It's me again! Help with Plan - 19 years on X tapering from 5 mgs

Some of you may remember me from a year or so ago.  Many made very positive and helpful suggestions but I can't seem to find those posts any longer.  Odd how you can't click on "topics I've posted in" and find your old posts!  UGH!  So.... here we go again.  My last post (heaven knows when it was), was quite positive.  I managed to get myself down from 6 mgs. to 5 very quickly.  Well, so much happened after that.  Almost lost my mother twice to an aortic aneurysm, marital problems, financial problems, ... the list goes on.  To give you a short background, in hindsight I have probably been in i/d withdrawal and tolerance for many years.  Two years ago I attempted the Ashton Method.  Not good!  I don't metabolize V and had a paradoxical reaction to it (didn't sleep for 4 days and I hadn't even cut my X dose!).  Please see my signature.

 

So I'm back and ready to start this journey.  Forget trying to stabilize on a dose.  That ship has sailed!  I'm looking for help to dry cut my Xanax starting at 5 mgs.  I'm painfully aware that it's a high dose!  And trust me, I'm scared out of my mind.  But I figure since I feel like hell everyday, there's no point in staying in this hell!  Getting off this stuff is my only option.  Some days I can get away with 4.5 mg.  Other days?  Forget it!  Can anyone help me with the math, cutting, etc.  I could really use some advice as I can't seem to find many people on this forum that are in my situation.  Looking for people who have successfully dry cut long term, high dose X.

 

PS:  I am NOT crossing over to a longer acting drug.  Doctor gave me K but I just can wrap my head around having to taper off yet another drug! 

 

Again, any help is beyond welcome!  And hello to all who offered support in the past.  I wish I could find you!  I'm also happy to make new Buddies to go through this journey with! 

 

Fondly,

Lori

 

 

I remember you Lori,

Or have read some of your posts after you left?!?

Although our w/d methods will differ we're getting off the same med -- that pernicious Xanax!  Ugh.

But We can do it.....

We can and must.

 

SS

So nice to see you!  I too hope we can get through this together!  And maybe others will join in!  Keep me posted on how you're doing!    Prayers to both of us!

 

Fondly,

Lori

I'm trudging along.... You can see in my sig the change I just made. Hope it's for the best!  I just couldn't see how tapering less than .001 mg a day was getting me anywhere -- hence the addition of a tad more V.  Oh the plans I have!  But we'll see whether those happen

So wanting to keep going and get the life I remember back.  My life is pretty OK, really but, it sure ain't what it used to be 

 

I figure we're all in this together Lori!

SS

I was just telling my husband the other day how much I missed the old me.  I figured I got pretty bad about 3-4 years ago.  Prior to that, even on the X for so long, functional, finished grad school in my mid 40's.  Was functioning.  Had some bad days but was basically functioning and fun!  Now?  I'm simply miserable!  My son is not in his Sophmore year in college and my goal is to be off of these and hopefully healed by the time he graduates!  Lord how I would love to attend his graduation benzo free and quasi normal!  I just want my life back!  So sad how this drug has robbed me of my life... and the knowledge that it's only going to get worse before it gets better is depressing!  Trying so hard to stay away from the horror stories!  I honestly think that's why I put off my taper for so long.  Those horror stories put me over the edge two years ago!  I wish I had never read so many of the posts! 

 

I can't go back now.  I just turned 50 and if I don't do this now, Lord only knows how bad my health will become.  I hope we get through this and come out on the other side functioning, happy, and enjoying life again!  Best to you!!!!

 

Lori

Hello Lori413-

 

Odd how you can't click on "topics I've posted in" and find your old posts!  UGH!  So.... here we go again.  My last post (heaven knows when it was), was quite positive

Lori413 Posts

Thank you so much, Bella!  You're the best! 

Hi Lori, I'm 48 and dry tapering Xanax too, albeit from a much lower dose and shorter usage than you.  I scare myself with all the horror stories too, so maybe we can be uplifting to each other throughout our joirneys.  I think I've decided to cut only once per no th because I can handle the day 3-5 of feeling fluish, but then the next week I have crying anxiety.  Then it lifts.  I can't handlem2 days anxiety/crying free, then go tight I to it again.  My job is too stressful, and I get scared that I won't be able to work (tons of those stories on here).  It may take me a year, but I will get there.

Hi Lori and Ch33kyKK,

Hello fellow Xanax users....

