XANAX Support Blog: If you're tapering Xanax/alprazolam, join in the discussion!

[[Ra...]]

Thank you for the tips and link Juliea.  I have a Walgreens right down the street, I'll see if they have this.  Is the top transparent?  Can you see the pill position through the top of the device?  Or is the top opaque?

 

I remember seeing you say somewhere, when you cut, cut like you mean it, so I have been trying to do that.

 

Thank you again 

[[Ju...]]

Thank you for the tips and link Juliea.  I have a Walgreens right down the street, I'll see if they have this.  Is the top transparent?  Can you see the pill position through the top of the device?  Or is the top opaque?

 

I remember seeing you say somewhere, when you cut, cut like you mean it, so I have been trying to do that.

 

Thank you again 

The top is opaque.  I haven't used another pill cutter, but the point of the V in this one is tiny.  I notice no slippage in the pill from the position I placed the pill, after the top is snapped.

 

This is a pill cutter like the one the buddy was complaining about not working well:

 

[nobbc]http://www.target.com/p/up-up-safety-shield-tablet-cutter/-/A-11200382#prodSlot=medium_1_0&[/nobbc]

 

 

[[Ra...]]

Mine looks similar to that.  Here's the one I'm currently using . . .

 

[nobbc]http://www.amazon.com/Apex-Deluxe-Pill-Splitter-splitter/dp/B000EGP5DC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1394993322&sr=8-4&keywords=pill+cutter

 

The V where you put your pill is so pliable that it seems the pill slides easily out of place.[/nobbc]

 

 

 

 

Edit:  deactivated commercial link

~Juliea

[[Ju...]]

Mine looks similar to that.  Here's the one I'm currently using . . .

 

[nobbc]http://www.amazon.com/Apex-Deluxe-Pill-Splitter-splitter/dp/B000EGP5DC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1394993322&sr=8-4&keywords=pill+cutter

 

The V where you put your pill is so pliable that it seems the pill slides easily out of place.[/nobbc]

 

 

 

 

Edit:  deactivated commercial link

~Juliea

 

Oh yes, we had another Xanax taperer, (Lisa), who complained about her pill sections moving around in the V of her cutter.  On the one I used, this didn't happen.  The material the V of the cutter is made of is very hard.  I guess all cutters aren't created equal.

[[Ra...]]

Mine looks similar to that.  Here's the one I'm currently using . . .

 

[nobbc]http://www.amazon.com/Apex-Deluxe-Pill-Splitter-splitter/dp/B000EGP5DC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1394993322&sr=8-4&keywords=pill+cutter

 

The V where you put your pill is so pliable that it seems the pill slides easily out of place.[/nobbc]

 

 

 

 

Edit:  deactivated commercial link

~Juliea

 

Oh yes, we had another Xanax taperer, (Lisa), who complained about her pill sections moving around in the V of her cutter.  On the one I used, this didn't happen.  The material the V of the cutter is made of is very hard.  I guess all cutters aren't created equal.

 

I think the hard V would work better.  They use the pliable V as being a plus, but it doesn't seem to be working for me.  Even worse, the pills don't all weigh the same and I find that many of the pills are not even scored directly in the middle.  So much for FDA oversight, UGH!

[[ma...]]

Hopeful,

 

Did your doctor have any experience with any of his patients on how long it takes for the gaba receptors to up regulate in the gut on average? 

 

How are you doing today?

 

Mama

[[Ma...]]

Hi gang,

 

Well, aren't we all doing dandily recently? I am also overcoming some taper challenges, and am in need of support

 

mamashos, hang in there with me The mental symptoms can be brutal. Anxiety, obsessive thoughts, hypochondria, fear/paranoia, etc...awful. But it is temporary. I just hate it when the brain tries to tell you otherwise -- it can contrive the most "convincing" arguments as to why you won't heal! You should hear some of the humdingers my brain has concocted recently! Erroneous. And I must remember that in the midst of a "brainstorming session" lol Chat with me here tonight and we'll distract ourselves, eh? For me, a wave of these mental type symptoms can often be associated with tummy ick as well (nausea, loss of appetite, loose stools, etc). Just laying low and riding it all out

 

VC, you and I are alike in our sensitivities, girlfriend. I have not posted much at all because of my current state, but please know that you are not alone. I found a support group recently that is for "bedridden" folk. And although I'm not bedridden, they have accepted me with open arms there. So many of them are sensitive ad tapering slowly, and many have a couple other things they are dealing with as well. Anyways, I am not sure if you would find comfort there yet or not, but the folks there are great

 

Lacey, just keep moving forward and you'll get there You're doing great thus far

 

Baby, hang tight in your wave it ain't gonna last

 

Everyone else: Thanks for being here with me This is the toughest time I've had in taper thus far, and I'm just grateful I'm not battling it by myself. So thank you for being here

 

Love on a Friday night

 

Mrs.

