Benzos Daily Benzo use - tapering advice

[Hex13]

Am I at risk of anything if i do have to quit cold turkey

Uhh yeah...seizures, death, Delirium, hallucinations.
Benzo is one of the withdrawals along with alcohol you can die from.
But it doesnt come across as your using so much.

 

[Hex13]

So am i allowed to do pregabalin if theres xanax in my system? Sorry im very high right now so need some instructions on usage and stuff. Like what would you do in this situation.

Yes you can take as much Lyrica as needed

 

[Hex13]

You can also add to whatever cocktail you choose to kick, OTC Valerian, L-Theanin, even Benadryl and things of that nature. Weak on their own but an addition to what you are taking to kick. Phenobarb is easily prescribed, just say you had epilepsy as a kid and the seizures came back.
It will do near nothing for the anxiety but incredibly help calm your CNS, get you sleep and keep you alive (if its that serious).
Lyrica would help also as would sleep medicines that you use during your w/d such as ambien/restoril(benzo), etc.
Muscle relaxers will help , its hard to get soma nowadays though Im on it, but even Baclofen would help.
---keep the booze close for the time being in times of need.

 

[JackARoe]

This is a mess.

I do think a person should know their meds armed with knowledge. Oddly enough I have read a few posts where people are taking benzos everyday and are going to run out with only gabapentin or pregabalin. Someone on BL said it perfectly. You need benzos to taper off benzos. Heading straight into cold turkey with only pregabalin sounds dangerous. I have no experience. I do not think I could even go through the routine of getting addicted to benzos. But I do know that they are addictive, and need a taper plan for people trying come off. And pregabalin alone jumping off benzos is not really enough. (am I wrong?)

I hope the OP stays well. Keep us posted.

 

[Pissed_and_messed]

With luck, gabapentinoids might be enough to avoid disaster, but I absolutely wouldn't count on it.

 

[Hex13]

Straight up, Ive used large amounts of alcohol to kick heavy benzo addiction, just as benzos are used for alcohol withdrawal.

 

[Jabberwocky]

DISCLAIMER: this is my opinion. I am not a doctor and am not giving medical advice but opinion based on my personal experience.

Too big Xanax dose for Valium to compensate. I would highly advise to get more Xanax SR an then reduce it all down to 6mg Xanax only. This first cut would be painful and if you have to than add 1mg after a week and start from there. I advise short and agressive taper with 25% weekly reduction. This way you are not in any danger, and by danger I mean seizures, while at the same time you will feel the taste of benzo withdrawal which will hopefuly persuade you in the future that it is just not worth it. Not for recreational value. When speaking of pharmaceuticals benzodiazepines are, in my opinion, a drug with worst enjoy/suffer ratio. If it gets togh try not go up on the dose but stay longer on the same one. But move benzo taper wise pretty rapid. If you overdo the reduction you will know instantly cause it is Xanax and withdrawal will appear quickly. But not being able to sleep one nigth, or having shitty sleep all around is to expected. So is rebound anxiety, feeling of terror, nightmares... Let's say General anxiety disorder on steroids. This is ok and not a sign you need to up the dose. But if you start having problems like feelings of electric current going through your body eith occasional avenue from base of your spine to the head and feeling/hearing like bomb imploded in your brain than go up. That is starting to be a dangerous territory.

I would advise against any comfort meds if you can get more Xanax and do it this way. Also book an appointment with the psychiatrist cause you have some pain that you are trying to medicate away and you will possibly even get some benzo for a week or two and SSRI. You don't have to be frank with the psychiatrist and don't use SSRIs if prescribed but when you get out of all this mess I would urge you to go to speak with some psychologist and start resolving whatever you are medicating as soon as tapering circumstances allow you to. If this is one off with benzos than you don't have to tell your doctors/therapists. If you are unable to stop high doses and binges I highly advise telling it. Will you ho all frank attack or make it seem like it was prescribed meds that lead you to escalate that is up to you. Please try to treat the root causes of your distress and not the symptoms.


