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Benzos Tolerence.....how long ya rekon?

Z

Zeano

Greenlighter
Joined
Jun 12, 2013
Messages
46
Ok guys, just a quick one

I have been on 10mg of vallium a day for 2 weeks, and never abused them and don't plan on doing so for recreational purposes. I see websites saying your tolerance will build in 1 week and other people saying they have been on the same dose for years and never had to up anything.....what u guys reckon?

I know everyone is different but is their a ball park figure? I have never really felt 'much' much from any of the vslium ive took.....from the first 10mg to the 10mg I will take today. I mean, im sure its calming down as I go out to places easier. but its not like I feel it 'kick in' or anything.

Anyone with any ball park figures? or storys or their own tolerance.....say u started on 10/20mg a day, how long did it take you to build a tolerance up to it where u needed to go higher and was you always dabbling in recreational doses too or not?
 
IME, the key is only taking them as needed. Sure, there are times you may need them every day, for a few days or a week, but if you start taking them everyday just to prevent any anxiety at all, your tolerance and dependance will skyrocket. Since you just started your medication I don't think it's a problem with you taking it everyday for a few weeks, but after 3-4 weeks you really should only take it as needed, and only when you REALLY need it.

It's very easy to start depending on taking the Valium to do anything, even things that didn't cause you to have anxiety to begin with. That's how the addiction starts, that's why benzos are great short term but they can make things worse when not used properly. IME, doctors are either too generous with benzo scripts or they won't give them to you at all. I am currently prescribed 1mg Ativan three times a day, plus up to 3 more times a day as needed. 30 Mg Temazepam at bedtime, 1mg Xanax as needed for panic, plus Effexor and Celexa and other BS. If I took my benzos as prescribed, my tolerance would be through the roof. I have been on and off various benzos for 20 years now, and if I am having a panic attack 1mg of xanax takes it all away. I know other people who need 4 or more mg to get relief and they have only been taking benzos for a couple years. I only take my medication as needed and only as much as I need.
 
Thanks for the reply......

It may sound really bad but I don't mind if my tolerance increases if I get anxiety free days and then after 2 months I have to go up to 15mg a day and next 2 months 20mg a day. I have sufferd with this shitlong enough......and like in a previous thread stated I used to use alcohol to get through 90% of situations. The only thing im scared of is that 10 mg seems to make me feel still under normal.....still abit anxious and in a situation that would normally make me very anxious doesn't really do much, not like alchol would anyway. Alcohol would make me soooooo confident and social.......the thing is, I just don't want to build up a tolerance so quick that in 2 months im needing 40mg a day............but im hoping that without recreational use and 'sensibleness' I wont end up that high and definetly not that quick?

Cant tell u how much im missing the buzz of getting drunk in a bar tho and feeling all confident......I guess is it just one or the other? try and be anxiety free on benzos and no drinking / much of social life......or bad anxiety everyday, with a few nights a week getting drunk.....pfftttt....why no drug that is tipsy in a tablet? lol
 
Increasing your tolerance may not seem like a bad idea, until you get to the point your doctor won't prescribe you the amount you need, then what? I'm not trying to be preachy, just trying to give ya a little warning ;)

It sounds like you're also wanting to catch a little buzz as well? Nothing wrong with that, IMO, with moderation :) I probably made it sound like I never have or do take my meds for fun. I do, just not very often because I do not want my tolerance to increase. You are probably going to need more than 10mg tho if you want more than just therapeutic effects. Also, maybe you are just not liking the buzz from Valium? I personally love it, but a lot of people prefer the short acting ones like Xanax. Valium tends to just relax me, even in larger doses, where Xanax will put you on your face if not careful, especially mixing with other downers. Klonopin is another, but for me personally it doesn't help my anxiety as much, but it does give me a good buzz at low doses, at higher doses I just pass out. Ativan is great for everyday, it's short acting, doesn't make me drowsy at all, but it has little to no recreational value.
 
