Please help with Xanax titration schedule

[[an...]]

Hello,

 

I'm new here and hoping to start tapering off Xanax soon.  I read at http://www.benzobuddies.org/benzodiazepine-withdrawal-methods/titration/ that by posting the required details someone could help prepare a schedule for me?  With more reading and effort I could probably work something out, but I would much appreciate help from someone experienced to create a schedule that I may adapt if and when necessary (Excel spreadsheet?)

 

My tapering details:

Start date: 1 April 2017

Dose: Xanax 1mg total daily dose

Tablet dose: Two 0.5mg tablets per day

Taper rate: Want to start at an average rate.

Cylinder details: Haven't got one yet, can buy whatever is recommended e.g. 100 or 250ml.

 

Thanks in advance.

[[bu...]]

That info is really not up to date.  You can use milk to make a liquid from your benzo, but you cannot use plain water.

 

Most folks are dissolving their tablets in either a tiny amount of alcohol (vodka) or propylene glycol, then diluting with water to a final ratio of 1mg=10ml.  The 1:10 ratio makes calculating doses and cuts very simple.

 

The only things you will actually need are a 1ml and a 10ml oral syringe, and any basic glass jar with a lid.  I 50-60ml syringe or a 100ml graduated cylinder will also be helpful, but not really required.

[[an...]]

Thanks builder for the propylene glycol tip.    Now that I know about that method it looks like the best way to go.

[[de...]]

Hello,

 

I'm kind of in this same situation so I thought I'd post here.  I made it down to .5mg Xanax with dry cuts.  The 1 mg to .5 was rough - did it in about 6 weeks ( you can check my signature below for approximate cuts).  I've been holding ever since then - about 2 months - mostly due to insomnia.  I'm about as stable as I think I'm going to get and want to keep cutting. Problem is, these dry cuts just aren't going to work for me anymore.  Even with .5 tablets - I would have to make such small cuts it would just be too difficult. So - I'm looking into liquid titration but believe me, I need it simple.  I was thinking - instead of taking out what I need, how about I take out what I am cutting?  For example, put ten tablespoons of liquid in and throw out one tablespoon?  It seems easiest for me but haven't seen it ever posted that way.  Just want to be sure I'm not missing something here.  Any thoughts?

 

12/1/16 1mg xanax

12/15/16 .875 x ( or so)

12/30/16 .75 x ( or so)

1/1/17    .6 ( or so)

1/15/17    .5 and holding

 

 

[[bu...]]

Hello,

 

So - I'm looking into liquid titration but believe me, I need it simple.  I was thinking - instead of taking out what I need, how about I take out what I am cutting?  For example, put ten tablespoons of liquid in and throw out one tablespoon?  It seems easiest for me but haven't seen it ever posted that way.  Just want to be sure I'm not missing something here.  Any thoughts?

 

12/1/16 1mg xanax

12/15/16 .875 x ( or so)

12/30/16 .75 x ( or so)

1/1/17    .6 ( or so)

1/15/17    .5 and holding

 

1)  Liquid taper IS simpole.

 

2)  And just drawing up the appropriate dose and drinking the dose IS the right way to do it.  The whole concept of "...take out the cut and drink what's left" is silly

[[ly...]]

Hello,

 

I'm kind of in this same situation so I thought I'd post here.  I made it down to .5mg Xanax with dry cuts.  The 1 mg to .5 was rough - did it in about 6 weeks ( you can check my signature below for approximate cuts).  I've been holding ever since then - about 2 months - mostly due to insomnia.  I'm about as stable as I think I'm going to get and want to keep cutting. Problem is, these dry cuts just aren't going to work for me anymore.  Even with .5 tablets - I would have to make such small cuts it would just be too difficult. So - I'm looking into liquid titration but believe me, I need it simple.  I was thinking - instead of taking out what I need, how about I take out what I am cutting?  For example, put ten tablespoons of liquid in and throw out one tablespoon?  It seems easiest for me but haven't seen it ever posted that way.  Just want to be sure I'm not missing something here.  Any thoughts?

 

12/1/16 1mg xanax

12/15/16 .875 x ( or so)

12/30/16 .75 x ( or so)

1/1/17    .6 ( or so)

1/15/17    .5 and holding

 

The liquid is probably your best bet.  I kept cutting pills until I got to around .1mgs xanax.  I had the .25mg pills and while it wasn't easy/exact I was able to cut them into small pieces of .03mgs.  If you can get the .25's you can cut them into quarters (.0625mgs) and probably cut at this rate for awhile without too much trouble.  I ended up cutting them into 1/8th's (.03) and reducing by that from about .3mgs xanax until .1mgs.

