Going to a rehab for a High Dose benzo addiction - Stupid idea?

[basix]

Hey BL,

Does anyone have any opinions on going to a rehab for a clonazepam addiction? Time / Money isn't an issue, I just want to get off benzo's.

I've never been to a rehab so don't know how they typically operate. The actual detox/taper at the place is much faster than a typical benzo taper - so that is a concern. It's in South East Asia and is pretty highly rated, its called http://www.thecabinchiangmai.com/. They generally do 4 or 12 week admissions and looks more like a resort than a typical rehab.

I spoke to a psychologist there who said they treat a lot of people with benzo dependance, and it's typically small daily reductions. He couldn't give me exact specifics as it would be up to the Psychiatrist there. The speed of reduction sounds a bit stupid to me..as I don't want to end up off benzo's, but stuck with months/years of withdrawal symptoms from a rapid tapering schedule

I've been on benzo's on and off for 8 years. I haven't been a daily user for most of this time with plenty of 6-12 month periods of abstinence in this period.

I'm familiar with tapering off benzo's and have come off a 20mg daily Valium over a 9 month period with fortnightly reductions. It was with the help of my doctor, and a benzo support group here in Australia. I followed something similar to the Ashton Method - slow, gradual reductions with counselling support each week. I had my pharmacist dispense in weekly amounts and I was able to follow it easy enough. I actually felt it was too slow, but had 0 withdrawal symptoms once I stopped altogether so maybe it was the way to go.

That was about 4 years ago. Since then I've taken benzo's recreationally, sometimes for a month or two then stopping completely. Most of the time It wasn't daily.

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Fast forward to today - In the last 2 years it's gotten out of hand. I'm currently taking 8-10mg clonazepam daily, and have been at this dose for 9 months. It started when I got a bottle of clonazepam to try 2 years ago and I quickly went to taking 1mg to 2, 4mg everyday. This was a stable dose for a while but eventually ended up to where I am now at 10mg/day.

Thoughts? Anyone been through a fast taper or had to come off benzo's in a rehab?

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

No it's not a stupid idea to go to a rehab/detox place run by medical professionals for a high dose benzo addiction.

A lot of people try to detox/taper benzos on their own and wind up having a seizure, or some wind up dying.

I've never been addicted to benzos or even used any recreationally so I can't help you with the process of what goes on in a rehab/detox clinic. Your profile says you are in Melbourne Australia, can't you find a detox/rehab centre there in Australia? Or was the place you mentioned reccomended to you by a doctor? It's good that you are looking into detoxing from benzos at a medical centre but read reviews of the place you are interested in.

 

[basix]

Hey Priest, Thanks for the response.

Yep I'm in Melbourne, but I travel a lot in Asia and run an online business - so location is not really an issue.

For something equivalent it would be about 10x the price here in Australia - so that's the attraction, and it's got plenty of good reviews.

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The reason I think it could be stupid is the speed a rehab will taper me off benzo's.

Following general tapering wisdom - IE Ashton Method for example it would take 18-24 months minimum to reduce from this dose to 0... and most people experience post withdrawal symptoms for months following that.

A rehab would do it much quicker, within 1-3 months with the goal to stop any seizures, stop me dying, but to get me off the benzo's asap, and give me the mental the skills to deal with the anxiety

This place is very structured with CBT, Group Therapy, Mindfulness Meditaion, Personal training and exercise everyday, Yoga every day etc. Basically it'd take all the decisions/stress away so I could reduce faster, but I'm more worried with the long term effects of the short taper. So interested if anyone's gone through a rather fast taper from a high dose of benzo's - and if they regretted it.

My worries are mainly based on the post withdrawal symptoms. I've heard plenty of horror stories about fast tapers and don't want to end up with worse anxiety due to a rapid taper, and end up needing to go back on them. Everyone reacts different though - I've never cut from such a high dose so unsure how I'll react.

I run a business and have employees and responsibilities - so I need to be very functional for the whole time.

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ON a positive I just made an appointment today in Melbourne with the Benzo support place I used last time, and found a prescribing GP willing to work with me locally. So will see how that goes.

I was too embarrassed to tell him the actual dose I was taking, he ended up switching me to valium at 40mg/day as a stabilizing dose.. Which is basically the legal limit he can even prescribe from what I understand. On the conditions of daily pharmacy pickups, and I go to the Benzo Support place weekly for the counselling.

So at least I have some support here now - however I'm still worried about the massive cut in dosage already.

Will update this thread on how it goes.

 

[DL-ark]

Make sure it is a very good place that knows exactly what they are dealing with. PAWS is no joke. I have heard of many rehab programs barely attempting to taper their patients and making them go cold turkey for GABAergic addictions and people die. A lot of times some of these shady doctors just think that if they give you more seroquel and completely cut you off from benzos its problem solved...

