Hello all, this is my first post and I am happy to be apart of such a helpful community. I am a 230 lb. 21 year old male. I am done with college recently and have been taking Xanax recreationally since sophomore year (about two and a half maybe 3 years). I have recently decided I am going to stop taking this horrible drug and started to taper down my use. I was never a daily user until the past year in which I would take .5mg to 1.5mg a day. The past ten days I have lowered my use and am taking an eighth of a bar a day of a batch of very weak bars (I think they are probably 1mg maybe 1.5). When I take such a small amount I am surprised because I feel it pretty well and I am able to sleep quite well. At work, I begin to feel bad anxiety for four or 5 hours and clammy hands the whole day but it is definitely manageable. Basically I am scared that I am in danger of a seizure and don't want to go too fast but I'm not sure how addicted I am because I do not know the exact doses I have been taking, although I do have experience with prescribed Xanax which is why I know the bars I have now are NOT the 2mg they usually are. As of today I have not taken it in two days and feel ok but am wondering if I should continue taking very small doses to stay safe. Thank you and I look forward to ur responses.
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BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic
Coming off Xanax
- Thread starter Jorje94
- Start date
I don't think it is wise or practical to taper using Xanax. You ought to cross over to another benzo such as Valium or Librium, either of which is 'softer' in effect and longer in duration of action. Valium and Librium are good taper benzo's, indeed, although I would say even Klonopin is better to taper down from than Xanax. With tapering Xanax, the peaks and valleys of the chemical active in the body yo-yo and fluctuate so, throwing yourself constantly into inter-dose withdrawal.
paranoid android
Bluelight Crew
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- Apr 4, 2006
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- 14,351
^ This. Also tapering with a dose of a longer acting Benzo such as Valium (as just a example) that keeps you out of WD and let's you taper would be more manageable then trying to taper with a short acting benzo such as Xanax. You get much less in the way of peaks and valleys in the amount of drug in your system with a Benzo with a long half life then you do with a benzo with a short half life such as Alprazolam which makes the whole thing alot easier.
6 MAM BAM
Ex-Bluelighter
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- Jun 25, 2016
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- 4
One thing to remember is cumulative buildup of Alprazolam if you have been taking it for 2+ years. Whereas the occasional user will urine test negative in 3-5 days, long term & overweight users will test positive for up to 10 WEEKS. Granted these are metabolites, but the parent drug, Alprazolam will be in your system for a good long while. Although the levels may be nominal you should keep this in mind if you are going to be tested or are concerned with atypical withdrawal symptoms.