Xanax taper: cut or hold?

Hello, thank you for being here. I was prescribed xanax for panic attacks/anxiety back in 2015 and the dose increased/became more regular as time went on. They also had me on klonopin and ativan at different points (not close to when I began my taper). My starting dose from that taper point in March was 1.25 mg a day split into three. I switched from pill form to liquid form (used orasweet sugar free syrup and suspension liquid) at that point. I had reduced that down from 2 mg a day successfully a year or so prior. I started tapering my xanax prescription back in March. I had severe pain with my period accompanied by a lot of gas. I never experienced anything other than normal minor cramps before that. In June, I had to have surgery for a large ruptured ovarian cyst and lost my right ovary. I saw some posts on here that made me wonder whether the cysts could be related. I am experiencing mental health related phenomena, but it is hard to parse out whether the uptick is due to them since I am prone to experiencing those anyway. My last cut was August 10th. I cut my morning dose of 0.0832 to 0.0625 mg to match my afternoon and evening doses. My present dose is 0.0625 mg three times a day. I know no one can tell me whether to continue my taper or to pause it, but the idea that the medicine could be causing this is concerning, especially as I have experienced minor but unusual for me pain during my period along with general gas pain, extreme feelings of unwellness ,excessive tiredness even outside of my period along with the cognitive fog mentioned above and painful headaches I have not had previously. Has anyone experienced similar health issues and if so what worked for you? Did any of you have success finding a doctor that is knowledgeable about tapering and how it might work with other medical issues? If so, how did you locate them?

Hello Masha67, welcome to BenzoBuddies,

 

It sounds like you've done an amazing job of tapering but your issues sound really unpleasant.  We have many members who discuss female related problems in the Support Group section, here is the link to one of them.  http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=109103.0

 

The headaches you're dealing with are pretty common as is the bloating but I'm sure your surgery complicated things for you so I hope you'll reach out to our other members to get their experience, that's the great thing about a community like this, we're seen, heard and read just about everything so hopefully you'll find some answers.

 

I'll give you a couple of links to help you get started but please, reach out, we want to help.

 

Pamster

 

The Ashton Manual

 

Planning Your Withdrawal (Taper Plans)

 

Withdrawal Support (during your taper)

 

Thank you so much!

Our stories aren’t completely alike, but I wanted to at least chime in. I completed a taper in August 2020, and I had a ruptured hemhorrhagic cyst this June as well. I lost my left ovary and most of my right (it had a cyst too) in surgery. I’m 41 years old, have 4 children, and I’d never had a cyst in my entire adult life prior to this catastrophe. Nobody can say what caused the formation or rupture, but it came at the end of an already-hard year of withdrawal. My only advice for you is to hone in on your nutrition, exercise, and sleep as best you can. The withdrawal will be what it will be, and only you (and your doc) can decide whether tapering or holding is best. I just know you will do well to be as health-minded as possible in the areas you can “control.”

 

I’m so sorry for what you’ve gone through and are going through. I know you will find your way off these meds and heal in time.

 

Very best wishes,

Beauty

Our stories aren’t completely alike, but I wanted to at least chime in. I completed a taper in August 2020, and I had a ruptured hemhorrhagic cyst this June as well. I lost my left ovary and most of my right (it had a cyst too) in surgery. I’m 41 years old, have 4 children, and I’d never had a cyst in my entire adult life prior to this catastrophe. Nobody can say what caused the formation or rupture, but it came at the end of an already-hard year of withdrawal. My only advice for you is to hone in on your nutrition, exercise, and sleep as best you can. The withdrawal will be what it will be, and only you (and your doc) can decide whether tapering or holding is best. I just know you will do well to be as health-minded as possible in the areas you can “control.”

 

I’m so sorry for what you’ve gone through and are going through. I know you will find your way off these meds and heal in time.

 

Very best wishes,

Beauty

 

Thank you so much for sharing your story. I really appreciate it.