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

[[cr...]]

I am trying to get off xanax I used for sleep due to anxiety, three years mostly .05 mg sometimes 1mg switched to diazepam I am so much worse dizzy and withdrawal.I really question my decision to do this. Long story but have an idiot for a dr that will give you anything you want.I am on 10 mg of diazepam and am having wd.The dizzyness is really the worst.

[[jr...]]

are you splitting doses or just dosing 1 tid

[[Ki...]]

I am trying to get off xanax I used for sleep due to anxiety, three years mostly .05 mg sometimes 1mg switched to diazepam I am so much worse dizzy and withdrawal.I really question my decision to do this. Long story but have an idiot for a dr that will give you anything you want.I am on 10 mg of diazepam and am having wd.The dizzyness is really the worst.

I dont know if I can be much help as Im new here too but I took xanax at bedtime only for 15 years, anywhere from 2 mg down to .25. I hit tolerance in Jan and tried stabalizing but never could so started to cross to valium. Doing it the Ashton way did not work, I was still having terrible symptoms that first week so it was suggested I split the xanax dose throughout the day and add valium mainly at night, swapping over more slowly and so far that has worked much better. I had to have a few people give me suggestions and schedules and I modified them day by day as I found which way helped control my symptoms best ( mainly horrid muscle spasms and frozen up - could barely turn my neck etc)  I started the crossover 5 weeks ago and next week I will be almost halfway there which is kind of a normal crossover time. Hope that helps. I think with valium unless you are one of those lucky people who can tolerate a fast switch well its going to be a couple of weeks before it levels out for you just because of the way it acts - slow.

[[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 

 

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.

 

Thank you SO much, Mrs!! Hard to believe it's been nearly 2 years. You were the first to help me and I'll always remember your kindness and patience. There were times I felt so discombobulated, I must have asked the same questions over and over again! Looking forward to benzo-free living! The stress in my life has been unreal, but even so, I've been able to keep tapering. Sleep even improved. CNS still sensitive to stress, but improving all the time.

 

Love you, friend!

 

V

[[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 

 

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.

 

 

Hi Challis!! Thank you for that wonderful encouragement! A little nervous about jumping but so ready to throw my dang bottles/syringe/cylinder away!

Woot! Since I'd kindled I wondered if anything different would happen. Trusting I'll be just FINE!

 

Hugs,

V

[[VC...]]

Thanks also to Rick and Everhopeful! Yes, one day at a time!

Wishing you both much healing with your tapers, as well as everyone here on the forum.

 

Hugs,

V

[[Ki...]]

XANAX WD HEADACHES. Anyone else that came off/ is coming off xanax ( Im crossing to valium, about midway)- that got constant headaches that nothing seemed to fix? Just wondering if it happened to anyone else and maybe someone found something that helped. Is this pretty common? Advil, magnesium, chiropractic, traumeel, magnesium oil, nothing budges it except the few hours after I take my night larger dose of xanax. Hoping it doesnt get worse as the dose goes down more....

[[Sh...]]

Kitty, if all else fails, I use Immitrex. 

[[Ki...]]

Oooh I dont even know what that is. I will look it up. Thanks!

[[Sh...]]

Oooh I dont even know what that is. I will look it up. Thanks!

 

Sumatriptan is the generic.  I don't think it is super healthy, but it seems to provide relief.  I don't use it too much these days, but I do sometimes.  And  when I had PMS symptoms, I really did. 

 

If I only knew then what I knew now, ...no Xanax and lots of minerals., but you need relief to be able to find the relief...

 

Ironic that sometimes you have to be healthy to take good enough care of yourself to get healthy.  At least for me...

 

[[Ki...]]

Im going to hold off on trying anything that serious until after my crossover since I wont know if something happens from it what to blame it on. But thank you for the suggestion!!

[[VC...]]

Hello, all! Just had to share my news!

 

I JUMPED!! 

 

 

[[Sh...]]

Hello, all! Just had to share my news!

 

I JUMPED!! 

 

 

 

Woot!  Woot! :thumbsup:

[[ho...]]

Hello, all! Just had to share my news!

 

I JUMPED!! 

 

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! You did it! So happy to come back here and see the good news! Welcome to club Freedom!

 

Love,

 

Hopeful girl  :thumbsup: :yippee:

[[ba...]]

Hi I am bakedalaska xo from xanax 4 mgs a day to valium I am having some issues like kittybeanbag severe headaches, I am also having blurred vision, slight tremors, ear ringing, paranoia etc... but there are windows of good moments I think the valium is a better medicinexperience, however my xo has not gone easily. Anyways just wanted to join the discussion

[[Ki...]]

