help please xanax detox

i was prescribed 8mg a day of xanax for the last few months of course i am an addict and i have been taking usually around 10-12mg a day and now i dont see my doctor for two weeks and i only have enough xanax to take 4mg a day or i could continue the 10mg dosage but then i would be completely out about  a week before my appointment. i would appreciate any comment on what i could do that would help.

[Billy__B]

take the 4mg daily.  i don't know first hand but i have heard/read/watched people go through xanax W/D and it can be bad. I think u should just take the 4mg and think of it as a "Drug Holiday" u can lower your tolerance to the benzos and that should help u in the long run. you will have to endure SOME withdrawl (withdrawal).  recently i went fgrom 800mgs of morphine twice daily on thurs to 60mgs once the FOLLOWING friday.  so i know what you mean. but, you CAN do it. you do NOT want to be out of ur meds and have to drop it CT, unless maybe u are trying to quit, then maybe, but that's just my suggestion.

Billy B

[avisg]

First off 8mg of xanax is soooooo much I did not even realize doctors prescribed people that much

10 to 12 i a huge amount. CTing  benzo can cause fatal sezuires .Honestly I think jump from 10 to 12 to 4mg is VERY dangerous .I am going to suggest you come clean with your doctor you need a slower taper down I am afraid of what will happen if you dont.

[sleeplesss]

Avisg is of course correct!  I thought the max dosage of xanax a day was 4 mg!
Xanax is nothing like CT off morphine since it can be so dangerous, maybe causing seizures.  Please talk to your dr and do it the right way to be safe.
sleeplesss

[Mandapanda17]

hi! Please do tell your doctor. Xanax withdrawal can be VERY dangerous, sometimes fatal in high doses like the one you were on. You MUST taper it down, you will be able to find a doctor to help you, by law someone has to help you taper off of a drug like that. I had to do a little research before finding one to help me, but I did and now I'm almost xanax free. If you're not able to tell a YOUR doctor, then go to the ER if you need to. They also must help you there, just please be honest about how much you were taking. Take care, and please post again and let us know how you are doing.

[AnnaE]

Sure glad I read this. I take .25 or .125 a day. Yet I have had some rough days. I will keep it low. I guess I/m lucky. It puts me to sleep. I am so sorry about     to possible problems and the addictive quality.

Not that I have never felt addicted to anything. But the toxic effects of xanax are so scary.

Please, renickrx, take care of yourself. You will find a lot of support and love.

[SHELLBELL79]

Wow your on a high dose. Usually the most docs prescribe is 1mg 4 x a day. I was on xanax for years and got up to that dose 4 x a day. I guessing your taking the 2mg zanbars 4 times a day. Well I ended up taking way more than I was supposed to b/c I had such High anxiety and panic attacks from hurricane katrina. I would go through 90 1mg in like 2 weeks or less. I have post -traumatic stress disorder from it too. I knew being a psychology major and a intern social worker, I had to medically wean off them.   Because you can easily have a seizure and die from stopping them. I got off them with no w/d's at all.  I only woke up in hot sweats the 2nd night. But, I had a **** load of anxiety for a while. My doctor said I just have to feel it and deal with it. I take visteril to help with my anxiety now. Its not the same but its better than nothing.

[abbbro]

Wow, I too am prescribed 8mg a day.  Of course I'm addicted.  I run out about a week before it's time to re fill my prescription.  I want to stop so very bad.  Xanax is like a monkey on my back.  My family is very supportive, but also like a crutch.  My husband knows I'm addicted but doesn't really try and get me to stop.  Says he is behind me know matter what I decide to do.  I have tried to quite before.  Told my Dr I was quitting, quit for a month or so (like usual) and then gotten back on it.  I feel like it's a vicious circle and don't know what to do.  I'm out now and they wont refill my prescription unless I have an office visit.  I have read that it sometimes takes months to stop feeling the withdrawals...what do I do?????????

[ladyofthemystnin]

You must be supervised during withdrawal from xanax, especially at such a high dose. Yes, it can cause seizures and death. Take this very seriously. If your doctor says otherwise, do your own research. DO NOT attempt to withdrawal without talking to a psychiatrist or doctor first, and emphasize the severity of your addiction. I would highly recommend checking yourself into rehab or hospital so that you can be treated in case of seizures and to protect you from side effects that may effect your ability to rationally deal with the withdrawal. Hallucinations and seizures are not uncommon, and at your dose it would be best to expect those side effects. Stay on the safe side. Get support from anyone who you can - friends, family, husband etc. Get them to research the withdrawal so that they take it very seriously, and know what to expect.

TAPER OFF, and with a doctors advice! Do not quit cold turkey no matter what you do!

You should definitely go off this drug when you feel ready. At a certain point it does more harm than good (I know this from personal experience at 8mg), and over time you may forget what normal functioning feels like; I certainly have. living your life in a daze is not acceptable. In my experience the withdrawal itself causes severe anxiety/panic attacks, so naturally I take the drugs to reduce the feelings of panic, and so the cycle continues. I was only supposed to be on the drug for a few months, but 2 years later I am still taking them.

Get medical help with this, please. Anyone who reads this, good luck and take care of yourself. Message boards like this will help you to understand what to expect. Do not underestimate the power of the drug, just because it is legal. some withdrawal can be as severe as Heroin.

Good luck