Carbamazepine for Benzo Detox?

[pally pete]

As you know i have a serious Benzo habit/probem (we wont go into figures!

Ive been battling it on a professional level for around a year now, my drug councillor and i finally filled out a referal form for an in-patient clinic as they think this will be the most successful route for me due to my levels of abuse.

Now the plan is to send me to this detox clinic for 3 weeks or so, they have given me 2 choices, first choice is rapid 3 week taper off the Benzos using Carbamazepine, the second choice is cold turkey also using Carbamazepine.

The detox clinic and my drug councillor both recommend the cold turkey - Carbamazepine route.

I just agreed and went along with there suggestion as i have come of massive doses of Benzos the cold turkey route before with no professional help and been through the list of withdrawals (except seizure) Ive stayed clean of benzos for upto 7-8 weeks and then gone back to using, so obviously after i come out of the detox clinic they have some sort rehab program in place otherwise there is nothing to say i wont go straight back to using again.

Anyway what are peoples thoughts/experiences of what i have written above.

Thanks

 

[bupropion]

Carbamazepine isn't really a sedative but does impairing and physically weakening effects (perhaps more so than sedatives with the latter)...I took it for 2 years and I'm glad I'm off it. I can see how it might help with benzo addiction though but would recommend the taper.

 

[pally pete]

Carbamazepine isn't really a sedative but does impairing and physically weakening effects (perhaps more so than sedatives with the latter)...I took it for 2 years and I'm glad I'm off it. I can see how it might help with benzo addiction though but would recommend the taper.

Yeah but my taper wouldnt be the traditional type.

I didnt want to go into figures but i can take 100mg Diazepam and it barely touches the sides or i could take 1000mg of Diazepam and then come round not knowing WTF?!

Thats the reason my G.P or Drug Councilling service will not begin a taper as they say the maximum legally prescribed daily guidlines are 30-40mg Diazepam.

 

[effie]

Well the carbemazepine will at least prevent any seizures, and might help with any anxiety too - when do you do this? Good luck! You're definitely right about doing some work after - the detox is not the full battle but as long as you are aware of this then you're on the right track.

It's frustrating about the legal limit on prescribed doses - seeing as tolerance can rise and rise, and given the relative safety of benzos in OD (when not moxed with anything else ofc) it makes little sense to me. Still nothing we can do about that..

I don't know much about carbamazepine detox I'm afraid (not been able to help you a lot in any of your recent threads sorry!) but I'll try to do some reading about it later if I have time

 

[pally pete]

Well the carbemazepine will at least prevent any seizures, and might help with any anxiety too - when do you do this? Good luck! You're definitely right about doing some work after - the detox is not the full battle but as long as you are aware of this then you're on the right track.

Thank You.

Im not sure the exact date, i only filled out the referal form yesterday although my councillor says they usually get back to her within a couple of weeks.

I just hope and pray that they accept me....