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As I have stated in the past....I'm in charge of mom's meds and try to stay on top of this the best I can. I call in refills as necessary since auto refill caused too many problems. Mom has been on Xanax for the past five months......taking one every evening. When she was down to five pills I called in for refill. I found out today that her PC would not refill the prescription and I am concerned about possible withdrawal. Doc is not in office tomorrow, so I'm at a loss until Monday. Just curious if anyone else has experienced stopping this med abruptly? Am I overreacting by being concerned about potential withdrawal?

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Thank you for the update! Looking forward to a good report!
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Abby-
i was wondering how the Friday doctor visit went? Is there a plan in place for continuing her meds, weaning her off, and start a different medication? Specialist taking over? Did you get the story on how she couldn’t get refill, whether out of refills, needed to be seen by doctor before refill, doctor discontinuing the medication? We are quite concerned, don’t want to advising further, if things are being worked out. How is Mom feeling? Did she get through the medication situation without further seizures?
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Abby2018 Jul 2019
Hi Girl.....The rheumatologist filled her prescription for a 30 day supply with the intent of further recommendations from the geriatric specialist she will see tomorrow. PC was on (and will be back today) vacation when the Xanax was due for refill and whomever was covering dropped the ball. Now that she is back on track and hallucinations have stopped......although she does believe she saw them to have actually happened. I will post after her consult tomorrow and will hopefully have a better understanding of where we stand and what to do moving forward. Thanks so much for your interest
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I have been on Xanax for at least 6yrs. I ask my Doctor about changing to Atalanta and he said I would have to ween myself completely before he would change medications .🙁That is a very dangerous thing to do. As you go into withdrawals and can easily have a seizure. If I were u and it was my moms caretaker I would call your real Doctor and tell this is a matter of life and possibly death.your pc is an idiot. I really pray to God above that I could go off everything and be free of it all. But now I have really horrible effects from it and the Xanax helps some just not that well because I have been on them so long. So may God bless you and your Mom. This is just what I know. And I’ll pray for yall as well.😥🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🏼🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏😇🙏🏼🙏🏼😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸❤️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏🏼🙏🙏🏼🙏
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rovana Jul 2019
Like what llamalover said, about wanting mom to come in for office visit.  Doctors are under some professional constraints and can't afford to risk licensure.  They really cannot be expected to just allow refills indefinitely. That would be professionally irresponsible.
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Abby: Are you sure that your mom's physician just doesn't want her to come in for an office visit in order for him or her to fill the script? Oftentimes my doctor will want to see me in person before he or she fills the medicine. If I were you, I would find out if this was the case because stopping a class of medicine such as this no doubt would not or should not be done. Also, AS YOU'RE DOWN TO 5 NIGHTS OF PILLS, I WOULD ASK YOUR PHARMACIST FOR AN OVERRIDE TO TIDE YOUR MOTHER OVER before she gets seen by the doctor. If you're a long-time client of the pharmacy, this should not be a problem. My pharmacist does this for me if necessary without a problem as he wants to keep me as a customer!
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worriedinCali Jul 2019
She posted in the comments that one of her moms other doctors wrote a 30 day day prescription.
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The withdrawal from benzodiazephine (B) family of drugs is a harder and more life threatening withdrawal than narcotics.
The doctor is medically negligent to put his patient in a life threatening position by abrupt withdrawals
I would recommend you find another Doctor for your Mother you are comfortable with.
Just explain to the new dr ...you wanted a change in doctor...short & sweet
And once you are newly situated I suggest you write/call a complaint to the Medical Board in your state.
Believe it or not, the medical boards are not there to impress patients, they are there to ensure doctors are behaving in a rational & ethical manner to patients.
If you don't let them know, its highly probable another patient will suffer the same way from this Doctors lack of care
Fortunately for your Mother the B family of drugs has a long half life....so withdrawals may not begin for 3 or 4 days.
And by then I would assume you will have had a prescription filled.
Withdrawals affect the nervous system very badly. And seizures are not uncommon.
Panic attacks (the panic the drugs were covering) and insomnia are very common These drugs interact badly with a long list of other drugs.
Tapering off the drug Very slowly by a medical detox team is a safer ( safer) alternative to cold-turkey withdrawal
However assuming your Mother is elderly and not in the best health, this may be just too much for her to weather.
If she has been doing well, & sleeping well on the 1tab each pm, then it would probably be wise to keep her on that dosage. Though you might consider getting a pill cutter & cutter the tab by 1/4 tab 3 times a week to see how she progresses
Adding the herb Ashwaganda at the same time is helpful. The herb strengthens the nervous system, and lessens anxiety & depression.
A cup of strong Chamomile tea (3 tea bags per cup, or 1 tsp loose herb per cup) with the addition of raw honey is very soothing before bed time also
Lastly, do read up on the side effects of each & every drug she is taking...& withdrawal symptoms...there are videos on Youtube also..
So if she is exhibiting new health concerns you will be aware the cause is related to the medications..
And not have yet another drug added to her list by a well intended though unenlightened doctor.
Best regards

