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

[[ga...]]

 

Thanks for sharing. I know some people have trouble crossing over. My problem with the Xanax is I need to dose it 6 times a day. My life revolves around it. I have read that you should try to take the dose the same way (such as with food or not) and at the same time and I'm finding that impossible while dosing so often. It was originally prescribed for sleep at .5mg. It worked about a month, then I started to get inter-dose withdrawal really bad and stopped sleeping. Clueless prescriber just kept upping my nighttime dose until I became a complete wreck, switched prescribers, and was told I needed to dose at least 4 times a day. Tried 4. Tried 5. Finally was OK on 6. Tapered down to where I am with great difficulty.

 

My kids are in college. My son had to drop out a semester to take care of me. He's starting again in the fall. He has become depressed and anxious over me and hardly eats these days. It is watching him suffer that is making me think I need to make a change. We are broke since my husband walked out in the middle of my illness. Getting my kids through college and financially secure is our only hope since I cannot work due to multiple health problems. I will run out of all of my savings, retirement, everything, in less than 2 years. My kids cannot quit college now to take care of me. They have to keep going so I have to be able to take care of myself. I was doing OK up until about a month ago, but have been bad since then and making almost no progress and wondering if the straight taper off of Xanax is a bad plan.

 

Would you have any idea why some people are helped by the switch and some aren't or are made worse? And, I have read that if you stick with Xanax, your post-withdrawal syndrome will be shorter. Do you think that's true? So many people are saying so many different things. I sleep little and have a hard time sorting it out many days.

 

BTW, I was thinking of crossing over to Librium because Xanax and Librium use the same liver enzyme to break them down, at least the first level. Can't find more than that.

 

Thanks.

 

The body and mind are funny things, especially with meds. Regardless of what meds you are taking, the body and mind react differently for each individual. For example, just in my personal life, I have had friends CT xanax after years of use and had ZERO side effects or WD. I have also been on Cymbalta bc my own brother has had really good luck with it for body pain, I went crazy and almost killed myself, then proceeded to have severe facial jerks and stuttering for months after. I also have been on Lexapro and did Ok with it. My friend had an affair, went totally manic and was admitted to the psych ward while on it. These are just a few examples of how medicines effect people differently. Must be something in the biology. I too was just on 1 mg for menopausal insomnia, it stopped working at about a year. Got really sick (but didn't know about interdose, nor did any of the dozen drs I saw) and a uneducated psych dr upped my dose to 6 mgs. I was too sick to argue, just wanted to sleep and have relief. Well, it only worked for a few months before it all came crashing down and was worse than ever.

 

Sorry to hear about your situation. We were homeless living with our 3 teenage kids for a while after I had to quit my job because I got so sick but always had friends or family to stay with. And my husband has been amazing, so I am grateful for that. He took care of everything!! Including me! Tell him I think he's wonderful! I agree with you that your child should be making his way in the world and not stopping to take care of you. I understand how you would want that to change. I commend you for looking for ways to fix that. I don't know why things work out with a cross-over for some and not others. In reality, I bet it works far more often than not. It helps with dosing and the interdose wd. I took Xanax 4 x day and that was really hard to work around if we went anywhere. So I get the frustration with dosing multiple times. I don't know anything about Librium, so I can't speak to that one. All anyone can do is take a look at their situation and find the right path. Maybe a cross-over is best for you. But a correct cross-over takes time. Make sure you do it right or you will find yourself possibly in a harder WD state. DO NOT DO A DIRECT CROSS OVER, where you stop one CT and start the other. I talked to my prescriber's nurse today and she said the doc would agree that a direct switch was not the way to go.Thank heavens! Typically the new benzo does not sufficiently cover the old benzo and this can cause a person to feel like they CT'd off the old one. Make sure your doctor knows what he is doing.

 

I don't know why short-acting benzos seem to have less acute and recovery time after the jump. That was one thing I heard that made me stay with Xanax. But that is also an individual thing. I am 5 ms post jump from Xanax and I have a feeling it will be a good 5 more ms before I get relief. So it isn't always the case, regardless of the kind of benzo. I think that is one of the biggest issues, all the variables and individual responses. It can become a confusing world to navigate (especially when docs don't understand or know anything) and coming up with the right solution or path to follow becomes uncertain. It is hard for a lot of bbs to decide what path they want to take.

 

I hope if you decide to cross over it make things a little more bearable for you! At least where you can continue to taper off.

 

G

the other G

[[ga...]]

I'm so discouraged that I can't find any people on BB who have successfully tapered from as high of a dose as I was on (8mg/day for many years - xanax at some dose for 24 years) to all the way benzo free.  I just feel like there isn't hope for me.  I'm currently at 7mg and already it's been difficult.    I am really glad that I found this group, though.  It's been helpful.  Thank you for that.

 

BP,

 

Back when I was an active member of this thread and still tapering, there was a gal that I became good buddies with. Her username was Hopefulgirl. Anyways, she tapered from 11mgs per day, all the way to zero straight from xanax. She is over a year off and healing well! She's not very active here these days, but her & I keep up All is good with her!

