. I have too much to do, that my future is riding on to be sick and out of action for more than a day tops.
Will this be bad? Or will it be manageable with only mild symptoms which I can go about my daily business with?
3) All else failing (meaning after this little experiment with self medication I'd prefer to just take my chances with the panic attacks unless it gets more severe) and (if there is) significant withdrawals pending can someone recommend o longer lasting medication with similar effects that I wouldn't need to take so much of. And that when stopping the withdrawals might be more manageable with tapering?

I apologize for the long, and possibly rambling post but I am a bit worried and confused right now and this is the only place I really know where to turn to for advice.
Thank you,
Nerd

EconNerd,

You're right, you really shouldn't have jumped on the xanax in that large of a dose without tolerance build up. You are taking a very large dose. You possibly could have withdrawal symptoms after 10 days of use at that high of daily consumption. I tend to doubt that the withdrawals would be that severe, but xanax withdrawal can be very nasty depending on your own personal physiology. If withdrawal becomes severe you may need to go to the emergency room.

Alternatively, can your personal doctor, or some other source provide you with more xanax so that you could taper? or can you obtain another type of benzo, such as valium, klonopin, or ativan? All three of these benzos have longer half-lives than xanax, and therefore last longer and are generally preferred for somebody with anxiety and panic attacks. Xanax is sometimes used in conjuction with the longer lasting benzos for when you feel extra stressed on occasion.

We don't want these stupid drugs messing up your future, but do realize that many successful people deal with anxiety issues and panic attacks. Your doctor may be the person to speak with regarding this. He should be able to get you on a longer acting benzo to help or refer you to a psychiatrist who can. That is what these meds were developed for.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that you don't experience significant withdrawal. Like I stated, depending on you physiology, you may be just fine, or not. Let's wait and see. You haven't been taking them for long.

Good luck.

BJ

Everytime i take benzos for more than 4 or 5 days, and this is just me personally, I experience some withdrawal, if it's been a low dose like 1mg / day 2x day for 7 or 8 days i get a really bad migraine after about 48 hours that lasts for about 24 hours and that's it ( i say that's it but it's a really bad migraine that definately you don't want to be around anyone), if i have been taking more and don't taper the dose down like 2mg/ day 4x day etc. for 10 to 20 days or so i get a really bad sick migraine after 48 hours, you definately couldn't function at this level, as i can't eat or drink, everything comes right up and the headache is indescribable. This is accompanied by alot of anxiety and not much sleep for 2 days or so and then everything goes quickly except the anxiety but that is there to start with. I honestly have never taken them more than this amount of days in a row without quitting for several days or so...

I hope that helped... you should taper with your last two break them into 1/2 1/2 and then for next day 1/3 1/3 and then the last 1/3, that may help.

If you do choose to use xanax in the future for panic, nothing else really works for me, then just monitor yourself, the dose you are taking is large and would put me to sleep for day if i took that often, you get that haze going that is compounded each time and then eventually your body adapts and then it takes more to just tame the panic so you don't want to do that.

try taking .5 mg. and only on an as needed basis, monitor yourself and just make sure you check that they are addictive and that you know how many days you have taken them, this takes alot of discipline but something you would have to have to be doing as well as you are. Protect your future and best of luck!! With school and this!!

The number of times I've heard this.

The poster above has good advice if you can't get access to diazepam. Lorazepam should be avoided; its duration of action is only slightly greater than that of alprazolam, and it is a wicked drug to withdraw from.

Have you a doctor you can trust? Although the advice above is the best you can do with what you've got, you may still suffer terribly. A doctor SHOULD give you a short course of a long-acting benzodiazepine to help you before it's too late.

The starting dose of alprazolam, if it MUST be taken, is 0.25mg, and even then it's best avoided altogether.

Thanks for the replies people, I appreciate it.
You guys seem to suggest that 4-5 mg a day is a rather large dose for a non benzo tolerant person? Hmmm, I just started with one and then upped from there till I got the effects I needed to stay on an even keel to get through the work.
Maybe these were of low quality and I've actually been getting less of a dose than presumed. In that case I may be the first person ever on this board to be glad they got a "bunk" product haha.
Take care, and wish me luck!
Thanks,
Nerd

I'm not sure if I can post another board on here, but if you do a search on "benzo withdrawal" you'll find a few forums that deal specifically with how to stop benzos. Also it might be wise to read the Ashton Manual "Benzodiazepines: How they Work & How to Withdraw" (The Ashton Manual) by Professor C Heather Ashton, DM, FRCP, Revised August 2002"

I know at times life can be rough. Be careful with benzos, I am telling you they are not fun to play with. Your anxiety could actually worsen when you stop taking them.

