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My strategy for avoiding Xanax addiction, please offer advice.

I've recently been prescribed Xanax .5mg twice a day (30 pills) total.  Yesterday I tried .5mg but it was not enough so I ended up spreading 2mg (4pills, each .5mg) throughout the day very slowly while testing. I weigh 235 pounds. Let me tell you, it was unbelievable, my anxiety went away completely, I was so happy.  For the entire day I had no anxiety, it was bliss. It feels like 2mg is perfect for me on any given day.

Today is my 2nd day and I am NOT taking any Xanax.

Here is my proposed strategy that I will soon discuss with my Doctor.

1. Take 2mg Xanax (4 pills each .5mg throughout the day) every other day.
2. Once all 30 pills are finished I will have the doctor prescribe me something completely different than Xanax, another fast acting anti anxiety drug that is not a benzo.

The goal is to be on xanax every other day for 2 weeks, then be on another drug every other day for 2 weeks, cycling back and forth.

Will this strategy help me avoid getting addicted to either drug?
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Avatar universal
Okay, here you go again.  In the prior post, you say you take it 3-6 times a day, which is a ton.  Now you say 4 times a day, again, a ton.  And now you say you take it because of a couple of setbacks in your life that happen to everyone and that time probably would have fixed, possibly with some therapy.  Anxiety isn't caused by anything, it's a disease.  Everyone loses their Dad if they live a long life, everyone has bad things that happen to them.  The vast majority of people don't go on meds for that.  Klonopin doesn't work differently in the body than Xanax in the sense they both target GABA -- all benzos do that -- but they do it in different ways.  Klonopin tends to take a bit longer to work and works for a longer period of time.  Different people will find different meds work differently for them.  But benzos are addictive drugs that are very hard to stop taking, are best used for short periods of time, and safest when used only as needed.  Again, you get to do whatever you want to do, but encouraging others to do it might not be a good idea.  I'm guessing it wasn't something you ever needed in the first place and you're now taking it just to maintain, but I don't know, maybe you did suffer from chronic anxiety and it really wasn't just grief and frustration from having your identity stolen.  You haven't really said in a post of your own.  Benzos really are dangerous drugs, but I'm on one, I have no argument that sometimes this stuff is necessary, but you seem to be advocating it.  There is nothing whatsoever about Xanax that makes it best or safest, they are all equally dangerous for some people and others might have no problem at all, but you have to realize, if you need to take it that often every single day you are not getting great results from it therapeutically.  Xanax caused me to have anxiety attacks.  It all depends on the person, and the goal isn't to be high on benzos all day, it's to get better if you can.  If you can't, then yeah, you do what you need to do.  I'd just hate to see someone see this erroneous posting from you over and over and think, hey, benzos are great, think I'll take them all day long.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
The best, and safest, anti anxiety med is xanax. I take 1 mg 4 times a day and I am great. I work, drive,  I do whatever I need to and I am fine. Do not stop it cold turkey as it can cause seizures. Every person reacts differently to every med on the market. I am tiny, 5' 2" and weigh about 106. Once we found the correct dose I am sticking with it. It began when I  lost my Dad and 3 weeks later had my identity stolen.  Do not change doses or the way you take it on your own. Tell your doc you found a way and dose that works better for you. Many people begin to feel better and think they are cured so they stop taking their meds and get sick again. Clonapin works differently in the body than xanax.
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Avatar universal
yes i have this doc that tells me that coming off colnazapam .50 twice a day that i wont have any side effectsand that bull because a i write this down i feeloing very lots of anxity i feel very ill and my fingers r very numb i am losing all sence off being who i really am and it feels like im going to go CRAZYYY WHAT THE HELL SHOULD I DO ??
Helpful - 0
5001974 tn?1362162155
I had .5 mg of Xanax as well still have a few left but I went to the doctor and asked if there was a non addicting drug that would help. She prescribed to me Bostpar spelling. Half a pill twice a day so really taking one pill but breaking it in half and taking one half in the morning and one at night. I have been taking this for a month now but feels Xanax works better. Talking to doctor is the best way to find out what will work for you. But you may want to try Bostpar it's non addicting drug and  It  helps I haven't had any strong attacks and I feel pretty normal threw out the day. My doctor tells me that Xanax is bad and will not prescribe it to any one.
Helpful - 0
4981427 tn?1371670469
I am panicking over the same thing.. I actually sent you a personal message, hope I didnt scare you off haha.  So do you think if I took the xanax just until we find a antidepressant that worked for me it would be okay?
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
Yes, the key would be the gradual taper.  Other than some rebound anxiety, I honestly did fine.  I didn't have any horrible w/d symptoms.  My own personal opinion with benzos is, to try to keep usage to a minimum.  At some points, that's easier than others.

I tried Xanax ONE time, as a pre med for a dental procedure.  Very similar feelings, I think the Xanax was a bit more effective (for me anyway)....when it kicked in, there was a tremedous difference in the drop in anxiety, whereas with the Ativan, it's always been more subtle.