 

Hope this is helpful for you!! All things are possible to those who believe, friend

 

Mrs.

 

This is so incredibly helpful for me.  THANK YOU!!!  I really needed to hear this today.  Maybe I can find her blog or posts she made.  That would help.  Thank you again.  Today hasn't been great, but I want to try to stay very positive.  <3

 

I'd like to suggest you check out the micro-tapering support thread for a gentler way to taper. The group tends to be positive, helpful people who are focused on success. This is a slow-and-steady-wins-the-race group. The guy who started it just jumped!

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=135284.0;topicseen

[[So...]]

I'm just looking to actually connect with some people.  I may just suck at navigating these forum boards and I'm new:

 

So, I've been on the same dosage for about 5 years.  I've cheated maybe 20 times after (or during) a nasty alcohol binge, but for the most part I've been so scared of turning of becoming MORE addicted that I've pretty much stuck to the Rx plan.

 

Originally, it was 0.5 mg 4X/day.  Recently, I was switched to the XR version after about the 5th visit to a psychiatrist who I've been seeing for the sole purpose to get OFF of this drug.  It's the last drug left that I'm taking after years of antidepressants.  Last fall, I stopped taking Cymbalta for the third time.  It's not a fun withdrawal ride, but nothing compares to the hell of the benzo withdrawals.

 

After the last few months, I've felt like I was either a) going insane or b) dying.  I feel like shit all the time and my brain is constantly foggy and slow.  While all of this is happening, I have a very stressful job running a company with 100+ employees.  Come to find out, I'm not dying (might still be going crazy).  But, it just so happens that my benzo tolerance is at a point where I'm in a constant state of withdrawal.  I wasn't medically-diagnosed as such.  I discovered this from this blessing of a a website.

 

So, after discovering what probably would be a no brainer to the members of this forum (and hopefully most medical professionals but none that I encountered) since I'm already in a constant state of withdrawal, I might as well start to taper off this bitch!

 

Today, I went down to 1.5mg.  I took 1 mg this AM and a 0.5mg at 6pm.  I've been crawling out of my skin from about noon until 6pm.  Almost 90 minutes later, I can actually construct a sentence.  Tomorrow, I plan to split up 0.5mg three times vs. the 2 time dosage so still getting the 1.5mg which is 0.5mg less than what I've been taking.

 

This might be a big leap.  It's certainly not an exact science because I'm cutting up XR tablets (which is pretty stupid but all I have) with a paring knife.  Next time I'll be smart enough to use a razor blade.

 

Anyway, sadly, today got really painful before I popped by 6pm dosage, but because I've felt so crappy for so long, the symptoms were the same...just more acute.  I was beyond irritable.  I couldn't focus on anything.  My muscles would twitch.  I was projecting into the future with hopeless thoughts that I would feel like this forever.  I worried incessantly that I would feel like this permanently and be forced back into meds just to navigate daily life.  I was an asshole to people because I feel like shit.  I wasn't productive.  I procrastinated most everything because I couldn't get shit done.  Now, I just need to eat a healthy dinner and hope that I can sleep.  I don't know if it's advised, but I'll probably pop a 3mg melatonin before bedtime if only for the placebo effect.  Tomorrow will be a new day.

[[ga...]]

I'm just looking to actually connect with some people.  I may just suck at navigating these forum boards and I'm new:

 

So, I've been on the same dosage for about 5 years.  I've cheated maybe 20 times after (or during) a nasty alcohol binge, but for the most part I've been so scared of turning of becoming MORE addicted that I've pretty much stuck to the Rx plan.

 

Originally, it was 0.5 mg 4X/day.  Recently, I was switched to the XR version after about the 5th visit to a psychiatrist who I've been seeing for the sole purpose to get OFF of this drug.  It's the last drug left that I'm taking after years of antidepressants.  Last fall, I stopped taking Cymbalta for the third time.  It's not a fun withdrawal ride, but nothing compares to the hell of the benzo withdrawals.

 

After the last few months, I've felt like I was either a) going insane or b) dying.  I feel like shit all the time and my brain is constantly foggy and slow.  While all of this is happening, I have a very stressful job running a company with 100+ employees.  Come to find out, I'm not dying (might still be going crazy).  But, it just so happens that my benzo tolerance is at a point where I'm in a constant state of withdrawal.  I wasn't medically-diagnosed as such.  I discovered this from this blessing of a a website.

 

So, after discovering what probably would be a no brainer to the members of this forum (and hopefully most medical professionals but none that I encountered) since I'm already in a constant state of withdrawal, I might as well start to taper off this bitch!

 

Today, I went down to 1.5mg.  I took 1 mg this AM and a 0.5mg at 6pm.  I've been crawling out of my skin from about noon until 6pm.  Almost 90 minutes later, I can actually construct a sentence.  Tomorrow, I plan to split up 0.5mg three times vs. the 2 time dosage so still getting the 1.5mg which is 0.5mg less than what I've been taking.