FWIW I really stay away from scary posts and anything that revs me up into the realms that this has to be hell!  I know it didn't do me any good at times during this -- almost a year  -- of tapering.

slow and steady has gotten my down 90%  (Ok 89% but sheesh it's so close)

Some days have been hard for sure!  And there will be more.  I just made a change that I think is going to create a rough couple of days.... rough but not hell I just can't go there... have visited there with all of this, but won't live there.  Don't even want to visit there again but then I get impatient and make a change.

and I'm 61 in a couple of days...

We're all in this together...

SS

Hi fellow Xanax users

 

I am here too. Very new but driven to get off this thing. I’m on no other meds and I actually was quite ignorant to the taper ways. I’ve been researching for several weeks now. Began taper last month. Down to 5.25mgs from 6mgs.  I want off but I want to be safe. I’ve read Ashton. If any of you have fscebook let me know. I am on some of those pages and I want to delete most of them. But I need people. Just a few to get me through. I’ve done my head work. Or gotten a jump on it. I realize that it’s possible many of my issues could be from Xanax use long term. So I still see my therapist while I taper.

 

Can’t wait to celebrate being off. Even thought that seems so far away. Anyone want to share their plan who came off a high dose of just Xanax no cross? 

 

Thanks

Kristin

Welcome aboard the wild ride, Kristin!!

 

How many of us here are afraid that when we get off the Xanax (or other benzo) that we'll have anxiety all the time?  🖑

 

Anyway, no turning back now, I'm already committed to getting off this stuff before it's too late.  I'm seeing a therapist while I taper too, in the hopes that he can find the key to my anxiety.  But I'm scared I'm going to be stuck like this.  Sometimes I wish I hadn't started tapering yet, but I k ow that benzo just make it worse in the long run.

 

KK

Welcome back to the board. I have dry cut from 6mg to just under 1mg in the past 10 or 11 months. It has not been horrible. Sure some days are tougher than others but that is normal life even if you are not cutting. It may be another six months before I am free from Xanax. I am not going to put a date on, when it’s time it will happen.

 

Cutting small doses almost weekly has been what worked for me. I hope to continue to do that with this last mg.

 

Wishing you strength in your journey, you can do this 🙂

Welcome back to the board. I have dry cut from 6mg to just under 1mg in the past 10 or 11 months. It has not been horrible. Sure some days are tougher than others but that is normal life even if you are not cutting. It may be another six months before I am free from Xanax. I am not going to put a date on, when it’s time it will happen.

 

Cutting small doses almost weekly has been what worked for me. I hope to continue to do that with this last mg.

 

Wishing you strength in your journey, you can do this 🙂

 

6mg to 1mg in less than a year is phenomenal. I'm not trying to get too ahead of myself, but I want to make the bigger cuts (when I was at/over 6mg+) now and maybe smaller cuts as I get into the 3-4mg range either weekly or bi-weekly

 

Your schedule for your taper is very interesting and very cool. Definitely thinking about a different angle now.

How did you taper from 6mgs to 4 mgs. I started at 6mgs. Cut on 2/22/2018 .50 not to bad. Then on 3/01/2018 .25. Not bad. I feel crappy. Thought I was getting a cold. But alas. I believe it’s symptoms. Runny nose mostly when I wake up. Full feeling in my ears. Like the tinnitus brought friends. My arm pain. That is like how my anxiety presents for me. It’s physical. Not emotional or mental anxiety. So since this is mostly a thread with high dose long term Xanax people. Is being totally uncomfortable in the beginning common?  I’m itchy too. I honestly feel like I’m allergic to Xanax. Which must be ridiculous. Right? 

 

Any thoughts on this are greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

Kristin

How is everyone. I know two of us cut today. Who else.

 

Ok so far.

Kristin

Welcome back to the board. I have dry cut from 6mg to just under 1mg in the past 10 or 11 months. It has not been horrible. Sure some days are tougher than others but that is normal life even if you are not cutting. It may be another six months before I am free from Xanax. I am not going to put a date on, when it’s time it will happen.

 

Cutting small doses almost weekly has been what worked for me. I hope to continue to do that with this last mg.

 

Wishing you strength in your journey, you can do this 🙂

 

This gives me HOPE! 

 

I'm sorry I haven't responded to others even though I started this thread!  I've been at my sister helping care for my mom.  I'm still hanging in at 5 mgs and hope to continue my taper next week.  I purchased a gram scale and an going to attempt to cut 10% off of each dose and see how I feel.  I saw a video that uses a metal nail file to do this.  I'm going to give it a try!  I purchased a pill box to label the dosages.  I'll keep you all posted on how this goes.  I'm absolutely terrible with math!    Let me know of your own plans or how you have done your dry cutting so far, as well as how much.  Hopefully we can work this out together!  I'm just soooo happy that people responded who are in the same boat as me.  Lets's do our best to help and support each other through the journey we never asked to be on! 