 

thanks much!  it always helps to have company....I think there's an old saying about that, something about misery loving it....??  ha ha

[[ho...]]

Hopeful,

 

Did your doctor have any experience with any of his patients on how long it takes for the gaba receptors to up regulate in the gut on average? 

 

How are you doing today?

 

Mama

 

Hi Mama,

 

I have finally turned the corner. Have been able to keep food down for 36 hours now. So I am starting to feel alive again. Whew! This was a big one! Hit me harder than any virus I've ever had. Thanks for asking about me!

 

My doc has only said what I have heard elsewhere, which is that it varies for everyone. I just keep hearing 6-18 months so I'm counting down the 18 months. I keep telling myself I'm 1/3 of the way there!

 

I hope it goes faster for both of us! 

 

Love,

 

Hopeful Girl

[[ma...]]

So glad Hopeful that you've turned the corner!  It's about time.

 

Gosh, I hate to think it might be another year of this.  I can't believe how this antibiotic has flared everything up.  I thought I was done with the bad stuff. 

 

Thanks for the link to the site.  Can't wait to check it out.

 

Mama

[[VC...]]

Sunday hugs, everyone  especially if you're struggling...

 

Woke up at 3:58 am...never went back to sleep. I know this is a common problem but I've tried almost everything imaginable. What were your remedies for this unappreciated wake-up call? I ate an avocado w/sea salt before bed, took my modified adrenal cocktail (sea salt, vit. C powder w/some lemon juice, coconut water) before bed, too. Tonight I'll try chicken. Tried honey one night when I woke up one night - not sure it worked. I know some have recommended taking extra C for cortisol surges, but it doesn't seem to help all that much during the day.

 

Seems I was doing better when I was sleeping better. All that's changed is that I added my 4th dose a week ago, hoping to 'stabilize' but something else must be happening. Stress doesn't help. I'm eager to get started on the taper but not if I can't sleep. The sleep disruptions are really wrecking my adrenals. Anyway, I took that 4th dose from my bedtime dose  so it wasn't an updose. The sleep disturbance started about the 3rd day in.

 

Thanks. One day I'll be here with a fabulous update. I just know it.

 

Love y'all.

 

 

[[Ra...]]

Hi V, I wished I had a magic bullet for you, but there just doesn't seem to be one.  Seems like somethings work for some and for others something else.  Have you tried Remeron?  I know it's another drug, but you've got to do what you've got to do to get sleep.  I know Parker said she used it and many others too.  I sure hope you are able to find a solution to this problem soon. It's so debilitating, I know I was there.  It's not a fun place to be.

 

Hugs sister, we will make it together!

 

Rabbit

[[VC...]]

Hi V, I wished I had a magic bullet for you, but there just doesn't seem to be one.  Seems like somethings work for some and for others something else.  Have you tried Remeron?  I know it's another drug, but you've got to do what you've got to do to get sleep.  I know Parker said she used it and many others too.  I sure hope you are able to find a solution to this problem soon. It's so debilitating, I know I was there.  It's not a fun place to be.

 

Hugs sister, we will make it together!

Rabbit

 

Thanks, Rabbit! I'll see a doctor next week anyway and spell out my dilemma. I just don't do well on brain drugs but feeling pretty desperate. Remeron put me in a stupor several years ago and after a month I had to get off the stuff. Maybe the doc gave me too much. Got trazadone - will ask about it. Hugs...VC

[[la...]]

Just curious,

 

Has anyone that has already stopped Xanax had troubles with motivation during taper?  And, if so, when did it get better post-taper?

 

It's like I currently don't get enjoyment from anything.  Listening to music, going for a walk, hanging out with friends... ect.... I'd rather just stay at home.  It really sucks, because I've normally been pretty active.

[[Ra...]]

Hi V, I wished I had a magic bullet for you, but there just doesn't seem to be one.  Seems like somethings work for some and for others something else.  Have you tried Remeron?  I know it's another drug, but you've got to do what you've got to do to get sleep.  I know Parker said she used it and many others too.  I sure hope you are able to find a solution to this problem soon. It's so debilitating, I know I was there.  It's not a fun place to be.

 

Hugs sister, we will make it together!

