clonidine & benzodiazepines

[lman_15]

Hey,

I'm just wondering if clonidine has anything in it similar to benzo's i.e. if I were taking benzo's for 3 days in a row and then took clonidine for the 4th and 5th day would taking clonidine contribute to being physically dependent on benzo's? Would I theoretically be able to take clonidine for 2 days, then benzo's for 2 days and constantly go back and fourth without being physically dependent on either because they have different chemical make ups and clonidine aren't the same as benzo;s?

 

[NeighborhoodThreat]

What benzo are you taking?

Clonidine isn't going to increase your tolerance to benzos....as it is not a benzo or a GABA drug...

 

[Alex000]

^This. Clonidine is completely unrelated to benzodiazepines in any way. It works mainly by decreasing the levels of norepinephrine, benzos are GABAergic. However, if you are taking a longer acting benzo, it could remain in your system even the days you aren't taking it if you plan on alternating, and as a result physical dependence could form.

 

[lman_15]

I'm doing a oxycodone tapper and am dropping 20mg intervals every 4 days. I just dropped from 3 40mg pills a day to 2.5. The first 2 days of every drop I'm going to take either benzo's (valium or xanax) or clonidine. So for example:
1st 2 days of 2.5 40's a day I'm taking clonidine
1st 2 days of 2 40's a day I'm taking either valium or xanax
then back to clonidine and so on and so fourth. Could doing 2 days in a row in this fashion be physically dependent? Could there a be problem with this idea. My rational is that by doing this I won't take either clonidine or benzo's too often and will prevent becoming physically dependent on either. Does this make sense?

 

[lman_15]

Basically my plan is this take
2.5 40's for 4 days (1st 2 days clonidine)
2 40's for 4 days (1st 2 days xanax or valium)
1.5 40's for 4 days (1st 2 days clonidine)
1 40 for 4 days (1st 2 days xanax or valium)
0.5 40 for 4 days (1st 2 days clonidine)
would this work? would I have any risk of becoming physically dependent on benzos?

 

[Alex000]

My advice is too quicken your taper of oxycodone, use clonidine round-the-clock everyday, and benzos when needed. Tapering of oxycodone in the way you are will prolong discomfort and encourage relapse IMO. Clonidine can help with opiate wd's as everyone knows, and you don't really become physically dependent on it, though if you take it daily for a while I wouldn't stop suddenly because of the risk of rebound hypertension (high BP).

 

[lman_15]

If I used benzo's for up to 2-3 consequetive days every week, so 2-3 days in a row with benzo's then 4-5 days without it, would i be in a risk of becoming physically dependent


also, is there a difference in bioavailability if you sniff clonidine versus take it orally?? how long do the effects last?

 

[effie]

If you could sustain that level indefinitelty, with 4-5 day breaks, then you wouldn't become physically dependent - but that is very unrealistic, tolerance will go up and you are very likely to find yourself taking them for more and more consecutive days. Tis a slippery slope once you start using them like that. Also, taking anything regularly like that can easily lead to a psychological addiction, whether you are physically dependent or not.. and once you are psychologically addicted to something like benzos you are only a small step away from physical dependence.

No idea about the bioavailability of clonidine I am afraid, or any recreational effects, I've only encountered it used for withdrawals, alongside ADHD meds to counteract the side effects or as a blood pressure medication..

Also, please use the "edit" function in the future instead of posting twice I've merged your posts.

 

[lman_15]

okay thanks for all the great advice and input I was just wondering how long clonidine lasts? Where I live its 9pm. I was hoping to be sleeping by 2 or 3 am. If i took a clonidine now would it be a waste or would it be useful? (Just dropped from 3 40's to 2.5 40's)

 

[BabyGurl3171]

Stay away from benzos as much as you possibly can. They're the crack of pills, if you will. So easy to get hooked. Then to go chasin the first feelins you had when you took your first benzo(s).
I speak of experience. I got rx'd benzos fall of '07 and the first year or so I was one of the rare ones. Doin great, usin prn and no abuse. Til a bad day came along, I took an extra and to this day I'm hooked on 'em
As for the Clonidine, it can help but unfortunately I've found a way to abuse & enjoy those.
Maybe try something like gabapentin? I've been on that for years and each time I quit opiates, cold turkey, I haven't had any WD's but once...recently. And I had a pretty heavy problem, 200+ mgs demerol WITH 100+ mgs oxy PLUS 20 or so mgs Xanax...so, you're not alone!
Don't go CT tho as I was told by a rehab nurse she was shocked I wasn't havin convulsions or dead.

 

[Alex000]

Let me just say clonidine is not recreational, and I respectfully disagree with you Baby, benzos can be used responsibly esp. during opiate wd's. Is benzo addiction hell? It can be, yes, but they can be very helpful. And to the OP, whether or not you become physically dependent with your pattern of use depends to a degree on the half-life of the benzo used. I would speed up this taper, though, so you don't have to rely on benzos for as long, and you can kick the oxy and be done with it.

 

[lman_15]

yea I'm trying to taper as quickly as possible I already dropped from 4 day intervals to 2 day intervals cuz my girl needed pills to taper with to. Only thing I'm concerned with is that I got midterms luckily only 2 left, one which is today and then one monday. After I'm done on monday I'm probably just going to jump off I should be down to a 40 or half a 40 a day by then. I'm currently at 80mg's a day. To start my taper I started at 120mg's, so I know I haven't done that much but I've been successful in dropping from 3-5 40's a day plus a 0.1-0.3 of H a day (my original habit) to 80mg's a day of oxy so I'm glad with the success I've been having so far.

Any natural remedies I could use to help facilitate sleep? I'm trying to take benzo's 2 times a week tops, so the other nights I suffer insomnia when I don't take benzo's I get 2-4 hours sleep and I usually get 8-9 ideally.. is there anything tea, herbs, pills, etc. that I can take that won't be habit forming and that will actually knock me out (btw, really don't like smoking weed gives me a serious anxiety)

 

[TigerLord]

yea I'm trying to taper as quickly as possible I already dropped from 4 day intervals to 2 day intervals cuz my girl needed pills to taper with to. Only thing I'm concerned with is that I got midterms luckily only 2 left, one which is today and then one monday. After I'm done on monday I'm probably just going to jump off I should be down to a 40 or half a 40 a day by then. I'm currently at 80mg's a day. To start my taper I started at 120mg's, so I know I haven't done that much but I've been successful in dropping from 3-5 40's a day plus a 0.1-0.3 of H a day (my original habit) to 80mg's a day of oxy so I'm glad with the success I've been having so far.

Any natural remedies I could use to help facilitate sleep? I'm trying to take benzo's 2 times a week tops, so the other nights I suffer insomnia when I don't take benzo's I get 2-4 hours sleep and I usually get 8-9 ideally.. is there anything tea, herbs, pills, etc. that I can take that won't be habit forming and that will actually knock me out (btw, really don't like smoking weed gives me a serious anxiety)

I know this is an old post, and I hope this message finds you healthy, drug-free and I also hope you passed your finals. But don't you think it might have been better to wait until after finals were over before you tried to detox? But your reasoning was correct. I have detoxed from alcohol 7 or 8 times now and I used either Tranzene or Librium for the actual detox, combined with either clonidine or - lacking that - my wife's Ativan, haha. Also, melatonin is perfectly safe (your own body produces it) and it will put you on your ass if you take one or two and lie down within 30 minutes of taking it - and it is non-habit forming.