2.0 Xanax to sleep how to?

[[Buddie]]

So I started on .5 Alprazolam  for sleep aid and am now at 2.0 at 2 years.
I take .5,,   Try  to relax and then take another .5 when I go to bed.
Of course that lasts just a few hours then I wake and repeat .5 and again an hour or so later.

Am doin something wrong here.
Have reached interdose withdrawls

Should I be taking it all at once or?
I dont take any during the day and feel like poo.

My NP just wrote me a script for Diazapam equivalency for a 6 week taper.
I’m freaked.

Sorry bout my lack of signature, am new and distressed

[[Buddie]]

Can you give us the approximate times when you take your doses? Do you have to do the 6 week Valium taper or will your doctor keep prescribing for you?

[[Buddie]]

Hi Jelly

So I take a .5 at 7p sit and relax and then  another .5 and go to bed. If I wake at 11p I’ll take another . 5. Then likely at 1a or 2a repeat.

In searching the web I think I may have stumbled upon my folly.
There is a  YouTube video titled “ benzos are booze in a bottle” that caught my attention.
As a singular perspective, if one were  to take a bunch of shots of one’s favourite liquor every night one  would have a hangover every next day.
Ones life would  deteriorate commensurately.
Doe!

Don’t know what the Sam Hill I was thinking. Now I’m thinking maybe I need to work towards spacing out those doses more evenly throughout the whole day to avoid this roller coaster effect.
Barf and repeat.

My prescriber is a bit of a question mark unfortunately but I am hopeful that with this bit of
light I can perhaps gain a foothold towards better outcome generally if not a complete taper from these tabs.. As it stands my daytimes are poo.
I do wonder how my bod/brain is gonna react to not getting it’s nightly regime initially though

What say ye? Let the fur fly. Am feelin a good bit foolish and grateful to still be ticking

[[Buddie]]

So I suppose rather predictably my bod/brain is t like it this new space out dosing.
This is mean stuff

[[Buddie]]

I think it's very likely you're experiencing interdose withdrawal during the day. I understand why you're dosing like this during the night when the meds were prescribed for insomnia.

But the thing is once you're dependent something's gotta give. Most people spread their doses equally across the day for example in 4 hr intervals. (Some people will get up in the night to take a dose but I personally think that's counter-productive). What we advise is to take your dose consistently at the same time. In your case if you're suffering in the day you might want to consider switching to day time dosing and spread your doses out.

But this means your sleep is likely going to suffer. Just to give you some an idea,  I only sleep 3-5 hrs a night. I can get 3hrs uninterrupted sleep at the most or 5hrs of interrupted sleep. Most nights I lay awake for 4-5 hrs. It's just part of wd.

So you need to decide whether day time withdrawal is worse or if insomnia is worse unfortunately.

The other option you have is to crossover to Valium. But I would not recommend this until you've tried switching your doses to day time first to determine if it makes any difference in the interdose withdrawal.

[[Buddie]]

Thankyou for taking the time.

For 4 days now Ive spread the dose out over 24 hours, to the effect of establishing a somewhat more “normal human” Psychologically I was stoked at figuring this out. Short lived. There are issues a plenty ahead.
Walking around work was just intolerable. With any luck that will be less of a challenge.

Probably hold here for another week  and then calculate some kind of taper.
Ambition and dread simultaneously.

[[Buddie]]

I am so sorry. Does it feel worse now than your previous schedule where it wasn't spread evenly?

[[Buddie]]

Jelly belly
Youve nothing to apologize for. Your understanding is greatly appreciated.
The loneliness is indescribable.
The fact that you are here, intelligible on this issue and willing to interact with me is a gift.


The recent experiences of upswelling panic  have eased. With any luck I can continue my job.
Sleep…… what can be said. Benzo sleep. Mythical in the first place.
The sudden inability to imagine any sustainable future given the odds of accessing qualified help…..
REALLY  very grim.

I have more to say, but will try to sleep now.
Thankyou, may your life be blessed

[[Buddie]]

I know it is extremely hard to be motivated for your future. The hardest part for me was the beginning of this journey and accepting what is happening to me. Like you said the realization that I'm all alone in my medical decisions was a hard pill to swallow. But I read as much as I could on here and I educated myself. As time goes by it really becomes easier. You'll see, if you can get to acceptance it will definitely become easier.

I'm still curious if you feel that the changes in time is worse now than when you dosed in the evenings?

[[Buddie]]

The change in schedule is better overall. But  when awake at 1 am it’s time to dose so….
The more even dosing seems to spread out anxiety, instead of having it aggregate early in the day.

Finding a new provider is what’s got me terrified as mine won’t go any further.