Do symptoms sometimes improve as you taper down?

[[sa...]]

I think I know the answer, but still want to ask.  Do symptoms sometimes improve or get better as you get closer to jumping?

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It seems to be the case for some.  For me it got harder and the end was the most difficult, and I think that is most common, but every so often I read of others who feel better as they go.  Why?

[[sa...]]

Just hoping I get better while I taper rather worse.

 

I just hope it's bearable and I can keep working. I really worry about it a lot sometimes, but maybe for nothing.

[[...]]

A symptom-led daily taper goes great together with people who need to work.

[[sa...]]

How would you do that with Xanax? Liquid Xanax? It's confusing to me. How would I measure .00625? I am dry cutting right now and .00625 is too small of a dry cut.

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I'm not familiar with liquid Xanax, but most benzos have a liquid form available.  Another way is to have it made by a compounding pharmacy.  If you want to make your own ideally you wan to use a liquid that dissolves Xanax.  Here are two sources which indicate Xanax is soluble in alcohol.  Most benzos are soluble in alcohol, but I am not aware of anyone using alcohol with Xanax.

 

http://www.rxlist.com/xanax-drug.htm

 

http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20120322794

 

Another way is to use Ora Plus, which is a liquid used to make suspensions.  This works for all benzos.  Once it is a liquid any dose is available to you.

[[sa...]]

I think I will try the .0625 cuts for now and see how far it takes me. I did drop from 3 mg to 1.5 mg ( long story ) had bad side effects but survived.

 

I also cut .25 a little over 3 weeks ago and did not notice increased w/d's. I actually did/do feel better, less tired.

 

So I am hopeful I can do the .0625 cuts all the way as others have done with Xanax.

 

My doctor told me there is a liquid form of Xanax and I know there are other options out there too such as a valium crossover if things get too diifucult when I get to low doses. But maybe I  one of the lucky ones whose symptoms improve or not get to worse. I'll just wait and see.

 

I would be sooooo happy if my symptoms would just stay the same until I jump. It is hard at times, but overall not too bad.

[[...]]

I think I know the answer, but still want to ask.  Do symptoms sometimes improve or get better as you get closer to jumping?

 

Hi Saul

Assuming you're not in tolerance, I think it depends on how fast you taper.  In my case, I just adjusted my dose to initially get my symptoms down to as little as possible and then tapered at a rate that kept  symptoms stable or slowly declining on the way down. The taper got more tricky at the very low doses, but I believe I arrived at 0 benzo intake fairly close to healed and for the last several months I had only occasional minor symptoms. Supplements, a good diet, plenty of rest and exercise when I was able also helped the process. There seems to be a wide variation among people with the various tapering methods and this method may not work for you, but I believe there are many benzo sufferers out there who can get off their drugs and do well with this very gradual method. The details are in my posts and sig line.

Take care.

Bart

[[...]]

For me,

As long as I was tapering slowly enough to watch my side effects closely, all of them did diminish the lower my dose got.  The only time I did not feel better the lower I got was when I was cutting too fast in the beginning of my taper.

 

I followed the same type of symptom based taper plan as bart once I got to 2mg and things really improved for me once I did.  With the exception of bouts of insomnia here and there, I was able to step off my benzo with virtually no side effects at all.

 

Barring complications with other health issues / medications, I believe this is possible for most of us.

[[sa...]]

Thanks Eliz,

 

I appreciate the encouragement!

[[Di...]]

I think it really depends on the individual person and what your symptoms are. For me my symptoms never really got any "better", but provided I kept to a daily taper I could control those symptoms fairly well. The only time my major symptoms of insomnia, anxiety and headaches emerged is when my taper rate got ahead of my healing rate. Then I would have to hold, or on some occasions I would do a very small dose correction, and then my symptoms would be fine again.

 

Even though I am now more than 10 weeks benzo free my old friend insomnia still comes and goes, but that is all part of the final healing phase and will improve as time goes on.

 

IMO the best of keeping your symptoms at bay as much as possible is to do a daily taper. Then you have a much better chance of catching the upsurge of symptoms in the early stages, and dealing with them before they get too bad.

[[Ju...]]

I dry cut off Xanax after taking the med for over two decades in high dosages for sleep.  The lower in dose I very slowly arrived, the easier my taper got.  I was in severe tolerance when I started my taper and had been in tolerance for several years.

 

My body responded well to the slow removal of the benzo via cut and hold.  Why? I have no idea considering my long term usage of the med and also the tolerance problem present at the start of the taper.

 

By the time I got to .25mg of Xanax, (5mg Valium equivalency), I stopped feeling my cuts all the way to zero.  So I made 4 quick cuts of .0625mgs and was done with my taper.  Not everyone has this same experience, but I certainly did.

 

I've had 2 major waves in my 17 months off of benzos.  The first significant wave came at 10 months off, the second wave came in month 15.  Each wave lasted from 2-3 weeks.  So, considering my long term usage and also high doses utilized, I believe I've done great.  I wish I felt that only 2 waves would be the extent of my difficult post withdrawal experience ..... but I'm just not certain I'm out of the woods yet and won't get hit yet again.  I probably won't consider myself healed unless I go a year without a wave. 

 

I hope you have a similar experience, Saul43 .... except minus the 2 waves I've had. 

[[sa...]]

Thanks Juliea and Diaz-Pam,

 

The most common bit of advice from everyone is slow and steady. I actually have that posted over my t v. " Slow and Steady Wins The Race " .

 

Like someone said, the " the turtle wins, not the rabbit. "

 

I think/hope I can go to 1 mg and even .75 mg without too much problems as long as I take it slow. .0625 every 10 days or longer. I don't think I am in tolerance, but if I am ( which I don't think ) it must not be too bad.

 

I can also avoid horrible, even bad withdrawals. I control the taper as others have advised. It gives me some relief to know there are other options too, such as a crossover. I have an unwise benzo doctor, but she is supportive and knows a little.

 

If I am feeling the way I am at .75 mg I will be so, so happy I think I would cry. I think of myself as a tough guy, but withdrawing humbles anyone. It means I have a good chance of making it all the way.

 

Who knows, maybe I may even feel better like Juliea and others. I have never been on too large of a dose and not for too long, but we are all different. Benzo Girl called us the " snow flake group".

 

Juliea, it's nice to know someone on this forum tapered off Xanax successfully and got better along the way. You were the first to explain the .0625 cuts every 8-10 days. I think this place has saved lives.

 

Thank you.