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

[[ma...]]

SOOO I am down to one little piece of xanax about every 2 days. I cannot believe that I made it this far there was a time when I never thought that I could do this the days of total anxiousness,and all the other sx that I felt. I know I could prob just stop now but after a couple days i just still get this weird feeling come over me so i take that tiny piece.

 

I am not even sure it is big enough to do anything but it helps. I am soooo thankful for sticking this out and not taking anymore pills that they were prescribing me. I feel soo much better.

 

If I can help anyone in anyway please let me know you can do this slow is the way.

 

Thank you all again who have helped and supported me on this site I will forever be thankful.

[[Ch...]]

SOOO I am down to one little piece of xanax about every 2 days. I cannot believe that I made it this far there was a time when I never thought that I could do this the days of total anxiousness,and all the other sx that I felt. I know I could prob just stop now but after a couple days i just still get this weird feeling come over me so i take that tiny piece.

 

I am not even sure it is big enough to do anything but it helps. I am soooo thankful for sticking this out and not taking anymore pills that they were prescribing me. I feel soo much better.

 

If I can help anyone in anyway please let me know you can do this slow is the way.

 

Thank you all again who have helped and supported me on this site I will forever be thankful.

 

Oh Marley, this is just awesome to read.  Yes, you probably could just stop but take your time and be comfortable about it.  You're there.  It's very exciting to read that you're feeling much better...most of us are feeling about our worst at this point. 

 

Take care... Challis  :smitten:

[[Ch...]]

So I haven't checked in for awhile.  Since I had surgery I haven't been online much.  Most of the pain in my right leg is gone, so WHEW!  I was freaking out, because it was much worse than the pain for which I originally had surgery.  Doc said the nerves become seriously inflamed after being compressed as bad as they had been, and the pain shoots up and starts going back down after the 2nd-3rd week, so it would seem I'm right on target.  I also didn't have any problem with antibiotics affecting me or my taper, so that's good as well.

 

I made my last cut a couple of days ago, so I'm now I'm down to .0625mg.  I'm probably going to stay here for about 10 days.  Then I might eat a few smaller pieces for a few days before I jump.  eeeeeeeeee!  I can't wait to be done with this!  It's so close now!

 

Namaste.

 

~K      :smitten:

 

Good to hear from you!  I think pain management is harder when our CNSs are so sensitive... everything feels stronger than usual. 

Last cut!!!!  Yahooooooooo!

 

Chal  :smitten:

[[Ch...]]

I'm not feeling so great 

 

What's going on...or is it letting up today?

[[Ch...]]

I'm assuming you're using a miligram scale. The way I do mine is crush the pill (or section of the pill) on a plate or in a bowl. Then weigh 1/2 an empty gel cap and tare the scale so that it reads '0.000'. Then scoop a bit of power into the gel cap and weigh that until you get the desired amount. If anybody needs help with the math (percents and cross multiplying fractions) I can either show you how to do it or do it for you. Feel free to PM me.

 

Hi TSO,

Thanks for offering the math help.  I've made a couple of math errors here that were fortunately caught by the next poster(s).  The only thing I'd say is to be sure to put any tapering help, including math, on the open forum and that way if there was some sort of error it would be caught. 

Challis 

[[Tr...]]

I'm not feeling so great 

 

What's going on...or is it letting up today?

 

Feelin better today. We'll see how tonight goes.

I'm assuming you're using a miligram scale. The way I do mine is crush the pill (or section of the pill) on a plate or in a bowl. Then weigh 1/2 an empty gel cap and tare the scale so that it reads '0.000'. Then scoop a bit of power into the gel cap and weigh that until you get the desired amount. If anybody needs help with the math (percents and cross multiplying fractions) I can either show you how to do it or do it for you. Feel free to PM me.

 

Hi TSO,

Thanks for offering the math help.  I've made a couple of math errors here that were fortunately caught by the next poster(s).  The only thing I'd say is to be sure to put any tapering help, including math, on the open forum and that way if there was some sort of error it would be caught. 

Challis 

 

Most definitely I will post pictures of how I got to my answer if I post any math help. 

[[Ch...]]

I'm not feeling so great 

 

What's going on...or is it letting up today?

 

Feelin better today. We'll see how tonight goes.

