Xanax tapering

[[Je...]]

Hello Pam. My GP Doctor is the one who have me the Ambien 10 months ago. He than gave me the Xanax in September.  1/2 mg, one nightly, 90 day supply. I have NEVER taken a Benzo before this. After around 5 weeks I started having interdose withdrawl symptoms.  I had no idea what it was first 2 days at works having these symptoms.  Yes, the symptoms when on the Xanax was much worse than with the Valium. Get a load of this. My blood pressure was dropping at its lowest point 93/63. He took me off my water pill in the Lisinopril and it went up a little. During my appointment with him he actually looked at me and said , " your blood pressure is low because you are taking Xanax, Ambien, and Gabapentin.," Immediately I wanted to reach over and slap the side of his head, and say, " guess what Doc, you prescribed them". That is when I went to a psychiatrist.  She than said She wanted me off the Xanax and switch to Valium which would be easier to taper off than the Xanax. And would deal with the Ambien after getting me off the Benzo. And She mentioned  being that I just stopped 60 mg of opiates a year ago, she never would have given me Ambien for 10 months, and never would have given me any Xanax at all. She started Valium at 5 mg, and after 8 days dropped to 4mg , which has been 12 days now. Hoping to drop another 1/2 mg in a couple days. I supposecit is better to get off the Benzo first correct? Thanks. Also, what do you think I should do? Tapercoff Valium first or Ambien. I will speak with my psychiatrist and let her know how I feel and maybe even mention nicely about the Ashton Manual.  And let her know I don't want to end up in a detox. Or end up looking for another psychiatrist.  I don't get how so many people here on Benzo Buddies have Doctors that work with them so easily. Giving them pills, or liquid Valium to taper. Tell me what I should tell them. 

Edited November 6, 2023 by [Je...]

[[Pa...]]

Thanks for letting me know the back story @[Je...], you might have mentioned it before but thank you.  I like your new doctor, and think it would be a good idea to follow her plan for you.  She seems fairly knowledgeable and second guessing her is probably putting stress on you and stress in my opinion is the number one reason for increased symptom severity.

It really doesn’t matter which drug you taper first, they’re both miserable and both will be difficult but you can do it and finally be free.  

[[Je...]]

Thank you Pam. Me and the Lord, and Benzo Buddies on anyone's side, we can and WILL BEAT THIS. And I will NEVER just let a Dr prescribe me anything until I research. I am also going to get a new GP doctor. God bless you for helping me. It means ALOT. I remember when I went through rehabs years back and found out when I finally went cause I wanted to it worked. I than was on that pink cloud, use to speak at speaker meeting in front of 200 people. I was on fire. Can hardly wait to do this again. Helping people like you and all others on this website is a blessing that is unremarkable.  I truly Love you all. Make it a great day. Jerry

[[VI...]]

That’s a brilliant way think and I support that plan. I had to switch doctors for my needs and it worked: one more thing I wanna help you understand and clear up so you’re not confused is although ambien is classified as a ‘z’ drug; It acts just like a benzodiazepine in the brain: on the gaba receptors, which is why taking it has been making you feel better, BECAUSE they under dosed your Valium switch to begin with and it takes awhile to build up in the system on top of that. so the interdose withdrawal is still benzo withdrawal no matter how you slice it. Like Pam said, your situation is extremely frustrating because of how THEY handled it, but YOURE handling it like a champ. You got the right outlook on things here. you got the right people here, and you’re doing the right things and making the right choices and decisions: and you’re implementing a plan. All part of success my friend  

[[Je...]]

Thanks Victor. Anybody ever heard of Imipramine? And is it soppose to help with some withdrawl symptoms like headaches, and help with other withdrawl symptoms.  My psychiatrist said there is evidence to back it up. She asked me if I would like to try it.. Anybody heard of this? Thanks

[[Pa...]]

A note of caution, your central nervous system is highly sensitized at the moment so adding any new medications or supplements can be tricky, you may not react like you normally would.  I’m glad you’re going to do your research, remember,  what works for one, may not work for another. But certainly, if you feel this is best for you, then we’ll support your decision.