Rabbit

 

Thanks, Rabbit! I'll see a doctor next week anyway and spell out my dilemma. I just don't do well on brain drugs but feeling pretty desperate. Remeron put me in a stupor several years ago and after a month I had to get off the stuff. Maybe the doc gave me too much. Got trazadone - will ask about it. Hugs...VC

 

Hi V,

 

Yes either Traz or Remeron.  I see folks here who take minimal doses of Remeron, like 4mg or so.  I know it can make you tired a lot of the time (maybe like Seroquel does), but I'd prefer that and some sleep to anxiety and insomnia any day of the week. 

 

Hugs sis,

 

Love,

 

Rabbit

[[mr...]]

Just curious,

 

Has anyone that has already stopped Xanax had troubles with motivation during taper?  And, if so, when did it get better post-taper?

 

It's like I currently don't get enjoyment from anything.  Listening to music, going for a walk, hanging out with friends... ect.... I'd rather just stay at home.  It really sucks, because I've normally been pretty active.

 

I've heard many buddies mention this, Lace 

[[la...]]

Just curious,

 

Has anyone that has already stopped Xanax had troubles with motivation during taper?  And, if so, when did it get better post-taper?

 

It's like I currently don't get enjoyment from anything.  Listening to music, going for a walk, hanging out with friends... ect.... I'd rather just stay at home.  It really sucks, because I've normally been pretty active.

 

I've heard many buddies mention this, Lace 

Have you heard when it gets better? Cause this sucks... bleh

[[ho...]]

Hi VC,

 

I just thought of something tonight for you that might help with the adrenaline surges/insomnia. It is called Seriphos. It is a supplement. I used it with no negative impact. I just saw on the forum there is a thread about this. I didn't read through it but thought you might want to check it out.

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=91249.0;topicseen

 

Love,

 

Hopeful Girl

[[ba...]]

Lacey,

 

I'm stunned.  I'm saddened.  But I will always be known as the " jerk".  People are fighting for the very essence of their lives.  They have lost their jobs, marriages, businesses, friends and faith.  The cost to life from Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome is immense and cannot be measured.  For some, the withdrawal process is not measured in days, weeks or months.  For long term users the sentence of this poisoning is measured in YEARS! 

 

I have asked the moderators in the past to create a group for short-term users.  So now I ask again. 

 

Lacey, I was so very angry at you, and I said mean things.  It took me awhile to realize that my anger was against someone who was not experiencing the hell I have been going through. But you have always been kind to others, and I need to take this time to apologize.  You just can't know what hell is, and I hope you never do.  I'm offering you peace, and I hope you'll keep posting your experience without anecdotal stuff from your pDoc.  I don't need to hear that stuff...

 

[[ho...]]

Hi Baby,

 

How's that wave? Any better?

 

The cost of this is unmeasurable isn't it! I am starting to work on my taxes and I have amazing insurance but I still spent about $17,000 out of pocket on medical bills last year trying to find out what was wrong with me. I drained my retirement account to pay the bills while I suffered.  I have felt sad about this today and this is just the monetary part. It is so wrong! Thank God, you and I are through the worst of it!

 

Sending you a hug!

 

Hopeful Girl 

[[ba...]]

HG,

 

The wave is much better.  Thank you for asking!  However, as you know, this can change at any moment. 

 

I'm so sorry you had to pay such a horrendous out of pocket payment. Like I told another friend here, your survival is paramount!  We need to do what ever is needed to live. Some of us may need to quit jobs and/or rely on retirement savings.  Hubster and I have been slowly draining our accounts as we are both are tapering together.

 

We did this HG!  I'm sick but getting better!  It might be two freaking years for some of us, but I'm looking at July for fireworks!

 

Love you honey,

 

 

 

[[ho...]]

HG,

 

The wave is much better.  Thank you for asking!  However, as you know, this can change at any moment. 

 

I'm so sorry you had to pay such a horrendous out of pocket payment. Like I told another friend here, your survival is paramount!  We need to do what ever is needed to live. Some of us may need to quit jobs and/or rely on retirement savings.  Hubster and I have been slowly draining our accounts as we are both are tapering together.

 

We did this HG!  I'm sick but getting better!  It might be two freaking years for some of us, but I'm looking at July for fireworks!

 

Love you honey,

 

 

WE did do it! I'm so proud and will be looking at those fireworks with you! 

 

Love you too!

 

Hopeful Girl

[[ba...]]

[[mr...]]

Hi all,

 

Just a little "Mrs" update

 

This month marks my 16th month of water micro tapering from my starting dose of 0.25mg/day. As a background, I had used 0.25mg of alprazolam "PRN" (or, 'as needed') from June 2010 until Oct 2012 before I realized that all of my strange symptoms were due to tolerance. I developed symptoms very, very quickly from the start -- after about my second week of usage.

