Benzos Risperidon (antipsychotic) for benzo withdrawal?

[Fuzati]

Hi Bluelight

I'm currently 23 and addicted to Diazepam (been on benzo daily (bromazepam, alprazolam, lormetazepam, prazepam and many more...) for about 3 years, before I switched to daily (worst mystake in my life...) I took some a couple of times a week, when I was really anxious).

I changed my xanax prescription to valium about a year ago, planning on slowly tappering and stopping, but it didn't work and as of today, i'm taking at least 40mg of valium a day (which I don't even feel anymore)

Since long term tappering doesn't work for me (not enough willpower I guess...) I was thinking of doing a much quicker tapper, with the help of another med. Especially since my next appointement is in a month and i'm running out of valium since I did much higher doses lately to deal with a bad event, so as always i'm freaking out when i'm running out of meds.

I have a big box of Risperdal 2mg prescribed for anxiety by my psych, I never really took them since I don't like neuroleptic, but I was thinking that maybe it could calm me down and help me sleep during my quick tapper?

Does anybody have any experience with that (I UTFSE and couldn't find anything) and could give me some advice/insight on neuroleptics for benzo withdrawal?
And neuroleptics for anxiety in general?

Thanks in advance and sorry for the rant
Regards
Fuz

 

[JamtasticX]

When I was young and stupid I took some once that I thought were benzo's. Personally I don't think they would much help with actual benzo withdrawals. It might help you go to sleep, if that is the worst of your problems, but the best course of action is a taper from the benzos, as you risk other serious side effects.

 

[Fuzati]

Hey Jam! thanks for the quick answer.
The problem is that I tried 2 times to do a long tapper (i'm talking months long) with benzos with a very long half-life (first time was with preazepam, second with diazepam).
I failed those 2 times, screwing up with my tapper, let's say, 4/5 days of following my tapper, then screwing up by taking more when a Panic attack occured, and having to do it all over again, screwing up again, etc etc... (sorry if it's not clear, english is my third language).

So this time I wanted to get some help with another med, since alcohol wasn't a great help during my previous tappers.

If I can at least sleep with my risperidone, that would be sweet. I'm not looking to get high, obviously (neuroleptics are not recreationnal), just a releave from my anxiety and getting some sleep.
While doing a "quick" taper (around 2 weeks , like 40, 35, 30, 30, 25 , 25, 20, 20, 15, 15, 10, 10, 5, 5, 2.5, 2.5, 0... ).

 

[JamtasticX]

I'm not sure if risperidone will help you with that, seems like you need to find a way to deal w/ your anxiety w/o benzo's. Even if you're able to taper quick, you might just end up back on them again, so in addition to whatever you choose to do I would suggest talking to a medical professional about your benzo use

 

[PureLife]

Using this medication in no way will ease your w/d .It might however put you to sleep for a few hours, which I'm guessing is the reason you want to take it in the first place?

 

[JamtasticX]

Using this medication in no way will ease your w/d .It might however put you to sleep for a few hours, which I'm guessing is the reason you want to take it in the first place?

Personally the only antipsychotic that I've found to be truely helpful with sleep in queitapine (seroquel). I think it is orders times greater than rispiridone.

 

[Regenesis2]

No No and No! No antipsychs or antihistamines recommended at all. Try Lyrica. Don't really like herbs either, but passionflower tincture was useful as a sleep aid but gave me some weird side effects.