Little, but extended period Xanax

[[Ch...]]

And that’s the main reason I’m happy to see people stick to Xanax rather than crossing to Valium.  Lag time is hard to work with.

[[Pa...]]

I’m deducing that XANAX actually guides you through the detox, if you can listen..

 

I'm learning a lot about Xanax from you and Challis. 

[[Ma...]]

I certainly believe that the ability for me to go to the 4x’s a day vs. the 1 large dump Was the key. I don’t know if I was supposed to do it so abruptly, but I find it much easier to taper when I’m able to feel the same way throughout the entire day. The crashes don’t exist anymore due to the 1 dump & I can literally manage the WD’s as they arrive. Some of the WD’s I disregard & they alleviate themselves in 10-15 minutes or so. It sooooo much more manageable just solely because of the balanced feel throughout the day.

[[Ch...]]

Good, I’m glad to read this. I have a feeling it’s going to be smoother sailing now. You understand what’s going on and that takes away a lot of the fear.

[[Ma...]]

If you don’t mind me asking? How much Xanax did you ween off from ?

[[Ch...]]

2mg.  I’m pretty drug-sensitive and small in size, so it was a pretty big amount for me. But it took a number of years to get up there. I started at .25mg PRN and half of a tablet knocked me for a loop.

[[Ma...]]

Yeah, I guess I’m an anomaly. I actually took the same amount for almost 2 yrs & Literally never raised dose. Never felt literal WD’s for those 2yrs. Just thought I felt like crap because of the Vestibular neuritis. I guess I’m lucky that an actual overt WD symptom reared it’s head & instead of upping, my EYES popped open & realized that it may not be the neuritis that became chronic & XANAX was the culprit.

[[Ch...]]

Benzodiazepines are powerful drugs. Wish I’d known way earlier than I did, but I had a good doctor and fully trusted he’d given it to me with his best intentions.  I remember him telling me they could cause dependence.  The problem was that I had no idea what dependence meant. 

 

Like you, I had an epiphany that led me to suspect Xanax was causing the problems I thought it was treating.

[[Ma...]]

My 3pm dose could’ve actually been skipped 2 of last 3 days. Symptoms pretty much non-existent from 8am to 3pm. But, I’ve decided to continue to take the 3pm dose, just chipping away very little of the pill. Because if I don’t do the 3pm dose 1 day & then the next day, I go into full blown WD’s at that time, I feel as though I would be taking a step backwards by adding that dosage back into my regimen. I’m figuring if my body is allowing to ween this affectively, I’m gonna roll with.  A little bit of BenzoBelly , but if that’s the extent, then I’m good to go.

[[Pa...]]

You have a knack for this, it's good to see you finding your way through.

[[Ma...]]

I will say- it was hell the 1st 4 days after switching from 1 big dose to 4 smaller doses. Fortunately for me, although a long duration, I never went above .50 per day. This made it easier for me to split doses. But for folks that are up in the 4-8mg range, they were probably already taking 2 or 3 doses per day. But, wow, even in that case, I would suggest that how ever many doses that folks are taking—>double it or even triple the doses in lessser amounts. It makes it so much easier to pick and choose which one or multiple doses can be Chipped away. Right now, I know I can’t chip at the last 2 I take at 7pm & 10-11ish. That is my HOT ZONE. But , any cut down anywhere else is a start. Godspeed to everyone fighting this.  In just 4 days, this site has relieved so much physiological anxiety. That is such an advantage.

[[Ma...]]

This is just bizarre. I take a .125 at 8am & .125 at 3-4ish .  From 8am to 7ish pm, there is literally no symptoms. After 7ish, I get a bit flush & take .125 & it settles in 20-30 minutes & at 9-10ish is Ground Zero. The .125 tempers it in about an hour and allows me to sleep. I’m guessing that my systems or lack of is because I only took 1 pill at .50 at 4-6 every night & basically never varied. I’m thinking that —> when I thought I just felt like crap everyday around the same time, it quite possibly could’ve been Jekyll & HYde.  12 hrs in Xanax & 12 hours off Xanax! Idk, just hypothesizing.

[[Ch...]]

Lol...yes, much time goes to overthinking wth is going on and how to fix it.  I agree your body was used to once a day dosing and it might still expect a little more at that time.  You can always lower the earlier doses and add what you didn’t take to the later dose if that’s when you need it most.  As long as you stay within ‘tolerable’ symptomatically, then you’re ahead of the game.

[[Ma...]]

I’m really glad that appears that the ground zero time that the .125 seems to be suppressing the symptoms of what was max .50 affect!

