Xanax withdrawal

[seaisle12579]

For one year I was on low dose of Xanax .25mg . My doctor told me that I could just stop . I have been clean for 1 week , Am I out of the woods ???

[worried878]

Low dose and glad u r ok!
Sleep is important to recovery and lots of safe alternatives out there
Be safe and congrats

[seaisle12579]

Took Melatonin last night 900mcg and got 7 1/2 hours of sleep .... Thank God !

[my_mayberry]

yeah the one i was talking about had gaba, melatonin, and a few other things in it. i wish i could remember what it was...

maybe if someone else reads this, they'll know what i'm talking about.

[seaisle12579]

No it didn't work . I only slept for 1 hour . back to 600mcg as that gave me 5 1/2 hours . Sunday night I'm going to try some Gaba .

[my_mayberry]

i think they usually suggest 2 to 5 mg. 900mcg just seems low to me. there is another otc sleep aid that has a mixture of herbs that promote sleep and melatonin. how much more effective this is, i do not know...but who knows.

i've heard that for some people, taking more than 2 to 5 mg actually makes it harder to sleep. i don't know why or even if this is true. they could be just plain out having problems with insomnia that they would be having anyway....but thats what i've read. i guess if it works well for ya, thats all that matters though.

i don't know about interactions. the main ones i've heard about have been with SSRI's, and i think those are more theortical interactions. i'd still ask your doc just to make sure, but i bet theres no problem. do you think the 900mcg actually helped last night?

[seaisle12579]

Last night I took 900mcg Melatonin and slept for about 5 hours , Today I actually took a nap without any pills  . The other drugs I'm taking are for heart conditions and blood thinners .

[my_mayberry]

now i've heard with melatonin, more isn't always better. i would ask your doc or pharmacist what dose to start out with if you use it. it does seem to work very well for many people, though.

as far as the xanax...yeah you should be well out of the woods. the sleep disturbances may last a while, though. if you are not taking other meds, then perhaps melatonin get rid of this. if you are taking other meds, you should ask your doc first.

[ImDONENoMore]

CONGRATULATIONS on the 2 weeks!  That is FANTASTIC!  :)

[seaisle12579]

Thanks for you help . Two weeks off Xanax today

[ImDONENoMore]

10 mgs about an hour or so before bedtime - and I slept like a rock last night - this stuff has worked so well for me.  And the good thing is it's not addicting and I don't usually need it.  But knowing it's there just in case has been a g-dsend for me.  Sleeping is SO important but can be a struggle for a while.  I definitely think it's worth a try so check it out.  It can be found at most drugstores (cvs, walgreens) and isn't too expensive (about $7-9 a bottle).

Good luck to you - and maybe we'll see a post from you in the morning talking about how well you sleep tonight!  :)

[seaisle12579]

How much do you take ?

[ImDONENoMore]

Melatonin can help so much for sleep - taken an hour or so before bedtime and in a dark room.  They help me more than any OTC sleep aid ever did.

Good luck to you and congrats on quitting!  :)

[seaisle12579]

Thanks for your quick response .  The only problem I am having now is getting a good nights sleep . I was put on Xanax to help with panic attacks .

[evilways]

There is a good chance that you will be ok from here on out! Being on a low dose probably saved you all the struggles you might have otherwise faced. If you have been off for a week now, I'd say you are Going to be OK! Usually if any withdrawls are going to occour they happen within 12-48 hours after your last dose. If you are seriously addicted to something they can last anywhere from a week to 6 months or more. Addiction is a life long battle. But again, If you have been ok up untill this point I would say Rest at ease! Of course there may be a few residual problmes that creep up on you after some more time. Being that it was Xanax you need to watch out for depression and other anxiety related problems. Are you seeing a counselor or on an Anti depressant? A counselor would be wonderful to make sure you are addressing the Core Reasons you started taking the Xanax in the first place. Talk to your doctor about any depression you may be having. Congratulations and Keep up the good Work!!