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Xanax support group


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Starting a new group for those of us tapering xanax where we can share our experiences, hopefully get answers to questions about the experience and withdraw. Will post more if there is enough interest. :)
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I am tapering xanax. On a hold right now at 0.5 mg. I was on 1 mg for two years, decided to start tapering August 2018.  Almost made it all the way down, but was rushing it in time for a trip at the beginning of April. Something suddenly didn't work, or maybe it was the change in manufacturer (I switched pharmacies). But suddenly I had to jump up to 0.5 mg, then added another 0.125 (quarter tablet) above that, to feel better. Tapered painfully to 0.5 again over the course of a month and have been holding since. My pharmacy switched manufacturers, and this new one is better, but not the same as the old one. My story in a nutshell.
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  • 2 weeks later...

You might ask your pharmacy about what brand you were on, and what the new brand is.

 

I just switched from sandoz to greenstone. Working my way to find the appropriate dosage for the different generic. I was constantly getting the same sxs with sandox, and wanted to test if it was the filler. As soon as I took a pill, any dose, I was hit with chills and parasthesia.  It "felt" chemical, not withdraw induced.

 

Been on greenstone the last few days, and those specific sxs are not present with the new brand as I take a dose. I still get them, but more from withdraw rather  than as soon as the dose hits, as I experienced with sandoz.

 

Different generics vary greatly in terms of impact. Sometimes it's the actual amount of drug in the pill, sometimes it's the filler. From my research, Sandoz, greenstone and activis are the best generics. Each of us will react differently. I started on activis, it felt weaker, switched to sandoz for 2 years (the very first time I took it, I was hit with parasthesia,) Now on Greenstone. Greenstone has it's own side affects, but they are not as intense as the sandoz, for me anyway.

 

Pifizer makes the non generic xanax, and they own greenstone, FYI.

 

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Yeah I've been on greenstone for awhile now. I held at 0.5 mg for 3 months on tablets before switching over to liquid, getting used to that, and now tapering. Even the little bit I've tapered in the last few days I'm kind of feeling it. Or feeling something.
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It doesn't take much of a cut, especially at lower doses (where your at) to feel it. May I ask what was the xanax brand you were on initially that you liked best? Am interested in comparing brands as much as possible. I am just starting the greenstone switch from sandoz, having trouble finding an equal dose, lots of issues until I figure it out.

 

Xanax withdraw feels like a unique monster, mostly because it is soooooooooooo short acting, and so potent, minimal cuts can really make a difference.

 

Hope you can adapt to the cut you made, I know how hard it can be each time, and it creeps up getting harder each day before calming (for me anyway.)

 

Be sure and read the info on liquid (titration) tapering: http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=9522.0

 

I tried titration at the beginning, but found it unworkable. I could see specks of medication left in my bottle, and knew I was not getting all of each dose. Additionally, the time required was too consuming. Not discouraging you at all, you know what you need to do, but for me, titration was not successful.

 

I could not substitute either, tried 3 times, different meds each time, went nuts.

 

So, I'm hyper sensitive. My experience with titration is not something to use to decide how to move forward.

 

Please keep us updated on how it goes.

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Hi baddove! I am doing the liquid. I used to be a lab chemist, so it's easy for me to do. I had been taking 1 mg a day, 0.5 mg dose twice a day. Switching over to the liquid was super easy when I made that switch. I tapered down really far. Then something went wrong. I don't know if I tapered to fast to finish more quickly, or if it was the new manufacturer I had gotten, or what. But I suddenly had to dose back up to a little over 0.5 mg a day. I stayed on pieces of tablets for awhile, taking a quarter tablet every few hours, for a total of one 0.5 mg tablet a day.

 

I also take 10 mg ambien at night. I'm not sure how I'm going to tackle that beast yet.

 

As far as manufacturers go, when I first started taking alprazolam, it was one manufacturer, round pink pills. I don't remember who it was. Then I was switched to oval pink pills by actavis. Those were no different than the round pink pills. Then I was switched to these yellow footballs by Davos. That was the switch that wreaked havoc on me. It was like taking nothing.  Now I'm being given greenstone, pink ovals again. Much better than the Davos, but not as good as the actavis. Greenstone is actually owned by Pfizer, and Pfizer makes the original Xanax brand tablets. If I were to hazard a guess, and connect the dots, I would say Greenstone alprazolam tablets are the same as the Xanax brand alprazolam tablets made by Pfizer. But that's only a guess.