[[Ma...]]

Challis, after 2 weeks, I’m down to approx .100 at 8am & 3-4pm & 7-8pm.  Still .125 at closing time.  At this time, the only side effects that I have is total body buzzing when I wake up. I take my .100 & within 15-20, I’m good to go. Do not any WD’s between doses anymore (except waking up), but that’s a 10hr window so, I’m OK with that. Thx for the guidance. Thus far, very GOOD.

[[...]]

I'm slowly tapering off of a larger amount of xanax and I am finally down to .5. I divide it into 4 doses to prevent interdose withdrawal which is what you were feeling at those times when the drug wore off. I find that 4 times a day is really good for preventing that problem. It's always hard to change your dose, it takes your body some time to get used to moving it around. I wouldn't start tapering until you feel solid and stable with the new dosing schedule. Once you feel stable, you could go from there.

[[Ch...]]

Challis, after 2 weeks, I’m down to approx .100 at 8am & 3-4pm & 7-8pm.  Still .125 at closing time.  At this time, the only side effects that I have is total body buzzing when I wake up. I take my .100 & within 15-20, I’m good to go. Do not any WD’s between doses anymore (except waking up), but that’s a 10hr window so, I’m OK with that. Thx for the guidance. Thus far, very GOOD.

 

You’ve got this, Marty. 

[[Ma...]]

Down to 3  .100mg per day. WD’s are basically non-existent. Maybe a little haze waking up, but that’s it.

[[Pa...]]

This is such great news, I hope it continues and thank you for documenting your taper because it will help the next person with a history similar to yours. 

[[Ma...]]

Update: 4 weeks into tapering! Went from 1  .50 mg per day to  4 .125 doses per to day to regulate. (8am, 3pm, 7pm & bedtime)!! 5 days later lowered 3pm dose to .065.  —— 5 days later, moved 8am dose to noon & DROPPED 3pm dose entirely!  5 days later,lowered Noon dose to .065.... 5?days later, lowered 7pm dose to .065!  Yesterday was able to lower nighttime dose to .065!  WD’s by far were worse the first 4 days of regulating. Now, they are very mild and sporadic. I’ve had a couple nights over the past 14 days that were sluggish (when modifying doses)but the rest of the nights were really good & getting up in the morning NOT feeling like hungover dog crap is awesome. Do find my muscles to be a bit stiff & some twitching but nothing overbearing. This has been an eye opener. You just don’t realize how BAD you felt while on these things until your brain disinfects & sun shines in. I’m not 💯 %, but I will take the way I feel now EVERYDAY, now that I realize how screwed up my days were on Xanax.

[[Pa...]]

What a fantastic update, thanks MattyMay!  You're doing such a great job of following your instincts with this and I'm thrilled to hear you're waking up feeling free and clear.  I look back on my days taking benzo's and know exactly what you mean, its like that frog in the pot of water as the heat is turned up, you don't realize how bad things have gotten because it happened over time. 

[[Ma...]]

While on Xanax (not realizing it was the reason) - when I woke up in the morning, I felt NOT GOOD, but the longer I laid there awake, without getting out of bed, the worse I felt! It was so ODD.  And Power Nap in the day! OMFing God- I thought I woke up into a 10day binge hangover. I begin to think that driving to work a little lightheaded every morning was just the new norm.  That’s gone.  It’s a perfect juxtaposition to the saying! —> You just don’t know how good you have it until you don’t have it anymore.  —— “You just don’t know how bad you had it until you don’t have it anymore” !

[[Ma...]]

30 day update. Addiction was .50 mg once a day.  Regulated by changing to .125 mg 4x’s per day. Through tapering I am now at .0675 mg 2x’s per day. Very MINIMAL WD’s !  Sleep better & days are much better! No crash & burn hours during the day feels great. Thanks Benzobuddies. Didn’t realize just how AWFUL I was feeling in Xanax until NOW! It’s great to see ☀️ again!

[[Pa...]]

Holy cow, this is such a great update, I'm thrilled for you!  I love reading the good stuff, it's difficult to find around here but you must made my day, thank you! 

[[Ma...]]

I firmly believe that the Most important thing was—> increasing the # times per day that you take your doses.  It allows you to begin regulating . You can start to feel the same at all times while slowly tapering from all the doses. Your body will tell you when you can lower one dose more than others & then possibly removing 1 dose completely. Even if you have to make it 6-8 doses per day.  It was so much easier for me once I regulated !  Godspeed to all that are on this journey.