"Insanity is doing the same thing, and expecting a different result"
Albert Einstein
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rovana Jul 2019
But was this a lack of professional care or a patient that refused to be seen in an office visit? It would be irresponsible for a doctor to just act like a pill shop, authorizing medications without reasonable oversight of the patient. No doctor should ever be asked to risk professional licensure.  And waiting til you're down to five pills is not wise unless you clearly know you have more authorized refills.  It was not clear in the post that the doctor wanted mom to go cold turkey and unfair to claim that the doctor did.
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I was just going to begin the 3 year (yes, 3 YEARS) tapering off of Klonipin when I was dxed with cancer. My dr didn't feel that I could hendle the chemo AND the PTSD I suffer from and come out the other end OK.

You need Psych doc to be dealing with psychotropics and a PCP to be working with them on any other needs.

Drs who pull the 'I know more than you do, sucks to be you' and simply stop you cold turkey from some of these meds are causing people to get very, very sick.

We have to be our own doctors in many cases. While my oncologist is handling my cancer, he is not involved in my depression meds or my anxiety meds. I am to simply take those as directed--in fact I am told to bring them to chemo days and use my own meds. I just tell my infusionist that I am taking a Klonipin of my own and he charts it.

I hope by age 65 to be off everything but a vitamin. I can hope, right?

