Xanax withdrawal

[BitterJalapeno]

Good afternoon all,

I have been taking small doses of xanax (non prescription) to help get to sleep for the past 9 months. The usual pattern is either 0.5mg or 1mg per night taken shortly before bed. I have generally only been taking from Monday to Thursday as at weekends I have no issues sleeping due to my weekend cannabis habit. This would equate to a maximum of 4mg per week followed by a 3 night gap.

If I don't take any tonight, I will be clean from them for a full week. Would anyone kindly be able to offer any insight into how dangerous going cold turkey from these is considering the low levels I was consuming and the fact I was having gaps of almost equal length to the 4 day consumption periods.

In terms of withdrawal symptoms, I have felt rather anxious at times. Sleep hasn't been too bad but I have been smoking cannabis every night as I am on holiday from work at present. My fear is that when I start abstaining from cannabis once I return to work on the 11th of January, the real withdrawals will hit.

Any insight at all would be hugely appreciated.

Kind regards,

BitterJ

 

[Jabberwocky]

Anxiety and insomnia might return, but if 7 days have passed I think you are out of the woods for siezures. Xanax has left the building and I dont think that there is a big chance you will suddenly sieze. Other symptoms of withdrawal like anxiety, insomnia, increased sensitivity, could come/return. I think that the 3 days off every week has done you good and it could be that it won't be that bad at all. But as I said 10 minutes ago in another post - benzos are tricky to call.

I wish you all the best! Take care.

 

[BitterJalapeno]

Many thanks for your reply Psycho_Logic,

Tricky to call indeed. I have always dabbled frequently with various pharmaceuticals but this is the first time I've let it become something fully habitual for an extended period of time. Incredibly easy to do and I now must rid myself of the remaining supply so I don't relapse. I suppose it's a bonus i was only taking them at night and didn't really addicted to the wonderful recreational feeling it can offer.

I'll update in a few days to let you know how it's all going.

Many thanks again,

BitterJ

 

[PtahTek]

Would anyone kindly be able to offer any insight

Welcome to bluelight and glad to have you.
Maybe others will be along to share an experience or two. There's one above now.
In my experience with alprazolam (xanax), your dosage (amount and frequency) would not warrant extreme withdrawal symptoms but also do not believe that there will be no withdrawals.
One can minimize risks even further if intake is lessened further; say try .25mg (half of what is now being taken) for a week or so? In my days I would just drop alpraz and go through the hells of WDs it gifted me - pushing through in pure agony/misery. Some bull shit, I tell ya what. Didn't even need to go through the greater part of it but was ignorant about tapering and my docs never brought it up... had to get this info from here and that and subsequent knowledge gained at BL has been key to my ability to stay afloat.
Keep us posted? Would like to know how you get on with this and hear anothers perspective on this and all things other.
Best always,
Ptah

 

[Jabberwocky]

I agree with @PtahTek and if you start experiencing uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms I would also advise that you take 0.25mg every other day. Or even every day for few weeks and then start skipping days. Maybe take them as needed, but in a sense 0.25mg when you feel the withdrawal. That way you could take them possibly even less frequently and not suffer bad withdrawal. It all depends how has your body acclimatised to alpralazolam and are you psychologically addicted. If you are not psychologically addicted then whole process will be easier. I will say again that my opinion is that you have done a massive favour to yourself by using them 4 out of 7 days and only once a day. That means your body had the time to clear alprazolam from your system every week and that you didn't develop psychological addiction to a great extent. If you were using every day and redosing 4 times then it would be much harder to stop. Even if the similar amount of alprazolam was used. I am very optimistic regarding your future and would also like that you keep us updated. Bluelight is great forum for all kinds of reasons. Substance related or not. Take care!

 

[BitterJalapeno]

Thanks folks,

I'll be sure to update on progress. I think I'll continue the cold turkey for now as the mariijuana will likely keep me sane over the next week and if things get bad, I have the option of halving a quarter bar to ease any symptoms in a more acute sense but I'm hoping it won't come to that.

I really do appreciate the advice. BL is a source I have used for years but I have never felt the need to consult directly 'til now.

Thanks, you wonderful people

 

[PtahTek]

If I don't take any tonight, I will be clean from them for a full week.

Shouldn't be an issue.
Be well and thanks for stopping in.
peace

 

[BitterJalapeno]

Evening folks,

Just thought I'd drop in again with an update. I still remain Xanax free for the time being although I am experiencing some temptation nightly as bed time approaches. I'm hoping this is purely based on tge timing of my habit.

I have had experienced several mild symptoms such as sweating, anxiety, headaches and waking up throughout the night several times but they have not been unbearable - I cannot begin to imagine how unpleasant it would be dealing with full blown withdrawal.

I will run out of bud by tomorrow night which is giving me a bit of additional fear but will just need to see how it goes if I cannot obtain more.

Kind regards,

 

[BitterJalapeno]

Good evening all,

Posting roughly one year on from the small thread above and for the exact same reason. January 2021 saw me quickly relapse with the pre-bedtime xanax but strictly limited to a low dose of 0.5mg every Monday to Thursday with no consumption Friday to Sunday. This lasted 'til August when I suffered sciatica in relation to a herniated disc and was prescribed naproxen and codeine for the pain in addition to diazepam for the muscle spasms.

As the prescription was given on a Monday, the diazepam effectively replaced the xanax for one week and after this, I went cold turkey for 35 days without issue but eventually resumed xanax with the Monday to Thursday patten in mid September which lasted 'til early December when I got a hold of some nitrazepam from a friend. At this point, I binned all my remaining xanax and took 5-10mg of nitrazepam Mon-Thurs 'til the 17th of December and now on attempt number three of cold turkey (on day 21 of abstinence at the time of this post).

Perhaps this year, I will get rid of them for good....

 

[n3ophy7e]

I sincerely wish you all the very best my friend. I know from personal experience how hard it is to come off, and STAY off xanax and benzos in general.

We're always here for you