Need help with Plan for Dry Cut tapering of Xanax

[[Su...]]

I am a Newbie to this forum and any and all help is appreciated.

I am currently taking .25 mgs of Xanax 4X a day...at 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM, 7:00 PM and 11:00 PM...for a total of 1mg per day. I had been taking 1.25 mgs. My Doctor made a 25% cut and I went through hell for 3-4 weeks. Still having some intermittent withdrawals as my body adjusts to the now 1 mg per day.

 

I plan to do the dry cut method. Yes, I have always had some withdrawal symptoms between Xanax doses and manage to tough it out when bad, but I do not want to switch to Valium. Years ago, I tried the generic version, diazepam, once or twice and had immediate terrible migraines. Never took it again and never will. I also find mixing with water/milk difficult for me, thus my choice to dry pill cut

 

I understand to make a cut of no more than 5 - 10 %. I plan to try a 10% cut...

I need help on how to proceed. I am a bit confused and overwhelmed, but I need to get of this drug that should have never been prescribed for me in this manner.

 

My plan for my first cut is to taper by taking one half of a .25 mg pill at the 7:00 pm schedule for 14 days...or 3 quarters of a .25 mg pill at 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM....Then my next cut. Hope this is Okay!

 

As I read these posts I am more confused than ever. I need advice.

[[be...]]

A ten percent cut would bring you to  .9 mg a day. The best way to make accurate cuts is to use a scale. Precise dosing is pretty important and because of Xanax's very small pill size it is very difficult to take accurate cuts by simply splitting.

[[Su...]]

I have .25 mgs pills. I was thinking of cutting one of these pills in Half making it .125...which is just a bit over the 10%....Too much? Then I don't know what to do for the next cut. Limited funds and resources to get a scale, but I will look into it further. Would not know how to use the scale. I need info about the scale. Like I said I am overwhelmed by all of this!

 

I was already reduced by 20% by my Psych back in October and it was rough to say the least...terrible insomnia, only slept 2 hours, experienced bad nausea, anxiety that would come and go ...but it has all seemed to level off...Now I sleep 6-7 hours. But I have had problems with nausea, vomiting and weight loss since March of this year and still have issues with this. I do suspect this is a side effect I personally get from Xanax and of course it was exasperated by the reduction of 25%

 

I am angry and frustrated that doctor's were not really listening to me...they just push pills I did not need. I never had depression, panic attacks, or anxiety that I could not control. I had neck surgery, was in pain, and had to go through Hydrocodone withdrawal because it was prescribed for my pain. Then doctors put me on Xanax???!!!! I am angry at myself for not doing more research about this dangerous drug!

[[jr...]]

I have .25 mgs pills. I was thinking of cutting one of these pills in Half making it .125...which is just a bit over the 10%....Too much? Then I don't know what to do for the next cut. Limited funds and resources to get a scale, but I will look into it further. Would not know how to use the scale. I need info about the scale. Like I said I am overwhelmed by all of this!

 

I was already reduced by 25% by my Psych back in October and it was rough to say the least...terrible insomnia, only slept 2 hours, experienced bad nausea, anxiety that would come and go ...but it has all seemed to level off...Now I sleep 6-7 hours. But I have had problems with nausea, vomiting and weight loss since March of this year and still have issues with this. I do suspect this is a side effect I personally get from Xanax and of course it was exasperated by the reduction of 25%

 

I am angry and frustrated that doctor's were not really listening to me...they just push pills I did not need. I never had depression, panic attacks, or anxiety that I could not control. I had neck surgery, was in pain, and had to go through Hydrocodone withdrawal because it was prescribed for my pain. Then doctors put me on Xanax???!!!! I am angry at myself for not doing more research about this dangerous drug!

 

This is how I tapered off X. first off , get a scale (https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481899025&sr=8-1&keywords=gem+20+scale) The first thing is to weigh 10 pills and get an average. for me it was .130g. the first day , remove .001g from the 11am dose, the second day remove .001g from the 11am and 3pm dose. the 3rd day remove .001g from 3 doses and so on. you can use any sharp knife to scrape off the small amounts. Save the powder in a baby food jar . you can use it later on in your taper. If you have a ramp up in sxs, then just hold where you are until they subside. you can get a multiplier so that you always know how much you are taking by dividing your pill size by the average weight. then multiply your dosage in grams by the multiplier. (ex… .5mg/.130g=3.85)

[[pe...]]

i use these scales and find them abysmal..

[[Su...]]

The scales are very confusing to me.

 

I worked out a plan with my Psych..but it is very slow...reducing by 1/4 of a .25 mg Xanax pill every 4 weeks. I am currently taking .25 mgs of Xanax 4X daily...totaling 1 mg per day.

 

I don't want to rush the taper , I already know what a 20% cut feels like and it is hell...I am now leveling off. But I do not want to be doing this for ETERNITY! I have very bad side effects to this med...no appetite, nausea, vomiting and severe weight loss.... It has been exasperated by the 20% taper. I am a skeleton now...I can't do this for a year!

 

[[jr...]]

i use these scales and find them abysmal..

 

I used them for half of my taper before switching to liquid without a problem

[[Ch...]]

I have .25 mgs pills.

 

Perfect.  This is what I would do, in fact what I did do once I got to .25mg four times a day (down from 2mg a day).

 

I would split one of the daily doses into fourths, which will give you one piece equalling .0625mg to throw away.  I would hold for a minimum of 5 days, maximum of two weeks.

 

I would then do the same cut on another of your daily doses and repeat the above.

 

At the point where all four daily doses are down to .0625mg, I would drop to three doses a day...then two... then one...then done.

 

This worked well for me even after longterm use, and it has worked well for many others who are dry-cutting Xanax.

 

[[Su...]]

Challis99...

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

 

This is what I needed. I AM SO APPRECIATIVE.

 

One question about when I reach the .0625mg 4X daily....

When i drop a dose....let's say from the 4 to 3 times a day...how long do I hold that before I drop another .0625 mg dose?

Would it be for the minimum of 5 days, maximum of 2 weeks???

 

What I fear is all the issues everyone seems to have after they have tapered off completely. This worries me...I do understand it is the brain and body recovering. I have to battle to get my weight back on and need to gain a minimum of 15 pounds. (Now, I am a skeleton at 85 pounds.) I am sure I am suffering from malnutrition and muscle loss.