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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Mishal on December 11, 2006, at 0:24:10
Exactly three years apart, I went to my psycdoc with moderate depression. I insisted, I can't wait for weeks.
He put me straigt. Xanax 1mg four times daily.
Plus Anafranil 75mg.. Ambien 10mg to sleep.I never went beyond two weeks with anafranil. Jitteriness and nervousness was unbearable. I said okay with Xanax alone.
Now, after three years on such a high dose, I want to quit.
Interestingly, my pdoc won't prescribe either valium or klonopin to me. He says valium is addictive, Klonopin is much harder to withdraw.His advise: skip one dose for a week. Then another for a week or so.
Then slowly reduce the dosage. Splitting the tabs into half..quarter.. then nothing.
He says.. many patients have been tapered off Xanax without any problems. If there is a problem, that won't last beyond a few days.I am sceptical.
What do you say? I haven't begun the process of weaning myself off. Is there anyone to shed light? Has any of you come off such a high dose of Xanax?
Posted by invisiblemanpa on December 11, 2006, at 0:24:11
In reply to Xanax 4 mg Daily for Three Years. Now?, posted by Mishal on December 10, 2006, at 2:55:57
I was just going to post about Xanax.....I switched from Ativan to Xanax mid November...3 mg.....I had a bad time with it about 6 years ago but have been through so many other meds, I thought I would give it a try again....I feel the ATivan was a much smoother ride at 4 mg a day....I can feel the Xanax hit my system, I get some relief than it quickly fades....and I want more......and I have developed a desire to drink on top of it......back about 6 years ago, when I was still new to this...denying my depression, horrible time on Paxil, Zoloft, etc....I had been on Xanax for about 1 year or so....I think 4 mg....Work was a nightmare, marriage was a nightmare, Dad had just passed from alzheimers..I had two acl reconstructions within two years from martial arts injuries....I ended up working 3 prescriptions out of 3 docs.....I probably was at about 6 mg...when I tossed all of down the toilet along with whatever antidepressant I was on.........and admitted myself into a major regional psych hospital.....they hooked me up to...ah I can't remember....my mind is shot......anyway....they kept me completely sedated for about 48 hours and then still hooked up and drug for about 7 days then another seven days of hell with the other full range of real crazies, crack addicts, herion..it was a nightmare zoo.....another part of this adventure on the surface of mental health hell.............
If you quit......wean yourself off very slowly...if it helps......don't bother.......If you have been able to stay at 4 mg for 3 years and it helps you maintain a life, work.......stay on it.....the benzos get a much worse rap then they deserve......if they are the only thing that gives some relief....who cares if they are addictive..at least on a regulated dosage you can function....it is better than a case of beer a day, or a fifth or something up the nose in a needle and a spoon.........good luck..
Posted by Quintal on December 11, 2006, at 0:24:11
In reply to Xanax 4 mg Daily for Three Years. Now?, posted by Mishal on December 10, 2006, at 2:55:57
>Interestingly, my pdoc won't prescribe either Valium or Klonopin to me. He says Valium is addictive, Klonopin is much harder to withdraw.
If you've been following this board for a while I suspect you know already those statements are dubious. I live in the UK and Xanax and Klonopin are not used by the medical profession to treat anxiety. Xanax is considered to be excessively habit forming and particularly difficult to taper during withdrawal. Ativan is also discouraged for the same reason. Klonopin is used only to treat rare forms of epilepsy. Valium is the most popular benzo for anxiety.
I've been addicted to all four at one time or another and from my experience Valium provides the most gentle withdrawal. There is a thread about this here which you may have read already: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20061206/msgs/711859.html.
I've quit Klonopin at 20mg cold turkey (though my tolerance was probably lower than that and I was also taking Lamictal to guard against seizures). Xanax and Klonopin are about equally as potent.
Heather Ashton provides some good advice for people trying to withdraw from benzos. Here is a high dose (6mg) withdrawal schedule - it may be a good idea to start at the 4mg dose and work your way down from there if you could get the pdoc would supply you with Valium: http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s1 Withdrawal from Xanax alone is *not* recommended regardless of what your pdoc claims. He seems to have only a vague idea of the effects and withdrawal process of benzos at best.
Here is another link to Heather Ashton's general advice booklet on how to withdraw from long term benzodiazepine use: http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha02.htm
Q
Posted by invisiblemanpa on December 11, 2006, at 0:24:12
In reply to Re: Xanax 4 mg Daily for Three Years. Now? » Mishal, posted by Quintal on December 10, 2006, at 8:29:05
> >Interestingly, my pdoc won't prescribe either Valium or Klonopin to me. He says Valium is addictive, Klonopin is much harder to withdraw.
>
> If you've been following this board for a while I suspect you know already those statements are dubious. I live in the UK and Xanax and Klonopin are not used by the medical profession to treat anxiety. Xanax is considered to be excessively habit forming and particularly difficult to taper during withdrawal. Ativan is also discouraged for the same reason. Klonopin is used only to treat rare forms of epilepsy. Valium is the most popular benzo for anxiety.
>
> I've been addicted to all four at one time or another and from my experience Valium provides the most gentle withdrawal. There is a thread about this here which you may have read already: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20061206/msgs/711859.html.
