How long for serious benzo WD to develop?

[twato]

Hi DS, long time lurker first time poster on BL here.

Now, Ive always been a big fan of benzos when it comes to kicking my favorite vice, Heroin. This was all good and well, until I started to use them for potentiation as well, and during the last two months, even on their own.

My typical recreational dose runs from 50 to 100 mg of Diazepam, depend on how fucked I want to be, and I never mix with other stiff (no alcohol, just a maintainance dose of whatever opiate I can get).

The only breaks were a week of no money mid-january and a prescription from my neurologist (whom I've kept in the dark about my addiction issues) for Zolpidem, which didn't do shut for my sleeping problems, but made me refrain from benzos for another week end of january.

I suffered no symptoms during those times, but feb so far has been benzo heaven (even got a script for lormetazepam) and two new sources for dias.

My questions now are, how long does it take to develop WD symptoms when regularly abusing in largish doses, and should I just CT or get some more for a taper? I'm not too knowledgeable about this class of drugs, any answers would be appreciated a lot.

Thanks for reading
Twato

 

[badfish45]

I think I'm going to move this to BDD, doesn't quite seem like TDS material.

TDS ---> BDD

 

[nAON]

It varies between people, though using every day for longer than a couple weeks is usually the point at which WDs begin to start.

Why are you doing such high doses all the time anyway? Are you still comboing it with heroin, or just by itself?

 

[Pjkt2501]

You are definitely going to want to do a taper - benzo WD can be worse than an opiate WD... Look up the "Heather Ashton Manual" on google. At least you have access to the suggested diazepam to be used for the taper.

Good luck.

 

[twato]

Thanks for the replies people.

It varies between people, though using every day for longer than a couple weeks is usually the point at which WDs begin to start.

Why are you doing such high doses all the time anyway? Are you still comboing it with heroin, or just by itself?

When I was using it together with H, I just took 10 or 20 mg to potentiate, but I've recently switched to low dose bupe (2mg a day) to get over opiate WDs and take a break for a while. It's just that in the evenings, the need for a buzz gets the better of me, and I've never felt anything from Diazepam in doses under 50mg when not combining.

You are definitely going to want to do a taper - benzo WD can be worse than an opiate WD... Look up the "Heather Ashton Manual" on google. At least you have access to the suggested diazepam to be used for the taper.

Good luck.

I'm familiar with the Asthon Manual, but I think I'll try to CT first, can't hurt, I don't think I'm seizure prone yet. Thanks for the tip though!

 

[Allein]

It varies between people, though using every day for longer than a couple weeks is usually the point at which WDs begin to start.

Why are you doing such high doses all the time anyway? Are you still comboing it with heroin, or just by itself?

I personally think this i part pf the issue with Benzos, its not just tolerance its the ability to do such large doses so quickly, I rarely dose under 50Mgs a at a time and function fine.

It has a strong resemblance to nicotine in so many ways, apart from the bit where you can die or have a seizure of your doing loads for ages then suddenly stop !

 

[ErgicMergic]

2-3 months of daily prescribed dosages (non-abuse), but it just gets worse and worse the longer you are on them.

 

[KAYLA2010]

How are you feeling so far?

Are you going to taper to ct?

I dont suggest ct because of the wd. You have been using mixin and then alone for a while so i wouldnt suggest you quit cold turkey its very uncomfortable and you will want to relapse...i suggest maybe a rehab doctor or just doing a slow taper on your own you just have to want it and not turn back

 

[tricomb]

I know benzodiazepines all too well, I'm afraid, I was addicted for years before finally kicking them.
You're not going to want to do a cold turkey detox, I highly recommend tapering. Since you've been on it for such a short time, but in such high doses, You should time this detox over the period of two weeks. Hopefully, the long-acting diazepam won't be nearly as bad as if it were alprazolam or lorazepam WD

 

[twato]

How are you feeling so far?

Are you going to taper to ct?

I dont suggest ct because of the wd. You have been using mixin and then alone for a while so i wouldnt suggest you quit cold turkey its very uncomfortable and you will want to relapse...i suggest maybe a rehab doctor or just doing a slow taper on your own you just have to want it and not turn back

As I said, the times I ran out weren't that bad, I hardly felt any different, so maybe CT is still an option. I'd hate to go down the rehab path, the truth about my opiate addiction still hurts with my family, it all came to light only half a year ago.

Fortunately, getting diaz for a taper is neither hard nor expensive here, so if CT fails, I'll have plenty of options, even if they're not quite legal.

I know benzodiazepines all too well, I'm afraid, I was addicted for years before finally kicking them.
You're not going to want to do a cold turkey detox, I highly recommend tapering. Since you've been on it for such a short time, but in such high doses, You should time this detox over the period of two weeks. Hopefully, the long-acting diazepam won't be nearly as bad as if it were alprazolam or lorazepam WD

Sorry to hear you had such a hard time getting off, glad you made it though

2 weeks was what I was thinking about as a taper for myself, but let's see, maybe I'll be fine in no time at all, maybe it'll take four weeks.
I'm running out tomorrow, that's what will decide it.

Thanks for all the comments, I'll keep you updated!

 

[KAYLA2010]

Well i hope wht ever you end up choosing works for you i hope you dont have any bad suffering or wd sending hugs

 

[twato]

Well i hope wht ever you end up choosing works for you i hope you dont have any bad suffering or wd sending hugs

Thanks

Ended up buying 30 more 10mg tabs and some kind bud yesterday, but haven't taken any more diazepam. I'll try to do without, those are just an insurance. I'm confident good old MJ will suffice

 

[ThHardMotherfucker]

Reckon about 1-2 months of heavy (upwards of 10 mg Clonazepam a day), or on low dosages (2 mg Clonazepam daily) about 6 months before the withdrawal's turn nasty!

