[HELP] Benzo Withdrawals = HELL

[toobent]

Edit: Added tapering plan at end of this Original Post, scroll down to avoid the whining!. Please feel free to help me calibrate the Ashton Protocol to more aptly suit my brief, albeit it large singular dosing, binge period.

I've been on Alprazolam for 35 days, taking anywhere from 2-5 bars in a single dose at night depending on the day. I MUST taper off and get through these withdrawals because they're unbearable. I've been in bed for 24 hours wishing I was dead. My high singular dosing, albeit brief binge period was as follows:

1. Week 1 = 4 mg
2. Week 2 = 6 mg
3. Week 3-4 = 8 mg
4. Week 5 = 10 mg

I don't think I've ever experienced benzodiazepine withdrawals until last night and today. Symptoms:

• Aching joints and sore muscles beyond those ever experienced during heroin withdrawals
• Headaches
• Sore throat
• Excessive thirst
• Excessive urination
• Diarrhea
• Nauseous
• Depressed
• Zero appetite - I've not ate in >24 hours
• Zero energy - I can't stand or even sit up for more then a couple of minutes
• No sleep whatsoever

This is an absolute nightmare!

Any and all advice will be very much appreciated.

Please, guys. I need some help. I'm really not in a good state - mentally or physically right now.

I just took 6mg Xanax. I plan on tapering this down to 4mg over the next 1-2 weeks. Then 2mg over the next 1-2 weeks. Then possibly considering switching to a long-acting benzo such as Diazepam for the final taper of 2-4 weeks.

The above quote was my initial, unresearched plan that has since been replaced by the following. But I believe we can incorporate the more aggressive taper with briefer stages than the standard Ashton Protocol as my abuse period was only 35 DAYS!


Taper Plan
ASHTON PROTOCOL Schedule I (found here: http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s1) Adjusted to my starting dose of 10 mg Xanax per day. Followed by Schedule II (found here: http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s2) to completely taper off benzodiazepines forever!

Important formulas:

• 0.5 mg Xanax = 10 mg Valium | 1 mg Xanax = 20 mg Valium and so on
  [*]My starting daily dose 10 mg Xanax = 200 mg Valium

Week 1
9:30 am: 3 mg Xanax
2:30 pm: 3 mg Xanax
7:30 pm 2.5 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 200 mg

Week 2
9:30 am: 3 mg Xanax
2:30 pm: 3 mg Xanax
7:30 pm: 2mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 200 mg

Week 3
9:30 am: 2.5 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium
2:30 pm: 3 mg Xanax
7:30 pm: 2 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 200 mg

Week 4
9:30 am: 2.5 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium
2:30 pm: 3 mg Xanax
7:30 pm: 2 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 200 mg

Week 5
9:30 am: 2 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
2:30 pm: 2 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium
7:30 pm: 2 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 190 mg

Week 6
9:30 am: 2 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
2:30 pm: 2 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium
7:30 pm: 1.5 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 180 mg

Week 7
9:30 am: 2 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
2:30 pm: 2 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium
7:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 50 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 170 mg

Week 8
9:30 am: 1.5 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
2:30 pm: 2 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium
7:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 50 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 160 mg

Week 9
9:30 am: 1.5 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
2:30 pm: 1.5 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium
7:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 50 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 150 mg

Week 10
9:30 am: 1.5 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
2:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 40 mg Valium
7:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 50 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 140 mg

Week 11
9:30 am: 1 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
2:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 40 mg Valium
7:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 50 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 130 mg

Week 12
9:30 am: STOP Xanax + 40 mg Valium
2:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 40 mg Valium
7:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 50 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 130 mg

Week 13
9:30 am: STOP Xanax + 60 mg Valium
2:30 pm: STOP Xanax + STOP Valium
7:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 60 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 120 mg

Week 14
9:30 am: STOP Xanax + 50 mg Valium
2:30 pm: STOP Xanax + STOP Valium
7:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 60 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 110 mg

Unfortunately this still only leaves me with a 110 mg/day dependence on Valium, where Schedule II of the Ashton Protocol begins at a 40 mg/day dependence. For those of you more mathematically inclined, please offer your input. I have two options I can think of:

1. Option 1: The Schedule detailed above offers the option of weekly or fortnightly tapering (as you can see I selected weekly). Perhaps if I include the fortnightly option but adding another taper over that extra week instead of keeping the dose constant, this should effectively halve my ending result of 110 mg Valium/day to 55 - which is close enough to begin Schedule II. So 28 weeks to achieve 55 mg Valium/day equivalence - not appealing.
2. Option 2: Alternatively I could be a little more aggressive with reducing daily Valium equivalence dose; instead of the -10 mg weekly pattern, make it -20mg, which would aslo result in a 55 mg Valium/day dependence but achieved in 14 weeks instead of the method described above in option one. This is certainly more appealing.

