Benzos Diazepam dependant--- which anxiety benzo would I benefit most from changing to

[Sk1500]

Hi all,

I've been on Diazepam and occasionally Oxazepam for 10 years, with an 18 month break between.

It's very hard, nearly impossible to get any others prescribed. I can get hold of Alprazolam, Clonazepam or Lorazepam. Which would I most likely notice the difference from the most?

Also on fairly high dose of Oramorph 160mg daily not sure if that changes anything. Need something different than diazepam that I'll actually feel. Only on 40mg daily but would take easily double that before I can really feel it.

Thanks

 

[WhitePlaster]

Clonazepam if you must have a change. IMHO Diaz is the safest and most benign benzo to be on long-term so I don't see why you would want a change in the first place.

 

[Sk1500]

Clonazepam if you must have a change. IMHO Diaz is the safest and most benign benzo to be on long-term so I don't see why you would want a change in the first place.

Thanks, I'm not changing but I would like to have a box of something else because I am feeling very anxious, also I'm hoping that if got something different, then that might lower by diazepam tolerance a bit.

 

[Oldskipper]

Clonazepam if you must have a change. IMHO Diaz is the safest and most benign benzo to be on long-term so I don't see why you would want a change in the first place.

^^^This. Klonopin/ritrovil depending on what part of the world you live. Similar half life as diazepam, anxylotic effects a lot more pronounced, not as sedative as diazepam. Basically, Xanax with legs. Not the most recreational benzo, but the best 'all-rounder' to me at least.

 

[Cream Gravy?]

anxylotic effects a lot more pronounced

Basically, Xanax with legs.

Lol wut? Clonazepam is the weakest of weak benzos IME. If I were OP I'd just stay on diazepam, it is and always will be the best BZD.

 

[tubgirl.jpg]

Seeing as you already have Diazepam, which is long acting and takes a bit longer to kick in, I'd take either alprazolam or lorazepam as the extra benzos for those emergencies.

I don't find clonazepam to be particularly good at curbing anxiety compared to neither diazepam or alprazolam. It also takes forever to kick in.

 

[Oldskipper]

Lol wut?

Can't really make it clearer. It kills anxiety/panic in the same manner that Xanax does. Equivalent doses of Diaz don't even come close (equivalent dose being 0.5 Alp/kpin=10mg diaz) but Clonazepam doesn't hit as fast or leave as fast as xans. Switching a long time valium habit/dependence to a Xanax habit, be it therapeutically or recreationally isn't very clever, and any doctor who'd advocate it should be struck off, given the extremely long half life of Diaz and the ridiculously short half life of Xanax.
Clonazepam however, whilst being up there with Xanax for mg to mg potency, would be the obvious choice for someone wanting to switch from diazepam to a different benzo, as the half life of both are roughly the same.

 

[Cream Gravy?]

Clonazepam however, whilst being up there with Xanax for mg to mg potency, would be the obvious choice for someone wanting to switch from diazepam to a different benzo, as the half life of both are roughly the same.

I agree. Some people are good at metabolizing clonazepam though, while many aren't. For me, .5mg alpraz = 2mg clonazepam = 10mg diazepam. So I'm fairly biased against Cpam.

But yeah, I guess if the OP wanted to switch, half-life wise clonaz would be best. I just don't think it holds a candle up to diazepam nor alprazolam as anxiety medications.

 

[tubgirl.jpg]

Can't really make it clearer. It kills anxiety/panic in the same manner that Xanax does. Equivalent doses of Diaz don't even come close (equivalent dose being 0.5 Alp/kpin=10mg diaz) but Clonazepam doesn't hit as fast or leave as fast as xans. Switching a long time valium habit/dependence to a Xanax habit, be it therapeutically or recreationally isn't very clever, and any doctor who'd advocate it should be struck off, given the extremely long half life of Diaz and the ridiculously short half life of Xanax.
Clonazepam however, whilst being up there with Xanax for mg to mg potency, would be the obvious choice for someone wanting to switch from diazepam to a different benzo, as the half life of both are roughly the same.

If you get a panic-attack, you want a Xanax and not a K-pin. You can still be on diazepam but take Xanax if you suffer an acute attack.

