Hello, another newbie!!

[[jo...]]

Hi, I'm Jodie.......I was(am) on xanax for 8 months, 3 or 4 times per day at .5

Don't know how I did it but got myself down to .125 x 2 per day,  sometimes switching everyother day with .25 ativan......

Now I am stuck, can't get any lower...Any suggestions (no switching to valium, please)...

[[Co...]]

Hi Jodie,

 

We are working on some instructions for titrating off benzos. It involves making a liquid from our benzos and then discarding a small amount of liquid. This should allow you complete your taper.

 

It's easy enough to post some instructions for an individual, but we are trying to put something together that can be used by all, and is easy to understand too. This is proving to be pretty tricky. We are getting there though, and should have something up soon.

 

Welcome to the community.

[[jo...]]

Thank you so much....I will be waiting patiently (LOL)!!!!!!

 

Jodie

 

Oh yeah, and I really dig this forum...... 

[[Co...]]

Hi Jodie,

 

The method we are trying to develop needs more work, so we have decided to help on an individual basis fior the moment. We have a few people to catch up with, but hope to get to you with a day or two.

 

Just to be sure: you take 0.125 Ativan twice a day (0.25mg/day)? You've done well, but this last bit can be tricky. Titration should help you, and we will give you instructions ASAP - and the rest of you that have been waiting patiently. Thanks.

[[jo...]]

Not ativan.......I take xanax.  Sometimes I substitute an ativan for a xanax, but not often!!!!  Please do a

Jodie schedule for me with the xanax...

 

Jodie

[[Co...]]

Ah, yes, I did mean to write Xanax. It was the amount I was less sure of.

 

Thanks.

[[jo...]]

Hey Colin, any luck with the schedule?  Also, I am currenlty on Lexapro but do not want to get off that yet (til after the benzo).  My doc wants to switch me to Effexor but I've heard really nasty things about that.  Any suggestions??

 

Jodie

[[Co...]]

Hi Jodie,

 

Sorry, it has been longer than I had hoped for. I won't publish a full instruction manual here, as we are still ironing out some details. We have ripped apart all the ideas and assumptions people make about titration. What it boils down to is that there is no point in making the liquids to very exacting strengths for minuscule reductions because there is no way we can measure that accurately in the home. Even if we could, we would expect the actual dose within individual tablets to vary somewhat - these inaccuracies swamp any attempt to make up exacting benzo liquids. What we have decided is that there is no real point in trying to make cuts smaller then 1% of dose per day (1ml from 100ml of liquid, for example). Once we accept this to be true, it frees up the method considerably - it becomes quite straight forward. If taper rates of 1% or more per day are too great for you, then you simply instead make the cuts every two or three days to suit. We will give you all the information you need.

 

OK, before I start, I need you to again restate your position. I think you take a total of 0.25mg Xanax per day. You take 0.125mg twice a day - is that correct? What cuts have you carried out in the past that you felt were successful? How much of a cut from what dose, and for how long you felt you needed to stay at the new dose. Once you have replied to these enquiries, I'll post the figures you need, and a simple method. You will need a 100ml measuring cylinder marked with 1ml increments.

[[Th...]]

Yes, Jodie, it's a good idea to stay on the Lexapro until you're off the benzos. Stopping an a/d can make benzo w/d symptoms worse than they would be otherwise--I don't know why. I was on Lexapro myself, before I knew I was dependent on benzos, and about a month after I successfully weaned myself off the Lexapro, the benzo w/d started showing itself.

 

About Effexor...everyone is so different with how they respond to these drugs. But I will say that Effexor for me was really nasty. It really wrecked my sleep...I was wired all the time. I would wake up every two hours during the night, then rise wired to start the next day. After a month of this, I was dragging myself around but still couldn't sleep. Then I started having panic attacks, which told me that Effexor wasn't doing a darned thing to help me. So I hate Effexor. But other people feel much better on it. It all depends on the person.

[[jo...]]

Thank you Therese for that wonderful info on the Effexor!!!  I have read so many horror stories on that and I am going to stay away from it for sure and stay on the Lexapro although it has pooped out on me after only 2 months. 

 

Colin - yes I take .125 x 2 per day of xanax and cannot get below this.  I've been on this dose about 6 weeks now.    Here is basically the crazy schedule i DID TO LOWER MY DOSE : 

 

.5 x 4 per day 8 months

.5 x 3 per day 2 weeks

.5 x 2 per day 2 weeks

.25 x 3 per day 2 weeks

.25 x 2 per day 2 weeks

.125 x 3 per day 2 weeks

.125 x 2 per day  stuck for 6 weeks now

 

 

Jodie

[[Co...]]

