Benzos Switch from Clonazepam to Diazepam

[kanyeknievel]

Okay so basically I got on Clonazepam about a year or less ago. I use to take .5 twice a day and i got down to .5 once a day in the past 3 or 4 months. I got on it because I have depersonalization and i thought i NEEDED a benzo. But I am manging my anxiety better and I know that it's myself causing it and whatever. But basically I told my phsyc I want to get off benzos completely.

So he prescribed me 2 10mg diazpem a day ( thinking i took 1.5 mg of clonazepam a day). But I take .5 a day so 1 10mg valium would be the right equivelant right? I've read when trying to taper down and get off of benzos, valium is the right way to go.

I've also read the halflife of valium is much greater clonazepam. But then ive read that the half-life is different in terms of the sedation effects? But i'm basically just taking my klonopin in the morning so i dont go into withdrawal, and i figured switched to diazepam, considering its longer half life, is the better way to go.

Can someone give me some input on this? I didn't switch to have a longer lasting sedation effect, just to taper down off benzos and not go into withdrawal. Was this the right path to choose? I can still get my klonopin refilled from my GP and the valium is prescribed from my pysch so I won't not have klonopin, but im only on diazpem for a month or so to get me off of benzos completely. Im going to take 10mg when i get up each day for 2 weeks then go down on my dose for two weeks after that, and thats all i know currently. Is this a good plan?

Remember im not taking diazepam for sedating effects, just to taper down and not go into withdrawal. I wont expereience and adverse phsycological effects from switch from .5kpin to 10mg valium right?

is this the right way to go?

Other notes: I am also on suboxone for opiate addiction/abuse and its work well. He also put me on 60mg cymbalta last friday *not yesterday*, as well as suboxone. I've read that cymbalta is for anti-depressat and also works well for anxiety if it is the right medication for me.

 

[NeighborhoodThreat]

Cymbalta does have anti-anxiety effects, but it won't replace benzodiazepine tapering, that's for sure.

According to http://benzo.org.uk/bzequiv.htm, 0.5mg clonazepam is equal to 10mg diazepam, so you should be good there.

I've also read the halflife of valium is much greater clonazepam. But then ive read that the half-life is different in terms of the sedation effects? But i'm basically just taking my klonopin in the morning so i dont go into withdrawal, and i figured switched to diazepam, considering its longer half life, is the better way to go.

Clonazepam is more sedating than diazepam, for most people. You'll probably notice that difference. If you take the diazepam at the same time during the morning that you were taking your clonazepam, you'll notice the anti-anxiety effects lasting longer, but most likely you'll notice less sedation.

 

[kokaino]

This thread should be in BDD.

I actually find diazepam's sedative-hypnotic effects to be far greater than clonazepam's. It's receptor affinity shows this to be true. Diazepam, despite it being less potent than clonazepam, is a heavier benzo. Stronger muscle relaxant effects, about equal anxiolytic effects, equal anticonvulsant effects, stronger sedative-hypnotic effects, and stronger amnesic effects.

 

[NeighborhoodThreat]

This thread should be in BDD.

Probably.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Clonazepam is more sedating than diazepam, for most people. You'll probably notice that difference. If you take the diazepam at the same time during the morning that you were taking your clonazepam, you'll notice the anti-anxiety effects lasting longer, but most likely you'll notice less sedation.

There are always exceptions though.

Diazepam has never been "great" to me, but clonazepam has only made my anxiety worse; it seems to have a paradoxical reaction on me.

But you are right, for people who get the ideal/intended effects, I know that most people report clonazepam to be more heavily sedating.

As for whether or not this belongs in BDD, I am not sure about that right now. Us moderators will figure out the best course of action.

Lastly, I would expect duloxetine, or any other traditional drug that is an SNRI, to actually increase anxiety. I don't believe many people "need" this sort of a drug. If you do, then it should have positive effects obviously barring unforseen side effects. If you don't need this, it is likely to increase your anxiety, just FYI. This is because an increased presence of norepinephrine, among other things, can definitely trigger a stronger anxiety response.

 

[kanyeknievel]

Lastly, I would expect duloxetine, or any other traditional drug that is an SNRI, to actually increase anxiety. I don't believe many people "need" this sort of a drug. If you do, then it should have positive effects obviously barring unforseen side effects. If you don't need this, it is likely to increase your anxiety, just FYI. This is because an increased presence of norepinephrine, among other things, can definitely trigger a stronger anxiety response.

Im guessing duloxetine is cymbalta. But i wasnt prescribed it for anxiety, i just was told it had anti-anxiety type effects to it as well.

But it is currently 9 or whatever hours after i took the diazepam and the last time i went without taking clonazepam when i woke up, i felt EXTREMELY bad after 3 hours so im guessing i got my desired results Just hope its easier to taper down this way than with clonazepam!

i just wanted to get off clonazepam because ive read that long term use of that can cause that paradoxal worsened anxiety and fuck you up more than when you started. And that goes for all benzos too, which is why i want to get off of it before its too late. Ill keep getting klonopin but only use it when i feel i REALLY need it, the way benzos should be taken in MOST cases.