SUCCESSFUL TAPER REPLIES from long term X to K crossover PEASE!

March 22, 2017

long term (as prescribed) Xanax use for Anxiety and Panic.

Unfortunately, my dose is quite high and I/d w/d is already horrible. It has been, unbeknownst to me for 10 years (i just thought my anxiety was getting worse!). I simply can't see how I can do a direct taper feeling like this. Since I had such a horrible paradoxical reaction to V, I'm looking for help on a possible K c/o and taper. I don't understand the "Valium needs to build up" as it's been mentioned on other posts. When I attempted it, as a trial, (was afraid of it) I only took 5 mgs as a "test" without ever skipping my evening dose of X and I didn't sleep for 4 days! Additionally, major depression that lifted by day 4. I Tried it again 2 weeks later out of desperation because others were having such luck and the same thing happened! Doctor said to stop taking it!

Hence at this high of a dose of X and having been on X for 18+ years, I'm lost and confused. Some say K is a decent substitution c/o taper because I won't be on it for years (and will start tapering as soon as the crossover time line hits (6-7 months). Others claim it's a nasty drug to get off. But aren't they all? With X being one of the shortest acting Benzos and from what I have read, probably the hardest due to its short acting and quick elimination.

So where to go from here? I wish I could fine SOMEONE on here who is in my predicament. I can't seem to do so. Ugh! So discouraged because I can't go to my PD unprepared or who knows what he'll do!

Hans anyone "successfully" (granted none of this is going to be easy) did a long term X taper with c/o to K I stead of V? Please advise! I need all the help/advice I can get!!!!

March 23, 2017

Okay then..... So that post went well.

March 23, 2017

I am tapering from a very high dose of xanax/long term use. I think I may have responded to you before(?). I believe I asked if you had tried to taper xanax. I'd be reluctant to cross to anything except as a last resort. Why do you think K would be any better (less worse)? Have you posted to the Klon.Club?

March 26, 2017

Why did you only do 5mg of V? With ur high dose xanax intake theres no way you coulda even come close to feeling 5mg. I honestly dont believe it was the valium that suddenly got you hyper. You need to test a much higher dose of valium to see if you can changeover without doing your xanax that day. Check the equivalncy chart and go from there. Im not sure why you only experimented with 5 mg.

March 28, 2017

long term (as prescribed) Xanax use for Anxiety and Panic.

Unfortunately, my dose is quite high and I/d w/d is already horrible. It has been, unbeknownst to me for 10 years (i just thought my anxiety was getting worse!). I simply can't see how I can do a direct taper feeling like this. Since I had such a horrible paradoxical reaction to V, I'm looking for help on a possible K c/o and taper. I don't understand the "Valium needs to build up" as it's been mentioned on other posts. When I attempted it, as a trial, (was afraid of it) I only took 5 mgs as a "test" without ever skipping my evening dose of X and I didn't sleep for 4 days! Additionally, major depression that lifted by day 4. I Tried it again 2 weeks later out of desperation because others were having such luck and the same thing happened! Doctor said to stop taking it!

Hence at this high of a dose of X and having been on X for 18+ years, I'm lost and confused. Some say K is a decent substitution c/o taper because I won't be on it for years (and will start tapering as soon as the crossover time line hits (6-7 months). Others claim it's a nasty drug to get off. But aren't they all? With X being one of the shortest acting Benzos and from what I have read, probably the hardest due to its short acting and quick elimination.

So where to go from here? I wish I could fine SOMEONE on here who is in my predicament. I can't seem to do so. Ugh! So discouraged because I can't go to my PD unprepared or who knows what he'll do!

Hans anyone "successfully" (granted none of this is going to be easy) did a long term X taper with c/o to K I stead of V? Please advise! I need all the help/advice I can get!!!!

