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Tips for Benzo taper

A

Allein

Bluelight Crew
Joined
Oct 29, 2005
Messages
10,940
OK, I have my schedule all set out and have read the Heather Ashton Manual (this isnt the first taper!) and the taper starts today. I have enough (if poor quality PK rubbish) tabs to see me through.

Does anyone have any tips on reducing the level of discomfort which I know is comming, I can't drink as I gave that up lasy year (saying that feels good:))

I'm more thinking of dietry or herbal remedies ect that might help round off the rough edges just a bit.
 
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i found the ashton matual to drag on to much. personally it was pretty easu for me for lower 5mg of valium a week.
not shits gunna work except beer my friend. u can always cwe codeine. try some otc sedative antihistamines too. promethazine is a weak antipychotic that u dont need a script for.

alot of ppl say benzos w/d is hell but i actually found it really easy. maybe im one of a kind. & ive had problems with even xanax. hopefully u have valium to taper with because of its lonf half life.

good luck to u. maybe u'll be lucky like me i quit my addiction a few yrs ago & i can still have a bit of a binge now & than without getting addicted again. but only some ppl can do that. there are success stories out there. im proud of that

there is kava kava out there but ive never had it maybe someone else will have something to say about that
 
Magnesium (as citrate for example) is a good supplement to take. Would also recommend omega-3 fish oils, EPA/DHA and a good (but not too strong) general multi-vita. It can be a pain to find decent supplements from the overcrowded market (alot of it is pure garbage if not almost bordering the line of poison!), personally I really prefer these products and find it very helpful to take them on a daily basis.

http://www.iherb.com/Country-Life-G...-Vitamin-D-Complex-360-Veggie-Caps/10448?at=0
http://www.iherb.com/New-Chapter-Organics-40-Every-Man-II-117-Tablets/26056?at=0

A decent EPA/DHA product should be easy enough to find though, just don't pay too much for it. Drink lot's of water, avoid caffee and other stimulants. Valeriana MIGHT help with some of the WD symptoms seeing as it's gabaergic, but tampering with gabaergics will probably atleast slow down the wd process, be careful.

Exercise a lot when you're through the worst, it really helps, just don't overdo it at the beginning.

Also, I liked to sleep with towels because they were easy enough to change when the nightly sweating was at it's most extreme. Blankets etc never managed to dry completely between the nights and it really sucked going to a wet and sweaty bed at night when you were feeling shitty enough already. Keep drinking water near the bed.

If you haven't already done so, learn some relaxing techniques that work for you. These will be more handy than ever with your body and mind being over-excited most of the time. Learn to break the vicious circle of getting excited which leads to getting more excited which leads to getting more excited which leads to... psychosis? Distract your mind a lot if you're prone to anxiety. Seriously though, yoga/strectching should help with the body cramps and aches too.

There aren't as many fire and forget things to do to alleviate your suffering (such as taking supplements) as there are active/proactive methods such as changing behaviour to combat this bitch. You really got to adapt and change unless you want to go through a lot of pain.
 
Thanks FnX, I live in the UK so not sure about getting exactly those supplements but there are a few goo chains of health food shops that usually stock good quality stuff.

I do relaxation exercises, not as often as I should but I have the techniques and some guidance audios.

I'm currently seeing a counselor and although I can't discuss this particular matter with him he is helping me in general be more pro-active about taking control of my feelings and how I react to people and situations.

Thanks onlyone 3232, like I said I can't do alcohol that would just put me back where I started, I agree I can manage a much harder taper than the Ashton Manual suggests and usually drop 10Mgs a week, if it get s little to uncomfortable I just hold the dose for a few extra days, but never go back up again.

I have Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) if I start to really freak the fek out but thats a real last resort as I hate the stuff.

Thanks for your help so far

Best wishes
 
Skullcap, blue lotus, passionflower, and lemon balm are all useful. But the most effective by far are valerian, kava, and chamomile respectively, according to efficacy.

One of the most helpful IME is GABA supplement capsules. Also DLPA (phenylalanine) can provide some relief. For me, valerian, kava, and GABA- all in capsule form- was the most effective combination. Tincture's of valerian and/or kava can also be very potent. A decent kava tincture will make your whole mouth and throat numb, not unlike cocaine.

Keep in mind that exercise, nutrition/hydration, and being occupied are huge factors in how you will feel from day to day.
 
I have some Valerian tablets and found them useful on previous tapers, I'm a little nervous about some stuff as I'm on Venlafaxine and obviously can;t take some other medications so will probably play it safe and stick to the Valerian tabs.
I buy the supermarket herbal sleeping tablets which are just Valerian tablets anyhow an much cheaper, although having just looked at a major health food chain I see they do Valerian tea bags (well not tea obviously but you get what I mean):-

A blend of valerian, limeflowers and hops on a traditonal Victorian recipe for herb tea

I also drink Green tea from time to time so will use that as well as it always seems to leave me feeling cleansed.

That might help keep me off the coffee anyway, thanks for your help I need a few things that I can use if the going gets tough.

