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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
HELP!!!????
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
HELP!!!????
by BellaLea, Oct 30, 2006 12:00AM
DR'S Please HELP- I'm a paraplegic of 9 yrs. & Have been on Xanax for 16 yrs.- It has become BIG problem & I'm paralyzed with more feeling than the average (I'm independent ) - Well 6 surgeries in 4 years left me in bed A lot- I've gotten up to 10mg. daily- The problem & scary part is I actually had a seisure for 45 min. I was not out or " jonesing " it wasn't late in the day & I wasn't stressing? So I've decided they've GOT 2 GO! How do I WEEN properly? I take 3mg. daily- I need to know cut how much back & in what intervolts-
Thank U in advance for your propmptness to this ergent matter...Lea*
PS Pleas resond ASAP
Thank U in advance for your propmptness to this ergent matter...Lea*
PS Pleas resond ASAP
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Oct 31, 2006 12:00AM
, Oct 31, 2006 12:00AM
I can give you a schedule but you should also be under a doctor's supervision during the final phases so that he or she can cover you for seizures from withdrawal. This is especally important because you have been on the medication for so long at such a high dose.
You should lower the dose each day for a week until you are on half of your daily dose. Then, the next week, stay on that dose for every other day. Then the third week, lower it each dose every other dose until you are as low as you can go. In the fourth week, do that same low dose every third day, then stop. If at any time, this is too fast for you, see your doctor or go back to the prior dose/interval schedule and repeat for one week...take this slow and careful and be sure and have adequate medical supervision.
You should lower the dose each day for a week until you are on half of your daily dose. Then, the next week, stay on that dose for every other day. Then the third week, lower it each dose every other dose until you are as low as you can go. In the fourth week, do that same low dose every third day, then stop. If at any time, this is too fast for you, see your doctor or go back to the prior dose/interval schedule and repeat for one week...take this slow and careful and be sure and have adequate medical supervision.
Sorry to hear about your troubles with Xanax. Benzo's are a blessing and a curse and you are taking a lot of Xanax to be sure. Over the long run you definitely need to bring it down to a reasonable dose or quit. However, you definitely need assistance from your medical professional to do this. It won't be easy. It will be uncomfortable, but you can wiuthdraw safely. Don't do it on your own. Get help.
The doctor on this forum gives really good advice and I would also suggest that you see your on doctor so you have someone locally to monitor as you are weening off slowly. Are you currently taking 10mg of Xanax right now? or are you only on 3mg per day. I'm currently on 2.5mg of Lorazapam which is generic Ativan. My physciatrist told me that Ativan is more of a safer and cleaner benzo and he prefers this over Xanax. He also mentioned that anytime a patient gets over 4mg a day on a benzo then there is a strong concern for addiction and the weening process needs to be done really slow so there are no withdrawals.