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Benzos Coming of phenazepam

theghostofbillhicks

theghostofbillhicks

Bluelighter
Joined
Dec 21, 2003
Messages
994
Location
London
Dear all,

I am using phenazepam daily, in a propylene glycol solution, in which 1mg=1ml. I take 1 mg in the morning and one at night.

I began using to get off my gbl habit, which was nightly, and was totally ruining my sleep and health.

Im planning on tapering off but even the smallest reduction brings me out in aggressive and horribly overwhelming mood swings, paired with elation and manageable mania when the dose kicks in.

This is exhausting me and affecting my relationship. I want out but I don't want to invoke long term benzo withdrawal syndrome.

If anyone has any advice for me on how to lower my dose, how fast, how to get out and how to stay sane within all of this mess, I'd be so grateful. I just feel so overwhelmed and annoyed at myself for getting into this situation.

I have health problems from gbl/bezo use like teeth grinding, weird pain in my saliva glands and the moods and sadness.

Where's the exit?
 
That isn't a particularly long time to have been on benzos, even if you've been using daily, so theoretically it should be fairly easy to taper off, if you drop your dose by about 0.1-0.2mg every few days.. how long were you doing GBL before you got on the phenaz, though?
 
Do you have access to any other benzos such as valium? Phenaz is a bit.. 'dodgy' in that it's not as well researched as others and so tapering programs aren't as well established with it.
 
No just got the phenazepam. I know it's dodgy, that it's a Soviet anti-epilepsy medicine but it's all I have available.

In my draw I have maybe 3 gabapentin pills (300mgs) which might help, I don't know.
 
It should be fine working with phenazepam as it has a long half-life. I switched to clonazepam from lorazepam for clonazepam's longer half-life. Phenazepam should have a similar half-life as clonazepam. As long as you fell all right with its effects.

Tapering off a benzodiazepine is a long process in most cases of addiction. 2 months of use isn't really a long time. I would cut off the night dose from 1mg to 0.5mg and see how it goes. You shouldn't feel the effects the first few days after changing the dose because of the longer half-life, so if you feel something is different, it's your mind making it up. Unless there's a big decrease in dose, you shouldn't feel the effects on the first or second day with the new dose with long half-life BZDs.

If you feel like you can't control yourself, then let someone give you the drug. Also, you may go to a psychiatrist, that could help a lot with switching from phenazepam to diazepamum for example and get a taper-down schedule.
 
You're definitely going to need to work with a doctor on this, I would not recommend attempting to get clean off such a habit by yourself, the risks of seizures and other severe complications are too high IMO.

Get another benzo, I've never heard of anyone successfully tapering with phenazepam, you're going to want diazepam.
 
I can't go to the doctor. It would go on my medical record and I can't afford that because of who I am. I'm looking for tapering advice and techniques to deal with the attendant pain.
 
Okay, I will still do my best to assist you with this, but please note that if you cannot do this on your own, it's going to end up on your medical record and it is going to be something you have to live with, it's not the end of the world.

What milligram dosages are you currently taking per day and per dose, how many doses per day, and how long do you go between dosing?
 
Your taking it orally right?

Can you measure dose reductions of 0.1mg, 100 micrograms? (You should be able to if you're using 1mg/1mL in a 1mL syringe)
 
Tomorrow, you should try dropping by 0.1mg from both doses, so .9mg morning, .9mg night and see how that feels, and try to stick to that for a while.
 
2mg a day for two months really is not that bad...

But everyone reacts differently and after my experience with Phenaz last year, I know that even the rebound after using it every two or three days for a longer period can be pretty horrific.
I guess you are taking it primarily for sleep and anxiety (which GBL is known to ruin)?

I suggest getting a non-benzo sleep aid like Promethazine/Opipramol and more Gabapentin which can be tremendously helpful with withdrawls especially if anxiety is involved.
And doing sports, physical exhaustion and the distraction really helped me getting out of the hole which was my couch and 24/7 media-input...

Good luck!
 
Thanks so much. A month ago I got off the phenazepam complatelty and was taking 600 gabapentin per day but my friend said that's worse so put me back on the phenazepam. I will be droppping .mg on each dose each day and see how I fare over the ten days it would require for this suggested tapere. If I feel bad I'll have an emergency gabapentin as I not have a few left. Thanks.
 
OP, what you're experiencing is mostly the recovery from the GBL habit. Two months of benzos just isnt that much, especially a longacting one. I recommend you to get an eyedropper and reduce with drops at a time, or a syringe and reduce with 0.1ml at a time.
 
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