TouchTheMirror

Hi folks. I've been taking 2mg (a "bar") of Xanax a day. I take half a bar in the morning and half a bar at 1pm or so. I take it for the calming effect it has on me.
I have no doubt of its addictive nature, but I wonder how my dosage compares with people who are truly addicted to and abuse this drug. The past 2 days I have experimented with cutting back to 1.5mg a day and haven't noticed an increase in stress or panicky feelings, so I think I'll try to cut it down to 1mg/day next week, then hopefully .75mg/day the week after, and so on until I'm off the stuff.
I have alcohol problems as well (I'm 3 days sober today, but have averaged 25 drinks a week for a couple of years), and I don't need a drug addiction as well, so I think it's best if I wean myself off of Xanax altogether.

Please share your experiences with Xanax, including how much you took and how/if you quit the drug. Thank you!

windysan

I took a bunch more but that is here nor there....everybody is different. Sounds like you have a good taper plan. Don't cold turkey the stuff. You need to have a doctor help you with this.

Alan

I was taking 20 bars on 25 hydro daily. Looking back I was tring to kill myself and came close many times. I decided to quit when I woke up sleeping in a supermarket parking lot 100 miles from home with no Idea how I got there. Recovery is slow and painful. Three months later I still dont feel exactly right.
Quit while you still can and dont wait until the day comes where you have to.
If you keep using, you will become more hooked. Its a life of pure misery and hell. Taper off the crap and just dont use it anymore or you will be signing your death warrant.

weroisafl333

Check out the Ashton Manual:

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm

All about benzo withdrawal and tapering. It might help you.

TouchTheMirror

Thank you all. Alan, I'm glad you're still among the living! That sounds like a hell-trip to me. Congratulations on cutting that crap out of your life. I will heed your advice and work it out of my system and hopefully never touch it again. I can see its destructive powers.

Chy

Just one suggestion I'd like to offer.. contact your doctor, cutting back on the alcohol and AD's may through you for a loop in the next few weeks.. so go easy.. and DO call your doctor.

leeside

Xanax has many bad side effects. The one that got me the most was tinnitus, so I stopped. It is a fav drug with tinnitus patients paradoxically. It is in the PDR ototoxic drug list. It also makes my hyper and anxious.

I would cut down and off and not substitute any drug including alcohol which I would stop also.

Withdrawal and the DTs are quite a problem. I take plenty of vitamins, minerals, antioxadents, and get good nutrition. I substitue juice for alcohol. Sparkling juice is an excellent substitute. I get most of my fluids from fruits and vegetables per doctors advice. I sip a little water as needed. It really helps with withdrawal/DTs.

I shouldn't have to tell you of all the foolish and hurtful things drugs and alcohol can do (just read the previous, sleeping in the parking lot far from home post, for one instance.

purplerain777

I've fallen asleep mid conversation with people on the phone at work as well as with friends. I too have slept in parking lots. BUt I simply can not get back to the pre--crossing of the line in the sand. It's like having sex. Once you have it, it's hard to go back to just kissing. I know these things are just awful but I also know tapering and going with less than my body needs simply sucks and can all be fixed very, very quickly and simply with a couple of little Xanax tabs. It only take a few--maybe 10-15 minutes for me to enter back into the land of "Whatever." The land where I float free and careless. SO, it's that place or the fight. I've been tossed into the ring by my new primary doctor and a therapist she referred me to but at this point, I think I'd still prefer to just be knocked out if you know what i'm saying.

Anyway, I am hours way from withdrawal symptoms kicking in.

wizkit

Hi

I take 5 times a day a 2mg tablet of xanax + 1 tablet of 2mg Lormetazepam.

As advice to you I would say, just quit now you're still on very low mg's. Goin back from 2mg a day to 1,5mg a day wouldn't normally give big changes in your anxiety or panic.

So quit while you still can.

Good luck mate

grz
wizkit