Getting off before its 2 late!

[[Fr...]]

New to the forum and looking for a bit of advice. I stopped my ssri abruptly like an idiot 2.5 months back. That sent me into a spiral with SEVERE anxiety. I lost 30lbs in 6 weeks and couldnt work. My psych put me on .50 xanax twice per day to help stabilize me. I am currently taking .375 xanax twice daily. Ive been on them consistently for about 8 weeks straight.  The morning dose is typically the one I need the most, the night dose I really dont need it most days anymore. What is a proper tapering plan? Should it still be super slow even though its only 8 weeks? Sometimes I push my morning dose off until afternoon but when I adjust when I take it , seems to throw me off emotionally the next day. Im at a loss as to what I should be doing to get off this xanax, or at the very least start to lower the dosage. I am a reloader so I have EXTREMELY accurate scales to be able to cut whatever amounts out I need. Any help appreciated!!!!

[[Pa...]]

Hello Freesoon21, welcome to BenzoBuddies,

I'm sorry its been rough, quitting these drugs cold turkey is bad news as you've found out, I'm just sorry your doctor put you on Xanax to deal with it.  

8 weeks isn't long but I've seen dependence happen in as little as 10 days and it sounds like your body is already showing signs, feeling off the next day is revealing.

We don't typically recommend a long taper for those on the drug for such a short time but I'm afraid your body will be the determining factor here.  Your central nervous system is already sensitized from the SSRI discontinuation so you may need to taper slower because of this.  

We suggest reducing your dose by about 5-10% every couple of weeks but letting your symptoms guide you is really the best way to stay functional.  

We don't suggest holding off on dosing, your brain is craving consistency so keeping your blood serum levels as constant as possible is recommended.

I know I haven't answered all of your questions, but keep talking to us and we'll help all we can.

Pamster

[[Fr...]]

So I should take my doses at the same time each day or because its 2 doses I should be 12 hrs apart? I started back on my ssri about 6 weeks ago and am doing better in that sense. Right now it seems to be 11 am and then again at 9-10pm before bed. Should I cut both doses equally or one at a time? How long will it take to feel if there is going to be a withdrawl when I lower the dose? If the withdrawl only lasts a day or 2 should I still wait a week after to lower it again? Is there a spreadsheet or calculator I could use somewhere to do the math for me lol? Seems like 5-10% reduction every 2 weeks would still take almost 200 days if my rough estimate is correct. Or is it 10% off the original dose everytime? Sorry for all the questions!

[[Pa...]]

The fact you reinstated your SSRI changes things, you may be able to taper off a little more rapidly but it really depends on your symptom severity and how functional you need to be.

May I ask, have you ever taken benzodiazepines and stopped them before, this will have a bearing on how rapidly you may be able to taper.

But to answer one of your questions, it best to take your dose at the same time each day and with a taper, you can reduce any dose according to your lifestyle and needs.  Some will taper the morning dose if they need more  for sleep, or others dealing with morning anxiety will leave that one heavy, eventually, they all have to go. 

Xanax is fast acting so you shouldn't have to wait too long for symptoms to ramp up after a reduction, hopefully they'll settle in less than 2 weeks but we're all different in how we react so listen to what your body is telling you. 

[[Fr...]]

Ive never taken/stopped benzos before. I have used them for anxiety once every few months but I would only take 1 dose of .25. I have a 90 pill script my wife and I shared for almost 2 years.  I will start taking my doses at the exact same time everyday and will reduce by 10% starting tomorrow. I will just do the split evenly and see how it goes. The problem will be once I get down to the smaller doses. Ive got really good scales but man it gets pretty small. So it wont make any difference withdrawl wise if I reduce 1 dose vs both doses ? As long as I stay within 5-10%? Or is it actually easier on the body to reduce both evenly?

[[Pa...]]

Its good to know you've not had experience with tapering and cessation before, the body seems to remember past use making symptoms more intense each time it happens.  I doubt your previous use is a problem but taking benzodiazepines PRN can lead to more intense symptoms as well.  Its a theory called kindling I happen to agree with.  Kindling - Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (benzoinfo.com)

I know you're in a hurry to get off of the drug but its important to gather your thoughts and proceed with caution, this is a big deal and it will help to educate yourself about what to expect.  There is withdrawing from the drug and then there is recovering from the disruption it caused.  Recovery will often take as long or longer than the taper so pacing yourself and using the drug to mitigate your symptoms is wise, because once it's gone, you'll be at their mercy.

Not everyone has difficulty getting off of these drugs but for most of us here, its the most painful and challenging experience of our lives.  You may be one of the lucky ones, I hope so but please start slowly and record your reductions and symptom severity, this will aid you in determining if your taper is too rapid.  Its better to go too slow than to get hit with symptoms so powerful you have to go back up in dose.

