i would think that one would simply build a tolerance to the few mgs of valium you've been taking. it's hard for me to imagine chronic benzo usage as being conductive to living an anxiety free lifestyle, since there's always a price for what you get from the drugs. at those doses the price might not be too bad but it would still offset the benefit.
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who else here is withdrawing from benzos?
- Thread starter duneplanet
- Start date
i would think that one would simply build a tolerance to the few mgs of valium you've been taking. it's hard for me to imagine chronic benzo usage as being conductive to living an anxiety free lifestyle, since there's always a price for what you get from the drugs. at those doses the price might not be too bad but it would still offset the benefit.
godlovesugly
Bluelighter
MEEEE. it fricken sucks! was doin the yellow 2mg xani bars. stopped cold turkey. i feel horribleee. physically sick and mentally/emotionally not doing good at all. very depressed/suicidal, agitated and irritated. benzo withdrawal is HELL.
muvolution
Bluelight Crew
me, went from 30mg of V's a day to none. Also coming off 300+mg's of Lyrica and 60mg of Oxymorphone per day, all at the same time.
needless to say, things could be going better.
needless to say, things could be going better.
fivelinefury
Bluelighter
Well, day 3 with no diazepam after 6 years of use. I was down to 12.5mg and just decided to stop. Can't say I am feeling withdrawals at the moment, cept maybe a bit more depressed than usual. I guess so far so good.
diazepam withdrawals take 3-4 days to start showing themselves in my experience, be careful man
Roger&Me
Bluelighter
So I'm a couple months off benzos now, have been feeling surprisingly great for a while, and suddenly had some symptoms return.
Mainly, I'm experiencing hemifacial spasms and tremors-- usually right under my left eye. It can actually be quite painful, as the more it spasms, the more it starts to "burn" (closest sensation I can use to describe). Also, the acute tremors and spasms are not painless-- they feel kind of like being pricked with a pin or something. Its kind of distressing because it is very distracting when I do reading/bookwork, of which I do a lot.
TBH, I'm kind of pissed at myself because I'm 99% sure this was brought on by overindulgence in beer.![:\](https://bluelight.org/xf/BL_Images/Orig_Emoji/wrygrin.gif "wry grin :\")
I knew alcohol was not good for people with GABA damage, but decided to drink anyway. It's been 4 days and the symptoms haven't started to die down at all yet, in fact they kind of seem to be getting a bit worse.
Has anyone else experienced this? Its very strange because I was feeling GREAT right before thanksgiving, had some drinks over the holidays, then symptoms started to reemerge. I guess alcohol is gunna be a definite no-no for a long time....
Not doing TOO bad, no anxiety and feeling pretty cheery, its just this damn eye thing. Very annoying especially after having felt well for a period of time, this is very demoralizing. And by nighttime, the whole left side of my face BURNS from the periodic spasms
Anyone have any input?
Thanks in advance.
Mainly, I'm experiencing hemifacial spasms and tremors-- usually right under my left eye. It can actually be quite painful, as the more it spasms, the more it starts to "burn" (closest sensation I can use to describe). Also, the acute tremors and spasms are not painless-- they feel kind of like being pricked with a pin or something. Its kind of distressing because it is very distracting when I do reading/bookwork, of which I do a lot.
TBH, I'm kind of pissed at myself because I'm 99% sure this was brought on by overindulgence in beer.
I knew alcohol was not good for people with GABA damage, but decided to drink anyway. It's been 4 days and the symptoms haven't started to die down at all yet, in fact they kind of seem to be getting a bit worse. Has anyone else experienced this? Its very strange because I was feeling GREAT right before thanksgiving, had some drinks over the holidays, then symptoms started to reemerge. I guess alcohol is gunna be a definite no-no for a long time....
Not doing TOO bad, no anxiety and feeling pretty cheery, its just this damn eye thing. Very annoying especially after having felt well for a period of time, this is very demoralizing. And by nighttime, the whole left side of my face BURNS from the periodic spasms
Anyone have any input?
Thanks in advance.
Roger&Me
Bluelighter
I was on 0.75-1.5mg of xanax per day for around 10-11 months.
fivelinefury
Bluelighter
yeah same ere m8. I just noticed feeling a bit more like shit today on day 4. Spose its a good thing that I know what to expect. Have probably felt just as much withdrawals as actual effects over 6 years 8)
To all who have posted on this thread
I'm not being a smart arse, I just wanted to share some important information with you all.