I think Xanax is a more potent med, in comparison, just from talking to doctors, and reading a lot about it.  It has a stronger affinity for treating anxiety.  Of course, everyone varies too.
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Avatar universal
nursegirl6572, so tapering down slowly is ultimately the key. like you said you took ativan for a few months straight daily but then tapered down. How did this feel? Was the process uncomfortable at all?  I'm going to look into CBT, thanks.  Oh one more question. Have you ever tried Xanax? How is it compared to Ativan? They are both benzos yes?
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
Perhaps you need a change in your medication regimen if those meds aren't better controlling the anxiety?  Or, is there something going on lately that is causing an increase in the anxiety?

Yes, every other day, at that dose, if taken long enough could lead to some dependency issues, it's hard to say.  My honest opinion is, you're making this more complicated with the every other day, then two weeks off with a different med, etc.

I think your BEST bet would be to reevaluate your regimen, or see what kind of changes can be made to improve your overall levels of anxiety...and just take the Xanax when you really absolutely need it.  If that means you need it for a few days in a row, that's fine.

I've been on PRN Ativan for 22 years with no dependency issues, because I take it only when I really need it.  There have been times in my life, when panic was very bad, where I DID need it every single day, sometimes for a couple of months, or when I was adjusting to an SSRI, I would need more to combat those initial side effects.  In THOSE cases, when I ended up needing to take it on a more regular basis, I always just VERY slowly tapered back down to my prn usage with my doctor.

It's always worked well for me like that.  So, if you need it, you need it.  You would just need to be tapered back down after a period of a few weeks or so.  

How often do you go to therapy?  Have you tried CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy?  If not, I highly recommend it, you can ask if your therapist is familiar with it.  If not, ask your doc for a referral to one who is.  A LOT of managing anxiety is how much WE do as well, outside of the professional setting.  I always tell people there is a LOT of things a person can do to actively work on changing that way of thinking.
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Avatar universal
What my doc said is that if your on Xanax it's short acting so if you skip a day you will start feeling crappy that's why he said for me to taper using every day.   But if you have already not taken it today and feel okay than that's okay you might just be able to quit cold turkey.  I too am having doc get me on non additive med.  I am detoxing from pain pills along with the Xanax. I took Xanax just at night.  But the w/d from pain pills were horrible so that's why doc said take Xanax during day as well at night and tapper so w/d would. Ot be so bad


I really don't know if I am helping you I'm not really that smart that's why I'm using doc.  But maybe just having someone on here to talk to might make you feel better like it has helped me.

Good luck
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
vtpunch, so you've been on 1mg everyday for the past year? I see, how are you doing now that you've lowered the dose?
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Avatar universal
nursegirl, Yes for the long term I'm on Paxil and Wellbutrin.  So you're saying every other day could still lead to dependency? Even if I only take Xanax for 2 weeks every other day and take a two week break by taking another anti anxiety med that isn't a benzo? I'm ocd, anxiety disorder, add, panic attacks and major depression.  I see a counselor in addition like you said.

vtpunchbug, yes I've only 2mg (4 .5mg pills) one day so far. I want to take 2mg every other day for 2 weeks then stop cold turkey and take another instant anti anxiety med that isn't a benzo, this way my body has 2 weeks to forget about the xanax.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Um my post is because I have been on 1mg for over a year I too wanted to do c/t. Everyone says it bad.  But if I am reading right you have not been on it very long so there should be no problem.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
You can't do that every other day you have to taper trust me I did that it's dangerous.  You must tapper I just talked to my doc and he had me on smaller dosages. A fast acting .25 am and .05 at night long acting.


Really talk to doc.  I was only on 1 mg long acting at night. I did. Ot take it and I did not sleep felt very shaky so called doc.

Get the doc to give you the taper he told me a month 2 weeks certain dose than 2 weeks lower.  Like I said just starting this today.  Good luck
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
An addiction is different than a dependency.  I think you're talking about the latter.  If you're not abusing the med, or having mental cravings, then "addiction" is not a concern.

Xanax can be a great tool in the treatment of anxiety, but it should be limited most times to either short term courses (3 months or less), or "as needed", where you would ONLY take it when anxiety was peaking.

If a person takes a benzodiazepine only as needed, here and there, then tolerance and dependency won't be a concern.  So, that would be my advice to you, to take it as minimally as possible.  Even every other day is with enough regularity that you may end up with some dependency issues.  A month isn't too terribly long, so you may do just fine.  You may experience some rebound anxiety when you decide to stop the Xanax, which is another reason taking it only when really needed is advantageous.

Have you tried an antidepressant (like Zoloft, Lexapro?) for the anxiety?  Do you have an anxiety disorder?  Antidepressants are more appropriate for more long term management of anxiety, and most important is therapy.  While meds can help to control the symptoms, therapy is crucial in learning how to stop that anxious cycle of worrying.

Best of luck to you!
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