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

[[va...]]

in 1 week it will be exactly 3 months since i quit taking a low dose of alprazolam (0.0625 was my jump dose size) i felt very well the last few days i think it's true what i've read here that it can take 3 months - 1 year to recover , i just need to refrain from negative thoughts, i planned on waiting until 2015 to drink lightly again , i dont know why i want to do something again that caused my health crisis & caused me to start needing to take xanax

 

Congratulations babyangel!  You should be so happy and so proud of yourself!  I remember reading how hard it was for you, even being on such a low dose.  Negative thoughts are hard.  I do things to distract myself, and I try to write positive things for others who are struggling.  It reminds me to stay positive myself. 

 

Namaste.

 

~K

[[va...]]

Wow, Blue...I remember you in those days.  And worse.  I wish I'd written more about my withdrawal when I was in the midst of it.  I can remember having those symptoms when people mention their own withdrawal issues, but Charlie and I were too busy posting silly gifs to entertain ourselves and everyone else.  The good old days...

 

hahaha  I saw those gifs when I first came here looking for people who'd tapered off xanax.  You and Charlie were the first two people I contacted.    I got such pleasure from reading your blog.  It always made me laugh. 

 

Namaste.

 

~K 

 

That was awhile ago!  I is on me best behavior these days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I remember this really funny cat one.  OK, I might have to go see if I can locate it now. 

[[Ch...]]

in 1 week it will be exactly 3 months since i quit taking a low dose of alprazolam (0.0625 was my jump dose size) i felt very well the last few days i think it's true what i've read here that it can take 3 months - 1 year to recover , i just need to refrain from negative thoughts, i planned on waiting until 2015 to drink lightly again , i dont know why i want to do something again that caused my health crisis & caused me to start needing to take xanax

 

Congrats, BA... it takes a strong person to get through this.  Kudos to you!

 

[[Bl...]]

Wow, Blue...I remember you in those days.  And worse.  I wish I'd written more about my withdrawal when I was in the midst of it.  I can remember having those symptoms when people mention their own withdrawal issues, but Charlie and I were too busy posting silly gifs to entertain ourselves and everyone else.  The good old days...

 

hahaha  I saw those gifs when I first came here looking for people who'd tapered off xanax.  You and Charlie were the first two people I contacted.    I got such pleasure from reading your blog.  It always made me laugh. 

 

Namaste.

 

~K 

 

That was awhile ago!  I is on me best behavior these days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I remember this really funny cat one.  OK, I might have to go see if I can locate it now. 

 

That would be fun. Or there was the one of a bunny with a pancake on its head

 

Blue

[[va...]]

hehehe  I am evil. 

 

http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj561/charlie3912/catside-story1.gif

 

~K 

[[Ch...]]

Haha!  Either Charlie or Blue posted that one.

[[va...]]

Here is another one, then I'm stopping.   

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w427/Carol_Brainerd/wannabeowl.jpg

 

~K 

[[va...]]

Haha!  Either Charlie or Blue posted that one.

 

It was Charlie.    Reading that blog kind of saved me.  It kept me from crossing over to V, which I believe would have been a HUGE mistake.

[[Ch...]]

Haha!  Either Charlie or Blue posted that one.

 

It was Charlie.    Reading that blog kind of saved me.  It kept me from crossing over to V, which I believe would have been a HUGE mistake.

 

The second pic is my FB 'cover' photo...love it. 

I'm also glad I didn't cross over to Valium...too complicated to even consider it.

[[mr...]]

in 1 week it will be exactly 3 months since i quit taking a low dose of alprazolam (0.0625 was my jump dose size) i felt very well the last few days i think it's true what i've read here that it can take 3 months - 1 year to recover , i just need to refrain from negative thoughts, i planned on waiting until 2015 to drink lightly again , i dont know why i want to do something again that caused my health crisis & caused me to start needing to take xanax

Maybe not start drinking alcohol again? Just a thought.

