Really high dose for long time - is weaning even possible?

[[bo...]]

New here. I've been on Xanax for over 10 years. Started low and kept increasing and have been on 2mg, 3-4x a day (125 pills per month!) for quite a long time. If I forget a dose for even an hour or two I'm shaky, dizzy and very queasy. I only used 4 pills a few times a week so my psych had me drop the 4th pill first. Much to my surprise, my brain and body did not like that! But after 2 weeks I was okay. Now he has me taking a metal nail file and taking just a couple "swipes" off on one dose a day. And again, much to my surprise, even  that has not been super easy. He says it will take at least a year to wean off. He plans to switch me to a longer acting benzo as we get lower to make withdrawal easier, but we tried switching once and my brain was SO used to Xanax that my brain went nuts and we had to go back to Xanax. Has anyone ever been on THIS much and successfully weaned off? He tells me it will only get really hard at the very end. I'm not so sure. It's going to be one loooong year (or more) and my husband is going to be out of the country for work (in Japan, I'm in the US) for 2 years so I will have NO home support if things go bad.

Is it possible to ever get off such a high dose after so many years? 

I'm really close to my psych, I like him a lot, but I have told him with this he did me wrong. He says I was one of the most anxious people he ever met and  "what else could we do?" Ugh! Easy for HIM to say! I never asked for this drug, and he never warned me I  could end up on such a high dose and so dependent on this drug just to make it through the day. The rebound anxiety is awful.

[[...]]

@[bo...], hello and welcome to BenzoBuddies! It's great you've found us! 

I had little experience of taking xanax but there are people here who had or have and, certainly, there are those who took benzo this much and successfully withdrew it. Sure the buddies will share their experience. I believe that tapering off benzo steadily and being adviced and supported on BenzoBuddies, you'll do it too!

Good luck to you!)

[[Le...]]

Sounds like you have a very knowledgeable doctor. 

[[An...]]

4 hours ago, [[b...] said:

New here. I've been on Xanax for over 10 years. Started low and kept increasing and have been on 2mg, 3-4x a day (125 pills per month!) for quite a long time. If I forget a dose for even an hour or two I'm shaky, dizzy and very queasy. I only used 4 pills a few times a week so my psych had me drop the 4th pill first. Much to my surprise, my brain and body did not like that! But after 2 weeks I was okay. Now he has me taking a metal nail file and taking just a couple "swipes" off on one dose a day. And again, much to my surprise, even  that has not been super easy. He says it will take at least a year to wean off. He plans to switch me to a longer acting benzo as we get lower to make withdrawal easier, but we tried switching once and my brain was SO used to Xanax that my brain went nuts and we had to go back to Xanax. Has anyone ever been on THIS much and successfully weaned off? He tells me it will only get really hard at the very end. I'm not so sure. It's going to be one loooong year (or more) and my husband is going to be out of the country for work (in Japan, I'm in the US) for 2 years so I will have NO home support if things go bad.

Is it possible to ever get off such a high dose after so many years? 

I'm really close to my psych, I like him a lot, but I have told him with this he did me wrong. He says I was one of the most anxious people he ever met and  "what else could we do?" Ugh! Easy for HIM to say! I never asked for this drug, and he never warned me I  could end up on such a high dose and so dependent on this drug just to make it through the day. The rebound anxiety is awful.

Is there anyway you can switch to a longer acting benzodiazepine like Valium.  

[[Le...]]

i think that is often recommended and the ashton manual has guides that work for others. you have a good doc and monitor your condition and let the doctor know and things can likely go well. there are a lot of people here who try to sound like experts but I would really foxus on minimizing the discomfort while communicating with the doctor. take things slow and do a lot of reflection as you find yourself coping with feelings you havent in a long while. it was a very unusual experience for me and everyone has to find their own way to some degree. 

[[ns...]]

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

New here. I've been on Xanax for over 10 years. Started low and kept increasing and have been on 2mg, 3-4x a day (125 pills per month!) for quite a long time. If I forget a dose for even an hour or two I'm shaky, dizzy and very queasy. I only used 4 pills a few times a week so my psych had me drop the 4th pill first. Much to my surprise, my brain and body did not like that! But after 2 weeks I was okay. Now he has me taking a metal nail file and taking just a couple "swipes" off on one dose a day. And again, much to my surprise, even  that has not been super easy. He says it will take at least a year to wean off. He plans to switch me to a longer acting benzo as we get lower to make withdrawal easier, but we tried switching once and my brain was SO used to Xanax that my brain went nuts and we had to go back to Xanax. Has anyone ever been on THIS much and successfully weaned off? He tells me it will only get really hard at the very end. I'm not so sure. It's going to be one loooong year (or more) and my husband is going to be out of the country for work (in Japan, I'm in the US) for 2 years so I will have NO home support if things go bad.

