One month after detoxing from subs, worried about benzos wd.

[Tvera09]

So I had been on suboxone for 2-3yrs. Starting in the begining at 8mg/day. Tapering over time and down to 2mg for about the final 6months before stopping exactly 1 month ago. Plan was to take 2 week's vacation from work to detox at home through the worst and was given clonodine, loperamide and ambien, and had plenty of Indica smoke/edibles. Never took the ambien. Stopped taking the lope after the first week and a half, and am still taking to this day, the clonidine for my continuing hot/cold flashes. All while also taking 1-2mg doses daily of kpins/Xanax that I bought before hand for the first 2 weeks to try to sleep through the worst days, which of course led my addict ass to order 100mg of both clonazolam, and diclazepam rc's, that I received on day 12 and switched over to those which I still take today.
So I get towards the end of my 2 week "vacation" and see my doc again to check on things. Which of course, from sub wd felt like shit. So we decided I get blood taken and gives me a weeks worth of 5mg amph salts. Which I felt helped get me through the workdays of my first week back to work. While the rc's helped me sleep at night. Now to week 4 after the adderall was ended, got my blood work back with nothing abnormal except low white blood cells. So I was down to just my rc's and some energy drinks this past week and managed to make it another week at a job that I have to work fast at.

Now to today, the start of week 5, which means iv been off subs for 1 month, but have been taking benzos for that same month and I obviously don't want to continue taking benzos, especially since I wanted to get off subs to get my life better, not trade one for another. Through the years on subs I was able to progress quickly at work and have done very well for myself. But I still wasn't exactly myself and it felt like it was literally wearing down my body and I wanted to end that.

So my question is, what experience can anyone offer on how long someone could take benzos before risking withdrawal, and if 1 month is more than enough, than what can I do as far as tapering or any other options.

I see my doc again in 2 weeks, and if needed, I have no problem telling her my situation, as I have always been honest before (except the recent benzos one?) I still feel like shit from what I expect to be the sub wd, esp after building in my body for years. But I'm worried I couldn't withstand the sub and benzo wd, all while trying to work hard 5 days a week especially with this constant burning sensation in my body.

Side note- I have been taking vitamins, b6, b12, l-theanine and protien shakes every day since I started the detox.

As far as tapering from benzos I have plenty of phenibut, and about 65mg of both clonazolam and diclazepam. As well as easy access to good kava, and possibly librium.

Sorry so long and thanks in advance!

 

[ObieWan]

The benzos do ease some of the discomfort from opiates. 1 month on benzos is certainly enough to be dependent, buy not so terribly as someone who has been on high doses for years. STAY AWAY from the clonazolam (or do you mean clonazepam?.) I have no problem with alprazolam, but was given clonazolam once by mistake, or on purpose most likely and getting off that was a nightmare. Stick to the Xanax and start tapering by like 25% and see how you feel.

I was on subs for about 10 years and tapered all the way down to about 1/8mg twice daily for 10 days, then once daily for a few days before I stopped. Stopping at 2mg you are still and did I'm sure going to feel withdrawal for weeks, maybe even months. Sub has been the hardest drug to kick for me, well that and alcohol. Actually my alcohol problem started when stopping the clonazolam and not being able to sleep for weeks. Stay away!

 

[Keif' Richards]

Hey man, I'd firstly like to congratulate you on your successful withdrawal from Buprenorphine without relapsing on other Opioids, the only problem is that you most definitely do not want to find yourself dependent upon Benzodiazepines in the process. They are far more insidious and by that I mean subtle and their dependence/withdrawal is far more debilitating in every way than that of Buprenorphine or Opioids in general. The withdrawal from a heavy Benzodiazepine can be a weeks-long or even months-long process depending upon the duration of usage and the magnitude of usage. I just want to say, don't ever get it confused, Benzodiazepines are the devil in disguise.

With that being said, someone who has used Benzodiazepines to the extent that you have been using them shouldn't expect anything too severe in terms of a withdrawal syndrome and certainly nothing dangerous that would involve anything like seizures. Still, it is not going to be completely without discomfort. You can expect some cold sweats, anxiety and intermittent troubles with sleep but you shouldn't have to deal with anything that would cause someone with a normal disposition to have to miss a day of work or anything like that.

I would highly recommend against babying yourself in terms of designing anything other than a rudimentary withdrawal, because you want to just limit your exposure to Benzodiazepines as much as possible. You can reduce gradually over the course of a few days, but don't do anything like a month-long taper to get off of a month-long usage. You only need to get through some mild withdrawal symptoms.

 

[Red11]

I've never gone through such intense sub withdrawls, but I can attest that benzo's can be addictive within weeks with some people. Especially when taking 1mg pills. " .5mg 3 times a day as needed" should be plenty to a new user. I stayed on this for 2 years before going to 1mg pills. I'm using myself and a few others i know of to make this speculation. Xanax is a drug effected by body weight. I'm 5'11 and a lean 215lb. I probably need more than a smaller person. So maybe try even smaller doses if you're smaller. I've only read this from certain sources however. But in my experiences, I believe it to be true. Problem with benzos, are you don't feel the "high" like opiods. You just feel "normal." Then you spiral where your brains GABA is just based off your xanax use. Sneaky little addiction.
I'm currently going through hell even currently at 4-6mg a day working down from there. Now everyone is different. For example. I started drinking heavy at 13 years old. Looking back, it was to cure the same symptoms i turned to benzos for. Anxiety/panic. You obviously have a addictive personality. I'm no doctor even though after all the preaching I've heard, I feel knowledgeable. But I highly recommend staying away from short acting benzos if possible. Only use them if you experience severe episodes of panic or even psychosis. It sucks so bad....
I find valium better for combinations of anxiety and muscle pains or spasma. I have a hard labor job, and lift weights a lot. Not recommending it.. Just again. My experience. People who argue using longer acting benzos, study tapering from them. Forgot her name, but there's a great program for it. Itll come up quickly in google search.

You seem to have access to medical advice and a large variety of medications. Ive tried many SSRI's. I'm currently am taking zoloft, and it fatigues the crap out of me. So maybe not that. It was a short lived symtom, but it was severe. I did once complain about it and tried a drug called effexor. It works both on your serotonin and norepinephrine receptors. It gave me a little too much boost, and caused anxiety to worsen and I caved after two days. So i also got my script of adderal back because caffeine makes me anxious. As a fellow downer fan, never had a problem stopping adderall. But I have panic disorder. So were coming from different approaches. But I want to point out, ALL of these choices were suggested by MY doctor for ME.

My final message though... At least try SSRIs before getting deep into benzos. Thinking you're sure you can taper is playing with fire. I know it sucks living on a drug. But better than being miserable. Also, flexeril is more related to SSRIs than anything. Great for muscle relaxtion and sleep for short periods.

Congrats though man. Sounds like you're going to really recover.