A dr who doesn't listen to me is an ex-employee of mine. I have had to learn to be tough and also listen to the dr and do what's best. Right now, it's very, very hard.
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rovana Jul 2019
But did the doctor want mom to go cold turkey? Has mom been in for regular doctor visits? A doctor can hardly be expected to act like a pill shop, handing prescriptions to whoever asks for them. Have to have cooperation here.
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Obviously, it’s never recommended to stop any medication cold turkey. However, my Mom had a particularly nasty withdrawal due to lack of Xanax. She was on an extremely high dosage and her anxiety was through the roof. She had apparently taken a few more pills during the month than prescribed because she ran out three days before her doctors appointment. She didn’t call for a refill because she didn’t want the doctor to know what she had done. So, I had no idea what was wrong with her! She had vomited a few times and her eyes were rolling back in her head. I ended up calling 9-1-1. The doctor’s couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her and every day I visited, she didn’t seem any better. Apparently, they had immediately given her a small IV dose of Xanax, but nowhere near what she usually takes. So, I happen to hear them talking, considering taking her off it altogether. That’s when it all clicked for me! I told them that she’s normally on a very high dosage and has been without it for a few days and I think she’s going through withdrawal. So, they give her her regular dosage and bam she’s back to normal! They slowly weaned her off the high dosage and brought her down to an acceptable level.
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Myownlife Jul 2019
fyi, Xanax does not come in iv (intravenous form). Ativan does but not Xanax.
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Valid concern! YesValium withdrawl is serious, seizures, it's very ignorant and cruel of her doc to do this. It sounds like a miscommunication.
For those who judge with very little information you are not helping,
Be prepared to call 911 or go to the ER and keep calling doctor to explain why so cruel and no further direction. Seek better doctor care change to one who is kind and understanding of what your both going through. I would raise Cain with doctor. I'm sure he would remedy your valid concern. I agree totally with Terryi and Peanuts56 cut remaining pills in half may give more time to get d8ctor to realize his mistake.
Make that appointment asap.
Keep us posted
Grace and wisdom
God bless
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Myownlife Jul 2019
Medications cannot be cut in smaller amounts unless they are demarcated with lines, i.e. if a medication is lined once, it may be cut in half. Unlined medications are not equally distributed and should NOT be cut in smaller dosages.
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When was her last visit with the physician? He or she may not want to prescribe the medication due to that issue. Withdrawal from Xanax may be a concern. What dose is she currently receiving? If the pills can be split with a pill cutter perhaps you can split them until you speak with the physician. It may be a good idea to have your mother evaluated by a geriatric psychiatrist. The geriatric psychiatrist would be helpful in using an alternative to the bezodiazepines.(Xanax) as well reevaluating her other medications for interactions with psychtropics. Lastly, it may be helpful to investigate alternative strategies to manage her anxiety in conjunction with a geriatric psycholgist.
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It maybe she needs to see the Dr. before a new subscription is given. They do that with some of my meds. But definitely I believe an older person should be given something to ease andy withdrawal. Just find out more from someone.
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Xanax usually not given for agitation from dementia...Seroquel is ..don’t know if she has dementia or not. If she has Neurologist then they auto renew..if she gets super agitated & she doesn’t have Neurologist then take her to ER..also you can try melatonin 5mg at night to help sleep
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theexecutioner Jul 2019
Xanax and Zolft were given to my mom for agitation. She has 2 types of dementia. Her PCP gave them. Of course, he refereed her to a neuro, but that neuro was a sleep neuro who does not deal with dementia on a regular daily basis. That neuro had no clue. They were no help. I now have an appointment for my mon with a geriatric neuro who specialize in conditions like dementia....just for the reason that her PCP is a moron.
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Please keep us posted, Abby. It is great that you are so careful and conscientious. This is relevant to many of us.
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Could be he didn’t fill prescription because you said you called it in at Five days. Here in California you can only call in 2 maybe 3 days early . I wasn’t even aware of that until I went to pickup prescription that my dr had prescribed and the Kaiser pharmacy told me to come back in 2 days.
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TekkieChikk Jul 2019
My SIL went through the same thing here in PA with a similar script she's been using for years, she called it in a couple days early and it was denied. She had to call the doctor's office and have them issue a new prescription. With the prescription drug abuse crisis in our country doctors are extremely cautious.
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It is very dangerous to “cold turkey” this type of medication. Your mom will go through terrible withdrawals. “Benzo Withdrawal”. Personally, go higher up if you have to, but get her to be able to taper off. This is a very long hard process.

Doctors are doing this to many people.

This can cause seizures.