 

This might be a big leap.  It's certainly not an exact science because I'm cutting up XR tablets (which is pretty stupid but all I have) with a paring knife.  Next time I'll be smart enough to use a razor blade.

 

Anyway, sadly, today got really painful before I popped by 6pm dosage, but because I've felt so crappy for so long, the symptoms were the same...just more acute.  I was beyond irritable.  I couldn't focus on anything.  My muscles would twitch.  I was projecting into the future with hopeless thoughts that I would feel like this forever.  I worried incessantly that I would feel like this permanently and be forced back into meds just to navigate daily life.  I was an asshole to people because I feel like shit.  I wasn't productive.  I procrastinated most everything because I couldn't get shit done.  Now, I just need to eat a healthy dinner and hope that I can sleep.  I don't know if it's advised, but I'll probably pop a 3mg melatonin before bedtime if only for the placebo effect.  Tomorrow will be a new day.

 

Sorry, I don't know much about XR, but I do know that the cut you just made was HUGE. Most people cut no more than 10% at a time. Some only 5%. If you just did this today and you think you are coming unglued you have 2 choices, gut it out or reinstate and go slower. I have read that reinstating must be done fairly quickly to work or you might just make yourself worse.

 

Taking 3 equal doses rather than 2 very different doses is a good idea.

 

I also seem to recall that people switch to regular Xanax to taper, but I'm not totally sure about that. It may be because when you are cutting your XR you are messing with it's XR-ness.You will need to cut and cut it and risk getting a different XR effect each time.

 

Hopefully a more experienced person will chime in here. I'm rather a newbie myself.

[[Ch...]]

I would put the brakes on the taper for the moment if I were doing this.  I tapered from 2mg of Xanax (Alprazolam) and .5mg cut would have turned me every which way but loose.  That's a 25% cut and in my opinion far too aggressive.

 

Can you ask your doctor to prescribe .25mg Alprazolam instead?  That makes it ideal for making smaller and more accurate cuts.  I don't think you can use the XR for tapering unless you use liquid titration, and I'm not sure you can even do that…you'd need to post in Titration to see if anyone knows how to titrate XR or if it's possible.

 

Take my word for this, it's not worth starting your taper on a rough note like this.  It won't get better…well, it's not likely to get better as you go.

 

The forum is quiet at the moment, but others will be by and weigh in as well.  Might take a day or two.  But until then, I hope you'll decide to wait and approach this differently.  I don't think this will go well the way you're planning it.

[[ga...]]

I would put the brakes on the taper for the moment if I were doing this.  I tapered from 2mg of Xanax (Alprazolam) and .5mg cut would have turned me every which way but loose.  That's a 25% cut and in my opinion far too aggressive.

 

Can you ask your doctor to prescribe .25mg Alprazolam instead?  That makes it ideal for making smaller and more accurate cuts.  I don't think you can use the XR for tapering unless you use liquid titration, and I'm not sure you can even do that…you'd need to post in Titration to see if anyone knows how to titrate XR or if it's possible.

 

Take my word for this, it's not worth starting your taper on a rough note like this.  It won't get better…well, it's not likely to get better as you go.

 

The forum is quiet at the moment, but others will be by and weigh in as well.  Might take a day or two.  But until then, I hope you'll decide to wait and approach this differently.  I don't think this will go well the way you're planning it.

 

Absolutely! :thumbsup:

[[So...]]

Thanks to both of you. It's also helpful to see and know that you're way ahead of me with this thing. 

 

Trust me, with the way I feel, it doesn't require much arm twisting to get me to pop another pill.  Per your suggestions, here's the list of options I'm considering:

 

1)  Contact Doc to get regular Alprazolam (not the XR) and then restart the taper with a much less aggressive dry cuts.  Request my old 0.5mg 4X/day dosage.  He'll probably remind me that he put me on the XR to hamper the acute 4 hour withdrawals but I'll need to let him know it's not working.  Then, I'll be essentially starting the taper at the same place I've been.  However, I've already been withdrawing incessantly since my tolerance has increased (5 years consecutive use) without increasing my dosage.

 

2)  Stay tapering where I am now and get on the 0.5 mg XR and take 3/day and I'll be getting a full pill without messing with the XR-iness. 

 

3)  Either way, I'll have to wait until the end of the month when the Rx is up since my insurance company nor pharmacy will release any more than one prescribed amount of benzos within a 30 day period.

 

I just hate to wait another 25 days since I'm already motivated to get rocking.  However, if you're saying I'm going to continue to feel exactly like this for many many more days, I'm happy to wait and go much less aggressive. 

 

Also, I know that you see all kinds of people come and go on these blogs and it's so much appreciated that you would even take the time to read my stuff. I've felt so alone with all of this and so confused that something was seriously wrong with me for so long, it's just refreshing to actually connect with people about it.  I hope I can return the favor someday. 

[[ga...]]

Thanks to both of you. It's also helpful to see and know that you're way ahead of me with this thing. 

