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Benzos What kind of benzo doses/usage cause seizures when stopped?

S

Scarfo

Greenlighter
Joined
May 25, 2015
Messages
48
I've looked around and it seems the answer is really "it depends". But is there a general rule of thumb for this?

Obviously going cold turkey from a high daily habit after a few years of use can put someone in danger. But what about, say, dropping from a .25mg etizolam habit after tapering from 4-5 months of 2.5mg/day? Is there any warning that the seizure is coming? Should it be preceeded or accompanied by intense anxiety or other symptoms?

Also, is this kind of habit typically associated with long, drawn out dp/dr? I have a small bit of anxiety when I wake up and feel somewhat disconnected throughout the day. Some days are much better than others. I'm not 100% if these are withdrawals or just some other weird issues.

Any insight is greatly appreciated!
 
I'm not an expert but if having been tapering slowly in the example you gave, I think seizures are unlikely to occur. It is worth noting that some potent benzos can put you at risk of seizures very quickly. I recently read about a guy who had been taking high doses of flubromazolam (pretty sure at least that was the benzo) for only a week without having been using other benzos recently. Then went cold turkey and had massive seizures.

Depersonalisation and derealization are very common side effects when in withdrawal.
 
Worth remembering that the benzo withdrawal doesn't have to be the total cause of the seizures, you can have other risk factors or engage in behaviors which lower your seizure threshold. By which I mean, a bunch of people quitting the same dose of the same benzo after the same period and frequency of use, some may have seizures whilst others may not. There are some things you can do to reduce your risk of seizure e,g, avoiding the use of certain drugs and medicines.

The safest way is to taper, with medical supervision, but it sounds like you have a fairly kind taper plan. But don't be afraid to call in a doctor if you feel you need it. It sounds to me very familiar as a set of benzo withdrawal symptoms, and its probably mostly anxiety/panic. But I'm not a doctor.

I've had several seizures, never had any warning that they were coming or any memory of them happening, I've always been told about them by other people.
 
I've had one seizure in over 10 years of chronic benzo abuse and that was coming off of 24mg per day of xanax (no joke) for around 6 months and I was i n detox at the time luckily so it happened in the right place.

I know ppl who have fitted after a week or days on xanax.
 
Thanks for the info, everyone. I may stick to .25mg for a little while to ensure that my body has adjusted properly. When stable at this dose, should I feel close to normal?

I might eventually go to .125mg and then every other day. I'm not in a rush and I'm relieved to not be at the higher dose anymore.
 
Two grand mal seizures two separate times.

one after a year adn a half of 60mg+ EVERY DAY (swear to GOD)......cleaned up for a year or so,....started again for 6 months at 40mg a day....both time cold turnkey and had two seizures both times. (total of 4 seizures)


I am on another binger again. I ate 120mg of valium this morning and 40mg of xanax a few hours ago and feel fine....someone lethargic. It's been going on for about 3 months now. I am scared as FUCK to come off because I know seizures can kill you. I don't even feel the xanax anymore so I don't know why the fuck I continue to do it (i guess it's like the same when I was a heeroin addict....you don't really feel it after the initional 10 min high...let's be real).

I am in a very precarious spot to say the least.

---edit---

this aren't misprint....I would throw back 20 -30 2mg bars at a time). An old junkie friend (deceased now) once told me your habit with opiates and benzos will only be constrained by your finances. Truer words have never been spoken.
 
mankind said:
Two grand mal seizures two separate times.

one after a year adn a half of 60mg+ EVERY DAY (swear to GOD)......cleaned up for a year or so,....started again for 6 months at 40mg a day....both time cold turnkey and had two seizures both times. (total of 4 seizures)


I am on another binger again. I ate 120mg of valium this morning and 40mg of xanax a few hours ago and feel fine....someone lethargic. It's been going on for about 3 months now. I am scared as FUCK to come off because I know seizures can kill you. I don't even feel the xanax anymore so I don't know why the fuck I continue to do it (i guess it's like the same when I was a heeroin addict....you don't really feel it after the initional 10 min high...let's be real).

I am in a very precarious spot to say the least.

