Best way to fix my dosage schedule?

[[Wo...]]

I have been taking roughly the same amount of Xanax for many years, but at some point last year after my work schedule changed, I shifted the timing of my meds, more and more to where I took most of my daily dosage at bed time. I didn’t realize how badly I had screwed up until I began noticing more and more mid day, sometimes early evening withdrawal symptoms. I need to fix this. 

I greatly appreciate any suggestions.

[[Co...]]

Hello @[Wo...]. Welcome to BenzoBuddies.

What is your daily dose of Xanax? Is it regular Xanax or eXtended Release (XR)?

[[Wo...]]

It is regular Xanax.

I take 6  .4mg pills a day (sometimes 6 1/2 pills).

For years, I had been taking 2 in the morning, 2 on lunch break, and 2 after work. I now work a more freelance type schedule and I sloppily started shifting toward taking 4ish at night to sleep, 2 ish upon wake up and have begun suffering withdrawal in the evening. Sometimes mid day even. 

Thanks greatly for your help. 

Edited February 13 by [Wo...]

[[Co...]]

@[Wo...]

Please confirm your dose 6 x 0.4mg Xanax per day - yes? 0.4mg is an unusual dose. Is it compounded?

[[Wo...]]

That is correct. 
I don’t live in the US, .4mg pills are the standard pill strength where I live. 

[[or...]]

Welcome @[Wo...], I'm so glad you have found BB.  It's been a life-saver for me, and I don't say that lightly.  Being with other folks that understand wd sxs has been more than helpful for me. 

I can't add a thing as I'm tapering off Clonazepam, and I know you are in good hands with @[Co...] oregonlady, sending encouragement hope and a big hug,

Edited February 13 by [or...]

[[Co...]]

@[Wo...] What is your aim? Is it to taper off, or is it for you to return to your previous dosing schedule? Xanax has a fairly short half-life, so taking it three times a day, evenly spaced, is quite usual.

[[Wo...]]

I want to taper at some point.

However, for now, my goal is to reset my brain to the evenly spaced schedule of morning, noon, evening. I am afraid of forcing a change though (i.e taking less at night to force a reset). I am scared of having a seizure in my sleep or other such things. 

[[Co...]]

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

I want to taper at some point.

However, for now, my goal is to reset my brain to the evenly spaced schedule of morning, noon, evening. I am afraid of forcing a change though (i.e taking less at night to force a reset). I am scared of having a seizure in my sleep or other such things. 

There is no magic approach. It just involves you slowly adjusting your dose to how your dosing regimen used to be organised. Maybe instead of taking all of your dose at night (6 x 0.4mg Xanax), move one pill (0.4mg) to a few hours earlier (and take the other 5 pills before going to bed). Once you have settled into that routine, move another dose to take in the morning. Once you have adjusted to this, then do the same with another pill during the day, and lastly, move another pill to the morning. Allow a few days between each step.

This is purely an example or how I might approach this:

Present regimen: 6 pills at 23:00

New example regimen:

1. 1 pill 19:00; 5 pills at 23:00
2. 1 pill at 15:00; 5 pills at 23:00
3. 1 pill at 11:00; 1 pill at 15:00; 4 pills 23:00
4. 1 pill at 9:00; 1 pill at 15:00; 4 pills at 23:00
5. 1 pill at 7:00; 1 pill at 15:00; 4 pills at 23:00
6. 1 pill at 7:00; 1 pill at 15:00; 1 pill at 19:00; 3 pills at 23:00
7. 1 pill at 7:00; 1 pill at 11:00; 1 pill at 15:00; 1 pill at 19:00; 2 pills at 23:00
8. 1 pill at 7:00; 1 pill at 11:00; 2 pills at 15:00; 2 pills at 23:00
9. 2 pills at 7:00; 2 pills at 15:00; 2 pills at 23:00

Now, again, the above is just an example. The times are up to you. The number of days you allow between each step is up to you. You not need to move the doses precisely to 8 hours apart. You might stop at step 7 and not combine your two morning and two afternoon doses into two single doses. It is about what best suits you and your lifestyle. The above is just meant to example how you might gradually move your doses.

I repeat, allow a few days between each of the 9 (or 7) steps.

Unless you suffer from a seizure disorder, or you suddenly stop taking your Xanax, there is no risk of seizure from gradually moving your doses from a single dose taken at night to multiple doses across the day.

[[Wo...]]

Thanks very much for this careful and thorough breakdown. Extremely helpful and I’m thankful to be here.

Cheers, Colin!