Hi Jodie,

 

I forgot to ask: can you tell me the size (dosage) of your Xanax tablets.

 

Thanks.

[[pa...]]

Hi, I'm Jodie.......I was(am) on xanax for 8 months, 3 or 4 times per day at .5

Don't know how I did it but got myself down to .125 x 2 per day,  sometimes switching everyother day with .25 ativan......

Now I am stuck, can't get any lower...Any suggestions (no switching to valium, please)...

 

Hi Jodie,

 

can you tell me why no switching to valium?

For me it was the best (and only) way to get off of xanax.

[[jo...]]

Colin, I split the .5 pills

 

No valium b/c doc won'y prescribe them!!!

[[ra...]]

I was just wondering how you are doing? I hope everything is fine.Talk to you later. :)Raven

[[Gl...]]

jodie

i'm on ativan 1.5 a day and even if you subsitute that just once in a while for xanax, that could be screwing you up, since ativan half-life is longer--you could be having ativan mini-withdrawals. Don't understand why doctor would give you ativan and not valium--guess valium just has a bad name for some doctors?! You have sure come a long way--good job!

Glori

[[ma...]]

Hello Jodie and Welcome to the site 

 

I just found the site about a month ago and have found the support and info wonderful.  I don't feel so alone, get more educated about all this, and feel more optimistic about my withdrawal. 

 

I am doing a my slow taper of valium, but it took me SO MUCH time, effort, and patience to convince my doctor to switch me over to valium.  She was so resistant. She had lots of "clinical" reasons not to. Anyway, I was originally taking 60 mg resteral for sleep, but I got finally got it substituted with valium.  As I said, it was very difficult to convince my psychiatrist to switch me over to valium.  However, after my online research, I realized I knew far more than she did about successful withdrawal. I was confident that the valium taper would work best for me.  I brought her lots of copies of Dr. Ashtons's manual and just kept politely asking to switch over for months after her advice was not working.  I'd say "I did just what you said Dr., but my body isn't responding. Is there any way you could review the papers I brought and consider an alternative?"

 

All in all, persistence and tongue-biting poiliteness finally wore her down. I THEN had to work with her on the right about of valium being substituted.  She thought I should only be on 20 mg valium while according to the Dr. Ashton manual it ws 30 mg.  So, after not doing well on the 20mg she precribed, she finally prescribed the correct dose of 30 mg.  It was a long process of negotiation but I was determined and now I'm making progress!!!

 

It may be worth a try for you tomake some copies of Dr. Ashton's manual, especially the substitution tables, to attempt to convicne your doctor that valium is worth a try.  If your ativan w/d is going well, there's no need for it, but if you're just not doing well on the ativan, it may be worth trying.

 

I wish you the best on your taper whatever it may be!

 

Maggie

 

[[mi...]]

Yes, Jodie, it's a good idea to stay on the Lexapro until you're off the benzos. Stopping an a/d can make benzo w/d symptoms worse than they would be otherwise--I don't know why. I was on Lexapro myself, before I knew I was dependent on benzos, and about a month after I successfully weaned myself off the Lexapro, the benzo w/d started showing itself.

 

About Effexor...everyone is so different with how they respond to these drugs. But I will say that Effexor for me was really nasty. It really wrecked my sleep...I was wired all the time. I would wake up every two hours during the night, then rise wired to start the next day. After a month of this, I was dragging myself around but still couldn't sleep. Then I started having panic attacks, which told me that Effexor wasn't doing a darned thing to help me. So I hate Effexor. But other people feel much better on it. It all depends on the person.

 

I just noticed what you said about the a/d causing the benzo w/d to become worsened. I read that every drug that you are on, is metabolized through a certain or a few different pathways. If your patient is taking multiple medications and each medication uses the same metabolism route, each of the medications is competing for clearance. If you reduce one of the medications, the other medications will also be reduced or clear the body faster.  You can Read here for more of what I read if you like: http://www.theroadback.org/science.htm

[[Th...]]

That's a very good theory, Millargirl!

[[jo...]]

Thanks for all the responses and support guys!!!!  I'm still on .25 xanax per day, no more ativan, and 75 mgs effexor xr....my doc seems to think the effexor will help with the xanax withdrawals, but so far, nothing!!  I have been at this dose for a long time now...

 

jodie