# detoxing from benzodiazepines



## dixie (Nov 14, 2006)

due to go into hospital for two weeks to come off my benzos anyone else done this and any advice you can give me?dixie


----------



## comfortably numb (Mar 6, 2006)

What benzo are you on and how long have you been on them?

You must be on a pretty high dose for a long time in order to need to go to a hospital to detox off them.

By the way alot of people find that switching over to a equal dose of valium (diazepam) makes the withdrawal's alot easier. It has a very long half life (200 hour's or so for it's active metabolites) which is why it's much easier to taper off then a short acting benzo with a really short half life such as xanax (alprazolam).


----------



## dixie (Nov 14, 2006)

Hi
thanks for your reply been on temazepam for nearly 20 years and valium and think they are affecting my therapy and suprressing any help i could be getting the reason for getting off them . thanks dixie quote="comfortably numb"]What benzo are you on and how long have you been on them?

You must be on a pretty high dose for a long time in order to need to go to a hospital to detox off them.

By the way alot of people find that switching over to a equal dose of valium (diazepam) makes the withdrawal's alot easier. It has a very long half life (200 hour's or so for it's active metabolites) which is why it's much easier to taper off then a short acting benzo with a really short half life such as xanax (alprazolam).[/quote]


----------



## comfortably numb (Mar 6, 2006)

Temazepam is a pretty short acting benzo with a half life of about 22 hour's. It's mainly used for sleep.

If your going to taper off benzo's use valium because it will be much easier to taper off that way. Valium has a half life of 200 hour's which will make it much easier to taper off then just using temazepam.

Brad i had pretty much constant anxiety and that's why i chose the clonazepam. If i used xanax id be popping them every 3 hour's or so and i would have a tollerance from hell.

Plus i never liked xanax to begin with which is odd because alot of people love it. It actually made me feel more irritable and cranky. I guess it just never agreed with me.


----------



## dixie (Nov 14, 2006)

thanks brad, your right i really think they are putting a lid on all my stuff and just prolonging the therapy and not making good use of it. I am due to go in shortly will let you know how i do if thats ok. thanks dixie

quote="brad"]hey Dixie, how are you going?

I agree that you should get of long acting benzos, I also believe that they just put a lid on past issues and hinder therapy.
It is the exact reason why I got of antidepressants, sure they kept me on level ground but I didn't really feel anything, sure now I have some bad days but I get to enjoy the good ones.
The only thing I take now is zanax, when required, sure its only short acting but it gives you a chance to work through/pin point some of the emotions that are causing your dp/anxiety.
That comment is going to ruffle comfortably numbs feathers as he has continually disagreed with me on this.

Good luck A.T.B Brad... :wink:

Comfortably numb, hope all is good.

I know/think you will disagree with what I have just posted, but let me also add that I don't think just because it works for me that it must work for everyone.

I do not dismiss the fact that a longer acting bezo works better for some people, but my personal opinion is that it just puts things on hold.

On the other hand I don't think anyone should constantly endure high levels of anxiety, I would not wish that on anyone I know how hard that is.

But if you think you can handle patches of anxiety you should opt for the short acting benzos just so you can give yourself a chance to work through what is causing your dp/anxiety, And if in fact they are harder to give up you could, like you suggested take a longer acting one to help with the withdrawal process.

Anyway its just my opinion not a medical fact.

A.T.B Brad... :wink:[/quote]


----------



## Space Cadet (Nov 17, 2005)

In my opinion after 20 years you should just stay on them if there aren't any major problems; they're probably actually doing you some good. Anyway you might get lucky, but if not you should do a bit of a search on net just to get an idea of what might happen coming off them.


----------



## dixie (Nov 14, 2006)

thanks brad
I have got to do it 20 years has past and i want a life, this is a chance to see what happens, i want to find out what is my drugs and what is me and if the shit hits the fan well i could always go on them again, but i am so empty and lost. hopefully going in this week. and will think of all your comments thanks a lot dixie

quote="brad"]space cadet, how are you?

you are generalizing, I have read some of that shit, it isn't like that for everyone.
Anyway, Dixie is going to do it in a controlled/safe environment.
You said if there isn't any problems, well there is a problem, Dixie feels as if she is not moving beyond this shit! 
At least give it a try!
If it doesn't work, well at the very least she gave it a chance.

A.T.B Brad...[/quote]


----------



## bat (Aug 18, 2004)

hi dixie

best of luck


----------

