Benzos Z-drugs for benzo withdrawal?

[max_]

hi bluelight, i've been on benzos on and off for about 5 years. After about a year of trying to get off them, i've already been clean for about 2 months or so. Three nights ago i took 0.5 clonazepam to help me sleep (i had zero craving, it was just a stupid idea). Now i went back to laying in bed 4 hours straight before i can fall sleep, and even then i can only sleep for 4 or 5 hours and im up again.
I wonder if i could use zolpidem to put me to sleep or if it would lead me right back to benzos. I used it to help me while i tappered but i don't know how my body's gonna react now that im clean.
Please, ideas.

 

[TheAzo]

Z-drugs should be considered to be benzos. The only difference is that they don't have the benzodiazepine structure in them. They still hit the benzodiazepine receptors, and are cross-tolerant with benzos, and should be treated identically to benzos (ie, for you, should not be taken).

 

[mrflowers00]

if you only use the ambien/zolpidem for a week or less it should be fine but it may increase your cravings for benzos

 

[waldo777]

I've used Zolpidem (Ambien) to help with benzo w/d when I've run out of my Klonopin Rx early....it def helped the w/d, but it ONLY helped. Yes most of the symptoms were alleviated, but not all, AND, it felt significantly different than the relief I would have felt had I taken a classic benzo instead----i know this from personal experience.
The Ambien made the w/d symptoms better, but it was not a perfect substitute the way hydrocodone is a perfect substitute for oxycodone and visa versa....when taken at the proper doses of course,

SO, that said, I do not think taking Ambien for a few nights at the normally prescribed dosage would cause you to experience w/d symptoms. B/c Ambien is a very effective sleeping pill, b/c it is so similar to classic benzos like Klonopin, and b/c your tolerance is probably back to baseline or low/mild due to abstinence, taking Ambien, AS RECOMMENDED will let you fall asleep quickly & easily and also let you sleep a solid 6-8 hours. Plus taking it for less than 7 consecutive days will *probably* not get you addicted nor cause any w/d symptoms when use stops; at least the manufacturers claim that addiction & w/d **shouldnt** and **wont** occur if taken as per above.
HOWEVER, IMO and IME, taking a single 10mg pill b4 bed time will regardless of what I previously said above, WILL cause you to crave benzos again if you've stopped having cravings, it will intensify your cravings if you still get them.

BOTTOM LINE:
-if you really need the sleep take some Ambien, but ONLY IF you trust your willpower enough that you won't take more than 10mg or 12.5mg depending if IR or ER formulation, and that you won't use it for more than 4-5 days in a row--to play it safe. B/C if you take more or use more the con's will outweigh the pro's, meaning;
You'll have to use it every night to fall asleep
You will be addicted again and have to deal with w/d again
You'll be dependent on it for sleep when if you just stayed sober another week or 2 you'd start getting better if not perfectly normal sleep w/out any drugs.


Just my way more than 2 cents, comments?

 

[suessmayr]

Z-drugs are, as someone said, GABA drugs and have cross tolerance with benzos. They just don't have muscle-relaxant properties.

 

[delicpharmer]

i found lunesta to help a lot with a xanax wd. shit doesnt help me sleep..so i was fine taking it during the day. kava is a decent choice also.

and the cravng for more benzos from the use of the Z drugs may cause cravings, but they helped me.

 

[max_]

thanks everyone for your replies. last night i did take 5mg ambien. and it did put me to sleep, plus i find that as soon as it wears off i wake up (with or without the benzo depence), so it's great sleeping aid. I'm getting alot of abdominal discomfort, and for this issue it does not help at all. btw im also kind of laying off codeine, which is probably the reason for this. i took one (codeine)this morning to stop the runts. Usually i go throught the w/d and just pay for my actions but right now i can't afford to do this because of my job. I'll try not to take anything for the weekend and see how it goes. but i can't dedicate myself fully to withdrawing as i used to--
thanks again, i'll update when i have some news--

 

[Mugz]

I actually managed to get my diazepam taper down to 5mg from 15mg daily for about 3 weeks when I started taking zopiclone to sleep, but as soon as I stopped taking the zopiclone I needed the extra diazepam. It can act as a substitute for sleeping purposes sometimes, in my experience anyway, but that is about it.

 

[Pegasus]

^Makes sense, thanks for the report.

 

[max_]

yeh, it sounds like z-drugs only cover for the lack of gaba binding. so it would be like eating honey instead of sugar, it's healthier, but still turns you into a fatass if you don't control yourself--
last night i took 10mg zolpidem, i usually take 5 when im "controlling" myself, but lately it seems that im not-- i woke up today to the worst crave i had even when i was tapering or when i stopped taking it. i went over wikipedia's list of w/d symptoms and stopped counting on 15.
i have no idea what am i going to do, i need to be operative ASAP, in fact this wasted morning is already costing me money i do not have. i could start taking it again, but it doesn't sound like the smart way to go.

 

[steal_yourphace]

I've never had ambien withdrawal before, so its kind of puzzling to see a lot of people talking about it here. I have been on it for a long long time and usually when my script goes without it I just have a really hard time sleeping for a week or two before i'm back to normal.

 

[mygreenbic]

I've been on Klonopin for roughly fifteen years at roughly 2mg a day . I ran out of my script ten days early and have hit a horrible patch of withdrawal mighty quickly. I managed to come across 30 ambien ten mg tabs. how would you guys recommend I take them across the next ten days do that I don't end up in the er?