I need a little help

[quasar112]

I had been using 1 mg alprazolam as a sleep aid for about ten years, doctor prescribed. My doctor retired and the other doctors at the practice cut me off instantly. They acted like they captured a drug lord. The practice also started requiring a drug test to be a patient. I used cannabis, so I left the practice. I was left with benzo cold turkey and no options to taper. At that time I knew virtually nothing about benzodiazepines. I really did not have a bad time of it, I smoked medical marijuana (I live in Colorado), this was about two years ago. I really had minimal WD symptoms. I got a new doctor and told him my story with Xanax and the previous practice just cutting me off. He restored my one mg sleep dose, but I did not use it, but I did get the prescriptions refilled and accumulated about 200 tablets. Four months ago I had some serious medical problems that required three hospitalizations. Then I had a mini stroke after being home for only 5 days. I was worried about death and being a burden to my family; I began using the Xanax. I used 1 1/2 to 2 mg a day for about three months, at this time I also stopped using pot as I was afraid of it increasing my heart rate. I realized I had become dependent on the Xanax when I went CT for five days, total insomnia and heavy anxiety. I reinstated 1.5 mg Xanax at night, and I started smoking pot again, with a Volcano vaporizer, and almost immediately my symptoms almost went away. I could sleep again. I was calm in the daytime. I had an appetite. It has been 4 days since I began smoking pot again and I have reduced my Xanax to 1 mg at night, and I think I could cut it more, but I’m going to stabilize for another week, because I am afraid of insomnia.

I found bluelight on a google search, it lead me to a forum called Weed during benzo withdrawal. It was just what I was looking for, but quite old and not active.

I found another forum (won’t mention the name) about three weeks ago, totally about benzos and withdrawal. It is excellent, and I got great advice and support, but they really don’t want you to talk about marijuana, the moderators react immediately. No talk allowed about use the of cannabis to help with benzo withdrawal. They talk about legality and they don’t allow posts about pot being helpful for benzo withdrawal.

I am looking for information on weed and benzo withdrawal. I have been doing very good with the help of cannabis, but I’d really like some help finding some current posts on this subject, and talking with others about this. I hope someone can point me in this direction. Thanks.

I am very glad to have found this place.

 

[PtahTek]

From experience weed can be an asset or a liability with benzo withdrawal. If ya find the right "strain" (usually a strong indica) this will help with insomnia and appetite a bit. The opposite (a hyper sativa) may exacerbate the anxiety and mind-fuck. Not gonna suffice either way from my many cessations from benzos regardless of strength.
My suggestions?
keep tapering the alprazolam (cause ya still at 1mg a day). - gotta ask... are they known legitimate alprazolam? This will make a difference....

Go outside and do some manual labor and sweat ya ass off. Couldnt stress this enough. It pushes out toxins, creates some good vibes in the head and gives a sense of accomplishment. Force this if nessasary as the WDs are gonna convince ya not to.
After a week at the 1mg, drop another .25 and monitor reaction. If it's too much to drop at once, crush it up and use a mg scale to divide the powder to whatever will stabilize for a week or two. The longest ya can taper at the lowest of dose the easier the final jump will be. It's hard but ya came a long way and appears ya know it's doable.
That last jump is gonna be more a mind game than anything but this is where the indica will help the most. And a low dose (a G or so) of kratom - if available. Dont get hooked on it just a coupla weeks to help the mind as it provides a lot of different effects and some are noticeable and some not so much. Like the realization that at some point ya started to not feel like shit but cannot really place when it happened, ya know?
Why do you wanna get off the alp if ya dont mind me asking?

 

[quasar112]

When I got cut off by my doctor, I was forced into quitting, and I did it successfully, with pot to help. I guess I want to quit because I don’t like being dependent on a drug. I have no problem with pot, I love it, but I’ve never been addicted or physically dependent. I have always been able to stop for long periods without any problems. I do have a dependency on Xanax. 1 mg is a big dose. I was free of it for years and I want to be free of it again. I want full control of my life.