 

[cj]

Make sure it is a very good place that knows exactly what they are dealing with. PAWS is no joke. I have heard of many rehab programs barely attempting to taper their patients and making them go cold turkey for GABAergic addictions and people die. A lot of times some of these shady doctors just think that if they give you more seroquel and completely cut you off from benzos its problem solved...

Agreed. I would try to find a specialist in benzo addiction. Or at least taper low enough to where if the worst happens your not going to die.

 

[Pretty_Diamonds]

Is there any way you can meet with the psychiatrist and talk to him about his plan of tapering? Since it seems like that's your major concern, since you've done your due diligence on researching the facility, etc. I think if you are able to meet with him, go over exact dosages, discuss, and then make the discussion together, I think you'll feel more confident that this is the right decision for you. You can even provide your own input with regards to your own experiences. Afterall, you're the expert on YOURSELF. You know yourself when it comes down to drugs, especially with benzos.

Rehab is there to help you succeed, it's not a jail, but moreso a joint force to get you to be a better and stronger YOU. You seem extremely motivated to make a change and it's wonderful that you are considering checking yourself into rehab. It's admirable and most people don't have the strength to be able to do that, even on these harm reduction boards. So great first step!!! :D

 

[Moreaux]

I think rehab is a great idea to kick a benzo addiction, however, their taper sounds way to quick - you're most likely going to have to deal with some PAWS, and that will most likely set in once you leave the place. You said you've taper off them in the past, have you considered working with a doctor on an outpatient basis to do a slower taper? PAWS is no joke. I did a 28 day rehab and the cold turkeyed me after 10 years on Xanax. I didn't have problems until around day 40. I went through severe PAWS for a year and a half, and it has taken years to get closer to normal. I am a software engineer, and feel like this whole process has rendered me stupid. I am actually accepting a lower level job not in my field as I feel that I can no longer perform as I used to, and can no longer handle the stress of chronic under performing. I mention the career ramifications for you to consider the potential impact to your lifestyle. Fortunately my husband brings in decent money, but we will be losing about 85,000 a year which means a huge lifestyle change as I was too irresponsible with money when we were bringing in much higher amounts so we have no savings. If I had known then what I know now I would have forgone the instant gratification of being clean and done a two year taper. I fear I have permanently damaged my brain as healing seems sooooo slow.

 

[manboychef]

I worked with my doctor to taper me off from 10mg xanax, and ~90mg temazepam daily. It has been a while. I take them PRN now, but I rarely take them. I still am experiencing paws symptoms and it has been quite a while. I would highly suggest tapering with a doctor before you go to rehab. If you are on a very low dose when you go in, there is less chance for that rehab becoming hell on earth,.

 

[Moreaux]

Good Afternoon Manboychef - you said your are still experiencing PAWS - how long have you been off them? I'm curious because I had a long run with Xanax and feel like I still have bouts of it even though it's been a while. Thx!

 

[manboychef]

It has been about two months since I was taking a high dose daily. It is just I don't feel quite right, like I almost have the wrong brain in the wrong body. I get nervous very easily now and I have a hard time leaving my house...which was one of the reasons I took them to begin with. It is almost like as I step past my yard I feel impending doom. I hope this gets better, or I learn a better way to deal with it.

 

[Moreaux]

It has been about two months since I was taking a high dose daily. It is just I don't feel quite right, like I almost have the wrong brain in the wrong body. I get nervous very easily now and I have a hard time leaving my house...which was one of the reasons I took them to begin with. It is almost like as I step past my yard I feel impending doom. I hope this gets better, or I learn a better way to deal with it.

I know what you mean, I remember going through that. You'll probably have a few more months of it, it may get a little worse and then it does get better. I've been off benzos for 6 years now, though I know my anxiety is higher than it was before I got on benzos. I've also noticed that it seems to be cyclic, like there are times when it's worse than others. I noticed some of the symptoms I got during PAWS were also cyclic in nature, so I was curious. I found that I almost felt normal around the two year mark, with exception of my short term memory. That seems to be coming back super slowly. I found that breathing techniques and mindfulness really have helped with the anxiety. I try to focus on what is within my control and make a conscious effort not to worry about stuff I have no power over. I still can't bring myself to eat out because of the noise - ever since getting off of benzos my hearing has been ridiculously sensitive and I can only handle so much at one time. Can't wait for that to get better lol.

 

[marsnd]

Same problem for me. I've been on Benzos for 6+ years. I'm scared to even try getting off of them

 

[Jabberwocky]

I've always been wary of going inpatient to detox off benzos, although it would be the ideal given the danger inherent to the process. Practically speaking I would think that, with a support system, a good psychiatrist who specialized in benzo tapers and some outpatient setting might work better. I don't like the idea of being at the mercy of poor trained staff when it comes to benzo detoxes in most centers, considering come off the drug is nothing like an opioid or stimulant, or even ethanol for that matter.

