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

[[th...]]

I ll bite. I dropped another .25 mg as u can see by my sign and had minimal uptick in syx. I ll hold for a good 4 more days then drop another .25 mg. At some point those .25 mg cuts are gonna be a larger % so I ll have to go to .125mg. Gonna let my body make that decision for me. And then go to .0625mg cuts when it...if...it becomes to much and towards the end. I have decided to let my body lead the way and my taper. Maybe I ll be lucky and be granted a breeze as I go down in syx...one can only hope.

 

G

[[Ra...]]

Grinch, you are one tough gal, I admire your grit.  Good for you, just keep listening to your body 

 

True, good to see you, sounds like you are feeling pretty good, that's wonderful.  Thank you for continuing to come back and encourage us who will be at it for a good while longer.

 

I'm still doing well and able to work.  Depression gets a hold of me on the weekends pretty good and leaves me with no motivation.  My hubby helps pick up the slack, bless his heart.  I will continue on down at my flat .0625mg cuts and see how I do, so far so good.

 

Hi VC 

 

Hugs to all,

 

Rabbit

[[VC...]]

 

I'm still doing well and able to work.  Depression gets a hold of me on the weekends pretty good and leaves me with no motivation.  My hubby helps pick up the slack, bless his heart.  I will continue on down at my flat .0625mg cuts and see how I do, so far so good.

 

Hi VC 

 

Hugs to all,

Rabbit

 

Hey there, Rabbit. So glad you're doing well. Can relate to the depression. I think my motivation flew out the window. Wait a minute. Windows are good; waves are bad. Motivation needs to fly out a wave. lol...or something like that.

 

hugs to you, and to all 

VC

[[VC...]]

Grinch, how are you doing today? You've been on my mind. 

 

Rabbit, sending you a hug 

 

TrueSouth, wow - almost 8 months! Good for you. Can't wait til I can say the same. But that will be next year...lol... 

 

Juliea, I always enjoy reading your helpful posts and insights. 

 

Synaps, haven't heard from you in awhile - hope you're hanging in there okay. 

 

JennLynn, wondering how your vacation went - hope it was wonderful! 

 

Monique, hope you're continuing to do well. 

 

To all our other Xanax peeps, check-in and let us hear from you. I get quiet when I'm not feeling well. Had quite a few waves this early part of my L/T and still just very dysregulated due to weak adrenals. Not sure what to conclude just yet, but I have to hold a lot on my wee taper schedule. Thankful for moments of clarity and hope. 

 

To our healing,

V 

[[Sy...]]

Hey V, and everyone else.

 

I have been doing good, as good as you can be in a taper. I think my huge cuts caught up a bit so I had to reinstate .25. Now I'm holding at 3.5mg, and thats fine for now. I was going a bit fast, mental was so muddled that when I did get hit it brought back the memory of my ct. I must have put those terror days out of my mind, because just the remembering of how truly lost I felt made me pause.

 

The last two days have been good enough for me to drive, and go up to a really nice place up the mountain to do some walking (away from the 112º heat). I plan to cut at 14 days and this time just .25 again. I have the appt with my Pdoc tomorrow to work out the rest of my taper.

 

Anybody else get that constant ringing in your left ear? Will it keep up the entire taper time? I can almost accept beeing stuck around the house and the sever mood swings, my heart pounding when I move and, all the other syx when I cut. But this in my brain ringing is seriously like a dental drill constant and right in front of everything I do, even dreaming I hear it.

 

Less mood swingy now that I gave myself more time. Yes I wasn't wanting to go slow, and I was warned... I supose mental whiplash will have to be the way it goes. At least now I get a few ok days before the next ride/drop. 

 

PS. Apologies for being such a moody git the last few posts. I seriously wonder if this stuff is making me bipolar. My heart goes out to you all & daily healing

[[Hz...]]

Hello Xanax Buddies....I am new here but I can say in all Honesty that given the circumstances...I am glad to be here than where I was 2 months ago!   2 weeks of tapering left and...I think I can...I think I can!   I go from to  :'( in 1/10th of a second....that does get better...right?

[[Ju...]]

Hello Xanax Buddies....I am new here but I can say in all Honesty that given the circumstances...I am glad to be here than where I was 2 months ago!   2 weeks of tapering left and...I think I can...I think I can!   I go from to  :'( in 1/10th of a second....that does get better...right?