 

[somewherehappy]

As some others have said and I mentioned in another thread. Please don't do cold turkey. It's really dangerous actually and benzo withdrawal can not only be very rough and awful but in many cases of people taking it for longer periods of time it has been fatal.

You said 'can't hurt' to try ct but it actually can...it's not worth risking your life really.

I recommend slow taper over time, with small amounts being lowered. Keeps the withdrawal safer and more manageable.

 

[my worst enemy]

CT after daily use for 2 months is not going to kill you. Although I have my doubts you are goin to stay off it. Unfortunately, with your addiction people tend to fall back after a while. But what is important to remember is not to get back on the levels where you quit. ESPECIALLY if mixing opiates and benzo. Then you might die. And that would suck for someone who only wanted a slight buzz at nighttime dont you think

You live in Berlin. SHIT Loads of natural buzzes to get a hold of there man! I freakin love the place.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

It depends on how you use benzodiazepines.

If you're using them medicinally, and only once per day and it's a short lasting benzodiazepine, probably about 1 to 3 weeks.

However, if you're doing IV midazolam as often as you can just to get a rush, and you start escalating the dosage, you could probably get well addicted (at the very least on a serious psychological basis) within the first few days of use.

Even 1 week of benzo use medicinally can make you feel very different without the benzodiazepines when you begin your life again without them. My advice to you is to not rely on them for too long nor too heavily during any one period in your life.

 

[twato]

Even 1 week of benzo use medicinally can make you feel very different without the benzodiazepines when you begin your life again without them. My advice to you is to not rely on them for too long nor too heavily during any one period in your life.

Very sound advice, I'll try and follow it.

CT after daily use for 2 months is not going to kill you. Although I have my doubts you are goin to stay off it. Unfortunately, with your addiction people tend to fall back after a while. But what is important to remember is not to get back on the levels where you quit. ESPECIALLY if mixing opiates and benzo. Then you might die. And that would suck for someone who only wanted a slight buzz at nighttime dont you think

You live in Berlin. SHIT Loads of natural buzzes to get a hold of there man! I freakin love the place.

You're right of course, staying off is way harder than coming off IME. However, the good news are that after a last dose of 40mg diazepam on Monday evening, I've had very little in terms of WD.
Only some mild anxiety, being snappy at others and sleeping problems during the middle of the week, but apart from sleeping badly (which I'm always struggling with), these mild symptoms have disappeared.

Regarding the opiate/benzo combo, I think it to be safe as long as you keep the doses low, the synergy is really something, so you don't need as much of the individual drugs. I don't use the needle as well, which makes dosing mistakes very unlikely, and I never ever drink on that combo, 3 CNS depressants at once is too stupid even for me.

I seem to have escaped without suffering the horror described here by many users, I'm lucky as fuck. Ironically my neurologist just prescribed me 50 2mg tabs clonazepam for sleeplessness, but I've been able to resist giving them a try. Wasn't easy, especially as I've never had clonazepam before, it's very rare and seldomly prescribed over here.

Also, Berlin really is a very nice place, I was born here and lived in various parts of the city for 30 years now. Never bores me, there's always something going on. Feel free to PM me with questions regarding the place, I'll gladly answer once I reach bluelighter status.

 

[my worst enemy]

^Sounds like you got the situation under some control so far Twato. Make sure to keep it like that

For real i hope you manage to stay off the benz, including the Clonazepam. They have a half-life of up to 50 hours. And listen, Im really not here to scare you or anything, but the thing is quite a couple of my friends have done the misstake of forgetting how much benzo they might have in their system while drinking and while drunk they get hold of something else and before they knew it they fell asleep never to wake up again. And fuck if im coming off as preaching but I rather say it once too many you know.

Still hear what yer sayin though. Just take it easy man.

(will pm you for sure. Ive spent loads of time in Berlin. My gf lived there during 2004. I try to get down there during the spring its fuckin awsome man, picnic in Görlitzer park, Tresor dungeon.. shit %) )

 

[F1n1shed]

For me even low dose xanax for 2 weeks straight will bring withdrawals if i stop one day, ill feel this weird feeling in my legs where my nerves feel over stimulated. Weed will make it worse and make me more anxious, anyways usually all it takes is 1 week of daily high dose to bring mild withdrawals or 2 weeks of medium doses.

 

[twato]

^Sounds like you got the situation under some control so far Twato. Make sure to keep it like that

Will do About the clonazepam, I really intend to use them for the reason I got the prescription for, as a last resort when I can't sleep at all but need to function the next day, which is impossible for me if I miss more than a night. Not that much of a drinker anymore, anyway And if I wanted to have fun with benzos again, I guess a more hypnotic one like flunitrazepam would me much better.

For me even low dose xanax for 2 weeks straight will bring withdrawals if i stop one day, ill feel this weird feeling in my legs where my nerves feel over stimulated. Weed will make it worse and make me more anxious, anyways usually all it takes is 1 week of daily high dose to bring mild withdrawals or 2 weeks of medium doses.

Sorry to hear that, must really suck. I've seldomy had to endure consequences to my escapades, excepting opiate WDs here, I guess I'm really a lucky guy in that regard.