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Xanax Tapering - Opinion About Doctors Plan


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Hey hey,

 

So I went this week to two doctors to talk about a plan to taper off. Would be great to hear your opinions and/or whether sb. has experience with those methods. Maybe it's because I'm scared of it, but somehow I don't fully trust whether they have the necessary experience at this as a general practitioneer. I should also add that none of those doctors prescribed me the xanax before.

 

Current Dose: 1mg/day in the morning

Duration: 1,5 years

 

 

Doctor 1:

 

  - lowering the dose by 25% every two weeks

  - no other drugs prescribed for the withdrawl symptoms, but she told me that if it's too hard she could give me sth that helps a bit (forgot the name of the

    medicine, but was sth that is actually used to lower blood pressure)

 

Doctor 2:

 

  - older lady that treated me directly just as an addict

  - she wants to lower the dose directly from 1mg to 0.5mg that I should take together with Doxepin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxepin)

  - 0.5 mg Xanax with 10 mg of Doxeping in the morning

  - after 6hrs 10mg of Doxepin again

  - before going to sleep 25mg of Doxepin

  - she talked here about a super slow tapering with not much symptoms, but a duration of 6 months

 

 

Here some questions:

 

1. Are those methods good/trustworthy?

2. Has anyone experience with Doxepin in the tapering process?

3. Should I maybe get a 3rd opinion or even wait till I can talk to the psychiatrist (which is in around 2-3 weeks)?

 

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

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Hi chimichurri :smitten:,

 

Upon your request, here is my personal viewpoint.

 

Many people can stop their benzodiazepines with only mild symptoms. For many others, reducing even the smallest amount might be source of harrowing ordeal. Cutting 25% in one go (Doctor 1), or 50% (Doctor 2) after a long term use, might result for many a steep reduction. I do not personally know Doxepin as antidepressant but I do know like many other drugs of the same category it can make the taper more complex when used in combination with benzo.

 

I would therefore:

- do a micro taper to reduce on a daily basis my dose

- reduce the daily dose by somewhere between 5% and 10% every 10-14 days

- hold same dose for more days when symptoms occur and resume the cut after. I would possibly avoid to up-dose nor to reinstate.

- use no other medication or supplements in addition

- oppose no resistance when in the middle of symptoms storm. I would accept symptoms as a manifestation that my organism is healing and those are signs my CNS is fighting its way to be normal again.

- divert my mind to different things of life (walks, music, pets, yoga...) and not continuously focus on symptoms and fears

 

The "secret" of this approach is perhaps in the tiny reduction. When properly chosen it can trick our body to think that nothing has fallen short thus making withdrawal symptoms manageable while absorbing less and less benzo day after day. But a too small reduction could lengthen the time benzo remains in our organism and may in parallele trigger the so called tolerance withdrawal when benzo becomes no longer effective after long time of regular use. A proper trade-off that can balance symptoms and the taper duration will be key to the success.

 

Hope it helps.

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Hey Jim,

 

Thank you so much for your reply. I also think that their tapering plans are way to quick for me and I couldn't find anything about Tapering Xanax with Doxepin.

I'll go to Doctor 1 and talk with her about making a slower tapering and then also see what the psychatrists says in a few weeks.

 

I already made good plans for the time I taper like running, meditation, yoga, reading, cooking, coding a project, making lots of music and maybe look for a good game to play. So I have always sth to stay busy.

 

Why could Doxepin/Antidepressant make the taper more complex? It would be great to actually have sth to lower the symptoms at some point or just if there's sth important coming up that causes maybe extremly increased anxiety, shaking or panic attacks (which I already had when I was kind of withdrawling or didn't take enough)

 

Thanks again for the help!

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Hi chimichurri :smitten:

 

I'll go to Doctor 1 and talk with her about making a slower tapering

I think she will understand. Otherwise please know that a number of buddies have received requests from their benzo-uneducated doctors to taper fast but successfully tapered following their own pace dictated by their symptoms.

 

Why could Doxepin/Antidepressant make the taper more complex?

https://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha03.htm#20

 

All the best!

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Im tapering off xanax and l feel both plans are too fast.  Try to talk with dr 1 to see if she will let you go at your own pace.  I would bring  literature on proper successful taper plans to your next appointment.  It seems she wants to perscribe a beta blocker which will definitely help. Ive gone down over 1 mg since February and have had very tolerable withdrawl.  Remind your dr that the whole point of tapering is a successful xanax free life and the key to having one is taking it slow and listening to your own body.  Good luck. 
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  • 3 weeks later...

I was told basically the same thing by my doctor,  very similar to your option 1, but I started out on a much higher dose,  he had me off  in 12 weeks.  I did not do that, but kept my doctor.