Here's the Benzodiazepine Symptoms List, just to give you an idea how dangerous benzos can be. They state that at therapeutic levels it can take as little as 14 days to become addicted.

Benzodiazepine Symptoms List

1. ACUTE:

- aggression
- anxiety
- agoraphobia
- apathy
- ataxia
- breathlessness
- chest discomfort and tightness
- choking
- constipation
- convulsions (muscle usually)
- dental pain
- depersonalisation
- depression
- derealisation
- diarrhoea
- distortion of body image, misperceptions
- dry, itchy skin
- "electric shock" feelings throughout the body
- dysphoria
- excitability
- fasciculations
- flushing
- formications
- head sensations
- heart palpitations
- hyperacusis
- hypersensitivity to stimuli
- hyperosmia (sensitive sense of smell)
- hyperpyrexia (overheating)
- hyperventilation (overbreathing)
- insomnia
- intrusive thoughts
- irrational rage
- irritability
- jumpiness
- metallic taste
- nausea
- nightmares
- obsessions
- panic attacks
- perceptual disturbances and distortions
- photosensitivity
- psychotic symptoms (usually transient and
confined to rapid withdrawal)
- restlessness
- seizures (on abrupt discontinuation)
- sensory disruption
- scalp burning
- sore tongue
- sweating, night sweats
- tinnitus
- tremor
- vomiting
- weakness, "jelly legs"
- weight gain
- weight loss (this may be quite rapid)

Cold Turkey
Symptoms usually confined to 'cold turkey' or rapid
withdrawal from high doses of benzodiazepines:
- confusion
- delirium
- fits
- hallucinations
- psychotic symptoms
- seizures

2. PROTRACTED:
- abnormal muscle tone
- anxiety
- aching joints
- ataxia
- allergic reactions
- back pain
- blepharospasm (eye twitching)
- breast pain
- apathy
- constipation (often alternating with diarrhoea)
- cravings
- dehydration
- dental pain
- depersonalisation
- depression
- derealisation
- diarrhoea (often alternating with constipation)
- dry, tickly cough
- dysphagia
- fluctuations in blood pressure
- "electric shock" feelings throughout the body
- fasciculations
- formication (sensation of bugs crawling over skin)
- gait disturbance (the ground seems to move underfoot)
- gastritis
- glassy eyes
- hair loss
- heartburn
- heart palpitations
- heavy flu-like symptoms
- hyperacusis
- hyperaesthesia (sensitivity to stimuli)
- hyperosmia
- insomnia
- iris colour changes
- kakosmia
- joint pains
- leukonychea (whitening of nails)
- libidinal changes
- malabsorption
- menstrual irregularity
- muscular cramps
- muscular rigidity
- muscular spasms
- muscular (and bone) weakness
- myoclonic convulsions (muscle/nerve spasms)
- nausea
- neurological problems (topical nerve anaesthesia)
- nose bleeds
- oedema (especially of ankles and face)
- oesophagitis
- paraesthesiae (numbing, burning and tingling; pins and needles)
- poor concentration
- poor short-term memory
- perspiring, night sweats
- severe headaches
- sinusitis
- skin insensitivity
- sore, itchy eyes
- spine (burning sensation)
- stomach cramps
- thirst
- thrush-like symptoms
- tremor
- tinnitus (ear buzzing, popping, ringing, hissing)
- tiny pupils
- urinary problems (bladder either 'all on' or 'all off')
- vertigo
- visual disturbances (blurred, double, vivid)
- vomiting
- water retention

3. PARADOXICAL:
- acute hyperexcited state
- agitation
- aggressive behaviour
- anxiety
- breathlessness
- excitability
- fear
- hallucinations
- hostility
- hyperactivity
- increased muscle spasticity
- irrational rage
- insomnia
- nervousness
- nightmares, vivid dreams
- phobias
- rage
- restlessness
- restless legs, arms
- sleep disturbances
- tension
- tremor
- panic attacks