 

We will do this!  And we will heal!

 

Fondly,

Lori

How did you taper from 6mgs to 4 mgs. I started at 6mgs. Cut on 2/22/2018 .50 not to bad. Then on 3/01/2018 .25. Not bad. I feel crappy. Thought I was getting a cold. But alas. I believe it’s symptoms. Runny nose mostly when I wake up. Full feeling in my ears. Like the tinnitus brought friends. My arm pain. That is like how my anxiety presents for me. It’s physical. Not emotional or mental anxiety. So since this is mostly a thread with high dose long term Xanax people. Is being totally uncomfortable in the beginning common?  I’m itchy too. I honestly feel like I’m allergic to Xanax. Which must be ridiculous. Right? 

 

Any thoughts on this are greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

Kristin

 

Kristin, way to go on the cuts!  I'm glad to hear that you're not having too may side effects!  It's so hard to find easy taper support on here.  Here's to praying us long-term, high dose users can get through this.  I do realize that my CNS must be shot!  Exercise and any emotional or physical stress really rev up my symptoms.  My husband is of little help so I'm unfortunately on my own here. 

 

Does anyone else get terrible morning anxiety?  Mornings and dinnertime seem to be the worst for me.  I'm hoping that once the weather gets warmer (I'm in PA), that I can get out in the sunshine a bit and just breathe!  Let's keep this going together!

 

Lori

Hi fellow Xanax users

 

I am here too. Very new but driven to get off this thing. I’m on no other meds and I actually was quite ignorant to the taper ways. I’ve been researching for several weeks now. Began taper last month. Down to 5.25mgs from 6mgs.  I want off but I want to be safe. I’ve read Ashton. If any of you have fscebook let me know. I am on some of those pages and I want to delete most of them. But I need people. Just a few to get me through. I’ve done my head work. Or gotten a jump on it. I realize that it’s possible many of my issues could be from Xanax use long term. So I still see my therapist while I taper.

 

Can’t wait to celebrate being off. Even thought that seems so far away. Anyone want to share their plan who came off a high dose of just Xanax no cross? 

 

 

Hi Kristin!  Just checking in.  How are you making out?  Did you cut last Thursday?  As far as Facebook goes, I'm not on there for any type of Benzo related group.  Quite frankly, I don't trust the privacy aspect of FB.  Currently, I'm holding my taper due to a health crisis with my mom, my son (who is away at college) has be a wreck because he may have a possible hernia as well as lower GI bleeding and the poor guy has to undergo a colonoscopy in 1 1/2 weeks.  I'm praying to be able to get up there to be there for him.  And then there's me.... possible ulcer!  Gastroenterologist can't see me until the second week of April!  I spent this past Tuesday in the ER!  Hence, my CNS is fried... as if it wasn't already!  I was holding strong at 4.75 mgs, and ended up up-dosing to 5 mg due to all this stress.  So mad at myself!  But it's only been a 3 day up-dose.  Maybe tomorrow I'll try to take another .25 off and hold at that point until all of this medical stuff is over.

 

I still refuse to do a crossover. I just don't think it's right for me.  My doctor gave me Klonopin but after reading how equally as hard, and sometimes worse, it seems to be to get off of K, why bother having to taper two benzo's?  Who know.... I may change my mind at a later date but for now, that's where my mind is.  Once I get down to 4 mgs., I'm going to try the "nail file" cut with a gram scale.  Hoping to take 10% off each dose.  It may sound aggressive but I can always modify it if it gets to be too much. 

 

I'm not convinced that there is only ONE method to taper.  And since Ashton's in not an option for me, I'm just going to do it as best as I can.  As all have repeatedly said, "slow and steady". 

 

Let me know how you're making out.

 

Best,

Lori

How did you taper from 6mgs to 4 mgs. I started at 6mgs. Cut on 2/22/2018 .50 not to bad. Then on 3/01/2018 .25. Not bad. I feel crappy. Thought I was getting a cold. But alas. I believe it’s symptoms. Runny nose mostly when I wake up. Full feeling in my ears. Like the tinnitus brought friends. My arm pain. That is like how my anxiety presents for me. It’s physical. Not emotional or mental anxiety. So since this is mostly a thread with high dose long term Xanax people. Is being totally uncomfortable in the beginning common?  I’m itchy too. I honestly feel like I’m allergic to Xanax. Which must be ridiculous. Right? 