I don’t want to scare you but please read about it and get some help in getting her either, her medication or a very slow and easy taper with meds to help your mom through the effects of this. I’m so sorry!!! She will feel withdrawal symptoms with first missed dose. Again please read about it. I hope I haven’t scared you but it is dangerous and urgent. Also depending on how much she was on and for how long will tell you how easy or hard this might be for her.
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Abby2018 Jul 2019
She was experiencing hallucinations and her Rheumatologist issued a 30 day supply. Waiting to hear back from PC. Thankfully, I was aware of withdrawal which caused me to to bring this up at her visit on Friday. Thanks for your concern.
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I will recommend you to read the book why do we sleep or listen to some of the you tube videos. Learn all about sleep. One should not take any medication for sleep. These are not sleeping medication. These are sedative and more harmful to the body. Please spend some time and understand how our body works. Since our human body did not come with owners manual please search for the manual and learn. Do not kill you mom with medication. I am taking care of my mother in law 82 years. Got her out of all bad meds. Now when she wakes up she is like a 20 year old girl as against a zombi. Equip your self with knowledge. Ask the question to your self why she is not sleeping and find the reason and fix it not by medicine. Our body produce all it needs. So put your body to work.
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Upstream Jul 2019
My doctor told me that anything that knocks you out to sleep, does not produce "good" quality sleep and is bad for brain health. These drugs are not sleeping pills.
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Did you call back to find out why the doctor refused to fill the prescription? That would have been the first thing on my list of things to do.
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worriedinCali Jul 2019
I don’t think it was the doctor refusing, her doctor wasn’t even in the office. She dealt with the pharmacy. She called the pharmacy to refill the rx and couldn’t and seeing as how it’s a class IV controlled substance, it was most likely because it had already been filled the maximum (5) amount allowed since she’s been on it 5 months. Which is why I asked if the last bottle indicated the number of refills left and if the doctor explained that mom would have to come back & see him after the 5th refill.
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withdrawal is usually correlated with dosage, but much of it can be psychlogical too. try your best not to make a big deal of it to her. placebo effect may work as it did with my mom, who thot tylenol was a sleeping pill and went straight to sleep. BUT...just in case of withdrawal worries...if you still have pills left...cut them in half and half again. give 3/4 pill first night, 1/2 pill next...stay at half pill until you can get a doc to assess if she needs it at all, go down to 1/4 pill. xanax is for short term use only. you cannot get it if you are also scripted opioids. (you CAN legally have an anti-anxiety drug called buspar with opioids. buspar doesnt work for me but works great for my mom). new fed regulatory rules: you must choose between pain or anxiety. there is no PC where i live that will give you opioids at all. no PC will give you more than 5 xanax. at all. you have to go to a Pain Center for opioids. they test your pee monthly...you will be kicked out if you test pos for benzos. a psychiatrist is the best place to get benzos. while you are in an emergency situation waiting, you can try bach flower remedies, 3-5 mg of melatonin; if it is a sleep issue, cut a benadryl in 1/2; no caffeine of any kind (chocolate, sweet tea) after noon, use sleep hygiene (no screens or lighting or tv in bedroom), do simple breathing exercises with her, people also think valerian root helps, but i wouldnt give that to anyone on other drugs without checking first. just some ideas and info, i wish you the best and thank for taking care of your mom, i wish i could take care of mine. by far, the best thing i have found for reducing anxiety in my mother was NO CAFFEINE. EVER. also, pasta and/or turkey for dinner naturally and chemically helps create relaxed feelings. good luck.
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Stopping Xanx immediately will lead to withdraws and possibly heart attack. Google Xanax Withdrawal for an in-depth explanation.
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Stopping it abruptly can cause withdrawal. Even on small doses. I would find out why he did that, opposed to weaning her off. I can tell you if she is on any type of painkillers, then thats why. The last year or so docs have quit writing out both due to serious potential risks. If she had been taking both Xanax and opiod for many years together, then it would be possible to get both drs. To write note on rx that its ok. Otherwise, the insurance flags it every single month causing pharmacy to call both and get permission. Its become a headache but the reasoning is crystal clear. Benzos and opiates both slow respiratory system so It makes sense why they have done all these new rules. Best of luck.
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I'm a 'elderly' woman and when need something strong enough to calm me down I take a 1 mg. melatonin pill that sits at my bedside table 24-7. You can't overdose on it and it's not addictive and easily obtained otc from any drug store or Walmart, etc.

Many people can benefit from melatonin as the brain produces it to naturally relax the body for sleep at night. But in this world sometimes we need help, right? This is cheap and effective too.