4. TOLERANCE EFFECTS (including toxicity):
- anxiety
- apnea (night)
- breathlessness
- dyspnea (breathing problems)
- fibrositis
- fatigue
- gait disturbance
- impotence
- leaden heaviness
- lethargy
- libido disturbances
- loss of self-confidence
- menstrual irregularity
- neurological problems
- panic attacks
- phobias
- severe muscle rigidity
- short-term memory impairment
- vasovagal attacks
- vertigo

5. SIDE EFFECTS:
- abnormal behaviour or false beliefs
- aches and pains (muscle tension)
- aggressiveness
- agitation
- agoraphobia and claustrophobia
- anger
- anti-social behaviour
- apathy
- ataxia
- blood disorders (resulting in severe tiredness
and possible infections)
- blurred vision
- bradycardia (slow heartbeat/pulse)
- breast enlargement
- changes in appetite
- changes in libido
- changes in salivation
- chemical sensitivities, allergies
- cognitive impairment
- confusion
- daytime drowsiness
- depression
- diarrhoea and constipation
- diplopia
- dizziness
- dry, itchy skin
- dysarthria
- dysphoria
- emotional blunting
- exhaustion
- fatigue
- feeling afraid
- feeling unreal
- feelings of anger and anxiety
- flu-like symptoms
- hair loss
- hallucinations
- headaches
- hypotension
- IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
- inability to pass urine/holding of urine in the bladder
- impairment of motor co-ordination
- incontinence
- insomnia
- irritability
- jaundice
- jaw pains
- lack of concentration
- lack of confidence
- lethargy
- many people wonder why they have changed from being happy
and outgoing, to being over-anxious and unconfident
- memory loss or forgetfulness
- mild hypertension
- muscle weakness, spasticity, cramps, abnormal tone
- nausea
- nightmares
- numbed emotions
- oedema
- panic attacks
- personality changes
- poor muscle control
- problems with vision
- psychomotor impairment
- rashes
- reduced alertness
- reduced blood pressure
- restlessness
- shivering
- skin problems, rashes
- sleep problems
- slurred speech
- stomach and bowel problems
- stomach upsets
- suicidal behaviour
- thyroid disturbances
- tolerance
- tremor
- urinary retention
- vertigo
- violence
- water retention
- weight gain
- xeroderma (dry skin)

6. CATEGORIES OF SYMPTOMS:

CARDIOVASCULAR:

Fluctuations in blood pressure
Mild hypertension
Shivering, feelings of extreme cold or hot
Heart palpitations

DERMATOLOGICAL:

Allergic reactions
Chemical sensitivities
Dry, itchy skin
Dry throat, sore tongue, and thrush
Formications (sensation of crawling on skin)
Glassy eyes
Hair loss
Leukonychea (whitening of nails)
Nosebleeds
Oedema
Paraesthesiae (numbness, tingling)
Perspiring, night sweats
Rashes, blotches

GASTROINTESTINAL:

Bladder incontinence
Constipation (sometimes alternating with diarrhoea)
Diarrhoea
Dyspepsia (indigestion)
Gastritis
Heartburn
Nausea
Oesophagitis
Stomach cramps

GENITOURINARY:

Impotence
Libido disturbances
Menstrual irregularities
urinary problems (continence or incontinence)
Encopressia (faecal incontinence)

MUSCULOSKELETAL:

Aching joints
Blepharospasm (eye twitches)
Formication (sensations of bugs crawling on skin)
Gait disturbance
Jaw, tooth, neck and shoulder pain
Muscle wasting
Muscle spasms
Rapid weight loss
Severe headaches
Severe muscle rigidity
Tremor or feeling of inner vibration
Vertigo

NEUROLOGICAL:

Blurred vision, seeing spots, flashes, vivid vision
Bruxism (teeth grinding)
Dysphagia (difficulty eating or swallowing)
Electric shock feelings
Fatigue, leaden heaviness
Hypersensitivity to light, sound, and other stimuli
Neurological problems (e.g. topical anaesthesia)
Severe muscle rigidity
Speech difficulty
Thirst
Tinnitus (ear buzzing, popping, ringing, hissing)
Tiny pupils
Tremor

PARADOXICAL:

Agitation
Aggressive behaviour anxiety
Breathlessness
Excitability
Fear
Hostility
Hyperactivity
Irrational rage
Insomnia
Nervousness
Nightmares, vivid dreams
Phobias
Restlessness