First, a bit about me, stimulant abuse is what drove me to lie to my doc to get zolpidem(a benzo cross tolerant sleeper) and also valium.
Doc didnt know the cross tolerance of zolpidem, or the long half-life of valium. I took valium every few days and thought I was safe.
I stopped taking valium finally last year, but symptoms didnt show up until the third week, then BAM.
I stopped the zolpidem cold turkey and went back on the valium.
2 updoses later and I was at 15mg but have been tapering every three weeks and am now on 6.5mg a day.
IMPORTANT - People coming off benzos need to have a steady amount in their bloodstream, and not yo-yo the dose, because this yo-yo-ing can confuse the GABA receptors making withdrawal worse.
Also It is not wise to take valerian/kava etc, or any other drugs/herbs/alcohol that acts on GABA receptors as this can also make withdrawal worse.
Taper at between 5% and 10% of the dose you are cutting from, and NOT your original dose.
Make cuts every 14-21 days to avoid becoming tolerant to the dose you are on.
Join a benzo support forum, there are loads out there.
I wish I had done this and listened to their advice before doing what I did.
Avoid foods which have MSG in them, cook from scratch.
although it is tempting to taper rapidly or jump off from the dose you are on, don't because withdrawals can be worse, and they take upto three weeks to appear, cos of valiums long half life.
Visit BATAID.org, UK users can use their services, but its a good site anyway.
Duneplanet, dont try lyrica as I think that has GABA acting properties which could inhibit recovery, and make withdrawal worse. I also think Phenibut has GABA acting properties which may make withdrawl worse. Check this out online to be sure.
Welshmick- Iwould take the same dose every day, for reasons stated above.
Bagochina - I dont think you are dick-sizing, it seems you are just relaying your story, to help others.
Unsettled - I think a 0.25mg cut in your klonopin is too big a cut. 10% is the maximum amount recommended. It may not seem a big difference but you will feel worse if you make big cuts.
Cyc - Although on a small dose, it is possible to become tolerant to that dose and to experinece withdrawal symptoms. Have you thought of starting a slow taper? Yo-yo-ing the doses also stores up trouble for you later on.
Ollieideal - I suggest you keep to the same amount of benzos each day for reasons stated above. Also, with online sources, you never know what dose you are getting.
Fivelinefury - You can reinstate so long as you do it within 2 weeks of stopping. 12mg is a big dose to jump off from, and don't forget that valium withdrawals can take up to three weeks to show themselves.
I hope I am not sounding as if I am telling you what to do, I just feel it is my responsiblity as a benzo addict to share some of my knowledge.
Also, faster acting benzos can cause inter-dose withdrawals, so it is best to split your dose to 4 times a day. For example 1mg of xanax per day could be split into 4 doses of 0.25mg a day.
Although I have read up on benzo withdrawal, since I became addicted, I am not an expert, but neither are doctors, they are spectacularly clueless when it comes to benzo withdrawal.
I would visit benzo support forums, as there are people on there who have more expertise than doctors, people who have gone though withdrawal.
I hope this post helps
I'm not being a smart arse, I just wanted to share some important information with you all.
First, a bit about me, stimulant abuse is what drove me to lie to my doc to get zolpidem(a benzo cross tolerant sleeper) and also valium.
Doc didnt know the cross tolerance of zolpidem, or the long half-life of valium. I took valium every few days and thought I was safe.
I stopped taking valium finally last year, but symptoms didnt show up until the third week, then BAM.
I stopped the zolpidem cold turkey and went back on the valium.
2 updoses later and I was at 15mg but have been tapering every three weeks and am now on 6.5mg a day.
IMPORTANT - People coming off benzos need to have a steady amount in their bloodstream, and not yo-yo the dose, because this yo-yo-ing can confuse the GABA receptors making withdrawal worse.
Also It is not wise to take valerian/kava etc, or any other drugs/herbs/alcohol that acts on GABA receptors as this can also make withdrawal worse.
Taper at between 5% and 10% of the dose you are cutting from, and NOT your original dose.
Make cuts every 14-21 days to avoid becoming tolerant to the dose you are on.
Join a benzo support forum, there are loads out there.
I wish I had done this and listened to their advice before doing what I did.