 

Welcome to the Xanax thread.  I posted this to you in your Intro. thread.

 

Hi and welcome to the forum. 

 

You and I both took Xanax for about the same length of time.  I was reducing my dose about like you until I found this forum.  After I found BB's I met 2 other buddies who had been taking Xanax long term just like me.  They were both benzo free and doing well. 

 

From the information they provided, I decided to radically slow my taper down and I'm so glad that I did because I was able to jump free and experience no acute withdrawal phase. 

 

The key to my taper was making very small dosage reductions.  From .50mg to zero, I quartered the white .25mg Xanax and dropped a quarter of a .25 tablet, (.0625mg), every 8 to 14 days.  I also jumped at .0625mg.

 

I see you're planning on making .25mg cuts and stopping at .25.  Might I suggest you consider slowing down and taking the taper a bit more carefully and slower.  It might really help with symptoms.  .25mg would have been much too high of a dose for me to jump off.  This would be like a cold turkey to my body.  5mg of Valium equals .25mg of Xanax and Ashton stops people on Valium at 1mg generally. 

 

Good luck to you whatever you decide to do with your taper!   

 

I hope you will consider slowing down.  This is not a sprint, it's a marathon.  Going slower, (tapering MUCH SMALLER chunks of pill than .25!!  ), and waiting to stabilize between cuts is the hallmark of a good taper, IMO.  I'm afraid the rapid taper is going to cause you some unwanted symptoms that will last a very long time after you take your last tablet.  Although symptoms are not avoidable, IMO --- they are not a good sign.  Symptom MINIMIZATION is a much better strategy, IMO.  This can be achieved by tapering slowly and listening to our bodies.

[[je...]]

Vacation was good! Lots of fun and very busy but back to work and reality now. I am happy to report I am 22 days Xanax free! I have had a couple days with some anxiety, but I got through it. Still have some vision floaters sometimes, but thats about it. Overall doing ok. How are all of you?

[[Mo...]]

Hey V, I am just hanging around at my last dose.  I met with my p-doc last week and he went over with me how to drop my last .5mg of Xanax Xr but I am waiting until after I get back from vacation.  So far my taper hasn't been too bad and the lower I get the better I feel.  I didn't really realized how bad I felt until I started getting to the lower doses.  Sorry you have been going through some rough patches, hang in there it will get better. 

 

Synap, It's probably best that you are slowing your taper down.  I can't wait to be off of the xanax so I know how you feel but taking it slow will help your body heal as you cut.  Good Luck to you. 

 

Jennlynn, Glad to hear you are still feeling great. 

 

I am trying to decide what to do about my next cut.  My p-doc told me that some people take the last .5mg Xanax Xr every other day but he doesn't really encourage that way.  He said his recommends taking .25mg Xanax in Am and then 0.125mg Xanax in PM and then stabilize before another cut.  I only dose 1 time right now so I am not really wanting to split my dose but he said doing it like this kind of keeps with the extended release version of xanax. That is a 0.125mg cut so I will probably through in another .0625mg somewhere so it is a smaller cut.  Is there anyone here that with suggestions on how they got off their last .5mg of the XR version? 

 

Thanks

Monique

[[Ju...]]

Hi Monique.  The only person I know who completed a Xanax XR taper is HopefulGirl.  However, I believe she had probably switched to the regular fast acting Xanax by that time, (.50mg). (??)  She water titrated very, very slowly and carefully.

 

Personally, I would switch to all regular .25mg Xanax and taper the last .50mgs in .0625mg increments.  Given that my dependency was on the XR, I'd probably dose a minimum of 3-4 times per day in as even of doses as possible as I was tapering off the last .50.

 

Good luck and congrats on getting down to .50mg. 

[[Mo...]]

Thanks Juliea, That is what I am going to do but didn't want to remember having to dose all day.  I think I will try 3 times a day and get rid of the latest dose cutting by .0625mg.  My mornings are my worse so I will save on that one for last.  Thanks

 

 

[[je...]]

Hi Monique, Have mornings always been your worst? They were for me for a long time, then it suddenly switched to nights. I hope you are doing well.

[[Mo...]]

Yes Jennlyn, mornings have always being my worse and gradually got better as the day went on.  I actually woke up this morning feeling pretty good.  No inner vibrations, just peaceful.  Nice surprise. 

[[th...]]