 

Trust me, with the way I feel, it doesn't require much arm twisting to get me to pop another pill.  Per your suggestions, here's the list of options I'm considering:

 

1)  Contact Doc to get regular Alprazolam (not the XR) and then restart the taper with a much less aggressive dry cuts.  Request my old 0.5mg 4X/day dosage.  He'll probably remind me that he put me on the XR to hamper the acute 4 hour withdrawals but I'll need to let him know it's not working.  Then, I'll be essentially starting the taper at the same place I've been.  However, I've already been withdrawing incessantly since my tolerance has increased (5 years consecutive use) without increasing my dosage.

 

2)  Stay tapering where I am now and get on the 0.5 mg XR and take 3/day and I'll be getting a full pill without messing with the XR-iness. 

 

3)  Either way, I'll have to wait until the end of the month when the Rx is up since my insurance company nor pharmacy will release any more than one prescribed amount of benzos within a 30 day period.

 

I just hate to wait another 25 days since I'm already motivated to get rocking.  However, if you're saying I'm going to continue to feel exactly like this for many many more days, I'm happy to wait and go much less aggressive. 

 

Also, I know that you see all kinds of people come and go on these blogs and it's so much appreciated that you would even take the time to read my stuff. I've felt so alone with all of this and so confused that something was seriously wrong with me for so long, it's just refreshing to actually connect with people about it.  I hope I can return the favor someday.

 

Some day you will feel better and you will return the favor!

 

Knowing how long it took me to get over my way-too-big-cut, I would step backwards to your 1mg plus 1mg XR and hold there until you feel better. But that's because I am paranoid because I ended up in a psych ward from aggressively cutting. I got so bad I could not eat or sleep or function and had no one at home to take care of me, so I checked myself into a hospital. I would not recommend that, by the way. They tried to cold turkey detox me. I checked myself back out again and just went home and suffered, barely functioning for a week and then suffered functioning for 4 more weeks before I began to have windows and feel like I was going to make it. I have learned my lesson and am cutting much, much more patiently!

 

For your next prescription, you could try switching to regular Xanax and then dividing the same amount into 5 doses. I will tell you how to do this easily and accurately. (The exact same dose at the exact same time very day is important. Most people make sure they are doing this before they start their taper.) Switch to alprazolam intensol by Roxane. It is a liquid with 1mg=1ml. Your pharmacy can special order it for you. You will not be trying to guess-timate pill cutting. You will be measuring accurate liquid doses. Just make sure to look up online how to measure meds with an oral syringe and get all the bubbles out. If you can't find it, come back here and ask. It might be best to actually see it on a youtube video.

 

I use a 1ml oral syringe with marks at .02ml and actually divide my xanax into 6 doses. I only know one other person on the forum who has to dose that often. Five doses should be enough to make you feel well enough to taper. Remember, you are not taking more Xanax. You are dividing the same amount into smaller "pieces" so you can dose more often and not experience inter-dose withdrawal. Take your last dose as late as possible and keep your first one measured and next to your bed with a bottle of water to wash it down. (The stuff tastes nasty.) My oral syringes have little caps so you can measure your dose ahead and cap it. These are not syringes with needles. They are for giving liquid medicines orally, such as to a baby or a cat who doesn't want to take it so you stick it in their mouth and squirt it in. I buy them on amazon.

 

If you can't buy the liquid, you can make it. Just look at the liquid titration thread and ask questions. People dissolve their benzos in a small amount of 80 proof vodka and then dilute it with water and then measure it. The math is tricky, but the math gurus will help you with the math. Not me! I am not one of the math gurus!

 

Let us know what you decide and ask any questions. This thread has slow periods but more people will show up eventually and you will get more opinions. Remember, these are only opinions based on our own experiences and what we have learned from this forum. Each person must pay attention to his own body/brain and taper according to what works for him.

 

It's a long road but we are doing it and it will be worth it! 

 

P.S. I follow a few threads and this is one of them. There is a link to show "replies to your posts" so I come and look when I see a new post has been made. That works for me because I don't post on dozens of threads (on purpose because otherwise I get more mixed up than I already am!). Tapering off of Xanax can be tough and we X buddies need to stick together! That said, if I crash, I can be quiet. My crashes these days come from lack of sleep, which was why the Xanax was prescribed in the first place, severe insomnia. Naturally, as I get lower, the insomnia gets worse.

[[Mo...]]

I'm just looking to actually connect with some people.  I may just suck at navigating these forum boards and I'm new:

 

So, I've been on the same dosage for about 5 years.  I've cheated maybe 20 times after (or during) a nasty alcohol binge, but for the most part I've been so scared of turning of becoming MORE addicted that I've pretty much stuck to the Rx plan.

 

Originally, it was 0.5 mg 4X/day.  Recently, I was switched to the XR version after about the 5th visit to a psychiatrist who I've been seeing for the sole purpose to get OFF of this drug.  It's the last drug left that I'm taking after years of antidepressants.  Last fall, I stopped taking Cymbalta for the third time.  It's not a fun withdrawal ride, but nothing compares to the hell of the benzo withdrawals.