I guess im not wanting a buzz, but just to feel 'no worrys' etc etc. But I do understand why you do think im looking for it as im wanting that drunk/tipsy effect alcohol gave me. I just don't want tolerance to build up quick. My dr seems really good and sensible at the same time. im sure that if I was showing I was being sensible with the drug he would prescribe me more etc etc. The thing is you say I might not be liking the buzz it gives me.....I feel no buzz? lol, if anything I feel abit more calm.....but I don't feel like dancing on the rooftops, or even just chilling out listening to music......like I say I still feel just like me and anxious.....just probably not as anxious as I was.....

which is great...but I still have racing thoughts......I guess I just dunno...lol. But I guess because in taking 2.5mg X4 a day.....by time ive took my first one to the time I take my last is about a 12 hour difference,,,,,so maybe im never even having the 'working' effect od 10mg in me. which in all fairness 10mg in general seems a fairly low dose for prople with bad anxiety.
 
Benzos, especially the longer acting ones, can be very subtle and a lot of times you don't realize how buzzed/intoxicated you are, but others can, lol. You are not going to get a drunk like feeling from Valium, IMO, but at the dose you're taking you should just fell "normal" with no anxiety and maybe a slight mood lift. If you have really bad anxiety problems you are probably going to need a higher dose to remove all anxiety it sounds like. For me, Xanax really is the best thing but you really have to be careful taking it multiple days in a row as the urge to re-dose is high because it doesn't last long. I would try upping your dose a little, and if you're still not getting the desired effects, ask your doctor about trying a different benzo. Also, are you doing any kind of counseling or CBT along with your meds?
 
yeh doing CBT at moment which is so so....ya know.....all ive been really told so far is......your not going crazy its just all thoughts and a few breathing excercises and that's it :/ . doctor also wants me to start taking an anti-depressant while im on benzos as he said an anti depressant shud really help for the long term......thing is I do take it daily......so if moving to Xanax meant It would be badto take daily....what wud be the point? also from what I understand out of the benzos diazepam is one of best as for, long half life, not as bad to WD from, and not much dosing needed?
 
Xanax is better for panic attacks than for general anxiety, IMO. What is your anxiety like? Do you have panic attacks? Do you have anxiety everyday, only in certain situations, social situations, associated with phobias?

Different drugs work for different people. I do think in general Valium is the best general benzo there is, but for panic attacks, the only thing that helps me is Xanax. The others just don't kick in fast enough. Ativan kicks in fast but is just not strong enough to stop a panic attack. If I am having just a little anxiety, Ativan or Valium work great, but not panic. If you are going to take something everyday I would not suggest Xanax.

What anti depressant meds you take? I have had both good and bad reactions to about every ssri and snri I've tried but I had the best luck with Citalopram as far as negative side effects but after being at the highest recommended dose for a year it quit working so now I have been taking Effexor for about a year and I have never felt worse in my life and the doc just keeps upping my dose.

As for CBT, I have tried it off and on for years and I just now feel like I have found the right therapist and it is actually helping (along with my meds). If you don't feel like you're getting any better at all after a few sessions get a new therapist. I knew right away when I found the right one and I went through about 12 in just the last 2 years. I wasted a lot of time and money on worthless doctors, hell I still am with my shrink, lol.
 
I get anxiety everyday.....racing thoughts.....always thinking what if's. Mine kind comes in episodes.......maybe for 6 months or 2 years I might have anxiety under control on no meds and just alcohol on social occasions to relax. But I get episodes.......it all started with 1 panic attack 5 years ago.....I got agrophobic and bla bla bla took like 6 months to get through. never took any meds or cbt for it tho. But it all kicked up again about 4 weeks ago and this time decided to take meds. Citalopram is the one hes put me on, but haven't took it yet as scared of side effects.......even tho doc assures me it will make me feel better and not so negative thinking. I do have panic attacks, but these are normally caused just by my negative thinking......I can build up an average day at work in my head to be this massive thing....or a traffic jam can make me feel so bad to be stuck in I feel like im gunna burst out my own skin with panic and anxiety , lol.

im hoping the ssri works to be honest just scared about taking it. Im 27 and exercise daily and try and eat as best I can..... have a partner and a job but just trying to get the good feelings from life and care free world , while still being functional and fun to be around ya know?

