Slow-Tapering off Xanax - Addiction & Recovery Message Board

istherelight? · 07-12-2006, 03:04 PM

Day 4 of 7.5mg/day on xanax. I was at 9mg/day a couple of weeks ago. I plan to taper down to 7mg/day in a few days if all goes well. This plan seems to be working for me with my determination and will power to get off of these nasty drugs that began as a fun "high". I have good days along with bad ones. The worst part of my day is waking up - I guess due to my nightly dosage being out of my system upon waking. I usually feel much better after I get up and take my a.m. dose. I fell tired and unmotivated lots of times, but on the other hand, I have great days where I get a lot done. My 2 small children are my motivation and my life. I hate having days where I don't feel like playing with them or taking them anywhere, but just feel like laying in bed all day due to no energy. I have found that getting out with them sometimes helps. I have researched the Heather Ashton Manual. It is a slow taper plan off xanax that takes quite a while, but supposedly with minimal symptoms. When I stabilize at 6mg/day, I can begin the Ashton taper. Hopefully that will be in a few weeks.

pleasantville · 07-12-2006, 04:06 PM

i recently completed my taper off of 4mgs ativan (which is similar to xanax) using valium as per the ashton manual. it took me only 5 months as compared to many others who took much longer. you are on quite a high dose of xanax still and will probably have to reduce to about 3-4mgs before crossing over to valium. the reason is, you will need a very high dose of valium to cross over to and most doctors are not willing to prescribe such a high dose if you can even find a dr. willing to follow the ashton manual.

from your post, i can tell you are a slave to your addiction which is no way to live. remember what "normal" felt like? you can be there again but only if you are determined to get off and not afraid of some discomfort. it isn't going to be easy. good luck

p

istherelight? · 07-12-2006, 06:15 PM

Pleasantville,

Congratulations on getting off of the ativan

. Good job! I know I will need to cross over to valium at some point according to Ashton. My "pill doctor" is quick to prescribe my xanax at each visit - no questions asked. I once asked him if he could prescribe both xanax and valium, but he would only give me the number of pills I receive from the xanax - including the valium (ie 45 xanax and 45 valium), as opposed to 90 of each. I don't know what I'm going to do when the time comes when I need the high amount of valium.

I remember how it felt before taking these pills. I was so happy. My husband and I would take our kids bike riding around the neighborhood, go camping, and get out of the house more often. I want those days back so bad! I am very determined and I have been on a strict taper. I will NOT up my dose, and I will stick to my plan. My husband is not doing so well. He has no self control with these pills and ups his dose when his day is not going so well. I'm disappointed a little, but I try to be supportive.

Thanks for your post!

istherelight? · 07-13-2006, 08:58 AM

Day 5 on 7.5mg. Got to sleep in a bit. I don't feel too bad today (even before my a.m. dose. Just took it and still trying to wake up. My father-in-law is having a large garage sale on Saturday and wants us to take everything over there that we want to get rid of. What a task! Both of my kids toy boxes are overflowing! We started yesterday cleaning them out and hopefully will finish today. Very overwhelming, not to mention the 95 degree weather I will be sitting outside in for the sale. I know I sound like I'm complaining, but unless I'm in a swimming a pool at this point - I feel terrible when I'm outside. The heat and humidity seems to intensify any withdrawals I may be feeling. On the other hand, floating in a swimming pool seems to be great therapy. I am strictly sticking to my slow taper. It hasn't been too hard yet - just feel tired and unenergetic sometimes. I plan to drop to 7mg/day possibly tomorrow.

istherelight? · 07-13-2006, 06:04 PM

Well, my day went downhill. I decided to take a nap - bad idea. Woke up feeling terrible. Slept 5 hours. Got nothing done - very unproductive day. I woke up feeling fine this morning, thinking it would be a great day. I don't know what happened. Missed my mid-day dose, so I took it as soon as I woke up from my nap. Now waiting for it to make me feel better.

Surely hope tomorrow is better.