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

[[Be...]]

That's actually a great attitude tho Lacey

[[Ch...]]

This might be weird.  But, I did my first reduction for this taper a couple days ago, and I'm really excited for a couple days from now to see just how bad the W/D hit's me.    Last time it came on day 4. Hoping it's easy this time around with the smaller reduction.  I can't wait to do the next reduction.

 

I'll probably regret saying this though come Thursday when I'm weeping like a little girl.

 

Many a man has wept like a little girl during Xanax withdrawal.  We have lots of hankies and soft shoulders to cry on.

 

[[mr...]]

Tatertot,

 

I have posted many posts on water tapering. If you click on my name, it'll take you to my profile. From there, if you click on Show Posts (or Read Posts?), you will be directed to every post I've ever made, in chronological order, from newest to oldest. It may take a little digging around, but you could find some prelim advice on water tapering.

 

Also, on page two of my personal blog, I've also posted a detailed account of my water titration how-to's (MrsALW's Xanny Taper, found in Buddie Blogs in the Nexus section).

 

Hope this helps. My apologies for not helping more than this for now!

 

Mrs.

[[Ch...]]

That's actually a great attitude tho Lacey

 

So true.  I believe it helps get through this. 

Challis 

[[Ju...]]

Ok so I have a small scale - but it only goes to .01g, that is not small enough is it? Are smaller scales pretty affordable online?

That's not small enough.  We need the .001g

 

Here is the one most people use:

 

[nobbc]http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389748818&sr=8-1&keywords=gemini+scale[/nobbc]

 

Copy and paste this link into your browser.

 

Thank you! I'm still hoping to hear from water titration peeps as it still sounds appealing. Maybe good to go to water when dose gets just too silly to try and weigh on a scale.

 

TT,

  I water tapered xanax and found it technically easy. I first dry cut until symptoms became too uncomfortable and switched to water at .25 mg. I am not feeling well enough right now to write out accurate directions.  If you look at past posts there are many written with excellent advice. You can do a search at the top right side of the heading. Bet someone else will come along and be of assistance.

Good luck to you and welcome to BB.

Warmly,

Carita

 

Thank you Carita, for the advice. I hope you feel better ASAP. I have tried searching but I keep getting errors so may be realted to my newbieness. I think you have helped me see that I can cut for a little while then switch to water as the dose gets lower.

 

Does everyone here mostly agree that tapering only with xanax is best? I did mention I have valium but i really hate how tired it makes me the next day. Plus the idea of introducing a second drug sounds perhaps bad news.

I would not attempt to cut at the level of 1mg if I only had 2mg pills without using titration or a scale.  When dry cutting starting from a dose of 1mg, I would cut no more than .0625mg.  This would be 1/32 of a 2mg.  Not possible to accurately dry cut without a scale, in my opinion.  I believe you misunderstood Carita's post.  She was explaining what she was able to do and didn't mention what Mg dose she was on at the time or what sized pills she had.

 

Just want you to stay safe. 

[[ta...]]

Ok so I have a small scale - but it only goes to .01g, that is not small enough is it? Are smaller scales pretty affordable online?

That's not small enough.  We need the .001g

 

Here is the one most people use:

 

[nobbc]http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389748818&sr=8-1&keywords=gemini+scale[/nobbc]

 

Copy and paste this link into your browser.

 

Thank you! I'm still hoping to hear from water titration peeps as it still sounds appealing. Maybe good to go to water when dose gets just too silly to try and weigh on a scale.

 

TT,

  I water tapered xanax and found it technically easy. I first dry cut until symptoms became too uncomfortable and switched to water at .25 mg. I am not feeling well enough right now to write out accurate directions.  If you look at past posts there are many written with excellent advice. You can do a search at the top right side of the heading. Bet someone else will come along and be of assistance.

Good luck to you and welcome to BB.

Warmly,

Carita

 

Thank you Carita, for the advice. I hope you feel better ASAP. I have tried searching but I keep getting errors so may be realted to my newbieness. I think you have helped me see that I can cut for a little while then switch to water as the dose gets lower.

 

Does everyone here mostly agree that tapering only with xanax is best? I did mention I have valium but i really hate how tired it makes me the next day. Plus the idea of introducing a second drug sounds perhaps bad news.

I would not attempt to cut at the level of 1mg if I only had 2mg pills without using titration or a scale.  When dry cutting starting from a dose of 1mg, I would cut no more than .0625mg.  This would be 1/32 of a 2mg.  Not possible to accurately dry cut without a scale, in my opinion.  I believe you misunderstood Carita's post.  She was explaining what she was able to do and didn't mention what Mg dose she was on at the time or what sized pills she had.

 

Just want you to stay safe. 

 

THANK YOU. OK, so need to order a darn scale. And read about water titration from Mrs. I want to start ASAP but I need to plan this better.

[[ta...]]

