Xanax tapering

[[Ka...]]

Hi, everyone. (Sadly) new in this forum. 

Was wondering, I have been taking xanax (0.5) for around two months (prior 0.25 sporadically) for a month due to enxiety/panic attacks and lack of sleep. 

Never EVER wanted to get acostummed to pills and decided to stop. Did not take my dose last night and decided to read about it. Now scared as hell. My GP told me to cut down to 0.25 for two weeks and then every other day for two more weeks. Is that good enough? Am also 3 months into Zoloft (50 mg) because of health anxiety and this woke up all my fears. I live in Venezuela, no liquid or powder formulas.  I need help! 

Thank you ♥️

[[Pa...]]

Hello @[Ka...], welcome to BenzoBuddies,

You’ve been on the drug for a short time so I’m hopeful you can taper off fairly rapidly, we hate to see someone taper longer than they were on the medication.

I’m hoping what your doctor has recommended will work for you, you may experience some symptoms but they are only symptoms, uncomfortable but not not actually harmful.

Xanax is fast acting so you should begin to feel symptoms if you’re going to, have you noticed anything? 

Pamster

[[Ka...]]

Hi, @[Pa...]

Thank you SO much for your reply. Yes. I took last dose a night and a 1/2 ago. Today I woke up feeling a little anxious and some tinnitus (maybe it's the Zoloft as well). My neck muscles are a little sore, but that's about it. 

Want to REALLY get off this med asap. It's readily available in my country and almost everyone I know takes it. I always warned everyone, and ended up having to take it myself. Don't want to prolong the usage. 

One quick question, how will I know it cutting 50% is ok? 

Thank you ever so much for your time. It has considerably calmed me down. 

[[bc...]]

I was on 0.5mg for 1 year. I'm on day 4 cold turkey now feeling ok. Had some mild anxiety also neck muscles abit sore also but I think you will be fine. I wouldn't stress to much. .5mg once a day ? If so you will be ok. Just don't go back to xanax.

[[Ka...]]

Just now, [[b...] said:

I was on 0.5mg for 1 year. I'm on day 4 cold turkey now feeling ok. Had some mild anxiety also neck muscles abit sore also but I think you will be fine. I wouldn't stress to much. .5mg once a day ? If so you will be ok. Just don't go back to xanax.

Thank you!!!! 

This makes me sooooo hopeful.

No, will NOT go back. Giving the 2 boxes away. 

We're you advised to go cold turkey? 

[[bc...]]

I have withdrawn a few times now and know what to expect.  I just went on my own and decided enough was enough. Stop now. So I did. Just one of those tough decisions in life that has to be done.

Defiantly hope for you.

I honestly think you are stressing a little much..more you stress the worse you will be. U will look for any symptoms and magnify it. Just keep busy distracted and after a week u will be fine. Probley 5 day mark u will start feeling better. Such a low dose your taking. Was .5mg once a day ?

[[Ka...]]

24 minutes ago, [[b...] said:

I have withdrawn a few times now and know what to expect.  I just went on my own and decided enough was enough. Stop now. So I did. Just one of those tough decisions in life that has to be done.

Defiantly hope for you.

I honestly think you are stressing a little much..more you stress the worse you will be. U will look for any symptoms and magnify it. Just keep busy distracted and after a week u will be fine. Probley 5 day mark u will start feeling better. Such a low dose your taking. Was .5mg once a day ?

You are 100% right. 

My GP just told me that "stop reading forums" - and since I have health anxiety, it makes it all worse. 

Now I'm wondering ... should I keep going cold turkey or should I taper? 

Good Lord 🙈

[[Ka...]]

26 minutes ago, [[b...] said:

I have withdrawn a few times now and know what to expect.  I just went on my own and decided enough was enough. Stop now. So I did. Just one of those tough decisions in life that has to be done.

Defiantly hope for you.

I honestly think you are stressing a little much..more you stress the worse you will be. U will look for any symptoms and magnify it. Just keep busy distracted and after a week u will be fine. Probley 5 day mark u will start feeling better. Such a low dose your taking. Was .5mg once a day ?

Ps - Yes, only 0.5 once a day (night time). 

[[bc...]]

Was it just 1 x 0.5mg per day ?

[[Ka...]]

Just now, [[b...] said:

Was it just 1 x 0.5mg per day ?

Yes! Before that I took 0.25 sporadically (for about a month)

[[bc...]]

Listen to your body. If it gets too much then go back to tapering. Everyone is differnt.

It is completely upto you if you go cold Turkey or not. It is recommended not to as it can cause death. But that is in high doses.

From my experience and your time frame of use I would cold Turkey it. Might take abit of will power but you got this.

 

 

[[bc...]]

So you went from .25mg occasionally to .5mg within 2 months using every night ?

