In reply to @sears He was not the original prescriber and asked me to do it on my own and to take it just when needed. I did just that and after the fourth day not taking I had a panic attack and anxiety with other symptoms.
I have been on Xanax 0.5 mg once a day for nearly five weeks until my psychiatrist put me on Hydroxyzine and asked me to stop taking Xanax daily and to tale it only when need it. For four days I was fine until the fifth day I experienced a panic attack and anxiety, then I took it. I want to taper off it. He refuses to give me a taper plan. What’s the safest way to get off it, since it only been five weeks?
I was on .50 of Xanax 2 x per day for 24 years. When my body hit tolerance, I had to wean off very slowly with water titration. Maybe you need a doctor that specializes in addiction to help you with that. Otherwise, you can read about it in Dr. Heather Ashton's manual. I think there is a video on Youtube about her.
I have no faith in anything. After decades of taking 2-4 mg/day of Xanax, I've had to go cold turkey after getting back to the states and trying to get compensated for Parkinson's Disease. I'm also bipolar and even though I'm receiving Medicare, I am still working full time in order to survive. I can relate to the paranoia. The work I'm turning out is unacceptable to me, and I often feel as if someone's coming in at night and changing my entries. I finally got diagnosed with PD, but already have a high disability rating due to injuries incurred in Vietnam, so it won't help much. I have some good days and some awful ones--never know how I'm gonna feel until I get home and write about my day in my journal, and need to keep at least a mg of Xanax on me in case of a panic attack or even an anxiety attack, especially at work. Please let me know how you're getting along. I know it's not at all easy. Thanks to being bipolar, I can get a lot of work done when I'm manic (just need to stay away from co-workers or at least try not to do any talking lest they think I'm a nut case--which in fact I am), but during my down time, I generally sit at my desk and use my personal i-pad to study foreign languages--keeps my mind sharp. At lunch I go out away from everyone and do my tai chi which helps a lot. I'm really playing it day-to-day and hoping for the best. I tried AA meetings, but that just made me feel worse. Now I'm taking no med's at all and feel as if I'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Sorry if I couldn't be more helpful; just wanted to let you know there are other people out there who are experiencing what you're going through. The self-doubt, anxiety, and paranoia are extremely debilitating. Keep posting to let myself and others how you're doing, and if you find anything: books, groups, connections who help you get through all the horrors you're no doubt facing.
I’ve been taking Xanax or a generic for about 15 years now. While only on a small daily dose, 2.5, if I miss taking it I feel like I’m jumping out of my skin the next day. Recently, the drugstore refilled my prescription using a different pharmaceutical’s generic and I’m now having numerous vivid dreams every night. After talking to the local pharmacist and googling online, I see there was a recall of my preferred generic last year, but could not find out the reason behind it. It also looks like there may be a shortage of Xanax and it’s generic. This is very upsetting and frustrating, and is motivating me to begin weaning off Xanax and onto something else under the care of my psychiatrist for my generalized anxiety disorder starting by late June. I must admit I’m concerned about sone of the withdrawal experiences others have reported on, especially full blown panic attacks. Any advice much appreciated. This will be my “summer project.”
I’ve been taking Xanax or a generic for about 15 years now. While only on a small daily dose, 2.5, if I miss taking it I feel like I’m jumping out of my skin the next day. Recently, the drugstore refilled my prescription using a different pharmaceutical’s generic and I’m now having numerous vivid dreams every night. After talking to the local pharmacist and googling online, I see there was a recall of my preferred generic last year, but could not find out the reason behind it. It also looks like there may be a shortage of Xanax and it’s generic. This is very upsetting and frustrating, and is motivating me to begin weaning off Xanax and onto something else under the care of my psychiatrist for my generalized anxiety disorder starting by late June. I must admit I’m concerned about sone of the withdrawal experiences others have reported on, especially full blown panic attacks. Any advice much appreciated. This will be my “summer project.”
Yes it is a factor. According to the experts our brains get less plastic as we age thus making tapering harder. Watch Take Your Pills Xanax on Netflix. I’m 70.
Yes it is a factor. According to the experts our brains get less plastic as we age thus making tapering harder. Watch Take Your Pills Xanax on Netflix. I’m 70.
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Why does your doctor refuse to help you taper? Since it was just 5 weeks at a low dose I’d just stop. I don’t think you’ll have a problem.
In reply to @sears He was not the original prescriber and asked me to do it on my own and to take it just when needed. I did just that and after the fourth day not taking I had a panic attack and anxiety with other symptoms.
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1 ReactionI was on .50 of Xanax 2 x per day for 24 years. When my body hit tolerance, I had to wean off very slowly with water titration. Maybe you need a doctor that specializes in addiction to help you with that. Otherwise, you can read about it in Dr. Heather Ashton's manual. I think there is a video on Youtube about her.
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1 ReactionI have no faith in anything. After decades of taking 2-4 mg/day of Xanax, I've had to go cold turkey after getting back to the states and trying to get compensated for Parkinson's Disease. I'm also bipolar and even though I'm receiving Medicare, I am still working full time in order to survive. I can relate to the paranoia. The work I'm turning out is unacceptable to me, and I often feel as if someone's coming in at night and changing my entries. I finally got diagnosed with PD, but already have a high disability rating due to injuries incurred in Vietnam, so it won't help much. I have some good days and some awful ones--never know how I'm gonna feel until I get home and write about my day in my journal, and need to keep at least a mg of Xanax on me in case of a panic attack or even an anxiety attack, especially at work. Please let me know how you're getting along. I know it's not at all easy. Thanks to being bipolar, I can get a lot of work done when I'm manic (just need to stay away from co-workers or at least try not to do any talking lest they think I'm a nut case--which in fact I am), but during my down time, I generally sit at my desk and use my personal i-pad to study foreign languages--keeps my mind sharp. At lunch I go out away from everyone and do my tai chi which helps a lot. I'm really playing it day-to-day and hoping for the best. I tried AA meetings, but that just made me feel worse. Now I'm taking no med's at all and feel as if I'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Sorry if I couldn't be more helpful; just wanted to let you know there are other people out there who are experiencing what you're going through. The self-doubt, anxiety, and paranoia are extremely debilitating. Keep posting to let myself and others how you're doing, and if you find anything: books, groups, connections who help you get through all the horrors you're no doubt facing.
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1 ReactionIf you have a good doctor psychiatrist I would listen to them if you don't I would try to find one
I’ve been taking Xanax or a generic for about 15 years now. While only on a small daily dose, 2.5, if I miss taking it I feel like I’m jumping out of my skin the next day. Recently, the drugstore refilled my prescription using a different pharmaceutical’s generic and I’m now having numerous vivid dreams every night. After talking to the local pharmacist and googling online, I see there was a recall of my preferred generic last year, but could not find out the reason behind it. It also looks like there may be a shortage of Xanax and it’s generic. This is very upsetting and frustrating, and is motivating me to begin weaning off Xanax and onto something else under the care of my psychiatrist for my generalized anxiety disorder starting by late June. I must admit I’m concerned about sone of the withdrawal experiences others have reported on, especially full blown panic attacks. Any advice much appreciated. This will be my “summer project.”
2.5 mgs. Xanax per day is not a small dose.
Typo on my part. Sorry. My dose is .25 mg.
Also, I don’t know if age is a factor in weaning off Xanax, but I am a senior citizen.
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1 ReactionYes it is a factor. According to the experts our brains get less plastic as we age thus making tapering harder. Watch Take Your Pills Xanax on Netflix. I’m 70.
Thank you for that suggestion - I’ll watch it.
Fyi - I’m 71.
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