 

But the liquid is easy enough and allows you to make more exact/smaller cuts.  My pdoc rx'd the liquid xanax so I didn't have to dissolve anything.  I took 1mg xanax and mixed it with 99ML of water.  Each ML of the solution is .01 xanax.  I'm now at .06mg xanax which is 6ML of my liquid mixture.  I make a batch of 100ML and use a 10ML syringe to draw out 6ML a day (3ML am and 3ML pm).  I'm cutting .05ML  (.005mgs xanax) every 10 days without many wd sxs.

 

So, you may be able to dry cut for awhile if you can get the .25mg tablets or you can go to liquid now and cut in more flexible increments.  It took me a couple of days to get clear of the mixture amounts/procedure but after that it was no problem.

 

Just let your symptoms dictate your taper rate and adjust when necessary.  Best wishes.

[[de...]]

Lynn, thank you for your explanation. I could ask about the liquid xanax but I'm trying this taper pretty much on my own. I'm afraid to be pushed off before I'm ready.  Also, I asked a pharmacist about liquid xanax a while back when I first heard about it,  and he said he never heard of it.  Obviously he's unfamiliar with it but, somehow, I don't think my doctor will know much more.

 

I've thought a lot about asking for .25's but I just had a prescription changed to .50's so I don't want to push it.  I guess it's a good sign that I've been able to get down this far.  I took 2 mg. for decades. I'm going to try and dissolve it in alcohol and see what happens.  Seems like you could then mix it with juice or anything else, right?  Anyway, thanks again for your reply.

[[bu...]]

https://www.drugs.com/cdi/alprazolam-intensol-solution.html

[[ly...]]

Lynn, thank you for your explanation. I could ask about the liquid xanax but I'm trying this taper pretty much on my own. I'm afraid to be pushed off before I'm ready.  Also, I asked a pharmacist about liquid xanax a while back when I first heard about it,  and he said he never heard of it.  Obviously he's unfamiliar with it but, somehow, I don't think my doctor will know much more.

 

I've thought a lot about asking for .25's but I just had a prescription changed to .50's so I don't want to push it.  I guess it's a good sign that I've been able to get down this far.  I took 2 mg. for decades. I'm going to try and dissolve it in alcohol and see what happens.  Seems like you could then mix it with juice or anything else, right?  Anyway, thanks again for your reply.

 

Probably best to ask builder about juice, etc. and the appropriate amount of liquid/concentration level for reducing from 1mg - I imagine you would make it stronger so as not to have to drink so much everyday and also the ability to make a batch that will last a few days or more.  That way you won't have to be mixing it up every day.

 

My (useless) pharmacist said that liquid was not made.  I switched to CVS and they ordered it - had it the next day.  It's called Alprazolam Intensol.  I've dictated my taper and would have pinned my pdoc to the ground if he objected after having me on this stuff for 25yrs.

[[bu...]]

Lynn, thank you for your explanation. I could ask about the liquid xanax but I'm trying this taper pretty much on my own. I'm afraid to be pushed off before I'm ready.  Also, I asked a pharmacist about liquid xanax a while back when I first heard about it,  and he said he never heard of it.  Obviously he's unfamiliar with it but, somehow, I don't think my doctor will know much more.

 

I've thought a lot about asking for .25's but I just had a prescription changed to .50's so I don't want to push it.  I guess it's a good sign that I've been able to get down this far.  I took 2 mg. for decades. I'm going to try and dissolve it in alcohol and see what happens.  Seems like you could then mix it with juice or anything else, right?  Anyway, thanks again for your reply.

 

Use 2ml of vodka for each mg of X.  Then you ca dilute with water, fruit juice, etc.  I would suggest you actually make the dilute  liquid with plain water to assure shelf life.  If you then want to mis it with juice, etc. before consuming, that will be OK.

 

 

[[de...]]

Builder and Lynn,  thank you very much for the information.  I'm definitely giving it a try.  Lynn, thank you for the information on the name of the liquid form of Xanax.  If the dissolving thing doesn't work ( I guess it will), I'll look into that.  For me, it was a psychiatrist that initially prescribed Xanax and did it in such a cavalier manner - in my opinion. Yeah, I was having trouble sleeping, was generally anxious about things, and had symptoms of RLS.  Xanax worked - sure.  Was I told about the repercussions? No. Did I really need it?  No.  Since then, being hooked and all,  most of the  Pdoc's I've seen go along (which I'm grateful for).  One, however,  just cut my prescription in half.  Didn't know until I went to pick it up.  That's made me very apprehensive about mentioning taper ever again.