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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

Benzo withdrawals?

C

chenka44

Bluelighter
Joined
Jun 23, 2017
Messages
38
Hi again, I have been using Valium 5mg in a binge type fashion for about 4 years now. Once a week or so, I just take 4 or 5 to escape..not a good drinker and I don't smoke . Just lately, my crap sleep has been more disturbed by using Low Dose Naltrexone for chronic fatigue. I thought I would try Temazapam as recommended on Facebook LDN forums, instead of Valium, for the sleep. Not much better. I have had no Valium for over a week and feel like I am getting some sort of withdrawal, like sore eyes, racing heart, anxiety etc. I thought using Temazam would just replace the Valium. Is this correct?
 
that seems like an awfully small dose to get withdrawal symptoms..any facial tics? i was on 4 tens a day prescribed for 2 years and when i stopped it didn't affect me at all..
 
H>He, your story sounds like a MAJOR exception. Most people would get severe withdrawals from those dosages. Nonetheless, Chenka44, you might be having very slight withdrawal symptoms because the dosage of temazepam may not have been high enough to replace the valium dose. Just let it pass, and then try something like Kava to get you some sleep (if youre trying to get off of the benzos)
 
a week without valium is basically the tail end of benzos withdrawals. perhaps instead try some non-benzo sedatives like clonidine, hydroxyzine , promethazine or mirtazipine for the restlessness, anxiety and insomnia? no point getting addicted all over again when your nearly out of the woods yeah/?
 
Update. Felt so crap, my daughter gave me 2 valium to get me though till Friday when I see GP . Took one night before last and all was good till 19 hours later whereupon had a horrible anxiety attack. Did the rounds of local health services with no luck Went to hospital where GP said I could not possibly be having withdrawals and sent me away after a 5 hour wait. so went home and took two Temazapam which seemed to help until about 1.30 this morning, not even 12 hours since I took them. Heart is again racing, feeling panicky. I have a new GP appointment today who is unfamiliar with me and I hope to get Valium from him, then get help from local rehab clinic to get symptoms under control. My guess is it is the Valium causing the problems..anyone else think this or no?
And just what are my options if I cannot get some?...I am getting quite terrified
 
chenka44 said:
My guess is it is the Valium causing the problems..anyone else think this or no?
And just what are my options if I cannot get some?...I am getting quite terrified
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sorry to hear, sounds absolutey horrible what you;re going through but its definitely out of the ordinary. you're on quite a small dose and the wd's really should have subsided by now if you haven't taken any sort of sedative for a week.

have you tried any of the z-drugs? zopiclone and zolpidem are sleeping pills - they're not actually benzos but they work on the same receptors in your brain and they're a bit weaker than benzos like valium and temazepam - maybe you could try and taper down with zopiclone?

you could also try some of the other sedatives i mentioned - i used mirtazipine (which is an ssri) aftyer i got off etizolam cause its great for sleep and has anti-anxiety properties. or some first-generation antihistamines like hydroxyzine hydrochloride (brand name Attarax)? same kinda story for that one. clonidine is a good non-benzo anxiolytic to0

hope you're okay chenka
 
I took 5 Temazapam 5 days ago, then nothing till the night before last when I took one of the Valium. I tried Zoplicone a few months back and it made me attempt to drive whilst sedated etc so thats not an option
I really just want to get stable for a few weeks because I have a long trip soon then I want to taper off with help, but local GP's seem not to know how that works
Phenergan put me out of action or 16 hours
 
have you considered that you may still be dependent on benzos?
maybe you need a supervised medical taper
 
yes, I think thats correct but I can get no "professionals" here to listen to me. I know I am still addicted
 
If you were using valium daily, I would say it's likely you are having some withdrawal symptoms. Do you take it only in the binge fashion that you described or as-directed and binge weekly? You should have gotten some relief in taking temazepam but they are shorter-acting and that could be why you woke up. They work better if taken right before you go to bed so make sure you are ready for sleep when using any meds for this purpose.

When you see the doctor tomorrow, let him know about your poor sleep and all your symptoms. Are you taking any other medications besides naltrexone? I remember seeing your other thread and I'm wondering what may be causing your fatigue and if it might be related to valium. Your doctor may want to run tests to get to the bottom of this. I hope you get some answers and relief. :)
 
I was only doing the binge thing, but now and then, might take extra during the week..not often. Took the Temazapam at 5pm to stop the anxiety but woke up around 1.30 with symptoms back. I have just rang every help line there is for some sort of advocacy service but there are none for benzos. My biggest fear is I will get to the GP tomorrow night and he will tell me its in my head because I still have Temazapam. No other mediactions. No idea what causes the fatigue but LDN is the only thinh I have found to control it, worse luck. The clinic where I go shuffle you in and put as fast as they can. Should I start dividing the Temazapam into one every 12 hours instead of 2 a night?
 
i reckon you should ask for a benzo taper as it sounds like you're dealing with some dependency/addiction issues
you'll definitely get some medication and a timetabled detox regime
 
seems I have to figure out the dose myself for time being. Based on my post, what would be a regime just to avoid symptoms till I can see a profession?
 