I'm assuming you're using a miligram scale. The way I do mine is crush the pill (or section of the pill) on a plate or in a bowl. Then weigh 1/2 an empty gel cap and tare the scale so that it reads '0.000'. Then scoop a bit of power into the gel cap and weigh that until you get the desired amount. If anybody needs help with the math (percents and cross multiplying fractions) I can either show you how to do it or do it for you. Feel free to PM me.

 

Hi TSO,

Thanks for offering the math help.  I've made a couple of math errors here that were fortunately caught by the next poster(s).  The only thing I'd say is to be sure to put any tapering help, including math, on the open forum and that way if there was some sort of error it would be caught. 

Challis 

 

Most definitely I will post pictures of how I got to my answer if I post any math help.

 

Oh no, you don't have to do that... I only meant post the answer on the open forum, not in a PM if someone asks for math help via PM.

[[Tr...]]

@ Challis Ok.

[[Tr...]]

I had such an awful panic attack when I realized I lost my debit card last night. I searched high and low but could not find it. I'm still giving the .05mg/day a try and I haven't taken any today which added to the anxiety attack. I was thinking about taking it during this whole thing but I decided I shouldn't be reaching for the bottle and should be learning how to cope with this crap on my own. So far so good. I'm still thinking about that .05mgs though. What are some good techniques to calm yourself down during an anxiety attack that don't involve drugs? I gave the breathing thing a try and that seemed to help a little.

[[mr...]]

Yes, the 4-7-8 breathing is very helpful: in for four counts, hold for seven, out for eight. Works a-okay Also, just remembering / reminding yourself over & over that you are OKAY and SAFE - sometimes saying it over & over is helpful. Also some people find the EFT technique called "tapping" to be helpful as well - you could look that up. I've heard others using something called "body scanning" on YouTube; I have not used this one though, so I can't "attest" to that one personally

 

Our CNSs are sensitive post-withdrawal, even though we may feel "good" or "normal" when everything is "normal". It can kinda catch us "off-guard" when its like that, too! But, it will heal and resolve with time

 

Good for you, for not reaching for a bottle! I hope you feel 100% soon

 

Mrs.

[[va...]]

I posted this in the gabapentin group but so far no one has commented, so I'm going to ask here as well, in case here has also had some experience with gabapentin/neurontin.

 

I'm at my last cut tapering off xanax, and I just had back surgery a couple of weeks ago.  I had severely compressed nerves from two cysts on one of my discs.  The surgeon removed the cysts, but I've been having pretty bad pain still because the nerves are still inflamed.  My doc prescribed gabapentin and said it would help calm the nerves down.  I only need to take it for a short while, maybe a week or two (hopefully).  How will that affect my taper, and is it particularly hard to stop after using it for just a coupe of weeks?  I never had a problem CTing any drug until I tried it with xanax.  My taper so far has been relatively easy, and I'll be jumping soon.  I'm now at the lowest dose before I jump.  Any information about gabapentin will be greatly appreciated!

 

Namaste.

 

~K   

[Guest [ga...]]

I posted this in the gabapentin group but so far no one has commented, so I'm going to ask here as well, in case here has also had some experience with gabapentin/neurontin.

 

I'm at my last cut tapering off xanax, and I just had back surgery a couple of weeks ago.  I had severely compressed nerves from two cysts on one of my discs.  The surgeon removed the cysts, but I've been having pretty bad pain still because the nerves are still inflamed.  My doc prescribed gabapentin and said it would help calm the nerves down.  I only need to take it for a short while, maybe a week or two (hopefully).  How will that affect my taper, and is it particularly hard to stop after using it for just a coupe of weeks?  I never had a problem CTing any drug until I tried it with xanax.  My taper so far has been relatively easy, and I'll be jumping soon.  I'm now at the lowest dose before I jump.  Any information about gabapentin will be greatly appreciated!

 

Namaste.

 

~K 

 

I have used gabapentin for nerve pain. I found it made me tired and unfocused. I weaned off of it pretty easily even though I had had a bad time weaning off of SSRI's in the past. It didn't help my nerve pain much, though. My father, however, found it did help his nerve pain when he had pretty severe osteoporosis. Sorry, I haven't touched it since and don't know how gabapentin and xanax would effect each other.