It is my opinion that you should taper directly from Xanax. It is easier than trying to cross. I would spread my doses to as many as necessary to avoid the IDWD. perhaps taking .5mg 8 times a day. You would be dosing every 3 hours. I would think this would make you stable enuff to start a taper.Hope this helps

March 29, 2017

Why did you only do 5mg of V? With ur high dose xanax intake theres no way you coulda even come close to feeling 5mg. I honestly dont believe it was the valium that suddenly got you hyper. You need to test a much higher dose of valium to see if you can changeover without doing your xanax that day. Check the equivalncy chart and go from there. Im not sure why you only experimented with 5 mg.

My reason for the "trial" of V at a low dose is because I was afraid of it. Keep in mind, I wanted to see how it would affect me before I started taking very high doses. I was not trying to replace my evening Xanax dose. I do honestly believe that the V gave me the hyper and depressive reaction since after it was out of my system, (still taking my as prescribed doses of X), those effects disappeared! Both times! I recently spoke with a friend who tapered 15 years of K and is doing a documentary on "As Prescribed Benzo use!" She told me that in her 100+ interviews of people who have been RX'd these horrible drugs and tried to come off of them, she was shocked at the large subset of us who cannot tolerate V. We simply do not process it well. I hope I answered your question.

Paradoxical reactions are very real and incredibly frustrating... Especially when one was geared up to do the Ashton Method, only to find it won't work for them while seeing others in their support group doing relatively well with it.

May 19, 2017

I am tapering from a very high dose of xanax/long term use. I think I may have responded to you before(?). I believe I asked if you had tried to taper xanax. I'd be reluctant to cross to anything except as a last resort. Why do you think K would be any better (less worse)? Have you posted to the Klon.Club?

Thanks. I think I'm going to attempt the direct taper. Here is my update:

I read online that many, even at a low dose, exercising and trying to control their eating have gained significant amounts of weight; upwards of 15-30 pounds in the first 1-3 months even on doses as low as 7.5 mg. There were countless testimonies claiming excessive amounts of weight gain. Additionally, I looked at the printout from the pharmaceutical company that manufactures Remeron and weight gain is listed as a HIGH POTENTIAL side effect which is why I've asked/posted this. They even state that there is a component in the medication (I forget the enzyme) that causes the body to store fat! Ugh! So it's not simply about it causing craves for sugar and carbs (which it also acknowledges), but "storing fat" as well?

I am only 5' 2" and 100 lbs. and am NOT looking forward to gaining weight on this.some claim to have difficulty losing the weight after coming off the drug. Others, it's a gradual process.

Right now I'm having difficulty sleeping and I haven't even started my taper yet. I'm sure it's anticipatory anxiety as well as I/D w/d and a plethora of other things such as NOT having the good fortune of having a loving and supportive husband on my side. On the contrary, I'm quite certain that my dependence on X is an annoyance to him. Most likely because marrying him is what forced me to go on it to begin with! Don't get me started. I digress.....

I guess I will weigh out my options regarding Remeron once the tapering begins.

I have my bottle of Klonopin to crossover and taper but am considering a direct taper instead. The sooner I can get off these things the better. As everyone else, I'm scared out of my mind! Most especially due to the lack of support. I know I'm literally on my own! So much for a woman who has a masters degree, considered bright, fun, independent, extroverted, etc. I'm virtually a shell of my former self.

Sorry for the rant! I'm just overwhelmed!

May 19, 2017

I am tapering from a very high dose of xanax/long term use. I think I may have responded to you before(?). I believe I asked if you had tried to taper xanax. I'd be reluctant to cross to anything except as a last resort. Why do you think K would be any better (less worse)? Have you posted to the Klon.Club?

Thanks. I think I'm going to attempt the direct taper. Here is my update:

I read online that many, even at a low dose, exercising and trying to control their eating have gained significant amounts of weight; upwards of 15-30 pounds in the first 1-3 months even on doses as low as 7.5 mg. There were countless testimonies claiming excessive amounts of weight gain. Additionally, I looked at the printout from the pharmaceutical company that manufactures Remeron and weight gain is listed as a HIGH POTENTIAL side effect which is why I've asked/posted this. They even state that there is a component in the medication (I forget the enzyme) that causes the body to store fat! Ugh! So it's not simply about it causing craves for sugar and carbs (which it also acknowledges), but "storing fat" as well?