I just don't get why after half a bottle/ full bottle of wine it made me just think 'fuk the anxiety' im off out. That's what I was kinda hoping benzos would do, lol.
 
Your anxiety sounds very similar to mine but mine started at 16 and I am 36 now. Mine are very cycled, it all started with a panic attack while in high school. I can go years without having a panic attack and minimal anxiety and then out of nowhere, I have constant panic attacks for weeks on end, sometimes longer. Sometimes they come on every month, or like i said can be years apart. Right now I am on a 2 year cycle of constant anxiety and panic attacks pretty regularly, depending on situations. There seems to be no reason or pattern to the cycles at all. I actually took about 20 mg of Valium on top of my Ativan and Xanax last night as my agoraphobia is getting more intense due to work situations.

Start taking your Citalopram, I noticed a small difference in a couple weeks, and hopefully after being on it a month or two you won't need the benzos daily. You probably do need them daily while waiting for the Citalopram to start working. Then, hopefully you will only need them when you're feeling anxious. IMO, the key right now is to break the cycle of your anxiety. I have anxiety from worrying that I am going to have anxiety, lol. Once I can break the cycle of daily anxiety I can take my benzos as needed normally and not need them everyday (it also lets me have extras in case I want to have a little fun or need more at a certain time).

I used to drink a lot too when I was younger, def self medicating, especially in social settings. A lot of my friends all seem so shocked now that I have anxiety problems. They don't realize I've always had anxiety, that it was just masked by pills and alcohol back then. Now I rarely drink, but I do have to take benzos in social settings, usually just small dose of Ativan tho, with a Xanax on hand for emergencies.
 
Let me tell you something about saying you have racing thoughts. I had a psychiatrist who couldn't figure out what was my issue. She started coaching me by asking no brainer questions for her diagnoses. She asked do you have racing thoughts? I said sometimes ya. BOOM just like that i am hereby labeled bipolar and prescribed 300mgs of lithium 3 times a day with ativan 1mg twice a day. So i throw the lithium chit away and keep my benzo.

If you wish to embrace BIPOLAR. Go ahead and present yourself as racing thoughts.
 
will 430.....what are u on about? one of the BIGGEST symptons of anxiety is obbseesive negative thinking......and u sound to be putting forward the idea of bi-polar in a weird aggressive way? Also I have not read up about it....but after 5 years of docs, and therapists not one of them have said I show any traits of bi-polar. With bi polar as far as im aware you have EXTREME HIGHS and EXTREME LOWS......im just generally pretty low coz of anxiety.......
 
will430 said:
She asked do you have racing thoughts? I said sometimes ya. BOOM just like that i am hereby labeled bipolar and prescribed 300mgs of lithium 3 times a day with ativan 1mg twice a day.
Click to expand...

That sounds a little weird.. Dumb way to label someone as bipolar
 
Zeano said:
Ok guys, just a quick one

I have been on 10mg of vallium a day for 2 weeks, and never abused them and don't plan on doing so for recreational purposes. I see websites saying your tolerance will build in 1 week and other people saying they have been on the same dose for years and never had to up anything.....what u guys reckon?

I know everyone is different but is their a ball park figure? I have never really felt 'much' much from any of the vslium ive took.....from the first 10mg to the 10mg I will take today. I mean, im sure its calming down as I go out to places easier. but its not like I feel it 'kick in' or anything.