Is it possible to ever get off such a high dose after so many years? 

I'm really close to my psych, I like him a lot, but I have told him with this he did me wrong. He says I was one of the most anxious people he ever met and  "what else could we do?" Ugh! Easy for HIM to say! I never asked for this drug, and he never warned me I  could end up on such a high dose and so dependent on this drug just to make it through the day. The rebound anxiety is awful.

It's really important to get your head right. Meaning, thinking positive with a mindset of...I can and I will do this, I'm excited to get off these pills, I might get uncomfortable but I'm ok.

Slow an steady with your taper. 

You need a schedule and a 5% reduction until stabilized before each dose.

I was taking 4mg lorazepam per day. They only gsve me anxiety after awhile, which is why we usually end up needing more.

Theres never a better time to get yourself off of these nasty drugs. One day, you may not  be able to get them, so think of how great it'll be to br done once your taper is finished. 

Everyone feels like you do. We think it's impossible to break away from them, but we do it because we hsve to. That's why a positive attitude is key!

You can do anything you set your mind to, it's all up to you!

Get a mg scale and a good file, you're going to need it ok

Take care

Ns

[[Go...]]

I was taking 7 mg of Klonopin a day. I’m in PA.

Edited May 11 by [Go...]

[[Pe...]]

I’ve been on Clonazepam .05 mg for over 10 years for help with anxiety, insomnia, and restless leg syndrome.  I began seeing a new female doctor recently that specializes in people over 65 years old. She wanted me to discontinue the Clonazepam over a period of 4 weeks. I felt like this was too fast. She disagrees.

I did try to taper at that rate and have had terrible insomnia and depression. The restless leg syndrome is worse. Can anyone direct me to a slower taper schedule?

Thank you for your help. 
Carly

[[Le...]]

53 minutes ago, [[G...] said:

I was taking 7 mg of Klonopin a day. I’m in PA.

you got off ok?

[[je...]]

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

I’ve been on Clonazepam .05 mg for over 10 years for help with anxiety, insomnia, and restless leg syndrome.  I began seeing a new female doctor recently that specializes in people over 65 years old. She wanted me to discontinue the Clonazepam over a period of 4 weeks. I felt like this was too fast. She disagrees.

I did try to taper at that rate and have had terrible insomnia and depression. The restless leg syndrome is worse. Can anyone direct me to a slower taper schedule?

Thank you for your help. 
Carly

Hi @[Pe...]

Welcome to BenzoBuddies!

I'm sorry you're experiencing difficulties with your taper. If you start a new topic here: https://benzobuddies.org/forum/120-benzodiazepine-taper-strategies-planning/, we can help you with your taper.

[[Go...]]

12 hours ago, [[L...] said:

you got off ok?

Lol. I wouldn’t say “ok” would be the right term for my experience so far.  I’m a little over 15 months right now.  I am not as negative as I once was, but I still have very negative thoughts on a daily basis.  I’m at the point now where I am looking back on life (I’m 47), and telling myself how much I wasted.  I’m still lone, still nearly broke, and living in a sober living house.  I would NOT recommend going to rehab and/or sober living for benzo w/d. If you have any other options, like family and friends, try to work with them.  Unfortunately 99% of rehabs in the US care about $. They are usually run by a larger business, and most, not all, of the employees care very little for the alcoholics and addicts they preach to daily.

    Fear is my primary symptom, and at times has lessened. Other times it’s like the first month all over again.  I have yet to read anyone on BB that had the CONSTANT FEAR for over 15 months.  If somebody can relate, I would greatly appreciate any comments you have.

Edited May 11 by [Go...]

[[Le...]]