 

[Bare_head]

Yeah i find clonazepam a totally different feeling to most benzos. It takes a while to kick in. Doesnt hit as strong when it does. Is quite subtle it feels dream like in low doeses. Have not pushed the dose higher than 1.5mg though.

Think its much less recreational than most benzos.

 

[Oldskipper]

If you get a panic-attack, you want a Xanax and not a K-pin. You can still be on diazepam but take Xanax if you suffer an acute attack.

True enough, but therein lies the problem. Thankfully, panic attacks aren't something that plague my life as they once did, and indeed nothing stops them in their tracks more effectively than a Xanax under the tongue. It wears off so fast however that the temptation to redose is extremely hard to resist, eventually becoming compulsive. And well, we all know where that leads. Kpins are a lot more subtle however, Even though they on par mg to mg as xans the urge to redose is miniscule compared to the mighty xan. Significantly reducing the risk of sliding down the slippery slope to physical addiction, and all the problems that come with such an addiction, of which there are many. Xanax addiction for instance is more often than not treated with a long taper of a less potent, longer lasting benzo(such as diazepam). Treating a dependence to diazepam using Xanax however is comparable to using absinthe to wean yourself off your nightly six pack of beer.

 

[necropolis]

In terms of maintaining stability, a drug with a longer half-life is a better bet - clonazepam would be the best overall option from that standpoint but it does take forever to feel the effects. For sudden-onset anxiety and/or panic symptoms, alprazolam is probably the best. I would avoid lorazepam as it is not very fat soluble highly protein-bound, meaning that it usually takes a long time to kick in when taken orally and does not have quite as good skeletal muscle relaxant effects. Be careful with dosage when taking opioid medication. Also keep in mind that I'm not a medical professional and so cannot give genuine medical advice, but I was a long-term benzodiazepine user (daily use for the better part of a decade, all by legitimate prescription) and still take them occasionally for anxiety whenever it gets bad. I personally never cared for Ativan much, but I do like Valium quite a bit.

Like Oldskipper said, using a shorter acting drug like alprazolam by itself to switch off of diazepam is most definitely not a good idea. Alprazolam is also by far the most compulsive/addictive of the three mentioned by the OP.

 

[Sk1500]

Clonazepam if you must have a change. IMHO Diaz is the safest and most benign benzo to be on long-term so I don't see why you would want a change in the first place.

I'm not looking for a long term change, my doctor wouldn't change it anyway and all my meds are free...... I can get single packs of the 1s I've mentioned pretty cheaply. I just wanted to try something different for a few weeks that will help me block things out that I'm not coping with. My best friend of 20 year's, who I saw or messaged daily, committed suicide by walking in front of a train, he was closer than family to me, that was 4 months ago now, even with the change from codeine to being prescribed an accidentally large dose of oramorph, he should have halved 80ml to 40 but he doubled it!!!! I want something that can give me a mentally break, either by just switching and saving the diazepam or to take when it gets too much. So I want something different to give my brain a break.

In the last 3 weeks I've mainly been taking poppy pod tea. I Don't want to spiral out of control, I'm taking a lot less oramorph since having a morning PPT.

 

[Sk1500]

In terms of maintaining stability, a drug with a longer half-life is a better bet - clonazepam would be the best overall option from that standpoint but it does take forever to feel the effects. For sudden-onset anxiety and/or panic symptoms, alprazolam is probably the best. I would avoid lorazepam as it is not very fat soluble highly protein-bound, meaning that it usually takes a long time to kick in when taken orally and does not have quite as good skeletal muscle relaxant effects. Be careful with dosage when taking opioid medication. Also keep in mind that I'm not a medical professional and so cannot give genuine medical advice, but I was a long-term benzodiazepine user (daily use for the better part of a decade, all by legitimate prescription) and still take them occasionally for anxiety whenever it gets bad. I personally never cared for Ativan much, but I do like Valium quite a bit.

Like Oldskipper said, using a shorter acting drug like alprazolam by itself to switch off of diazepam is most definitely not a good idea. Alprazolam is also by far the most compulsive/addictive of the three mentioned by the OP.

I just need something that'll Calm me and have a different feel to it. Everything im on is prescribed and free, I'm in UK