Down to 3mg/day. Seems high still but it's progress. Working on getting my 4 doses I take each day to all .5 mg which would be total of 2mg/day. I have two 1mg doses to cut to have them all there. I cut .25 mg again yest. I hope to be able to make two more .25mg cuts before they really hit me hard. That will take me to 2.50 mg/day. I ll slow the taper if needed as I go along.  Can't wait to be under 2mg! I ll just feel like I am closer to 0. My husband says I should be proud of my progress. I am trying, it just seems so far away still.

 

G

[[Ju...]]

Grinch,  HUGE accomplishment to get down to 3mg!! Your husband is right.  You're a real trooper and you are doing it lady. 

[[je...]]

You should be proud Grinch! Keep it up!

[[Sy...]]

Hey all, I could really use some help.

I tapered a bit quick, so I stoped at 3.5 and have been ok. Today I ran into an old friend that I havent seen since highschool. I went into a full blown panic attack as she was telling me about her life. I tried to keep it together but my knees started to shake and I sorta explained what was going on, but I cut it short and tried to keep it together. I felt so low... I could hardly speak. She use to say I was the funniest guy she knew. but I was just a walking shell today. I quickly got a few things and left. I don't know if that guy I used to be will ever come back. Now im back home and being super hard on myself for letting this crap happen to me.

 

Ok I need some advice. My doc wants to put me on Xanax xr .5's but said it was my choice. Do you think using them in this taper will help? Also when you guys talk about stabilizing before a cut do you still have sxs. Im sitting here with constant tinnitus, and shaking bad. Will this keep up the entire time or will it possibly subside? I feel like I knocked off the first half of the taper, but now it's getting tricky. I have surrendered and  handed it to a higher power now, and will feel it out from here. But at times I feels like I have already lost, and what's the point.

 

Hope you all are feeling ok.

SynapSkills

[[Sy...]]

Seriously im having a break down. My son will be down with his mother next month, and he can't see me like this.. He will be in jr high soon. That's a HUGE part of why I started this thing! Sometimes I think I should have just stayed on my x. :'(

[[Ju...]]

Oh (((Synap))), I'm so sorry you're feeling so rotten.  Let me see if I can answer some of the questions you had in your first post.  When I say I stabilized, this did not mean I felt perfect.  However, there were certain days I had, (usually the 4 or 5th day after I cut), where I felt a real increase in symptoms.  On those days I pretty much felt rotten, but my symptom although manageable for me, were still very uncomfortable.  Then I'd start feeling much better with 1-3 days and repeat the process.  I made 32 cuts to stop 3mgs of Xanax.

 

As far as Xanax XR.  This might be something that would help with interdose withdrawal, but the regular Xanax would still be needed for the portion of the Xanax you'd be cutting because Xanax XR is not available in lower strengths than .50mg. 

 

Can you hold for a while and when you start tapering again cut much smaller?  Holding always made me feel better.  Maybe if you hold, you will feel better when your son is visiting.  Hang in there synap. 

[[bo...]]

In three months yoy dropped from 8 mg to 3.5 ?  Good lord that is like 100 mg valium equivalent.

[[Sy...]]

Oh (((Synap))), I'm so sorry you're feeling so rotten.  Let me see if I can answer some of the questions you had in your first post.  When I say I stabilized, this did not mean I felt perfect.  However, there were certain days I had, (usually the 4 or 5th day after I cut), where I felt a real increase in symptoms.  On those days I pretty much felt rotten, but my symptom although manageable for me, were still very uncomfortable.  Then I'd start feeling much better with 1-3 days and repeat the process.  I made 32 cuts to stop 3mgs of Xanax.

 

As far as Xanax XR.  This might be something that would help with interdose withdrawal, but the regular Xanax would still be needed for the portion of the Xanax you'd be cutting because Xanax XR is not available in lower strengths than .50mg. 

 

Can you hold for a while and when you start tapering again cut much smaller?  Holding always made me feel better.  Maybe if you hold, you will feel better when your son is visiting.  Hang in there synap. 

Thank you,

I was fine today and holding for almost two weeks. I just fell apart when I got home thinking about the past, and my son.  I really am feeling low. Almost bought a bottle of booze, and that stupid bottle of pills staring me in the face.. For a second I thought a cold turky coma would at least help explain to my situation! I can't, and won't do that to my kid esp after what my real parents left me with. I know it sounds dark, but I can only be strong for so long. I just don't want to fail anyone! I failed myself, and I have to try to pull it together. I may try the XR untill I get to 1mg. I Just dont know right now... I am on pause with the taper. Half of me just wants to ct, I don't fear death I do fear failing. I gotta just hope I level out soon.

