Benzos Benzo withdrawal survivors.. does it get better?

[Nicocastillo7]

I am on pregabalin 450 mg daily and clonazepam 6 mg per day. I hope I don't have any problems getting my medication next month since I've been taking benzos daily for more than 7 years and quitting them overnight seems like it could cause me trauma... or worse, I've been in days of withdrawal, and it's horrible. .

 

[Eryximachus]

I stopped visiting this site over a year ago when I decided to get serious about getting clean. Benzos were the last thing. A moderate 7 yearlong habit that still did major damage to my life.

But I can report that I feel absolutely fine today. It was a hard road, but honestly not as hard as I expected. I used carbamazepine for the first 2-3 months after quitting, which helped quite a bit. I later found out that there is a good amount of evidence that carbamazepine helps with drug cravings across the board. I was a major coke and speed fiend, and I had zero desire for anything during that time.

I still struggle with depression since quitting, which isn't something I typically have experienced in life (manic tendencies predominate in life generally). But my cognition is much better. For the first 3-4 months, I could barely read anything complex. This was a major problem as my career is applied economics, where I read lots of data and use that data to write 50–150-page documents. That has improved immensely. I can't say when for sure.

Another thing you have to be careful about is agoraphobia. I have to REALLY force myself to go outside. It was SUPER HARD the first few months. I work from home, so this was unexpected. I still kind of feel it in a way I never did.

Overall, I don't think acute withdrawal was so bad, but it took me a year until I felt "healed" as the benzo people say. Honestly, I was so terrified of getting off benzos even 5-6 years ago. I stayed on them solely because of the fear of withdrawal. I'd given anything to go back in time and tell myself that it's really not that bad.

Good luck!

 

[Eryximachus]

Xanax works good but above 1mg i feel zombie on it.

I have Xanax around because I use them as trip killers for LSD and shrooms, or if I was too stressed out (this is once in a while thing). It works fast, which is what I need in these situations. I just want a benzo that’s long -lasting than Xanax and doesn't have harsh comedown or rebound anxiety.

Firstly, there is no good benzo. They all ultimately suck and rationalizing one over another is a fool's errand.

For trip killering, I think antipsychotics are better. One available everywhere that has a good short term side effect profile is risperidone. It doesn't hit any histamine or muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. This is really good for your brain health. Long term it gives some guys bitch tits and lactation, but short term it's good. Easily found. Works quickly unlike say, Seroquel, which is very sedating at first and takes 2 months or more to be effective.

There is just no reason to keep benzos around just for trips. Too much blow? Maybe.

 

[Kizaru]

Firstly, there is no good benzo. They all ultimately suck and rationalizing one over another is a fool's errand.

For trip killering, I think antipsychotics are better. One available everywhere that has a good short term side effect profile is risperidone. It doesn't hit any histamine or muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. This is really good for your brain health. Long term it gives some guys bitch tits and lactation, but short term it's good. Easily found. Works quickly unlike say, Seroquel, which is very sedating at first and takes 2 months or more to be effective.

There is just no reason to keep benzos around just for trips. Too much blow? Maybe.

I actually disagree , pyrazolam is the best benzo . Less physically addictive because of its unique binding affinity on the A2 and A3 gaba sub receptor . I tested it my self for 2 months of daily usage dose ranging from 3/1.5 mg avarage . I actually posted a thread about this and linked the pubmed study indicating tolerance and withdrawal symptoms mostly comes from the A1 receptor which causes sedation and hypnose . A2 was mostly generalised anxiety and a3 was muscle relaxation . In low doses 0.5/1mg range pyrazolam only binds to the a2 and a3 receptor. Higher doses still bind to the a1 receptor (6mg) so my no means pyrazolam is not addictive but its Alot more friendly and very effective . Its actually the only benzo giving some mood boost also . Benzos like bromazolam binds to the a1 most likely thats why i alrdy experienced night mares after only couple of days usage .

 

[Kizaru]

Firstly, there is no good benzo. They all ultimately suck and rationalizing one over another is a fool's errand.

For trip killering, I think antipsychotics are better. One available everywhere that has a good short term side effect profile is risperidone. It doesn't hit any histamine or muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. This is really good for your brain health. Long term it gives some guys bitch tits and lactation, but short term it's good. Easily found. Works quickly unlike say, Seroquel, which is very sedating at first and takes 2 months or more to be effective.