I've really let my exercise slip I was walking the dog twice a day until recently, so I'll start that again, it made the morning a bit better anyhow.

By GABA I am assuming you mean Gabapentin, it seems I can get this online but not in a health food or high street store, is it legal in the UK, Just seems strange Holland and Barrret stock 5-HTP and not this??
 
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You have to start exercising quite a bit more. Exercise will tire you our and make it somewhat easier to sleep at night.

I would recommend also trying to make sure you try and eat 3 (try and keep it healthy) meals a day and keep decently hydrated etc. It's good to just try and stay healthy all around when you're tapering.

Make SURE you don't keep any backup's around and I would leave my medication in someone elses (someone trustworthy obv) hands. Get your dose daily off them so that they can make sure you don't slip up.

Be careful with your taper man, from memory you aren't doing it with a doctor or anything so I'd start off with an easy step in your taper. Believe you me when I tell you that benzo withdrawal seizures are hell.

I think you were dosing around 100+mg valium a day at least, although correct me if I'm wrong, which is a fair amount. How long have you been using benzo's on a daily basis? Also is it just valium you're tapering from?


Hit me up with a PM if you want ATM, or post in here. Either way I'll be in touch.
 
I'm pretty sure I'm on the wrong track here but I'll throw it out there so at least I can gain a little knowledge.

Would GBL / GHB help or be a replacement for Diaz ? there's little danger of me becoming addicted since it makes me puke to easily, I've looked on the net but it doesn't seem clear, that said they use Diaz to get you off the booze and I saw someone in a detox center being taken off of GBL and they used Diaz for that.
 
atm23 said:
By GABA I am assuming you mean Gabapentin, it seems I can get this online but not in a health food or high street store, is it legal in the UK, Just seems strange Holland and Barrret stock 5-HTP and not this??
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No, I mean gamma-aminobutyric acid supplement tablets/capsules. You can get them anywhere that sells vitamins and supplements. They are usually 750mg tabs.
 
GABA does NOT cross the BBB. Reported success is totally subjective and are purely the placebo effect if you will. Some "beleive" taking a high enough dose will by happenstance cause some to cross-over, probably in the 2g+ day. But I feel like it's fair to relate this to those who declare success from taking Lope for their opiate w/d's.

Here are some OTCs that may provide you with some "food" for thought:
Picamilion - a supplment that attacthes to nicacin as its carrier and does cross the BRAIN and raises gaba.

L Theanine - Also crosses the brain and is said to raise both gaba and dopamine

Phenibut - Is a potent supplement thats raises gaba

Kava kava - among othr things raises gaba

Taurine - doesent raise gaba,but taurine itself like gaba are both inhibtory calming brain chemicals.
 
GHB has actually been used to treat alcohol withdrawal in the past according to wikipedia (!) but as it doesn't last long you'd need to repeatedly redose and that is a surefire way to get addicted to it (and vom a lot if it makes you sick...) - and I don't think introducing a 3rd addictive GABAergic drug after you've successfully kicked alcohol (congrats btw :D) and are kicking benzos is a great idea to be honest...

I'd follow Trips' advice. And PJs ;) I owe you a pm too, am horribly behind with them but will try to reply tonight :) hope it's going okay!

I don't know much about the supplements you suggest ReversiblePulpitis (interesting name!) except that phenibut is anxiolytic but tolerance builds fast IME and it does have the potential to be addictive so best to use that one sparingly.
 
atm23 said:
I'm pretty sure I'm on the wrong track here but I'll throw it out there so at least I can gain a little knowledge.

Would GBL / GHB help or be a replacement for Diaz ? there's little danger of me becoming addicted since it makes me puke to easily, I've looked on the net but it doesn't seem clear, that said they use Diaz to get you off the booze and I saw someone in a detox center being taken off of GBL and they used Diaz for that.
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This wont work sorry. GHB/GBL work on the GABA B receptors while benzo's work on the GABA A receptors. While in high doses they will also work on the GABA A receptors... Eh... You don't want to be hitting those doses.

This is also why GHB/GBL and Benzo's are not cross tolerant.

I owe you a PM man, sorry I've been away from the computer with new years shenanigans toooo much. I'll just smoke up a bleezy and get onto replying to yours.
 
I guessing your from the other side of the pond, I've looked in the health food shops and they don't have it. It looks like its legal but I'll either have to order online or find one of those body building supplement shops. I'll check and see if ther one local if not I'll resort to the snail mail.

Thanks for your help
 
Pjkt2501 said:
Have lots and lots of s


I mean... can't hurt, right? :p
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Not a chance with the way i is with my missus at the mo, we are barely holding it together, and I don't expect that me suffering from Benzo withdrawal is going to improve my mood, which is shite at the best of times
 
Just try mate. I was often put off by it, but my ex would just tell me to stfu and do her thing.

Yep, felt better every time. Though I'd often emotionally feel a bit down after because of the REASON we just had some fun, but you can't hate yourself for everything! (I've tried, trust me...)
 
No I didn't make it clear enough we're not really on speaking terms and talking about me moving out:\
 
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