how do i get off xanax

[martha174]

some one please tell me how to get off xanax.i have been on xanax for about 5 yrs(.05) mg
i didn't know it was addicting.
martha174

[Red931]

I have been taking Xanax for several years as prescribed by my doctor. I have high blood pressure and my doctor felt that the Xanax would help in keeping my pressure from spiking to dangerous levels for which it has served it's purpose.

I decided I didn't want to take it anymore last year and asked my doctor to take me off of it. He wanted to know why and I told him that I just didn't want to take it anymore but I wasn't having and adverse side effects or abusing the medication.

He then asked me "Why would you want to stop a medication that is working for you?" I then told him that I read somewhere that I should not have been on the medication for over 10 days and was concerned. He explained to me that these warnings are required by the FDA and it is not a general rule as they have found many more uses for Xanax since it was originally approved and marketed for anxiety. He told me that if I insisted that I wanted to stop the medication against his advice that I would have to be weaned off under his supervision but that he would do that if that was what I wanted to do. I decided to listen to him and continue taking my medication as prescibed and do not regret it.

To make a long story short, if you are taking this medication legally prescribed by a physcian you need yo go speak with him/her and discuss your options as others here have suggested. If you are not taking it with a prescription you can still go to your doctor and be honest with him/her and get assistance with getting off the medication.

Doctors are very considerate when it comes to this medication. I know alot of other people that are prescribed Xanax and all of their doctors work well with them also.

Good Luck

[mtgoat911]

slow taper or inpatient detox

[SophieShine]

Hi Martha,
Welcome to our community. As said above Xanax is a benzo. You can't just stop it. You have to slowly taper. I'm tapering from benzos for 10 months now and believe me there's light at the end of the tunnel. But you gotta take it slowly.
May I ask why you were taking them at 1st. Did you upper your dosage?
There's a wonderful site on which you can find all the info you need including tapering plans. Here's is the link:
http://www.benzo.org.uk/

and on here you'll have the tapering plan for xanax
http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s7

Talk to your doctor about it, tell him/her you wanna quit and make a plan for yourself.
If you need anything, feel free to pm me. I'd be more than happy to help.
You can do this. stick around.
All my strength.
xxx. sophie.

[tommm70]

Whatever you do, don't just stop taking it. Xanax is in the Benzo family which could cause some life threatening withdrawal effects. Consult your doctor and have them help you detox.

Do you take the meds as prescribed? Are you abusing it? How much do you take a day? Again, please call your doctor if you think you have a problem.

Good luck to you and please keep posting.