 

I began tapering myself alone,  once he knew I was serious he has  helped me with smaller pills and support, I take no other drugs or supplements, the only things  I  might consider would be  magnesium (for muscle aches and twitches) but you cannot take  that when you already have diarrhea.  And I do.

 

So there  is like clonidine a bp withdrawal drug, but I  know nothing about  that.  I am on just my xanax.

 

No matter where I go, everyone swears by Ashton.  That said each person  deals with this in their own way.  As you will.  No two  peoples taper are the same.

 

I split my dose four times a day and began tapering.  I am considered a rapid taper, but likely I  will have to slow it down soon.

 

Good luck

Kristin

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Hi Kristin.

I read your signature. It seems that you are tapering quickly. How are you feeling. I have been on Ativan about 20 years. At first a baby dose of .5 for sleep to help with FIBRO/CFS. About 6 years ago went up to 1mg bedtime. Then due to stress and  psychiAtrist and additional .5 twice

During the day during health crisis

And anxiety. 

I was alway able to go back to 1 mg only bedtime.

6 months ago I had a medical

Emergency and needed steroids. That taper was awful but because of it ativan increased back to the sMe regimen. I finished steroid

Taper 2/20/18 and suddenly stopped Ativan too. Now it seems

I am having a difficult time tapering down.

I am trying to figure out a good taper

Down and was curious how you were feeling with your

Taper. My new shrink started

Me on .5 mg Ativan twice a day. I started his 2 days ago and last

Night was brutal. Tension headache...unable to sleep and feeling awful

Today. Basically a zombie.

Please let me know how you are doing. Trying to figure out my taper.

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Well. I feel my cut about three days after I do it. Usually it’s one day down. Feel kinda cruddy. This last cut knocked me down. But I’m ok. I’m holding for a bit for a planned thing. I think I never feel awesome but I get to a more comfortable place. I came to the realization that Xanax makes me sick. I need to be off. So with that said. I’m moving forward. I get a 2 week hold this time.
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Hi Kristin.

It seems like you are really tackling this. So happy you are weaning down.

I’ve been having a difficult time. Some of it is denial. I’m dealing with the lower startjngbdise that my shrink gave me to taper down. I’ve been having awful tension headaches but the other withdrawal symptoms from just abruptly not taking it have subsided. I still get my regular migraines and Sal with them the best I can with migraines meds but these tension headaches are different and are brutal. I am starting to realize I am getting them More when I don’t take my dose. This weekend I had bad migraines and actually had to for a shot of Toradol IM on Saturday. That threw me off with my Ativan. I must have missed a dose or even two by Sunday and woke again Monday with a migraine. Took

relpx for Migraine  and rested all day. Of course u missed a dose yesterday and took .5 Ativan st bedtime. By 3:30 am the worst tension headache. Can this all

Be from Ativan withdrawal. I thought I was doing better. I’m not sure if it’s just the fact that my Migraines have gotten or The Ativan is contributing. . I’m having such a hard time

Figuring this out and am so frustrated and defeated. Ughhh anther wasted  day. 😡

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Hello Chimichurri,

I totally agree with Jim Hawk's message and advise: I also think that you need to taper in a much slower pace, listening and understanding what's the need of your body and brain...

Good luck and be persistant!

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Hi chimuchuri. How are you doing with your taper?

Bella

Benzoh8trforever, I see that you are doing a very regimented taper. How are you feeling. Did the doctor help you with the taper or did you do it on your own?  I see you have been on benzos for as long as I have. Do you have any other health issues. I have fibro/CFS and daily migraines.  although I want to be off the benzos I am experiencing my daily pain but it seems to be worse. They did help to serve their purpose but at what expense? I’m not sure how this will play out with regard to my pain but I do know that I do not want to be dependent on them any longer! Hopefully, with time I can find something to quiet down this fibro pain and get in a preventive for the daily migraines. It’s not easy, especially when I am so sensitive to medications.

Glad you are moving along in you taper. Would love to hear how you are doing.

Bella

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Hi Bella

 

I did a lot of research. I live in a sort of small community. Doctors don’t know. Not here. So I tried with my doc and a psychiatrist. She refused to work with me the psychiatrist. She said my dose was high. I had done some terrific therapy or I wouldn’t have done this.

 

I found a lady on here that tapered. Kinda like me. She’s almost done. I know it will be harder the lower I go so I’m getting ready for that. My last cut hurt. It usually does. About 2 days then I begin to just hurt my regular pain. I’m in pain due to tolerance. It’s something I’ve had for so long I just want out of pain.

 

I think we are all different so some of us can do this faster and some cannot. I don’t think that’s anything but personal choice. Being very in tune to your body. Making a realistic decision and sticking to it. I wouldnt cut more than 10% of my current dose. Most people should not do that.

 

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