Xanax ER

[[Na...]]

Hello. I’m reaching out to see how to do a taper from Xanax Er the extended release. It’s .5mg a day. I’ve been on them for two weeks. I was on Ativan about 4 weeks right before that. So totaling 6 weeks of benzo use. I tried to stretch it from taking it every 24 hours to 36-40 hours. I did that for a 3 days and last night kind of messed me up. So I had to dose at 26 hours. I realize I haven’t been on them long and it’s a low dose, but please no judgement. I’m just struggling and would like to get off of these and I’m looking on insight on how to taper correctly and effectively with what I’m on. Thank you all for your help. 

[[...]]

Take them at the same time each day and reduce the amount.

[[Na...]]

Am I able to cut them in half though even when they’re extended releases? 

[[...]]

@[Na...] I was on Xanax ER. Those pills are drug delivery devices, so you can't cut them without releasing all the drug. I chose to do a cross taper to diazepam (valium), like most people here. It's impossible to taper off the XR, in my opinion. Klonopin is another long-acting option. Maybe others can chime in about which one might be better for you. 

 

[[Na...]]

Okay so switching to a shorter lasting benzo like Valium is easier to come off of than the Xanax ER? I’ve seen posts where people use the Xanax ER to come down off of short lasting ones. Ahh. So confusing. Are you having an easier time with reducing the Valium? 

[[...]]

@[Na...] Xanax is short acting. The ER is only long acting because it's in a special drug delivery device. Valium is long acting. Switching to a long-acting benzo makes tapering easier because it reduces inter-dose withdrawal. 

You can split pills with valium, plus it comes in a low dose of 2mg. You can look up the conversion between benzo doses here: https://clincalc.com/Benzodiazepine/

Edited February 13 by [...]

[[Na...]]

Oh gotcha okay. I don’t even know how to ask my doctor about that and how to switch. I don’t know what to do. I’m so lost. 

[[...]]

@[Na...] - See the above post about the conversion calculator. I think I might have edited it after you read it already. Also check out the other posts here and consider checking out the Ashton Manual. https://www.benzoinfo.com/ashtonmanual/

[[Na...]]

I looked but doesn’t have the ER extended release on there for conversion. So it says 8mg for the Valium which I think will be way more than I need maybe? 

[[Pa...]]

I'm not sure if your doctor will agree to cross you over to another benzodiazepine if he thinks you're okay to just stop them due to being on them for a relatively short time. 

I found a post stating that once you cut an extended release tablet its extended properties are voided, would the pill now serve as a regular Xanax tablet allowing you to taper without having to involve your doctor?   Interdose withdrawal could become an issue but most Xanax users will dose 3-4 times daily. 

[[Na...]]

Ya I don’t think so either. I asked if I could cut them in half, and I think she might be getting me short acting ones now? Lower mg. I discussed that I wanted to taper and again she said just jump. Not sure what to do here honestly guys. 

[[Pa...]]

Ideally, it would be best to taper from the Xanax, whether its the standard or extended because introducing a new medication makes your situation more complicated and you don't need that in light of your short time on the drug.

Can you ask again if she intends to offer you the regular Xanax?  I really don't see why she wouldn't work with your request, you've indicated you're dealing with some unpleasant symptoms and you've shown a desire to taper safely and responsibly from the medication so granting your request seems reasonable.

[[Na...]]

I definitely agree, Pam. I’m wondering if I should maybe extend to 28 hours for a few days, then exceed to 32 hours for a few days, and so on and so on? Honestly, I have 20 Xanax short acting ones 2.5mg that are at my disposable if I had to. But I also don’t wanna start another mess….Im a wreck everyone lol. 

[[Pa...]]

2 minutes ago, [[N...] said:

I definitely agree, Pam. I’m wondering if I should maybe extend to 28 hours for a few days, then exceed to 32 hours for a few days, and so on and so on? Honestly, I have 20 Xanax short acting ones 2.5mg that are at my disposable if I had to. But I also don’t wanna start another mess….Im a wreck everyone lol. 

So you already have the regular 2.5 mg Xanax, hmmm, I wonder if we might be able to come up with a rapid taper using those? 

[[Na...]]

I can access them, it won’t be a problem I think with my doctor. I just don’t know how I’d go about doing the rapid taper with them from these ones…..

Edited February 13 by [Na...]

[[Pa...]]

You mentioned in your first post you were originally taking .5 mg Ativan then were switched to .5 mg Extended Release Xanax, how did you feel when that happened?  Typical equivalencies show Xanax can be twice the strength of Ativan, did you feel over medicated? 

