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

[[Ev...]]

I'm just curious if other's gained weight on Xanax.  I started on Xanax and have switched to Klon.  So surprised that the 40lbs I gained while barely eating anything for two years now has an extra 10 from another benzo.  Yuck.  Can't wait to be done.

 

Anyway - was just curious and very much wishing I'd have been able to taper directly off of Xanax but it stopped working for me so I had to cut over to something else.  Oh well, life goes on right?!

 

Peace,

 

Everhopeful

[[jr...]]

yes weight gain has been a prob for me. I crave sugar and carbs. But I try to limit my snacks to apples and oranges and popcorn. I will eat cereal before bed and on RARE occasions I eat a scoop of ice cream!

[Guest [Ma...]]

Merry Christmas to all X warriors!

Today is day 18 off of X and symptoms have improved greatly!  Wanting to share the good news for those still chipping away.

 

What's better:

1. No interdose withdrawal

2. No nighttime awakenings

3. Zero panic attacks

4. No dosing 6 times a day

5. Reduced paresthesia. This is more cyclical, and when it strikes, strikes before bedtime, first thing upon waking, and 7-8 pm. But, the duration and intensity is shorter.

6. Never having to pick up compounded X capsules and wondering about the accuracy.

 

Many improvements and happy to be on the last leg of my journey.

Wishing everyone much health!!!

 

Marija 🎄

 

[[ga...]]

Merry Christmas to all X warriors!

Today is day 18 off of X and symptoms have improved greatly!  Wanting to share the good news for those still chipping away.

 

What's better:

1. No interdose withdrawal

2. No nighttime awakenings

3. Zero panic attacks

4. No dosing 6 times a day

5. Reduced paresthesia. This is more cyclical, and when it strikes, strikes before bedtime, first thing upon waking, and 7-8 pm. But, the duration and intensity is shorter.

6. Never having to pick up compounded X capsules and wondering about the accuracy.

 

Many improvements and happy to be on the last leg of my journey.

Wishing everyone much health!!!

 

Marija 🎄

 

Thanks, Marija. So glad to hear you have improved. I'm hoping my day will come in a month or so. I'm especially looking forward to reduced neuropathy.

 

Gard

[Guest [Ma...]]

Merry Christmas to all X warriors!

Today is day 18 off of X and symptoms have improved greatly!  Wanting to share the good news for those still chipping away.

 

What's better:

1. No interdose withdrawal

2. No nighttime awakenings

3. Zero panic attacks

4. No dosing 6 times a day

5. Reduced paresthesia. This is more cyclical, and when it strikes, strikes before bedtime, first thing upon waking, and 7-8 pm. But, the duration and intensity is shorter.

6. Never having to pick up compounded X capsules and wondering about the accuracy.

 

Many improvements and happy to be on the last leg of my journey.

Wishing everyone much health!!!

 

Marija 🎄

 

Thanks, Marija. So glad to hear you have improved. I'm hoping my day will come in a month or so. I'm especially looking forward to reduced neuropathy.

 

Gard

 

Gard,

You are so close!!! 

Yes, relief from the burning and tingling - I want that for you, Gardener. Much needed.

Hoping your Christmas is peaceful and free from symptoms.

Merry Christmas!🎄

💗 Marija

[[Ch...]]

Merry Christmas to all X warriors!

Today is day 18 off of X and symptoms have improved greatly!  Wanting to share the good news for those still chipping away.

 

What's better:

1. No interdose withdrawal

2. No nighttime awakenings

3. Zero panic attacks

4. No dosing 6 times a day

5. Reduced paresthesia. This is more cyclical, and when it strikes, strikes before bedtime, first thing upon waking, and 7-8 pm. But, the duration and intensity is shorter.

6. Never having to pick up compounded X capsules and wondering about the accuracy.

 

Many improvements and happy to be on the last leg of my journey.

Wishing everyone much health!!!

 

Marija 🎄

 

Congrats and GREAT news!  May your 2016 be so much better than 2015... 

[Guest [Ma...]]

Thank you, challis! 💗

[[Sh...]]

Marija, Congrats!  Woot woot, good inspiration

 

Challis ,since you are here. Actually any replies are welcomed.  Remember how you thought it worked for some to spread out the doses by an extra hour or so?  Was that per day, per dose, or?  I plan to do this after Christmas.  Currently holding at .0625x3. I think I have bronchitis, but want to move forward, or at least have a plan...This part is hardest for me, but it could just be a stupid virus.  Even the receptionist at my Chiropractors office has it, so I don't think it is benzo flu.  Hard to gauge what is happening though. 