I am leaning toward option two, primarily because when considering I've only been on Xanax for 35 days, the sooner the drug is completely eliminated from my system, the sooner neurological pathways will restore to baseline and I believe even with the more aggressive dosage reduction outlined in option 2 that physical withdrawal symptoms can be avoided. And to get back to a physical state where I can function at least enough to recommence training and focus on my academic performance is of paramount importance. The mental symptoms I can overcome to get myself to the gym 5-6 days a week for 2 hour training sessions, or to get to the library or lectures, or the office at home where most of my study time is spent in front of the PC with textbooks and resource material strewn across the room.

My concerns are that such a protracted withdrawal process (14 weeks to get off Xanax plus 26 weeks to get off Valium) for such a short time user (35 days), albeit with a massive singular daily dose (8-10 mg) for the last couple weeks, might result in further unnecessary neurological damage which could be avoided with a shorter, but clinically calculated withdrawal method.

Thoughts? Please guys. There has to be some really experienced and smart - possibly even MDs or medical students - guys on this board. Share your thoughts.

Just did some quick math. I will need:

1. 196 x 2mg Xanax
   [*]679 x 10 mg Valium or 1358 x 5 mg Valium

That's just for Schedule I to get off the Xanax! I didn't bother calculating the Schedule II taper for Valium.

 

[Rob27shred]

Can't offer you any specific advice as I've never been through a benzo WD. But I do know for sure that benzo WD can cause fatal seizures & should be done under medical supervision. Also with benzos you can experience WD symptoms while tapering from what I understand. There is a ton of threads on here about tapering down benzo usage that might be helpful to you just use the search tool. You gotta be extra careful WDing from benzo's as I said before the WDs can be fatal. Not sure if your prescribed to them or not but the best advice I can give you is to put the WD on hold by taking your regular dose & get to a doctor or clinic that can help you with your taper & WD. If your dead set on kicking without medical supervision please do as much research on benzo WDs & taper plans as you can before taking the plunge. Also make sure you have someone supervising you during the physical WD stage so if things go south you have someone there to get you help. Other than that you just gotta grin & bear it, these terrible WDs are the other end of our drug abuse & once you've crossed that line there is no escape without experiencing them. Congrats on getting the willpower up to quit & good luck on the tough journey ahead.

 

[drfeelgood1]

6mg is awefully substantial dose. Im suprised u did not black out from such a massive dose. Was the 6mg dose taken at once or gradually throughout the days course?
Anyways, benzo WDs may cause people their lives....So be carefull. Just taper down the dose gradually. I am on Xanax myself taking 1mg per day and thats it. I just get depressed and feeling empty when I stop cold turkey. But nothing this major.

But in my opinion personally, I think coming down off opiates like Vicodin has more major WD side effects compared to benzos....You may all not agree, but trust me, I have been there and opiate WDs are far more worse than coming off of benzos.

 

[legitimate3]

withdrawal symptoms - and the related intensity - are gonna vary greatly from person to person.

You shouldn't be coming off of benzos without being under a doctor's care... if you are doing your own taper schedule, you might still be doing yourself harm, as you may be tapering too fast.

Here are a few things that may help with symptoms, and again I must stress that everyone is different...and I am NOT a doctor. You should absolutely be in touch with yours during this time.

CalMag - calcium magnesium supplements, for cramps. You can get this at any health food store.

Lots of water - helps you to flush.

Sports drinks....like gatorade, to give you back the electrolytes lost as a result of diarrhea or vomiting

Exercise... I know that this is the last thing you feel like doing right now, but it helps to raise your metabolism, thus speeding up the WD process for many people.

If you are also taking an SSRI - paxil, Lexapro, Zoloft, etc., do NOT stop taking these.

