I need a strategy. Help please!

[[Ma...]]

I am new to this forum.

I am on .5 mg of alprazolam twice a day. I have tapered down from .5 mg four times a day and have been at my current dose for several years. I also have a glass of wine at night. I think I have to stop that??This is as low a dose as I can go and function but now I’m noticing that I’m having withdrawal symptoms before my next dose, so how can I taper from here if I’m already having withdrawals? Is there anything that helps the withdrawal symptoms? 
Please help thank you

 

[[je...]]

Hi @[Ma...]

It sounds like you're experiencing interdose withdrawal. Xanax has a very short half-life which means the drug wears off fairly quickly and therefore your body goes into withdrawal before the next dose. Most people on Xanax dose about 4x per time.

If you want to continue tapering Xanax the best would probably be to split your current dose and dose more often. Some people cross to Valium because it has a much longer half-life but this can sometimes have it's own side effects. 

[[Ma...]]

You mean split the pills in half and take it four times a day? 
 

[[Ma...]]

Is 1mg of Xanax a day a large dose? 
Or is it that I have been on it for so long? 
And is the wine at night making this worse?

Edited February 1 by [Ma...]

[[je...]]

9 minutes ago, [[M...] said:

You mean split the pills in half and take it four times a day? 
 

Yes, or you can dose three times a day to start off with and see how it goes.

[[je...]]

9 minutes ago, [[M...] said:

Is 1mg of Xanax a day a large dose? 
Or is it that I have been on it for so long? 

I'm not sure I understand what you're asking. 

Alcohol and benzo's are generally not a good combination. Alcohol works on the same receptors as benzos. We call it liquid benzo's around here. When you taper it's likely to affect your symptoms. 

[[Ma...]]

I was just asking if one milligram of Xanax a day is a large dose? Or is it more that I’ve been on it for so long?
I’ve been on the .5 mg twice a day for at least eight years. Why am I all of a sudden having these symptoms?

 

Edited February 1 by [Ma...]

[[Ma...]]

And as of tonight I’m no longer having wine at night.

I just started having wine a few months ago. I wonder if that could be the reason the symptoms have occurred?

Edited February 1 by [Ma...]

[[je...]]

Yes, but I don't understand what your length of use has to do with the level of the dose. Your duration of use does not determine how high the dose is. Those two factors are not connected.

[[Ma...]]

Is the reason the withdrawal is so bad because I’ve been on it so long and not necessarily the dose?

[[je...]]

There are many reasons that might contribute to withdrawal symptoms. Benzo withdrawal is complex and we don't fully understand it. There are lots of people who can take benzo's for many many years at reasonably high doses and stop without having any symptoms. Then there are some people who develop dependency after very low doses and as little as 10 days of use and struggle severely. 

In my opinion what I'm guessing is most of it is individual genetics. It's also probably influenced by your medical history, past exposure to medication etc. There's not a single person on here that experiences withdrawal exactly the same. We have commonalities and we can generalise but no one is 100% the same. 

If you do develop physical dependence then it's generally more difficult to taper from higher doses over long-term use. But in my case for instance I was on a fairly high dose for 2-3 years which is considered long-term and my symptoms were more manageable than many of the short term user I've encountered here. 

[[Ma...]]

How did you manage it? Were you given another medication to help with the symptoms? Were you able to work still?

It’s just that my anxiety is so high that the thought of getting off Xanax makes me feel symptoms.

[[ns...]]

Hi MacDaddy, sorry for what your going thru.

You asked why your all of of sudden having problems with xanax.  Many of us here all of a sudden become tolerate of our benzo. It just happens without warning.  I agree with jelly belly, everyone is different and we all react differently. I have a lit if past medical problems, hsve bad reactions to medications all the time so of course it had to happen,  but I sure didn't expect it.

It sounds like it's time to go off of xanax, but not so fast. Even though your at such a small dose your obviously feeling symptoms. It may be time to taper. Please don't updose, It could help but from my experience it usually doesn't last and tapering is more difficult.  Hopefully someone else will chime in here and offer some ideas for a possible solution. 

Lorazapam and xanax are similar in that they are half life which makes it a little more difficult to taper but either way, withdrawal is withdrawal and it can be difficult for some and not others.

Please ask anything you can think of and hopefully someone can answers your questions as best we can.

Ns

[[Ma...]]

Thank you. My doctors have given me conflicting advice, so I’m really confused.

[[je...]]

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

How did you manage it? Were you given another medication to help with the symptoms? Were you able to work still?

It’s just that my anxiety is so high that the thought of getting off Xanax makes me feel symptoms.

