AboutDr. Ravindra Bhaskar Ghooi Expertise I can provide information on drugs and medicines, their actions, uses, interactions and adverse effects. To avoid confusion, generic names of
medicines may please be provided. I am a pharmacologist, having worked
on animal and human pharmacology, and presently I am the Dean of Bilcare Research Academy, where we teach courses on clinical research. We dont work on saturdays and sundays, hence questions reachng me on these days will be replied on Monday, please bear with me.
Question Hi and thank you very much in advance for any help you may be able to provide!!
I have been taking Xanax, 2mg, 3 x daily for 6 years (yes it is a high dose, prescribed originally for PTSD and Panic Attacks, then the amount kept increasing as my tolerance increased). I need to start coming off them now for a new job. I have been through the withdrawals before and I know they are horrible (and possibly deadly).
I AM working with a doctor now who will be prescribing and monitoring the detox, but I have some questions that he and I seem to differ on. He seems to think that this can be done very fast, within 30 days. I disagree and feel that, safely, I would prefer to decrease at no more than .5mg per week (if not longer) and do this over several months (which I have time for before the new job starts) I am currently on disability after breaking my back at my previous job, so time is not a major issue.
Do you have any recommendations as to how long of a period of time is best to completely decrease the amount I am taking? how to decrease the dosage properly? and if any other Benzo's would help this process go faster and safer? Would Klonopin be a better choice of detox medication? Maybe Ativan or Valium? or a mixture? maybe some Phenobarbital towards the end to prevent seizures?? What is the fastest and safest way this can be done given the amount I am taking (without worrying about seizures or such an increase in anxiety that I will not be able to leave the house??) I must do this at home for financial reasons, inpatient detox is not an option and inpatient seems to do this MUCH faster than outpatient.
ANY help would be great and thank you so much in advance!!!
Answer Hi David
Drug withdrawal is a very indiviudal thing dependent on the the subjects response to withdrawal. There is no hard and fast rule for the rate of withdrawal or the time to be taken. My opinion is that leave it to the doctor, then the responsibility of the outcome lies on the doctor, and not on you.
Klonopin has been usually the drug best suited for controlling the symptoms of withdrawal, you could keep phenobarbitone handy to take care of any seizures should they threaten you.
Other than this you should be mentally prepared for withdrawala, if you do not feel comfortable with th doctor please change the doctor, since faith in the doctor is very essential for successfull withdrawal and detoxification.
Best wishes
Ravi Ghooi