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I’ve only begun my journey, but my doc isn’t anywhere near this relaxed.  He CT-ed me from Ambien, and cut my 1 mg. X 3per day, to 1mg. X 2 per day.  I’m cutting the doses in half, and dosing every 5 hours, because he refuses to do a crossover.  He wants me to go from 3 mg per day, to none in 3 months.  I just completed my first week of reduced dose...insomnia, anxiety....especially social anxiety, panic attack symptoms.  Had some heartburn as well.  I’m assuming these are all just part of the tapering.  I also have a bit of “urge” to dose before the full 5 hour span.  I assume this will subside as I become used to this new dosing schedule.  Does anyone have any opinions on the speed of the taper!  Doc wants 2 mg. per day this month, 1.5 total per day next month, 1 mg. total month 3, then off.
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I’ve only begun my journey, but my doc isn’t anywhere near this relaxed.  He CT-ed me from Ambien, and cut my 1 mg. X 3per day, to 1mg. X 2 per day.  I’m cutting the doses in half, and dosing every 5 hours, because he refuses to do a crossover.  He wants me to go from 3 mg per day, to none in 3 months.  I just completed my first week of reduced dose...insomnia, anxiety....especially social anxiety, panic attack symptoms.  Had some heartburn as well.  I’m assuming these are all just part of the tapering.  I also have a bit of “urge” to dose before the full 5 hour span.  I assume this will subside as I become used to this new dosing schedule.  Does anyone have any opinions on the speed of the taper!  Doc wants 2 mg. per day this month, 1.5 total per day next month, 1 mg. total month 3, then off.

 

Hello and welcome,

When I started my taper January of this year, I was at 3.5 mg a day spread out into 4 doses per day.  It has taken me almost 8 months to get down to 1.75 mg a day.  You do not say how long you have been on the Xanax but for me I have been on and off for over 30 years but the last three have been every day with the dose being raised from .25mg 3-4 x a day at the start and going up and up until I got to the 3.5 mg a day since last September.  This has been hard for me to get down half my dose in 8 months so I can not imagine going from 3 mg a day to 0 in three months. 

I have found that there are symptoms of lowering my dose for each cut I have made.  Some worse than others.  At this point it usually takes a couple days for symptoms to start and some subside in a few days to a few weeks each time.  The lower I go the harder it is for me.  You may be different than I am but it is usually recommended to taper 5% to 10% of your dose every 10-14 days and that also depends on how you are doing on a cut.  You have to listen to your body and let healing take place as you go down in your dose. 

I hope someone else will respond to you who has more experience than I do.  For me there is NO way I could do what your doctor is saying to do.  Quite frankly, I have not seen anyone on BB or anywhere else that can do that.  Reducing that fast is almost like doing a CT and there will be a lot of symptoms that can at times seem unbearable and that too is why some people end up failing their taper because they are told to do a taper that is unrealistic and way too fast.

 

I wish you well and please listen to your body and read what others here have done to have a successful taper.

Julia

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  • 5 weeks later...

Hello to all of you.

Thank you and yes I too do not see a lot of Xanax specific posts.

I started 15 years ago( approx)

.25 mg as needed

Don’t know how I got here, but I am now up to 6mg a day.

 

It is a nightmare to feel so dependent. I hold no blame on the young gp that first prescribed it . I just want it to end and be drug free.

 

I have a annual physical on the 31st so I will bring it up again and see if he is knowledgeable and willing to help. I am trying not to live in the fear that he may cut off . I was wondering if anyone had success faith the Valium crossover that takes approx 10 mo’s if memory serves.

 

Thanks to you all. We are fighting the good fight. 

 

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Hello Lori and thank you so much for replying.

It is a very secluding and insidious medication. I can not believe what you accomplished and it gives me hope.

I think my doctor will be of help even though he is the one that put me @180 whopping 1mg pills per mo. smh...

