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

[[mr...]]

Hello Mrs,

  I wonder if you are ahead of your healing at this cutting rate and low dose of X? That is what the symptoms suggest. So many here have systems that need to slow it down towards the end. I would probably slow the rate a bit and see how you do. Perhaps cut for 7 days and hold for 10....there are many ways to do this. You are very in tune with your body...you will figure this out.

  Remember when I started cutting V? We all imagined I would be done by now. As of today I hit 1 mg...and even at this tiny non therapeutic dose I feel the cuts. I have slowed the reduction and see some lightening of symptoms. The MH stuff was very frightening and I do not want to go there again. AND the darned A-fib kicked up too...oh goodness. Challis...can't wait for the silver lining of this to show itself!

  Mrs, you will find the sweet spot. Slow down a bit....see what happens. My hunch is it will fall into place for the remainder of the taper. You are down to the last bits! What a great accomplishment!

Sending support and friendship,

Carita

 

That's exactly what I was thinking, Carita... (cut7/hold10)

 

Great minds think alike!!

[[No...]]

I want to make something perfectly clear here:

 

I have been dissed for participating in this forum because I am not currently tapering my Xanax.  I am staying on it for now as I am tapering another drug and do not want to do a multiple drug taper and have unknown variables.  Most of my symptoms are not coming from any problem with a benzodiazepine but, I treat them with the benzodiazepine.

 

It does not matter in the slightest which neurotransmitter drug you are on whether it is a benzodiazepine, an antidepressant, or even a street drug.  They all affect GABA in one way or another and the subsequent neurotransmitters that the “God of Neurotransmitters: GABA” controls such as dopamine, serotonin, etc.

 

They all have the same side effects, potential for paradoxical reactions, and withdrawal symptoms.  Even though this is a benzodiazepine forum, the actual neurotransmitter affecting drug is irrelevant.

 

The ability to receive education and support here applies to each and every one of us on a neurotransmitter affecting drug regardless of the drug class or name.

 

Rebel Maven

 

  Rebel Maven:

       

          You are welcomed here for support, comfort and help with any of your medication(s). Your very honest, which

  speaks of integrity of Character. Most would not post such personal Info on their sig line. Its not a "requirement" to

  being here. I myself removed my "sig Line", for a while. Your well being is the most important aspect.

 

            Tapering medication(s) is to be done, one at a time. It's really no one's business which one you choose.

 

            Here's to Healing in your life ~~~~~~

 

      Notforme

[[Iw...]]

Thank you Rebel Maven and Benzy.

 

I didn't know there was a chat thread? There was mention of it here  a while back and I asked about it. Thanks for offering your pm.

 

Benzy. I have a 17 yr old cat with a thyroid problem and 5, 13 year old dogs that keep me moving. Don't think your 6 tried bob tail  kitten screaming with a funny butt will help but I'd take her/him if you weren't providing a home 

Is that kitty drinking cows milk? Sometimes that causes the runs.

 

[[Re...]]

Notforme:  Thank you for your support.

[[mr...]]

HAPPY NEW YEAR, ALL!!

 

:yippee: :yippee: :highfive: :highfive:

[[So...]]

Happy New Year, Mrs!!

 

The year of healing!!

 

Denise 

[[Iw...]]

Notforme. I hope you don't mind me asking but I see we jumped around the same time. How has post taper been for you? I've been mostly in waves and the mental capacity is going down more. I am getting stronger physically.

 

Rebel Maven. I'm sorry you've been upset, I don't know what happened but do know that our nerves are so fragile. I hope that you got settled down enough and are alright.

[[Iw...]]

Happy New Year! Mrsalw

 

Happy New Year! To everyone! 

May this be a blessed year of great healing for all!

[[Re...]]

Last New Year's Eve I was just in the beginning of severe withdrawals coming off of three drugs on a rapid taper.

 

I could not walk, talk, feed myself, shower, or dress myself, and had to have help going to the bathroom.

 

I laid in a fetal position shaking and shivering constantly and screamed and cried, begging a God who I did not even believe in to help me or take me.

 

I wanted so badly to commit suicide but I could not bring myself to do it.  I begged my husband over and over to please kill me.

 

Then I would go in to rage and start hitting and slapping myself and if I could utter a word it was nonsensical and usually foul.

