I'm tapering xanax since 2 weeks ago after abusing for a short amount of time (~ 4 weeks), but I'm struggling with dosing. I've been at 0.375mg for the last 5 days, but skipping a dose in the afternoon to move to 0.25mg is rough. Tapering xanax is a bit of a rollercoaster ride so far, take 0.125mg, feel so-so for 6-7 hours, then feel bad again.
Dosaging problems and possible solutions
I only have 0.25mg xanax tabs and I can break them in 2. I've tried cutting them with a sharp kitchen knife to make them smaller, but they break. I might try a real pill splitter, the ones they sell for $3 in the pharmacy.
I'm considering taking xanax only 2x0.125mg a day and adding kratom 1x per day, which I haven't touched for months, for the difficult hours in the afternoon.
My ideal taper would be such a xanax taper: 3 days 3x per day 0.1mg, 3 days 3x per day 0.075mg, 3 days 3x per day 0.05mg, 3-5 days 0.025mg, but the smallest xanax pills are 0.25mg.
An alternative would be switching to valium, which has 2mg tablets, but I'm doing cardio every day. I read that valium makes you tired, not sure that'll go well with doing daily exercise.
Medical help / clinic
TLDR: Less than smooth experience getting medical help
I've seen a doctor at a clinic, but he only has time once a month and said switching to valium was not necessary in my case (short use) and would only add more complexity tapering. He recommended going from 3x per day 0.25mg to cutting out moments, first afternoon, then morning, ending with 1x 0.25mg xanax per day at night. The guy I spoke to before at the same clinic recommended I go from 2mg xanax daily to 0.5mg daily in the morning, because xanax was an anti-depressant and should make sure I don't feel bad. Before that I heard I should keep using 2mg daily until I was seen by the clinic. The reception told me last week by phone I should just quit my treatment in a 30 seconds phone call after a simple question, that kind of upset me too. The time before they hung up the phone, because I asked when I would finally see a doctor, instead of having 3 non-medical intakes and having to keep taking 2mg. My xanax abuse period was shorter than my time waiting for medical attention at abusive dosages. I can at least understand hanging up the phone, as they probably didn't know either when the doctor could see me and I kind of insisted.
Tips from you guys
So self-medicating my taper is essentially my only option. I'm back at 0.375mg daily and I have another appointment with the doctor in 8 days.
Dosaging problems and possible solutions
I only have 0.25mg xanax tabs and I can break them in 2. I've tried cutting them with a sharp kitchen knife to make them smaller, but they break. I might try a real pill splitter, the ones they sell for $3 in the pharmacy.
I'm considering taking xanax only 2x0.125mg a day and adding kratom 1x per day, which I haven't touched for months, for the difficult hours in the afternoon.
My ideal taper would be such a xanax taper: 3 days 3x per day 0.1mg, 3 days 3x per day 0.075mg, 3 days 3x per day 0.05mg, 3-5 days 0.025mg, but the smallest xanax pills are 0.25mg.
An alternative would be switching to valium, which has 2mg tablets, but I'm doing cardio every day. I read that valium makes you tired, not sure that'll go well with doing daily exercise.
Medical help / clinic
TLDR: Less than smooth experience getting medical help
I've seen a doctor at a clinic, but he only has time once a month and said switching to valium was not necessary in my case (short use) and would only add more complexity tapering. He recommended going from 3x per day 0.25mg to cutting out moments, first afternoon, then morning, ending with 1x 0.25mg xanax per day at night. The guy I spoke to before at the same clinic recommended I go from 2mg xanax daily to 0.5mg daily in the morning, because xanax was an anti-depressant and should make sure I don't feel bad. Before that I heard I should keep using 2mg daily until I was seen by the clinic. The reception told me last week by phone I should just quit my treatment in a 30 seconds phone call after a simple question, that kind of upset me too. The time before they hung up the phone, because I asked when I would finally see a doctor, instead of having 3 non-medical intakes and having to keep taking 2mg. My xanax abuse period was shorter than my time waiting for medical attention at abusive dosages. I can at least understand hanging up the phone, as they probably didn't know either when the doctor could see me and I kind of insisted.
Tips from you guys
So self-medicating my taper is essentially my only option. I'm back at 0.375mg daily and I have another appointment with the doctor in 8 days.
- Should I introduce kratom to go to 2x0.125mg per day?
- Should I move over to valium?
- Should I just suck it up and move to 2x0.125mg? I have no big physical side effects, although I feel very easily agitated, often upset, pessimistic, so it's been a challenge mentally.