I advise aginst alcohol or even other GABAerics IF you can get mor Xanax and follow through. If not then itvis all together different story.

And please let us posted. You will get different responses from different angles and based on that opinions, experience and knowledge, which is floatin around Bluelight like lies through politics and based on that you can decide your way forward. Read BLUA and be ready to receive. Hopefully you will pay it forward in the future but now is time to recieve. Take care man, hope it gets better.

DISCLAIMER: this is my opinion. I am not a doctor and am not giving medical advice but opinion based on my personal experience.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Straight up, Ive used large amounts of alcohol to kick heavy benzo addiction, just as benzos are used for alcohol withdrawal.

This is just like people use methadone to kick heroin but the other way around. I would not advise it the same way I would not advise a person that is addicted on methadone to try to kick it with heroin.

Edit - @Hex13 you are allowed to speak freely, again in the context of BLUA, but please be as careful and moderate as you can be. This kind of simple advices can lead to injury or worse. Not just for OP but for inexperienced users reading this without crrating BL account. So called lurkers.

Having said that - welcome to Bluelight!

 

[Pissed_and_messed]

is to expected

I would say anything can be expected of benzo withdrawals and there is not always clear explanation

 

[Jabberwocky]

That is true, but what I layed out are some of the most common symptoms and developments. I am not claiming to know. That is why I clearly stated the disclaimer and that others will have their view. In the end we have different biopsychosocial patterns and what will certain molecule do and how will body respoonds can vary widely within the spectrum of that moleculs ability to interact with human body.

 

[Pissed_and_messed]

yeah your reply was solid. Just wanted to emphasize that if shit is weird it doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong.
If there is delirium or pre-seizure symptoms, it might require some correction tho'.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Ive been using Xanax daily for a while now with the occasional Vallium. At first it wasnt too much but its turned into alot since my tolerance has gone up massively i think, like 10 bars daily maybe more. I’ even on a bunch of xanax and vallium right now, the recreational effects are almost entirely gone, i just dont worry as much but my inhabitions go down which is why i take so many a day. How should i go about getting off these should i quit cold turkey or taper slowly. If so, any advice for tapering. Also can you taper off Xanax with Vallium does that work the same. I need some advice Also is it okay to use valium daily as long as its not for very long. I need indepth answers to all these questions sorry I know this is alot to deal with i just need help/advice. Because ive been heavily abusing xanax daily. Also any questions you need to ask for more information pls ask. Thank you all

Hey, this is my first time posting, but I really want to try and help you out. I'll start with this:

DON'T quit cold turkey!!! Quitting benzos cold turkey can cause seizures!
I'm not entirely sure how long you've been taking the Xanax and Valium, but you've been taking A LOT, so I'll assume it's been close to/over a year? Everyone is different, but let's just assume this puts you in the high risk category for seizures.

Valium can absolutely be used to taper from Xanax. Xanax has a very short half life but packs quite the punch. Valium has a much, much longer half life, and although it doesn't have the same "immediate" effect like Xanax, it's still a powerful benzo.
Even if you don't "feel" the effects from the Valium because it's been say, 6 hours, it's still there and still working for up to 24 hours, or longer.

Unfortunately, there's no quick solution for benzo withdrawals. You may (or may not) experience PAWS for months after. BUTTT, it will be SO friggin worth it!!

Drop the Xanax by 10% every 2 weeks depending on how your body tolerates the drop - every 4 weeks if you *absolutely* have to. I'd suggest only taking a 10mg Valium once things start to get almost unbearable.
Keep going like that.. within a few months you should start noticing BIG differences in your life and EVERYTHING will become so. Much. Clearer.

Now, I'm saying all this assuming detox isn't an option.... however, I also know that detox centers aren't for everyone. Detox is generally just one of the many steps to getting "sober" (quotations because not everyone's idea of sober looks the same). Hitting some 12'step meetings, or anything similar, couldn't hurt to try!

If anyone wants to correct me, please do!!

