tapering off xanax

hi,In feb 08 i was put on 1 mg of xanax 3 times a day,i ddint like it so i ask dr if i could stop it,he said yes but would need to taper as i still have bad anxiety........so he put me on 0.5 mg of klonopin 3 times aday and had me cut back to 2 mg of xanax a day,on april 23 he did that,on may 8 he had me drop one more xanax,i did that,i was then suppose to drop the last xanx th next week but i havent as i felt like i might be having some withdrawals, finally drs office called me today and saaid to add 1 more 0.5 mg of klonopin to amke a totla of 4 0.5 klonopin a day. im so afraid im ahving withdrawals and afradi i might have a siezure,i have bad anxiety....all today the right side of my head and face have felt funny and my right eye is blurrry..........any advice,,,,,,,,could this be withdrawal. My pharmisist said i should be fine that the klonopin would cover xanax withdrawals,but im afaid to stop the remaining 1 mg of xanax.please i need advice im so scared.........thanks

[worried878]

I would not be scared of switching from xanax to klonopin...i would be afraid of still being addicted to benzos.. they are the same strength just different in onset and klonopin and xanax are the most addictive of the benzos with ativan running a close second....u have switched one bezo for another that are the same strength

[sadinmichigan]

as worried said..please don't be scared to drop the remainder of the xanax..i have never taken klonopin but i do take xanax..i am not sure what the difference is as far as the klonopin goes..i take xanax 1mg/dy i do know that it is a short acting drug..so maybe klonopin lasts a little longer??? either way..they are both benzos and you should be fine to drop the xanax..keep posting and know that we are all here for you..

[kimmieb]

i was kinda in a similar boat....had been taking ativan (2 mg) every night just for sleep (no anxiety) for years and decided myself that i just needed/wanted to get off of it (long-time use of benzos is just no good if you can avoid it)...so i found myself a good doctor to help  me with the taper/weaning process....he weaned me completely off the ativan within just a few months (and i had been on the ativan for at least 5 years) using a MUCH weaker but longer-acting drug (called clorazepate)....so it sounds similar to what your doctor is doing/has been doing....i don't  think you need to be worried or concerned or scared of withdrawals, cuz i don't think you're going to feel anything....not as long as you're still on that other drug.....some of it could be mental (i know that's always a biggie for me, just KNOWING that you're going off of something)....hang in there, and just know that getting off the xanax is a great thing, you're doing something great for yourself!!!!