C/t after low-dose, short-term usage

Greetings everyone,

 

Long story cut short: I took various benzos most of the days for app. 5 weeks. Some of them where self-medicated, others prescribed by a neurologist (clonazepam), others by GP (xanax). Most of all I took lorazepam / Xanax. I never took more than 1mg per 24 hours. Towards the end of those 5 weeks I took a daily dose of around 0.5- 0.75 Xanax for some days. Please see my signature for detailed log.

 

Reading through this forum I became aware that, compared to many other users, this is a rather short time and fairly low amount.

 

I was naive slipping into this usage pattern, didn't really ask what these pills do to you if you take them more often then just very sporadically. And just like that, I was kind of naive when I quit taking them altogether pretty much exactly 5 days ago.

 

I'm having a pretty rough, yet still manageable time with the withdrawal symptoms.

 

My question to you: Should I go on with my c/t, considering the low-dose, short-term usage of those substances? Do you see any complications? Do you know about similar cases? 

This is your call.  A c/t from 0.125 Xanax is not a trivial cut, but it's a lot less than if you were taking 1-2 mg.  If you think that you can handle what's hitting you, then I see no reason why you can't continue.  I c/t'd from a higher equivalency dose and it was pretty lousy for a few months.  I would think that you should get through this faster than I did, but there's no knowing with certainty since everybody gets through this differently. 

This is your call.  A c/t from 0.125 Xanax is not a trivial cut, but it's a lot less than if you were taking 1-2 mg.  If you think that you can handle what's hitting you, then I see no reason why you can't continue.  I c/t'd from a higher equivalency dose and it was pretty lousy for a few months.  I would think that you should get through this faster than I did, but there's no knowing with certainty since everybody gets through this differently.

 

I can't help but notice your signature and your history I know everyone's different but 9 months? That's really scary because I'm in month 1 and I know everyone's different but... I don't know I've taken Xanax in the past recreationally but my thing right now is Valium and I quit cold turkey a few weeks back I'm just really anxious and happy at the same time and the worst of it usually comes in the late afternoon and early to mid-evening

I would suggest C/T, if you can call it that.

 

At those doses/drugs/not daily use (assuming you don't have a history fo problematic withdrawal) I wouldn't even know how to come up with a tapering schedule !

Just don't do it again 

Dennis, you'll probably be OK if you just stick with the CT. It's important that you develop alternative ways to deal with the anxiety, however. It could be exercise, meditation, even just the simple distraction of crossword or jigsaw puzzles. Anything to get your mind off your anxiety to help you through it.

 

If there was an underlying reason that you started taking the benzos you might want to address that now, maybe through talk therapy or journaling.

This is your call.  A c/t from 0.125 Xanax is not a trivial cut, but it's a lot less than if you were taking 1-2 mg.  If you think that you can handle what's hitting you, then I see no reason why you can't continue.  I c/t'd from a higher equivalency dose and it was pretty lousy for a few months.  I would think that you should get through this faster than I did, but there's no knowing with certainty since everybody gets through this differently.

 

I can't help but notice your signature and your history I know everyone's different but 9 months? That's really scary because I'm in month 1 and I know everyone's different but... I don't know I've taken Xanax in the past recreationally but my thing right now is Valium and I quit cold turkey a few weeks back I'm just really anxious and happy at the same time and the worst of it usually comes in the late afternoon and early to mid-evening

9 months is one of the fortunate ones. Buckle up.