Benzos Tapering off Benzos with very small doses over a years use

[ReadmissionRied]

Hey BL. I've been tapering off benzos slowly for over a few months now and I'm wondering how "out of the woods" am I?

I'm nervous because I haven't really had any crazy withdrawals as of yet and the last time I've even used a "full" pill of a benzo was December. I had been prescribed a very low dose and had been taking Xanax every week, not everyday but almost everyday of. 5mg since 2018

Then after a point I would take the 1mg to sleep after acid trips but very infrequently

After some time meds were adjusted to.25mg of kpins. From there I've tapered down to taking this dose maybe once or twice a month.

With that said I'm highly sensitive to most drugs so these doses always worked well enough. Am I out of the woods for serious wd?

I want to assume so as my dosage has always been so small but at the same time this small dose has always been effective.

 

[Nicocastillo7]

Are you taking 0.25mg of clonazepam per day? I did not understand very well what is the dose you are taking. I was reducing a while ago and I reached 0.25mg of alprazolam a day, I had a problem with other substances and I took high doses again, now I am on 15mg of diazepam a day, I don't know when I will try to reduce it again.

 

[ReadmissionRied]

Are you taking 0.25mg of clonazepam per day? I did not understand very well what is the dose you are taking. I was reducing a while ago and I reached 0.25mg of alprazolam a day, I had a problem with other substances and I took high doses again, now I am on 15mg of diazepam a day, I don't know when I will try to reduce it again.

Hello, here's to wishing you well on your reduction of dose.


Currently I'm taking .25mg of clonazepam twice a month. I sometimes have extreme paranoia trying to sleep that I might have seizures due to the fact that I had been regularly taking benzos since 2018, albeit small doses.

 

[Nicocastillo7]

Currently I'm taking .25mg of clonazepam twice a month. I sometimes have extreme paranoia trying to sleep that I might have seizures due to the fact that I had been regularly taking benzos since 2018, albeit small doses.

Have you had seizures before consuming any benzo?
taking a benzo 2 times a month is not a physical dependency, I do not think that you will suffer abstinence or have seizures if you are not epileptic, I doubt that you suffer acute WD's, because your consumption is not acute and it is not a very high dose of clonazepam

 

[Nicocastillo7]

How is your anxiety normally? without benzos ..

 

[ReadmissionRied]

@Nicocastillo7

Thank you for the reply, it's very helpful. I'm not epileptic (but I am a hypochondriac).

I just don't see many posts or info on long term benzo use in the very small dose range and when I do see long term benzo use topics, it's usually very alarming.

 

[ReadmissionRied]

How is your anxiety normally? without benzos ..

Well I had suffered from trauma which set up PSTD-like symptoms in 2018 which required me to be on benzos, I was in the hospital a few times with panic attacks and fainting. I have trouble with very bad PSTD-like symptoms trying to sleep and sleep is the most difficult thing.

Then at the tail end of 2019 I started flying for my job, which set off all new anxieties and usage so it's been a roller coaster but since I've been introduced to CBD and THC, and obtained my medical card, it's been MUCH easier to taper off benzos.

 

[Nicocastillo7]

I just don't see many posts or info on long term benzo use in the very small dose range and when I do see long term benzo use topics, it's usually very alarming.

Those alarming situations are from a long-term consumption of benzos very different from yours, you take 0.25mg 2 times a month, those situations are from benzo users who take every day for a medical condition such as anxiety

Then at the tail end of 2019 I started flying for my job, which set off all new anxieties and usage so it's been a roller coaster but since I've been introduced to CBD and THC, and obtained my medical card, it's been MUCH easier to taper off benzos.

Oh I'm so glad you can get CBD and THC for your anxiety and it works for you
Take advantage that you do not have a physical dependency and that you do not take benzos every day to stop taking them permanently

 

[Nicocastillo7]

Check with your doctor first, but that's what I would do in your situation, if I was only taking benzos 2 times now at that dose, I wouldn't take anything next month

 

[ReadmissionRied]

Thank you again for the reply @Nicocastillo7

Just to try to clear up my confusing OP post (I posted while I was outside)

From FEB2018- AUG2019 I was taking between 1mg and .5mg of alprazolam 4-6days a week.

Then I was prescribed Clonazepam .5mg when the effects of the alprazolam started to cause me extreme anxiety due to the sedating nature. So from August 2019-December 2019 I was taking .5-.25mg regularly for anxiety. 4-6times a week

Not until December until now have I tapered down to 2 times a month due to CBD and THC helping me so much with my anxiety and thoughts. Plus, my symptoms have gotten less severe over time.

