Silk Road forums
Discussion => Drug safety => Topic started by: SpiceyT on November 04, 2012, 10:07 am
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Guys a quick question,
I was prescribed valium for a condition(short lasting condition) , i was given 50x 5mg, only probably needed 20, anyway the last week i kinda started upping my dosage to 20 mg a night, i have just run out, withdrawals symptom are very unlikely right? So overall i used 50 in around 16 days. I have very little experience with valium up until this point.
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50 x 5mg in 16 days, that's about 15mg/day. you won't have a harsh withdrawal, maybe you don't feel that good for about a week but you won't suffer from serious withdrawal symptoms. that also depends on how much you took before running out, but valium has a long half life and you only used it at low dosages for 16 days, i don't see a problem!
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Ok first of all its not the best to suddenly stop Benzos ideally people should taper off slowly but it seems as if you have only been taking them for a short while, why did you start uping your doseage ?? Tolerance level ??? There is a small risk (due to the fact that you have taken them for a short while) of Benzo spasms and you could suffer with depression for a while afterwards due to the fact that the Benzos are leaving your system, ideally you should have someone with you for a few days just to keep an eye on you , if you do start getting Benzo seizures you need to get to a hospital urgently ..You night want to post on here as well , its a great forum http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=31378.0.
Hope this helps DM me if you want
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Ok first of all its not the best to suddenly stop Benzos ideally people should taper off slowly but it seems as if you have only been taking them for a short while, why did you start uping your doseage ?? Tolerance level ??? There is a small risk (due to the fact that you have taken them for a short while) of Benzo spasms and you could suffer with depression for a while afterwards due to the fact that the Benzos are leaving your system, ideally you should have someone with you for a few days just to keep an eye on you , if you do start getting Benzo seizures you need to get to a hospital urgently ..You night want to post on here as well , its a great forum http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=31378.0.
Hope this helps DM me if you want
I upped my dosage because i wanted to feel high, haha funny that.
Only symptom im having is insomnia , which is pain in the ass.
I really dont think i was taking them long enough to get proper withdrawals. .
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I wouldn't say 'very unlikely' but if you've never had WD before than not very severe if any at all. 50 Valiums is a lot of Valiums though, and 16 days aint that many days you feel me? It really comes down to that simple schedule and time on vs. time off as well as tolerance makin it worse. You should be okay though.
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Tonight and tomorrow will be when i know i guess.
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your # pills was a lot, but if you only took it for 16 days, you probably won't have severe withdrawals. those tend to kick in after several weeks of use and tend to be worse the longer the person took them.
you may feel shitty for a short time though, depending on your individual body/brain chemistry.
if you find that you can't sleep, don't take more benzos - just try to take a benadryl or other OTC sleep-aid (but not melatonin).
I tried phenibut, that did sweet fuck all in helping me sleep.
Thanks for all the input, i think i will be fine.
Damn i feel like eating some more though....
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I hope you'll be okay. If you were taking 20 mg a day for a week or so, you could experience mild withdrawal symptoms. It would have been more sensible to break the last 40 mg or so off into 10 and 5 mg doses, but it's to late to change that now.
Given your short period of use i wouldn't expect anything serious though, perhaps a bit of a restless/jittery feeling, comparable to drinking too much coffee, that will probably fade completely in a few days.
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I hope you'll be okay. If you were taking 20 mg a day for a week or so, you could experience mild withdrawal symptoms. It would have been more sensible to break the last 40 mg or so off into 10 and 5 mg doses, but it's to late to change that now.
Given your short period of use i wouldn't expect anything serious though, perhaps a bit of a restless/jittery feeling, comparable to drinking too much coffee, that will probably fade completely in a few days.
On a side note , i have some seroquel on hand , which i know will help me SLEEP.
I should just try and get my sleep patterns back to normal as quickly as possible with out the crutch of sleep aids right?
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If you can, just resume your normal sleep pattern without resorting to taking seroquel or anything else. With such a short duration of treatment that should be possible without much of a problem.
Having some seroquels available is a good backup in case you really cannot catch sleep some night, but they really are not the hypnotic of choice if you have a choice. If you're not used to drinking alcohol daily, just having a drink before bed is probably a preferable method to settle your nerves. Also, OTC medications like benadryl (diphenhydramide) can be useful to provide a mildly calming effect.
