Xanax

[jimnyc]

So I've been on this medication for about 7-8yrs? Could be 6, but a very long time. When I went on it, for anxiety, it was supposed to be for 2-4 weeks while my body adjusted for the long term medication that was supposed to help. Well, one thing lead to another, and been on it ever since. I started with the lowest dosage, .25mg at 3x per day. That eventually increased to the maximum of 5x per day. This really isn't a lot in terms of Xanax and how addicting it can be. While my doctor is concerned that I'm still on it, he's happy that it's not increased, which does happen to many patients that are on it for a long period. I honestly never abused this one. Ok, maybe one or 2 times I popped a few extra! LOL

Anyway, many of you may recall the horrible withdrawals I went through recently with the Percocet/ aka Hydrocodone. After I got past that saga, and waited awhile to build my strength, one day I decided to just take one less Xanax one day and see what happened. It wasn't bad, I stayed with it, and after a couple of days I saw no difference. I stayed this way for quite awhile, then took one less daily again, down to 3x per day. It actually wasn't that bad, and I'm happy to say I am down to 3x per day now for a little over a month. I'll stay this way a bit, as no way in hell I even come close to withdrawals again. But maybe next month I'll lower to 2.5 or maybe even try 2. I want off of this one too, and my doctor said that my regular medication should still keep the anxiety at bay. All my others don't make you feel any affect or change in anxiety or anything like that, and have good track records for extended use. Xanax or Valium aren't things you should really be on for a long, long term. Either one could give you a seizure if you have severe withdrawals. My doctor said I didn't take enough to reach that level, but that I would be miserable nonetheless and sick. Now he said that 3 is barely anything and wouldn't pose a risk to stop, just some discomfort. EFF THAT! I told him I wanted to go VERY slowly. If I took this shit for so many years, taking some extended months to wean off of it won't kill me!

[logroller]

From the outside looking in, you could quit-- cold turkey. You quit to tobacco cold, kicked codones slowly -- you have the capacity and your doctor (who is an expert) says you stop without severe withdrawals. So it sounds to me like you just aren't ready to quit. Which is something only you can decide, and given your history of quitting on your own, at your pace, I trust you'll know when that time comes. Not that you need it, but I'll support you either way.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

So I've been on this medication for about 7-8yrs? Could be 6, but a very long time. When I went on it, for anxiety, it was supposed to be for 2-4 weeks while my body adjusted for the long term medication that was supposed to help. Well, one thing lead to another, and been on it ever since. I started with the lowest dosage, .25mg at 3x per day. That eventually increased to the maximum of 5x per day. This really isn't a lot in terms of Xanax and how addicting it can be. While my doctor is concerned that I'm still on it, he's happy that it's not increased, which does happen to many patients that are on it for a long period. I honestly never abused this one. Ok, maybe one or 2 times I popped a few extra! LOL

Anyway, many of you may recall the horrible withdrawals I went through recently with the Percocet/ aka Hydrocodone. After I got past that saga, and waited awhile to build my strength, one day I decided to just take one less Xanax one day and see what happened. It wasn't bad, I stayed with it, and after a couple of days I saw no difference. I stayed this way for quite awhile, then took one less daily again, down to 3x per day. It actually wasn't that bad, and I'm happy to say I am down to 3x per day now for a little over a month. I'll stay this way a bit, as no way in hell I even come close to withdrawals again. But maybe next month I'll lower to 2.5 or maybe even try 2. I want off of this one too, and my doctor said that my regular medication should still keep the anxiety at bay. All my others don't make you feel any affect or change in anxiety or anything like that, and have good track records for extended use. Xanax or Valium aren't things you should really be on for a long, long term. Either one could give you a seizure if you have severe withdrawals. My doctor said I didn't take enough to reach that level, but that I would be miserable nonetheless and sick. Now he said that 3 is barely anything and wouldn't pose a risk to stop, just some discomfort. EFF THAT! I told him I wanted to go VERY slowly. If I took this shit for so many years, taking some extended months to wean off of it won't kill me!


