6 months after benzo withdrawal, can I drink alcohol again now?

[Toz]

So I've avoided all GABAergic drugs just to be sure not to trigger the withdrawal from hell again. Now all symptoms are gone, I'd like to have a drink since I have not had one since new years eve. I'm guessing it would have been ok to have a drink much earlier than this, but I've waited just to be sure and I'll ask just to be even more sure. I know they use benzos for alcohol withdrawal so I'm guessing they are kind of interchangeable? Or maybe it's just to avoid seizures?

Also, do I run a higher risk of getting physically addicted to other gabaergic drugs such as alcohol after having been addicted to benzos? If so I'll be extra careful.

 

[pally pete]

So I've avoided all GABAergic drugs just to be sure not to trigger the withdrawal from hell again. Now all symptoms are gone, I'd like to have a drink since I have not had one since new years eve. I'm guessing it would have been ok to have a drink much earlier than this, but I've waited just to be sure and I'll ask just to be even more sure. I know they use benzos for alcohol withdrawal so I'm guessing they are kind of interchangeable? Or maybe it's just to avoid seizures?

Also, do I run a higher risk of getting physically addicted to other gabaergic drugs such as alcohol after having been addicted to benzos? If so I'll be extra careful.

Respect is due to you! 6 Months is good going, well done. Unfortunately you do have a very high risk of addiction which could be triggered again even by a one off. Remember.. Each new withdrawal is harder than the last.

 

[Toz]

^ ok, too bad, I thought alcohol might not have the same chance to trigger it as it works on gaba B receptors. I know just using once or twice might trigger the whole fucking hell again, I managed to fuck up 6 months ago and took clonazepam 3 days in a row and got the full withdrawal back even though I had been clean from all gabaergics for a whole year before that.

Anyway, not worth it then I guess. Low dose ketamine it is as alternative. I'm just bored with smoking weed all the time and wanted something else to switch it up. Not worth risking addiciton for.

 

[Tommyboy]

I've been clean from benzos for a little over 2 months now, and I still won't touch alcohol. I would just never want to deal with the hangover without benzos, and since I'm never taking benzo again that's the only way I would now.

If your withdrawals started up again after 3 days of clonazepam use after a year clean then you will probably have a rough few days after drinking now if you choose to.

 

[Toz]

Goddamnit I can't touch gabaergics and it's the same with opiates, it's so annoying because I don't want to be clean I just don't want to be physically addicted and even though I have the psychological aspect of addiction somewhat under control that doesn't matter because just using ONCE can trigger withdrawal again (did with opiates after 5 months clean).

I guess it's years of addiction taking it's toll. I used to be able to get on and off, use once a week at least but it simply doesn't work anymore. It's too bad since I don't really care for psychedelics or stimulants so I'm left with weed and NMDA antagonists as the only drugs I can use :/

Oh well, first world problems I guess.

 

[F1n1shed]

I'm in the stage of getting of clonazepam atm, although i am on a really low dose now. What doses were you taking Toz and for how long? The withdrawals really lasted that long, i thought once i get off klonopin completely withdrawals will be gone within a few days...?

I mean i have gotten off xanax in the past but i was only on it for like 2 months. I have been on kpin for a little over 4 months now? O god i'm fearing going from .25mg to 0 i know it's gonna be a bitch.

 

[Toz]

I was taking 5 mg daily for about 2 years. I quit cold turkey. My first withdrawal lasted 3 weeks. My second withdrawal after using again only for a few weeks (5-10mg daily) lasted one and a half month. My third withdrawal, the one that was triggered by relapsing only 3 days in a row, lasted a bit over 3 months. You can see the pattern here and why I am so afraid of getting withdrawal again, because if I do, I don't believe I'll ever be able to get off again. Each withdrawal was more horrible than the last, regardless that I had used during a smaller timeframe.

I don't think it's gonna be that bad for you, my first withdrawal wasn't that bad and you haven't been using as much or as long. Just don't mess up and go through withdrawal over and over again. Only quit if you know you have the motivation to stay clean, else you will ruin your chances of getting off them in the future.

Anyway I'm swearing off the gabaergics for good, if I'm going to use something that carries horrible withdrawal I might aswell use heroin instead because it is more fun and the withdrawal is easier anyway.

 

[dopemegently]

I was told that using gaba a agonists were different to gaba b agonists re dependence. Is this bullshit?

It's a worry to me, because I've been cycling phenibut with benzo's. Is this risky?

Edit: they do however give large doses of the benzo librium in alcohol detox in the UK though, for no more than 6 days, and when I left my 10 day detox I felt fine.

Interestingly, in South Africa they use nitrous oxide, but you'd need some serious cream chargers to last 72 hours, unless the large medical cannisters can be brought....

 

[Michael1706]

Moderation is the key. If you didn't have a problem regulating your alcohol intake in the past, it should be okay. Avoid binge drinking though.

2 or 3 glasses of wine after a nice meal why not. If you feel insecure you can wait another 6 months.

It would be a different thing if you were just sober but still residual benzos in your system (fat tissues). I think those benzos are out for a pretty long time.

1 or 2 doctors out of 10 might say don't drink alcohol ever again. The other 8 or 9 should give you an okay - as long as you keep it moderate.

 

[queenscarlet88]

So I've avoided all GABAergic drugs just to be sure not to trigger the withdrawal from hell again. Now all symptoms are gone, I'd like to have a drink since I have not had one since new years eve. I'm guessing it would have been ok to have a drink much earlier than this, but I've waited just to be sure and I'll ask just to be even more sure. I know they use benzos for alcohol withdrawal so I'm guessing they are kind of interchangeable? Or maybe it's just to avoid seizures?

Also, do I run a higher risk of getting physically addicted to other gabaergic drugs such as alcohol after having been addicted to benzos? If so I'll be extra careful.

Wait longer. Don't drink yet. I had a couple drinks after one year completely clean from benzos. It kickstarted withdrawal symptoms just as bad as the first couple months. But I didn't relent and I didn't take another Xanax. I am now 7 years free from benzo addiction. I quit cold-turkey because I knew that a taper would be impossible for me to maintain in a disciplined way. Today I have a drink, or a few, without restarting any of those symptoms. So you can heal completely, but based on my experience, I wouldn't risk it after 6 months.

 

[aihfl]

I thought alcohol might not have the same chance to trigger it as it works on gaba B receptors. I know just using once or twice might trigger the whole fucking hell again

Both benzos and alcohol are GABA A allosteric modulators (technically not agonists, but rather enhance the effect of GABA) and are cross tolerant with each other. That is why people are advising you to steer clear of alcohol for the time being. Phenibut (which has its own complicating issues) and baclofen are common GABA B agonists.

 

[mp44god]

I believe alcohol is actually an agonist, unlike benzodiazepines which just increase neuronal binding to Gaba-A. Either way, congratulations on getting the monkey off your back. I personally wouldn't risk relapsing, but I'm unsure how long you've been off the benzos, or what drug you were taking 5 mg of. If you think you can handle it, go for it.

 

[Branden0713]

Hey everyone,

I wondering if you could give me some advice from your experience. I recently came off klonopin 21 days ago today. The withdrawal wasn?t super terrible, mainly anxiety, bouts of intense fear/terror, insomnia and mood swings. But all very manageable when taking hydrocodone. I only took klonopin to come down from cocaine really, maybe once or twice during the week and the dosage was on average .5 mg for 5 months. My question is when do you think I?ll be able to drink alcohol again? Never had any physical addiction issues before from klonopin and I?m just wondering if I?ll be able to drink how I want to again? I?ve been too scared to try since the wd. Any advice would be great. Thanks!