---edit---

this aren't misprint....I would throw back 20 -30 2mg bars at a time). An old junkie friend (deceased now) once told me your habit with opiates and benzos will only be constrained by your finances. Truer words have never been spoken.
Click to expand...

Can you see a doctor or get referred to drug services for a taper, if you're not able to do one yourself?
 
So I've been benzo free for about a week now. Stil feel a little funny and have some minor anxiety. Am I in clear as far as seizures are concerned?
 
Scarfo said:
So I've been benzo free for about a week now. Stil feel a little funny and have some minor anxiety. Am I in clear as far as seizures are concerned?
Click to expand...

Personally, I think you are fine. However, the second time I had two sets of grand mal seizures they occured a full week after stopping valium. My valium doses were extremely high (in the hundreds of mg's.), so me personally, I think you are in the clear.
 
Jumping at .25 should be fine. I've found with etizolam it has the least withdrawal out of all the benzos, although seizures are tricky to pinpoint. Ive jumped from 2mg of etizolam before and been fine, but everyone is different
 
Thanks for the reassurance. I feel I'm probably causing myself unnecessary worry but holy shit are the horror stories scary. I would've never taken these if I knew how bad they could be.

@mankind - that's awful that they happened a full week out. Usually you'd think it'd be the next day or so.
 
Scarfo said:
Thanks for the reassurance. I feel I'm probably causing myself unnecessary worry but holy shit are the horror stories scary. I would've never taken these if I knew how bad they could be.

@mankind - that's awful that they happened a full week out. Usually you'd think it'd be the next day or so.
Click to expand...

It truly was. By the fifth day I thought I started feeling better. Then I think almost a placebo effect happened in my head where day 6 and 7 I thought I was getting better and better, then BAM....grand mal seizure on I think the 9th day off. A few hours after the first one......BAM....another one. It was scary as hell. Luckily I was at my parent's home and my father found me both times. Strangely, I felt better for about an hour or two after the seizure, then the benzo withdrawal really kicks in. I literally had to learn how to speak and walk properly again.

Did you think I learned after this happening TWICE to me? Nope. Being the good drug addict I am (fucking loser junkie more like it), I have a monster habit going right now. I'm trying my best to taper down but the way I see it, I am still going to have to make the jump from minimum 10mg. Then I have a handful of 5mg valium (basically nothing - maybe 40mg?) to further taper for another 2 days.

I'm actually scared shitless this time.
 
Clonazolam is suspected to induce seizures, though I have not read of any actual case.

Listen to above users and see a doctor, they're there to help you not judge you and they usually know their shit (exceptions excluded). Best of luck!
 
Is getting professional help an option, mankind? Or at least being able to drop from a lower dose?
 
Scarfo said:
Is getting professional help an option, mankind? Or at least being able to drop from a lower dose?
Click to expand...

I wish it was. I lost my job and have no insurance. I could keep buying benzos (and keep going further into crushing debt of tens of thousands of dollars) and try to continue to taper. However, I am an all or nothing type guy, which in this case I know is stupid. There are so many mitigating factors, as I know that all of us deal with as well.
 
Well, it's been about 2 weeks now...I think I'm good. Feeling more and more like myself too. Hope this info is useful to others.

And mankind, good luck man. Hope you get things sorted out.
 
If you want to be super safe go to .125mg. every day then every other day as you mentioned. If you still seizured then I would say etiz wouldn't be safe for anyone to use as medication ever.

It is a short-acting benzo which makes it more liable to withdrawl seizures....but on the plus side withdrawels don't last long either. (depending on level of use of course)
 
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I've heard, and also from personal experience. The benzos that give me the noticeable or worse withdrawals are the shorter term benzos like Xanax. Right now i'm prescribed Valium 2x a day, and sometimes I go a whole week without it, because it lasts so long, I barely feel any withdrawals. I sometimes have gone through 2 weeks, because when I get the prescription, I usually trade some for some dope, or give some to my bf.
 
To anyone reading, a nice slow taper is the best you could do. You guys on real high doses had better man up and seek medical advice from a doctor. Benzodiazepine withdrawal is not worth all the risks, pain, seizure, or death.
 
^Yup, the only truly safe way to withdraw from high-dose benzodiazepine dependence is under the care of a physician.
 
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