chenka44 said:
seems I have to figure out the dose myself for time being. Based on my post, what would be a regime just to avoid symptoms till I can see a profession?
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Your situation is quite different from my own... My most recent benzo withdrawal was from taking 1.5-2mg Xanax per day for 6 months (Id take .5mg 3x per day and another if I felt like it) it took me about a month to get off of it; but my symptoms were quite similar to what you're describing. I stopped pretty much cold turkey- which I would not recommend.. I had terrible sleep and eating problems, and was very anxious and uncharacteristically emotional. In the two weeks after that horrible month I started to get back to baseline. I also suffer from back pain (who doesn't?) but it seemed to get worse afterwards/ during the withdrawl so do some exercise or swimming if you can... just don't sit in a stiff chair for 10 hours a day! Your post interests me because I too enjoy the escape of a high benzo dose once in awhile.

I take valium currently; I'm prescribed 10mg tabs but have only been taking 2.5 - 5 mg per day, as I don't want to go through what I did last time I was using heavily. On a rare occasion Ill take more to get that 'feeling' but its not something I want to make a habit of like I did with the Xanax.

I think the withdrawals are really subjective.. I had withdrawal from valium before but it seemed harder to beat the Xanax. It might be because valium has a long half-life and builds up in your system over time. Some guys can stop taking the stuff and have minimal problems, and others like myself can horrible, drawn out experiences. I can say that if you wait it out for long enough- it will get better, but in your case it might be best to come clean with a doc and see what he says, and ask for an intensive treatment plan because even if he might think you're not withdrawing you feel that this is the problem.

As for the feeling you're chasing; and I want to tread lightly because it would always be best to stop something that is harming you, I've been considering trying some midazolam for the hypnotic/ escape euphoria. It might be worth looking into as something do on occasion without having to binge on benzos with such long half-lives.. that said its one of the more potent benzos and not prescribed in the US, and defiantly something a lot worse to get hooked on than valium, as from my research tolerance builds very quickly.


Good luck, I know what you're going through and I know it will get easier. Also Keeping's posts earlier in the thread also had some great advice on somethings that could help with the sleep that I wasn't familiar with.
 
Sounds like you have panic disorder to me. Your Dr is correct that it's not benzo withdrawal based upon your description of usage.
 
T. Calderone said:
If you were using valium daily, I would say it's likely you are having some withdrawal symptoms. Do you take it only in the binge fashion that you described or as-directed and binge weekly? You should have gotten some relief in taking temazepam but they are shorter-acting and that could be why you woke up. They work better if taken right before you go to bed so make sure you are ready for sleep when using any meds for this purpose.

When you see the doctor tomorrow, let him know about your poor sleep and all your symptoms. Are you taking any other medications besides naltrexone? I remember seeing your other thread and I'm wondering what may be causing your fatigue and if it might be related to valium. Your doctor may want to run tests to get to the bottom of this. I hope you get some answers and relief. :)
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This!
 
After another suicidal thought, I went up to local mental health unit...silly me, closed on weekends. Back to Emergency, as told by telephone mental health person, and asked to see someone from mental health. She also appears to think I have depression/anxiety , which I do, but only because I can find no help with tapering etc. She does not know how to do it either. Suggested I see original GP who obviously has no clue because he failed to mention I couldn't quit Valium dead and switch to Temazapam.
Can someone please suggest a taper from the Temazapam to Valium, based on my info?
 
I also think I need to stagger doses at least of the Temazapam..figured out the drug which was making my eyes ache unbearably was it, because I took 5 mg and away went the pain...eventually. Should I take half of each daily dose twice a day or just the Temazapam?
 
What do you have left over so far in your scripts? The idea of the taper is to take as little as you can while making the withdrawal BEARABLE.. that way over time you are reducing your daily dose with the aim to get it to zero.

For example; of you were taking a total of 10mg valium, split into 5mg doses twice a day, the first move would be to half that and take 5mg per day split into two 2.5mg doses. You would do that for about a week before reducing the dose a little bit again. Some people even stagger it for a slower taper.. as in to start out you would remain taking the full 10mg on the first day, then on the second would be the taper day.. and the day after another 10, etc.. until ready to reduce to the first taper dose full time.

As for your suicidal thoughts... you don't want to die.. thats evidenced buy you trying to get help. You just want the bad fellings/panic to stop. I can tell you that getting off benzos is an emotional rollercoaster.. you need to find things to occupy you and engage you while you deal with the withdrawal. I would go for long hikes, and I played some games and read new books on my kindle.

It sounds like you have a good support system in your daughter.. think of the silver linings! At least you're not going through this in some trap house with no electricity!
 
when i burned my hands in a fire after spacing heationg oil for fries after a joint of gold columbian..i wound up in the hosp with a doctors wife who was benzo withdrawing..it wasn't pretty she had facial tics…her hands were shaking and she was smoking cigs [yeah you could smoke in hospitals then] and i had to tell her the butts were burning her fingers..so withdrawl is dif things to dif people a little disomfort is ehh
 
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