[[Ch...]]

Tis the season for germs, for sure.  Getting a virus in wd is a triple whammy... everything feels so much worse.

 

I can't remember exactly when I started spreading out the doses, but most likely it was going from 4>3, 3>2, etc.  I'd add another couple of hours between doses and see how it went before I committed to dropping a dose. 

 

Once burned, twice shy.  Right?! 

[[Sh...]]

Tis the season for germs, for sure.  Getting a virus in wd is a triple whammy... everything feels so much worse.

 

I can't remember exactly when I started spreading out the doses, but most likely it was going from 4>3, 3>2, etc.  I'd add another couple of hours between doses and see how it went before I committed to dropping a dose. 

 

Once burned, twice shy.  Right?! 

 

No kidding!  I haven't let fear get in my way before, but I don't want to be in a major Christmas wave.  I haven't even done much for Christmas prep.  You sure spend less that way.   thank you!  Merry Christmas!

[[Ch...]]

I would start by stretching an hour more between each dose.  Maybe try two hours the next day and so on.  I wasn't very sensitive to changes in dosing times and probably simply dropped a dose without much preparation for the most part.

 

Merry Christmas to you, Shadow! 

[Guest [Ma...]]

Marija, Congrats!  Woot woot, good inspiration

 

Challis ,since you are here. Actually any replies are welcomed.  Remember how you thought it worked for some to spread out the doses by an extra hour or so?  Was that per day, per dose, or?  I plan to do this after Christmas.  Currently holding at .0625x3. I think I have bronchitis, but want to move forward, or at least have a plan...This part is hardest for me, but it could just be a stupid virus.  Even the receptionist at my Chiropractors office has it, so I don't think it is benzo flu.  Hard to gauge what is happening though.

 

Shadow,

Thank you!

You are close behind!!

Keep moving forward.

 

Marija 🎄

[[Sh...]]

Thanks, Marija. Merry Christmas!!!

[Guest [Ma...]]

Thanks, Marija. Merry Christmas!!!

 

Very Merry Christmas to you too, Shadow!!

And, feel better soon.

Just read you are fighting germ ware fare!!

 

Marija 💗

[[Sh...]]

I posted this somewhere else, but thought I should do it here.  Something weird is happening.  I am spreading out my .0625 dose more and more...The less I take, the better I sleep.  At least for the last few days.  I may get some sudden wave, but I am hopeful...Planning to take my last 2 Xanax doses - one this evening and one tomorrow afternoon.  I can always do a couple 1x a day dose if I get all messed up, but I don't think, (and hope)  I don't have to....Things will get better!  Wishing good sleep to all.   PS I hope that is encouraging and not uppity sounding. I'm just getting very excited.....

[[Ch...]]

Woo hoo, Shadow!!  Very big day tomorrow! 

Good news about your sleep improving.  That IS weird, but hope it keeps up.

[[Sh...]]

Woo hoo, Shadow!!  Very big day tomorrow! 

Good news about your sleep improving.  That IS weird, but hope it keeps up.

 

It may just be a window, and I may be just recuperating from being sick so long, but I'll take it!  thanks for the support and encouragement! So happy I found benzo buddies!

[[ga...]]

Very happy for you, Shadow!

[[Sh...]]

Very happy for you, Shadow!

Thanks gardener!  Me too!  Looking forward to being benzo free!

[[Mo...]]

Hello all. I am very new to this site in general and am hopeful for the opportunity for support and encouragement. My current plan is to start a titration taper starting Feb 1, 2016. Looking for information, I found the benzosupport.org site and created a tritation schedule (if you have any experience or information about their schedule, or an alternate idea, please let me know!). It's also where I got the link to this site. I started using Xanax about three and a half years ago and my dosage has slowly crept up and I have been advised by many that it will be better for me to stop. Now that I am noticing some adverse effects and can see my dosage continue to climb, I've decided to follow through and discontinue. I see my doc this week and hope he supports this process. Thank you for being here and if you have any words of wisdom as I start this journey - I thank you in advance.

[[ga...]]

I'm happy/relieved/anxious to report that I have finished my crossover and am now completely off of Xanax. No more dosing 6 times/day!