Ensure... this is the drink that tastes a lot like cold snot, but it will help to keep vital nutrients coming into your body at a time when you need them the most, and for when you have little to no appetite.

Immodium... for diarrhea.

Patience... it takes time to come off of any drug with addictive properties. You're probably gonna feel pretty beat up for a few weeks. You're not alone, MANY have had to travel down this dark road. I'm not preaching at you. I'm just saying that this too shall pass, eventually... but the most important thing for you to do right now is to talk to your Doctor. I can't stress this enough.

 

[toobent]

Hey, guys. Thanks for the advice. Another horrible night. At least I had several small bouts of sleep though.

I've been doing some research, and I think I'm tapering too quick. 10% reductions over 2-4 weeks is the recommended medical protocol. My regular nightly dose had just increased to 10mg, so I should be tapering down to 9mg for 2-4 weeks. Though I had only just increased it to 10mg, so perhaps I might be able to get away with a 10% reduction of 8mg. Either way, 6mg last night definitely was too little as it alleviated the symptoms very little, if at all.

legitimate, some great advice. Thank you so much. I have made arrangements to procure all those recommended supplements today, as I have ate only a banana, apple, and pear in about 36 hours. I have been taking Cod Liver Oil and a multivitamin though.

The pain is unbearable; the cramps, muscle and joint aches, headaches - I feel like this is hell. I almost wish I was dead as these physical symptoms only compound my volatile mental state right now.

Do you think a little bit of Oxy is a good idea to try and alleviate some of these pains? I am literally bed ridden, curled up in the fetal position shivering and moaning in pain. And the aspirin is doing absolutely nothing.

 

[Venrak]

^Oxycodone will probably help with some of the symptoms.

I agree, you were probably tapering too quickly. You seem to have the right idea now though.

If supply is not an issue, perhaps you should take enough to ease this shit and then start your taper tomorrow in a way that won't leave you feeling this way.

 

[laCster]

klonopin, valium, or even lorazepam is better than Xanax for tapering, but xanax is is still better than nothing

 

[Venrak]

^That too...

You should really consult your doctor about getting switched to a drug with a longer half life.

 

[toobent]

I've got some Diazepam, but not nearly enough to provide an equivalent Xanax dose. I will get some Diazepam, as the Ashton Protocol recommends using Diazepam for the taper.

Another question. I was taking my Xanax all in one dose (4-5 bars at night). For the taper, should I split the tapering dose up throughout the day, or stick to my former administration of all at once?

Thank God I've only been abusing this drug for about 40 days! Even though my dose was massive, it should make this withdrawal process a little easier...I hope.

 

[Venrak]

All at once is a bad idea as you will be in withdrawal a good part of the day.

You could use your diazepam to keep at least some benzos in your system so you don't seize out, and determine how many times a day you would need to dose the alprazolam to keep your blood levels up, based on its half life, and then divide the dose you plan on taking that day by the number of doses per day you determined.

 

[Psychedelic Jay]

Hospital, hospital, hospital, hospital, hospital, hospital....


Cold-turkey can kill you... go to the hospital and explain, or got to a detox/rehab center...

But, just don’t torture and potentially kill yourself...

 

[toobent]

Thanks, V. I'm going to follow the Ashton Protocol and dose 3mg morning/evening and 2.5mg night with 10mg diazepam. And follow that schedule in the link and see how I go.

If things head south, I will look into an outpatient rehab program as I am in a really bad physical and mental state right now and don't want to do anything stupid, or have anything really bad happen.

Jay, I'm not going cold turkey. I tried for one day and felt like I was dying. It was the worst I have ever felt in my life. Even worse then coming off a several year heroin addiction.

Here's the plan: http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s1

But I will adjust doses according to my current daily dose of 10mg.

Plus I am going to take 20mg OC ER twice daily to help with these physical pains as I need to get out of bed and do something. Thank God term break is in one week.

editing...

I have an appointment with my Psychiatrist this week, but don't want to tell him I've been buying off the street on top of my prescription and abusing it the way I have. I am worried he will just cut me off and where will that leave me?

Maybe I need to find a clinic familiar with the Ashton Protocol and see if they will take me on an outpatient basis?

And wouldn't a hospital just put me through a rapid (4 day) detox, which will be HELL?