 

After the last few months, I've felt like I was either a) going insane or b) dying.  I feel like shit all the time and my brain is constantly foggy and slow.  While all of this is happening, I have a very stressful job running a company with 100+ employees.  Come to find out, I'm not dying (might still be going crazy).  But, it just so happens that my benzo tolerance is at a point where I'm in a constant state of withdrawal.  I wasn't medically-diagnosed as such.  I discovered this from this blessing of a a website.

 

So, after discovering what probably would be a no brainer to the members of this forum (and hopefully most medical professionals but none that I encountered) since I'm already in a constant state of withdrawal, I might as well start to taper off this bitch!

 

Today, I went down to 1.5mg.  I took 1 mg this AM and a 0.5mg at 6pm.  I've been crawling out of my skin from about noon until 6pm.  Almost 90 minutes later, I can actually construct a sentence.  Tomorrow, I plan to split up 0.5mg three times vs. the 2 time dosage so still getting the 1.5mg which is 0.5mg less than what I've been taking.

 

This might be a big leap.  It's certainly not an exact science because I'm cutting up XR tablets (which is pretty stupid but all I have) with a paring knife.  Next time I'll be smart enough to use a razor blade.

 

Anyway, sadly, today got really painful before I popped by 6pm dosage, but because I've felt so crappy for so long, the symptoms were the same...just more acute.  I was beyond irritable.  I couldn't focus on anything.  My muscles would twitch.  I was projecting into the future with hopeless thoughts that I would feel like this forever.  I worried incessantly that I would feel like this permanently and be forced back into meds just to navigate daily life.  I was an asshole to people because I feel like shit.  I wasn't productive.  I procrastinated most everything because I couldn't get shit done.  Now, I just need to eat a healthy dinner and hope that I can sleep.  I don't know if it's advised, but I'll probably pop a 3mg melatonin before bedtime if only for the placebo effect.  Tomorrow will be a new day.

 

 

I tapered off of Xanax XR.  My doctor gave me regular .25mg regular Xanax.  I replaced .5mg of the XR version with IR version and tapered around .0625mg per cut.  You are not suppose break the XR version because you really don't know what you are getting however there have been some people who did that on here because they had no other choice.  I would ask your doctor for some Xanax IR to help you taper at a slower rate.  You can look at my signature and see what I did.  Good Luck.

 

Monique

[[ga...]]

I'm just looking to actually connect with some people.  I may just suck at navigating these forum boards and I'm new:

 

So, I've been on the same dosage for about 5 years.  I've cheated maybe 20 times after (or during) a nasty alcohol binge, but for the most part I've been so scared of turning of becoming MORE addicted that I've pretty much stuck to the Rx plan.

 

Originally, it was 0.5 mg 4X/day.  Recently, I was switched to the XR version after about the 5th visit to a psychiatrist who I've been seeing for the sole purpose to get OFF of this drug.  It's the last drug left that I'm taking after years of antidepressants.  Last fall, I stopped taking Cymbalta for the third time.  It's not a fun withdrawal ride, but nothing compares to the hell of the benzo withdrawals.

 

After the last few months, I've felt like I was either a) going insane or b) dying.  I feel like shit all the time and my brain is constantly foggy and slow.  While all of this is happening, I have a very stressful job running a company with 100+ employees.  Come to find out, I'm not dying (might still be going crazy).  But, it just so happens that my benzo tolerance is at a point where I'm in a constant state of withdrawal.  I wasn't medically-diagnosed as such.  I discovered this from this blessing of a a website.

 

So, after discovering what probably would be a no brainer to the members of this forum (and hopefully most medical professionals but none that I encountered) since I'm already in a constant state of withdrawal, I might as well start to taper off this bitch!

 

Today, I went down to 1.5mg.  I took 1 mg this AM and a 0.5mg at 6pm.  I've been crawling out of my skin from about noon until 6pm.  Almost 90 minutes later, I can actually construct a sentence.  Tomorrow, I plan to split up 0.5mg three times vs. the 2 time dosage so still getting the 1.5mg which is 0.5mg less than what I've been taking.

 

This might be a big leap.  It's certainly not an exact science because I'm cutting up XR tablets (which is pretty stupid but all I have) with a paring knife.  Next time I'll be smart enough to use a razor blade.

 

Anyway, sadly, today got really painful before I popped by 6pm dosage, but because I've felt so crappy for so long, the symptoms were the same...just more acute.  I was beyond irritable.  I couldn't focus on anything.  My muscles would twitch.  I was projecting into the future with hopeless thoughts that I would feel like this forever.  I worried incessantly that I would feel like this permanently and be forced back into meds just to navigate daily life.  I was an asshole to people because I feel like shit.  I wasn't productive.  I procrastinated most everything because I couldn't get shit done.  Now, I just need to eat a healthy dinner and hope that I can sleep.  I don't know if it's advised, but I'll probably pop a 3mg melatonin before bedtime if only for the placebo effect.  Tomorrow will be a new day.