 

Blue

 

[[ba...]]

im very thankfull for finding this place bb , the Dr i saw each month was too fast when it came to getting me in and out of the Dr office we spent maybe 5 minutes each month talking i wrote notes to discuss with him , im trying to get ssi disability i really doubt it will go thruough so i just wanted to quit the xanax on my own so my health and body will be able to to be ok working agian after my next court hearing in April .im gratefull for bb especially miss moderator Juliea she quit at the same dose i took 0.0625, i feel reassured that i would be ok and it was safe at quitting that dose size i activate , stay occupied and Exercise everyday nearly all of my tinnittus is gone too !! that was the most worrysome withdrawal i had   it.  I  try to be as helpfull as i can to those quitting xanax i tell them that if i was able to do it , s very very possible they can quit it just take a slow taper off of it .

thanks for the kind replys everyone    to all of you!! 

katie

[[th...]]

Thanks everyone!!

 

G

[[ro...]]

G,

:clap:

 

.5 !!!

Short timer...

Rose

[[th...]]

G,

:clap:

 

.5 !!!

Short timer...

Rose

 

 

G

[[VC...]]

Hello my tapering friends,

 

If someone could help me with this, I'd appreciate it.  I'm getting closer to 0.5mg total alprazolam after starting with 0.75mg....and plan to recalculate my taper schedule using 0.5mg as start dose, instead of the 0.75mg once I reach that point. 

 

So if I keep pulling 0.3-4ml daily cuts with the .5mg, are these pulls less potent or equal or what? Brain is tired.

Also, I'm dosing 4 x daily, but bedtime dose is larger. How do I handle the water taper once I pull more than 100ml daily? (Using 200ml total).

Right now I'm just dropping 0.75mg in one jar, dissolving, shaking, and eyeballing it when I pour half for bedtime, then divide remaining half into 3 for my daytime dosing. I'm taking just under .3mg for bedtime, and just under .1 x 3 daily. 

 

Thanks for your help.

V 

 

VC,

 

If you plan on dropping 0.5mg into 200ml water, your cuts will be less potent, yes

 

If you plan on continuing to drop 0.75mg into 200ml water, your cuts wil be the exact same.

 

Good?

 

How are ya, babes?! Haven't crossed paths with you in a while!

 

Hugs

 

Mrs.

 

Just be sure...if you plan on dropping only 0.5mg in 200ml water, you will want to "start" this taper drinking the full 200ml -- do NOT "pick up" where you "left off" in ml you drink. Otherwise, you will be taking a massive cut without knowing it!

 

If that doesn't make sense, let me know

 

Mrs.

 

I'm dry cutting, so I'm afraid I don't how LT works.  Good  luck to you though. 

 

Namaste.

 

~K 

 

Aw, thanks so much, Mrs. and Vangoghsear! Yes, it makes sense! Think I just needed reassurance.

Sorry I've not been on the thread too often - popping in and out of BBs quickly since having computer problems and issues at home.

 

My other question... should I try eliminating one dose entirely eventually, or just keep reducing across the board? I hear people doing it both ways.

I imagine it's simpler just to reduce them all as I go down. I can't picture how to handle the water taper once I'm pulling more than 100ml daily. At some point, will I just be taking a syringe with me for dosing? Maybe I'll come back to pick your brain when I get there 

 

Anyways, I'm ready to kick this sucker.

 

Congrats, Mrs. on your recent bonfire celebration!  I think my biggest issue all year was dysregulated nervous system due to adrenal insufficiency.

Everyone said it was the benzo, and yes it contributed...but I'm healing and handling the taper better, and sleeping (usually) now. Sadly, I'm preparing for a divorce so the stress is through the roof. Thanks for asking about me.

 

Congrats to you, too, Grinch and Babyangel! 

Love to all,

V

[[VC...]]

in 1 week it will be exactly 3 months since i quit taking a low dose of alprazolam (0.0625 was my jump dose size) i felt very well the last few days i think it's true what i've read here that it can take 3 months - 1 year to recover , i just need to refrain from negative thoughts, i planned on waiting until 2015 to drink lightly again , i dont know why i want to do something again that caused my health crisis & caused me to start needing to take xanax

Maybe not start drinking alcohol again? Just a thought.

 

Blue

 

What Blue said 

[[mr...]]

VC,

 

Totally up to you! For me personally, I did not eliminate a dose. I kept them even all the way to 1mL per dose, LOL! Then is when I eliminated doses -- because there was no where else to go! Haha But I had issues with interdose withdrawal, so that's why I kept all four doses to zero.