My alprazolam is from the pharmacy, totally legitimate. I just want to smoke a little pot, nothing else. I’ve got control back over my emotions and anxiety, and I don’t want that benzo crutch anymore. Thanks for your reply.

 

[PtahTek]

The by al means, taper, taper, taper.
Ask the GPif he's ok with this and if he could help a little by scripting a longer acting benzo (such as diazepam - valium) that would be a great help with this endeavor.
Love my benzos but hate the F outta having to drop them in the middle of any regular dosing regimen.
Oh, wait. Yer doc cut ya off? And ya have a good source? If so, see if they can get their hands on diazepam, clonazepam, lorazepam or the like. Something with a longer half-life and a lower threshold of compulsion... well, this is my take anyway.
Seems ya already know plenty regarding benzos so just stand firm and stay the course set already if ya want the freedom.

 

[AutoTripper]

I definitely personally have recignised, accepted that despite the other side, which I was conscious of very soon upon entering very heavy benzo addiction almost 2 years ago, where cannabis can spike unsettling anxiety, and this can feed back into the cooing mecahnism using benzos to avert the panic state, which is basically exactly why I started, kept going and haven't stopped.

Less time than the seemingly very pleasant OP, but ridiculous prolonged dosing and dependance.

Had to end that sentence lol. So I did feel that right away. How vaping weed, which I live and have always done except Lyme made me allergic to everything includong vaporized cannabis a lifetime ago, was a threat to my mental calm and managing my benzo level, control and in the long run, tape.

Come to the present day. I see that going forward, vaporizing weed, always edibles daily as no respiratory allergies there but I need to vape too to meet needs, will be vital or at least very helpful if I can get positioned and supported to actually commit to and commence tapering.

I'm not concerned about the anxiety which edibles very rarely cause, but vapor can so easily spike, feeding back into the dependance.

Once my vision is solid, mind made up, it's anout what I want.

Not being addicted to benzos is much preferable.

Okay, typed this hours ago in bed, my mum turned WiFi off, I've do e hours allergy treatments and a shower, made kava, eaten cannabis, strong black coffee cooling.

Then a sensible and sizeable benzo dose at last today, (11.44 a.m. lol), with CBD oil before getting round to the kava.

 

[AutoTripper]

I had been using 1 mg alprazolam as a sleep aid for about ten years, doctor prescribed. My doctor retired and the other doctors at the practice cut me off instantly. They acted like they captured a drug lord. The practice also started requiring a drug test to be a patient. I used cannabis, so I left the practice. I was left with benzo cold turkey and no options to taper. At that time I knew virtually nothing about benzodiazepines. I really did not have a bad time of it, I smoked medical marijuana (I live in Colorado), this was about two years ago. I really had minimal WD symptoms. I got a new doctor and told him my story with Xanax and the previous practice just cutting me off. He restored my one mg sleep dose, but I did not use it, but I did get the prescriptions refilled and accumulated about 200 tablets. Four months ago I had some serious medical problems that required three hospitalizations. Then I had a mini stroke after being home for only 5 days. I was worried about death and being a burden to my family; I began using the Xanax. I used 1 1/2 to 2 mg a day for about three months, at this time I also stopped using pot as I was afraid of it increasing my heart rate. I realized I had become dependent on the Xanax when I went CT for five days, total insomnia and heavy anxiety. I reinstated 1.5 mg Xanax at night, and I started smoking pot again, with a Volcano vaporizer, and almost immediately my symptoms almost went away. I could sleep again. I was calm in the daytime. I had an appetite. It has been 4 days since I began smoking pot again and I have reduced my Xanax to 1 mg at night, and I think I could cut it more, but I’m going to stabilize for another week, because I am afraid of insomnia.

I found bluelight on a google search, it lead me to a forum called Weed during benzo withdrawal. It was just what I was looking for, but quite old and not active.

I found another forum (won’t mention the name) about three weeks ago, totally about benzos and withdrawal. It is excellent, and I got great advice and support, but they really don’t want you to talk about marijuana, the moderators react immediately. No talk allowed about use the of cannabis to help with benzo withdrawal. They talk about legality and they don’t allow posts about pot being helpful for benzo withdrawal.

