I have been taking Xanax for 5 years Im up to 6-8mg ad day. I saw an addiction specialist today and he thinks I need to Detox 10-14 days then into an inpatient facility for 4-6 weeks, I know about weening as I have failed many times. My question is with no insuarance am I being taken advantage of? I really want off this drug as I have lost myself into the addiction of taking the pills even though I dont get a buzz. Anyone have any info?

Hi-

I am a recovering Vicodin user so my drug of choice was a little different from yours. My very basic knowledge about Xanax is that it can be extremely difficult to quit emotionally and physically is dangerous to quit cold turkey. You definitely need the help of a doctor. I would encourage you to really think about the inpatient recommendation, get a second opinion if it would help you make your decision but it is important to do your homework. I suggest reading as much as you can about recovery & addiction. I found it so helpful in many ways and it is a great way to take some control over a very out of control problem, addiction.

The other suggestion I have is to not do this alone. It is important that you have both the support and accountability that comes with telling others close to you. It also makes the problem more real when it is verbalized. I found that if it stayed in my head I could rationalize all sorts of ridiculous things, usually with the outcome of me using. The addicted mind is totally f'ed up, don't trust it in early recovery. You have already told your doctor which is great and this board is also a great start. It is my opinion that you need to tell someone else close to you but everyone is different. I believe we all have to figure out our own path, that it is part of the recovery. There is no easy way, no quick fix which is what we addicts like. Take a pill and bam things seem better.

Oh...one more suggestion since you seem open to reading is the book "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frye. I read it a year ago and was blown away by his story. I literally couldn't put the book down. He supposedly wrote it that way so non-addicts could experience some of what it feels like to be compulsive. It is a true story about his experience in rehab.

Anyway...I hope in some small way I have been helpful. Hang in there and trust that you are on the right path.

Just remembered one other thing...I think you should be peaking in terms of withdrawl symptoms, the physical stuff should start to improve frome here on out.

Take care.

Thanks Keepongrowing, I have already told all my friends and family and they are all supportive more than I expected, I dont know how I let this get so out of control. Im off to buy the book suggested and Im going to get a second opinion as well. I am in the process of weening but Im waiting for a bed in a local detox, a friend of mine did it all on his own but he doesnt have an addictive personality like me. Again thanks, but if anyone else has any insight please share.

As someone else said, detoxing off Xanax (or any other benzodiazepine for that matter) can be very dangerous as there is a chance you could go into seizures. Even if you don't go to the inpatient treatment program (which you should...a 72 day stay at one saved my life), please do the detox with medical supervision. Good luck.

I detoxed cold turkey off of xanax and it was by far the hardest drug I ever came off of......PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS.....I REPEAT...DO NOT DETOX COLD TURKEY OFF OF ANY BENZODIAZEPINE!!!!!

there are other meds they can use to help with the detox one is called ztprexa zydis normal it is given for other things, But it help me come off of klonpin when I got pregant, and could not take klonpin because of the baby........ I will be praying for you Felicia

Thanks Felicia I am hearing so many different things from so many groups telling me Detox is bad and has a bad success rate and that tapering is the way to go but is a long road. Like I said Im so confused. I have tried cold turkey long ago for three days and I almost died. Anyone else with any knowledge?

I really feel for you as you make your decision about what kind of treatment to pursue. Maybe my experience can help you find your way-

I was misdiagnosed with anxiety (when I actually had a terrible case of laryngeal reflux) and my doctor prescribed Xanax, 1 mg 3x a day (total of 3 mg/day). Within 2 months I was completely physically addicted. Once I got the reflux under control with anti-reflux meds, I could tackle the Xanax problem. I first tried weaning myself off of it, and I would get the shakes so bad I gave up. I felt so sick even reducing my dose to .75 mg down from 1 mg. I didn't want to waste any more time (about 5 months had gone by now) so I asked my doctor to check me into Silver Hill in New Canaan Ct. He protested (I guess it's not a good thing for psychiatrist's patients to go into detox) but evenetually I won out. I went in on a Friday and they took me off of Xanax completely that evening. Instead, they put me on depakote (which minimizes the chance of seizures) and truly helped to significantly reduce the "sick" feeling of detox. Everyone else in the program was much more addicted to random drugs, alcohol and benzos and quite frankly , I got laughed at for my paltry 3 mg/day problem. Apparently, the doctors in charge of the program did as well, because they dismissed me on Sunday evening (2 days later) and said I could finish up at home. I know it's expensive to detox in a facility, but boy was I in shock. So I went home, felt a little queasy for 3 weeks, but really it wasn't so bad. I only threw up once. They kept me on Depakote for a total of 6 weeks to prevent seizures, and I was really glad that Depakote existed. You can also stop it pretty quickly. So yes, get into detox, it is so helpful to know that experienced professionals who have seen it all will be there to take care of you when you feel sick and crummy. I guess I could have done it at home by myself, but it was good to be in a group environment for the 2 days that were the worst. And I was just so scared that my body would freak out during the initial stages, that I really needed the "babysitting" of the detox center. Only problem was they force everyone to go to AA meetings every freakin night. Fine for those with true mental addictions, but my addiction was purely physical and I never abbused the drug or increased my dosage. I never had any desire to take it again, and I never will.

