Introduction

[[Re...]]

Hello everyone About 12 yrs ago my doctor gave me a prescription for Xanax I was originally prescribed 2 to 3 mg a day as needed for anxiety but I never took that amount. I

Only took .5 at bedtime. I slowly moved up to 1.5 at bedtime for sleep. Before I knew it I realized that stopping them was not an option. I have not had any complications from the medication. But I want to be off of them.  I want to free and get my life back. Despite that I have not had major issues I know my life is not fully lived because of Xanax. I am excited that I have found this community. We can all do it!!

[Guest [ba...]]

Hello Ready2quit!

 

Welcome to Benzobuddies.  Thanks for joining us.

 

You're definitely not alone in your experience with Xanax.  Many people start with a low dose, and it works for awhile.  Then people begin to become tolerant and dependent on the drugs and that can create problems.  You definitely don't want to stop these drugs suddenly.  We call that a cold turkey withdrawal and it can be a very challenging.  Instead, we recommend a slow taper of not more than 5-10 percent reduction every 10-14 days.  Many people go slower.  The important thing here is to listen to your body as you begin your taper.  Slow down if the withdrawal starts getting intense.  Resume when you feel ready.  Give yourself time.

 

If you haven’t already done so, please take a thorough look at the Ashton Manual.  It is an authoritative guide to benzodiazepine tapering and includes sections on what to expect during withdrawal and recommended tapering rates.  The manual can be found at this link:  http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual

 

Here's a link to the withdrawal support board.  It's probably a good place to share your story and read about how other people are tackling their withdrawal.

 

You mentioned that anxiety was a reason for starting on these meds.  Here's a link to the Anxiety section of the forum.  Perhaps you can pick up some pointers to help deal with any anxiety that you may experience during your withdrawal.  Anxiety

 

Please take some time to Create a Signature. This will help other members understand your history so they will be better able to support you.

Go to the top of the page and select Profile, then choose Forum Profile, insert drug history/timelines into the text box and click Change Profile.

 

Again, welcome!

[[Ma...]]

Hey Ready, welcome to bb.  I was also on Xanax for 3 years, 2 mgs.  I am glad to hear you haven't had any issues.  I was having problems with my stomach,  that's when I knew I had to come off.

Hopefully, you will have an easier withdrawal.  On the Home Page, if you scroll down, you will see Support Groups, click on it, scroll down some more and you will see Xanax Support Group.  You will be very welcome there, to read and ask all the questions you want.  Also, on the Homepage is a section on different ways to Taper, this section can help you decide how you would like to withdraw.  There are 3 ways, you can pick whatever way that you believe fits you.  Please do fill out your signature, the moderator sent you a link to, that way we can see the whole picture and give you our best suggestions.  One other place, I believe gets overlooked a lot, is the search engine right under your avatar.  It is filled with years of experience.  Good luck, glad you started with bb.  Mary 💜