Going back to low dose benzo years after withdrawal (benzo toxicity question)

[cashfl0w_d0nkey]

Without going into too much detail, I went through benzo withdrawal about three years ago and I feel like I still experience it from time to time, namely in stressful situations. I had a really stressful situation lately that involved international travel for work and getting sick, and I've felt what feels a lot like benzo withdrawal for around a month or so now. Question is-- I remember reading an article of a woman who underwent benzo withdrawal and was experiencing symptoms for years before her doctor put her back on benzos basically for life. I'm looking for a little advice about the same. I do not want to be on a large dose of benzos... I like being cognizant and don't want to go through life in a benzo fog. I'm considering something like oxazepam which has a low toxicity and fairly long half-life and is known for being subtle in effects. Has anyone considered this situation? I'd like thoughts, experiences, etc, about both going back on benzos after a long period off of them as well as various benzos and their toxicity profiles/ utility for my case.

 

[Bearlove]

Surely suffering the odd withdrawal symptoms time to time are much better for you than considering a daily benzo dose. You know that these symptoms will pass.

 

[speedballs_over]

Have you tried CBT therapy to get you through those occasional situations? Could be just a few hours with a good CBT practitioner would give you some valuable tools to use, that are just as effective as benzos rather than go back to benzos and risk another dependency.

 

[jammin83]

Have you heard of afobazole? Was reading about it the other day. Might be an alternative.

 

[serotonin2A]

^afobazole isn't going to be much help unless the OP lives in Russia, and then it isn't even clear whether a drug like that would help with post-acute withdrawal.

One thing to look into is treatment with flumazenil. It is a benzodiazepine antagonist, and there are a number of reports indicating that it can be used to relieve symptoms of post-acute withdrawal. Its use seems paradoxical but it may actually work as a weak partial agonist at some types of benzodiazepine receptors.

 

[Jktm]

To make better suggestions, it would help to know what you were on and how much you were taking daily. If you were on high dose Alprazolam, Oxazepam may be too subtle to feel a difference. After coming off of a total equivalence of 8.7mg of Alprazolam (6mg Alprazolam, 4mg Estazolam at night for sleep), the only things that help with my anxiety out of the benzo class are Diazepam and Alprazolam, from the ones that aren't listed as hypnotics only.

As far as toxicity profiles, benzodiazepines are generally benign with the exception of the nitrogenated derivatives Nitrazepam, Flunitrazepam, Clonazepam, and Nimetazepam being more rough on the liver. There's some controversial stuff about an increased risk of certain cancers, but it's more or less inconclusive. Cognitive deficits may occur after super long-term treatment.