 

I remained this way until mid-November of this year.

 

I have been through this three times in the last three years but each time it has gotten exponentially worse.

 

I may recover from the drugs but I will never recover from these memories.

 

Rebel Maven

 

[[Ra...]]

Rebel, oh my word, you poor dear.  I can't even imagine that kind of torture.  I hope that's not what's in store for me when I begin my taper.  That scares the ever-lovin crap out of me!!!

 

HUGS to you!!!

[[Be...]]

Dont be scared silly wabbit... I think she did a cold turkey that time, or previously,, but shell answer ya about that... dont be scared tho..

we all different, you'll have your own story..

[[Al...]]

Last New Year's Eve I was just in the beginning of severe withdrawals coming off of three drugs on a rapid taper.

 

I could not walk, talk, feed myself, shower, or dress myself, and had to have help going to the bathroom.

 

I laid in a fetal position shaking and shivering constantly and screamed and cried, begging a God who I did not even believe in to help me or take me.

 

I wanted so badly to commit suicide but I could not bring myself to do it.  I begged my husband over and over to please kill me.

 

Then I would go in to rage and start hitting and slapping myself and if I could utter a word it was nonsensical and usually foul.

 

I remained this way until mid-November of this year.

 

I have been through this three times in the last three years but each time it has gotten exponentially worse.

 

I may recover from the drugs but I will never recover from these memories.

 

Rebel Maven

 

Rebel I just wanted to tell you that when i just read your post i broke down and cried, just to read all the pain you have been thru for so long. i'm truly from the bottom of my heart so sorry you had to go thru all of that. I want to say that this time will be different for you and this new year will be a good one for you full of healing and joy and happiness, but i know sometimes we don't want to hear that so  i will say that this is my wish for you for this new year. Don't give up, keep hope, there is always hope to pull us thru  !! Happy new year !!

[[Be...]]

great, here we go, the neighbors have started their NYE fireworks and the horses are stampeding,,, this is how I get to spend NYE every year, as well as every 4th of July...

[[mr...]]

Yee hah, Benzy.

[[Be...]]

yeehaw is right

[[Ch...]]

My fear is...I must be in Tolerance again.  I've been waiting till 1/2/14 to re-start my slow taper.  It's almost hear; however, yesterday and today I can recognize the feeling of the dang anxiety lurking in the background.

 

It is all I can do to hold it back.  I have had heart palps, dizzy, the feeling when you start breathing more deeply, and than the fear sets in cause you don't want to feel that (BAM) and than here we go.

 

I have NO taken a rescue dose. I AM riding it out.  I'm not going to lie or sugar coat this....I am terrified about starting my taper; however, I know it HAS to be DONE.

 

As I told Nana this morning I felt like I had been hit by a Mack Truck.  My entire body/joints/gut...you name it...it hurt.  Took my morning dose and it calmed it down for about 2 hrs.  also, I'm feeling squirrely.  Having a difficult time typing.  Keep hitting all the wrong keys.  I hope when I talk it doesn't come out like when I'm typing...lol.

 

Benzy, I'm so happy for you...you made it and your jump is right around the corner!

 

God Bless us All with an abundance of H E A L I N G in the New Year to come.

 

Warm Comforting Hugs to All,

FluterByee

 

I will just tell you what happened with me before I started to taper. 

 

I was on 2mg and needing to go up more in order to stay 'normal'.  Instead of going up I decided to try to get off Xanax.  Once I got over the terror I had thinking about not having Xanax to alleviate my interdose/tolerance symptoms and actually began to taper, I felt so much better. 

 

Yes, I had anxiety and when I got to .25 by cutting way too fast I brought on all sorts of ugly withdrawal symptoms. 

 

You can do this, FB… you can.  And we'll be here with you, helping you get through.  You won't be alone in this.

 

Challis 

[[Ch...]]

Rebel, oh my word, you poor dear.  I can't even imagine that kind of torture.  I hope that's not what's in store for me when I begin my taper.  That scares the ever-lovin crap out of me!!!

 

HUGS to you!!!

 

Rabbit, that will not happen to you… that's why you're here and why some of us who are healed already are still here…to help you taper correctly.  What happened to Rebel will not happen to you. 

 

Challis 

[[Re...]]

Thank you to everyone for your support.