Seroquel is not a hypnotic drug that works like valium at all. While it does have hypnotic effects, i'd consider it a last resort compound if you simply want to sleep;
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This is a great site for Benzos http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=rm0ap8s90914r1h0c545emdcp7 I would only use seroquel very short term but try and resume normal sleep pattern , try and get out go walking or some form of exercise and boost the serotonin levels as they will have stopped naturally occuring.
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i can just agree with HarmReduction and Ben. i also went through a benzo withdrawal after taking different benzos for about 6 months. i took a week holiday from work (you should do that too if you are working/studying) to get over the worst part. i didn't feel really well after that week, but working was no problem and also helped me to get back to "normal". for me getting some sleep wasn't that hard, at some days i slept much more than usually (also during the day). as said one two beers before sleep could help you and if that doesn't work try dph! but just before bed, when taking them during the day you look like a zombie on acid ;D
a good diet and some sport could also help you..
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i can just agree with HarmReduction and Ben. i also went through a benzo withdrawal after taking different benzos for about 6 months. i took a week holiday from work (you should do that too if you are working/studying) to get over the worst part. i didn't feel really well after that week, but working was no problem and also helped me to get back to "normal". for me getting some sleep wasn't that hard, at some days i slept much more than usually (also during the day). as said one two beers before sleep could help you and if that doesn't work try dph! but just before bed, when taking them during the day you look like a zombie on acid ;D
a good diet and some sport could also help you..
Been exorcising like a mofo, def helps , physical exhaustion makes sleep a lot easier , last night i had been benzo free for 3days and seroquel free for one day, did get to sleep, but had a few nightmares. I did have a have heavy dose of phenibut, not even sure if that stuff helps or not.
Think withdrawals were pretty mild in my case.
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Good advice all around.
You'll know if the withdrawal gets too bad -- you'll feel like you're losing your mind, and not just as a turn of phrase. So if you're not there, you can feel good about that.
benzobuddies is a cool forum and website, definitely agree, HarmReduction! Just as a quick side note, and not to pick nits, but would suggest removing that ?PHPSESSID and everything after it from the link, as it identifies your specific cookied session from before.
Good luck, SpiceyT -- it will get better, though it may take longer than you'd think. Benzo withdrawal is no joke, as sometimes when you think you're done with it, you're actually not. That's what people on benzobuddies are referring to as "windows." But Valium's got a long half-life, and you weren't on it for months, so that's in your favor. Coming off Xanax or the like is generally much worse. But yeah, many cheers, and keep us in the loop!
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I'd recommend seeing a GP or Dr and having an honest talk if you're unsure. If it becomes too much to bear, you will be prescribed smaller amounts to slowly taper off. 20mg is not a huge amount, but its its not exactly small either; I've been prescribed it in the past for similar symptoms and was recommended no more than 6mg a day in 2mg pills. Hope you're ok, bro.
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Curious as to why someone commented that Melatonin should not be used for benzo withdrawal. I sometimes take it w/ or w/o valium to help get to sleep.
I'm sort of in the same boat as the original poster, but been in it a much longer time.....around 6 months of daily valium use - but usually only around 10-15mg a day. sometimes a bit less, sometimes a bit more. Never taken it to get a buzz - just for anxiety or sleep (though i suppose the lack of anxiety is a bit of a buzz in itself...)
They actually help me a lot with social and general anxiety - but I know I have a tolerance / dependance at this point - I'm not all that interested in quitting, because like I said, it helps me a lot - but I do worry what if this site just disappeared overnight, and i didn't have a connect (Actually tried getting them legally, but just got celexa...which was terrible). Will I be that bad off as I long as I taper down somewhat slowly? Seems like the amount I take is pretty small, but still a little concerned.
ps - while I typed that, someone added a post about seeing a GP and being honest - I always wondered how a GP would react if you told them if you were blatantly using drugs illegally for that long of a period of time. I'm assuming its totally outta the question to go back to my GP and admit what I've been doing, and expect him to file a legit script?
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i can just agree with HarmReduction and Ben. i also went through a benzo withdrawal after taking different benzos for about 6 months. i took a week holiday from work (you should do that too if you are working/studying) to get over the worst part. i didn't feel really well after that week, but working was no problem and also helped me to get back to "normal". for me getting some sleep wasn't that hard, at some days i slept much more than usually (also during the day). as said one two beers before sleep could help you and if that doesn't work try dph! but just before bed, when taking them during the day you look like a zombie on acid ;D
a good diet and some sport could also help you..
