Posted by Abby Cunningham on April 18, 2011, at 17:54:14
In reply to Re: need advice to tapering off xanax also » Abby Cunningham, posted by floatingbridge on April 17, 2011, at 0:19:07
Hi FB,
the main reason I want off the alprazolam is that I feel it is unhelpful to me .... I do notice some memory problems. I have been on this drug for over 20 years and I HATE the withdrawal, if I don't take my allotted daily dose. It is physically addicting to me and I would love to come off it. But I have horrible w/d sx's. Extreme anxiety, unable to sleep, depersonalization, derealization, inability to put thoughts together, etc.It's an insidious drug.....it sneaks up on you and makes you dependent and addicted. When I was able to taper off it I felt so much better, even slept better without it! Now this would be my third try off it and I think the kindling effect has gotten hold of me.
For instance, if I were to be in a foreign country, as I was in February, and suddenly find myself without it, I would go through torture in withdrawals :(
I hate that I ever got hooked on it, and perhaps I will ask my doctor for Lyrica just so that I can taper further.
I'd like to ask you what side effects you experienced from the Lyrica?
Abby
> Abby, may I ask the reasons for your taper? I'm curious. I have been taking 1.5mg of the XR version (generic), and recently am trying to recurb to 1.0mg. (Is recurb a word?)
>
> I use varying amounts of regular release as emergency med, sometimes just to get to sleep when it's rough. I haven't been xanax-free since my kid was born (quit it for pregnancy). (Somehow.)
>
> I haven't been able to drop below .25mg. since. However, I don't know if I have the skills or nerves (literally) to forgo xanax, and am not sure I should, if I can keep it low.
>
> Do you have unpleasant sides or memory issues?
>
> I had thought about the Valium cross-taper, but after a recent bout of med trials, thought it wise to stay with the benzo that my body knows.
>
> However, one of my trials was Lyrica. It made me dumb as dirt, but I was able to drop waaay down on xanax. Just a thought. Lyrica had serious sided for me; however it was an easy-on, easy-off med. If only I had secured my seat belt before the ride started :P
>
> Made withdrawal from my snri of years use possible. Stopped the head zaps.
>
> Good luck to you. I am curious what you think.
>> fb
>
poster:Abby Cunningham
thread:982338
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20110418/msgs/983182.html