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

Lol. I wouldn’t say “ok” would be the right term for my experience so far.  I’m a little over 15 months right now.  I am not as negative as I once was, but I still have very negative thoughts on a daily basis.  I’m at the point now where I am looking back on life (I’m 47), and telling myself how much I wasted.  I’m still lone, still nearly broke, and living in a sober living house.  I would NOT recommend going to rehab and/or sober living for benzo w/d. If you have any other options, like family and friends, try to work with them.  Unfortunately 99% of rehabs in the US care about $. They are usually run by a larger business, and most, not all, of the employees care very little for the alcoholics and addicts they preach to daily.

    Fear is my primary symptom, and at times has lessened. Other times it’s like the first month all over again.  I have yet to read anyone on BB that had the CONSTANT FEAR for over 15 months.  If somebody can relate, I would greatly appreciate any comments you have.

That is rough. I have the same thoughts about the wasted time. I am happy you are making progress though. 

[[Kr...]]

@[Go...]

you sound so much better than 6 months ago. I remember how depressed and scared you were. I’m so happy you’re better now ❤️

[[Go...]]

@[Kr...]thank you for your kind words. I’m sorry I don’t remember too much back then??

[[Kr...]]

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

@[Kr...]thank you for your kind words. I’m sorry I don’t remember too much back then??

You were very agitated and without hope. 
 

Are you on any other meds? 

[[Go...]]

@[Kr...] Im still on Cymbalta. It's difficult to know if it has worked, since benzo w/d has been what I focused on.  I sent you a PM. - Gonzo

[[ns...]]

On 10/05/2024 at 19:17, [[n...] said:

It's really important to get your head right. Meaning, thinking positive with a mindset of...I can and I will do this, I'm excited to get off these pills, I might get uncomfortable but I'm ok.

Slow an steady with your taper. 

You need a schedule and a 5% reduction until stabilized before each dose.

I was taking 4mg lorazepam per day. They only gsve me anxiety after awhile, which is why we usually end up needing more.

Theres never a better time to get yourself off of these nasty drugs. One day, you may not  be able to get them, so think of how great it'll be to br done once your taper is finished. 

Everyone feels like you do. We think it's impossible to break away from them, but we do it because we hsve to. That's why a positive attitude is key!

You can do anything you set your mind to, it's all up to you!

Get a mg scale and a good file, you're going to need it ok

Take care

Ns

Smart Weigh GEM20-20g x 0.001 grams, High Precision Digital Milligram Jewelry Scale, Reloading, Jewelry and Gems Scale, Calibration Weights and Tweezers Included 
https://a.co/d/hqpaNb4

Lobodt Stainless Steel Nail File, Double-Sided Nail File, Metal Nail File, Reusable Natural Nail Art File, Nail Art Tool, Home Salon or Travel Mini Nail File Suitable for Both Men and Women 
https://a.co/d/5KU2ANv

[[bo...]]

On 10/05/2024 at 22:17, [[n...] said:

It's really important to get your head right. Meaning, thinking positive with a mindset of...I can and I will do this, I'm excited to get off these pills, I might get uncomfortable but I'm ok.

Slow an steady with your taper. 

You need a schedule and a 5% reduction until stabilized before each dose.

I was taking 4mg lorazepam per day. They only gsve me anxiety after awhile, which is why we usually end up needing more.

Theres never a better time to get yourself off of these nasty drugs. One day, you may not  be able to get them, so think of how great it'll be to br done once your taper is finished. 

Everyone feels like you do. We think it's impossible to break away from them, but we do it because we hsve to. That's why a positive attitude is key!

You can do anything you set your mind to, it's all up to you!

Get a mg scale and a good file, you're going to need it ok

Take care

Ns

Great advice! Thank you!

 

[[bo...]]

[[bo...]]

On 10/05/2024 at 22:06, [[L...] said:

i think that is often recommended and the ashton manual has guides that work for others. you have a good doc and monitor your condition and let the doctor know and things can likely go well. there are a lot of people here who try to sound like experts but I would really foxus on minimizing the discomfort while communicating with the doctor. take things slow and do a lot of reflection as you find yourself coping with feelings you havent in a long while. it was a very unusual experience for me and everyone has to find their own way to some degree. 

Thanks - good advice. I am lucky in that I see my psych every other week, and we meet for 30 minutes (all  his med checks are 30 minutes - he's amazing, except for the fact of not warning me about this darn drug!) so I do have lots of support from him and he's very cautious. We've discussed all kinds of options in ways to reduce slowly, and the pros and cons of each.

[[bo...]]