Been exorcising like a mofo, def helps , physical exhaustion makes sleep a lot easier , last night i had been benzo free for 3days and seroquel free for one day, did get to sleep, but had a few nightmares. I did have a have heavy dose of phenibut, not even sure if that stuff helps or not.
Think withdrawals were pretty mild in my case.
that sounds good, i also did a lot of workout ;) you are not a weed smoker right? weed usually helps me with bad nightmares, but during the withdrawal it wasn't that helpful.. i have no experience with seroquel or phenibut, i only can recommend dph - got me some good sleep! during the day you could try a combination of valerian, hops, passionflower and so on, there are many different pills available containing this stuff. some people recommend ketamine while withdrawal, i really like k but i don't think it's helpful.
"Think withdrawals were pretty mild in my case." that's true, but it's good you ask here for help before doing something stupid (except you forget to taper down). if you are a healthy guy and also doing sport/diet i see no big problems ;) good luck, let us know when you are okay again!
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Curious as to why someone commented that Melatonin should not be used for benzo withdrawal. I sometimes take it w/ or w/o valium to help get to sleep.
I'm sort of in the same boat as the original poster, but been in it a much longer time.....around 6 months of daily valium use - but usually only around 10-15mg a day. sometimes a bit less, sometimes a bit more. Never taken it to get a buzz - just for anxiety or sleep (though i suppose the lack of anxiety is a bit of a buzz in itself...)
They actually help me a lot with social and general anxiety - but I know I have a tolerance / dependance at this point - I'm not all that interested in quitting, because like I said, it helps me a lot - but I do worry what if this site just disappeared overnight, and i didn't have a connect (Actually tried getting them legally, but just got celexa...which was terrible). Will I be that bad off as I long as I taper down somewhat slowly? Seems like the amount I take is pretty small, but still a little concerned.
ps - while I typed that, someone added a post about seeing a GP and being honest - I always wondered how a GP would react if you told them if you were blatantly using drugs illegally for that long of a period of time. I'm assuming its totally outta the question to go back to my GP and admit what I've been doing, and expect him to file a legit script?
Its all part of a GP's job; they have patients from all walks of life and they're there to help. If you think you have a problem/you're dependent, then theres a good chance you're dependent. Benzodiazepan addiction is no picnic, and in extreme circumstances (thankfully nowhere near your intake) can sometimes be fatal for immediate cessation.
The idea is that they will taper you off slowly if you are finding it difficult to quit, in a manner like nicotine cessation, week by week. They will move you down to a lower dosage, using another benzodiazepan in 2mg intervals. All I've heard from you is a forum post, but if you really think you might have a problem, you can do no harm by making a check up and asking for advice. They are professionals, and will not hold it against you. Check out drugs-forum, they have some great advice there regarding tapering off if you are serious about hitting the nail on the head re: benzodiazapans. Good luck, friend.
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Curious as to why someone commented that Melatonin should not be used for benzo withdrawal. I sometimes take it w/ or w/o valium to help get to sleep.
I'm sort of in the same boat as the original poster, but been in it a much longer time.....around 6 months of daily valium use - but usually only around 10-15mg a day. sometimes a bit less, sometimes a bit more. Never taken it to get a buzz - just for anxiety or sleep (though i suppose the lack of anxiety is a bit of a buzz in itself...)
They actually help me a lot with social and general anxiety - but I know I have a tolerance / dependance at this point - I'm not all that interested in quitting, because like I said, it helps me a lot - but I do worry what if this site just disappeared overnight, and i didn't have a connect (Actually tried getting them legally, but just got celexa...which was terrible). Will I be that bad off as I long as I taper down somewhat slowly? Seems like the amount I take is pretty small, but still a little concerned.
ps - while I typed that, someone added a post about seeing a GP and being honest - I always wondered how a GP would react if you told them if you were blatantly using drugs illegally for that long of a period of time. I'm assuming its totally outta the question to go back to my GP and admit what I've been doing, and expect him to file a legit script?
why melatonin? are you from us? i have no experience with this, what i know now it's a human-hormone and can cause serious side-effects that could make a withdrawal even worse. and there are not many studies about melatonin, but what i read it's not good for younger human.. i wouldn't use it. and yes 10-15mg a day is a pretty small amount, but after 6 months you will suffer from withdrawal symptoms for sure. i took about 40mg a day before i stopped, and after two weeks i was already pretty fit again! you should also be able to stop your valium habit without going crazy. don't worry, there are many benzo sellers on web;)
"ps - while I typed that, someone added a post about seeing a GP and being honest - I always wondered how a GP would react if you told them if you were blatantly using drugs illegally for that long of a period of time. I'm assuming its totally outta the question to go back to my GP and admit what I've been doing, and expect him to file a legit script?"
why do you think that? that's their job! you can also die from benzo withdrawal, you can tell them about your problem and if its necessary they will give you a script!