 

Just as a general note, my psychiatrist told me to wean off only one drug at a time. Also, might not be a bad idea to pause your xanax taper when you start the gabapentin. If you have some kind of reaction while you are adding one and subtracting the other, you won't know what's causing it. Just my 2 cents based on my experience with other meds.

[[VC...]]

Hello tapering/healing friends,

 

I've not been here much lately because, frankly, I'm going through a lot at home and not able to be on the forum as often. Could you help me figure something out?

 

I'll soon have reduced 1/3 of my benzo, making it to 0.5mg Xanax. Started at 0.75mg late April '14 in 200ml water. Micro-taper, pulling .3-.4ml daily but would like to speed things up since I'm stable.

 

Can I recalculate a spreadsheet using .5mg tab, or either prepare TWO separate spreadsheets? --one for night dose, the other for 3 daily doses. I figure I could hold the tiny day doses while cutting my bedtime dose (until they're all equal).

 

I've already been told I should've made all 4 doses equal from the start. But I didn't. I chose to maintain my larger sleep dose. But I did updose last year as you suggested, moving a chunk over to the daytime so as to have 4 total doses. It's taken me nearly 10 months to reduce that "updose" amount. Which brings me (finally) to 0.5mg now. While the tiny day doses aren't doing much for me; neither are they a problem. But it might become a problem, the smaller they get, I dunno. 

 

To note: I have both .5mg tabs and plenty .25mg tabs to use.

 

1) My bedtime dose has always been significantly larger.

 

2) The (3) daytime doses are now pretty much fairydust.

 

Either I even them out finally (and how?) with the risk of sleep disruption, which I can't afford since I'm looking for work, or I try TWO tapers where I reduce only the bedtime dose while holding my daytime fairydust until they're all equal....THEN reduce all the way down equally.

 

Do you have a better idea? Or could I feasibly keep going like I'm going?

 

Please, no lectures about what I *should* have done last year. I know people who took larger sleep doses until they weaned off the day doses, but I don't  understand how interdose w/d doesn't start up again, doing that.

 

So I melt 0.75mg in 200ml water, divide that in half...save one half for bedtime...divide the other half in 3 parts for day doses. I just eyeball when pouring the doses. It's been pretty simple. 

 

Current approx. doses:

 

0.265mg at bedtime

0.088mg at 7a-12:30p-5:30p

---------------------------------

0.530mg daily total (approx)

 

Depressed and kinda foggy today. So thanks for your input.

 

Please bear in mind I had an awful year of HPA axis dysregulation and can't afford to mess up my system with abrupt changes. Sleep's usually pretty decent, except when stressors pile up. Feeling rather stressed on no sleep right now.

 

Thanks,

V.

 

 

[[mr...]]

(((((VC)))))

 

Good to "see" you! Just my "two cents worth", of course, but I kinda like your idea of holding your daytime doses for a bit and just taking a "stab" at your nightly dose for a time period. How you chose to do that is entirely up to you You could also try moving to two doses per day, and eliminating some "hassle" of four doses. It is hard to say if you'll have interdose issues again. It is IMO that once you get low enough, it eventually won't matter. What does "low enough" mean? Well, that's different for everyone ,But you'll figure out what you need to do for you, love My thoughts are with you through this next transition you make; you will do great, I truly believe that. Two "taper" rules I had for myself were: listen to my body, and move "low & slow" This was just me personally, of course, but they did serve me well

 

Congratulations on your progress, you have much to be proud of V I hope you continue to do well as you make your walk along your journey to benzo freedom! Please do keep in touch, if you feel the desire of course! I know that I do so enjoy hearing from you

 

Mrs.

[Guest [ga...]]

Congratulations Oz!  Please keep us posted as to how you are doing 

 

