Ok Xanax Pros!

[HenryS354]

I have a question for you all!  A good friend of mine (yeah I know) has been taking Alprazolam 0.5mg for the last month.  She was prescribed 1mg to be taken at bedtime, but has only been taking 0.5mg once daily.  Her doctor has left the practice and she wants to stop taking the meds all together so she doesn't have to worry about the "Labels" that come with controlled substance prescriptions.  

She wants to know if she can just stop.  Of course I gave her my own spiel, but I have literally almost no experience with benzos.  I know at higher and more frequent dosing seizures are a possibility but not sure about this lower dose.  

She is a otherwise healthy 22 year old female.  She is currently looking for a new primary care physician, but you all know how that goes. :-)

Im hoping after showing her some good advice from members here, she will be more inclined to join.

Thanks in advance!
Henry

[HenryS354]

Thanks Mark!

She decided to just go for it and not take her dose last night.  As of my last check in, she's doing great, no symptoms, no anxiety, and is confident she made the right decision. Thanks everyone for helping me out on this one.

Happy Holidays everyone!
Henry

[gnarly_1]

Hey henry good to see you great to see you clean  as for the xanex she was on a real low dose and only a month she should be fine just let her know that panic anxiety is common also some sleep issues are common if there is any question about how she feels get to a e/r  benso's are different for everybody  I spent many years on them and that s ucks to detox off of she is ketching this early so she will be fine.................................Gnarly.....................

[HenryS354]

Thanks everyone!  She is going to take the plunge, but cautiously.  Her room mate is an RN and has been reading up on what to watch for, and Im keeping her in my sight as well.  I guess they are 1mg tablets and she said they crumble when she tries to break them in quarters. She just would prefer to not prolong her exposure and chance of further dependance.  She spoke with 3 separate pharmacists (Which of course they could give bad info too!) and they all said that the risk at that dosage was minimal for the information about her health status that she was giving them.  They did caution her that everyone and situation is different though and to be cautious.  Im really hoping she pops her head in here to meet you fine folk!  

Happy holidays!
Henry

[vicki595]

Henry~ I sent you a PM.

[refills]

Sorry to say Henry but I do have experience with Xanax. That alone doesn't give me the right in giving advice to good people like yourself. My suggestion would be to tell your friend to try and seek medical help in some way. Be the ER or a Med Center. Everyone is different with meds so advising you that it's such a small dose and not to worry would be fool hardy. The good news is she wants to get off medications. That's the big step. Be cautious going forward and good luck. Just be careful. ike

[jifmoc]

Hey, Henry, .5mg once per day for one month? Yes, she can just stop. Tell her to stop now though because after 30 days, give or take, a dependence can start.