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Benzos Will I experience withdrawal at all?

whiteroom67

Bluelighter
Joined
Apr 5, 2014
Messages
337
Location
USA
Will I experience withdrawal at all after 3 weeks of on/off diazepam use?

To be specific about my situation, I was on an opiate/kratom dependence for awhile and quit/relapsed a few times, mostly with the Kratom over the past few months, without hardly any use from benzos. I'm about 5 days clean from Kratom now with very little physical or mental effects from what I can tell (the first few attempts at fully quitting seemed to take care of most of the issues associated with Kratom withdrawal.

Anyway, I recently (around mid-May) got some Valium/Diazepam, which I know has a very long half-life (~200 hours I think?) And since mid-May, starting around the 16th or so, I have been taking fairly high-doses a day, for someone with no initial tolerance, to deal with the withdrawals of recent - maybe starting around 20 mgs in a day and now have worked my way up to 50 mgs in a day, with noticeably less effects even at the higher dosage. I have NOT been taking it everyday though. There was one definite 4 day period in there just over this past weekend into early this week when I took none at all, and also a couple of other times when I went without 2 or 3 days of using it, and yet some other days here or there when I just used Phenibut instead. I am at about the 3 week point since starting any Diazepam use now though. My supply is getting low and I really wasn't planning on getting more... I did experience a day of what felt like very noticeable rebound anxiety for a day or so last week (the 3rd day of my 4 day break), but I used Kratom and it got rid of it, but that was my last day using Kratom (again) and that was just this past monday. Though I'm thinking that maybe that day of slight rebound anxiety may have been from the Phenibut since I used that for several days in a row (2 days on, 1 day off, 2 days on) at fairly high doses (~3 grams) in a day stopping the same day as my last dose of Valium the week prior - and I know Phenibut raises tolerance and addiction levels really quickly if used like that.

While I'm still psychologically craving a head change of some sort (I am an addict after all ;)), I feel okay otherwise, though I did wake up with a little bit of anxiety that would be considered slightly above average (though again, I'm only on day 5 of a mild Kratom detox), and so I took just 15 mgs of Valium this morning upon wakening. Yesterday along with the past 2 days before it I took about 30-50 mgs of Valium spread throughout the day, and I also took Phenibut the first 2 days as well, but not yesterday, and am not planning to today or tomorrow or for however long again either in any case, unless I feel like I really need it for a day or 2 or something.

I'm just wondering, considering all of this, what are my chances of experiencing any type of withdrawal, physical or even just psychological, from this level of Diazepam use from the past few weeks, and if so what should I expect?

I'd might as well add that I have been working out a lot with a combo of heavy weightlifting and running, eating relatively healthy and staying hydrated for the most part, throughout the majority of these past few weeks, plus I'm pretty young (late 20's) so I would think my metabolism isn't half bad. I'm about 5'7" and weigh around 175 lbs.

Anyway, what do you think I should expect and is there anything I should be aware of or prepare for at this level of usage? Should I do some sort of fast taper for where I'm at or just stop now and prevent extending its use?

Sorry if my post is long and confusing, just wanted to get as much info in it as I could.

Thanks in advance
 
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I guess no one has any idea. I guess we will find out. Today was first day with nothing. Some anxiety, but def manageble, then again, could be from the Kratom withdrawal which hasn't fully gone away yet either (only at ay 5 or 6).
 
With that level of usage, I would think that you'll experience withdrawal, though not a significant amount. With exercise and a proper diet it should be manageable for you to quit cold turkey. But any amount of tapering you can do will make the experience easier, so I would say that if you can control how much you use for a fast taper, that would be ideal.
 
Sorry actually, it was only 3 weeks from start to finish, not 3 and 1/2^

How long should the withdrawal last if it's cold turkey? And if I do do a taper how should I do it? I'm already at about 48 hours with nothing at this point. Feeling some mild anxiety, and my sleep was light last night, even though I took some gabapentin and melatonin.
 
I dunno I was scripted 12mg clonzepam a day for 2 years and went from 2mgs/day --> 12mg / day for 2 years before that, while I was on them I'd constantly be up and down if I was coming on or off them and I'd not have a good time. Nor would anyone around me, it was hell. Mind you I gave them up cold turkey and had absolutely no withdrawals and felt normal even in the first few weeks after stopping so if I can withstand that I'm sure you'll be fine.
 
Wait sailor, I'm a little confused by your post... did you mean that during the period of time while you were taking them it was hell, and when you stopped after 2 years you were fine? Or did you mean something else?
 
Wait sailor, I'm a little confused by your post... did you mean that during the period of time while you were taking them it was hell, and when you stopped after 2 years you were fine? Or did you mean something else?

Nope you got it right, while I was on them it was hell. Trying to maintain the perfect level in my body of it and feeling super anxious as it wore off and then having to dose myself. I know it sounds weird but that's how it was for me.

But, when I stopped them no withdrawals, physical or mental. To me it was a great relief. I know that sounds like it would be impossible to happen but thats what happened to me. I've been on benzo's since after 2 years of none (xanax, attivan, temazepam, valium, and clonzepam) it's always been on very low doses and been used mainly for sleep instead of anxiety. Right now for instance I'm scripted 2mg clonazepam/day as needed for insomnia but I can easily go without them usually they're just there for emergencies.
 
True, I guess everyone is just biochemically/physiologically different. The anxiety I'm experiencing could just be from tail end Kratom withdrawal, coupled with some rebound anxiety from relying on something or another for so long. When it comes to the Valium leaving my system my guess is I'll know for sure by the end of the week.
 
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