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

[[Ki...]]

Whoever wrote " its easier to get the drugs than to get off of them" was right. I have 2 docs, one has given me X for years and I told her Im wanting to slowly get off the pills. She writes me a script for Temazepam. I told her if I was going to substitute I read a lot about valium being the best way and she said " no, you need T it will help with sleep". True I do need sleep but its kind of frying pan/fire here. I take a little in the daytime (.0312) 3 x day and it holds down most of my wd symptoms. So I go to my OBGYN who says " oh you need klonopin here you go". Ummmm. I had someone mention to me that since my symptoms came out of nowhere at the same time my hot flashes stopped it could be my body started metabolizing the drug differently becausecof menopause.  Has anyone ever heard of that? I know its probably withdrawal/tolerance/IDWD in some form but has anyone on here heard of your body metabolizing a drug causing this out of the blue?

 

[[co...]]

Whoever wrote " its easier to get the drugs than to get off of them" was right. I have 2 docs, one has given me X for years and I told her Im wanting to slowly get off the pills. She writes me a script for Temazepam. I told her if I was going to substitute I read a lot about valium being the best way and she said " no, you need T it will help with sleep". True I do need sleep but its kind of frying pan/fire here. I take a little in the daytime (.0312) 3 x day and it holds down most of my wd symptoms. So I go to my OBGYN who says " oh you need klonopin here you go". Ummmm. I had someone mention to me that since my symptoms came out of nowhere at the same time my hot flashes stopped it could be my body started metabolizing the drug differently becausecof menopause.  Has anyone ever heard of that? I know its probably withdrawal/tolerance/IDWD in some form but has anyone on here heard of your body metabolizing a drug causing this out of the blue?

 

Yeah exactly what happen to me at the first time before I was diagnosed with panic attack.

My internist gave this xanax before I know the side effect, I was so stupid. Maybe it is just me, but its like they give it like "oh shut up, eat your own problem, here I give a you a candy".

[[Ri...]]

Just a quick  update after a 5 day wave I am finally getting a window today.  Yay!

[[Ki...]]

Can a xanax buddy chime in and give me some advice ( yes, me again, thigs are not going well)

I took my total .625 dose at night for years, went up and down from .75 to .35 as needed. Few weeks ago suddenly has tol/ IDWD. Took small daytime doses as advised, helped with WD symptoms. Last few nights had to take sm dose a few hours after bedtime lg dose. Now needing more and its not stopping the wd symptoms. Time to change to longer acting? Cant stabilize, cant even out dose and function. Was told good option is ashton like switch to valium taper but my doc gave me restoril or klon as choice. With symptoms worse and dose more frequent and higher I gotta do something but having taken it night only is so hard to make day increasexand night decrease even ballpark similarcwil without a big big updose. Primary issue was ( is) sleep. Thanks to all for previous and new advice- previous stuff just no longer working:(

[[ga...]]

Just a quick  update after a 5 day wave I am finally getting a window today.  Yay!

 

:thumbsup:

[[Ki...]]

Just a quick  update after a 5 day wave I am finally getting a window today.  Yay!

Congratulations to you- Im not sure what that means but clearly its a good thing so good for you!

[[Ri...]]

Kitty beanbag

 

Thanks, a win down is where you feel better for a while.  I am finally starting to get  them  more often and came  function sometimes especially for a whole day fairly normal.  Hang in there symptoms do get better!

[[ga...]]

Yes, window=feeling better (like their normal self or close to it) and wave=feeling worse (like in hell, often). People in w/d typically get windows and waves in weird patterns even if they are tapering at a steady pace.

[[Ki...]]

Its like learning a whole new language- or being middle aged and hanging out with teenagers trying to figure out what they are saying, haha!

Well my doc wanted to switch me over from X to K and I dont know about that. I may try to taper down on the X for a while. Its hard going from all night doses to getting it evenly spaced out. It makes it tougher that the generics are all over the board- it was easy when I was just dividing a dose of one strength of pill but now Im having to divide up 2 different strengths. Ack!

Its good to read everyones insights, at least there is hope out there and congratulations to those of you on your road to freedom from this poison.

[[Do...]]