All the best and let us know how things go hey??
Xx

 

[Jabberwocky]

So i’d say ive been slowly increasing day by day for a few weeks. Its hard to say, I bought 3 bottles of 60 2mg XR (alwys chew or parachute them) started slow but then binged on them for a few days like 54 in like 4 days, continued using after than increasing from maybe 2 and a half daily to now like 12 pills a day with an occasional few valiums in the mix (10mg) I might be able to get some off my very close friend to help me taper if this sounds bad. But i wouldnt know what to say because she worries alot about benzos and she worries if she gives me any I'll get addicted. So i’m not sure

My fault for not reading the entire thread You really went ham in a few weeks, eh?? lol

So, in my non professional opinion, it's still going to be tough coming off them... but your brain/body will likely rebound much quicker than someone who's been on/using them for months/years. Howeverrr... It's not gonna be a walk in the park. Our brains reeeealllllyyyyy like those feel good chemicals and once you overload those receptors, it takes time to get things moving "normal" again.

since it has only been a few weeks (lucky you - seriously), I'd go with the advice mentioned before, which was to taper as quickly and safely, as you possibly can.
You're going to feel anxious as helllllll. Sleep may feel impossible, and you might feel like you want to rip your legs off. This is where the pregab would (should) come in handy.

You're kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place. You could space the bars out, but that's just prolonging the taper. You could cut back significantly with the help of Valium and pregab, but it's gonna be very uncomfy. Doable(?), but not pleasant. If this is the only option you're left with, you may HAVE to escort yourself to the nearest emerg and be straight up with everyone you see.

No one wants you dying from withdrawal.

Benzos really aren't something to fuck around with. I had no idea what they were when I was prescribed them for anxiety and sleep over 15 years ago... I was on Xanax, temazepam, and zopiclone at the same time. Im down to 15mg of valium, and 15mg of zopiclone a night and I never look forward to the drops.

If you're that worried, and I mean no disrespect by saying this, then maybe you should get advice from a medical professional. Again, please let us know how things go!!

 

[Dextro .45]

If you don’t have sufficient backup supply of Diclazepam or any other loooong acting benzo, go see a doctor asap and tell them everything, even bringing in evidence of your usage (7 empty bottle of Etizolam bottles, empty blister packs of past scripts showing your usage)

They’ll write you a script for Diazepam (Valium) 10mg and safety/gradually reduce your dosage

Bring in a copy of that Ashton Manual for benzo reduction, some docs probably have no idea what that is

 

[paltatomate]

oh and try to stay busy and drinking/eating right.

In general, do things you enjoy to keep occupied, but nothing stressful.

Someone on BL said it perfectly. You need benzos to taper off benzos.

That's what I was told, too.

Now my advice comes from two different sources: myself (I'm not dependent and never been on high doses over 3mg of Clonazepam) and a friend who was on flunis for more than a decade.

My friend was a radiologist-to-be, and his roomie and second best friend worked as a nurse in the same hospital, so getting their hands on anything wasn't the problem. They also had access to any kind of other drugs. I wasn't really present during the six weeks my friend tried to get off the flunis, but I did talk a lot to him on the phone. Mostly at nights because of insomnia, and when his roomie was on duty. He never got off them completely, but managed to drop his tolerance enough to serve his purposes: getting his nasal polyps (anesthesiology issues) and not getting into trouble with the Swiss Army (his first year he couldn't find a way around serving the required 2-4 weeks). He had to confess about his benzo addiction to his boss, though (no repercussions).
By now this friend has a severely damaged kidney.

Now his case might be extreme, I don't know. I sometimes take Clonazepam for a week or ten days, which is when I end with the higher doses, which are still low compared low to what others take. But it wouldn't occur to me to stop taking the pills from one day to another. Maybe I wouldn't be at risk of actually dying from withdrawal, but it certainly feels that way. Both physically and mentally. And the only thing that helps me during those taper-off days is what I mentioned before:
Keep yourself busy with things you enjoy, both physical and mental distractions are good, as well as "silly" and challenging things.
If you can have a good friend who is willing to help, great.
Keeping stress low.
Drink enough liquid (which you should do anyway).
And don't be afraid to reach out for professional help - no repercussion can be more finite than death (like my friend, who risked his 7+ years of higher education and a paid residency at a private Swiss hospital and lived to tell).

