Freak of Nature or Freak of XR?

So before doing any research into tapering my Xanax XR 1mg, taking for 5 years (occasional IR during a panic attack not much at all), I tried to taper myself off drastically. I took .25mg IR Xanax for 2 days, then cut those in half, then on the day I cut the .25 in half I had alcohol. Believe it or not I actually felt fine. I’d get nauseous a little and feel withdrawal but the .25 got rid of it until the next day. Well, on the last day when I drank and cut the .25 in half, I drank a LOT and had what my husband tells me was a pretty disturbing psychotic blackout. I woke up the next morning with so much anxiety.

 

I began researching and reading horror stories of Xanax withdrawals, the whole Shebang. I freaked myself out. I immediately went back to taking my regular 1mg dose for fear of seizures and who knows what could happen, and have a Dr appointment Thursday. Was the 1mg Xanax XR just starting to finally leave my system? Was I actually cutting my dose that fast with no issues until that .25 cut mixed with alcohol??

 

For what it’s worth, my dosage was/is the 1mg XR Xanax in the mornings only which I’ve read acts a lot different with an empty stomach and compared to night, and I’m also pretty certain after reading some things that I’ve likely been in tolerance for a long time. So maybe I havent been adding any fuel to the gaba/glutamate fire so to speak, for a long while now. I just thought all my insomnia and other issues were normal.

I had a similar situation. I went from 0.25mg to 0.125 of Xanax. I had some body pains after 3 days, but it didn’t really hit me until about a week later when I had terrible panic attacks and insomnia. I think it takes time to diminish in your system, so it may seem like smooth sailing at first.

 

 

Oh man. What did you do? Did you stay at the dose you went down to? It’s pretty disheartening!

 

I had a similar situation. I went from 0.25mg to 0.125 of Xanax. I had some body pains after 3 days, but it didn’t really hit me until about a week later when I had terrible panic attacks and insomnia. I think it takes time to diminish in your system, so it may seem like smooth sailing at first.

So far, I’ve managed to stay at the lower dose, but it’s been rough. I’m not sure if I should wait it out or go back up and taper more slowly. I suppose I shouldn’t wait too much longer to decide or it may be more difficult for me.

So far, I’ve managed to stay at the lower dose, but it’s been rough. I’m not sure if I should wait it out or go back up and taper more slowly. I suppose I shouldn’t wait too much longer to decide or it may be more difficult for me.

 

That’s so tough. I noticed your signature with the dates on it, duh! I’m new to the forum, sorry. I know going back up is supposed to always be a bad idea. But damn it’s tough. It looks  like you’ve been doing such a great job though. It’ll be tougher next time to go back if you go up…if we can handle it at that much of a cut then maybe we should just do it as long as watching out for seizure risk. Maybe one of the beta blockers or seizure meds would be helpful?