Xanax Taper -- Did I screw myself up?

[Michguy88]

Sorry if this doesn't go here, but it seemed this board was the best fit.

I have been working to get off off Xanax for a few months, and so far it has been going good. Since the end of March, I have been working with a Psych to get myself from .25 twice a day, to a quarter of a .25 pill once a day.

The last week however I have drank more alcohol then usual (i had been sober for about a month), and had a few days of extra Xanax. This is what the couple weeks looked like:

May 25-28: .063 Xanax / day (Quarter of a .25 pill)
May 29: .063 Xanax (2 Drinks)
May 30: .063 Xanax (6 Drinks)
May 31: .75mg Xanax (.25 pill taken at 9:45am, 3:10pm, and 12:45am)
June 1: .063 Xanax
June 2: .063 Xanax (2 Drinks)
June 3: .063 Xanax
June 4: No Xanax (2 drinks)
June 5: .063 Xanax (3 drinks)
June 6: No Xanax (4 drinks)
June 7: .50mg Xanax (3 drinks) (.25 pill taken at 6:40am and 11:40am)
June 8: .50mg Xanax (5 drinks) (.25 pill taken at 10:00am and 12:00pm)
June 9: .50mg Xanax (3 drinks) (.25 pill taken at 7:00am and 10:40am)
June 10: .063mg Xanax (6 Drinks)
June 11: 1mg Xanax (.25 pill taken at 4:12am, 5:24am, 8:30am, and 9:10am)
June 12: .063mg Xanax (...So far...)


I E-mailed my Psych on June 9th, and she said I was OK to just stop drinking and go back to taking a quarter of one pill once a day -- no need to extend or change the taper. My MD also said the same thing.

Since then, I have obviously had one extra day of heavy drinking, and one day of heavier Xanax use (1mg to me is pretty hefty). I always freak out not knowing the difference between what is withdrawal symptoms and what is anxiety. Especially when both make my head/ears feel funny and my eyes feel buggy.

I took the .063 this morning and I'm just kind of waiting at this point. My biggest fear is having a seizure out of no where...my psych says not a chance at this dose, as does my MD and psychologist. But you read odd stuff online.

Is the general agreement here that I am OK to cut back down to the .063 once a day since I took a higher dose for only 4 days? Or should I adjust my taper to be safe?

Thanks.

 

[stefx85]

relaxing

Hi, hopefully your better? Xanax can be tricky if you have underlying anxiousness. Not to look for excuses to use. But you are pushing up your xanax tolerance by using alcohol. Depending on how much you might be doubling the effects of the xanax. So 0.63 becomes in reality 1.26mg !!? Maybe more? So when you take your normal dose, you withdraw because your body is used to much more.... Consult your doctor and maybe get something that has a longer Half-Life for instance valium in an equipotent dosage.
That said you are making the problem much worse with the alcohol.
To address your "seizure" concern... On that low of a dose I think your doctor is absolutely right and you shouldnt be too concerned..

 

[deos68]

shit you are def playing with fire
IMO i could be wrong but when you remove the alcohol you are gonna get anxiety like a motha by mixing xanax and alcohol even at that low of a dose of xanax
the alcohol is intensifying the xanax suggest you be super careful when you lower the alcohol intake
we dont know your whole history of the xanax use but benzo withdrawal can easily last months on end

 

[Michguy88]

So yesterday I ended up taking .375mgs (one and half .25 pills) and that seemed to help.

This morning I took a half of a .25 pill and I am doing better than yesterday. My ears are definetly still full of pressure and my head feels off, but I am just trying to find the minimum I can take and still feel normal.

I did resolve to not drink for the time being though. If that is complicating it, it's not worth it. I was so close to being off everything too!

Does this process count as kindling? Or since I am not allowing myself to go through bad withdrawal does that not count? Just trying to judge how hard coming back down is going to be ?.

Thanks for the replies so far.

 

[stefx85]

Getting off might be easyier than you think.. Set goals for yourself and take it easy. You've made so much progress already

Glad u feel better