 

[[VI...]]

Interesting. Never heard of it until now. Seems very similar to doxepin, old school tricyclic anti-depressant is what they label it as. Or a TCA. Same class. Ill link an article that explains what they do and what they're for really. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557791/    I personally think some of these could be beneficial short term for certain issues (mood stability, maybe sleep?), but certainly isn't going to be the 'holy grail' we all wish there was haha.  

[[Je...]]

Thanks for replies. I am actually nervous to ad anything right now. What about even supplement to lower cholesterol? Should probably wait on that also? Also, I have been on 4 mg day of Valium for 13 days now. Thinking of dropping 1/2 mg. Does this sound right? Thanks. Jerry

[[VI...]]

The cholesterol supplement, should be okay. and actually could benefit your overall health. There are also many natural supplements that can be beneficial as well. Like zinc, magnesium, valerian root. etc. that can help as well. Supplementing vitamins is important for sure. Anyways, Jerry, I wouldn't focus on ' # of days' necessarily. Focus on body feeling. Again, this isn't linear.. I have proof of it in my journal just from the last few weeks of my journey. There's no specific number of days to put on it. It's all about when you feel like you're ready. Long acting drugs can take a while to notice though if the change was slightly too sudden, like a few days or could be very quickly if it was for sure way too sudden like same day or 1-2 days at most. So either way, you'd know where you stand. But the amount of your drop sounds proper. 3.5 would be a 12.5% drop. Doable on a long-acting drug. You could even do 3.75 (6.25%) if you're able to split the half into half and use that as a jumping stone for say 5-6 more days (again could be 8. could be 3, if you want). There's many ways to go about it. Depends on how you feel in all honesty. You'll notice the symptoms, or your body adjusting. Don't worry and relax. Always remember too, some days rock, (pink cloud) and some days suck and feel like you're in a hole. Don't be bummed out if it takes a day or 2 longer to hit a goal you may have set (because that happened to me just recently). Taught me that its not linear for sure.  I just had to tell myself progress is progress no matter what. Even if it seems like it's at a stand-still, that's still considered progress (therapist told me this).,I look forward to talking with you. I'll make time tomorrow to chat. 

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

Thanks for replies. I am actually nervous to ad anything right now. What about even supplement to lower cholesterol? Should probably wait on that also? Also, I have been on 4 mg day of Valium for 13 days now. Thinking of dropping 1/2 mg. Does this sound right? Thanks. Jerry

 

[[VI...]]

Before I go to sleep though, I want to say again, be proud of yourself for what you're accomplishing so far. Pat yourself on the back for dealing with this the way you have been. Seriously. You were basically forced to like me in a different way, be underdosed for a a couple weeks, and have been trucking through it and making it work. and in the long run, you will benefit greatly from the work you're doing right now. So be proud. Stand tall. be confident.

Edited November 7, 2023 by [VI...]
grammar error.

[[Je...]]

Thanks Victor for your replies and words of encouragement . You have been a huge help. So on the Imipramine,  would you stay away from it? I researched a few articles. It seems like they could help. The articles I seen did studies with placebo, Imipramine,  and Buspirone. And the Imipramine did the best.  But I do hate adding anything. I suppose everybody's body is different though. ??

[[Pa...]]

Why not wait until you do another reduction to see how you handle things, you may not need another medication. When are you planning to reduce again? 

[[VI...]]

I like pam's response on this one. Since you're thinking about doing the reduction soon anyways, why not just wait till you see how the reduction goes? 

[[Je...]]

Plan on reducing tomorrow. 1/2 mg. Also I take 3mg at night and 1mg day time. I am wanting to switch It all to night only. So that would be 3 1/2. Honestly, day time does not stop any symptoms at all when I take it. If anything Valium makes me more groggy/tired feeling, and feel worse in daytime. Terrible when working. Also the Ashton Manual does say when down to this dosage it should be all taken at night anyways. Any thoughts? And I will wait on the Imipramine. 

Edited November 8, 2023 by [Je...]

