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

[[Be...]]

wild and  crazy dreams have started, so that means withdrawals are on, when the go back to normal, its over....

 

damn truck wont start and I need to go get round bales...(breaaaaaaathe)

[[So...]]

Just breathe, buddy!!

 

The full moon is on tomorrow night, so everything is going to be a little wild over the next few days!! 

 

Denise 

[[Pe...]]

Hi Folks! Thanks for the replies.. I'm wondering how people who are tapering are coming up with these wild numbers like .0625? How the heck do I measure that on a 100ML graduation tube or 1 ml syringe? That's what confuses me...isn't there a simpler way of doing this without all the math?

 

                                                            Getting nervous about my taper start....PepsiMoon

[[Be...]]

hey Pepsi, have you read the Ashton Manual? you can google that, or find it at the beginning of the "tapering" section... basically Ashton suggest tapering 5 to 10% of your current dose..

we here on the Xanax thread have chosen to do a direct dry taper (most of us) from Xanax, and not crossing over to valium....

we've averaged that out to equal .0625 cuts, which basically equals a 10% cut or so...

thats 1/4th of a .25 tab.....

 

theres a couple on here doing the titration, which is what you're going to do Im guessing...

MrsSlaw and mama2 I think, they'll be around later....

 

I cut the .0625 mgs about every 3 weeks on average..

[[Be...]]

well I looked for the Ashton Manual on here and I cant find it, no telling where it is since they re-did the site...

 

you can google it though and find it...

 

be sure and read it thoroughly, its a great base to start with...

[[Mo...]]

thats great to here MoveForward, I was wondering how you were doing...

 

 

hopefully everyone else is moving along fine

 

its pretty nice seeing a full bottle next to me and not having any want to take it, i just take a mg whenever i feel like i need it, and will be listening to my body to continue

[[Ju...]]

PepsiMoon, welcome to the Xanax Thread.  Please don't be confused by The Ashton Manual.  We don't do anything resembling an Ashton taper here on the Xanax thread.  This manual has a wealth of information related to Benzo withdrawal and is a wonderful reference. 

 

Ashton used Valium or Librium for her tapers, we on this thread chose to taper directly from Xanax.  This totally contradicts what Ashton did in her clinic.  However, I understand Ashton, in conversations, recommends that a person try tapering their original benzo first, prior to resorting to a Valium crossover.  Her clinic patients were very difficult cases who had failed to withdraw from their original benzo and this is why the Valium crossover was developed. 

 

The 5-10% taper recommendation is not an Ashton recommendation so you won't see that in the Ashton Manual.  This is a BenzoBuddies forum recommendation.  This suggestion was developed after calculating the relative percentages that Ashton used in her withdrawal schedules at the upper end of her tapers.  At the lower end of her taper schedules, Ashton tapered people off in a linear fashion, with the percentages continuing increase as the person got lower in their dose.

 

Pepsi, what is your starting dose including how many Mgs of Xanax and also the number of Mgs of Klonopin?  You would want to first calculate your total benzo load in order to determine how much Xanax to cut.  I understand you wish to go really slow so you can remain functional to help your wife.  We can help you with that.  We've had quite a few people have success in tapering off of their Xanax while waiting to tackle their longer acting benzo last. 

 

As Benzy said, most of us here are dry cutting to taper.  However, HopefulGirl recently became Xanax free by titrating and mrsalw is almost benzo free and is titrating too.  So, we've got the resources to help you here.   

 

 

 

 

 

[[Ju...]]

hopefully everyone else is moving along fine

 

its pretty nice seeing a full bottle next to me and not having any want to take it, i just take a mg whenever i feel like i need it, and will be listening to my body to continue

MoveForward, I'm so happy to hear you're making progress.  That is wonderful! 

 

I just wanted to caution you related to the phrase that I bolded above.  It's very important to take a consistent dose at approximately the same time each day during a benzo taper and to not resort to 'as needed' dosing, IMO.  The reason a benzo taper works so well is that we decrease our medication in a very stepwise fashion, always holding for stabilization.  This becomes even more important as we get lower in Mgs.