 

I've also always measured my doses, but yes, once they got small enough I just carried four different little dose bottles w/ me for the day I just used four of those energy shot bottles, it worked for me!

 

Again, each person is different, so feel free to do however you want Glad to hear you're feeling better! We are healing all along My condolences on hearing of your marriage dissolution though. No fun, for sure.

 

Thinking of you, friend! Take care,

 

Mrs.

[[va...]]

im very thankfull for finding this place bb , the Dr i saw each month was too fast when it came to getting me in and out of the Dr office we spent maybe 5 minutes each month talking i wrote notes to discuss with him , im trying to get ssi disability i really doubt it will go thruough so i just wanted to quit the xanax on my own so my health and body will be able to to be ok working agian after my next court hearing in April .im gratefull for bb especially miss moderator Juliea she quit at the same dose i took 0.0625, i feel reassured that i would be ok and it was safe at quitting that dose size i activate , stay occupied and Exercise everyday nearly all of my tinnittus is gone too !! that was the most worrysome withdrawal i had   it.  I  try to be as helpfull as i can to those quitting xanax i tell them that if i was able to do it , s very very possible they can quit it just take a slow taper off of it .

thanks for the kind replys everyone    to all of you!! 

katie

 

Babyangel, it's good to know I might get rid of this incessant tinnitus one day!  I know I say a lot how lucky I am, and how (relatively) uneventful my taper has been, but honestly, I think it's worse than I let on sometimes. I'm just very good at distracting myself and dealing with my symptoms.  My tinnitus is so freaking loud most of the time, and so incessant, I believe if I didn't stay positive it would have driven me over the edge already, especially when I'm also not sleeping, which is also a very big problem.  So, it's good to hear that it's mostly gone for you now.  That gives me hope. 

 

Anyway, I'm happy to hear it's cleared up for you and that you're doing well.  As far as disability goes, it would really help to hire an attorney who specializes in that, because it's generally denied on the first try no matter how bad off you are, and even on the 2nd and 3rd tries.  My sister was denied 3 times and finally took an attorney to court, and she's SO sick and disabled, the judge took one look at her and asked the claims people, "what is wrong with you people, can't you see this woman is clearly disabled?" and gave it to her.  (She has lupus, RA, plus, she's had 3 neck surgeries, 4 total hip replacements on the same hip, 3 on the same knee, 13 eye surgeries, plus various other things are wrong with her.  She is a medical anomaly.)

 

Keep fighting the good fight. 

 

Namaste.

 

~K 

[[ba...]]

Hi vangooghsear, 

 

thanks for the kind reply  im sorry to hear about your sister's health god bless her

i hope your having a nice weekend so far

Katie

[[ba...]]

Hi all,

 

I can see the low-dose, short-term, intermittent users are getting congratulated again for their mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms.  I too would like to congratulate those that have had a relatively easy time. 

 

However, many long term users experiencing severe withdrawal have no such luxury.  I've done my time on the Xanax thread, and sad to say, most posters simply disappear due to pressure of not meeting "expectations" prescribed on this thread. 

 

As I grow stronger, and I will,  I will give voice to the silent majority who do not have the strength to stand up for themselves.

 

[[th...]]

Hi all,

 

I can see the low-dose, short-term, intermittent users are getting congratulated again for their mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms.  I too would like to congratulate those that have had a relatively easy time. 

 

However, many long term users experiencing severe withdrawal have no such luxury.  I've done my time on the Xanax thread, and sad to say, most posters simply disappear due to pressure of not meeting "expectations" prescribed on this thread. 

 

As I grow stronger, and I will,  I will give voice to the silent majority who do not have the strength to stand up for themselves.

 

 

I was congratulated and I have been in hell for years, had a brutal taper for the last yr and still am not done. I am in utter hell all the time! Maybe some of us who have brutal tapers aren't voicing our pain bc we don't feel the need to and it has nothing to do with strength. Not voicing does not equal weak.

 

Grinch

[[va...]]

Hi all,

 

I can see the low-dose, short-term, intermittent users are getting congratulated again for their mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms.  I too would like to congratulate those that have had a relatively easy time. 

 

However, many long term users experiencing severe withdrawal have no such luxury.  I've done my time on the Xanax thread, and sad to say, most posters simply disappear due to pressure of not meeting "expectations" prescribed on this thread. 