On 10/05/2024 at 22:17, [[n...] said:

It's really important to get your head right. Meaning, thinking positive with a mindset of...I can and I will do this, I'm excited to get off these pills, I might get uncomfortable but I'm ok.

Slow an steady with your taper. 

You need a schedule and a 5% reduction until stabilized before each dose.

I was taking 4mg lorazepam per day. They only gsve me anxiety after awhile, which is why we usually end up needing more.

Theres never a better time to get yourself off of these nasty drugs. One day, you may not  be able to get them, so think of how great it'll be to br done once your taper is finished. 

Everyone feels like you do. We think it's impossible to break away from them, but we do it because we hsve to. That's why a positive attitude is key!

You can do anything you set your mind to, it's all up to you!

Get a mg scale and a good file, you're going to need it ok

Take care

Ns

Great advice! Thanks! I do need a more positive approach. I'll get a mg scale (if our scale doesn't have that on it) and I have like good German super sturdy nail files.

 

[[bo...]]

On 14/05/2024 at 19:16, [[n...] said:

Smart Weigh GEM20-20g x 0.001 grams, High Precision Digital Milligram Jewelry Scale, Reloading, Jewelry and Gems Scale, Calibration Weights and Tweezers Included 
https://a.co/d/hqpaNb4

Lobodt Stainless Steel Nail File, Double-Sided Nail File, Metal Nail File, Reusable Natural Nail Art File, Nail Art Tool, Home Salon or Travel Mini Nail File Suitable for Both Men and Women 
https://a.co/d/5KU2ANv

Thank you!

[[Lo...]]

I was in 4 mgs for @ 15 years and eventually 5-6 for the final year prior to tapering. I had a very long taper. I made a lot of mistakes midway through (was going to fast). Had updoses, long holds (all of 2020) and finally finished my taper in May of 2022.  
 

I am here to tell you that I am 75% healed. Histamine intolerance which is now just severe seasonal allergies and asthma (never had them my entire life until I started tapering) and some lingering muscle issues are truly my only remaining symptom… and I had some really dark days while tapering!!  My head is clear, anxiety pretty much gone after 20 years of occasional panic attacks that were so much worse while taking Xanax, and I’m living life again! I’m truly feeling so much better!  My family and friends constantly remark, with great enthusiasm,“You’re back!!”
 

I have moments of sadness over how much I missed out on over that 5 years of pure hell while tapering but I am so grateful to be benzo free!  I was definitely a tough case due to high dose and length of time on them.  You can do this!  
 

I used a gram scale and nail file for the last milligram of my taper and found it relatively easy to figure out (with a little help from my son with the math 😂).  Please feel free to ask me any questions and I’ll be happy to answer.  Wishing you much luck with your journey!  

[[Gi...]]

On 31/05/2024 at 23:44, [[L...] said:

I was in 4 mgs for @ 15 years and eventually 5-6 for the final year prior to tapering. I had a very long taper. I made a lot of mistakes midway through (was going to fast). Had updoses, long holds (all of 2020) and finally finished my taper in May of 2022.  
 

I am here to tell you that I am 75% healed. Histamine intolerance which is now just severe seasonal allergies and asthma (never had them my entire life until I started tapering) and some lingering muscle issues are truly my only remaining symptom… and I had some really dark days while tapering!!  My head is clear, anxiety pretty much gone after 20 years of occasional panic attacks that were so much worse while taking Xanax, and I’m living life again! I’m truly feeling so much better!  My family and friends constantly remark, with great enthusiasm,“You’re back!!”
 

I have moments of sadness over how much I missed out on over that 5 years of pure hell while tapering but I am so grateful to be benzo free!  I was definitely a tough case due to high dose and length of time on them.  You can do this!  
 

I used a gram scale and nail file for the last milligram of my taper and found it relatively easy to figure out (with a little help from my son with the math 😂).  Please feel free to ask me any questions and I’ll be happy to answer.  Wishing you much luck with your journey!  

Hi Lori0413,

Congrats on your amazing improvements. I would like to ask you whether your abdominal tightness and bloat that you described on a previous post back in 2019 have now subsided?

I have had this symptom so badly for a year now.

Thank you 🙏❤️

[[Lo...]]

Yes!  That has been gone for a very long time now. So sorry that I’m just seeing this. Actually a lot of that got better once I was under 2 mgs.  Other things crept up but I do recall that the stomach muscle thing just sort of disappeared. Bizarre.