Avoid foods which have MSG in them, cook from scratch.
although it is tempting to taper rapidly or jump off from the dose you are on, don't because withdrawals can be worse, and they take upto three weeks to appear, cos of valiums long half life.
Visit BATAID.org, UK users can use their services, but its a good site anyway.
Duneplanet, dont try lyrica as I think that has GABA acting properties which could inhibit recovery, and make withdrawal worse. I also think Phenibut has GABA acting properties which may make withdrawl worse. Check this out online to be sure.
Welshmick- Iwould take the same dose every day, for reasons stated above.
Bagochina - I dont think you are dick-sizing, it seems you are just relaying your story, to help others.
Unsettled - I think a 0.25mg cut in your klonopin is too big a cut. 10% is the maximum amount recommended. It may not seem a big difference but you will feel worse if you make big cuts.
Cyc - Although on a small dose, it is possible to become tolerant to that dose and to experinece withdrawal symptoms. Have you thought of starting a slow taper? Yo-yo-ing the doses also stores up trouble for you later on.
Ollieideal - I suggest you keep to the same amount of benzos each day for reasons stated above. Also, with online sources, you never know what dose you are getting.
Fivelinefury - You can reinstate so long as you do it within 2 weeks of stopping. 12mg is a big dose to jump off from, and don't forget that valium withdrawals can take up to three weeks to show themselves.
I hope I am not sounding as if I am telling you what to do, I just feel it is my responsiblity as a benzo addict to share some of my knowledge.
Also, faster acting benzos can cause inter-dose withdrawals, so it is best to split your dose to 4 times a day. For example 1mg of xanax per day could be split into 4 doses of 0.25mg a day.
Although I have read up on benzo withdrawal, since I became addicted, I am not an expert, but neither are doctors, they are spectacularly clueless when it comes to benzo withdrawal.
I would visit benzo support forums, as there are people on there who have more expertise than doctors, people who have gone though withdrawal.
I hope this post helps
leigh12
Bluelighter
im slowly taperin from xanax
fuck the withdrawels are hell , had 3 this year , worst experience of my life , mentaly felt like i was stuck in a really bad sort of trip
fuck the withdrawels are hell , had 3 this year , worst experience of my life , mentaly felt like i was stuck in a really bad sort of trip
villian
Bluelighter
leigh many people find it easier to taper valium or klonopin then xanax.
I don't know your history but maybe it is something to look into
The short half life of xanax makes it a particularly difficult one to get off of
I don't know your history but maybe it is something to look into
The short half life of xanax makes it a particularly difficult one to get off of
Leigh - If you are still stuck on benzos, can you get your doctor to prescribe valium and do a slow crossover to valium? a slow crossover is needed because valium takes a few weeks to build up in your system. Valiums long half life makes for a smoother withdrawal too.
http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s1
The above link is an example of a slow crossover from xanax to valium from the Ashton manual. You may wish to visit a benzo forum for further information as many have found the taper schedules on the ashton manual too aggressive.
fivelinefury
Bluelighter
Well this all went out the window again. 8) I felt like I was stable enough and wasn't going to feel withdrawals as much after stopping that low dose anymore. Fuck was I wrong on day 5. In the space of about 30mins I got that withdrawal feeling coming over me like I had just been smacked in the head with a cricket bat. I got a prescription for 10mg diazepam daily from the doc today and feel a hell of a lot better.
Roger&Me
Bluelighter
^Just make sure to cut down your dose by 10% in a month or so, after you stabilize. Keep your head up, you'll be fine-- just a setback.
fivelinefury
Bluelighter
^ Yup you're certainly right. Benzo addiction can make you really feel trapped, or like it will never end since the terrible withdrawals people can experience. I think everyone here needs to always remind themselves that it doesn't matter how slow you taper, eventhough it takes ages, you will succeed in the end. It just takes alot of time. I know this is easier said than done, but I know at times for me just hearing it or reading it from someone else helps a little
Thats it m8. At the moment i'm staying on the 10mg for another month, then cutting another 1 or 2mg off. Every time (has been hundreds of times now) I have a relapse, I always beleive "its the end" 8)
^Just make sure to cut down your dose by 10% in a month or so, after you stabilize. Keep your head up, you'll be fine-- just a setback.
Thats it m8. At the moment i'm staying on the 10mg for another month, then cutting another 1 or 2mg off. Every time (has been hundreds of times now) I have a relapse, I always beleive "its the end" 8)