Advice on withdrawal effects of Alprazolam use? When will it end?

Well, physically, you’ve been done with withdrawal for several months now. So, time to go talk to your doctor.

Are you still depressed and/or anxious? Both of those can make you foggy and have memory loss. Are you taking any other medications? Anything?

I once was in a fog from a medication, and it lasted almost 6 months. It was not a antianxiety or antipsychotic, but it was very frustrating. Once my mind cleared I realized just how screwed up I had been.

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/

The Ashton Manual is available for free online. Its written by Dr. Heather Ashton who ran a clinic for 12 years focused specifically on Benzodiazepine withdrawal.

Benzodiazepines is the general category name for the class of medications with which you’re dealing. In some respects withdrawal from Benzos is considered more difficult than for opiods and even heroin.

In a small subset of patients, (about 15%) it can take many months up to several years before the cognitive deficits clear up completely.

Benzos are just a particularly nasty and long lasting category of drugs from which to withdraw because of the long-lasting changes in brain functioning. Hopefully the info in the Ashton Manual will give you a better idea of what to expect and how to handle it. And just realizing that four months and longer is not uncommon may also help.

Are you currently involved with an MD who is aware of all of this? If not, you should be. Preferably one who is experienced in withdrawing patients from long term benzodiazepine usage.

Let me add my voice to the chorus that suggests you continue your withdrawal with advice from a psychiatrist. Preferably one that knows a lot about drug withdrawal.

You have at least a year more to go with this. Seriously. Buy some Unisom or equivalent and a bottle of Benedryl ; maybe 1mg Melatonin and take one of these each night, rotating them if you need a sleep aid. I have no advice as how to eradicate withdrawal. The only way to feel as you did before is with more Alprazolam but, if you take it, you will be right back where you’ve been and have to begin withdrawal again. I believe any psychiatrist will put you back on it so before you make an appt with one, ask. Writing scripts for benzos is what they do. Then if they retire or move you’re sunk and it happens all the time.
The memory may come back eventually, at least partially. No guarantees on that, though. Good luck.