I am only 5' 2" and 100 lbs. and am NOT looking forward to gaining weight on this.some claim to have difficulty losing the weight after coming off the drug. Others, it's a gradual process.

Right now I'm having difficulty sleeping and I haven't even started my taper yet. I'm sure it's anticipatory anxiety as well as I/D w/d and a plethora of other things such as NOT having the good fortune of having a loving and supportive husband on my side. On the contrary, I'm quite certain that my dependence on X is an annoyance to him. Most likely because marrying him is what forced me to go on it to begin with! Don't get me started. I digress.....

I guess I will weigh out my options regarding Remeron once the tapering begins.

I have my bottle of Klonopin to crossover and taper but am considering a direct taper instead. The sooner I can get off these things the better. As everyone else, I'm scared out of my mind! Most especially due to the lack of support. I know I'm literally on my own! So much for a woman who has a masters degree, considered bright, fun, independent, extroverted, etc. I'm virtually a shell of my former self.

Sorry for the rant! I'm just overwhelmed!

Just wondering if you've gone online to look at the "side effects" of xanax? I had a ton of things going on that dropped off immediately on my first (huge) cut. Anxiety and insomnia were 2 of them. There was a very long list of stuff. It didn't match up with my wd sxs at all - no overlap.

May 19, 2017

I am tapering from a very high dose of xanax/long term use. I think I may have responded to you before(?). I believe I asked if you had tried to taper xanax. I'd be reluctant to cross to anything except as a last resort. Why do you think K would be any better (less worse)? Have you posted to the Klon.Club?

Thanks. I think I'm going to attempt the direct taper. Here is my update:

I read online that many, even at a low dose, exercising and trying to control their eating have gained significant amounts of weight; upwards of 15-30 pounds in the first 1-3 months even on doses as low as 7.5 mg. There were countless testimonies claiming excessive amounts of weight gain. Additionally, I looked at the printout from the pharmaceutical company that manufactures Remeron and weight gain is listed as a HIGH POTENTIAL side effect which is why I've asked/posted this. They even state that there is a component in the medication (I forget the enzyme) that causes the body to store fat! Ugh! So it's not simply about it causing craves for sugar and carbs (which it also acknowledges), but "storing fat" as well?

I am only 5' 2" and 100 lbs. and am NOT looking forward to gaining weight on this.some claim to have difficulty losing the weight after coming off the drug. Others, it's a gradual process.

Right now I'm having difficulty sleeping and I haven't even started my taper yet. I'm sure it's anticipatory anxiety as well as I/D w/d and a plethora of other things such as NOT having the good fortune of having a loving and supportive husband on my side. On the contrary, I'm quite certain that my dependence on X is an annoyance to him. Most likely because marrying him is what forced me to go on it to begin with! Don't get me started. I digress.....

I guess I will weigh out my options regarding Remeron once the tapering begins.

I have my bottle of Klonopin to crossover and taper but am considering a direct taper instead. The sooner I can get off these things the better. As everyone else, I'm scared out of my mind! Most especially due to the lack of support. I know I'm literally on my own! So much for a woman who has a masters degree, considered bright, fun, independent, extroverted, etc. I'm virtually a shell of my former self.

Sorry for the rant! I'm just overwhelmed!

Just wondering if you've gone online to look at the "side effects" of xanax? I had a ton of things going on that dropped off immediately on my first (huge) cut. Anxiety and insomnia were 2 of them. There was a very long list of stuff. It didn't match up with my wd sxs at all - no overlap.

I have not look ed it up. But thanks for the heads up!! I will look into it. Can you say that you truly have no regrets doing a direct taper?

Fondly,

Lori

May 19, 2017

No regrets whatsoever. I'm doing great.

May 20, 2017

Hey Lynn , it looks like there is light at the end of the tunnel. I am 5 months off and still feel lousy. But you will prob have a better time than me. Slow but sure!!!

No regrets whatsoever. I'm doing great.

May 20, 2017

Hey Lynn , it looks like there is light at the end of the tunnel. I am 5 months off and still feel lousy. But you will prob have a better time than me. Slow but sure!!!