 

[Jabberwocky]

By now this friend has a severely damaged kidney.

Now his case might be extreme, I don't know.

Did your friend at any point went on "GABAeric replacement therapy with alcohol"? It is perfectly possible to damage any part of the body with any substance if the usage is extreme. But alcohol is much more dangerous drug than are benzodiazepines and not so good for kidneys cause the dehydration it causes.

 

[paltatomate]

Did your friend at any point went on "GABAeric replacement therapy with alcohol"? It is perfectly possible to damage any part of the body with any substance if the usage is extreme. But alcohol is much more dangerous drug than are benzodiazepines and not so good for kidneys cause the dehydration it causes.

I have no details about what my friend went through during his benzo tolerance reduction phase.
Because that's what it was, he never wanted or expected to get totally clean.
What I observed in regard of alcohol is that he could drink a lot more alcohol than others without shoving symptoms of being drunk. He also drank a lot of mineral water during work days, and when we were out partying, he switched between beer and mineral water.
He once almost collapsed when we were visiting Barcelona and got lost in a neighborhood that had no cafes or anything open to get some water. A guy we met offered some beers, and it was kind of a solution, but not a real replacement for water (obviously).

I agree with your point about alcohol. Not only in regard of primary health issues. I think more accidents happen because of of alcohol abuse than of abuse of other substances. And the fact that it's legal to consume in most countries makes it kind of more dangerous.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Ive been using Xanax daily for a while now with the occasional Vallium. At first it wasnt too much but its turned into alot since my tolerance has gone up massively i think, like 10 bars daily maybe more. I’ even on a bunch of xanax and vallium right now, the recreational effects are almost entirely gone, i just dont worry as much but my inhabitions go down which is why i take so many a day. How should i go about getting off these should i quit cold turkey or taper slowly. If so, any advice for tapering. Also can you taper off Xanax with Vallium does that work the same. I need some advice Also is it okay to use valium daily as long as it's not for very long. I need indepth answers to all these questions sorry I know this is alot to deal with i just need help/advice. Because ive been heavily abusing xanax daily. Also any questions you need to ask for more information pls ask. Thank you all

Hello, wondering how you're doing?

I also forgot to ask, is there any chance you can get your hands on some Zopiclone? Or any "Z" drugs (ambien, etc..) I'm not sure if they're called the same thing where you live, but their chemical makeup is VERY similar to benzos in how they affect the brain and body.

A good friend, who was staying with me at the time, was going through alcohol withdrawals HARD.
I gave her a few options of diazepam, zopiclone, flexeril, and lyrica.
We agreed that she'd sleep in bed with me until she could get into detox.
She'd have someone to take care of/watch over her, and Id know she was safe... and not seizing in her bed alone .. or worse.. having no one to call 911.

Of course, I didn't GIVE her all those meds at once... becauseI know what withdrawal is like. And if she was anything like me, she probably would've overdone it.. just a little...

Anyways, she made it through 3 days with just the zops and some flexeril. Just until she got into detox. And honestly , she said she liked them MUCH better than the diazepam. The zops took away her shakes, shits, and puking.

I also find I can pop half a 7.5mg instead of 20mg of diazepam, and feel almost exactly the same. In a good way.

Hope that helps a little.

 

[mauve]

Am I at risk of anything if i do have to quit cold turkey

Yes please do not cold turkey, Google the Ashton manual lots of information

 

[Dextro .45]

You need a solid Diazepam (Valium) script that is slowly reduced every week until your comfortable to switch over to Gabapentin or Pregabalin with Clonidine 0.1mg tablets at night for sleep and relaxation