Gardner - I'm one of the few peeps on this forum who uses Seroquel.  I was in acute w/d or interdose or something for 3 months.  It was horrific and I was unable to work.  Being the main breadwinner for our family, I had to do something.  I cannot take AD's, they drive me a bit over the edge.  My only option to stabilize (and sleep) was Seroquel.  I only take 75mg per night and it works well for me.  In addition to helping me sleep, it also squashed the anxiety in the day.  It will still crop up if I'm under a lot of stress, but generally day to day, the Seroquel has been a blessing.  I did NOT want to take it.  I'd read all the horror stories on the internet about it.  My doc assured me that side effects are dose dependent.  Our original plan was to get me up to a 'therapeudic dose' which is about 200mg.  We started at 100mg immediate release taken at bedtime.  That was too sedating, so I cut back to 75mg and have been on that for over a year.  My taper has been very uneventful compared to some on this forum.  I don't know if I'm one of the lucky ones or the Seroquel is helping with my w/d symptoms.  I have to believe it's the Seroquel, because without it, I was a complete mess.  Quivering, mind racing all over the place, stress puking, burning face, VERY little sleep and the list goes on.  So for me, the Seroquel has worked.  My doc was very surprised at the effect since I'm not at what the medical world would consider a 'therapeudic dose'.  But he is very happy for me.  Interestingly, my white blood cell count went down which I've read can occur.  I haven't been sick yet, so I don't know the significance of that.

 

So there's my story with Seroquel for what it's worth.

 

Good luck with your taper and please keep us posted with how it goes 

 

Thanks so much. I also was in awful inter-dose w/d taking xanax at bedtime for 3 months. Didn't know why I kept getting worse and worse until found a new doctor who changed my dosing schedule. That helped tremendously with the w/d. But now I take less X at bedtime and get very little sleep. I have been delaying trying the seroquel until my daughter comes home from college tonight to sort of babysit me. I am so drop dead exhausted that I may end up hospitalized if the seroquel doesn't work. I'm tall but very thin. Doctor wants me to start with 25mg tablet or even half of that. I have history of bad reactions to meds, so I am happy dd will be here tonight and tomorrow to keep an eye on me.

[[Tr...]]

Its a minor set back but I did end up having to go back to around .25 Thursday-Sat (tnite). I'm on a vacation of sorts seeing a lot of live music and I could not stand the withdrawl symptoms. I'll continue a slower taper from .05-.10mg when I return home.

[[VC...]]

Good to "see" you! Just my "two cents worth", of course, but I kinda like your idea of holding your daytime doses for a bit and just taking a "stab" at your nightly dose for a time period. How you chose to do that is entirely up to you You could also try moving to two doses per day, and eliminating some "hassle" of four doses. It is hard to say if you'll have interdose issues again. It is IMO that once you get low enough, it eventually won't matter. What does "low enough" mean? Well, that's different for everyone ,But you'll figure out what you need to do for you, love My thoughts are with you through this next transition you make; you will do great, I truly believe that. Two "taper" rules I had for myself were: listen to my body, and move "low & slow" This was just me personally, of course, but they did serve me well

 

Congratulations on your progress, you have much to be proud of V I hope you continue to do well as you make your walk along your journey to benzo freedom! Please do keep in touch, if you feel the desire of course! I know that I do so enjoy hearing from you

 

Mrs.

 

Good to see you here, Mrs., and thanks so much for the greeting and encouragement. 

 

I'm under a ton of stress, can't think straight, so please forgive if I'm redundant. A few specifics before I decide would really help. 

 

Not exactly sure how to move doses over safely. How would I handle going to two daily doses? The bedtime dose is easy - but the other 3? Just lump 'em all together? Another silly question: Would I continue using 200ml for the bedtime (.25mg) taper? (6-7 mo.taper if pulling 1ml daily). And another 200ml for the remaining day doses (.25mg/3) if I keep all 4?

 

What if I get to 0.5mg and want to go with TWO doses only?  Do I continue half for bedtime; half in 12 hrs - abruptly like that? I'd be in for some CNS hiccups, I'm sure. Otherwise, how does one safely move doses over, or combine them? See? Not sure. Inquiring minds 

 

Need the 'how-to' before I decide which route is best in my situation. Thanks for all the great tips.

 

Also, I'm a spreadsheet kinda girl, so I'd want two separate spreadsheets if I kept all 4 doses (one for bedtime, the other 3 for the day). Think I can make those myself online. 

 

Thanks so much,

 

VC 

 

Current approx. doses:

0.265mg at bedtime

0.088mg at 7a-12:30p-5:30p

---------------------------------

0.530mg daily total (approx)

 

 

[[sa...]]

Hi guys,

 

I am starting to get really nervous as I go down and thinking about cutting one of my 4 doses in possibly a week and a half. I am currently at .03125 4 times a day. I am going to plan to go to half of .03125, roughly .012,  4 times a day and then start eliminating doses.