No regrets whatsoever. I'm doing great.

Hi jr,

I'm sorry you aren't feeling well. I hope things start to turn around for you soon. I have no idea what I'm in for when I finally finish. I guess we can hope for the best and then just deal with whatever comes - we don't have much choice. I'll be thinking of you. Please keep us posted.

May 21, 2017

long term (as prescribed) Xanax use for Anxiety and Panic.

Unfortunately, my dose is quite high and I/d w/d is already horrible. It has been, unbeknownst to me for 10 years (i just thought my anxiety was getting worse!). I simply can't see how I can do a direct taper feeling like this. Since I had such a horrible paradoxical reaction to V, I'm looking for help on a possible K c/o and taper. I don't understand the "Valium needs to build up" as it's been mentioned on other posts. When I attempted it, as a trial, (was afraid of it) I only took 5 mgs as a "test" without ever skipping my evening dose of X and I didn't sleep for 4 days! Additionally, major depression that lifted by day 4. I Tried it again 2 weeks later out of desperation because others were having such luck and the same thing happened! Doctor said to stop taking it!

Hence at this high of a dose of X and having been on X for 18+ years, I'm lost and confused. Some say K is a decent substitution c/o taper because I won't be on it for years (and will start tapering as soon as the crossover time line hits (6-7 months). Others claim it's a nasty drug to get off. But aren't they all? With X being one of the shortest acting Benzos and from what I have read, probably the hardest due to its short acting and quick elimination.

So where to go from here? I wish I could fine SOMEONE on here who is in my predicament. I can't seem to do so. Ugh! So discouraged because I can't go to my PD unprepared or who knows what he'll do!

Hans anyone "successfully" (granted none of this is going to be easy) did a long term X taper with c/o to K I stead of V? Please advise! I need all the help/advice I can get!!!!

One or two days of attempting Valium without also decreasing your Xanax dose as per the Ashton Substitution schedule is no way to judge whether or not it is effective. The first week I started the cross over from Klonopin I didn't sleep at all either. I am doing it at 20% add/remove per week but I only ever dosed once per day at bed time. From the second week on my sleep vastly improved however between days 3-6 my anxiety would be greatly increased but then by day 7 I had stabilized fully and then I would make my next 20% cut and add of valium.

I'm now all the way crossed over as of Friday things are likely going to get rough around tomorrow but hopefully just like every other week I'll stabilize again.

Every benzo works the same way they all bind to the same GABA receptors they are not selective which is a commonly spouted myth. Ashton says just this in her manual.

It's just that some have different binding actions and it can take Valium a little longer to bind to the same receptors your current benzo has occupied and does take up to a month to fully reach full blood concentration so that's why you wait a month after you are all the way crossed over.

IMO you just didn't give the cross over long enough and if you just batten down the hatches and give each step one to two weeks cut and add as per the schedule you would have a better idea of how it's going to work.

Pros and Cons right some say stick to the benzo you know which I tried to do with Klonopin and failed. Or try and cross over to the benzo with the longest half life and thus theoretically giving a smoother taper.

May 22, 2017

Hello, I have lately been having awful interdose withdraws hitting me about 3 hours after and then I dose at 4 hours. I am.wanting to cross to K, in hopes of some relife so I can stabilze and maybe resume work. I have not cut in 3 weeks. My doctor rushed me and set me back to bed rest and non functional, I have 2 kids I can not be like this.

I was at 10mgs daily and the plan was to get to 4mgs daily and then hold for 6 months to year to stablize on a lower dose.

I have panic attacks that keep me locked in my room, had not had them since starting the Xanax. I need my.lige back, my kids need me.

How do you even change over?

May 23, 2017

LeeMyCo,

'Every benzo works the same way they all bind to the same GABA receptors they are not selective which is a commonly spouted myth. Ashton says just this in her manual'

No. No. No. Justy because 'Ashton' says so it doesn't mean it is true.

Especially with clonazepam. I could try to explain but I don't feel like. It would be easier if I could upload PDF files.

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