God Bless!
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I'm an Internist. I'm Somewhat permissive in my current practice, but used to blow benzo patients off in my last one. "I've been on it for Thirty years." But-I don't LIKE that type of drug, and it shouldn't be my problem. Also-addiction is not the only issue. Seniors can have Bad falls on that drug (there's a whole list of drugs-DeBeer's Criteria) that the Elderly should not take. Buspar helps anxiety without the addiction.

That SAID-this class of drugs (which includes Ativan, Klonopin, Valium and Xanax) is like Booze. Going off too fast is very dangerous. You need to wean them.
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Upstream Jul 2019
Thank you for your professional opinion. I took Ativan for a couple of years for sleep. Being young, I blew off reading the side effects. I had never really been on any prescription before, and I assumed side effects only happened to a very small percentage of the population. My family doctor told me one day he wanted me to taper off and he could no longer prescribe me the medication in good conscience. He told me it caused balance issues and I din't want to become a little old lady walking into a doctor and demanding my drugs. Fast forward a decade - my parents have been taking this stuff for decades and now it has caught up with them. Dad is in a dementia care home. Mom has been having abrupt & bizarre falls since she was in her mid 60s: broken hand, shoulder, back, black eye, etc. She goes over like a leaning tower, one time face-first into the lawn mower in the garage (that was the back eye and she wasn't even 70 yet). She's now on a walker and still in her 70s. Refuses to get off of the drug. I am so, so glad my doctor intervened. I tapered off without drama, felt a little wired and had trouble sleeping at first.
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Abby, it would depend on the amount of medication she is taking. Is it 0.25mg, the lowest, or is it higher? If it's as low as .25 or .5, it shouldn't need to be weaned, but if it works well for her, go to another dr.

Since you were able to have the rheumatologist fill the rx this time, will that physician continue writing it? Or, have you thought of having your Mom see a psychiatrist who could manage it? Just an FYI to you and everyone, if you would like, you can use a telepsychiatrist for a visit. There are various websites with tele medical practitioners as well as tele psychiatric visits. It's a great alternative to having to go in person, possibly with a long wait for an initial visit.