I did a jump from X & T and am sleeping 4 hours. Doing light qigong exercises & having twitchy legs. Rage periodically. Mostly waves. Trying not to give into despair. This website is so helpful since I know these symtoms are standard. Palps in morning. I want off very badly now.

 

At least I have hope. I have a plan. Believing I have a future is difficult. Tapes in head stonger than youtube helpers. I suppose it would be easier without the apartment insanity. Noise sensitivity & mistrust abounds.

[[Ev...]]

Last November I started having withdrawal at 4 mgs per day of Xanax.  Doc switched me over to Klon with Gabapentin for sleep. The intent was to switch me over to Klon briefly and move me to gabapentin.  It worked.  I don't like Klon but it stopped the withdrawal symptoms as it is a bit longer acting than X.  I'm now down to .5 mgs of K.  I'm not symptomless but I'm okay.  I keep going onward...going to get off benzos!~  I'm down to weeks now which is wonderful.  Hoping I can keep moving quickly but am prepared to be slow too.  Whatever you make up your mind to do, you can do.  Hang in there all.

 

Peace, courage and strength to all.

 

Ever...

 

[[br...]]

Hi everyone!

 

I'm gonna switch to the Valium/diazepam forum since I have switched to Valium for 3 months. For me now, it's Valium every step of the way.

 

However I am not going to lie to you: there has been a setback since I have been "51-50ed" (the French equivalent) and locked up against my will for hypomania and was put back on higher doses of Valium on top of zopiclone and loxapine (the most horrific drug I have ever had the "pleasure" to come across).

 

Let's look at the bright side: I'm doing better and I met the sweetest guy over there who will play tennis with me as soon as he himself gets out of the psych ward.

 

Good luck to everyone in this thread and kudos to make it without even switching to diazepam.

[[mo...]]

Slow and steady wins the race. Thanks Everhopeful for your uplifting post. Bruno, hope all goes well for you on valium. It seems like alot of people do good and are able to make it to complete healing on switching over. Good healing to us all.

[[Do...]]

Just dropped another 1/8th mg. Looking to get off and move on. Enough already.

[[Je...]]

Hey folks.  Anyone care to comment how badly caffeine affects them?

[[jr...]]

no caffiene for me in a year and a half

[[Ki...]]

Decaffeinated coffee can apparently have anywhere from 0 to 20 mg caffeine. Thats kinda like going from one generic brand to another. Aaaaaaaggghhhhh

[[Je...]]

no caffiene for me in a year and a half

 

How does it effect you?

[[jr...]]

it revs me up and worsens my anxiety.

[[Ev...]]

Hey folks.  Anyone care to comment how badly caffeine affects them?

I had to give it up about a month ago because it was aggravating symptoms.  After the withdrawal from caffeine stopped in about a week, I actually felt better.  I do miss that little charge I got from caffeine but I now get that charge of adrenaline most mornings so, I'm good.

[[VC...]]

Hello everyone,

 

A lot of new faces here, and if you don't remember me, I first joined the forum in January 2014 in a very acute state - even bedridden for awhile.

Once I somewhat stabilized on regular doses, I then began my very slow liquid micro-taper around mid-April 2014.

 

Well, I'm almost ready to jump! In fact, I could jump today, I'm so close to zero! 

 

Down to 0.008mg, with 3 more pulls to go. Not sure if I need to hold anymore - I did that consistently through-out my taper to avoid getting slammed. Whenever I did get slammed with SXs, it was more about the stress than the taper itself. Considering the enormous stress I've been under the past 9 months, I'm doing amazingly well but I just don't talk much about my SXs anymore. Sleep has improved, adrenals have improved, and the only twitches I still experience are usually with moods and palpitations, with occasional adrenal surges under duress. Still healing and recovering from a kindled CNS but time, routine, careful tapering, adrenal support and good nutrition with mineral support have all played a part in my case.

 

So it will have been a 23 month taper once I'm done.

 

Blessing and hugs to everyone on this healing journey!

I'll be back to write my success story eventually.

 

May all your days be filled with hope.

 

V 

[[mr...]]

Hello everyone,

 

A lot of new faces here, and if you don't remember me, I first joined the forum in January 2014 in a very acute state - even bedridden for awhile.