 

Dosing my L twice a day. I hope that's right. Bumpy right now, but not unbearable, a place I often was when tapering Xanax. Got was low as I could get before completing my cross. I think it was the dosing 6 times/day that finally drove me to getting off the X. It was just too tough psychologically to be dosing that often and yet I couldn't tolerate the 4 doses most people take.

 

So now I am learning to liquid titrate L, which I discovered takes quite a bit of vodka! Apparently it would dissolve in water if I drank gallons. I'll stick with the vodka.

 

Stay strong fellow benzo warriors!

 

Gard

[[ga...]]

Hello all. I am very new to this site in general and am hopeful for the opportunity for support and encouragement. My current plan is to start a titration taper starting Feb 1, 2016. Looking for information, I found the benzosupport.org site and created a tritation schedule (if you have any experience or information about their schedule, or an alternate idea, please let me know!). It's also where I got the link to this site. I started using Xanax about three and a half years ago and my dosage has slowly crept up and I have been advised by many that it will be better for me to stop. Now that I am noticing some adverse effects and can see my dosage continue to climb, I've decided to follow through and discontinue. I see my doc this week and hope he supports this process. Thank you for being here and if you have any words of wisdom as I start this journey - I thank you in advance.

[[ga...]]

Hello all. I am very new to this site in general and am hopeful for the opportunity for support and encouragement. My current plan is to start a titration taper starting Feb 1, 2016. Looking for information, I found the benzosupport.org site and created a tritation schedule (if you have any experience or information about their schedule, or an alternate idea, please let me know!). It's also where I got the link to this site. I started using Xanax about three and a half years ago and my dosage has slowly crept up and I have been advised by many that it will be better for me to stop. Now that I am noticing some adverse effects and can see my dosage continue to climb, I've decided to follow through and discontinue. I see my doc this week and hope he supports this process. Thank you for being here and if you have any words of wisdom as I start this journey - I thank you in advance.

 

Welcome, Monsoon. I think you'll find good help with a schedule on the titration board. Lots of people good at math and chemistry people over there. SG57 and builder come to mind. They are also sometimes on the Daily Microtapering Support thread. I microtaper myself and have used their wisdom many times.

 

Some buddies have benzo-pushers for doctors and taper on their own without their doctor's knowledge. Not ideal, but sometimes the only option a person has. I'm blessed to have a benzo-wise doctor who is very supportive. (I was hooked on X by a benzo pusher but switched when I realized I wanted/needed off.)

 

Best wishes and do check in and keep us informed. Together, we can do this!

 

Gard

[[Do...]]

Hello Gard and welcome Monsoon, we are one and all here, as we find after reading around the boards. I've always detoxed on my own since the doctors had little idea about how to do it. Finding the Ashton manual and this site was a life saver. I'm coming around the bend on the detox and at the beginning of the drop in dosage I seem to regress but I persist. It is this board that helps me go on because now I know not to fear the symptoms so much.

 

Reading around helps tremendously. Benzos are so specific and difficult in their withdrawal symptoms that particular help,is necessary. The U.K. seems light years ahead of the US in understanding the severity of the problem and what to do about it.

 

Best of regards for all in your journey to be free of med limitations.

[Guest [On...]]

So, I have a question I'm hoping someone on here might be able to answer.  Looking at my signature you can see I've been taking Xanax PRN for panic for years.  I never took it daily as I was taking some other a/d's and klonopin - I'd only take it when having active panic attacks which are almost always at night and were not often... maybe twice a month I'd take one 0.5mg Xanax.

 

So, I stopped taking klonopin in July and finally wellbutrin in August but all through September and most of October I was still taking the Xanax for panic and the panic was much more frequent probably because I had stopped taking the klonopin.

 

Finally, on October 20th I took my last "regular" Xanax.  I made it a month and took a rescue dose in November.  Then in December the wheels fell off (see signature).  I ended up taking Xanax at night - usually one 0.5 mg pill but up to three pills a couple of nights - for ten nights in a row (although I might have skipped a night in there - I'm not sure).

 

Now, I haven't had a Xanax for five nights and I'm wondering if all Hell is going to break loose or if I'm over the hump.  Does taking Xanax once a day create addiction, or re-addiction, in ten days?  I know it has a short half life and that it is usually taken more than once a day.  I tend to feel fine during the day but very anxious and panicky at night.

 

Any thoughts would be very much appreciated!