[[th...]]

Synaps,

 

Wow. Could we have had the same wk end experience. Except I was crying to my husband about how each day and each night I dread and that I feel like I am a complete failure as a wife and mother and how much I wish I was who I used to be instead of "this shell of a person" (exact words!!). The guilt of the lack of my abilities are endless and the uselessness of myself and hopelessness of the progress clouds over me 24/7. I have been lucky however bc I haven't had severe panic episodes, I do feel them coming on however but am able to "tap" (something I found very useful for me in those states) or mind over matter them, but I am in a physical painful hell all the time and can't tap my way out of it. This physical pain makes me pretty much bedridden and unable to fulfill any type of life outside the home. (So that answers your question about whether stabilizing means no syx...I don't actually know what stabilizing is to be honest) We have all the kids here this summer, they are 18, 19 and 20. My daughter is the 18 yr old. When I think back to everything I wanted to be as mother and what I wanted to do with her before she leaves for college in the fall it wasn't anything like this. I can't even stay up passed 9 pm to sit out by the fire with her, or go on a shopping spree all day or go out to eat, or tan down by the river...nothing. I am in too much pain. I have guilt for her to see me like this. This is not the mother I want to be. But my friend, what else can we do? We are on a path to try and rid ourselves of this crap and it will take time....I hate that effing word!!....and our children and our friends and loved ones just have to wait it out with us. Not bc we want them to but bc there isn't another option. Whether you ct, switch meds, go slow, cut fast, ....getting off these are difficult. And will change who we are during and after the storm. I cry for my family all the time bc of what I know they must give up for me to get off but they don't cry for me...in fact they are understanding and proud that I am trying and getting it done, even if it takes more time of being sick. I guess what I am trying to say is I hear you hon, I hear the pain and anguish and your not alone. 

[[Ra...]]

Synaps and Grinch, I know the guilt and helplessness you all are feeling.  I felt it in my 3 months of acute last Fall, it's a terrible feeling.  I think everyone going through w/d who has a family feels this way.  Not only do we feel we've ruined our own lives, but feel we have a negative impact on the family around us.  It's just an awful feeling.  Thank goodness most of us have compassionate families who understand this is not what we want for ourselves or our families, but Grinch, you said it, TIME!  I also hate that word.  I want this to be OVER!  No amount of wanting it over makes it over though.  Time has it's own demands.  Even though my taper is going well at the moment, the 'when is the other shoe going to drop' looms over my head HUGE.  At any time the wind could change.  I pray it wont and try not to think like that, but it could.  I try to distract when I'm at home, but it seems there is stress everywhere, work, home, I can't escape it.  Time marches on as do we.  We will get through this because Grinch, as you said again, we have no choice.  So ahead we march.  Soldier on everyone 

 

Hugs,

 

Rabbit

[[je...]]

Hope you all are well. I am feeling a bit down this morning. I just woke up and realized that since I have been sober, from alcohol last year, and now benzos. I am left with no friends. I guess I am not much fun anymore! Feels kinda crappy, but I guess I dont need friends that base their friendship on that anyway. Sorry for the rant, just feeling bad and wanted to get it out.

[[Sy...]]

Thank you guys,

grinch and rabbit, Today was much better. I should have listened to julia and others about slowing my taper. Today I felt good and actually made plans to go to the lake with my kid when he comes down. I also talked about how we will "play it by ear" as I might not be up to all the stuff we had planed. I am afraid or turnning some bad corner, but dont anticipate it happening. I have about two more weeks before all that happens, so I may cut .25 tomorrow if im still good. I am rembering things super clear and can tell I am coming back! This is the sharpest my mind has felt in years. A true window. I can't wait to be on the other side of this, today gave me hope one day this too will pass. As long as I defuse my funk as best I can. I can do this.. We all are on the way, just took a good long pause to see it. Even tho it's been all around (the support, and info on here).  I can't wait to give my son a huge hug. Stay with all the good thoughts (they are in there), and hold on to our future. Now is the time to keep going not yesterday or tomorrow!

 

Keep up posting, good or bad reports IT ALL HELPS. You all are are such strong people.

Synap