My husband needs help with getting off xanax.

My husband and I have been going to a methadone clinic here in Oklahoma.I've been on the program for 3 years I dose at 180mgs a day.My husband on the other hand has just started this clinic and Jan.2009 but before he had a doctor for 11 years who was giving him 480,    10mg methadones and 150,  1mg xanax a month.We lost our insurance so this doctor quit seeing him after all of this time.So I told him just come to the clinic with me and we can get the xanax at this new doctor well that was all good till last monday when the methadone clinics doctor pulled him in and said he had a 5 day detox to get off the xanax.Well they have him on 110mgs of methadone a day which he was taking 16,   10mg methadone pills a day with this other doctor so he even came down on the methadone by 50mgs a day and these xanax he was taking was unreal sometime 15 - 20 pills a day when the clinics doctor looked at his blood levels he said his was the  worst one then they have ever ran accross they couldnt believe he could take that much so they were really worried about him.Well thats what we are trying to find out how we can get him off of these pills in as little time as we can.Right now he has 30 1mg xanax and we need to taper him off with what we have.Is it possiable to get him tapered off with these 30 pills he has left please let us know i f you can.Thank you very much and have a great day Misty from Oklahoma

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

This is a very serious and dangerous situation...going off that much xanax must be done carefully over a long period with a lot of medication to cover the possibility of withdrawal seizures...you have to have your husband treated carefully by an addiction program that understands and respects this danger.

[Jaquta]

I think this is a question best left to the experts.

I think you should be grateful for the doctors highlighting your husband's risk.  I would also expect them to medically supervise the detox.

Anything is possible, but I would question whether it were safe.

I don't think you should be attempting to do anything without first obtaining his doctor's approval.

Good luck for both of you.  Best wishes
J