I'm truly sorry if I'm painting a dark picture, I just want you to be informed.

[[Gl...]]

Hi Freesoon21, welcome to BB, and thanks for joining us.  I hope you are one of the lucky ones who easily break away from benzos.  Either way, you have our support, and you're not alone.  This is a great forum, so I hope you love it here.  We're here for you!😊

[[Fr...]]

How long does withdrawl typically last after reducing a dose on average? I know everyone is different but just curious. Also, if my side effects go away after a couple of days should I taper again or still wait the 2 weeks to taper down again. As of last night I only tapered my night dose down 10% so just a 5% reduction for the day. 

[[Fr...]]

Ive reduced my night dose by 10%. I feel shaky when I get closer to my doses. I take a dose at 10:30 am and one at 9pm. Would it be better to break it down into every 8 hours or just deal with the interdose withdrawls? Once my body gets accustomed to the new “lower” dose will it be a normal baseline or will I still feel the withdrawl effects the entire time? I guess the question is, how will I know its time to taper down again? Will the withdrawl symptoms ease up a bit, then I know its time?

[[Pa...]]

22 hours ago, [[F...] said:

How long does withdrawl typically last after reducing a dose on average? I know everyone is different but just curious. Also, if my side effects go away after a couple of days should I taper again or still wait the 2 weeks to taper down again. As of last night I only tapered my night dose down 10% so just a 5% reduction for the day. 

Symptoms after a reduction vary from person to person and the different benzodiazepines properties, Xanax has a short half life so members will typically feel symptoms sooner than with others.  It would be useful to make a reduction then record your symptom severity and duration for as a guide for future reductions.  Let your body determine the rate of your taper.

[[Pa...]]

1 hour ago, [[F...] said:

Ive reduced my night dose by 10%. I feel shaky when I get closer to my doses. I take a dose at 10:30 am and one at 9pm. Would it be better to break it down into every 8 hours or just deal with the interdose withdrawls? Once my body gets accustomed to the new “lower” dose will it be a normal baseline or will I still feel the withdrawl effects the entire time? I guess the question is, how will I know its time to taper down again? Will the withdrawl symptoms ease up a bit, then I know its time?

Many Xanax users will dose up to 4 times a day, why be miserable if you can do something to help?  Of course, making a change to your dosing schedule will most likely produce some symptoms because your body craves consistency but making these adjustments as you go along is a necessary part of the process.  Good record keeping and consistency are key.

I didn't taper but I'm told that members get into a kind of rhythm while tapering, they slowly learn what to expect.  But yes, you'll feel your body stabilize which we define as your symptoms not changing as drastically and you can go about your daily tasks a little easier.  Reaching stability doesn't mean feeling good, that seems to be reserved for full recovery.

 

[[da...]]

I tapered from Xanax using the liquid titration method (1mg Xanax dissolved in 2ml vodka + 98ml water). You can take 37.5ml and that will be your dosage. You can use this to slowly work down. 

I used Xanax for about 4 weeks, and did a 8-week taper to get off. I took it once per day at night. Some days I cut more, other days I cut less. Just depending on the symptoms. 

Please take it slow, and let your body and symptoms guide you. 

[[da...]]

5 hours ago, [[F...] said:

I guess the question is, how will I know its time to taper down again? Will the withdrawl symptoms ease up a bit, then I know its time?

Let your symptoms guide you. If you are functional and able to move forward, cut a little bit and see how you feel. You definitely feel things all during tapering. Benzos are the devil for a reason. 

When I got down to like 0.03mg, I just chose to stop dosage. The jump was so small that I did not feel it at all. 

[[Fr...]]

I took my first 7% reduction 3 days ago. Had an “off” feeling the following day with a slight headache, following day only slightly off. Day 3 and im back to normal. How many days would you wait before I take another reduction? Any help appreciated. Dont want to go to fast but I also havent been on them very long and dont want to drag it on unnecessarily. Thanks!

[[Pa...]]

This sounds promising and I understand why you want to get off of this sooner rather than later.  It seems as if your body is saying its ready for another reduction, and you may be able to get away with another one this soon, but if you decide to taper again, I’d give it awhile longer before reducing again.  I’ve read members say that they’re doing just fine making reductions until they get slammed with intense symptoms.  It’s like all of the reductions pile up on one another and your body says, NO MORE!  You don’t want to go back up in dose so you can function, better to wait a few days to prevent that. 

 

[[Fr...]]

Looks like I spoke 2 soon. Had a pretty rough rest of the day. Gonna have to wait this one out to see how long it lasts. Its not the end of the world but it sure isnt very comfortable!!! Will be curious to see how long the withdrawls last!

[[Pa...]]

These drugs are sneaky, we never know from one minute to the next how we’re going to feel.   Glad you’re going to give it more time, let things settle a bit.