Confused..I never had a problem with benzo's. I do know some people who've gone through it and it isn't pretty. I've seen some succeed with a very long taper program. I've also known people who have gone to detox. What I do have experience with is being an addict. We have some basic similarities regardless of the drug of choice.

I don't think all detox programs are "bad". The success rates probably have alot more to do with follow-up care than the actual detox process. Like aswander said, they can give you meds in a detox program to help curb withdrawls..regardless of what you are detoxing from. But if you just go to detox and then go home..and you don't change anything about your lifestyle, behaviors or patterns..nothing changes except that the drugs are out of your system.

There are plenty of opinions here. One thing doesn't work for everyone so doing your research and choosing the best options for you are important. But, there are programs where you detox and then do some therapy, get involved with support groups, go to groups or education programs or other forms of ongoing support - either inpatient or out-patient. This can be the difference between success and failure. Physical tolerance/ dependence and addiction are different things and require different measures.

I think you have to decide which category you fall into. Maybe you already have, but based on that decision - your treatment options and choices may differ. I don't necessarily think you are being taken advantage of. Five years is a long time on Xanax and it sounds like they are recommending intensive treatment for a reason. I don't know anything more of your history. Is there a history of other drug abuse, substitution, alcohol consumption, unmanageability in your life, loss of family, job, relationships, feelings of despair, emptiness and isolation, legal problems, escalation in drug use, are you using to feel "normal", other health problems, family history of addiction or alcoholism? Tell us a little more about yourself and maybe we can help a little more.

Remember..you won't always agree with everything you see here. Take what you can use and leave the rest.

Nephew tried to cold turkey after being on them for 4-5 years. He had a horrible seizure and was hospitalized. He's not the same today....many problems....physical and mental.........please let a doctor help you!!

If I was you I think I would go to a doctor and get detoxed, the safe way, I was on xanax for anixity and panic disorders and came off cold turkey from a doctor that I guess knew nothing of that drug , I was one sick person I can tell you that , But I am telling you there or other med that will help you be able to come off this stuff. Play it smart and do it the safe way, Felicia

i agree w/ everyone else, I recommend that you def. go to inpatient treatment. You have taken Xanax for 5 years, your body is very immune to this drug. I took Xanax for only 2 months and I remember coming off of it. I dont want to scare you but I couldnt even look at myself in the mirror when I was coming off of them. Its a very emotional spiral. PLEASE get into the inpatient treament for detox. I really dont want you to go through this alone...please let us know what you decide and how everything turns out

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Stopping a benzodiazepine is very dangerous and can lead to siezures and even death.I agree with everyone else,get medical intervention......Dave

Please listen to the other posters. I have first hand knowledge of this. I had been taking 6-8mgs of Xanax for at least a year, illegally buying them off the internet, and decided I could just stop. I was wrong. After 24 hours I was ready to slit my wrists, so instead I drove myself to the ER, all the while feeling like the car was going to tip over, and all they gave me was more Xanax. At that moment I decided I needed more help than that, so I checked myself into rehab. I was in detox for 4 days and inpatient for 10 days and I absolutely believe it was the best thing I've ever done in my life. I'm 40 days clean now and can't imagine ever taking one again.

Good luck to you.

Way to go NY,it's one of the hardest things to do and you deserve a big pat on the back.Nowyou can help other people who are in bad situations.....Dave

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Hey everyone thanks for all the support I found a Rehab and Im checking in for Detox on Monday am. I read myself scared to death, I know its goona be hard but I want this to end. I do have a history of trading drugs for one another alcohol to pills and so on. Xanax does not effect me I only feal it when I need it. I have read from many boards and you all seem to think the way I thought. I wish I had of been more specific on my drug abuse, then I could of gotten more feedback sooner. Thanks again.

Good for you Confused.

I came off of xanax cold turkey and it was a foolish and dangerous thing to do. If I hadn't have had a friend with me I surely would have died....I was THAT sick.

It sounds as if you need to treat the disease that keeps you using as well as detoxing. I know for me quitting the drugs and alcohol was just the first step...I had to learn how to stay clean and sober and that took learning how to live.

Best to you.