 

 

[[Mo...]]

hopefully everyone else is moving along fine

 

its pretty nice seeing a full bottle next to me and not having any want to take it, i just take a mg whenever i feel like i need it, and will be listening to my body to continue

MoveForward, I'm so happy to hear you're making progress.  That is wonderful! 

 

I just wanted to caution you related to the phrase that I bolded above.  It's very important to take a consistent dose at approximately the same time each day during a benzo taper and to not resort to 'as needed' dosing, IMO.  The reason a benzo taper works so well is that we decrease our medication in a very stepwise fashion, always holding for stabilization.  This becomes even more important as we get lower in Mgs.

noted, thank you

 

i'll play it safe and keep taking it at certain times then to keep it stable

 

just a bit giddy is all 

 

i don't remember the last time i saw a full bottle of it and had absolutely zero urge to take more than necessary

[[Be...]]

Geez, I thought this while time that the 5 to 10 % of cut from current was from Ashtons manual, I'll have to read that again...

[[Be...]]

oh ok, nevermind , I re-read your post, ya basically said the same thing, just in book form, as opposed to my nutshell...

[[Ju...]]

Geez, I thought this while time that the 5 to 10 % of cut from current was from Ashtons manual, I'll have to read that again...

Yes, this is sort of confusing.  Many people think the 5-10% suggestion comes from the Ashton Manual, but it doesn't.

 

Although Ashton did not use percentages in her benzodiazepine withdrawal schedules, if look at her tables, they do indeed tend to follow a pattern of relative percentage reductions at higher doses and a linear taper towards the end.

This is why I didn't worry about my percentages increasing way over 10% when I got to the lower doses. 

 

 

[[Be...]]

well Ive had a pukey day, finishing my cut tonight, so that will be a full .0625 cut (one more to go)..

I shouldnt had drank that alcohol the other night, somethings causing me to have some withdrawals, oh wait, I did a cut, perhaps thats it.

Im sitting on the verge of a anxiety/panic attack ALL DAY! It would be much easier if it would just go ahead and explode and get over it, than sitting here nervous and pukey all day....

my dreams were extra insane, that always tells me Iim in the middle of withdrawals,, hopefully after my dose of betablocker and benzo tonight it will knock this withdrawal out.....

[[Be...]]

well what I was saying, or thinking, was that the 5 / 10 % thing comes from her stuff, one way or another, I just tried to say it as quick as possible without a lot of blahblahblah, and point them to the manual for info...

 

Im too puny to say much today...

[[Ju...]]

well what I was saying, or thinking, was that the 5 / 10 % thing comes from her stuff, one way or another, I just tried to say it as quick as possible without a lot of blahblahblah, and point them to the manual for info...

 

Im too puny to say much today...

I understand.  The problem is that everyone gets so freaked when their percentages start increasing above 10% in the lower doses and they 'think' they are doing something wrong when they're not.  The last cut is 100% no matter how we slice it.

 

Sorry you're feeling so bad Benzy.  Feel better soon. 

[[Be...]]

ya I had the same confusion until I learned about the .0625 cuts on here..

 

from you 

[[Be...]]

hey MF, Im just being nosey, are you going to start a taper soon? or?

I cant remember what you've said before...

[[ho...]]

Thank You Chim!! Glad I found the right spot. I've been on Benzos since around 2003 mainly Clonazepam. I was on 1 MG of Xanax "as needed" for a few years

and did just that. I only took the Xanny if I really really needed it.I started what I now realize was benzo tolerance withdrawal, started taking the 1MG Xanny every morning about a year and a half ago. Started having really weird problems soon after, like really bad dizzy spells, roller-coaster feelings ( YES, like I was on a freaking roller-coaster!) Heart palps, nausea, just a whole gamut of panic and anxiety. I see where I am now,(tolerance withdrawal) and need to get off these benzo's as quickly and slowly taper if possible. The trouble is:

I'm married to a retired RN who has a lot of issues herself. PTSD, Panic, and anxiety, they found two brain lesions and she now has seizures.(She's a Desert Storm Vet) She was "ok" with me doing a slow titration, then changed her mind about it because she needs all of me there in case she has a seizure, so I'm going to have to do my slow titration in secret. She thinks I can just increase my dosage and I'll be fine. I think not! Anyway, I want to attack the Xanny first. Before she 'Changed Her Mind'

we ordered a 100 ML graduation tube and we have a wooden pestle bowl thingy to crush my xanny. What I need to know is what kind of cuts I can make to my 1 mg

of X as to not experience any severe withdrawals. I pray for all of those who are going through this.            Thanks , PepsiMoon

 

Hi PepsiMoon,

 

Welcome to the Xanax thread. I saw Juliea gave you some good info and asked some great questions that will help us help you. You'll see from my signature I finished the last few months of my taper with water titration. I am happy to answer any questions you have. You can do this!

Hopeful Girl

[[fa...]]

Babyrex...Have you seen the full moon? It is once again white washing my farm. My 2 horses got out and it was so bright that they did not spook when I put the lead ropes on...led them peacefully back to the barn. It is so bright but so small. Enjoy!

 

Everone...have a peaceful night.

 

Fan

[[No...]]

MIA. Notfome question. What happened to BBM?

Wishing all a Peace Filled Xmas.

 

Will return from my hiatus. Thoughts and prayers

NFM 

[[Be...]]

the Benz has now made my last full cut, the next step is the jump, sometime after New Year, great way to start 2014!

 

Yay me! 

 

                                                                                   

[[Be...]]

awwwww HO, that looks like blinkn XX lights...

 

(thats my new holidays greeting, XX...............that takes care of both sides 

[[Pe...]]

Thanks for all of the responses.. 

Pepsi, what is your starting dose including how many Mgs of Xanax and also the number of Mgs of Klonopin?  You would want to first calculate your total benzo load in order to determine how much Xanax to cut.  I understand you wish to go really slow so you can remain functional to help your wife.  We can help you with that.  We've had quite a few people have success in tapering off of their Xanax while waiting to tackle their longer acting benzo last.

Thanks Juliea..At the present I am on 2 mg of Xanax ( Just started the second Mg a few days ago) Taking 3 MG's of Klonopin daily. I read the entire Ashton manual and it seemed to me like she wanted to taper using Valium in all instances which isn't an option for me. So basically I'm on 5 mg of benzo's daily 2 mg X and 3 Mg K.

What I had in mind was to start with the Xanax first, get off that crap, then tackle the Clonazepam. Yea, 10% seems a bit fast of a taper for me.As I stated before,

My wife doesn't want me to taper but I have the "Gut Feeling" that a taper is what I need, so I'm going to be doing this 'Taper' without my wife's knowledge.

The problem with this is : for one I'm with her constantly ( I don't have a drivers license) I cant get "Whole Milk" (She and I have bought 2% milk for years) She'll know what I'm up to as soon as I pick it out in the grocery store. She saw it on the YouTube video when I showed her how I was going to titrate, before she went and changed her mind about the taper thing. I cant get my hands on a 1 ML or 10 ML syringe without her raising an eyebrow. However: A friend of mine that had diabetes moved away, and gave me a whole box of brand new 3 ML syringes. I have the 100 ML graduation tube , pestle and mortar. What I need is some sort of a pointer on how much 'In ML" I need to pull out and throw in the sink. These .08945 and .0025 suggestions don't help me a bit. I'm brain-dead I'm ashamed to admit. What I'm asking for is in layman's terms. I fill my graduation cylinder to 100 ML with 1 mg of Xanax, how much do I "Pull Out" to start a taper. Like from the 100 mark, how many lines?

I read that a lot of BB members on the Xanax boards are dry cutting. How the heck do you all get so accurate a cut?( I cut a xanny once in half , but tried to cut the half and it just crumbled.I thank each and every one of you for your help, I hope that I can be of assistance to some BB members one day   PepsiMoon

[[So...]]

the Benz has now made my last full cut, the next step is the jump, sometime after New Year, great way to start 2014!

 

Yay me! 

 

                                                                                   

 

Yay Benzy!!

 

Denise 

[[Be...]]

If you dry cut, you just get the .25 and cut them into 4 quarter, each one equals .0625, which is about a 10% cut..It's fairly easy enough to cut that way, it's impossible otherwise, on the larger mg pills..