Anxiety Support Group

Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...

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Trying to phase off Xanax and worried

shannon1989
shannon1989

i have a 4 year history of panic attacks, anxiety, and depression and recently decided to taper off Xanax. I went from .5mg/day to .25 for the last few days. I am very afraid of withdrawal symptoms even though it's a small dosage. I am terrified of the seizure possibility. I'm having a panic attack right now and am afraid to take more Xanax. 


Has anyone tapered off daily Xanax before and can help?

KNE
KNE
I have not tapered off Xanax but I have gotten off Paxil & Zolofft by taking extra doses of B&C. I like L-Theanine & Omega 3 for easing anxiety. The withdrawal side effects are kind of scary & will make you feel weird but they should not last for more than a few days
invisablefriend
invisablefriend
It's easy by tapering off but do it slow. Stick to the .25 for a few weeks then start shaving off each pill a little. After doing that a couple weeks start cutting the .25 in half. That's how I stopped Xanax after 2 years use.
djchurn
djchurn
badluckandtrouble +1
shannon1989
shannon1989
Thank you everyone.
Also, my doctor prescribed me loxapine as a "safer alternative" to the Xanax but was unclear if i could take it while still on a small dosage of Xanax. (I'm bad about asking questions to the doctor, I get embarrassed) has anyone taken loxapine before?
bridgie101
bridgie101
There are some really good videos on tapering off meds for people. One guy suggests 10% reductions but I think part of it is how big the pill is you are taking, and how hard to cut it up.

What light & love says about your doctor: tell the doctor. Break that ice. You can't know unless you ask, Confident people ask any question they like and they're okay with it - and the doctors are okay with it and don't think they're dumb. There's not really any such thing as a dumb question.
shaunac
shaunac
I have a chronic anxiety disorder and was prescribed clonazepam for years. Not a huge dose. It helped. Then I got a psychiatrist after my mother committed suicide. He said I was undermedicated. He put me on 8mg of xanex a day plus more clonazepam. I have also been in SSRIs for as long as I can remember. At least 20 years. I am 44 now and started worrying about my weight and the relationship on the benzodiazepines. Also, I work in a field where these addictive meds are frowned upon. I felt guilty. I self tapered for a few months. Got a new doctor and asked to start tapering. It's been 2.5 years tapering! Maybe others could go faster but I was on ALOT and truly am a very anxious person. Now I'm on 10mg of diazepam a day which is a very small dose. Now I'm scared as I continue to taper that I'm not going to have 'that pill' that will make me feel better. Going through a break up as well. It's very hard not just physically but mentally to not use it as a crutch. It's a tough goal and although my story is a little different, I relate.