Benzos Xanax XR (Extended Release) for tapering

[drfeelgood1]

I’m on a Xanax XR taper for a few weeks now. My Dr put me on these because I’ve been taken the Instant Release formulation for a few years now and I told my Dr that I want to taper. So she said that the XR are slowly released in my system making it a longer acting benzo. Should last me throughout the day to take the edge off my withdrawals.

I heard many people here that Valium was suggested for those people who need to taper.

Has anyone tried to taper on the XR? If yes, then is it better than Valium?

 

[LivingOnValium]

Well i guess it depends on your tolerance. Xanax XR will be better in the earlier stages of the taper when the doses remain relative high. The lower you get it might benefit you from switching to diazpam. But since you're under your doctor's supervision (i assume she/he is trustworthy) you shoulf be doing god all the way thorugh.

The duration of actikon of Xanax XR is about 12h so you need to dose it twice daily, no matter how high or low yout dose is. Valium is a a bit more lenient but in small doses it's not a goodidea to take everything once daily.

 

[plumbus-nine]

Valium/diazepam has a much longer half life, so it will be superior to the XR like that one is better than the IR pills.

If you ask me, one should use a dissociative for discontinuing many things - at least it worked for me for pregabalin, which too has GABAergic properties, but good luck convincing your doc to prescribe you supra therapeutic dosages of an anti Alzheimers drug (memantine).

 

[drfeelgood1]

I wonder if Librium is still around. Heard that it’s one of the best for tapering and the lessening of WDs.

I’m thinking of seeing my dr again and asking if she can script me Valium instead. Should my dose be 5 or 10mg of Valium for tapering?

 

[plumbus-nine]

Depends on how much Xanax you have been.

 

[Cream Gravy?]

I wonder if Librium is still around. Heard that it’s one of the best for tapering and the lessening of WDs.

Aside from treating people with acute alcohol WDs at hospitals and the like, it isn't. I got some Librax (Librium plus an anti-histamine IIRC) for my IBS pains when they first started but it didn't do shit. They only put 5mg Librium per dose (you need at least 25mg to get effects) so it was pretty worthless. Eventually I got put on Alprazolam IRs which work wonders and have helped me for years now.

Anyways, addressing the OP; I think your doctor would know best, especially since you're wanting to taper (not being forced) and they're willing to work with you. IME it's hard to switch BZDs even using equivalencies (i.e. clonazepam is a great taper benzo for most ppl, but for me I need 2mg just to get basic relief) and so maybe your doctor thinks it'll be easiest to at least start the taper via Alprazolam XR.

If I was self-tapering with unlimited drug access, I'd 100% choose diazepam. But that's just me, I'm not a doctor, I just think it's the best all around benzo. I'd be on it instead of xanax right now if it didn't make me so sleepy.

 

[drfeelgood1]

Been on Xanax for a little over 10 years doses ranging from 0.5mg to 1.5mg a day. I never went over this limit.