Did I taper the right way?

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Hi I just finished a 3 month liquid taper 3 weeks ago...however I planned the taper myself with little help from my doctor.  He usually just says "That sounds good" but I don't know how much he really gets all this stuff.  Anyways, I was wondering if anyone with experience could tell me if the taper I completed was alright.

I was taking .5 - .75 xanax per night for 7 years.  I tapered over the course of 3 months by disolving .5 mg of xanax into 1/2 cup of water.  Each night I would subtract 1/2 tsp. So over the course of a week I  was dumping our 3 1/2 tsp of the xanax water.  It took me 3 months to get to the bottom.

[[Th...]]

Hi I just finished a 3 month liquid taper 3 weeks ago...however I planned the taper myself with little help from my doctor.  He usually just says "That sounds good" but I don't know how much he really gets all this stuff.  Anyways, I was wondering if anyone with experience could tell me if the taper I completed was alright.

I was taking .5 - .75 xanax per night for 7 years.  I tapered over the course of 3 months by disolving .5 mg of xanax into 1/2 cup of water.  Each night I would subtract 1/2 tsp. So over the course of a week I  was dumping our 3 1/2 tsp of the xanax water.  It took me 3 months to get to the bottom.

 

Hi sleepy gene,

 

Your taper sounded great!! How are you feeling now?

 

T2

 

 

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That's a gentle taper. Your method was sound, if a little laborious. Well done!

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I guess the answer to your question if this was an ok taper is in how you are feeling?

 

Hoping you are well

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I was doing well with the taper until the last week.  Since then (5 weeks) I have had terrible insomnia.  I felt bad that I had to resort to benadyl and unisom, but I go to work everyday as an elementary teacher.  The sleep is the worse, but I also have tight shoulder and neck muscles and I also think my hair has thinned out some.  My anxiety level has stayed pretty low unbelievably.  I made a point to quit everything I love on Jan.1; nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol so I am sure that has helped too! I am on a good diet and in the past week have started running, hoping that it would make me tired.  I am bummed because I went off the xanax because I was ready to have children...but that dream is put on hold for now.  I never knew that it would be such a life changing move to stop taking a little pill.  Thanks for all of your words of wisdom and encouragement.  As a newbie I have felt welcome.  Thanks

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Everything you are experiencing is not uncommon during and after a sensible taper.  Your body is still healing from the destruction of the benzo.  It will take time, wax and wane, but eventually you will be better.  I know that it is very hard to deal day in and day out, but one day you will look back and realize that you actually feel pretty good.  Time is our friend, benzos are not!!!

 

Don't be upset about taking a sleep aid.  OTC are fairly safe if not used on a daily basis.  If you use them continually they will eventually stop working

 

If you've not read the ashton manual yet, here is the link:  http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/

 

There is alot of great info about benzos, tapering and symptoms.  I refer to it often to remind myself that what I am feeling is not some horrible illness or disease. 

 

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Hi sleepy,

 

even having the perfect taper does not guarantee that we shall have no withdrawls, I wanted to also note that quitting smoking can also bring some unwanted withdrawls, just hang in there, all of us get hit with withdrawls.