Okay let's plan this taper

Hey Folks:

 

After doing my homework, I'm positive it is time to get off the Xanax.  Here are some particulars, please let me know if you need any other info.  43 year old male, very good health and physical condition (except for this nasty little pill), 185 LBS.

 

Benzo:  Xanax 

 

Dose:  For last 2 years usually between .05mg and 1mg daily, usually 1x  per day, usually late afternoon early evening.  Prior to that I took Xanax only occasionally.

 

My preference would be to do a direct taper.  I have a good inventory of .0125mg - .5mg pill slices for the coming weeks.  I know doing a direct taper from Xanax isn't ideal, but I would prefer that to adding another benzo to the mix.  With that said, I would appreciate your opinion.  Would tapering taking doses 2x per day smooth things out versus my current 1x per day regimen?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.  I look forward to putting these bad boys behind me.

 

Keith

 

 

Dose:  For last 2 years usually between .05mg and 1mg daily, usually 1x  per day, usually late afternoon early evening.  Prior to that I took Xanax only occasionally.

 

Hey back at ya, Keith.    Did you mean between .5mg and 1mg rather than .05mg, BTW?  Assuming yes, here are my suggestions based on what I've read and my own experiences (not a doc or nurse):

 

Stabilize on the lowest dose you are comfortable with for a week or two.  If you can get by on .5mg or .75mg/day, you will get off quicker but there's no reason to suffer while you are tapering so if it takes 1 mg, so be it. 

 

Since you have been dosing once/day, you can certainly continue it and see how you feel.  You can always go to 2x/day if you need to. 

 

After you have been taking the same dose every day for at least a week, start reducing by about 10% every 7-10 days.  It can be difficult to cut the pills smaller than in quarters (.125mg), so if you are really concerned about the 10%, you might consider titration.  I, too, decided to taper directly off my benzo, knowing I could ask for a tritration schedule if I couldn't handle the larger percentage cuts.  However, I haven't had a problem and just yesterday cut 50%. (I was at .25mg; I don't think I've changed my signature block yet; sorry). 

 

The 10% and 7-14 days are just guidelines.  Unfortunately, there's no way to know ahead of time how it will go but I think expecting everything to go smoothly helps.  You seem to have a really good attitude about this and I do think things will go well for you. 

Hi again Beeper =)  Thanks for the schedule.  I'm thinking to stabilize and smooth things out: .25mg in the AM and .50 in the evening.  From there, reduce evening first by .0125 and after 10-14ays reduce AM dose by the same.  From there start to balance with no more than .0125 reduction daily.  I'm pretty confident I can tolerate this- at least at this point =)  After reading so much, I believe the reason I was taking one per day at the same time may have been slight tolerance withdrawl.  If this sounds reasonable, let me know. 

 

Thanks again =)

 

Keith

Hi again Beeper =)  Thanks for the schedule.  I'm thinking to stabilize and smooth things out: .25mg in the AM and .50 in the evening.  From there, reduce evening first by .0125 and after 10-14ays reduce AM dose by the same.  From there start to balance with no more than .0125 reduction daily. 

 

Hi Keith! I just wanted to clarify that you meant 0.125mg, not 0.0125mg. Correct?? 

Hi Eljay =)  Yes that was a typo- not ready for the micro taper- yet! Nice catch!  FWIW- I think I'm going to start doing the Xanax 2x per day to even out the taper.  Thanks for catching my typo- but if anyone needs a .0125 cut, I'm not the guy!!  Thanks Eljay!!

 

Keith

....tomorrow for me.  I have to admit on one hand I am very apprehensive given everything I have read here, on the other I am pretty positive.  I have come to the conclusion that although I did not think I ever had w/d episodes, I in fact did.  As a 1x per day Xanax user, I believe my "off days" were probably related to tolerance withdrawl, I just never made the connection.  Nothing major, but lack of concentration, occasional loss of appetite and that weird feeling in my head.  I feel much better understanding what is going on now.  At least I think I know what is going on... LOL.  So I have stayed a .75 mg the last 2 days, no major issues, just a little anxiety- but under control.  I have read a lot and think a direct taper from Xanax may be best doing smaller doses 3x per day.  At least that is where I will start.  From there I will pick one dose and reduce .125 after 10 days or so.  Just wanted to provide an update.  I will let you know how the week goes.  Thanks for getting me on track.

 

Be well,

 

Keith

Sounds like a great plan.    Thanks for letting us know what/how you are doing.  I expect you will do great. 

Thanks- Be well =)

Keith I answered you and yes you have a good plan!  I would go with it.  You are right you probably did have withdrawls but you were not aware of it.  Like I said if I had not read the different things people have gone through I would have wondered what was going on with me.  Reading the other blogs has kept my anxiety down because I usually find my answers and if I don't I ask someone.  I am doing pretty good!  I am functioning and managing.  I work have kids and I am able to get by.  If you feel you need to rest on your off days then lay down for awhile.  Don't fight it.  I do give in to it when I need to but overall it has been pretty good with a few off days with every cut.  Wish you luck!

 

mal