There is just no reason to keep benzos around just for trips. Too much blow? Maybe.

Benzos are great for trip killings ..

 

[snmfmy]

That’s so weird you said that I just bought a motorcycle?! Do you know me hah wow.

I am fighting I’m on suboxone and gabapentin which helps but gabapentin also doesn’t allow my gaba receptors to heal which unfortunately I feel contributes to the mental fog I experience

Why would you say that about gabapentin? It's a misconception that gabapentin acts at the GABA-A receptor like benzodiazepines.

It doesn't affect GABA-A receptors or the benzodiazepine subreceptor on the GABA-A complex.

 

[Kizaru]

Why would you say that about gabapentin? It's a misconception that gabapentin acts at the GABA-A receptor like benzodiazepines.

It doesn't affect GABA-A receptors or the benzodiazepine subreceptor on the GABA-A complex.

It doesnt act on gaba a receptors , its a sodium channel blocker indeed . I took shitloads of lyrica to ease ghb withdrawal and never in my life experienced one form dependancy from it unlike benzos nor even a rebound . Same goes for baclofen .

 

[snmfmy]

My problem with Xanax was the comedown. This night I pop 1 mg pill, the next night I start to worst rebound anxiety. It always starts with feeling impending doom — thinking I’m soon going to get a heartattack (hearing my heart race) or feeling like I’d get grand mal seizure (due to brain zaps). Ive never tried other benzos besides alprazolam (Xanax) and lorozapam, but Im planning to try diazepam at least once.

Short half-life benzodiazepines really have a bad withdrawal/ discontinuation syndrome.

However, diazepam and chlordiazepoxide, are very easy to taper due to their extremely long half-life.

I would advise every person trying to get off benzodiazepines too substitute with the appropriate dose of either Valium or Librium and then taper using an ashton taper schedule.

 

[Kizaru]

Short half-life benzodiazepines really have a bad withdrawal/ discontinuation syndrome.

However, diazepam and chlordiazepoxide, are very easy to taper due to their extremely long half-life.

I would advise every person trying to get off benzodiazepines too substitute with the appropriate dose of either Valium or Librium and then taper using an ashton taper schedule.

Is a half life of 17 hours doable in tapering ?

 

[snmfmy]

It doesnt act on gaba a receptors , its a sodium channel blocker indeed . I took shitloads of lyrica to ease ghb withdrawal and never in my life experienced one form dependancy from it unlike benzos nor even a rebound . Same goes for baclofen .

I know that, that's why I asked the question. It also does affect extra synaptic Delta-GABA receptors.

I had a short discontinuation/withdrawal syndrome from gabapentin.

Baclofen however, is the devil as much as benzodiazepines. In fact, I would say that the withdrawal syndrome for baclofen is actually worse.

 

[Kizaru]

I know that, that's why I asked the question. It also does affect extra synaptic Delta-GABA receptors.

I had a short discontinuation/withdrawal syndrome from gabapentin.

Baclofen however, is the devil as much as benzodiazepines. In fact, I would say that the withdrawal syndrome for baclofen is actually worse.

Sorry i knew you know it , i was actually talking about how i never felt one form of dependancy from it but still i see alot of complains in wd .

 

[snmfmy]

Is a half life of 17 hours doable in tapering ?

Not even close.

The only other benzodiazepines that are acceptable for tapering would be clonazepam (60 hours half-life) but it's potency gets in the way. Luckily there are NOW 0.125 mg tablets, which are equivalent to 2.5 mg of diazepam which is a walk-off dose; or you could break the tablet in half which gives you a 1.25 diazepam equivalent. Which is more of a walk-off dose.

or, Nordaz which is desmethyldiazepam, basically the metabolite of both Valium and librium that has the extremely long half-life. I don't think it's sold in the United States.

 

[Kizaru]

I know that, that's why I asked the question. It also does affect extra synaptic Delta-GABA receptors.

I had a short discontinuation/withdrawal syndrome from gabapentin.

Baclofen however, is the devil as much as benzodiazepines. In fact, I would say that the withdrawal syndrome for baclofen is actually worse.

Baclofen worse no freaking way . Baclofen was the least addictive of all both physically and psychological . I took shit tons of baclofen never even formed a kindling effect from it . I know it can still cause dangerous wd because its still a gaba b receptor analog . But the gaba b receptor upregulates much much faster than the gaba a sub receptors .

