When does w/d kick in after cut?

[[We...]]

Hi all - I know this is probably very different for every person but I'd like to hear other's experiences.  I am cutting a little faster than recommended based on my first cut having tolerable symptoms.  I think the anxiety of the possibility of symptoms is all I am feeling right now.

[[bu...]]

While it will vary from individual to individual, it is primarily a function of the half-life of the benzo.  With long half-life benzos  like V and K, WD sxs are usually felt 3-10 days after a cut.  With xanax, 1 or 2 days would be more typical.

[[tw...]]

I know with me, mine show up 4-5 days later and I'm usually improved/stable by day 10-12.

[[Ge...]]

For me, on klonopin, I feel the first symptoms within 2-3 days and they generally peak between days 4 and 7. Then by day 11-12 I feel a lot better.

 

Back in 2012 when I was on xanax, I'd feel it much more quickly, though. Which is to be expected.

[[We...]]

Thanks!  Last week's cut from 1-1.5 to .5 I felt the worst 2 days after so we'll see if that continues.

[[Fe...]]

I'm tapering Xanax. I have no plan to switch over to a longer acting benzo. I made my first cuts this week. My daily dose for 3-4 months was on average 2 mg with some days taking more and some much less. I cut down 25% (2 mg to 1.5) in 2 days and aside from mental obsession about dosing/taper, intense sweating (super annoying and unpleasant so far) and vivid dreams, I've coped really well.

 

So far today, by accident and due to an unplanned doctor's trip for my son, I had to maintain on one dose of .25 mg all day today until 2:30 PM. I started having some weird involuntary muscle twitches in my arms and muscle ache in my calves by the time I finally was able to get home and dose again. But now I'm comfortable again and have only dosed 1 mg total today.

 

I usually only dose one more time by this point in the day at 6PM a dose of .25. I'm gonna try that and see how it goes meaning I will have dropped again to a total of 1.25 mg. I'm playing it by ear. If I have to take another .25 and stay at the 1.5 mg for a few days, I have no problem with that.

 

Xanax has such a short half-life that you'll know within 24 hours if you've cut too much or too fast. I've been on Xanax for a relatively short amount of time which is why I'm even attempting to cut this fast. That, and with Xanax, you're going to know quickly if your taper needs an adjustment. Unlike K and V, you don't have to wait 3,5, sometimes 7 days for the amount of drug built up in your system to drop and feel cutting effects. That's the ONLY good thing about tapering a short acting benzo. 

[[We...]]

Thanks!  I hope it goes well for you!  I am going quickly too based on my response last week.  However I have enough to hold or to start tapering more slowly if needed.  The first cut really was not so bad -2 bad nights of sleep, pretty bad eye/head pain, fogginess, sweating, a twitch here and there.  But very manageable.  I have been exercising pretty hard core and cut out all carbs besides berries and veggies.  Taking magnesium, b complex, multivitamin, omega 3, and calcium/D.  So not sure if any of that is helping.

[[Fe...]]

The twitches today caused me more anxiety than the other symptoms I mentioned. Should I anticipate the twitching to be a staple symptom the lower I taper?

[[...]]

A distinction should be made between acute withdrawal and protracted withdrawal. Some very nasty symptoms may show up with in days and stay for a few weeks (acute). Then there are issues that can hang around for months.

 

This is a great reference:

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha03.htm

 

People often get very discouraged thinking "I should be better by now, I guess this means I need that stuff to feel normal", but this will only lead to more suffering. Patience is the key if you happen to have a longer road.

[[Be...]]

My cuts usually last 12 days, but the times when they kick in usually start day 1..then again again day 4 though 12...intensity varies.

[[Ma...]]

It varied for me during my ativan taper. Sometimes, within the first 2 days. Sometimes not til day 5 6 or 7. It depended on how much i cut and how good i was cutting them.

[[We...]]

Thanks MalaaKa - you had a pretty fast taper too - how were your symptoms?

[[Fe...]]

I'm interested in your symptoms, too, Malaaka, bc I was planning on trying to jump from .25 mg Xanax. I see you did that from Ativan (both short acting benzos). I've seen so many people take it down to .125 or even lower so I'm curious about a .25 mg jump!

[[Ca...]]

Well, im going to be difficult and say from 5-6 hours for therapeutic action/effects, through to 3 months or longer for the deeply entrenched sx... This is for me, and valium, and im assuming taper speed has a role... The longer I hold, the more new sx are working their way out...

-Im assuming this is because I cut way to fast Oct -Dec 16, and that these are things i wont have to suffer post step off...

 

But yes, for the general week to week sx -a couple of days to nearly 2 weeks, if i remember right...

 

[[Ge...]]

I'm interested in your symptoms, too, Malaaka, bc I was planning on trying to jump from .25 mg Xanax. I see you did that from Ativan (both short acting benzos). I've seen so many people take it down to .125 or even lower so I'm curious about a .25 mg jump!

Ativan is about half as potent mg for mg as xanax. So a 0.25mg jump from ativan is equivalent to a 0.125mg jump from xanax. For what it's worth.

[[Ja...]]

Believe it or not on my last taper attempt off Valium I cut too fast, went from 25 to 18.75 in 6 weeks, and I didn't have any symptoms at all, I thought I had hit the jackpot, and after 2 months it all hit me at once.

 

Then there was my very first taper ever, and that was off Xanax. I didn't keep records, but I know I started at 1 mg a day, and got completely off of it in 4 to 5 months with no symptoms, and I thought I was golden. Then a month after jumping it all hit me like a freight train.

 

I know this isn't the answer you're looking for but these drugs are completely unpredictable. I would be careful tapering too fast.

[[Ja...]]

I'm interested in your symptoms, too, Malaaka, bc I was planning on trying to jump from .25 mg Xanax. I see you did that from Ativan (both short acting benzos). I've seen so many people take it down to .125 or even lower so I'm curious about a .25 mg jump!

 

I jumped from  .25 mg once, it was really tough. I could have managed it though, but I was ignorant and thought if I went back on I would feel exactly the same before jumping. Please don't reinstate after you jump, it is a mistake of massive proportions.