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Short acting benzo (xanax) vs. Medium... which is better for withdrawl?

I

its420time

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Now I have a choice between xanax a relatively short acting benzo compared to something like ativan or klonopin. My question is when going through A benzo withdrawl, which would be worse a withdrawl from a short acting or medium benzo.. my guess is the xanax. The initial shock would be a greater risk for the xanax would it not?
(the dose for both benzos would be equal, xanax 1mg to ativan 1mg or 2mg of klonopin.)
[ 23 January 2002: Message edited by: goodkarma ]
 
WD from any of them is pretty much the same. It may take a little longer for WD from the longer acting ones to kick in but once it does it will be just as rough.
Also, imo, go for the Kpins. Ativan is so weak. I know people say that 1mg of ativan is like .5mg of xanax but I say that is bullshit. Klonopins are great and last a very long time.
 
The Xanax would be worse -- the level will drop quicker than with the longer-acting one, which will be more of a gradual decline.
Doctors will quite often switch benzo addicts to an equivalent dose of clonazepam/diazepam before tapering. This way, you will have fewer ups and downs in your blood benzodiazepine level, and more of a steady, gradual decline.
Benzo addiction is relatively difficult to get, but if you have it, make sure you taper... otherwise there is a real risk of seizures.
 
Well the medically recomended course for all benzo withdrawal is to switch the patient to diazepram, b/c of its high half life, and lower the dose from there. I don't think there is anything special about diazepram the point is the longer the drug half life the less pills you have to pop a day and the amount of benzo in blood stream drops off more smoothly.
 
The withdrawal shouldn't be too bad. You are supposed to taper under the care of a physician, but it mainly applies to patients who have been taking 10mg of xanax a day for months or something equally ridiculous.
As for which is better to use to withdrawal, its a lot like opiates. If you use the xanax, the withdrawal will be a little worse than with klonopin or ativan, because the level of the drug in your blood will drop more rapidly. But for the same reason, the withdrawal will be over quicker if you use the xanax (it will be out of your system and your CNS will start to readjust).
 
Are you sure there are real fatalities associated with withdrawal. It was my understanding that there weren't.
What I mean is are these really people dying from withdrawal or is it some 80 year old grandma whose valium supply suddenly disappears. She is no longer on sedatives and her heart rates goes up a little heart attack wham she is dead.
In other words is it ever fatal to a healthy individual.
 
Yes, it can be fatal to a healthy individual. Although it's very rare someone dies.
 
Benzo withdrawal is rarely fatal but potentially fatal seizures and the like can occur. The real bitch is the length of the withdrawal. Some people experience symptoms for months.
 
I was one of the lucky people who have gone through benzo withdrawl and needless to say it's horrible.. at that time I was in withdrawl from valium so I was fine for about 4 or 5 days? Then after that time passed I started to get headaches and had terrible insomnia. I really started to hullicinate, but only for seconds. The worst was the terrible anxiety you get plus everything seemed to be overexgerated for example people talking would seem like they were screaming in my ear.
If you don't die from benzo withdrawl could you not have serious or even permanant brain damage?
 
I have gone through benzo withdrawl twice, once from valium and another from rohypnol.. I have to say the valium withdrawl was worse by far. I was taking about 30mg of valium each day for about a month and a half.. I was going to taper off, the only problem was I was going to taper off in a weeks time. So I fell into withdrawl..
 
well i think ativan is about the same as XANAX i just got ahold of 2-2mg'rs for the first ime(xanax) and i say they are close...i havent had the full affects of klonpin,well one night i took 1 mg the next i took 2.5 and didnt feel anything...but anyway i took klonopin for like 2 weeks (under docters care for anxiety)...and when i went off i could NOT sleep good for around 3 days(is that withdrawel??)......
it helped the anxiety but wasnt good rec. wise(K-PIN)
 
The insomnia is common when taking benzos - once off, you wont be able to sleep without them (for a period of time)... a TRUE benzo addiction isn't that easy to get as other drug addictions, and death from wityhdrawl is very rare - the point is, that it CAN be fatal... you can use heroin every day for 10 years then stop... sure, that withdrawal may have you wishing and praying to Alah for death, but in itself it isn't fatal - you take large amounts of Xanax every day for many years, then stop - you just might end up dead (there are countless articles about benzo withdrawal fatalities - try google)
 
If you don't die from benzo withdrawl could you not have serious or even permanant brain damage?
 
As Phreex mentioned, 'rebound insomnia' from discontuing benzo use is very common. Even if you are not at all addicted, and just have been taking one pill a night for a week or two, you can still have trouble sleeping without it.
Even serious benzodiazepine use is nice on the brain. You won't get severe brain damage. The only thing to worry about would be the sorts of damage common to all heavy drug abuse: things like loss of pleasure, reduced motivation, etc. Not the types of cognitive deficits usually called "brain damage."
 
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