 

I can assure you that what happened to me will NOT happen to you.  Do NOT let this scare you.  It is an example of what happens when you rapid taper off three major neurotransmitter affecting drugs all at once.

 

This is why I stress so adamantly that you must taper off of only one drug at a time and taper very slowly. 

 

You MUST make small cuts and take the time it takes.

 

Rebel Maven

[[ho...]]

Hi everyone. I haven't been around the boards much and havent been posting. I just started coming out of a wave late yesterday, I'm not having a window but I'm doing better. It's been hard to think and it still is. Cog fog, I suppose . I said that I would update you on my kitty. We decided to end his suffering last Friday, his kidneys were just to bad for him to recover. He was 13 1/2 years old.

He's had urinary problems in the past and was on special vet food. There was evidence from past blood work that his kidneys had some problems but the vet said it was nothing to worry about at that time and to keep him on the special food. The vet said that the kidneys can take a drastic turn sometimes and that's what happened.

Of course I have all kinds of questions and what ifs but there is a sort of acceptance starting to manifest.

 

 

Wishing you all Windows 

 

Hi. I am so sorry about your kitty. I lost my 18 year old kitty last Dec 26, 2012 to kidney disease. It is so hard to lose them. Sorry for your loss.

Love,

Hopeful Girl 

[[mr...]]

Hopeful!!

 

I'm so glad you're online

[[Ra...]]

Thanks Benzy and Challis, so I have a question. . .

 

I take 1mg at about 3:00pm (recently added since October) and 2mg at about 8:30pm for sleep last 13 months).  Used sporadically for several years before that.  Before I actually start to taper, should I try to even out the doses, so try to move 1mg of the 2mg dose to a morning 1mg dose?  So dosing would be 8:00am 1mg, 3:00pm 1mg and then 8:30 1mg. 

 

Or should I try to start the taper by eliminating the afternoon dose (.0625) at a time, then start working on the evening dose.

 

I HAVE to be super functional at work, I have a very stressful job. 

 

What do you all think?  Thank you!

[[ho...]]

Hello Mrs,

  I wonder if you are ahead of your healing at this cutting rate and low dose of X? That is what the symptoms suggest. So many here have systems that need to slow it down towards the end. I would probably slow the rate a bit and see how you do. Perhaps cut for 7 days and hold for 10....there are many ways to do this. You are very in tune with your body...you will figure this out.

  Remember when I started cutting V? We all imagined I would be done by now. As of today I hit 1 mg...and even at this tiny non therapeutic dose I feel the cuts. I have slowed the reduction and see some lightening of symptoms. The MH stuff was very frightening and I do not want to go there again. AND the darned A-fib kicked up too...oh goodness. Challis...can't wait for the silver lining of this to show itself!

  Mrs, you will find the sweet spot. Slow down a bit....see what happens. My hunch is it will fall into place for the remainder of the taper. You are down to the last bits! What a great accomplishment!

Sending support and friendship,

Carita

 

That's exactly what I was thinking, Carita... (cut7/hold10)

 

Great minds think alike!!

 

Well-sounds like great advice to me  As I got down to the really low doses I gave myself permission to hold whenever. So there wasn't much of a system there on those tiny doses. I would cut 1-2 ml per day but sometimes I'd cut 1 day and hold for 3-4 days OR I'd cut for 4-7 days and then hold for 6-7 days, etc. I just let my body guide me and that was truly the best time of my entire taper. It was still bad from my rapid tapering early on but became so much more manageable this way. Just listen to your body. Those tiny doses for me were the toughest. Not trying to scare you but rather just share that your experience is normal!  Good news is you are almost there!

Hopeful Girl

[[Be...]]

I think that would be ok..

I didnt work a "real job" during this, so I just stuck with one dose, though some experience interdose withdrawals doing it that way..

average it evenly and divide it into 2 or 3 doses...

or you could just leave as is... if you have insomnia problems at night

either way...

[[Ra...]]

I think that would be ok..

I didnt work a "real job" during this, so I just stuck with one dose, though some experience interdose withdrawals doing it that way..

average it evenly and divide it into 2 or 3 doses...

or you could just leave as is... if you have insomnia problems at night

either way...

 

Thanks Benzy, anyone else thoughts on direct taper from Xanax?

[[Be...]]

I did do 2 doses for awhile but went back to just one when I got lower in dosages