 

 

I tapered off of Xanax XR.  My doctor gave me regular .25mg regular Xanax.  I replaced .5mg of the XR version with IR version and tapered around .0625mg per cut.  You are not suppose break the XR version because you really don't know what you are getting however there have been some people who did that on here because they had no other choice.  I would ask your doctor for some Xanax IR to help you taper at a slower rate.  You can look at my signature and see what I did.  Good Luck.

 

Monique

 

Thanks for sharing that, Monique! I'm going to figure out your method because I am having to dose 6 times a day and it's driving me crazy!

[Guest [Ma...]]

I hear you Gardener.

With 6 times daily, ones entire day is planned around symptoms and dosing.

Not too bad if having a "good" day, but mostly exhausting with constant clock watching and body scanning for "what's not feeling right". 

 

Marija

[[ga...]]

I hear you Gardener.

With 6 times daily, ones entire day is planned around symptoms and dosing.

Not too bad if having a "good" day, but mostly exhausting with constant clock watching and body scanning for "what's not feeling right". 

 

Marija

 

How are you doing on your combo of X and V? I see my psychiatrist on Monday and am thinking I may ask him about trying something similar.

[Guest [Ma...]]

Gardener,

The 4 mg of V has helped with the interdose symptoms but does not cover all  X withdrawal symptoms.

I was hoping that I could cross over completely to V and liquid taper from V but felt the V increased "low mood". Still may consider after dropping more X though.

I will try anything to successfully discontinue these meds!!

 

How are you feeling?

 

Marija

[[ga...]]

Gardener,

The 4 mg of V has helped with the interdose symptoms but does not cover all  X withdrawal symptoms.

I was hoping that I could cross over completely to V and liquid taper from V but felt the V increased "low mood". Still may consider after dropping more X though.

I will try anything to successfully discontinue these meds!!

 

How are you feeling?

 

Marija

 

Had a few really awful days and decided to hold for a few days. Feeling better now. Just the "on edge" feeling that comes and goes all day, but not paralyzed with fear for hours. My poor kids can only take so much of that! I'm trying to decide right now if I'm going to go all the way down on Xanax or crossover to Librium. (Can't take Valium.) Not sure I want to rock the boat with a crossover, but I feel so chained to my alarm and my dosing every 4 hours. I never get to forget I'm on the drug. And I think I'll be abetter mom if I am not yo-yoing.

 

You know, I think I've heard other people say they couldn't tolerate how Valium made them feel. I did have one dose of Librium once in my life and nothing awful happened, so I'm taking that as a good sign! I see my psychiatrist on Monday to discuss it. I am very fortunate to have an open-minded psychiatrist. The psych nurses I saw before him who messed me up so much were pains in the you-know-what!

[[Gr...]]

Hi fellow Xanax taperers. I started out doing a crossover from Xanax to Valium, dropping .25 Xanax at at time while adding 2.5mg Valium. (Ashton method says 5mg Valium is the .25 Xanax equivalent, but some other charts have it at a 10:1 ratio instead of 20:1 ratio I tried using 2.5 instead). Started out with 10mg V and 1mg Xanax XR. So far this process has been fairly ok. Not without symptoms, but nothing that leaves me bedridden or running to the ER. When I saw my dr 3 weeks ago he suggested I cut my remaining .5mg Xanax ER down to .25 IR, but this time don't add more Valium. Since I already had 15mg V in my system he thought I may not even feel the change. I was a little nervous because this time would be a real cut in total benzos, not just a crossover. I'm 19 days into the cut now, felt a bit uneasy and not so great physically yesterday, but nothing extreme. I've had quite a few days where I felt ok. The biggest problems I have is with stressful dreams/nightmares and I always wake up with my neck and upper back muscles tensed up. I usually get between 6-7 hours of sleep although I really need 7-1/2 to feel best. I also feel tired during the day from all the Valium.

I'm planning to hold this until my next appointment on the 22nd, the talk to my dr about cutting the final .25mg. I think I'll play it safe and cut by .0625 once a week, then by week 4 I'll be off.

 

The point of my rambling anyway, is that the Xanax/Valium combo has been working fairly well for me so far. When I first told my dr I wanted to get off benzodiazepines, he wanted to cross me over to klonopin, but I've been on that stuff before and had a hard time with it. I learned about the Valium alternative/Ashton method from this website and he agreed to let me use Valium instead.

[[ga...]]