 

After observation of myself and of other buddies who'd used it PRN, I have a personal belief that PRN acts like a multitude of mini cold-turkey withdrawals, followed by a multitude of mini reinstatements. I also personally believe that this can result in sensitizing the CNS (central nervous system) on a grander scale than taking a regular daily dose might. Of course, this is not a perfect science, and each individual case is different, but I believe this to be generally true, and true for me. This, alongside the fact that I wanted to continue working full-time and have as minimal symptoms as possible, are the main reasons why I'd personally chosen to micro taper at such a slow rate.

 

Most of my taper has been wonderfully manageable. Although there have been many days where I've felt subpar during my taper, most of my symptoms have been quite tolerable and very low-grade versions of what many others experience in faster tapers.

 

In the month of December, I crossed over to 76% free from my original dose (or, 0.06mg/day). This is the equivalent of 1.4mg valium. This is the point where I began to become more symptomatic. As many buddies have assured me, this is a very common happening to many withdrawalers in the low doses, especially doses below 2mg valium equivalence. I was relieved to hear this, as it had surprised me some that I was experiencing this. And none of these symptoms are things I'd ever experienced pre-benzos.

 

So from the end of December until the middle of February, I held my dose to restabilize and reset. There are some buddies in this same situation who "micro-updose" until they regain stability again, but I chose not to do this and just hold and tough it out. Either method is just fine, and I believe there is no "right" or "wrong" way; moreso a personal decision based on what you believe is best for you "Mr" and I have a personal decision/agreement between us that I can move as slowly as necessary for my comfort, but we both agreed that I never go backwards (i.e. updose or rescue dose) So, my decision was to hold and wait.

 

In mid February, I had reached the sixth week of holding. At this point I had not regained my pre-December "baseline" of symptoms, but I felt as though I was as stable as I was going to get, so I moved forward. I slowed my taper rate by half, in order to help prevent rough symptoms. This helped my first cut, but with my second cut I experienced a rougher bout of symptoms again. Because of this, I have decided to move to a "symptoms-based taper". This will mean that I will follow my body's natural ebbs and flows, and do more microcutting during my 'windows' and hold through my 'waves'. I am aware that, since I am at such a low dose, I have the option of doing more of a rapid taper and just getting done and off in order to begin the real healing. However, since I want to continue working and to avoid traumatic withdrawal experiences, and since thus far in my taper I've been more symptomatic in the lower doses, I've decided that a rapid taper would be too risky of a game to play, considering my personal goals of continuing to work and suffer as minimally as possible. Again, this may not be how everyone would choose to proceed, but this is what I believe is best for what I'm trying to accomplish long term.

 

All this being said, while we have Plan A in place, I am open and at peace with adjusting as needed over the next few months to get med-free. And if I'm being honest and realistic, the Plan A I reference above is more like Plan O or Plan P by now We've adjusted many times on my way down to where I'm at currently, which is OK with me -- I believe in being committed to the goal (med-free), and being flexible with the gameplan. My med-freedom date has been changed so many times, that one could get frustrated if they were thinking about it improperly. But the truth is, for me: I don't care when it happens, just so long as I'm continually moving towards it, and that it does eventually happen And, just like every other thing I've ever worked long term to accomplish, when ur finally happens, I wouldn't change when and how it happened for anything, as I realize then that it was the right and perfect time for it

 

Okay, long story short, right? That is the update on Mrs! Just wanted to give y'all the lowdown, as I know I've been quiet and "lurking" moreso than posting these past few months, as I tend to recluse when symptomatic -- my grandma always said, "if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all" Although I may be silent sometimes, know that I am here and reading, so don't hesitate to say hey if you need me And of course -- THANK YOU all for being here with me Words cannot express how much I appreciate this forum Sleep well and God bless

 

Mrs.

[[la...]]

Baby,

 

I'm not sure why you keep trivialising what I've been going through, as if WD'ing from benzo's after 10 months is some kind of picnic.  It honestly doesn't sound like you have any idea what I've been going through. 

 

And I honestly have no idea why you seem so upset about me posting how my Dr's appointment went.  That is part of this forum.  Is it that bad for 1 Dr that takes people off benzo's to have a different opinion than another Dr doing the same thing?  It's not even like my Dr has that different of an opinion than Ashton.

[[Fl...]]

I've been really short of breath (all day) I keep having to take really deep breaths.  (Is this a normal part of Benzo WD)?

 

Also, experiencing dizziness.....

 

I am also having (what I guess is) Benzo Belly.  I'm barely eating and feel like I have stuffed myself.  I look about 4 months  pregnant, and I am nauseated and rather miserable.

 

Man, Benzo's are the drug that just keep on giving....

 

FluterByee