Anyone with any ball park figures? or storys or their own tolerance.....say u started on 10/20mg a day, how long did it take you to build a tolerance up to it where u needed to go higher and was you always dabbling in recreational doses too or not?
Click to expand...
since I was abusing them my tolerance went up very quickly,I had started on 4x5mgs per day, but within almost 2mths was being prescribed 16x10mgs daily or 4x10mgs 4 times per day and it took me a helluva long time to reduce, went gradually down about 1x2mgs every 3mths! this is not everyones way of doing it but it was the way it had to be done with me, cause on top of prescribed valium I was buying street 1nz! but like you have stated I knew some little old ladies who were on 1x10mgs per day for many many years and never needed any more or never topped up like yourself... as you'll know they were the grannies pick me up cause they were being scripted left right and centre and peeps were on a script for years and years... but that's all changed as getting a diazepam script now is like collecting hen's teeth or virtually impossible. But to tolerence levels me personally since was always dosed high now need 8x10mgs per day to alleviate stress,anxiety,panic or whatever,so my advice woule be to try and keep it to below 1x10mg 3 times per day, 1 when you get up, another about 3pmish and another about near bedtime or an hour before depending on bedtime! hope this goes some way to giving you an honest answer?
 
as stated before I had plenty of addictions alcohol was one especially after a hard working day, but your benzos will never replace the booze buzz as uv probably guessed but my advice is take it slowly cause benzos and drink can be a killer! so be careful
 
Out of all the drug families benzos are the most fucked in terms of tolerance/withdrawals. My benzo tolerance grew so quickly and the quicker I upped the dose the quicker the dose would become useless and id need more. I used valium and xanax for years at 25mg/2-4mg but then I got a regular source and started using them for drug related anxiety as well as just regular anxiety, 6 months on from dosing 4mg xanax to get a good effect(it was recreational because id feel so good after feeling so bad, many people just dont 'get' the recreational side of benzos but its only really there if your anxious or your mixing with other drugs. I never really got a recreational effect from benzos while I was feeling good and yes I tried, sometimes I wouldnt feel anything but then the same dose when I was having a panic/anxiety attack and id be in bliss within a short time. Benzos also feel really good on the tail end of a meth high, I wont even go into benzos/opiates because its just dangerous and your not asking about it so...But yeah in 6 months I went from 4mg often getting me very messy to 16mg barely doing anything :/ Now ive been clean from them save using them 2-3 times in the last 3 months and I still need around 6mg whereas my heroin habit went from using upwards of a gram of high quality #4 heroin to being able to get high off .1-.2g of H. The opiate tolerance went down really quick but the benzo tolerance is taking its sweet ass time, and for me benzos come in handy much more than opiates. Another thing you might want to look at is benzo withdrawal. It can be brutal at even small doses such as your 10mg a day, benzo WD is much worse than opiate withdrawal!

Try not to take them every day, they become very compulsive and you will start finding reasons to take them or you will work yourself into a state of anxiety where you believe you need them . And often the anxiety is miniscule but you will find a reason to take them and this my friend is the start of benzo addiction. The next step will be upping doses and tolerance increasing. Sorry if I made that sound really negative but ive seen it happen to others and myself. Benzos are very habit-forming. They are also very useful but for sporadic or short-term relief, anyone wanting to use them every day for any longer than a month is in trouble IMO.

Good luck! :)
 
I really appreciate what your all saying........I honeslty do.

and I know nobody can tell me specifically how long it will take to build a personal tolerance or whatever? but nobody has really said 'I started off with 10mg a day and after 2 months needed 15mg and then another 2 months needed 20mg' etc etc. I understand that many if you guys (not in a bad way I mean this) abuse the drug and take more then prescribed so surely when your tolerance is sky rocketing its because on some days you might be taking 2/3/4/5 times a much as recommended?

I keep wondering after 2 weeks of being on 10mg a day (and really don't feel that much from it to be honest, it aint a warm sensation that makes everything calm and relaxed like some people say , for me) is it possible to stop cold turkey and maybe just replace it with a few beers on an evening to calm the anxiety blues......

Again I don't mean this in a horrible way, but I have an advantage of only been taking for 2 weeks and at 10mg everyday, no abuse..... or should I just chill out and let it help me for another 4 weeks while I start my citralopram (and please don't anyone say don't take ssri, as im already worried,, but doc seems it will help loads) and that will equal about 6 weeks on diazepam............

is 6 weeks on diazepam bad??? I just don't know whether to stop now while I probs will have very minimal W/D symptons and can probably replace the diazepam with a half bottle of wine on a evening.
 
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