 

Thank you Carita, for the advice. I hope you feel better ASAP. I have tried searching but I keep getting errors so may be realted to my newbieness. I think you have helped me see that I can cut for a little while then switch to water as the dose gets lower.

 

Does everyone here mostly agree that tapering only with xanax is best? I did mention I have valium but i really hate how tired it makes me the next day. Plus the idea of introducing a second drug sounds perhaps bad news.

 

Maybe I'm reading this wrong.  But, you'd just be on one or the other, not on both at the same time, correct?

 

I think it comes down personal opinion to switch or not.  I, like you, am very fatigued when under the influence of Benzo's during the day.  I also get depressed from it too.  That's why I've stayed away from switching over to valium.  With Xanax I can at least control how sedated I am during the day, by just taking a small dose in the morning to take the edge off.

 

Yes I was talking about switching to v at some point towards lower doses. Like the Ashton method. But the sedation I experience from valium is incapacitating, and never at bedtime - always the next day when I'm trying to work and be functional. I guess my question is the general consensus among all of you that a direct taper is just as effective and v is not necessary?

[[Ju...]]

I did not find Valium was necessary at all for me to complete my taper.  It's something I never would have considered unless I'd failed to be able to taper Xanax.

[[ba...]]

Tatertot,

 

I agree with Juliea.  I briefly considered a switch to Valium , but I knew my personality would not be attuned to a long crossover.  My personal belief is all benzos are difficult to withdraw from.  I'm 13 months away from the start of my taper, and I am very gradually starting to feel a little bit better.  You must stay the course to get off the poison.

 

 

Love your screen name.

[[Bl...]]

I did not find Valium was necessary at all for me to complete my taper.  It's something I never would have considered unless I'd failed to be able to taper Xanax.

I considered crossing over to V too. But then I thought, "why complicate things". So I kept it simple and tapered directly off of xanax. But I understand that there are those that, because of their physical/chemical makeup, have to cross over in order to function or not go insane with anxiety.

 

Blue

[[Be...]]

it was just one more thing to do in my book, and its been "OK" tapering directly from the X..

 

although it makes me wonder if it woulda been easier, I think Ashton says  it makes it easier...

 

too late to worry about it for me tho...

[[Fl...]]

Mrs,

 

I'm not so sure about that!  The last couple of days I have had Int D WD's and mucho anxiety.

 

Right now vertigo is hanging in the background.  I'm afraid to move my head/neck/ or eyes to fast in fear that full blown vertigo will set in!

 

I have had severe neck/trap/scapula pain all day.  My neck wants to pull to the left and that entire side is the one that hurts the most.  I have a knot in the muscle on my left scapula and my bicep/triceps are weak making it hard to type.  I have also been short of breath...even when taking my dose.

 

I'm guessing I have gone back into Tolerance and inter dose WD 

 

ALso today, I'm having Benzo rage/agitation.

 

Try & Stay positive you say...I seem to have a very difficult time doing that.  My SX's wipe out any positive thoughts because they seem to be all I can focus on.

 

FRUSTRATING  

 

FluterByee

 

I just got over the flu.  I had forgotten what most of my days in withdrawal were like, but as soon as I got the flu I remembered.  It was like having a bad, long, lingering case of the flu with body aches and light-headedness, heavy heartbeats and blah, blah, blah. 

 

What was odd to me was that in the midst of the flu I thought to myself, 'What if this is acute benzo withdrawal coming back after all this time???'  I even caught myself worrying that I'd never feel good again!

 

This stuff really messes with our minds.

 

BOY, YOU'VE SURE GOT TAHT RIGHT!

I WANT TO HAVE THAT POSSITIVE MIND SET LIKE MRS, BENZY, HOPEFUL, and many others.  I just can't seem to get there!  And, it really frustrated me because I don't want to be negative Nellie!

FB

[[ta...]]

So I'm a little OCD and a planner - and here I am trying to plan the whole darn thing out when I haven't even attempted a cut I can cross the valium bridge if I need to I suppose!

 

EDIT - moving a question to a titration thread

[[Be...]]

Whew! 2nd anxiety attack tonight!!! you wouldnt think Im so positive if you just saw me in the hall trying to figure out which way to run!!!

[[Be...]]

no problem in being prepared

[[Bl...]]

Whew! 2nd anxiety attack tonight!!! you wouldnt think Im so positive if you just saw me in the hall trying to figure out which way to run!!!

I never ran, but instead got very still. I always kept my anxiety within myself. Because of that, nobody labeled me as having panic attacks. But now I realize I have been having them since I was a kid. I borrowed them from my Mom. And when she had them, it was pretty scary. I could always tell when one was coming on by the look in her green eyes. I would do everything in a little kid's power to help her feel better. I will never tell her she was the origin of my anxiety. It would hurt her too much. In many ways, she is more fragile than me. I somehow got the message that I had to protect her and I still feel that way. I think it was supposed to be the other way around. She was supposed to take care of and protect me.