[[Je...]]

One other thing , why do I have slow/shallow breathing, unusual lightheadedness, drowsiness, sweating, headaches, confusion, bad memory, slight burning in my calves, when taking the Valium? I have not even made a cut in 2 weeks. When the doctor dropped me from 5 down to 4mg. Am I having bad side effects from this Valium? Seems like I am having withdrawal symptoms without a cut. Could it be the Ambien interdose withdrawl symptoms? Because after work when I get home and take my nap dose about 4mg, I feel better within 20 minutes, and actually feel good. 

Edited November 8, 2023 by [Je...]

[[VI...]]

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

One other thing , why do I have slow/shallow breathing, unusual lightheadedness, drowsiness, sweating, headaches, confusion, bad memory, slight burning in my calves, when taking the Valium? I have not even made a cut in 2 weeks. When the doctor dropped me from 5 down to 4mg. Am I having bad side effects from this Valium? Seems like I am having withdrawal symptoms without a cut. Could it be the Ambien interdose withdrawl symptoms? Because after work when I get home and take my nap dose about 4mg, I feel better within 20 minutes, and actually feel good. 

Some people actually respond poorly to valium in general due to the way it's chemically constructed. Could be that. Realistically most of it, sounds like it's just withdrawal symptoms still due to not being given the proper amount at the beginning = to your xanax and Ambien tolerance. Plus it sounds like you're backloading your valium like I am currently with my xanax (taking the majority at night), so you're going to have the more pronounced side effects of the benzos like respiratory depression if you're dosing the majority of it all at once at night. Valium is known to hypnotic by chemical design, so groggy/drowziness, shallow breathing are side effects and more pronounced in certain people.  All benzos are CNS depressants. Anyways, as It's building up slowly in your system, you may notice more side effects like breathing slowing down, and groginess, but less withdrawal symptoms. means your body is adjusting to it. But pay attention to that, because if your symptoms dont go away, or the side effects get worse, please consult your prescriber.

[[Je...]]

Thanks for reply Victor. Do you get these type of symptoms daily in your taper? My respiratory depression is usually during the day. I get winded faster than usual. Before these interdose withdrawls from the Ambien and Xanax , I never got winded as fast as I do now. I have always had a high metabolism. I should probably slowing it down some at work. I did concrete for 25 years and now do building property maintenance for past 7 years. So I always work 110 mph. Just always have been this way. Like I mentioned though my EKG was perfect last week. So is it a bad idea to take the Valium all at night? And think it is ok to try a small cut of 1/2 mg? Or should I wait? I know its my body and I should know,  I also know I hate this Valium. And want it out of me. You know, I remember when the psychiatrist was first talking about removing the Xanax, she mentioned either Valium or Klonopine. She decided on Valium. Well good to hear from you. How are you doing?

[[VI...]]

Oh absolutely. I do. I experience interdose withdrawal and currently am awaiting my evening dose. haha. Ill explain which too: feel slightly anxious, have slight tremor, and I can tell my heart rate is elevated a little without even measuring it. .which is the only time I have been experiencing it for the past few days, also some short term memory issues occasionally. I was getting it before every dose last week when i just made the drop. So basically it should gradually dissipate as you adjust to a current dose, and that's how you can tell you're ready to go down.... Or whenever it becomes very 'tolerable'. That's usually how I gauge it with my body. However, I also am experimenting with how I dose, and logging it to see if its worth it, which is why I tried the 'backloading' method, because I was struggling with sleep, and waking up in heavy w/d hoping it would carry me through the night better.... Current sheduele looks like this: .75 morning .25 afternoon 2.0 night = 3.0 every 24 hrs.  I may shift this around a little more to suit what I need as I'm going down as well.. Xanax is shorter acting though than Valium, so in your case, taking it all at once is may actually benefit you more. You'll have to experiment with it. Don't be afraid to try things, because guess what, if it doesn't work, all you gotta do is go back to what does. 

Edited November 8, 2023 by [VI...]

[[VI...]]

