Benzos Is my doctor brain dead? Help? (xanax taper)

[ShaunG]

So I have just got off Vicodin that I was on for 1.5 years with little to no withdrawals. I used a bunch of high doses and heavy opiates in this time as well. That said, I told the doc no more and tapered myself. This was in the past 2 weeks. I have GAD and occasional panic attacks and we all know that insomnia and anxiety def come with opiate WDs.

So today I tell my doc that I want to taper off my Xanax next within the next 6 months time. I take 1mg per day for 3 years usually at night unless I have a panic attack which is rare since I have been taking 1mg per night in which case I will take more. I started at .5mg but was upped to 1mg when they stopped working. I do not abuse this med or benzos (ok, once every 3 months maybe). I ask if I can taper over time and be switched to an equivalent dose of Valium. He said no...why would I do that? Why put you on a longer acting benzo and I explained that it leaves the system slower and for one month should not matter that it is longer acting. He said no, you can taper on Xanax or quit cold turkey and switch to baclofen!

I said I was not comfortable cold turkey on anything. He said okay you can taper. He wrote a script for this month and said here is your last Xanax script. Take it down a quarter of a pill a week and you will be good. Here is some Trazadone for sleep if you need it. One month...what the fuck? I was expecting a nice slow 3-4 month taper at least. I know it is only 1mg but for 3 years. I feel like I will almost definitely not be sleeping and will probably have sick skin crawling rebound anxiety. I just dropped the opiates for fucks sake. Is this guy an idiot...is he being to aggressive...is he on point? Thoughts, suggestions, ideas for tapering? All my reading says this does not seem right.

 

[Gyrospeck]

My advice would be to taper down as much as you can and if you still need more, than call the doctor and tell him your situation. I don't think he's trying to screw you. I use 1mg/day and I can taper down to .5mg in 3 days and be off them in about 10 days. I think you'll be fine.

Oh and congrats on getting off the Vicodin!

 

[BeachBum4u]

I will say that's probably more the norm than not. I have gotten the feeling with docs that once you say I kind of want to come off something, they've already moved on, so to speak. Thus one script and you're on your way. Seriously though, you can do it and if sleep because becomes a real problem either buy some benedryls or take the doc up on some sleeping meds. I really do think you'll make it through without too much physical discomfort. Good Luck!

 

[ShaunG]

@Gyrospeck - Thanks man. My lower back is still sore as fuck, but it needed to be done. It was time. Up the dose or get off and I got off.

I have just always thought benzo WDs to not be that simple. I know 1mg isn't a ton, but its still been 3 years. I know most of the drug is gone in a day, but 3 years has to build up somewhat in your system. I don't think he is trying to screw me either. I just think he is not as smart as other doctors and script happy. I dont think he would deny me the script if i need it. I guess I will just see how it plays outs...when my skin crawls with anxiety it crawls man. i am sure you can relate. I wish i could just smoke ganja like i did for 15 years but something switched and that even tends to give me anxiety these days.

@BeachBum4u - Ya he was trying to put me on a anti depressant (paxil) when i said i wanted off the xanax and I was like guy...i dont want to be on ANY meds unless i truly still need them. plus i hate that class of drugs. they make me feel dirty. i am kinda skeptical of taking the trazadone even to sleep but i will try if i need it. i mean if i want to take a drug every day i will continue to take 1mg of xanax...

 

[sekio]

You should be able to discontinue 1mg of xanax daily quite easily. You don't need a 4 month taper...

Most of the problem is going to be that you've spent 3 years using a chemical as a crutch for anxiety, rather than the effects of the benzos specifically.

 

[DexyDevil]

You could always google "The Ashton Manual," print it out and take it into him. Heather Ashton ran a very successful benzodiazepine detox clinic for a number of years and recommends a Valium taper. However, in this case, you really don't need to and it doesn't sound like your doctor is open to the idea.

This is a fun youtube video about tapering benzos. Good info and good for a laugh...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uroubvp9o24

 

[ShaunG]

@sekio - ya, thats what i fear is rebound anxiety even though i try to not...just gonna start eating better, work out more, and keep busy to help with that so we will see

@dexydevil - thanks for the info. ill check it out.

 

[2cAlex]

Sounds more mental then physical. Valium isn't that great for tapering off Xanax, imo.

 

[ShaunG]

@2cAlex - okay i was just going off from the studies and my brother's experience getting off 4mg/day...i know his dose was much higher, but figured the concept to be the same once tapered to the lowest dose possible on just xanax and an equivalent dose of valium mentioned. and your right, it will probably be some mental stuff since i have taken it before bed for 3 years unless panic attack or extreme anxiety...but once you have had a legit panic attack and/or extreme skin crawling mind racing anxiety...i can't help but wonder if you can shake that without xanax if it does happen to occur again. a doctor once told me if i ran a mile a day for 365 days in a year my brain would almost completely reboot and there would be no issues of anxiety again....might have to try this

 

[Morphling]

I've been on way larger dosages of benzos and z-drugs for sleep for much longer periods of time, and have never had any withdrawal symptoms from that sort of use. It's not in your system all the time. That isn't to say that you aren't different, but that's just my personal bit to add here.

 

[RTrain]

I am sure your doctor wouldn't be thrilled with this idea, but why didn't you just taper without telling him, then once you were done just tell him you want off. He writes you one last script to taper and you can do what you wish with it. I mean the only issue I could see arising from that idea is you can't get any meds to help with the taper from the doctor since he isn't aware you are doing it. But if you tapered off 1 mg a day over 3 months I doubt you'd need much.

 

[ShaunG]

I am sure your doctor wouldn't be thrilled with this idea, but why didn't you just taper without telling him, then once you were done just tell him you want off. He writes you one last script to taper and you can do what you wish with it. I mean the only issue I could see arising from that idea is you can't get any meds to help with the taper from the doctor since he isn't aware you are doing it. But if you tapered off 1 mg a day over 3 months I doubt you'd need much.

In hindsight i should have. I had it in my head I would need meds to sleep and for blood pressure since that has been a problem in the past. My bad. I have some stockpiled anyways in case he really is a dick about it but I doubt he will be.


and @2cAlex - You are correct, it will be hard for me no doubt but it is my choice to try and do it. I used to smoke weed all the time for stress but I never knew what true anxiety felt like until a few years ago. Shit sucks. I would not wish it on anyone. I can't really do weed anymore either unless its a certain strain or I just do not smoke much at all. After 12 years of every day smoking...you feel like a light weight but whatever...better for me not to smoke and not to get anxiety so I don't even bother much anymore unless I can get a good strain or concentrate good for anxiety which is not that often because I am not in a MM state