Been on Xanax for a year for anxiety

[Lbogie68]

It seems my anxiety is getting worse and I have just started paxil 25mg cr
I need to get off this zanax and I am a working Husband & Father so I cant go to a "detox house"...I have to work & pay the bills...
If I was on 1mg x 4 a day, how do I slowly detox myself to get minimal affects of getting zanax out of my system?? Cut it all in half??? ((.5mg x 4 a day))  ((or take 1 mg x 2 a day???))
And for how long till I decrease again...??
I pray you can help me!!

Thank you,

Larry
***@****

[AgentBox009]

Hey all!  I just joined the board.  I hope my stories can help.  I have been clean of Xanax for almost 2 months now.  I was on a low dose for 10 years.  Needless to say, I depended on it.  Even if my dose was small --ranging from .25mg to the last month where I was taking up to 2mg--I still knew it would be very difficult to get off and stay off it.  The anxiety and panic hit an all time high point and I knew increasing the Xanax was only making it worse.....so my doctor brought me in-patient to detox me.  I have been clean since and will never go back!  It has been a rough psychological battle, and still feel bouts of withdrawl.  I guess that comes with the territory though.  The first week was rough, and as the antidepressants got into my system it got better quickly, and then I lost all energy.  That is where I am now....still feeling the depression off and on, but luckily not experiencing the panic attacks.  I was put on Depakote and Neurontin immediately, and am now just starting to come off of the Neurontin.  Speaking in terms of physical withdrawl, nothing bad has happened to me other than an extremely annoying tingling arms/pins and needles and sensitivity to sounds.  Anyone else know what I am referring to?
Regardless, best of luck to you and never hold back with telling your doctor how you have been feeling.  
~John

[kilo]

Hey Brian hope all is well with your struggles. No doubt about it, depression is a classic withdrawal symptom. Everyone is different, but it was a short term symptom for me, lasting about 7 days. Many people suffer from mild to moderate forms of depression and don't even realize it. Just a thought, but you may have been suffering from depression prior to your opiate use. Once you begin to w/d it really comes on full tilt.
Opiate w/d is really a true 180 from the opiate buzz...consipation turns into the runs, lots of energy turns into no f..king energy, and so on.
CT withdrawal can be a *****, but there are many meds that help you through it. Clonipine (for the shakes and restless legs), benzos (for general anxiety and sleep) and anti-depressant meds for that post-withdrawal period.
The new selective serotonine re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI's) have a much lower side effect profile, but usually require 2-3 weeks of dosing before becoming effective.
I was prescribed Zoloft as an adjunct therapy for neuropathic pain. It was prescribed as a trail run to see if my shoulder pain was neuropathic. Neuropathic pain does not respond well to traditional opiate therapy.
Well to make a long story short, when I decided to stop using opiates I experienced very little depression while taking the Zoloft.
I've said it before, but when the time comes you may want to enlist the full support of your physician. He can prescribe various medications that will lessen the awful effects of withdrawal and possibly prescribe an anti-depressant as well.
Just keep in mind...once you spill your guts to your physician he may address you differently and view your drug use as a liability. Some people never come clean to their primary physician, but schedule an office visit with someone who is familiar with addiction and withdrawal processes. Could be the best 100 bucks you ever spent, and could mean the difference in you staying clean.
Best of luck Brian, I'll be thinking about you Bro.   Peace

Kilo

[oxyblues]

David, your right this will be a long process, why put myself through this.I tried 3 times abrupt c/t, no success, for me it,s the depression i could,nt take, thinking life altering thoughts, that isn,t me.so i thought i would try it this way.Tappering is a *****, but is working so far!!will keep in touch, my name is brian... peace!!                                                                                                                                                                                           RDYTOQUIT- Don,t ever think your a coward, or weak, man we all are having a hard time with this ****, if it was that easy no one would even think of quiting.sorry i have to go to work, keep posting, people here do care, you are not alone!!!!peace!..

[shubunkin]

I too have been on Xanax for a year and only taking .5/3 times a day. I am here to tell you it is going to be a long, hard struggle and do not think it can be done quickly or you will lose your mind. I have finally cut my dose to a total of .75 a day but it was so hard. And you are at a much higher dose. You may want to consider swiching to Benzo that is longer acting so it does not leave your body so fast. I have heard it is easier from what I have read. All the luck to you! Danielle

[vettezr1]

Dude if your still here listen up, if your not ready to quit your just not ready.
Take a step back and reassess what it is you want to accomplish.
The dose you take is not impossible to stop, taper CT what ever you please.
I was on IV morphine 60-80 a day, I looked up a narcotic converter someone posted here and almost **** at what the equivalent dose in oral pills would be.
I stopped cold; it did suck for a few weeks, first week being the worst.
I am a chronic pain patient that

[kilo]

Our thread is maxed out! Sounds like a plan. Seems to me like a long detox, but whatever works for you is the BEST plan. I had access to OC's once and a while, but my DOC was hydro's. About 150 - 200mg per day. Tapering was not for me...have drugs, do drugs!
You are a hell of a lot stronger than me, I could not taper.
Wow, you've got a doctor who will write you scripts and increase your dose...what's his name?...just kidding.
You might have to be upfront with him when the time comes.
Switching to short-acting opiates is the right move, but will he allow it? So much easier to taper, can't be cutting OC's into pieces, because you're never sure what you're getting.
I'm sure if you said..."hey doc can I taper down to IR oxycodone or hydrocodone" he might like that.
Tread carefully...once you reveal your addiction he may cut you off. Good luck and stay in touch.
By the way my name is David.

[hippy]

when you go to the benzo site got to news and views
on the left side about 6 topics down. for starters.
you may want to join in thier fourm.
peace!!!!!!!!!!!!! hippy

[hippy]

this is a real good sight for xanax withdrawl
benzo.org.uk
good luck

peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!hippy