I am looking for information on weed and benzo withdrawal. I have been doing very good with the help of cannabis, but I’d really like some help finding some current posts on this subject, and talking with others about this. I hope someone can point me in this direction. Thanks.

I am very glad to have found this place.

Also, after pleasant welcome here, and I really enjoyed reading your post younseem very thoughtful and modest, are you aware of kava?

It's possibly a life changer for you with your particular needs and situation.

Kava compliments weed vaporization superbly, takes the anxious edge off ot the weed, the weed adds extra colur and warmth to the kava.

Kava would be highly useful for sleep, insomnia, rebound and general anxiety, tapering, WD's.

Kava is non toxic, non addictive, no WD's, broad range medicinal like cannabis too.

This is a useful, ground basics thread and overview.

Ethnobotanicals - Has anyone ever tried Kava?

I've seen this drink called kava or kava kava being advertised online, it seems to be legal in most countries around the world. Apparently it is a natural alternative to xanax and benzos and is pretty potent. Has anyone ever tried it? Apparently it affects GABA receptors and is a MAO B enzyme...

www.bluelight.org

There are good science ref kinks in there too and a good video demo channel.

 

[quasar112]

Hello AutoTripper,
Thanks for the message. I guess I am fortunate. I only use my Xanax at night. Throughout my two decades of taking 1 mg Xanax at night, I have never used, or felt the need to use, during the day. It was an effective sleep aid for many years. When I got very sick and close to death, I started using in the daytime. That brought my use up to 2 mg per day, that’s a lot of Xanax. I also stopped sleeping at night and being anxious most of the day. Too many benzos, I was going through mini withdrawal between doses. I knew I had to get off this mind poison. I live in Colorado, and it is so easy to buy any marijuana strain you need. I began taking a few vape hits during the day when I would start to feel the devil start to rise. The cannabis kept me at a level where I didn’t need to pop any Xanax. There was some discomfort, but I did not succumb to the benzo craving. This cut me down to 1. 25 mg per day, down from two. That was about two weeks ago. I still needed my benzo dose at bedtime. I also smoked a few high thc indica vape hits and started sleeping almost instantly. I have tapered to 1 mg at night, and I am about to start .75 mg tonight. My use of pot is almost like a simple substitution of pot for Xanax. I am lucky I can do it this way. Pot only relaxes me. I don’t get anxious from it.

I am pretty sure I am much older than you, but that doesn’t really matter, we are both fighting the same devil. This is my second withdrawal from benzos, and it sure isn’t easy. It fills my mind and dominates my life all day long. I have found a technique that helps me immensely. I don’t know your situation with your benzo dosage and when you need them.
You said you can do things when you decide to do it and put your mind to it. It’s time to start tapering, the only way to quit it without getting physically wrecked and even more boogered up in your head. Tell me your dosage and when you take them; tell me how much pot you use and when. Tell me your symptoms and when you need to use. Can you get pot legally? Do you have a doctor for this? There is no easy way out, there will be some suffering and substantial mental discomfort, but you already know about that.

I know I am tapering rather quickly, but I let my body decide. I make a large cut, and so far I have been able to do it. I don’t care how long it takes. I got a lot of words, maybe some of them can help you.

 

[poisongirl]

hey quasar112!

Would just like to share my experience with kava

kava is a plant, so the medicine is completely natural. You can have it as a tea (which is great because it lasts longer and is cheaper) or pills. There might be other forms but those were the ones I was able to found.

The other cool thing is that kava is simply medicinal, so at least in my country, I could buy it from any pharmacy or even get it delivered.

and this one isn't simply one of those miracle wonder drugs or something; there have actually been a few academic research papers published with blind experiments proving its effect for treating anxiety and cancer prevention.

highly recommended, could maybe take alongside benzo or replace entirely. I used to take it when I ran out of clonazepam, but since Xanax is much, much stronger, I'd recommend being careful and testing things carefully first!

Hope you feel better soon, WD sucks!