 

[Psychedelic Jay]

Im trying to say you will eventually run out, as well as not being in a medical setting... It is not safe.

There is no safe way to withdraw from that high of a alpazolam dosage without proper care.

Dont think about just the physical side of your addiction, you also have a mental side. You cant get over one side without getting help for the other.

You cant make toast (addiction) without bread (your mind and body) and heat (your drug of choice.)

You can scrape the burnt bits off, but you cant get back to that nice soft bread without making a new loaf...

 

[toobent]

Jay, supply is not a problem. Even if my shrink cuts me off if I come clean with him I can ensure I get enough Xanax and Valium to perform the protocol as described; the whole 28 weeks. And then get enough Valium to do the follow up taper to get off the Valium.

 

[Psychedelic Jay]

I am saying that without the inpatient treatment, most people end up on maintenance whether it be from a doctor or the street.

Most get on maintenance just so they don’t have to go through anything else, just maintain.

Outpatient treatment is a double edge sword...

Addiction has nothing to do with the supply, it has to do with your demand for it...

Most lie to themselves hardcore about "how much control” they have in outpatient treatment.

And when those 28 weeks are up, some realize just how deep they are in the mix.


It is not geared toward you, but others who may be on this road... No need to further acknowledge me, as I have de-generalized the conversation to a more harm reduction tale.

 

[Fresco]

Try taking 1 to 2 grams of Vitamin C every hour (make sure its the calcium ascorbate form):

http://protractedbenzodiazepinewithdrawal.wordpress.com/

 

[toobent]

Thanks, Fresco.

Jay, I appreciate your input and don't disregard it at all. Just due to my life circumstances right now, it would be very difficult/damaging to commit myself to either hospital or a rehab clinic. Not to mention not affordable for the latter. And from the research I've been doing both options really only offer a rapid detox (4-7) days maximum, which is not going to help whatsoever. All they do is provide medical monitoring during the worst of the physical withdrawal period to ensure you don't die. This is no long-term solution as far as I can see.

I realize that after the 28 weeks of tapering completely off Xanax that I am in for another year of tapering off Valium. I am prepared to do this. And even then, I realize I would most likely be in need of counselling, CBT, and more treatment (absent medication) to address the mental aspect of life after benzos. I'm fortunate my abuse has been very short, albeit very high in dosage. So I'm also hoping the neural changes resultant of benzo abuse and cessation revert to normal sooner rather than later.

I am that determined to do this properly with the least amount of physical and mental distress, that I believe if it proves too difficult to follow the Ashton Protocol myself with support from family, then the next best option is an outpatient basis. Where weekly, long-term monitoring and tracking of doses, subjective and objective measures, with counselling and group therapy available is an excellent option for those who truly want to kick this deadly habit. I am one of those.

editing...

From further research it looks like the extreme physical pain I've experienced over the last 48 hours is due to my rapid cessation/incorrect taper. If the protocol is followed as described there should be NO physical pain such as I have experienced! This brings joy to my heart. I think I am of strong enough resolve to deal with the mental obstacles that I will face as the taper continues into the later stages, but to deal with this physical torture (and that's what it is) on top of the eventual mental symptoms would be too much.

For those familiar with heroin/opiate withdrawals. Multiply that by 20-30 to get a rough approximation of just how bad these physical pains actually are. Now add depression, anxiety, panic attacks, delirium, and derealization to the mix, and for me a bullet to the brain was starting to look like the best option.

 

[bagochina]

Taper to the lowest dose of Xanax and stabilize on it for a little bit then you can then switch over to what ever Valium you said you had. Taper down, skip days, etc. then bite the bullet and jump off. Be thankful you have only been daily dosing for 40 days. That's what worked for me and I was on high doses for eight years.

For those familiar with heroin/opiate withdrawals. Multiply that by 20-30 to get a rough approximation of just how bad these physical pains actually are. Now add depression, anxiety, panic attacks, delirium, and derealization to the mix, and for me a bullet to the brain was starting to look like the best option.

Sounds about right, god I do not miss those feelings at all. It took me a solid two years to stop feeling w/d symptoms and it was literally a waking nightmare most days. I didn't really even start to get the harder w/d's until I was about 30 days out and totally lost my mind at that point but still stayed off. Hardest thing I have ever done.