PSYCHIATRIC:

Apathy
Anxiety
Delirium
Depersonalisation
Depression
Derealisation
Distortions or hallucinations
Dysphoria (inability to feel pleasure or happiness)
Fear
Hyperventilation
Hyperreflexia (‘jumpiness’)
Hypnologic hallucinations sleepwalking)
Lack of concentration
Nightmares
Obsessions
Paranoia
Phobias (hydrophobia, agoraphobia, monophobia,
acrophobia, anthropophobia and others)
Rapid mood changes
Suicidal thoughts
Short-term memory impairment

RESPIRATORY:

Breathlessness
Choking
Dry, tickly cough
Dyspnea (breathing difficulty)
Hyperventilation (overbreathing)
Inability to draw satisfying breath
Night apnea
Sinusitis

Dang that is some scary stuff right there. I think after this I may try and just deal with my anxiety/stress in a benzo free way.
Some genius needs to synthesize up some non addicting anxiety med, pain killer, and sleep aid. Why does everything have to be so hard when it comes to meddling with a body's brain chemistry haha.
If I get anything approaching that bad it will be off to my university's clinic for some help for sure.

It's an ENORMOUS dose!

It's 'equivalent' to 80-100mg diazepam.

Go to our drug dependence forum & read up on xanax threads.They are tough to get off of from what I have read.

At initial dose of 5mg/day would likely create more of a problem about whether someone would actually wake up the next day alive as opposed to their difficulty with withdrawal.
If you're dead, withdrawals are a snap.

Thanks everyone.
I guess I can only conclude that these meds were not good quality then because I was never in any kind of fog or nodding off etc.
Frankly I'll be perfectly happy if I have not actually been getting the dose I thought I was.
I took the last 1/2 of one last evening so I guess I'll find out soon enough what I'm in for.
Thanks again!

Sad but often true.

Well, about 4 days in now and I think I'm on the upswing, though the insomnia is still total.
I never experienced anything that tempted me to take a trip to the er or anything. Certainly no fun at all though and the WD has affected my class attendance far too much. I don't think I'll be repeating this little experiment again though.
My most pronounced symptoms:
--Nightmarish insomnia
I think I've had about 4 hours of restless sleep in the last 3 nights combined.
--Bad headache for the from the (roughly) 24-72 hour mark
--Crazy light and sound sensitivity, especially light
For some reason the angry little red LED lights on electronic stuff really set me off. The first bad night I eventually went around unplugging every last light emitting electronic device. And taping over the lights with black electrical tape on anything that couldn't be unplugged.

No fun folks. If anyone reads this that is having anxiety/stress issues and is thinking about self-medicating for it, think twice is my advice. Hit up a doctor. Or, at least do better research than I did and know that you are playing with fire.

Thanks again for the help and advice guys!

I hope your withdrawal symptoms go away soon. Sorry to hear you're having a hard time.

EconNerd,

Sorry to hear about your withdrawal symptoms. Just tell your professors that you had the flu really bad and they'll let you make things up, but then you already know that.

If you had not taken all of your xanax before stopping, you could have tapered off, and I've found tapering off is not all that difficult so long as you do it slowly, but then anxiety returns.

You may want to see a doctor and try some of the SSRI or SNRI antidepressant medications as they can be quite helpful for anxiety/stress. If you do, realize that many times a patient will go through several different kinds of these meds to find the one that works best for them.

Good luck.

BJ

Hang in there EconNerd

But remember that if things start to get uncomfortable and bad symptoms (which I hope they don't), seek out DR to help to help with the withdrawal.

good luck

From personal experience, you can overcome a 10 day binge of any benzo. I overcame a 2 year bing of benzos, just takes a while and you have to use self anxiety relief practices.. laying down or just doing something you enjoy to take your mind off the meds..

That's great, but it's not that easy for all people. It's a little hard to just sleep when you are having severe withdrawal effects. It's not just a matter of lying down and forgetting.

I'm fine now though it sucked for a good while. The problem wasn't so much dealing with the withdraws, which are bad enough, but trying to do it while staying on top of my academics. That turned out to be damn near impossible and I suspect (though it isn't beyond hope yet) that this may be my first semester without a 4.0 GPA in my 5 year academic careerer (post graduate). It is kind of depressing but all I can do is get over it and move on.
Cheers!