 

[manboychef]

I've always been wary of going inpatient to detox off benzos, although it would be the ideal given the danger inherent to the process. Practically speaking I would think that, with a support system, a good psychiatrist who specialized in benzo tapers and some outpatient setting might work better. I don't like the idea of being at the mercy of poor trained staff when it comes to benzo detoxes in most centers, considering come off the drug is nothing like an opioid or stimulant, or even ethanol for that matter.

You are preaching the truth my friend. I cannot even begin to say the amount of detoxes I went too that the doctor and psychiatrist were only there for a half hour a day, and not there at all on the weekends. I guess it would be best to find a really good detox that pays individual attention to each patient, or a facility that speciallizes in benzo detox protocols.

 

[weekend addiction]

Hell to the no! Would I ever go to rehab again being addicted to benzos they DONT do enough to help you had a good friend fall down a flight of stairs and have the first seizure of his life at 35. This wasn't some junkie this was a healthy ranch owner who used to fight bulls only drug he used was 300mg Percocet a day off the street and scripted 4mg Xanax every night for insomnia. So no doubt in my mind the dude got the seizure specifically from withdrawing from a CURRENTLY PERSCRIBED dose of benzos. He had been off benzos for 3 weeks and they stopped giving him Librium pretty early on and really Librium is complete shit he shoulda been getting 5mg diazepam twice a day at least, hed only been 3 weeks off the shit, but he was 3 weeks in and rehabs don't send you home with scripts they send you home "clean." So they take you off all your shit way too quickly because that's just the way the business is set up.

No it hasn't worked out well for me or ANYONE I know. YMMV. Do it at home and find a way to get your shit together man a taper isn't too hard and you just gotta retrain your brain you CAN do it. You have tapered before you can do it again man.

 

[cj]

Hell to the no! Would I ever go to rehab again being addicted to benzos they DONT do enough to help you had a good friend fall down a flight of stairs and have the first seizure of his life at 35. This wasn't some junkie this was a healthy ranch owner who used to fight bulls only drug he used was 300mg Percocet a day off the street and scripted 4mg Xanax every night for insomnia. So no doubt in my mind the dude got the seizure specifically from withdrawing from a CURRENTLY PERSCRIBED dose of benzos. He had been off benzos for 3 weeks and they stopped giving him Librium pretty early on and really Librium is complete shit he shoulda been getting 5mg diazepam twice a day at least, hed only been 3 weeks off the shit, but he was 3 weeks in and rehabs don't send you home with scripts they send you home "clean." So they take you off all your shit way too quickly because that's just the way the business is set up.

No it hasn't worked out well for me or ANYONE I know. YMMV. Do it at home and find a way to get your shit together man a taper isn't too hard and you just gotta retrain your brain you CAN do it. You have tapered before you can do it again man.

Poor guy thats just gross negligence on the rehabs part. I totally agree that the business is set up in a way that doesn't allow for the proper tapering of benzos or really any drug that requires a taper. The opiate "tapers" they give are more for the mental comfort of the clients than any medical reason. 5 days of suboxone isn't really going to do shit.

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

hoyl shit some of u guys are fucking lil pussies...jsut do a taper with valium or any other long lasting benzo, and as we can see you have already done that yourself...My fuck, a benzo support group, ples bouss AND YOU told us you are not a daily user, dafk you whining then... soon, if u keep this up, you'll look just like a one big gaping vagina dude. ffs man !

Posts like this are not welcome, appropriate, or conductive to sober living here on bluelight.

 

[Greymare]

Benzodiazepines are second to alcohol in terms of serious risks during withdrawal!!! ...telling addicts to "taper" on their own ...usually doesn't work so well. Benzos are serious stuff and can require medical monitoring. It might suck ..but ...getting clean does

 

[Moreaux]

Benzodiazepines are second to alcohol in terms of serious risks during withdrawal!!! ...telling addicts to "taper" on their own ...usually doesn't work so well. Benzos are serious stuff and can require medical monitoring. It might suck ..but ...getting clean does

As someone who has been been addicted to both and gotten clean from both, I think getting clean from benzos has more serious risks.

If rehab is going to go cold turkey or a really quick taper that is not a good solution either. Rehab cut me off cold turkey and I went through two years of hell, and six years later am still not normal.

I think the ideal situation would be to work with a doctor. If that's not possible, then tapering yourself. Unless you can go to a long term rehab facility, I don't think they're feasible for benzos.

I failed to specify long term facility in my post above.

 

[Mmp85]

I went to rehab for alcohol but I took a not quite daily low dose of klonipon (.5 mg) and even then they insisted on a detox.
They gave me phenobarbital for about a week if I remember correctly. And Vistaril for anxiety.