 

The only real symptom that bothers me is weird skin sensations. Cold sometimes, itchy sometimes and kind of tingly others, but it does bother me. Tolerable, but bothersome. Not enough to stop me though.

 

I know it's normal to be scared to start taking out doses and eventually jump, but sometimes I get very, very nervous. It's a Saturday and I usually feel a lot better during the work week when I am working, because I am distracted.

 

Guess I'm looking for words of encouragement and thoughts from people who have dropped dose before and jumped.

[[th...]]

Hi guys,

 

I am starting to get really nervous as I go down and thinking about cutting one of my 4 doses in possibly a week and a half. I am currently at .03125 4 times a day. I am going to plan to go to half of .03125, roughly .012,  4 times a day and then start eliminating doses.

 

The only real symptom that bothers me is weird skin sensations. Cold sometimes, itchy sometimes and kind of tingly others, but it does bother me. Tolerable, but bothersome. Not enough to stop me though.

 

I know it's normal to be scared to start taking out doses and eventually jump, but sometimes I get very, very nervous. It's a Saturday and I usually feel a lot better during the work week when I am working, because I am distracted.

 

Guess I'm looking for words of encouragement and thoughts from people who have dropped dose before and jumped.

 

Well you know I have! I had a very rough time with the drop from 2 doses to one...but kept going and jumped. It was rough for a couple weeks but it's worth it to get off!! You just have to push thru bud! I am glad you aren't having terrible wd now, you might just be ok coming down  . Just make up your mind that no matter what hits you, you will be ok and can keep going. Good job!!

 

G 

[[sa...]]

Thanks G ! I needed to hear words like that. I feel like such a wimp sometimes. So many people are suffering far, far worse than me. So I hesitate to ask for support here at BB's. So it's nice to get some. Really nice.

 

I am not having horrible symptoms.The skin irritation sucks, but not horrible.  I think the anticipation or worry about what might happen is worse than the actual symptoms. Your right though, even if it gets worse for awhile, it's worth it to get off this crap.

 

I do want to be careful though. I was going to wait another few weeks before cutting out doses, but might speed it up to as soon as a week and a half.

 

 

[[th...]]

Thanks G ! I needed to hear words like that. I feel like such a wimp sometimes. So many people are suffering far, far worse than me. So I hesitate to ask for support here at BB's. So it's nice to get some. Really nice.

 

I am not having horrible symptoms.The skin irritation sucks, but not horrible.  I think the anticipation or worry about what might happen is worse than the actual symptoms. Your right though, even if it gets worse for awhile, it's worth it to get off this crap.

 

I do want to be careful though. I was going to wait another few weeks before cutting out doses, but might speed it up to as soon as a week and a half.

 

[[VC...]]

I am not having horrible symptoms.The skin irritation sucks, but not horrible.  I think the anticipation or worry about what might happen is worse than the actual symptoms. Your right though, even if it gets worse for awhile, it's worth it to get off this crap.

 

Saul, so glad your SXs are not horrible. You can totally rock this. Hang in there.

The worry/anticipation IS worse than what actually happens. You said it. And I, too, need to remember that.

But steady wins the race. 

 

V 

[[sa...]]

Thank you. The weekends are sometimes harder for me. During the weekdays being busy with work helps a lot! I plan to start eliminating one of the doses in about 2 and a half weeks. I think I said a week and a half to Grinch, but I meant two and a half.

 

So far, after every cut , I have not felt worse, just less and less sedation, so my regular worry is coming through. But after I am off for a couple of weeks, that worry will go away. I need to try to do more things to distract myself on the weekends and the weekdays take care of themselves with work.

 

Thanks for the support!

[[VC...]]

Saul, you're so welcome. You seem in tune with this process and, yes, distraction is a good help when worry kicks in. Weekends can be a challenge but let me know how you handle this. Do you enjoy movies? Just think of how much closer you're getting to freedom each day. I haven't been able to follow this group in awhile but hopefully will check in more often. Take good care, Saul. 

 

My love and support for everyone here.

 

~ V.

[[Tr...]]

Alright time to get back on track this week. I took the doses down too fast before and it lead to some pretty bad withdrawl and social anxiety. I'm going to slowly cut down from .34