Xanax users of 4-6 mg and tapering....

I see many xanax users tapering off 1 mg xanax. But not many trying to taper down from 4-6 mg. I am at 4.25 mg. It seems a long way to go compared to 1 mg. Wondering if anyone else is at higher doses or have been at higher doses and tapering at higher doses and how its going or what it was like at those higher doses.

Hi:

 

I know this will not answer your question directly, but I was once on 13 mg  of Xanax and we tried a taper. Sorry to say, but it was a nightmare from day one. I finally made it down to 10 mg but could not do it anymore because of the terrible s/x. So I went to a detox facility and they stripped me off of all 10 mg at once. Needless to say, there are no words that can describe my condition. To say it was horrific would be downplaying it. I was in such terrible PAWS that my doc couldn't bear to see me suffering so badly that she reinstated me to klonopin. Didn't know that was addictive so I thought it was OK. If I were you, I would right now do a C/O to valium. In my personal experience, this is the only sane way to do this. JMO. Others have tapered directly off of Xanax and I am happy for them. But to me, the only clear choice is to do a C/O. Betsy

I just posted a link to Richardinvegas about crossover to valium tapering from 4 mg of xanax:

 

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s7

 

I see you are tapering tramadol too?  Ugh, tramadol messes with your SNRI receptors like an antidepressant.

I am hell bent on not doing a crossover. I ve done lots of research and I think there are risks. One of the risks I ve noticed that seems to be a trend is the longer recovery period once the jump comes. As an RN I believe that is bc of the long half life. I feel there are pros to sticking with the benzo u know. I just don't want to go on another benzo to fix prob with a benzo. I know it is a life savor for others, I ve read lots of people getting relief. Just won't be me. There has to people who haven't crossed over who have tapered down. Not everyone crosses over.

 

I want off both drugs. I started with xanax. I was put on hold from xanax taper for a couple months bc of a surgery I had. Bc I have explosive diarrhea...awesome....for a couple days after a drop...and my surgery was ....mmmm....a woman surgery.....he was afraid of infection. So I began the tram taper. I didn't want to waste 2 ms not tapering something. Tram is a bitch too bc you are tapering from an antidepressant and opioid type pain med in one. I havent had much issues with the antidepressant part, but the opioid part is kicking my ass!! But I also wonder if I hit a wall in my xanax again and am in tol wd. That is how I feel. I have another post about that question and if its possible.

 

Thanks guys

Interesting you said that because I had read risks of using a longer acting SSRI to taper a short acting SSRI which I ended up doing (Cymbalta is relatively short, Prozac long).  I had already done the thing so it was moot but it was a convincing argument.  So I certainly understand that.

 

I'm not using a valium taper because although Ativan is rather short acting, it's not the shortest, but I figured that with the water I could dose myself during the day and spread it out easily if need be.  I've done fine tapering from the Ativan and ended up not using multiple doses.

 

 

I tapered 6mg of Xanax after over 25-years of use for insomnia without crossing over and I'm so glad I was able to accomplish this with my original benzo.  My taper from 6mg to 3mg was done in .50mg, every 2-week tapers.  Then I held at 3mg for a very long time.  Approx. 2-years.  Then after that lengthy hold, I began the dedicated taper off to zero.  From 3mg to zero took me 9-months.

 

I believe there are many advantages to sticking with one's original benzo if the person can manage their withdrawal tolerably with the original benzo.  If you are determined, like I was determined Grinch, you can do this!  It certainly sounds like you're determined and that's a good thing.

Kallor,

For 3 yrs+ I have been to Dr after Dr to find out why I was having all this pain and other syx. Mostly excruciating flu like pain. (I was already on xanax at bed for menopausal insomnia for about a yr by then...not sure if it really helped much but they tried all kinds of other benzos and sleep meds to know avail) ...all they ever wanted to do is give me more drugs which I refused except I did start tram which really only helped for a while also. Eventually I was dx with fibromyalgia. (Still on xanax and tram...no one even mentioned it could be a problem...and I was not looking into it yet as the problem) My pdoc increased my xanax to 6 mg at bed and 400 mg tram a day. When things just weren't getting better I caved last yr and tried Cymbalta. It almost killed me! Had to do a fast wd off bc of the side effects. Worst experience of my life! I couldn't walk or talk and became suicidal!!! Not taking any other meds besides the ones I am on now and trying to get off them bc I think they now are making me sicker or sick all along with tol and interdose wd, is the plan for me. No more new drugs for me. And no more switching. Just off .

Juliea,

I was so hoping I d hear from u!!!  Did you experience interdose wd or tol wd?

 

I have another post out there about hitting tol wd again after stopping tapering. If you could I d greatly appreciate a response from u. 

It's called "Tapering and Tol wd"....

I did not experience interdose withdrawal and continued dosing 1X per day all the way to zero.    Yes, I did experience relative / tolerance symptoms starting at about 18-months into my 2-year hold at 3mg.  I believe I could have avoided tolerance symptoms prior to beginning the second leg of my taper had I commenced tapering prior to my 18-month onset of tolerance. 

 

My symptoms dissipated as I very slowly reduced my dose.  I believe this occurred because I always waited to stabilize, (return to feeling how I felt prior to making another dose reduction), between cuts.  I learned to listen to my body and my body guided me as to how to moderate the rate of my taper.

 

I don't believe tolerance withdrawal is a proper term to use to describe withdrawal symptoms after a taper has been initiated.  I believe withdrawal symptoms is a better term, because I believe we are always tolerant to the doses we have cut.  The reason I describe my symptoms as tolerance related when they hit at 18-months into my two-year hold is because it was an EXTREMELY long hold, where I was very stable for most all of that time, except the last 6-months where I believe I in essence established a new starting dose of 3mg.  Does that make sense? 

 

 

Yes, that makes sense. I m just wondering bc I started tapering xanax and had to stop bc of a delicate surgery. So started tapering tram. I want off both these poisons!! The usual drop cycle for tram has changed this week. I don't seem to be coming out of the pain and rls like I did after about a week after a cut. In fact, I feel similar to where I was before I even began my xanax taper. Totally in tol and interdose wd and didn't know it.....until I found bb. (Dx with fibromyalgia. Now I think its the meds, especially the benzo! ) So I wonder if holding at 4.25 xanax is coming back around into tol and mixing with my tram taper?? My interdose wd seems to be worse too since I first divided my dose.I wonder if that is also bc of the total mg tol of xanax. Just trying to figure out the best course of action to give me a little relief. Been almost bedbound all week again bc of pain. I am almost halfway thru the tram taper, I should just push that and get it over with so I only have the xanax to contend with.

I don't know what has caused the increase in your symptoms.  By starting to taper another med after you initiated a Xanax taper, it will be difficult to determine what is causing what.  I'm so sorry you've hit a rough patch Grinch and I hope you feel better soon. 

I was prescribed a dosage that is equivalent to close to 6 mg of Xanax. You can see my taper progress in my sig.

 

I typically feel better the lower my dosage gets. I am in much better shape now than I was when I started. This has been the hardest thing I've been through in my entire life, but it could be worse.