Xanax-cold turkey-bad idea

so i tried quiting cold turkey and it was horrible i mean the physical symptoms were not so bad it was the anxiety it was 10 times worse than before i ever took the drug what the hell kind of idiot doctor would perscribe such high doeses of Xanax and ativan so im at 1.5Mg of Xanax now if you read my previous post you know i have worked down from much more than that so how do i finish this off how do i taper down from were im at because i am starting to need more than 1.5Mg just to get threw the day and i will talk to my doctor about it but he's real cool about shuving these pill's down your throat so some outside input would be great

[lintlicker21]

also is there any drugs similar to xanax that are eaiser to get off of and still help control severe anxiety  

[ronny3]

Yes there are other benzos that arent strong to help you taper off...xanax is veryy strong.  klonopin or valium are sometimes used and there are even less potent benzos they can give you as well...please ask, remember doctors dont care they will feed us almost anything

[NautyOne]

First of all.......Doctors are not shoving pills down anyone's throat, nor are they calling in for the refills.  You have to take responsibility for what you are doing.  Ask if he can switch you to valium instead because its' easier to taper because of the longer half life.......Xanax is a nasty drug.  See if you can get him to switch.

I wish you well.

luv,
Nauty.................

[worried878]

valium is the weaker of the more popular benzos..xanax the strongest...klonopin is long acting and does not jump on u so quick like xanax but very close to the same strength as xanax..ativan is right up there as well...valium, is often used to taper...temazepam and librium are also weaker benzos..there is a great article in the health pages with examples of benzo tapers...benzos should not be stopped ct ever..seizures can result...and as adults who can read we should educate ourselves on any med the dr rx's us...it is us//or ourselves that sign the line when we pick up a scrip/stating that we uderstand the drug/ and it is also us  who puts the pills in our mouth each day...not the dr..it is our responsibility to know what we r taking and to use habit forming drugs sparingly if we do not want to pay the price....gotta take responsibilty for our actions but the dr should help u taper off..and it is true some do not really know alot about tapering u off a drug like xanax..if he does not then i would find a dr who does

[SophieShine]

Hey there!
xanax is a short-acting benzo, it has a half life of 6 to 12 hours while valium has a half life of 20 to 100 hours. xanax works differently in your blood, when you take it, the working is very fast, it gives a peak in your blood and disappears pretty fast too. It's the peak that gives you the high. That's what you're hooked on...
Now, valium works slower in and stays longer too. you don't have the high peak. That's why most of tapering plans, if not all, switch to a long-acting benzo like valium.
If you feel like quitting xanax, which is a VERY good idea!!!, check out with your doctor for the equivalence and a tapering plan.
You can find tons of info on benzo.org.uk, check out "The Ashton Manual"
and for tapering plans from xanax, here is a good example on how it's done:
http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s1
all the best to you.
xoxoxo. sophie.

[ChronicPain1]

Don't blame the doctors.

[humpbaby]

HI,new here. I am supposed to take 1mg of xanax 3xs a day,but I like them and always run out about 1 to 2 wks early and have to get ativan from my mom..My husband is trying to help me take just the 3 and hides them from me..but I always find them and overdo it with them..I am not working and have panic attacks so bad I think I will die and my heart races like a rabbit,I hate it..Can I see another dr to get ativan or klonapin or valium to get me thru the times I run out?? I hate this..i have lil self control with xanax cuz they help alot and the panic gets so bad that all i wanna do is stay home and be horriable to ppl cuz i withdrawl (withdrawal) alot

[moonshyne]

Um, I DO blame SOME doctors. Several years ago I went to see a  shrink who prescribed me massive doses of Xanax for Anxiety Disorder. Sure as ****, I got hooked BAD. He chose the dose of 6 pills a day (180 a month!!), not me. His name was Dr. Jack Barabtarlo and if you want to check him out at ratemds.com you will see just how bad of a doc he is. He was even suspended from pratice so sometimes the docs ARE the problem. They convince you that you need high doses of whatever. In the end, it took an overdose that almost killed me to make me realize I needed to get away from them. And I did. Now I am battling an oxy addiction but I blame only me for that one..I'm just saying some doctors are the problem.  

[DumbBlonde]

     All benzos have terrible withdrawal symptoms, some worse than others, but don't cold turkey on benzos.  You could have a seizure, etc.  Start tapering down.
      was on a large dose of Klonopin and I just stopped taking them because I was feeling ok, no anxiety or panic attacks, after about five days I went into withdrawals.  Since I was already off of them, I stayed off and went through the withdrawals.  It was a month or more before I could really function and think as normal.  But when the dr. found out, he was extremely upset because I didn't taper.  I wish I had.  I thought I was going to die.  Fortunately I'm alive and now having a problem with Lyrica.
I wish you well,
DB

[SophieShine]

What you are talking about is called doctor shopping and it's a federal offense!
Stick to the dosage you dr has prescribed. If you have problems sticking to it, talk to your doctor about it. Xanax is VERY addictive and a true he!! to taper off.