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Thanks for the replies.
Yes, from US - Melatonin is very commonly sold here legally as a herbal sleep aid - before ever trying benzos, i used it and benadryl on a regular basis for insomnia. I guess its not legal in other parts of the world, but you can get it anywhere here, and is totally accepted.
I understand a doc would give you a script to help you taper down if you were suffering withdrawals, what I assumed was that its totally out of the question that he'd say "Oh, this is working well for you - well dont buy it off the street, let me get you a monthly script for it" and keep me on it. Especially since he obviously wasn't going to prescribe it for anxiety in the first place (After I told him celexa wasn't working, he offered to up the dosage, or switch me to an SNRI, and then said no more visits would be needed, because that was basically all he could do).
Right now, my experience is that when I have a stressful day/event going on, I tend to take an amount on the higher end of the spectrum....then have no trouble taking slightly less day by day after that....but then another stressful event comes up, and I'm back where I started. Overall, I feel much better than I did before I started taking it though, and keep in good health otherwise (ie eat well, work out on a regular basis).
I'm glad there's both plenty of quality vendors on here for these products (Have a few I've used, and they couldnt be more professional), as well as the forums to discuss this kind of thing - I've read through some of the horror stories on here regarding benzos (usually much higher amounts being used but still...) and never want to end up in that position.
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The point of a GP/Dr prescribing it to you is to outline a firm plan from how to get from A, a semi-regular user wishing to quit, to B, getting clean.
Every two weeks, it will be two steps forward, one step back in terms of the amount you are prescribed. You taper off the drug as it is right for you.
The plan is not to give you diazepam for your social anxiety, but to give it to you because you are (or your doctor perceives you to be) a drug addict. It is to help you gradually wean you off the drug, without having to buy it off dealers carte blanche in whatever quantity you want. They are not going to give you free refills, they will give you an amount consistent with your current use and decrease it as the weeks go by.
If you are serious about quitting, please see a Doctor immediately. You might walk out and nothing happens, you may end up on a prescription to taper off, or another alternative route. He will help you with a route that is right for you.
Yes, forum threads like these are great, but by going to a Dr you are treating it as a medical problem, based in reality (for lack of a better phrase). By seeing a Doctor instead of reading off a laptop/PC, it will be more physical and you can talk to someone face to face who has years of experience dealing with addiction. They have seen it all.
I think any more exchanges will be circular, so this will be my last reply. Ultimately it is up to you - are you serious? Social anxiety is fucking shitty, I know where you're coming from because I have it as well. Keep at the SNRI/SSRI's. They do not work for everyone, but they are worth a shot. Diazepam is not a long-term solution.
Go see a doctor. Try a different one/ask for a second opinion if your current one isn't right for you. It will not be easy. You may fail, and fail again. It doesnt matter. Keep at it. I wish you nothing but luck.
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The point of a GP/Dr prescribing it to you is to outline a firm plan from how to get from A, a semi-regular user wishing to quit, to B, getting clean.
Every two weeks, it will be two steps forward, one step back in terms of the amount you are prescribed. You taper off the drug as it is right for you.
The plan is not to give you diazepam for your social anxiety, but to give it to you because you are (or your doctor perceives you to be) a drug addict. It is to help you gradually wean you off the drug, without having to buy it off dealers carte blanche in whatever quantity you want. They are not going to give you free refills, they will give you an amount consistent with your current use and decrease it as the weeks go by.
If you are serious about quitting, please see a Doctor immediately. You might walk out and nothing happens, you may end up on a prescription to taper off, or another alternative route. He will help you with a route that is right for you.
Yes, forum threads like these are great, but by going to a Dr you are treating it as a medical problem, based in reality (for lack of a better phrase). By seeing a Doctor instead of reading off a laptop/PC, it will be more physical and you can talk to someone face to face who has years of experience dealing with addiction. They have seen it all.