I didn't take other medication as I've seen here most of the time it doesn't really help. If there was a miracle drug to help with withdrawal everyone would be taking it. 

I was able to work. I was fully functional throughout my taper except for the start when I didn't know what benzo's were and my doctor rapid tapered me. I became bedridden. I found this place, learned what benzo's was, updosed and got functional again. From there on I did a slow taper as per the guidance from people here and I remained functional. It wasn't easy but I wasn't in benzo hell. 

If you're anxious and stressed it will increase your withdrawal symptoms. Stress and anxiety is one of the biggest factors causing setbacks and symptoms. 

If you are experiencing interdose withdrawal then the best is to probably start tapering. If you taper slow enough you should be able to manage your symptoms. You can do this, you're going to be okay. 

[[Ma...]]

Is there any advice on how to reduce anxiety and stress so that it doesn’t contribute to my withdrawal symptoms as much?

I think I was relying on the wine at night to relax me, but that’s obviously contributing to the problem.

[[je...]]

I know some people say they've used resources from Claire Weekes. Maybe look into that and do a search on the site for her?

[[kn...]]

Long taper for me and still at it after 2.5 years.  Started at 60mgs diazepam and am at 3 right now.  In my experience medication and therapy can only do so much.  I've heard others here say it, and I will reiterate:  Learn to meditate, exercise as much as you are able (slow, steady, nothing too long or strenuous- I try to walk with my hiking poles a bit), do things like hobbies and reading to distract yourself, listen to podcasts, music, whatever you're into.  I try to stay off TV except for the occasional movie.  Make sure to pick something light and affirming.  Watching excessive amounts of daytime stuff, news shows, and reality TV are pretty toxic.  If you're into journaling, many folks find help through that avenue. Best of luck.  This is life changing stuff and will require much personal adjustment.  And yes, alcohol does not work.  Been there, done that.  It just more fuel to the fire.

[[Ma...]]

Thank you I will look for her. Can I ask how you did your tapper. How much and how long did it take you?

[[Ma...]]

How do you all sleep? I’m finding it very difficult.

[[je...]]

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

Thank you I will look for her. Can I ask how you did your tapper. How much and how long did it take you?

When I started tapering after my updose, I stabilized at 1mg Clonazepam. It's equivalent to 1mg Xanax. It took me two years to taper. But I got Long Covid and had to stop in-between. I guess without the complications it would've taken me approximately 21 months. 

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

How do you all sleep? I’m finding it very difficult.

Not much sleeping happening here. In my first two years of tapering I slept about 3 hrs if lucky. Now one year off and the past 3 months I'm getting 3-5 hrs.

[[Ma...]]

I realize it varies from person to person. Since I’ve been on .5 mg twice a day for 8+ years, and everyone’s opinion what would be the rate of my taper?
I realize you’re not physicians. I just want to hear from more people, the amount of taper and how long they did it for each amount that would be a huge help.

Edited February 1 by [Ma...]

[[ns...]]

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

I realize it varies from person to person. Since I’ve been on .5 mg twice a day for 8+ years, and everyone’s opinion what would be the rate of my taper?
I realize it varies from person to person. Since I’ve been on .5 mg twice a day for 8+ years, and everyone’s opinion what would be the rate of my taper? I realize you’re not physicians. I just want to hear from more people, the amount of taper and how long they did it for each amount that would be a huge help.

Macdaddy, hi, usually a 5-10% taper is what we do. It's slow but when you stabilize after each cut then u go down another 5 etc. The pills get so small it's difficult to cut and weigh. I saw u were going liquid,  I have no experience with this. Someone will chime in eventually with the answer for liquid I'm sure

Ns

[[Ma...]]

3 minutes ago, [[n...] said:

Macdaddy, hi, usually a 5-10% taper is what we do. It's slow but when you stabilize after each cut then u go down another 5 etc. The pills get so small it's difficult to cut and weigh. I saw u were going liquid,  I have no experience with this. Someone will chime in eventually with the answer for liquid I'm sure

Ns

No I’m not going liquid. I’ll be chopping and shaving. If I said liquid anywhere I’m sorry. The only liquid is the wine I have to stop drinking.

[[ns...]]

20 minutes ago, [[M...] said:

No I’m not going liquid. I’ll be chopping and shaving. If I said liquid anywhere I’m sorry. The only liquid is the wine I have to stop drinking.

Please do not drink while tapering or on benzo ok. Yep cut and shave, I use a scale. Didn't use one for months, messed up!  So had to learn, wasn't too bad. It's been really helpful but cutting is getting tough there so small. Had to use my finger nails the other day, getting ready to make some more doses.

Good 🤞