Baked, I still have them but not all the time. Im hoping its going to resolve itself but who knows. We are all different but in so many ways so much the same! I hope yours gets better soon.

[[ba...]]

Yah it's been rough , today is extra hard, but will make it through ... my doctor seems more bipolar than me, I called and told him the issues I was having and he basically threatened to cut me down more claiming that what I  was feeling was to much V ... this guy is difficult to work with and has me scared of what he will do... can't wait to get through this taper and be rid of this guy... sorry needed to vent keep feeling better kitty

 

BA

[Guest [da...]]

Hey everyone, Joined BB over a year ago when I was up to 1mg Xanax daily from .25 daily over the course of a decade and I knew when I joined I wanted to taper before this summer, or at least begin the taper this summer since it's been a decade.

 

Now, My doc understands the situation but he isn't as well versed on tapering as we are as our own advocates.

 

The good news: He's willing to dispense me .25mg tablets for easy dry cuts. I'm at about 1mg-2mg daily right now depending. Never over 3mg.

 

He didn't seem keen to a Valium crossover, and honestly I don't mind and I'm not gonna complain or push the issues since he's willing to RX me the .25 Alprazolam tablets.

 

Probably gonna stick with this doc since he seems pretty helpful at least, easier than finding another doctor...explaining my story again and hoping for Valium.

 

With Xanax tapers is dosing more than 4x a day the easiest during a taper?

 

Anyways, wanted to drop in and say hi. I'll be joining this group instead of the micro taper or cross over group.

[[jr...]]

Hey everyone, Joined BB over a year ago when I was up to 1mg Xanax daily from .25 daily over the course of a decade and I knew when I joined I wanted to taper before this summer, or at least begin the taper this summer since it's been a decade.

 

Now, My doc understands the situation but he isn't as well versed on tapering as we are as our own advocates.

 

The good news: He's willing to dispense me .25mg tablets for easy dry cuts. I'm at about 1mg-2mg daily right now depending. Never over 3mg.

 

He didn't seem keen to a Valium crossover, and honestly I don't mind and I'm not gonna complain or push the issues since he's willing to RX me the .25 Alprazolam tablets.

 

Probably gonna stick with this doc since he seems pretty helpful at least, easier than finding another doctor...explaining my story again and hoping for Valium.

 

With Xanax tapers is dosing more than 4x a day the easiest during a taper?

 

Anyways, wanted to drop in and say hi. I'll be joining this group instead of the micro taper or cross over group.

 

I am tapering Xanax. I started off with 4 doses a day but have had to increase to 5 times a day since I have gotten to the low doses.The easiest way to taper is Liquid Tritation with holds whenever you need them.

[Guest [da...]]

Ah, yeah that sounds reasonable. Should I just dry cut until I'm down to half of a .25 tablet then move to Liquid Tritation?

 

I figured more dosing would probably be the best idea, I wouldn't even mind dosing 6x a day if needed since I know how short the half life is. Keep that plasma level as close as possible during this.

[[jr...]]

Ah, yeah that sounds reasonable. Should I just dry cut until I'm down to half of a .25 tablet then move to Liquid Tritation?

 

I figured more dosing would probably be the best idea, I wouldn't even mind dosing 6x a day if needed since I know how short the half life is. Keep that plasma level as close as possible during this.

 

You can dry cut. That is how I started. I would grind 10 pills into a powder and weigh my doses out on a scale. The accuracy is lacking but as long as you consistently cut you should be fine.

[[Ki...]]

Before I got my valium script I had to just deal with xanax and the way my body metabolized it changed dramatically and fast. I think its because I went into menopause. I had to change the time I took it every few days, even to every 3 hours through the night too. You just have to adapt to YOU sometimes.

[Guest [da...]]

You just have to adapt to YOU sometimes.

 

Great advice, and thank you. As I have started dry cutting to get my dosage leveled out before the taper I noticed that sometimes I'd even get up in the middle of the night to take a half pill or even full pill, but the end product was the overall dosage was less, which means I'm doing okay I hope.

 

Seriously, thank you for that piece of advice.

[[Ki...]]

I really think thats all that matters. Just a gradual decrease. I have messed up a frw times during my crossover trying different times of day and stupid things to try and keep my total less which has made me miserable. Its a learning process and with no real rules, just suggestions, you just have to try and see what works. Good luck!

[[il...]]

How's everyone doing? My ears realllly took a beating. I'm sensitive to light but it's not debilitating. My ears are though. aches, pops, pressure, tinnitus, but, worst of all, the sensitivity. My ear drums retract at noise, even at my own voice. It's horrible. Anyone else? Anyone who's healed? Thanks!