Hi fellow Xanax taperers. I started out doing a crossover from Xanax to Valium, dropping .25 Xanax at at time while adding 2.5mg Valium. (Ashton method says 5mg Valium is the .25 Xanax equivalent, but some other charts have it at a 10:1 ratio instead of 20:1 ratio I tried using 2.5 instead). Started out with 10mg V and 1mg Xanax XR. So far this process has been fairly ok. Not without symptoms, but nothing that leaves me bedridden or running to the ER. When I saw my dr 3 weeks ago he suggested I cut my remaining .5mg Xanax ER down to .25 IR, but this time don't add more Valium. Since I already had 15mg V in my system he thought I may not even feel the change. I was a little nervous because this time would be a real cut in total benzos, not just a crossover. I'm 19 days into the cut now, felt a bit uneasy and not so great physically yesterday, but nothing extreme. I've had quite a few days where I felt ok. The biggest problems I have is with stressful dreams/nightmares and I always wake up with my neck and upper back muscles tensed up. I usually get between 6-7 hours of sleep although I really need 7-1/2 to feel best. I also feel tired during the day from all the Valium.

I'm planning to hold this until my next appointment on the 22nd, the talk to my dr about cutting the final .25mg. I think I'll play it safe and cut by .0625 once a week, then by week 4 I'll be off.

 

The point of my rambling anyway, is that the Xanax/Valium combo has been working fairly well for me so far. When I first told my dr I wanted to get off benzodiazepines, he wanted to cross me over to klonopin, but I've been on that stuff before and had a hard time with it. I learned about the Valium alternative/Ashton method from this website and he agreed to let me use Valium instead.

 

Thanks for sharing this. I see my doctor tomorrow to discuss crossing over to Librium. (Can't take Valium.) One thing that I find curious is how many people report being tired or depressed on the longer benzos. I find that rather curious. I plan to ask him if he understands why this might be.

[[Ra...]]

Hello Grapejuice and SoOverit!  Nice to see some new faces on this thread.  I'm not terribly active on the forum right now, but swung in today.  I've been tapering for about 16 months now.  Started at 3mg of Xanax.  I have to work full time, so was afraid of a cross over to valium as so many suggest.  I just could not take the chance of things getting worse.  I went through a 3 month acute phase I think due to intermittent dosing (not regular).  I dosed regular at night, but as job stress increased, my dosing during the day was not consistent.  I did not realize how important that was.  In any event, long term use of a benzo is bad news.  We all know now, but most of us did not when we started it.

 

S - L - O - W is the name of the game if you want to remain semi or fully functional enough to hold down a job.  I started at 3mg and made flat .0625mg cuts every 2 weeks without fail.  That was about 2% to start out.  At my current dose of .875mg, that's about 6%.  The stress at work is incredible, so I may need to slow things down.  The other thing I am considering is a daily microtaper.  If you have to work and taper, you may want to consider that.  I did add Seroquel to my plan December of 2013 as I was not sleeping.  I cannot function at all if I don't sleep.  Originally that's why I was taking the Xanax was to sleep, BAD idea as it does stop working and then turn on you.  I only take 75mg IR Seroquel at night.  It has really saved me.  I know many here do not advocate adding more prescription meds, but I had no choice, I had to do something to sleep so I could work as I'm the main breadwinner of our family.  Not advocating Seroquel, just stating what worked for me.  BUT slow reductions of no greater than 10% is recommended and I would recommend even much lower than that IF you need to remain functional.

 

Here's the link to the daily microtaper support thread if you're interested. 

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=135284.msg1848686#new

 

This can be done if done right.  The key to going slow is tapering at a slower rate than your brain is healing.  Some here believe you don't begin to heal until you are off the drug, I do not believe that and there are many successful tapers here to also do not believe that.  They believe your brain can heal as you taper at a S - l - O - W rate.  Bart I believe was one of the first to do this VERY slow taper.  When he stepped off, he was mostly healed.  I believe this can be done.  My taper has been fairly uneventful up to now and I hope it remains that way. 

 

Hugs,

 

Bunny

[[Mr...]]

I'm so discouraged that I can't find any people on BB who have successfully tapered from as high of a dose as I was on (8mg/day for many years - xanax at some dose for 24 years) to all the way benzo free.  I just feel like there isn't hope for me.  I'm currently at 7mg and already it's been difficult.    I am really glad that I found this group, though.  It's been helpful.  Thank you for that.

Hey!

My highest dose was 20mg for approx 6months. I took xanax for one year and tapering from February this year. It's hard but if I compare my symptoms to other people I could have been much worse. What is interesting is the fact that I was able to drop from 20mg down to 4 over night. It was hell but I've made it. Now at 2mg a day i feel like I have to climb the K-2 mountain but there is no other choice!

I wish the best for You buddyperson!

[[Mr...]]

Hello Grapejuice and SoOverit!  Nice to see some new faces on this thread.  I'm not terribly active on the forum right now, but swung in today.  I've been tapering for about 16 months now.  Started at 3mg of Xanax.  I have to work full time, so was afraid of a cross over to valium as so many suggest.  I just could not take the chance of things getting worse.  I went through a 3 month acute phase I think due to intermittent dosing (not regular).  I dosed regular at night, but as job stress increased, my dosing during the day was not consistent.  I did not realize how important that was.  In any event, long term use of a benzo is bad news.  We all know now, but most of us did not when we started it.