 

Any thoughts on this are greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

Kristin

 

I felt and still feel like that at times. And itchy, had not connected that with Xanax but thinking back I didn’t have that problem before. My legs itch like crazy. I also get the mental anxiety at times. I cut today, tomorrow will likely have the head fullness, tinnitus, and be more irritable than usual. Seems like that will last a few days then it’s time to cut again.

 

Good luck everyone, interesting thread.

Welcome back to the board. I have dry cut from 6mg to just under 1mg in the past 10 or 11 months. It has not been horrible. Sure some days are tougher than others but that is normal life even if you are not cutting. It may be another six months before I am free from Xanax. I am not going to put a date on, when it’s time it will happen.

 

Cutting small doses almost weekly has been what worked for me. I hope to continue to do that with this last mg.

 

Wishing you strength in your journey, you can do this 🙂

 

6mg to 1mg in less than a year is phenomenal. I'm not trying to get too ahead of myself, but I want to make the bigger cuts (when I was at/over 6mg+) now and maybe smaller cuts as I get into the 3-4mg range either weekly or bi-weekly

 

Your schedule for your taper is very interesting and very cool. Definitely thinking about a different angle now.

 

Thank you, I have a long post on here somewhere about more specifically what has worked so far for me. I am fortunate to have a dr willing to work with me and give me the various pill sizes to so far do this all with dry cuts.

So far I did the cut. Just a day late. So I’m on 5mgs. Down from 6. I am holding for 2 weeks as I am going on a trip. The thought of that freaks me out. So I’m planning to cut when I come home. I cut one day late due to giving myself an anxiety attack. I’m ok though. I’ll cut .25 again when I’m home. Likely. I’ll choose the 29th. It’s s Thursday. Then I should be at 4.75. If I feel nothing from this cut. I’m wondering. Why couldn’t I cut .50 one more time?  Any comments about that?  It’s still 10%.

 

Thanks.

Kristin

So far I did the cut. Just a day late. So I’m on 5mgs. Down from 6. I am holding for 2 weeks as I am going on a trip. The thought of that freaks me out. So I’m planning to cut when I come home. I cut one day late due to giving myself an anxiety attack. I’m ok though. I’ll cut .25 again when I’m home. Likely. I’ll choose the 29th. It’s s Thursday. Then I should be at 4.75. If I feel nothing from this cut. I’m wondering. Why couldn’t I cut .50 one more time?  Any comments about that?  It’s still 10%.

 

Thanks.

Kristin

 

Hi Kristin! You're moving along a a pretty quick pace.  However, it sounds like your doing well.  I think the only thing to be concerned about (from all I've read) is allowing your CNS to catch up.  If you seem to be handling these cuts very well then that's awesome!  But I would hate to see you get slammed with any side effects due to going too quickly.  The one thing that has been repeatedly expressed on this forum is that the brain needs time to heal. However, many have said that the earlier stages in the taper are a bit easier than the end.  And on a positive note, many have had a successful taper with minimal side effects... they just don't tend to post often because they don't feel the need to seek help. 

 

Only you will be able to determine your cuts/taper by listening to your body.  Keep us posted.  Personally, I was not able to go that fast but I think it was due to the fact that I have been suffering from tolerance and severe interdose withdrawal for years now (didn't know it as I thought my anxiety was simply getting worse).  Did you experience any interdose w/d prior to your taper?

 

Wishing you continued luck, success and health during this journey! 

 

Lori

I never felt my last cut. It was almost 2 weeks ago. I might do a 10% cut this one last time. I’m now at 5mgs. I’d like to be at 4.5mgs. Then just do .25 every week or 2. Depending upon how I handle it.

 

I don’t know. Until I feel the cut really. I see my doctor tomorrow.

 

Kristin

 

Have you cut yet?  Yes I was at tolerance withdrawal. I haven’t had benefits from Xanax for quite some time. At this point it’s just holding me hostage.

Hi Lori

 

How are you doing. I think of fellow Xanax folks. Let me know. I did one more cut. I still have my cold. No other symptoms from cut. I think me cutting frequently in the beginning is ok for me for now. I never do more than 10%

 

Kristin

Hey B8F,

I think that if you're not feeling the cuts, and waiting two weeks between cuts then maybe your body is one that can cut this stuff out easily.  I usually feel cuts between 3-5 days -- which is pretty normal for X cuts-  so if in two weeks you re clear that maybe a good sign.

And I think you can't really go wrong sticking to 10% cuts with the amount of time between cuts that you are waiting. 

That may change as you get lower but it may not!  The important thing is to listen to your body as you have been doing.... If your body says its Ok go for it.

At some point things could ramp up but than you can always hold for longer than the two weeks between cuts you are doing.

It's so great to hear that things are going so smoothly for you.....even with a virus

SS