I have been in the gym and eating pretty clean for approx 4mo in hope I will be less vulnerable and more confident if I'm strong.

I do believe he was not being careless(dr), I had been in 2 car accidents in 3 years.

Both rear ended while waiting to turn.

People had no ins. and my UM was low so, yea I was stressed and very injured.

My significant other is also not a very kind and understanding person so that stinks too. Feels like I don't have a safe place, but I am trying to stay positive and heal.

 

You are very kind to respond and give me encouragement.

Forgive me if I can't put a heart emoji. But I really <3 and appreciate your kind words.

( New surface tab) I will get better at navigating the site when I have time to get into it. I think too much may not be good for me, but I will document progress if it helps someone.

 

Hope to talk again.

SH

:thumbsup: lol

 

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Hello all!  :)

 

I am just stopping in to say hello!  I am starting a taper of my Xanax today!  :thumbsup: I have been in tolerance withdrawals for quite some time now, first from Gabapentin (started 2006) and now as well, Xanax.  Was only started on Xanax (2012) because I was in tolerance to Gabapentin (but did not know) and was having increasing anxiety and "social fears" in addition to physical symptoms.  Then in 2015 all hell broke loose.

 

I was poly-drugged in 2014  >:( with increased Gabapentin (3200mg), Baclofen, pain meds and Estrogen on top of the xanax. Was able to stop all but Gabapentin, Xanax and Tramadol.

 

So, since 2015 I have been sick with all kinds of GI issues (all testing normal) and losing weight at an alarming rate. Body pain, increased anxiety and panic, etc....

Finally in 2018 started seeing connection to medications...

 

In 2019 started to level out my Gabapentin to even doses and trying to "stabilize" and gain weight  (yeah right  ::)) before I started cutting Gabapentin.  ( I had dropped some over the years).

From April to Sept, I was able to go from 1200mg to 600mg of Gabapentin. The last 100mg was scary and brutal, more mental than anything.  Then a week later, I cut .25mg of Xanax... I had been trying to change to dosing so Xanax was taken between the Gabapentin doses and I wasn't planning to cut but did fine dropping the .25mg.  This tells me the Gabapentin will not be easy, just slow going.

 

So, I will start my Xanax taper slowly and see how I do. I may speed it up.  I think the Gabapentin is cushioning my Xanax taper. Then once I rest a bit, I will tackle the Gabapentin.

 

Just wanted to say hello, and hope we can all give each other some ideas on managing the tapers!  It's good to know we are not alone....

 

Healing thoughts,

Mrs. NO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I am at 6,75 mgs of xanax, and have been tapering 2 years. I have had to restart 3 times due to cold turkey from other medications and procedures which require I stop the xanax. I too, am at a horribly high dose. It has gone as high as 8 mg, lowest while tapering was about 550.

 

Plugging away, never giving up.

 

I am also polydrugged, and tapering the other med, seroquel, very slowly as well.

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I tapered off Xanax. It was a shattering experience, but things are very slowly getting better.

 

If I can help in any way, I will. And, let me know.

 

You can do this. Really. It's not easy. But, you are here, so you have the motivation and spirit to beat the beast.

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Hi all I was on Xanax XR for 6 months and after started to decide to come off it I was switched to immediately release tablets and cutting 10% per 2 weeks . 3 days after switching to immediate release I am experiencing horrible palpitations , tachycardia and sometimes anxiety . I have only cut down to 0.875 from 1mg . Is it because of the different form of pill ? I really have gone back to where I started with anxiety 6 months ago just by switching pills .

 

Has anyone experienced this from changing to immediate release ?

Thanks

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Following.

 

Am @ interdose WD / tolerance, and planning taper. Do not know yet if my Doc can roll with the Cross Over method.

 

Right now working on accepting this (OUCH) "new normal", trying to get a grasp where I'll be heading

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Following this thread :) I’m currently in a long hold after cutting my dose of Xanax from 3mg daily to 2mg over 6 months earlier this year. I started taking klonopin about 17 years ago and switched to xanax for the last 9 or so. I’ve always taken it exactly as prescribed so it’s difficult to feel so dependent on it. Stories about doctors not having compassion with working with patients is truly frightening.  :-[ It’s helpful to hear other people’s stories!
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