I want to say I wanted to discuss this issue- I am not an expert on benzos and recently was asking about dependence (how long it takes/how often they can be used without becoming dependent) and have only been dependent on benzos in low doses of kpin when prescribed and came off with relatively few problems. But based on observations I wanted to talk about the common advice given to people dependent: call your doctor so they can put you on a diazepam taper/go to the ER. I will say if you have no benzos and going into WD yes go to the ER. But in other situations (like the person getting an rx (which could be yanked out from under them) or being dependent and going to the ER) I wanted to discuss this advice. I am definitely open to opposing opinions and it is why I posted this thread. I posted this on a thread for someone personally going through it but wanted to make a general thread so this could be discussed as I've seen disturbing things happen when docs take people off benzos:
Everyone says go to the ER- but honestly I can't say going to the doc is always even the safest route (I will probably get flamed for this but give me a minute to explain). Before I go further I will say this though- if you find yourself getting to where you won't be able to get benzos and will have to taper much faster than you should- YES GO TO THE HOSPITAL OR IMMEDIATELY CALL A DOCTOR.
If you can do it (either yourself or someone who has your best interest in mind can dispense them) I would say it might actually be safer to make sure a taper is going to be done by getting a supply, and if you can't control it have someone else do so. I have seen people go to detox who are on benzos (RX) and taking opioids and have their benzos yanked (happened to me when I went in to kick 90 something mgs of methadone a day years ago- and I was stuck there for a week (it was so bad and didn't sleep a week till I got home and took my kpins and finally took a nap- and I was only on an average of like 1-1.5 mgs most days) and I've seen people have seizures and almost die. One guy was coming off 210mgs of methadone, and was also prescribed 2mg xanax bars (up to four a day every 6 hours as needed) and didn't go there to get off the xanax, he just wanted to get off the methadone first (I personally would get down a lot below that, I would never try to kick methadone at a dose above 40mgs a day again). They took his xanax anyways and he had a seizure and was in the ICU for 3 days. This detox was actually very expensive and highly regarded and they had 3 prescribing docs there: 1 ALWAYS took the patients off benzos b/c he didn't believe in them (he believed in drug addicts suffered more they would be more likely to get clean- thankfully I don't think he works there anymore) and the other 2 probably did it 30-50% of the time (I would possibly tell them I was an alcoholic if I ended up in the hospital and was going to WD from benzos- they have to taper you then). And I've seen it elsewhere.
I've seen people just yanked off benzos they are prescribed with no taper from high doses outside of the hospital environment as well. One friend of mine was on 3mgs of klonopin a day and had a social worker that came buy to check on them randomly (they were one of those people who aren't allowed to touch their own money and the state pays their bills and gives them a weekly allowance) and he was cooking eggs one day and the social worker came by and he ended up burning them. They figured he must be taking something and called his doctor and had his script yanked. He became a daily drinker.
I always hear people say "tell your doc so they will taper you with diazepam" but I have almost never seen it happen when someone comes clean to their doctor about a benzo problem. Unless it is absolutely impossible and the person will keep compulsively taking them (and can't have a supply (wither RX (preferably) or if it had to be a long lasting RC that is less abusable) I actually wouldn't necessarily recommend it. Yes, in a perfect world it is what would happen but in my experience (mostly people I've known- I've never had a BIG benzo habit or a habit other than from an RX) it rarely does.
Everyone says go to the ER- but honestly I can't say going to the doc is always even the safest route (I will probably get flamed for this but give me a minute to explain). Before I go further I will say this though- if you find yourself getting to where you won't be able to get benzos and will have to taper much faster than you should- YES GO TO THE HOSPITAL OR IMMEDIATELY CALL A DOCTOR.
If you can do it (either yourself or someone who has your best interest in mind can dispense them) I would say it might actually be safer to make sure a taper is going to be done by getting a supply, and if you can't control it have someone else do so. I have seen people go to detox who are on benzos (RX) and taking opioids and have their benzos yanked (happened to me when I went in to kick 90 something mgs of methadone a day years ago- and I was stuck there for a week (it was so bad and didn't sleep a week till I got home and took my kpins and finally took a nap- and I was only on an average of like 1-1.5 mgs most days) and I've seen people have seizures and almost die. One guy was coming off 210mgs of methadone, and was also prescribed 2mg xanax bars (up to four a day every 6 hours as needed) and didn't go there to get off the xanax, he just wanted to get off the methadone first (I personally would get down a lot below that, I would never try to kick methadone at a dose above 40mgs a day again). They took his xanax anyways and he had a seizure and was in the ICU for 3 days. This detox was actually very expensive and highly regarded and they had 3 prescribing docs there: 1 ALWAYS took the patients off benzos b/c he didn't believe in them (he believed in drug addicts suffered more they would be more likely to get clean- thankfully I don't think he works there anymore) and the other 2 probably did it 30-50% of the time (I would possibly tell them I was an alcoholic if I ended up in the hospital and was going to WD from benzos- they have to taper you then). And I've seen it elsewhere.
I've seen people just yanked off benzos they are prescribed with no taper from high doses outside of the hospital environment as well. One friend of mine was on 3mgs of klonopin a day and had a social worker that came buy to check on them randomly (they were one of those people who aren't allowed to touch their own money and the state pays their bills and gives them a weekly allowance) and he was cooking eggs one day and the social worker came by and he ended up burning them. They figured he must be taking something and called his doctor and had his script yanked. He became a daily drinker.
I always hear people say "tell your doc so they will taper you with diazepam" but I have almost never seen it happen when someone comes clean to their doctor about a benzo problem. Unless it is absolutely impossible and the person will keep compulsively taking them (and can't have a supply (wither RX (preferably) or if it had to be a long lasting RC that is less abusable) I actually wouldn't necessarily recommend it. Yes, in a perfect world it is what would happen but in my experience (mostly people I've known- I've never had a BIG benzo habit or a habit other than from an RX) it rarely does.