Finally Ready to Start and a Question.

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      I'm ready and determined to begin. If you read my old posts you'll be familiar with my history.

I take 1.5mg of Alprazolam at bedtime. I never dose during the day. I'll be shaving off a small measured amount as my starting point and see how that goes.

    My question is, would it be recommended to take a small amount during the day or just continue with a reduction at bedtime?

Presently, around mid-afternoon I get interdose withdrawal anyway. Jitteriness, muscle twitches and some anxiety are some of them. I've read on other posts that people coming off X dose multiple times a day. I guess it's how everyone is different.

[[Be...]]

Hi, I'm tapering from X too, and like you, I only took it at night for sleep.  If you are comfortable, even w/ the afternoon w/draw, keep taking it at night. I tried to divide it up during the day and it was too sedating. I cannot function in a drugged state. I am a nurse and am too busy. I was taking about .75mg to 1mg at qhs (bedtime), then cut down to .875mg, and divided it up to 4x/day. It was not a good outcome, so I went back to qhs (bedtime). I'm now at .50mg at qhs. I started at the end of May, around the 24th.

 

Disclosure: I am an RN and am familiar with cutting pills. After consulting with 2 pharmacists and 2 doctors, I confirmed what I learned in my pharmacology class and what I do in practice: you can only cut pills IF they are scored, but only where they are scored. If they are extended release or delayed release, then they cannot, ever,  be cut. The dose is not homogenous when you cut a pill at an area that is not scored. Note: When you cut a scored pill that is not ER, then the active ingredient is homogenous in that area. When you cut after that, the dose is not homogenous. At that point, you will notice that some tiny pieces will make you feel OK, and after taking other small pieces, you will have w/draw sx. That is because you are essentially skipping doses and then up-dosing.  I strongly recommend cutting the dose using the .25mg tablet and cutting only at the scored mark. The lowest effective dose, therapeutically anyway, is .25mg. So, once you get to that point (after cutting and holding for 2-4 weeks w/ each cut), cut the .25mg tablet to .125mg. There really is no effect at that point, it's all psychological. the sx you might experience all evidence the adjustments your body is making to adjust the GABA A receptors. That is healthy, and while uncomfortable, view it as part of healing-if you experience it at all. The more I read on here, the more I see that people who are having the worst sx are those who are cutting the pill after the score has been cut already. I have cut from 1mg to .50 over 4 weeks, and have had no sx or problems. It's all about proper dosing and time for the body to adjust. Make sure that you are actually getting the effective dose and that it is slowly tapered. The recommended pace is 7-10 days to allow the body to chemically adjust and the receptors to adjust. i go at 2-4 weeks to be safe and I have had no s/s at all.

 

Try dividing the dose and see how you feel. If you feel OK and can function, go w/ it. Maybe that will be the best way for you to approach it.

 

Good luck!!!

[[Be...]]

Hi A152, you are welcome. When do you plan on starting your taper? I would seriously recommend talking to pharmacists at the local university, not drug store, about shaving pills. It was explained to me by that scored pills are usually, but not always, homogenous on both sides. Once the pill is cut in half and then cut again, there is no guarantee that the active drug is equally distributed in the smaller portions. Also, notice how you feel when you start shaving. Are you having ups and downs after dosages? If so, it could be uneven distribution. Tapering is done to promote a smooth decline to avoid sx. I have been cutting at the score and have not experienced any symptoms since I started. I wish you good luck and an easy taper.