[[Pa...]]

19 minutes ago, [[P...] said:

’m wondering if I should maybe extend to 28 hours for a few days, then exceed to 32 hours for a few days, and so on and so on

Here's my concern with this approach.  We like to see steady blood serum concentrations of the medication, this can keep the symptoms from becoming too intense and also from creating a whiplash effect which could require you to take more of the medication in order to settle them.  

[[Na...]]

I did fine m, just a little anxiety from the switch because it was the following day she started them for me. But I adjusted fine. I wish she would’ve kept me on the Ativan honestly so I could’ve done an easier wean and not switching. But what’s done is done. She asked me if I wanted to try Lyrica at one point lol I’m like no this is getting ridiculous. I feel like I responded better to Ativan but since I was in such a state of panic all the time, she said they weren’t working and suggested the extended release Xanax XR. But I think I just had anxiety about switching the meds. But I did fine. They seemed to have help because I got out of bed most of those days until I started tapering on these ones. 

[[An...]]

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

Ideally, it would be best to taper from the Xanax, whether its the standard or extended because introducing a new medication makes your situation more complicated and you don't need that in light of your short time on the drug.

Can you ask again if she intends to offer you the regular Xanax?  I really don't see why she wouldn't work with your request, you've indicated you're dealing with some unpleasant symptoms and you've shown a desire to taper safely and responsibly from the medication so granting your request seems reasonable.

I agree with what Pam said. Why would she not give you the regular Xanax instead of the ER tablets if you request? I think when a doctor does Rx you a benzo (and many will not nowadays) and you say to them you are having problems like interdose w/d for example, a red "addiction" flag goes up. The doc "sometimes" panics and says just stop taking it, esp. if you have only been taking it for a short period.

You will often hear the medical disclaimer (when ppl reply here and other places on the internet) check with or ask your doc 1st. When you are benzo sick and trying to safely get off them, sometimes (and I hate to say this) it is best to keep certain things to yourself and use a website like benzobuddies to try to help you safely get off these drugs in the most comfortable way possible. Don't get me wrong. Comfortable is very hard and can seem intolerable "too", but what some docs tell you to do (like just stop taking it CT or those rapid stepdown to off taper rates) are literally intolerable and can be dangerous in some situations even tho these ppl are licensed medical providers and mean well. 

Ofc you will have to reveal certain things to the doctor if you want to crossover to valium to get off another benzo but you may wanna say something like xanax works but it is too short acting so  could we please try something like valium that hangs around a lot longer and leave it at that.

IOW, Don't let the doctor Rx your benzo w/d protocol bc they have no clue what you are going through or what you feel like. You simply want the doc to Rx the regular Xanax or Valium  or whatever you want and then use benzobuddies to help you with the taper regimen.

@[Na...]  In your initial post, you mentioned Ativan. You said you took it for 4 weeks prior to the Xanax ER.  Explain the situation with the Ativan, please.

 

[[Pa...]]

I found some information about altering modified release tablets, we should probably find another way to do this.  Determine How ‘Taper-friendly’ Your Drug is | The Withdrawal Project (theinnercompass.org)

 

[[Na...]]

Yes it all started January. And I was prescribed it and took it for four weeks. I did fine, but what I was dealing with put me into panic states. I did fine on Ativan, but I was just panicking without them, so my doctor said we need to keep me calmer longer. Honestly I felt like the Xanax XR were working for me, I just pushed out my dosing too long and it’s put me in a state of panic. Im calming down a bit but my last dose was at 230am but I’m sure now I may have to take it sooner. I’m gonna try not to but every 24 hours is my dosing schedule for the Xanax XR. I just don’t wanna take it before the 24 hours and get back to normal and see if she will switch me. 

[[An...]]

How often were you taking the Ativan and how much? Regular Ativan has a longer half-life than regular xanax.

[[Pa...]]

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

I just don’t wanna take it before the 24 hours and get back to normal and see if she will switch me. 

Are you considering going back to Ativan?

[[Na...]]

On 13/02/2024 at 20:14, [[P...] said:

Are you considering going back to Ativan?

 

[[Na...]]

No I think we’re switching to .25 tablets in a few days. How can I taper with those? I always make it for a couple of days with waiting 12 more hours but then the third day gets the best of me. I do have severe anxiety and they do help me get through the day. But I asked her about a wean and she said we’d change to the faster acting tablets and do a slow wean that way. But how would that work?