Nothing helped to ease the w/d symptoms except of course more benzos. A few things i tried seemed to actually aggravate the symptoms. In my mind benzo w/d comes down to time, all you can do is wait it out and stay off other meds.

Stabilize on a lower dose.

 

[toobent]

I am so grateful for this site. Just to know there are others out there who have travelled this path through hell and back and are willing to share their experience and extend a helping hand.

I'm going to follow that schedule to a T - only I might do the tapering increments on a weekly instead of fortnightly basis as I have only been abusing this drug for 40 days. Which when you think that just the Xanax taper to a moderate Valium dose will take FIVE TIMES as long on the standard schedule (28 weeks) then how long I've been using the drug! Then add the following standard Valium taper to completely remove benzos from my life there is another 26-52 (depending on weekly or fortnightly tapers) weeks! Which, combined with the initial Xanax to Valium taper equates to 14 TIMES as long spent tapering than my abuse of the drug; 560 days to taper completely off benzos - 40 days to get myself to this state!

Even if I opt for the reduced frequency tapering schedule (1 week intervals) which I will attempt, it works out to be 14 weeks to taper from Xanax to Valium. Then 26 weeks to taper off Valium; 40 weeks combined to free myself from these chains. That's still 7 TIMES longer spent tapering off then my 40 days of successive daily use to get myself to this state.

This is where I think I need experienced clinical advice as perhaps there is a more effective and efficient tapering schedule we could develop for my brief, albeit massive dosage, abuse of Xanax. As in, sure I have no doubt developed a high tolerance due to my massive dosage that has quite obviously resulted in intense physical withdrawal symptoms - neural effects are not nearly as bad...yet. In fact the only tangible neural effects so far are a direct result of this intense physical pain. Would protracting this withdrawal process well beyond my already brief usage of the drug possibly elicit further neural adaptations that might actually unnecessarily protract, or worse exacerbate, the inevitable adverse neural changes due to extended benzo use and the subsequent withdrawal symptoms; anxiety, depression, panic attacks, agoraphobia, sympathetic nervous system dominance, apathy, etc.

I know there are some smart guys on this board (Chromo, Venrak, legitimate3, others I've noticed for sure, just can't recall their usernames) and your input would be highly valued and appreciated.

I mean think about it: 40 day Xanax abuse -> 40 week withdrawal process; a further 40 weeks (7 times longer) of benzo use, albeit at a scheduled reduced taper, but I mean the math seems counter-intuitive.

Please, if willing and able, share your thoughts.

editing...

By the way, gradually feeling noticeably better physically and mentally. Just had my second (midday/afternoon) dose of 3mg in accordance with the Ashton Protocol (the most credible and acknowledged benzo withdrawal method), and my first 20mg OC ER dose. Still have an enormous headache, but stomach cramps, muscle & joint pain and hyperalgesia, sore throat and chest pains, nausea and diarrhea have significantly diminished. Appetite is actually ferociously coming back but due to the severe calorie deficit I've effected over the last 48 hours I barely have the energy to remove myself from this bed to cook something. So I am going to order pizza!

I have my amazing family running errands after work to get me all the recommended supplements, and before they left they mixed me up a 2 litre batch of water with lemon (electrolytes) and honey to sustain hydration as I am constantly dehydrated due to the excessive diarrhea, and severe lack of food intake.

I'm figuring fruit and berries (lots of it), red meat, eggs, coconut oil and cream, Cod Liver Oil, and a multivitamin on top of the supplements recommended in this thread should have me back to physical health capable of resuming my regular training regime in another day or two which will facilitate further detoxifying through exercise.

This is a huge blow to my academic and professional career right now. I am a competitive Olympic Weightlifter (National level) and a first year PT student. I need to get on top of this ASAP before too much regression effects my training, and inability to study starts to impair my (being modest) stellar GPA.

Week 1
9:30 am: 3 mg Xanax
2:30 pm: 3 mg Xanax
7:30 pm 2.5 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium

Week 2
9:30 am: 3 mg Xanax
2:30 pm: 3 mg Xanax
7:30 pm: 2mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium

Week 3:
9:30 am: 2.5 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium
2:30 pm: 3 mg Xanax
7:30 pm: 2 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium

Just calculating formula to adjust the Ashton protocol for a 6 mg high dosage Xanax taper to my 10 mg starting dosage. Will update this post as the weeks develop.