I will definitely work on not taking any this month as I haven't yet! Thank you so much for the info

 

[Nicocastillo7]

I'm glad the weed is helping you, how do you consume it? in cannabis oil or do you smoke too? I am from Argentina and here we do not have legal weed.
If it is working with you, keep using it, probably in the future you will not be taking benzos

 

[ReadmissionRied]

How good that weed is helping you, how do you consume it? in cannabis oil or do you smoke too? I am from Argentina and here we do not have legal weed.
If it is working with you, keep using it, probably in the future you will not be taking benzos

I have been using edibles almost exclusively, and I typically do "micro" doses a few times to slowly build into the effects as sudden effects trigger health anxiety. I smoke CBD flower, unsure if that's legal in Argentina, but it's very helpful. I have weak lungs so I don't like to smoke much, I tend to mostly use 1:1 CBD THC as I found that works best to mull out my mind and relax my body for sleeping. Unfortunately actual straight THC edibles and smoking only weed has resulted in horrible anxiety so its definitely a balance and CBD almost always has to be in the mix!

I have been considering sublingual CBD THC

 

[Nicocastillo7]

I have been using edibles almost exclusively, and I typically do "micro" doses a few times to slowly build into the effects as sudden effects trigger health anxiety. I smoke CBD flower, unsure if that's legal in Argentina, but it's very helpful. I have weak lungs so I don't like to smoke much, I tend to mostly use 1:1 CBD THC as I found that works best to mull out my mind and relax my body for sleeping. Unfortunately actual straight THC edibles and smoking only weed has resulted in horrible anxiety so its definitely a balance and CBD almost always has to be in the mix!

I have been considering sublingual CBD THC

That sounds great, I love weed, only cannabis oil is legal here, it is not prescribed for anxiety, only in epilesia, this sucks
I have tried cannabis oil with CBD and it helps me a lot for anxiety, currently I take 15mg of diazepam per day, I wish I could change it for CBD oil or CBD flowers if this was legal, I always use weed, I always try to smoke indica varieties , but since the herb is not legal here, it is not easy to get and choose the variety you need, and I cannot grow at home at the moment

 

[Nicocastillo7]

I have recently got a Blue Gelato 41, a friend grows them, this variety is 60% indica, but even so it helps me a lot with my anxiety, it also makes me very high haha it is the best thing I found for my anxiety, very sativa varieties produce me some annoying physical anxiety, hopefully it will be legalized and regulated soon here

I also get some Gorilla Glue, I will try this and see if it works for anxiety, this is very expensive here

 

[ReadmissionRied]

I have recently got a Blue Gelato 41, a friend grows them, this variety is 60% indica, but even so it helps me a lot with my anxiety, it also makes me very high haha it is the best thing I found for my anxiety, very sativa varieties produce me some annoying physical anxiety, hopefully it will be legalized and regulated soon here

I also get some Gorilla Glue, I will try this and see if it works for anxiety, this is very expensive here

That's great! What's gorilla glue? I have dabbled with sativa but I honestly haven't taken enough of it to get a real effect. My coworker had me try this dogwalker of some kind way back in December and that's when I got so high my eyes were bloodshot and I kept forgetting to do things at every moment. Probably won't get that stoned ever again, it was hell for my disorders.

I'm glad your friend grows!

 

[Nicocastillo7]

Gorilla Glue is the name of a variety of weed, I googled it and I see that it is not very indica, even so I will try them haha

give me a little tachycardia smoking sativa, and it makes me very high, but I would not use it for anxiety, never haha

 

[ReadmissionRied]

Gorilla Glue is the name of a variety of weed, I googled it and I see that it is not very indica, even so I will try them haha

give me a little tachycardia smoking sativa, and it makes me very high, but I would not use it for anxiety, never haha

Good luck friend, hope the weed keeps helping with your anxiety!

 

[nznity]

Thank you again for the reply @Nicocastillo7

Just to try to clear up my confusing OP post (I posted while I was outside)

From FEB2018- AUG2019 I was taking between 1mg and .5mg of alprazolam 4-6days a week.

Then I was prescribed Clonazepam .5mg when the effects of the alprazolam started to cause me extreme anxiety due to the sedating nature. So from August 2019-December 2019 I was taking .5-.25mg regularly for anxiety. 4-6times a week

Not until December until now have I tapered down to 2 times a month due to CBD and THC helping me so much with my anxiety and thoughts. Plus, my symptoms have gotten less severe over time.

I will definitely work on not taking any this month as I haven't yet! Thank you so much for the info

That dose Is too low to get hooked physically, at most ur not gonna be able to sleep for a couple days that's it. I've taken 2-4mg clonazepam daily for 2-3 months when i was in rehab AND quit coldturkey without experiencing wd.

 

[Drag2019]

Keep in mind there is something they call the "re-kindling effect" where when you go through Benzo Withdrawal each time the symptoms will get more severe effects. Have a quick google search when you got the time.

Keeping that in mind from my personal experience Weed of course dependant on the type of strain is the best remedy for anxiety when using the correct type of strains for it.

 

[ReadmissionRied]

@Drag2019 and @nznity thank you both for the insight and replies!

The hardest thing for me is when THC does not help with the horrible symptoms at night, one of which led me to the hospital in October (before I started using thc products) sometimes my night terrors are so bad they cause a sudden drop in BP and fainting.