how to get off xanax after 2 weeks on 0.5 mg

[djn1]

good evening folks.how can i get off xanax after 2 weeks on 0.5 mg. I now use 0.25 mg for the last 3 nights.I missed a night on 0.5 mg and had a nightmare and was anxious for the whole sunday morning. Took 0.25 mg and slept on sunday (yesterday) from 1 to 2pm. (today is monday)I started taking melatonin and a few herbs for the last 3 nights and these make me sleepy. WHat do you advise to get off xanax? thank you. regards

[LSAT]

I never had a problem getting off Xanax, but, I was taking a very low dose. You should be asking the doctor that prescribed it for you

[Julie]

At that dose, let alone you've only used it for a relative minute, I doubt very much that you'll even notice much difference if you stop cold turkey.

[avi123]

I would cut the 0.5 mg tablet in half and take 0.25mg for two weeks and then stop. If I had problems withdrawing from this dose I would then dissolve the 0.25 mg tablet in half a cup of water and drink a quarter cup for two additional weeks and then stop.

A year ago per advice of a Psychiatrist, MD, I was on 0.5 Alprazolam (generic Xanax) tablets {not extended release}, TWICE daily, as needed. I then got an OK to skip one tablet of the two and it went well. I am still taking it.

[Sir NoddinOff]

With xanax, stopping cold with that low a dosage and that short amount of time is a possibility, however if you want to be cautious you could taper off by every two week halving your doses... say four increments total. I can't see any more time would do you much good. Write out a plan and show it to your doctor (also pharmacists are a good source of drug info). That's the best idea IMO. Good luck and keep us updated.

[old dude]

At that dose, let alone you've only used it for a relative minute, I doubt very much that you'll even notice much difference if you stop cold turkey.

Julie is exactly right. That dose is so small it might not even be therapeutic depending on the individual. It's very possible that the withdrawal you think you're experiencing is purely psychological.

I've been taking Xanax since the early 80's when it first came out, and at one time was taking 4 mg/day. It was a simple matter of common sense tapering to come off of it. At the time Xanax was thought not to be physically addictive and to be honest I personally believe that it's addictiveness is way, way overstated today. Every time it gets mentioned in some internet thread there's always some well intentioned person warning the poster about the hellish addictive properties of this drug. I always have to wonder if the supposed do-gooder has any actual experience with Xanax or is just passing along what they've read somewhere.

[Canadian_Jesus]

Myself being a methadone patient, therefore a former opiate addict, am prescribed clonazepam .5mg twice daily on a take as I need them basis for various anxiety issues. I have been on the benzodiazepine medication for about four years now, and do not feel any withdrawal symptoms at all when I skip days of taking them. I know for a fact that they CAN cause physical dependence, and they DO cause mental addiction. You are on a very low dose, and have not been taking them long enough to have developed a serious addiction. I think that the melatonin should be enough to put you to sleep without taking the Xanax. Everybody who has posted before me has offered very sound advise, getting off of your medication shouldn't be too hard to do.