 

As I grow stronger, and I will,  I will give voice to the silent majority who do not have the strength to stand up for themselves.

 

 

I was congratulated and I have been in hell for years, had a brutal taper for the last yr and still am not done. I am in utter hell all the time! Maybe some of us who have brutal tapers aren't voicing our pain bc we don't feel the need to and it has nothing to do with strength. Not voicing does not equal weak.

 

Grinch

[[ba...]]

Hi all,

 

I can see the low-dose, short-term, intermittent users are getting congratulated again for their mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms.  I too would like to congratulate those that have had a relatively easy time. 

 

However, many long term users experiencing severe withdrawal have no such luxury.  I've done my time on the Xanax thread, and sad to say, most posters simply disappear due to pressure of not meeting "expectations" prescribed on this thread. 

 

As I grow stronger, and I will,  I will give voice to the silent majority who do not have the strength to stand up for themselves.

 

 

I was congratulated and I have been in hell for years, had a brutal taper for the last yr and still am not done. I am in utter hell all the time! Maybe some of us who have brutal tapers aren't voicing our pain bc we don't feel the need to and it has nothing to do with strength. Not voicing does not equal weak.

 

Grinch

 

Hi Grinch,

 

I've read some of your posts and know you've had a tough time of it.  This post was not intended for you. 

 

I bought the whole "we heal on the way down", hook, line and sinker.  It did not get better for me, in fact, I got much worse.  I am approaching 2 full years of bedridden hell.  That's correct, I have severe brain and CNS damage.  Would it be better if I lied to you? 

 

Because guess what? I felt I was lied to here!  And I had no one to turn to.  Is BenzoBuddies sanitized?  Of course!  While the sugar-coating does help some, it didn't for me.

 

My advice to you...just keep cutting.  That's what I did.  I promised myself no matter how bad it got, I would just keep shaving those pills. But I was fortunate.  My husband had a mild/moderate withdrawal and was able to be my caregiver. 

 

It all depends on how badly you want off this crap.

 

 

[[Ch...]]

Everyone's symptoms and timelines are going to be different.  There are a myriad of variables that impact withdrawal and recovery time.  The important thing is to be supported and help support other people through this, regardless of where they are on the 'suffering' scale.

 

 

[[Ch...]]

Hi all,

 

I can see the low-dose, short-term, intermittent users are getting congratulated again for their mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms.  I too would like to congratulate those that have had a relatively easy time. 

 

However, many long term users experiencing severe withdrawal have no such luxury.  I've done my time on the Xanax thread, and sad to say, most posters simply disappear due to pressure of not meeting "expectations" prescribed on this thread. 

 

As I grow stronger, and I will,  I will give voice to the silent majority who do not have the strength to stand up for themselves.

 

 

I was congratulated and I have been in hell for years, had a brutal taper for the last yr and still am not done. I am in utter hell all the time! Maybe some of us who have brutal tapers aren't voicing our pain bc we don't feel the need to and it has nothing to do with strength. Not voicing does not equal weak.

 

Grinch

 

Hi Grinch,

 

I've read some of your posts and know you've had a tough time of it.  This post was not intended for you. 

 

I bought the whole "we heal on the way down", hook, line and sinker.  It did not get better for me, in fact, I got much worse.  I am approaching 2 full years of bedridden hell.  That's correct, I have severe brain and CNS damage.  Would it be better if I lied to you? 

 

Because guess what? I felt I was lied to here!  And I had no one to turn to.  Is BenzoBuddies sanitized?  Of course!  While the sugar-coating does help some, it didn't for me.

 

My advice to you...just keep cutting.  That's what I did.  I promised myself no matter how bad it got, I would just keep shaving those pills. But I was fortunate.  My husband had a mild/moderate withdrawal and was able to be my caregiver. 

 

It all depends on how badly you want off this crap.

 

 

I don't know about the 'heal as you go' theory either, although it makes sense theoretically that if you reduce the benzo slowly, the receptors should begin to up-regulate.  I haven't read anything that indicates the 'experts' know for sure either.

 

I don't see much sugar-coating or sanitizing going on here.  I see a lot of really raw and unpleasant stuff.