toba Xanax for sleep and how to taper

[toba]

I take .75 Xanax at night to sleep. I do not take it at any other time. I presently take 75mg zoloft and 5mg abilify. I am on a paleo diet and am waiting 30 days and will start tapering my abilify by 10%

How do I taper the Xanax. By 10% as well? Should I wait until I am off abilify to taper xanax?

I've been on meds for my whole life and I am 68 yrs old and have had enough.

I'm hoping to eventually taper off all meds.

Has anyone used xanax just for sleeping and how did you taper?

[Wellness]

Toba, 

 

Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants and congratulation on your decision to come off the drugs.  

 

I've moved your question from the benzo forum to the introduction forum.  The introduction forum is like your homepage from which you can post updates, everyone has one.  Now that you have this intro page, the moderators can all have a look at your drug usage and offer their opinions. I usually just spend time of the benzo forum.  When you are ready to taper your Xanax, come and find me on the benzo forum and we can work together to reduce your Xanax.

 

Before we can offer advice we need to know your drug usage to get a sense of how long and how much drug you are currently taking.  That way we can get a sense of which drugs you have developed tolerance to.  You can give us your short and most recent drug history by adding a "signature" line, your drug history that will appear at the bottom of all of your posts.  Here is the link on how to add a signature.

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/893-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

Please include a short history like:  1996 started Xanax, taking 0.75 mg at night for sleep.

 

That sort of thing.

 

The recommendations for tapering are to taper the most activating drug first.  Because Xanax is calming, it is often reduced last because many of the drugs withdrawal, including Xanax, can cause insomnia and the benzodiazepine might help your sleep.  

 

Here is a link to the Surviving Antidepressant 's guideline on which drug to taper first:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2207-taking-multiple-psych-drugs-which-drug-to-taper-first/

 

The fastest taper any self respecting person could suggest is 10% per months, but many people find this too rapid and prefer 5% per month.

 

Here is a link to a great online (and free) reference manual, please have a look at it, it is well worth the read.  

 

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/

 

There are many people on this forum that are mature, so that you are right where you need to be.

 

Bye for now.