I myself have been using Xanax as 0.25mg prn (once in awhile) due to all the recent stress of multiple issues with my mom/home. It is a very useful/helpful medication when used properly. Good luck with your Mom!
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Abby2018 Jul 2019
Very low dose and helps significantly with her dementia and manageability.
But if the PC feels that she should no longer take it, I will honor that decision. My concern was taking her off so quickly. I'm waiting to hear back. My hope is that she will remain on her usual dose until her geriatric assessment next week.....and then make necessary changes if need be.
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I just want to throw this in, which is not helpful in a concrete way....but many years back, in the old days as I started this social work career I was interested in so many topics and to learn so much. So I went to a number of meetings of the American Psychiatric Assn. Have you ever been to a car show where there are multiple displays, sensory overload with noise, lights etc? This is what it's like in the exhibit hall with all the drugs and their manufacturers there. They would sponsor sessions and follow them with dessert receptions...I still can recall people that would grab a plate, stack it up with goodies, and head back to their hotel room. Just to say that the drug companies are more interested in selling and profits then they are about the well-being of patients in many instances. I hear things have changed, but as I have not been back, I can't verify it all. And beware that when you start asking for something in particular they may be suspicious, think you are looking for a quick fix. Terrible situation and I would not be going back to the MD who started all this grief. Idiots and politicians have generated this BS and are clueless to the grief and pain they cause for patients and their caregivers and loved ones.
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Certain medications require blood work to monitor kidney and liver functions. Others cannot be refilled unless the patient has seen the dr. recently. These are the reasons why My Mom's meds may not get refilled.
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Abby2018 Jul 2019
Recent blood work and was seen three weeks ago by the prescribing PCP.....which is what caused my confusion.
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psychiatrists are the best suppliers. They will give all you need and more.
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Yes it should be tapered off when taken daily. So check with them on Monday and see what they will do. I see no reason for them to refuse to refill it.
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Justme44 Jul 2019
Unless she is on painkillers. Its become a big no-no over last year or so. They make you choose pain relief or anxiety relief, unfortunately.
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Depends on her dose, depends on her other meds. Don't overreact. He may well have a very good reason for doing it. Xanax is a dangerous med, can be especially so for geriatric patients. If she is able to come off of Xanax, it's a very good thing. As for withdrawal, I did it (personally I mean) after 5 years. It was uncomfortable, but not horrible. I felt so much better after I quit. It's a much more dangerous med than most folks realize. So take a deep breath and talk to her doc. If she has a serious reaction, take her to the ER.
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Cupofjoe34 Jul 2019
Agreed and also the dosage matters you can taper if on the lowest dose with 5 pills left. But regardless this isn't a proper treatment option. Taper takes time and then if need be a new medication or vitamin can be implemented instead to keep her on a steady sleep regimen. If it's for anxiety their are 20 drugs off the top of my head that could be beneficial narcotic or not for her. It is carelessness. I would get a new dr... obviously you need guidance. Wish you the best.
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It is a Bad idea to Go Cold Turkey and Yes...Could have Side Affects.
Make an Appointment and Talk Turkey to Tom when he is Back in the office. Or Find Quick another Doctor who will Help you. Anyone under the Sun, Hun, Who is on this Sort of Mind Drug, Need to be Weened OFF. Or CUT DOWN.
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Yes, unless the dosage has already been tapering down to near-nothing, an abrupt cessation is a bad idea. The only other reason to stop it abruptly (that I can think of) would be if the Xanax has been found to cause some OTHER serious problem... but whatever the reason is, the doctor should have explained it! Definitely get another doctor to look at this.
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I speak from experience here. Please be careful. Xanax is a controlled drug. Sadly, with new laws being implemented in many states, due to the opioid crisis, doctors are abruptly refusing to renew many of the controlled substances, no matter how long the patient has taken them, no matter the dose taken. Elderly persons are at particularly high risk of severe withdrawal and complications.

My former, and I stress former, internist also did this to me, ignoring CDC guidelines for weaning, ignoring the good the drug was doing, ignoring that I was a model patient, never requested an increased dosage, never abused or sold my medications. The doctor did not discuss at my office visit, just simply didn’t renew, and refused to renew a medication I had benefitted from, for close to 15 years.

It caused an horrific withdrawal, with such bad diarrhea, that it threw my heart into tachycardia, caused by dehydration from unrelenting vomiting and diarrhea. Only with intervention from my own gastro, did I avoid heart attack and death, from the severe electrolyte depletion. The internist wouldn’t even take my calls due to severe dehydration, which she caused.

There are elderly people who are dying from the abrupt withdrawals from some of these medications. Exactly why the CDC put out the cautionary memo to prescribers, as doctors are misinterpreting the new laws and medical guidelines, and people are dying from the withdrawal. The dosage may be very low, but being elderly is a major factor in the medical crises people are being thrown into. My doctor said she thought I would benefit from pain management. That was the day (May 2, 2019) she decided to not renew the prescription. The issue is that there are aren’t enough pain management doctors out there, certainly not sufficient to see all the patients who are being thrown off their pain/controlled medicines. I am still waiting, will be two more months until I can get into a pain management doctor. So, instead of helping the patient until they can get a pain management appointment, the doctors are running like a flock of sheep, and not even discussing what they can do for the patient, what alternatives can be safely used until one can begin the pain management treatment.

It May be that state law has tied the doctor’s hands. But there is no excuse for the doctor being negligent. Even very low doses of these medications need tapered.
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gdaughter Jul 2019
Find a malpractice attorney and sue the witch. It's time they realize there are going to be consequences for this irresponsible and cruel behavior.
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