Once I somewhat stabilized on regular doses, I then began my very slow liquid micro-taper around mid-April 2014.

 

Well, I'm almost ready to jump! In fact, I could jump today, I'm so close to zero! 

 

Down to 0.008mg, with 3 more pulls to go. Not sure if I need to hold anymore - I did that consistently through-out my taper to avoid getting slammed. Whenever I did get slammed with SXs, it was more about the stress than the taper itself. Considering the enormous stress I've been under the past 9 months, I'm doing amazingly well but I just don't talk much about my SXs anymore. Sleep has improved, adrenals have improved, and the only twitches I still experience are usually with moods and palpitations, with occasional adrenal surges under duress. Still healing and recovering from a kindled CNS but time, routine, careful tapering, adrenal support and good nutrition with mineral support have all played a part in my case.

 

So it will have been a 23 month taper once I'm done.

 

Blessing and hugs to everyone on this healing journey!

I'll be back to write my success story eventually.

 

May all your days be filled with hope.

 

V 

 

Super proud of you, VC

 

I remember back when....you were a girl so discouraged by the thought of how long a slow taper might be that you weren't sure if you wanted to proceed! Yet here you are, love It goes by faster than you realize!! You just wait girl...it gets SOO much better!

 

Love to you, you've earned this!!!

 

Mrs.

[[Ch...]]

Hello everyone,

 

A lot of new faces here, and if you don't remember me, I first joined the forum in January 2014 in a very acute state - even bedridden for awhile.

Once I somewhat stabilized on regular doses, I then began my very slow liquid micro-taper around mid-April 2014.

 

Well, I'm almost ready to jump! In fact, I could jump today, I'm so close to zero! 

 

Down to 0.008mg, with 3 more pulls to go. Not sure if I need to hold anymore - I did that consistently through-out my taper to avoid getting slammed. Whenever I did get slammed with SXs, it was more about the stress than the taper itself. Considering the enormous stress I've been under the past 9 months, I'm doing amazingly well but I just don't talk much about my SXs anymore. Sleep has improved, adrenals have improved, and the only twitches I still experience are usually with moods and palpitations, with occasional adrenal surges under duress. Still healing and recovering from a kindled CNS but time, routine, careful tapering, adrenal support and good nutrition with mineral support have all played a part in my case.

 

So it will have been a 23 month taper once I'm done.

 

Blessing and hugs to everyone on this healing journey!

I'll be back to write my success story eventually.

 

May all your days be filled with hope.

 

V 

 

You're doing GREAT!  I wouldn't expect anything to change when you do jump, V.  You're so low in dose, I jumped at .0625 and never felt a thing when I did.

 

[[jr...]]

Hello everyone,

 

A lot of new faces here, and if you don't remember me, I first joined the forum in January 2014 in a very acute state - even bedridden for awhile.

Once I somewhat stabilized on regular doses, I then began my very slow liquid micro-taper around mid-April 2014.

 

Well, I'm almost ready to jump! In fact, I could jump today, I'm so close to zero! 

 

Down to 0.008mg, with 3 more pulls to go. Not sure if I need to hold anymore - I did that consistently through-out my taper to avoid getting slammed. Whenever I did get slammed with SXs, it was more about the stress than the taper itself. Considering the enormous stress I've been under the past 9 months, I'm doing amazingly well but I just don't talk much about my SXs anymore. Sleep has improved, adrenals have improved, and the only twitches I still experience are usually with moods and palpitations, with occasional adrenal surges under duress. Still healing and recovering from a kindled CNS but time, routine, careful tapering, adrenal support and good nutrition with mineral support have all played a part in my case.

 

So it will have been a 23 month taper once I'm done.

 

Blessing and hugs to everyone on this healing journey!

I'll be back to write my success story eventually.

 

May all your days be filled with hope.

 

V 

 

Congrats. hope it all goes well for you...........Rick

[[Ev...]]

Congratulations!  It must feel really good!  Getting closer myself with 6 more cuts to donezo!  But been withdrawing now from two drugs Xanax and Clonazepam.  One day at a time. 

 

Wishing all of you well.

 

Ever...