Take your own goooooooood time. Stay steady on course you'll do just fine. You are voluntarily doing this so it should be a breeze. -Tyr

[SassyLady]

Jim, I've been on Ambien for almost ten years. I've recently decided that I need to get off and have been doing it the slow way like you are. Used to take whole pill every day (10 mg). Now down to half that. Will start taking half of that for a few weeks and then start skipping days.

The problem is that it was given to me to help with jet lag (traveled a lot when I had my own business). But it helped with my menopausal depression so I was allowed to take on a consistent basis. I was told it was not addictive. Perhaps not physically, but I do love how good I sleep when I take one.

The biggest problem I have with this med is that I "sleep eat". If I'm thinking about food as I'm falling asleep, I will get up and eat and have no recollection.....mainly I end up ferreting out any chocolate in the house and eating that. Can't tell you how many times I've woke up in the morning with M&M's in the bed!!!

Guess it's better than cracker crumbs!

Anyway, I think you are doing the smart thing .... weaning yourself off the pills. Good luck and share with us your journey.

[Abbey Marie]

Jim, your method sounds safest to me. We all know you can do it!

[jimnyc]

From the outside looking in, you could quit-- cold turkey. You quit to tobacco cold, kicked codones slowly -- you have the capacity and your doctor (who is an expert) says you stop without severe withdrawals. So it sounds to me like you just aren't ready to quit. Which is something only you can decide, and given your history of quitting on your own, at your pace, I trust you'll know when that time comes. Not that you need it, but I'll support you either way.

Yes, but I suffered when I quit all the others! LOL This time it's in my control and I'm gonna go slow and steady, and get off of it for sure, I hope, but without suffering like I did in the past. I'm weak at such things! :)


Take your own goooooooood time. Stay steady on course you'll do just fine. You are voluntarily doing this so it should be a breeze. -Tyr

Yep, I think it would be much harder if the doctor was forcing me and I still wanted it. I want off, but am afraid of any type of harsh feelings from withdrawals, so will just go slow.


Jim, I've been on Ambien for almost ten years. I've recently decided that I need to get off and have been doing it the slow way like you are. Used to take whole pill every day (10 mg). Now down to half that. Will start taking half of that for a few weeks and then start skipping days.

The problem is that it was given to me to help with jet lag (traveled a lot when I had my own business). But it helped with my menopausal depression so I was allowed to take on a consistent basis. I was told it was not addictive. Perhaps not physically, but I do love how good I sleep when I take one.

The biggest problem I have with this med is that I "sleep eat". If I'm thinking about food as I'm falling asleep, I will get up and eat and have no recollection.....mainly I end up ferreting out any chocolate in the house and eating that. Can't tell you how many times I've woke up in the morning with M&M's in the bed!!!

Guess it's better than cracker crumbs!

Anyway, I think you are doing the smart thing .... weaning yourself off the pills. Good luck and share with us your journey.

Is Ambien addictive, as in withdrawals if you stop? I had one once, and slept for like 6 days, powerful!


Jim, your method sounds safest to me. We all know you can do it!

My problem is, in the past I would sleep for like 2-5hrs because of anxiety and racing thoughts. So out of the 3 left I take, one is early afternoon and the other 2 are leading up to sleep time. So I need to be a little cautious of my sleep patterns as I slowly adjust. I'm getting grumpier as I get older if I don't get a solid sleep! :laugh:

[WiccanLiberal]

Got to give you major credit for the way you have managed to decrease your meds. Xanax is one thing I probably would never accept a prescription for. I have taken all sorts of meds over the years for brief periods and never liked them much and usually ended up throwing out a fair percentage of the prescription. But xanax... I recall my eye surgeon giving me a dose of that before my lasik surgery and it was waaaaayy to good a feeling. Felt too easy to overdo on that one.