Withdrawal is hard on the body in general. Do not be shocked if your stamina is down. Being winded is normal for sure. Some people may not experience it. Some people might. I do. My stamina is like shot currently and I'm only 29. I power wash. I consider myself in good shape. It just kinda is what it is. Your body is spending energy trying to get back to homeostasis, which is a factor for the being winded. And not to be negative, but I only imagine and have experienced, the older you are, the worse it is hands down. Which is why it's important to use vitamins and supplements. Each of us experience different symptoms. It's a very weird thing how withdrawal actually works and the fact each of us experiences different things makes it even more complicated. Most will at least experience some of the same symptoms though from what I've seen. But yeah man. I get it...'m like am I going crazy or am I outta' shape? I keep telling myself it's because the energy is being spent repairing my brain as I taper. 

Edited November 8, 2023 by [VI...]

[[Je...]]

Man Victor. You sure are a good man. Thanks for your replies and help. Power washing, I have done alot of it myself. I grew up in California, on the beach about 15 minutes from Malibu. I did stamped concrete for most of my concrete career. So was pressure washing quite a bit. About getting older, they call it " The Golden Years" , they forgot the part that it is filled with Led. Have a good night. 

[[Je...]]

Seems I am having some possible serious Valium side effects. Ringing ears, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, burning in legs, severe headaches, weakness, slight blurred vision, confusion. Would it be bad to switch from Valium to Klonopin for the rest of my taper? Only been on Valium for around 3 weeks. Started at 5 mg, than Dr dropped me to 4mg after 8 days. So its been 2 weeks on 4mg, but the only day I felt 90% was the first day Dr switched me to Valium.  From what I read Klonopin does not cause these horrible headaches, burning in legs, groggy feeling, weakness feeling, tiredness, etc. Thoughts? And has anybody out there actually have made the switch from Valium to Klonopin? Thanks. 

[[An...]]

On 04/11/2023 at 21:01, [[P...] said:

@[Je...], some people swear by exercise, they say its key to their recovery, others are exercise intolerant so I’d start slow to see how it affects you.

You can break up your dose of Valium and Ambien however you choose, whatever helps you get through the day and night. 

I am one of those who swear by exercise. It needs to be of the correct duration and intensity IMHO.💪

 

Edited November 9, 2023 by [An...]
grammar correction

[[An...]]

6 minutes ago, [[J...] said:

Seems I am having some possible serious Valium side effects. Ringing ears, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, burning in legs, severe headaches, weakness, slight blurred vision, confusion. Would it be bad to switch from Valium to Klonopin for the rest of my taper? Only been on Valium for around 3 weeks. Started at 5 mg, than Dr dropped me to 4mg after 8 days. So its been 2 weeks on 4mg, but the only day I felt 90% was the first day Dr switched me to Valium.  From what I read Klonopin does not cause these horrible headaches, burning in legs, groggy feeling, weakness feeling, tiredness, etc. Thoughts? And has anybody out there actually have made the switch from Valium to Klonopin? Thanks. 

Hmmm, I went in the opposite direction many years ago. Out of all the benzos, Klonopin caused the most severe burning for me once I became tolerant. It may work for you bc you don't plan on just staying on it. You are considering switching to stabilize in order to finish tapering. Ashton said Xanax and Klonopin are = in potency but other doctors say K is the most potent benzo there is. Having been on both, I am of the opinion that Klonopin is the stronger of the two and binds to GABA neurotransmitter receptors tighter than any of the other benzos, but just my opinion from my personal experience.

[[Je...]]

Thanks AntiBenzo7 for your replies. Ok. I don't want to get into a worse taper. Sound like I should suck it up and continue with the Valium. Also, I do tredmill about 5 to 6 nights a week. Thanks again. 

[[me...]]

3 hours ago, [[J...] said:

Thanks AntiBenzo7 for your replies. Ok. I don't want to get into a worse taper. Sound like I should suck it up and continue with the Valium. Also, I do tredmill about 5 to 6 nights a week. Thanks again. 

Hi Jerry I've been on clonazapam it's very hard to come off (just a thought)😏