 

[Kizaru]

Not even close.

The only other benzodiazepines that are acceptable for tapering would be clonazepam (60 hours half-life) but it's potency gets in the way. Luckily there are NOW 0.125 mg tablets, which are equivalent to 1.66 mg of diazepam which is a walk-off dose;

or, Nordaz which is desmethyldiazepam, basically the metabolite of both Valium and librium that has the extremely long half-life. I don't think it's sold in the United States.

You can taper with xanax , its not undoable . I even tapered ghb with 24/7 usage with a half life of 30/60 mins litteraly ..

 

[Kizaru]

Not even close.

The only other benzodiazepines that are acceptable for tapering would be clonazepam (60 hours half-life) but it's potency gets in the way. Luckily there are NOW 0.125 mg tablets, which are equivalent to 2.5 mg of diazepam which is a walk-off dose; or you could break the tablet in half which gives you a 1.25 diazepam equivalent. Which is more of a walk-off dose.

or, Nordaz which is desmethyldiazepam, basically the metabolite of both Valium and librium that has the extremely long half-life. I don't think it's sold in the United States.

If it is impossible to taper shorter half lifes of benzos then how do people taper baclofen with a even shorter half life then xanax ?

 

[snmfmy]

Baclofen worse no freaking way . Baclofen was the least addictive of all both physically and psychological . I took shit tons of baclofen never even formed a kindling effect from it . I know it can still cause dangerous wd because its still a gaba b receptor analog . But the gaba b receptor upregulates much much faster than the gaba a sub receptors .

Well I was on it daily for up to 80 mg three times a day for muscle spasms that did not respond to any other drug (can't take cyclobenzaprine, the zannaflex didn't work, in the doctor did not want to raise my Diazepam dose high enough to work), and it caused horrible insomnia even during a taper. AS WELL AS CENTRAL SLEEP APNEA. If you don't know what that is, be glad. It is where the body and brain are disconnected right at the point of sleep and you literally stop breathing as you transition from wake to sleep. It happens to a non-trivial percent of baclofen users enough that it's identified as a side effect.

Ultimately, the doctor raised my diazepam dosage until my condition resolved with respect to the severe muscle spasms.

I will never touch baclofen again, but I will take Valium and Librium no problem.

 

[snmfmy]

You can taper with xanax , its not undoable . I even tapered ghb with 24/7 usage with a half life of 30/60 mins litteraly ..

Why go through the BS when there are long half-life low potency benzodiazepines available for taper?

 

[Kizaru]

Why go through the BS when there are long half-life low potency benzodiazepines available for taper?

Not everyone can get acces to longer half life benzos maybe ?

 

[Kizaru]

Why go through the BS when there are long half-life low potency benzodiazepines available for taper?

I get your point and yes obviously diazepam is preferable, but tapering with xanax is not impossible with a half life between 6/11 hours.
If they can taper a substance with a half life of 30/60mins ghb in this case .

 

[Kizaru]

Well I was on it daily for up to 80 mg three times a day for muscle spasms that did not respond to any other drug (can't take cyclobenzaprine, the zannaflex didn't work, in the doctor did not want to raise my Diazepam dose high enough to work), and it caused horrible insomnia even during a taper. AS WELL AS CENTRAL SLEEP APNEA. If you don't know what that is, be glad. It is where the body and brain are disconnected right at the point of sleep and you literally stop breathing as you transition from wake to sleep. It happens to a non-trivial percent of baclofen users enough that it's identified as a side effect.

Ultimately, the doctor raised my diazepam dosage until my condition resolved with respect to the severe muscle spasms.

I will never touch baclofen again, but I will take Valium and Librium no problem.

I am sorry to hear that . I strictly used baclofen in 50 mg doses (i had the 25mg tablets) when i was coming off ghb which also acts on the gaba b receptor . But still used quite alot because i abused the hell out of ghb for years and never i experienced rebound nor wd from it . And i do have very high anxiety level . But i got another guy i know who also used baclofen for longer and he described the same horrible wd as you . But baclofen no way has the 2 week mark like benzos , you need at least multiple months higher doses multiple times a day . There is also a baclofen pump which can be used indefinitely for some muscle desease i dunno which one exactly. Also i could take 70mg and it didnt even feel like 5 mg diazepam , it dit work very well for ghb wd though thats why i used it.