Which is better method

[[Ca...]]

Hi I am 44 years old and I have been on Xanax since 2008 14 years. 1 mg 3 x a day and it went up to 1 mg 3x and a 2mg at night. I took one at 1000 pm last night and omg the withdraws are awful. So my question is which was the better method the Ashton method or Dry Tapering? I have really bad nerves and anxiety. I am going through peri menopause and of course thought that was the culprit to why I felt this way but it’s also been me being on Xanax for so long to where I have been inter dosing really bad and didn’t know what it was. I am working with someone on management of my hormones. I have had anxiety my whole life but when my nerves are bad I don’t eat so I been noticing I have to take a Xanax to even get somewhat of a appetite. This stuff is awful. I wasn’t aware of what these pills would do long term. I am withdrawing so bad. If anyone please can give me some advice as of right now I just cut one in half at 8:00 so praying it kicks in and helps with this withdrawal. I usually was taking half at 10:00 am half at 4:00pm and 1mg at 10:00 then this happen more anxiety and depression so I started taking my full 1 mg at 10:00 am and 1mg at 4or 5:00 pm and 1mg at night then I would wake up around 3:00 am and take another whole so I could sleep. Please anyone with some advice please. Thank you. Also please tell me what method you used. Thank you.

[[Pa...]]

Can you help me understand your current dose, before you started to taper it?  Were you on 5 mgs of Xanax a day and how much did you eliminate with your first cut?  Also, what size are your pills?

 

As for asking which is the better method to taper by, it depends on your situation.  Many Xanax users will cross over to Valium per the Ashton method because the half life is so short, Valium provides better coverage between doses.  The problem is, some doctors are hesitant to prescribe it and balk at the thought of prescribing two benzo's at the same time in order to cross their patients slowly over. 

 

The other problem is Valium feels different than Xanax, it can cause sedation and depression before your body acclimates to it and this discourages some members and they end up going back to their original benzo.  But I'm told by many that they're happy they stuck it out because its long half life makes for a more even taper.

 

That being said, your dose is so high you shouldn't have to worry about titration for quite awhile, you can dry cut your pills by 5-10% fairly easily until your dose gets lower. 

[[Ka...]]

Good to see you posting here Carebear, thank you.  Like Pamster recommended, I did a dry taper until the dose got too small to cut.  That was when I switched to liquid for the end of my taper.  I'll add to what Pamster by saying that getting stable for a bit and coming up with a taper plan that feels right for you before you do any further cutting/reducing is what I recommend you do first and foremost.  Once we have the information she asked for, we can better help you.

[[Ca...]]

I am on 1mg Xanax 2x a day and then at night would take a 2mg to go to sleep. As of right now I have taper to .50 mg at 7:00 am and 1mg at 10:00 am and then at 4or 5:00 pm I will take 1 mg and at 10:00 pm I will take 1mg. I have. I had to find a doctor that will prescribe valiums  but I don’t know if he Will prescribe both. He of course is in another state right next to me. I don’t want my other doctor to take me off knowing I am getting Valium from another provider and I am kinda of a red of the depression I hear about with introducing Valium. I already have some depression and definitely don’t want no more. My pills on the scale or now as follows 0.0625  7:00 am .125 10:00 am .125 4 or 5:00 pm and .125 at 10:00 pm. I have only cut 0.0625  but so I am cutting out 12 1/2 percent off.

[[Pa...]]

I'm not sure you can hide your use of Valium from your doctor, these drugs are controlled and you might get flagged as doctor shopping, so please be careful because there can be legal ramifications if you're in the US.

 

Yes, some members report depression and sedation when they first start Valium but for most it passes as their body acclimates to the drug.

 

I don't feel you need to be using a scale at this time, your dose is large enough you should be able to simply split them to taper, many taper directly from Xanax, they just dose several times a day.

 

Are you planning to hold your taper until you can get a bit more stable?

 

 

[[or...]]

Carebear:

 

I am kinda of a red of the depression I hear about with introducing Valium. I already have some depression and definitely don’t want no more.

 

Not everyone gets depressed on valium. I got physically tired, but not depressed. And it did pass within a week. So . . . just sayin' . You might start a thread aboutvalium and depression and ask for feedback from others. I may be an anomaly.

 

Best,

 

Katz

[[Ca...]]

I am actually thinking about cutting the half in the morning at7:00 off then razor some off the others. Can I ask what do you mean that I am on to big of a dose to razor some off dry taper? Just curious cause I read on her where some was taking just as much as me and they dry cut some off every 2 weeks unless they had to hold till their body and mind adjusted. I am new so sorry for all the questions. Thank you all for your reply’s.