 

[toobent]

Taper Plan
ASHTON PROTOCOL Schedule I (found here: http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s1) Adjusted to my starting dose of 10 mg Xanax per day. Followed by Schedule II (found here: http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s2) to completely taper off benzodiazepines forever!

Important formulas:

• 0.5 mg Xanax = 10 mg Valium | 1 mg Xanax = 20 mg Valium and so on
• My starting daily dose 10 mg Xanax = 200 mg Valium

Week 1
9:30 am: 3 mg Xanax
2:30 pm: 3 mg Xanax
7:30 pm 2.5 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 200 mg

Week 2
9:30 am: 3 mg Xanax
2:30 pm: 3 mg Xanax
7:30 pm: 2mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 200 mg

Week 3
9:30 am: 2.5 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium
2:30 pm: 3 mg Xanax
7:30 pm: 2 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 200 mg

Week 4
9:30 am: 2.5 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium
2:30 pm: 3 mg Xanax
7:30 pm: 2 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 200 mg

Week 5
9:30 am: 2 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
2:30 pm: 2 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium
7:30 pm: 2 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 190 mg

Week 6
9:30 am: 2 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
2:30 pm: 2 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium
7:30 pm: 1.5 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 180 mg

Week 7
9:30 am: 2 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
2:30 pm: 2 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium
7:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 50 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 170 mg

Week 8
9:30 am: 1.5 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
2:30 pm: 2 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium
7:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 50 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 160 mg

Week 9
9:30 am: 1.5 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
2:30 pm: 1.5 mg Xanax + 10 mg Valium
7:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 50 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 150 mg

Week 10
9:30 am: 1.5 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
2:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 40 mg Valium
7:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 50 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 140 mg

Week 11
9:30 am: 1 mg Xanax + 20 mg Valium
2:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 40 mg Valium
7:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 50 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 130 mg

Week 12
9:30 am: STOP Xanax + 40 mg Valium
2:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 40 mg Valium
7:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 50 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 130 mg

Week 13
9:30 am: STOP Xanax + 60 mg Valium
2:30 pm: STOP Xanax + STOP Valium
7:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 60 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 120 mg

Week 14
9:30 am: STOP Xanax + 50 mg Valium
2:30 pm: STOP Xanax + STOP Valium
7:30 pm: STOP Xanax + 60 mg Valium
TOTAL Valium equivalence = 110 mg

Unfortunately this still only leaves me with a 110 mg/day dependence on Valium, where Schedule II of the Ashton Protocol begins at a 40 mg/day dependence. For those of you more mathematically inclined, please offer your input. I have two options I can think of:

1. Option 1: The Schedule detailed above offers the option of weekly or fortnightly tapering (as you can see I selected weekly). Perhaps if I include the fortnightly option but adding another taper over that extra week instead of keeping the dose constant, this should effectively halve my ending result of 110 mg Valium/day to 55 - which is close enough to begin Schedule II.
   
2. Option 2: Alternatively I could be a little more aggressive with reducing daily Valium equivalence dose; instead of the -10 mg weekly pattern, make it -20mg, which would aslo result in a 55 mg Valium/day dependence but achieved in 14 weeks instead of the method described above in option one, which would take 28 weeks.

I am leaning toward option two, primarily because when considering I've only been on Xanax for 40 days, the sooner the drug is completely eliminated from my system, the sooner neurological pathways will restore to baseline and I believe even with the more aggressive dosage reduction outlined in option 2 that physical withdrawal symptoms can be avoided. And to get back to a physical state where I can function at least enough to recommence training and focus on my academic performance is of paramount importance. The mental symptoms I can overcome to get myself to the gym 5-6 days a week for 2 hour training sessions, or to get to the library or lectures, or the office at home where most of my study time is spent in front of the PC with textbooks and resource material strewn across the room.

My concerns are that such a protracted withdrawal process (14 weeks to get off Xanax plus 26 weeks to get off Valium) for such a short time user (40 days), albeit with a massive singular daily dose (8-10 mg), might result in further unnecessary neurological damage which could be avoided with a shorter, but clinically calculated withdrawal method.

Thoughts? Please guys. There has to be some really experienced and smart - possibly even MDs or medical students - guys on this board. Share your thoughts.