>
> I've quit Klonopin at 20mg cold turkey (though my tolerance was probably lower than that and I was also taking Lamictal to guard against seizures). Xanax and Klonopin are about equally as potent.
>
> Heather Ashton provides some good advice for people trying to withdraw from benzos. Here is a high dose (6mg) withdrawal schedule - it may be a good idea to start at the 4mg dose and work your way down from there if you could get the pdoc would supply you with Valium: http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s1 Withdrawal from Xanax alone is *not* recommended regardless of what your pdoc claims. He seems to have only a vague idea of the effects and withdrawal process of benzos at best.
>
> Here is another link to Heather Ashton's general advice booklet on how to withdraw from long term benzodiazepine use: http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha02.htm
>
> QSeems like the same British reasoning for not believing in the benefits of denistry..........
Posted by Quintal on December 11, 2006, at 0:24:12
In reply to Re: Xanax 4 mg Daily for Three Years. Now?, posted by invisiblemanpa on December 10, 2006, at 9:43:49
>Seems like the same British reasoning for not believing in the benefits of denistry..........
How so? Not sure what you mean there............
Q
Posted by Phillipa on December 11, 2006, at 0:24:12
In reply to Re: Xanax 4 mg Daily for Three Years. Now? » invisiblemanpa, posted by Quintal on December 10, 2006, at 9:55:39
She does say it's a choice you don't have to withdraw or did I read it wrong? Love Phillipa
Posted by med_empowered on December 11, 2006, at 0:24:12
In reply to Re: Xanax 4 mg Daily for Three Years. Now?, posted by Phillipa on December 10, 2006, at 11:30:01
your doc is odd. Valium has a bad rep, but that's just because of the whole "Mother's Little Helpers" thing. Valium actually tends to be easier to taper. Xanax, on the other hand, can be very, very bad. I advise you to take this slow. Very, very slow. If you have good insurance, maybe try using xanax xr to withdraw; I imagine a longer-acting dose would make the tapering process a bit smoother.
Klonopin can be pretty hard to withdraw from..its very high-potency, like xanax, but it has a long half life...in my experience, the big problems were headaches, nausea, etc.
Good luck.
Posted by Quintal on December 11, 2006, at 0:24:13
In reply to Re: Xanax 4 mg Daily for Three Years. Now?, posted by Phillipa on December 10, 2006, at 11:30:01
>She does say it's a choice you don't have to withdraw or did I read it wrong? Love Phillipa
Yes, she says it should always be a choice by the person taking the benzos, not the prescribing doctor or anyone else, and even then the withdrawal should be with the benzo of the patient's own preference (though she strongly recommends Valium for the taper) and at a rate that is most comfortable for the patient, not sticking to a rigid protocol the doctor prescribes (or her own for that matter).
She thinks withdrawing too fast is ineffective since people may seek relief with other drugs and alcohol if they get severe withdrawal reactions, defeating the original purpose. It seems she's not buck-eyed, foaming mouthed bezophobic sadist I originally mistook her for.
Q
Posted by zmg on December 11, 2006, at 0:24:13
In reply to Re: Xanax 4 mg Daily for Three Years. Now?, posted by med_empowered on December 10, 2006, at 11:45:34
I find the whole stigma surrounding Valium (a perfectly good medication) sadly laughable. The biggest problem with Valium is it doesn't work well for everyone (but none of the others do either).
Its long-lasting so you can take it in the morning and not be popping pills (or forgetting to) for the rest of the day. Its got a smooth up and smooth down and if God forbid you forgetting a dose you're going to have enough in your system you can probably make it through until you can take your next dose (after work, etc).
I think it has a lot of good qualities (it of course works for me, Xanax makes me tired and moody).
That said, has anyone had any experience withdrawing from Xanax with the XR or SR? I've read a bit about people not liking the effects of either the sustained or extended release (its probably pretty different then having it all hit your blood-stream right away) but it might be helpful during the withdrawal?
Posted by blueberry on December 11, 2006, at 0:24:13
In reply to Xanax 4 mg Daily for Three Years. Now?, posted by Mishal on December 10, 2006, at 2:55:57
It is just an opinion, but I think if you follow your doctor's weaning plan off xanax you are going to be in one hell of a bad place in terms of depression, anxiety, and withdrawals all at the same time. That taper schedule looks way too fast to me.
As others have mentioned, a decent strategy is to go on a long acting benzo while weaning off the xanax.
Why go off it though? If it is helping you live your life, maybe it is worth keeping?
I understand you are worried about 4mg being such a high dose. The thing is though, there are people here who have been on 6mg, 8mg, 10mg for up to 10 years and are still doing fine. It is so darn hard to find something that works. If it works, I would say think about keeping it. Otherwise, look at a very slow taper over several months with the help of a long acting benzo.
Posted by Greif on January 10, 2007, at 21:50:05
In reply to Re: Xanax 4 mg Daily for Three Years. Now?, posted by blueberry on December 10, 2006, at 15:00:34
4mg Zanax after 3 years produces the same result taht 1mg did first 30 days. I hit 6mg many years ago and tapered off. Now take 2mg Klon daily. Never increased dosage. still works though not as well as it did at first. I am about to taper off it after 2 years. Dont torture yourself with 25% weekly withdrawls. If I were you I would use valium and taper off in 4 months.
This is the end of the thread.
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