 

Blue

[[Be...]]

I didnt say I ran lol, I said I stood in the hall trying to decide which way to run lol..

 

I get my anxiety from my parents too, or my "dyfunctional family"....

not to blame them, it just is what it is... Ive told them several times that they should had never been allowed to reproduce, they didnt "parent" us... they thought "providing was enough..

 

I never got anything unless I came completely undone and hyterical, and I dont mean spoiled child things, I mean things that I needed.....father was "working" all the time (having affairs), mothers was aloof (head in the sand so she "wouldnt know")....

 

I grew up not trusting anyone even god (since I was taught he hated me and was gonna kill me and burn me in hell).... that makes for a lot of anxiety....

[[Bl...]]

Were you brought up Baptist or Lutheran? I think they made God out to be pretty scary. My Dad's Mom was a Baptist Minister's daughter...very straight laced. She once told my Mom to get out of her house because she mentioned liquor. Poor Mom.

[[Be...]]

good ol' staunch southern baptist! the only ones that are right lol

[[Be...]]

you got insomnia?

[[...]]

Even a .125 mg cut in my usual 1.5 mg night dose's resulted in a headache and an even bigger craving. So far, I've resisted. Let's see if I can withstand the taper. It's almost as if my brain's got a mind of its own and is trying to tell me 'gimme my usual Xanax fix you ****tard, or else...' Planning to satisfy the Xanax cravings arising from the dose cut with Librium. safer than most.

[[Ch...]]

Even a .125 mg cut in my usual 1.5 mg night dose's resulted in a headache and an even bigger craving. So far, I've resisted. Let's see if I can withstand the taper. It's almost as if my brain's got a mind of its own and is trying to tell me 'gimme my usual Xanax fix you ****tard, or else...' Planning to satisfy the Xanax cravings arising from the dose cut with Librium. safer than most.

 

Sorry to ask this…you're sure you're cutting correctly?  Do you have .25 tablets or are you cutting .5s?

 

[[...]]

Even a .125 mg cut in my usual 1.5 mg night dose's resulted in a headache and an even bigger craving. So far, I've resisted. Let's see if I can withstand the taper. It's almost as if my brain's got a mind of its own and is trying to tell me 'gimme my usual Xanax fix you ****tard, or else...' Planning to satisfy the Xanax cravings arising from the dose cut with Librium. safer than most.

 

Sorry to ask this…you're sure you're cutting correctly?  Do you have .25 tablets or are you cutting .5s?

 

Thanks for asking. I have .5 tablets, and also .25 tabs scored down the middle. I use a kitchen knife to cut them like the pharmacist demonstrated. I think it might also mean my brain's totally rewired and craves for the Xanax. I took 20 mg Librium now to counter the insane cravings.

 

Xanax entices, entraps, and finally enslaves  :-(

[[Ch...]]

Even a .125 mg cut in my usual 1.5 mg night dose's resulted in a headache and an even bigger craving. So far, I've resisted. Let's see if I can withstand the taper. It's almost as if my brain's got a mind of its own and is trying to tell me 'gimme my usual Xanax fix you ****tard, or else...' Planning to satisfy the Xanax cravings arising from the dose cut with Librium. safer than most.

 

Sorry to ask this…you're sure you're cutting correctly?  Do you have .25 tablets or are you cutting .5s?

 

Thanks for asking. I have .5 tablets, and also .25 tabs scored down the middle. I use a kitchen knife to cut them like the pharmacist demonstrated. I think it might also mean my brain's totally rewired and craves for the Xanax. I took 20 mg Librium now to counter the insane cravings.

 

Xanax entices, entraps, and finally enslaves  :-(

 

Okay, so you're scoring the .25s into halves.  Since you're feeling it strongly, I'd think about correcting to only a .0625 cut, which is 1/4 of a .25 tablet. 

 

Yes, your brain is craving Xanax but it's a physical dependency.  You're probably going to have some symptoms even tapering slowly and carefully.  Anyone tapering a physically addicting drug is going to feel it.  The best we can do in benzo w/d is keep those symptoms down to some insomnia and anxiety, I think.  If you know it's just the process, it's not as upsetting. 

 

Librium is a benzodiazepine too.  Why are you covering benzo w/d symptoms with another benzo?  Just asking.

 

Challis

[[ma...]]

Not sure if I am posting this in the right place? I went to the Dr and she is now putting me on a low dose beta blocker,until my thyroid results come back. She also told me that i DO NOT have to take any xanax if i do not need it,she said it will not hurt me to stop it since I am on such a small dose of 0.75 a day. I know nothing about beta blockers at all except they slow your pulse down. She also said that if thyroid is good then we will probably try Celexa. Any thoughts or anyone go through this situation? Thank you all have a great day PS She also told me not to look anything up on the computer lol