Is stopping XANAX cold turkey ok in anxiety?

Hi,
Thank you for posting your query at DoctorSpring.com.
I have noted your details and would agree with your doctor.
Stopping xanax 1 mg cold turkey after having taken it for 30 days is usually safe.
You may experience minor withdrawal symptoms such as restlessness, lack of sleep, weakness, etc, which resolve in 2-3 days.
I hope it helps. Best wishes,
Dr. Sudhir Kumar MD (Medicine), DM (Neurology)
Senior Consultant Neurologist

Dr. Kumar
Thank you for your kind response. I was nervous when I read about stopping cold turkey could possibly cause convulsions and seizures. But my Dr. said this is only for patients taking a much higher dose than me and for a longer period of time. Is that correct?
Also another question. At the start of May I had a stroke. I am 35 years old and in good health. They confirmed that I had a stroke but it was small in size. It showed up on my MRI. They have done many many many tests and have come up with no cause. Is it common for someone my age to find no cause? Right now they have me on Lipitor and two baby aspirin daily. I don't have high cholestorol. Would you agree with this treatment?
And after my stroke I was sent home a few days later from the hospital. When I got home that night I had these odd dizzy feelings like I was going to have another stroke. This peristed for a few days and then went away. Now I continue to have some odd feelings in my head and tingling in hands and feet. My Dr said this was probably due to Anxiety. Would you agree? What do patients normally feel after a stroke?
My stroke started one night with dizzy wave feeling, slurred speach and numbness in my right hand. The slurred speach was also on the right side. My speech returned the next day. And they ran lots of tests at the hospital. I also have heart paplpatations from time to time. But my cardiologist has confirmed that everything with my heart is fine. Could all this after effect stuff by anxiety? I feel like I don't worry about it anymore. But still have these feelings. Actually the Xanax seemed to take ALL these symptoms away. But I found myself getting addicted to them so I decided to stop.
Would love to know your thoughts on all of this.
Thank you
James

Thank you for getting back to us.

I agree with your doctor's opinion on xanax that the risk of seizures is higher in people on higher doses for a longer duration.

It is uncommon for stroke to occur in a 35-year old. But in India, we are seeing more and more people in their 30s and 40s with ischemic stroke. We usually find causes, such as high BP or high serum homocysteine or abnormal lipid levels. However, in a minority of patients, no cause can be found, called as cryptogenic or idiopathic strokes.

You are on correct medications to prevent the recurrence of strokes.

I agree that you have some symptoms of anxiety and some people do feel that way after stroke. However, as you remain well & healthy later on, these symptoms would go away on their own.

Best wishes,

Dr. Sudhir Kumar MD (Medicine), DM (Neurology)

Senior Consultant Neurologist, 

Institute of Neurosciences,

Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills,

Hyderabad- 500 033, India

Dr Kumar
Thank you again for your kind respone. It has been very frustrating that they have found no cause for my stroke. Can stress and bing drinking up your risk of having a stroke? Before I had my stroke I had been drinking heavily off and on for about four months and have been very stressed from marriage problems. Back in Feb they think I had a TIA, but the hospital didn't confirm seeing the symptoms were not present when I got there. And then in May I had the actual stroke. They say it was small. But confirmed on my MRI in the hospital. I must say it was kind of odd. In the hospital I felt pretty good, they had me on heparin the whole time. I guess as a precaution. But when I got home is when I had all these odd symp;toms. Maybe from Anxiety... I don't know. And I get palpatations from time to time. Almost feels like your heart stops and then starts again.
I've been reading about Aspirin & Lipitor. Can Aspirin really help prevent strokes in Men? I've been reading that it works well in woman, but not so much in men. Is that true? My Doctor has me on 162 MG of Aspirin per day. How do you feel about this dosage? What else can I do to be trying to find the cause or help preventing a future stroke?
I appreciate your response.
Thanks
James

Thank you for getting back with more information.

I understand what you are going through.

Yes, stress and binge drinking can lead to strokes.

Aspirin is effective in men too and the dose of 162 mg is fine.

Other investigations that could be done are: thrombophilia profile (protein C, protein S, antithrombin III), anti-phospholipid antibody assay, ANA profile, serum homocysteine. These can help in determining the cause of your stroke.

Please continue medications and regular exercises to prevent the stroke.

Best wishes,

 

Dr. Sudhir Kumar MD (Medicine), DM (Neurology)

Senior Consultant Neurologist.

Hello, I have another question. I had blood work done at my doctors office. I got the results, but the Doctor is not in until Monday to tell me why my total cholestorol is low and what I should. I had a stroke back in May and my total cholestorol was 180. Then I got out of hospital and they put me on 20 MG of Lipitor and put me on a diet. But now my cholestorol is the following:
Cholesterol Total - 105 mg/dl HDL Cholesterol - 41 mg/dl Cholesterol/HDL Ratio - 2.6 DL Chol, Calculated - 50 mg/dl Triglycerides - 71 mg/dl Non HDL Cholestorl 64 mg/dl
Is my total cholesterol dangerous because its low? What should I do? What about my other levels?
James

Thank you for writing to us again.
I have seen your cholesterol reports. They are low, but are not dangerously low. If I were your doctor, I would reduce the dose of lipitor to 10 mg once daily at nights. No other action is needed at present.
Best wishes,
Dr. Sudhir Kumar MD (Medicine), DM (Neurology)
Senior Consultant Neurologist,
Institute of Neurosciences,
Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills,
Hyderabad- 500 033, India