 

S - L - O - W is the name of the game if you want to remain semi or fully functional enough to hold down a job.  I started at 3mg and made flat .0625mg cuts every 2 weeks without fail.  That was about 2% to start out.  At my current dose of .875mg, that's about 6%.  The stress at work is incredible, so I may need to slow things down.  The other thing I am considering is a daily microtaper.  If you have to work and taper, you may want to consider that.  I did add Seroquel to my plan December of 2013 as I was not sleeping.  I cannot function at all if I don't sleep.  Originally that's why I was taking the Xanax was to sleep, BAD idea as it does stop working and then turn on you.  I only take 75mg IR Seroquel at night.  It has really saved me.  I know many here do not advocate adding more prescription meds, but I had no choice, I had to do something to sleep so I could work as I'm the main breadwinner of our family.  Not advocating Seroquel, just stating what worked for me.  BUT slow reductions of no greater than 10% is recommended and I would recommend even much lower than that IF you need to remain functional.

 

Here's the link to the daily microtaper support thread if you're interested. 

 

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=135284.msg1848686#new

 

This can be done if done right.  The key to going slow is tapering at a slower rate than your brain is healing.  Some here believe you don't begin to heal until you are off the drug, I do not believe that and there are many successful tapers here to also do not believe that.  They believe your brain can heal as you taper at a S - l - O - W rate.  Bart I believe was one of the first to do this VERY slow taper.  When he stepped off, he was mostly healed.  I believe this can be done.  My taper has been fairly uneventful up to now and I hope it remains that way. 

 

Hugs,

 

Bunny

That gives so much hope Bunny! Your taper looks amazing! Do You have windows on the way down at such a low dose?

Hugs

Mr A

[[ga...]]

I'm so discouraged that I can't find any people on BB who have successfully tapered from as high of a dose as I was on (8mg/day for many years - xanax at some dose for 24 years) to all the way benzo free.  I just feel like there isn't hope for me.  I'm currently at 7mg and already it's been difficult.    I am really glad that I found this group, though.  It's been helpful.  Thank you for that.

Hey!

My highest dose was 20mg for approx 6months. I took xanax for one year and tapering from February this year. It's hard but if I compare my symptoms to other people I could have been much worse. What is interesting is the fact that I was able to drop from 20mg down to 4 over night. It was hell but I've made it. Now at 2mg a day i feel like I have to climb the K-2 mountain but there is no other choice!

I wish the best for You buddyperson!

 

Have you seen the ebook by Dr. Shipko, Xanax Withdrawal? He said his patients dropped from high doses pretty quickly and then tended to need to slow way down and even take mergence doses at from about 1.5mg. The theory is that most of the damage is done at the lower doses. 

 

I see from your signature you seem to be doing cut and hold. Have you thought about micro-tapering? Here's some info.

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=135284.0;topicseen

[[Mr...]]

Hey gardner99!

Yes, I have Dr Shipkos e-book! I think You recommended it to me awhile ago 

My plan is to get down to 1.5 and then go in to micro taper.

Funny that most people complain about insomnia and I could sleep ALL THE TIME!

Anyone else does excessive sleeping?

 

[[ga...]]

Hey gardner99!

Yes, I have Dr Shipkos e-book! I think You recommended it to me awhile ago 

My plan is to get down to 1.5 and then go in to micro taper.

Funny that most people complain about insomnia and I could sleep ALL THE TIME!

Anyone else does excessive sleeping?

 

Ah, yes, my very fuzzy brain remembers that now!

 

I sure wish I had the problem with excessive sleeping. I can hardly sleep at all.

[[Mr...]]

I wish You a good refreshing sleep my friend!

In my case: I can go non-stop! My family don't get it :/

[[ga...]]

I wish You a good refreshing sleep my friend!

In my case: I can go non-stop! My family don't gets it :/

 

Thanks!

[[on...]]

I'm so discouraged that I can't find any people on BB who have successfully tapered from as high of a dose as I was on (8mg/day for many years - xanax at some dose for 24 years) to all the way benzo free.  I just feel like there isn't hope for me.  I'm currently at 7mg and already it's been difficult.    I am really glad that I found this group, though.  It's been helpful.  Thank you for that.

Hey!

My highest dose was 20mg for approx 6months. I took xanax for one year and tapering from February this year. It's hard but if I compare my symptoms to other people I could have been much worse. What is interesting is the fact that I was able to drop from 20mg down to 4 over night. It was hell but I've made it. Now at 2mg a day i feel like I have to climb the K-2 mountain but there is no other choice!

I wish the best for You buddyperson!

 

Mr. A and Buddyperson,

 

I've looked for others who were abusing as much xanax as I was.  I hit 30 mg., cut to 4 mg at a huge pace, but am still fighting to get off using Klonopin.  Buddyperson you aren't alone.

 

How much do both of you feel that the amount of xanax you used increased your symptoms?  I read so many posts from people who didn't take nearly as much as I did but seem to be suffering much more.  I just dropped in here but am wondering. 

 

Thanks,