Missed Dose

Hi all,

 

I posted this question in the introduction section and was was told I might find more answers here. Here goes. I started taking alprazolam 1mg 11 years ago for insomnia and am now on a total of 6mg  daily(4mg extended release in the morning and 2 mg instant release nightly). We have tried everything to get me tapered and nothing works. The biggest thing holding me back is that I have a great paying job which includes handling dangerous chemicals and can't afford to be a mess while tapering and trying to do the job. I also have a family that depends on my income to survive. My extended release was recently upped from 3mg to 4 because I hit the dreaded wall of tolerance for the 4th time. I don't think I need to explain to you guys how horrible that feeling is. Everything was going much better until I recently, after a long day of overtime,  arrived home,  laid down on the couch with the intention of just closing my eyes for a few moments, fell asleep and didn't wake up until around 5am, missing my night time 2mg dose completely. This is something that never happens but I must've been extra tired that evening. Upon realizing I missed the dose, I decide to skip it since my long acting dose of 4mg was due in 2 hours. Boy do I regret that decision. I'm now right back to where I was just a month or so prior. I feel so terrible that I called out of work today, something I never do. Does anyone know if I will stabilize or is this something that will be long-term? Any feedback would be much appreciated. Thank you all.

Hi again all,

 

I posted 7 hrs ago, no replies 

 

I take 4 mg long acting Xanax in the morning for anxiety and 2mg short acting at night for sleep. I recently missed my nightly dose 5 days ago and have been feeling pretty bad since. My question is, as long as I stay on schedule, should my body stabilize? My plan is to begin a taper with 6 months or so but after a recent promotion it's just not realistic for me to begin yet as I have a wife and daughter to support. Please, any feedback from anyone with any knowledge on missed doses would be much appreciated. Thank you all.

Yes, you will stabilize. Just hold your dose where you are and you will likely feel better soon. A one off missed dose isn’t going to derail your progress, even with a short acting drug like Xanax.

Thank you. This makes me feel so much better.

 

Hello Zach

I have missed doses several times in early taper and always leveled out.

You might investigate very very very slow tapers.  I tapered at a turtle pace as low as 3% and was able to continue working.  I too am the main support in our family. I threw away any schedule and calendar and was happy as long as I did not increase.  I held many times too.  It has taken over 2 years to reduce 1.5 mg Ativan but I am almost there.

 

JuJuBi

Thanks for your reply. I wish you a successful taper. Benzos are the devil. I want to be off these nasty things so badly. I'm tired of being beholden to a chemical substance. Most of all I don't want my daughter to grow up watching her dad suffer. I want to be there for her whenever without worrying about a medication schedule. I miss my mental freedom.