Longterm Low Dose Xanex and Valium

I have been on low doses of xanex and valium for almost 19 years. Started when I was 42 dealing with an Xwife who was threatening to take my 2 year old daughter to another state to live with a guy she met on the internet. Back then .25 xanex was all I needed. It eventually went up to.50 then .75 and now 1.0. Had a colon surgery about 7 years ago than caused constant colon spasms valium was the only drug that gave me any comfort at all. Xanex to sleep Valium for spasms aprox 6 mg daily. I am now 62 with no stress and I need to get off of this crap...its messing with my memory and I feel it is making me depressed. I dont enjoy the things I use to and social interaction causes anxiety WTF. ANYWAY..Tried rapid taper down to .25 xanex and 2 mg valium...3 weeks and still felt like crap. Fell off the wagon about 3 months ago...Now Im gonna try again. Any suggestions would be appreciated.  Thank You

Hello, Zamby12357 - Welcome to BenzoBuddies!

 

I'm so glad you decided to join the forum - you'll find plenty of information and support here. Our members have gone through all aspects of benzodiazepine use and withdrawal, so you'll be able to connect with others who understand what you're going through and can tell you what has worked for them.

 

Given the length of time taking the benzos it probably would be best to do a very slow taper.  That should help to minimize withdrawal symptoms.

 

Please feel free to post to any of the specialized boards, which can all be accessed from the BenzoBuddies Community Forum homepage. Based on the information provided in your introduction, the following links may be a good starting place for you:

 

 

Withdrawal Support During Your Taper

 

 

Planning Your Taper:

 

 

General Taper Plans   

 

Substitution Taper Plans   

 

Titration Taper Plans     

 

 

When you have a chance, I highly recommend that you take a look at The Ashton Manual, which is an authoritative source on what to expect during withdrawal and recovery, authored by Dr. C. Heather Ashton, who is an expert in the field. It provides a great deal of information that can be very reassuring during any stage of this process, including a list of common symptoms with helpful explanations on the reasons for their existence.

 

For those who are currently tapering, we suggest reducing no faster than 5-10% every 10-14 days, and some taper even slower than that.

 

Please take the time to Create a Signature. This will allow members to see where you are in the process, so that they can better support you.

 

Again, welcome!

 

Carol Jean