You really are making the right choice. Your tolerance will shoot up and before you know if you will be taking 1mg 3x a day and be in withdrawal between doses.

Please follow through with your decision 

[[bc...]]

You can also use Epson salts that promote relaxation. I also take magnesium citrate powder to help me with relaxation.

[[Ka...]]

Hello @[Ka...] 

Welcome & its good you are getting help here. 
I notice you posted your GP advised “stop reading forums”. Good grief! 

Well without this platform with shared ideas & experience & nice people chipping in where would we be! 
 

 

 

[[Ka...]]

18 minutes ago, [[b...] said:

So you went from .25mg occasionally to .5mg within 2 months using every night ?

You really are making the right choice. Your tolerance will shoot up and before you know if you will be taking 1mg 3x a day and be in withdrawal between doses.

Please follow through with your decision 

Precisely. 

I would sleep like a log on 0.25. Since starting Zoloft I started taking 0.5 to be able to sleep since .25 wasn't cutting it.

Now 0.5 doesn't make me fall asleep as fast as before (can take up to 3 hours) and that's where I drew the line. 

My anxiety is worsening as the day goes by, so probably will do what the GP said. I dunno. Will see when it's time for bed. 

[[Ka...]]

1 minute ago, [[K...] said:

Hello @[Ka...] 

Welcome & its good you are getting help here. 
I notice you posted your GP advised “stop reading forums”. Good grief! 

Well without this platform with shared ideas & experience & nice people chipping in where would we be! 
 

Completely agree!!!

[[bc...]]

Your anxiety will increase no matter what.

You will have to take couple night of no sleep and some anxiety on the chin to get through it.

Remember it is a short sharp withdrawal.

Try magnesium citrate powder. It really helps alot and bath salts magnesium also. It's how I manage cold Turkey. Without those I would struggle alot

[[Ka...]]

1 minute ago, [[b...] said:

Your anxiety will increase no matter what.

You will have to take couple night of no sleep and some anxiety on the chin to get through it.

Remember it is a short sharp withdrawal.

Try magnesium citrate powder. It really helps alot and bath salts magnesium also. It's how I manage cold Turkey. Without those I would struggle alot

Got it.

Thank you sooooo much for your time, and for sharing ♥️

[[Co...]]

58 minutes ago, [[b...] said:

Listen to your body. If it gets too much then go back to tapering. Everyone is differnt.

It is completely upto you if you go cold Turkey or not. It is recommended not to as it can cause death. But that is in high doses.

From my experience and your time frame of use I would cold Turkey it. Might take abit of will power but you got this.

Unless the person taking benzodiazepines suffers from a seizure disorder, there is next to no risk of seizure from stopping 'cold turkey' after short-term use.

[[Co...]]

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

Hello @[Ka...] 

Welcome & its good you are getting help here. 
I notice you posted your GP advised “stop reading forums”. Good grief! 

Well without this platform with shared ideas & experience & nice people chipping in where would we be! 
 

Perhaps surprisingly, I do not totally disagree with the GP! It is best to avoid becoming too obsessive about tapers, symptoms, etc. Of course, this can be very difficult to do if symptoms are significant. We do try to encourage members to take a 'matter of course' approach. And every so often, members request self-imposed timeouts from the community (where we suspend the account for a set number of days). Not that I am encouraging this either! Just that the option is there if needed.

[[bc...]]

@[Ka...] if you need anything at all advise or just even a chat about it have absolutely no hesitation in sending me a dm.

[[Co...]]

Just now, [[b...] said:

@[Ka...] if you need anything at all advise or just even a chat about it have absolutely no hesitation in sending me a dm.

Hi @[bc...]. You are new here, and in case you are unaware, we have a rule against providing taper and withdrawal support via the PM system. We do this because feedback via PM will be narrow. And where there are errors, there is no opportunity for others to correct them. PMs should be used for moral support and chit chat - or sniping about the rules!

This is just a heads-up - not a moderation action. As I said, you are new.

[[Co...]]

PS Welcome to benzoBuddies, @[bc...] Good to see you jumping in already.

[[bc...]]

Fair enough rule also

I want to help as much as I can. I understand from reading and my experience that people easily unable to get off them and relapse making worse the next time.

It's a serious thing and can't be taken lightly.

I will hang around for abit and help out the community every way I can.

[[Ka...]]

18 minutes ago, [[C...] said:

Hi @[bc...]. You are new here, and in case you are unaware, we have a rule against providing taper and withdrawal support via the PM system. We do this because feedback via PM will be narrow. And where there are errors, there is no opportunity for others to correct them. PMs should be used for moral support and chit chat - or sniping about the rules!

This is just a heads-up - not a moderation action. As I said, you are new.

Understood! 

New here as well 😉

Thanx for having me!