I think any more exchanges will be circular, so this will be my last reply. Ultimately it is up to you - are you serious? Social anxiety is fucking shitty, I know where you're coming from because I have it as well. Keep at the SNRI/SSRI's. They do not work for everyone, but they are worth a shot. Diazepam is not a long-term solution.
Go see a doctor. Try a different one/ask for a second opinion if your current one isn't right for you. It will not be easy. You may fail, and fail again. It doesnt matter. Keep at it. I wish you nothing but luck.
Doctor appointment booked, going on holiday where there probably wont be great medical facilities around in the next few days, might just ask for a small prescription , mainly because of the reason i started taking them in the first place, which was SEVERE meth induced panic attacks (never touching that drug again in my life), not really to taper off , because i think i have already passed though that window of time where i would be feeling severe withdrawals.
Just want to have some on hand , in case i freak out for any reason(very very unlikely).
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The point of a GP/Dr prescribing it to you is to outline a firm plan from how to get from A, a semi-regular user wishing to quit, to B, getting clean.
Every two weeks, it will be two steps forward, one step back in terms of the amount you are prescribed. You taper off the drug as it is right for you.
The plan is not to give you diazepam for your social anxiety, but to give it to you because you are (or your doctor perceives you to be) a drug addict. It is to help you gradually wean you off the drug, without having to buy it off dealers carte blanche in whatever quantity you want. They are not going to give you free refills, they will give you an amount consistent with your current use and decrease it as the weeks go by.
If you are serious about quitting, please see a Doctor immediately. You might walk out and nothing happens, you may end up on a prescription to taper off, or another alternative route. He will help you with a route that is right for you.
Yes, forum threads like these are great, but by going to a Dr you are treating it as a medical problem, based in reality (for lack of a better phrase). By seeing a Doctor instead of reading off a laptop/PC, it will be more physical and you can talk to someone face to face who has years of experience dealing with addiction. They have seen it all.
I think any more exchanges will be circular, so this will be my last reply. Ultimately it is up to you - are you serious? Social anxiety is fucking shitty, I know where you're coming from because I have it as well. Keep at the SNRI/SSRI's. They do not work for everyone, but they are worth a shot. Diazepam is not a long-term solution.
Go see a doctor. Try a different one/ask for a second opinion if your current one isn't right for you. It will not be easy. You may fail, and fail again. It doesnt matter. Keep at it. I wish you nothing but luck.
I'm not serious about quitting at all whatsoever - I just want to keep my usage in check - if I ever do feel my usage is spiraling out of control, I'll definitely see a doc. The forum posts mainly help remind me that these drugs are no joke, and that I need to watch myself.
I'll never touch an SSRI/etc again - I've tried a few several times, and they just made me even twice as bad (and impotent to boot) - I know everyone reacts differently, but it didn't work for me.
No further reply needed, thanks for the encouragement, and I'll do my best to keep myself safe. Hope the original poster keeps doing OK too.
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its your doc so you can talk with him about your problems/addiction and i bet you are not the only drug addict in your area.. if you have a problems with your gp just go to another doctor, or isn't that possible for you? as said, every doc, who don't wanna harm or kill you, will give you a script when you suffer from serious withdrawal syndromes. you will most likely get scripts for small amounts for tapering down and quit your addiction.
it sounds like you don't wanna quit benzos yet!? now you are just taking 10-15mg but i am sure you will raise your dose pretty fast (because of tolerance) and this only makes it harder to quit them. i dont know how old you are, but do you want to take benzos your whole live? how long you took the celexa? they need min 2 weeks to work (wich can be even worse than without any antidepressants), but after some time they should work.. you could take low doses of valium for the first weeks till the celexa is working..?
SpiceyT: good to hear you are doing already better! "Just want to have some on hand , in case i freak out" but just buy small amounts, it would be stupid to go trough that withdrawal again when you almost passed it..
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Most GP's will follow standard protocol with short term prescriptions, including a scheme that involves tapering off benzo's after a few weeks or months.
No good GP would ever suggest you take something like 10 mg valium or 1 mg alprazolam daily and then quit cold turkey after some period of time. Even at these small doses there is a risk of withdrawal symptoms, and most gp's would actually advise taking half the inital dose for a week or so before quitting completely. Obviously you will not be at risk of death if you do not follow a scheme like that, but it makes patients feel more at ease, which should be something any good gp cares about.
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An alternative to melatonin is 5-HTP, I think you can get it at most supplement stores around.
Subjectively, I've found melatonin actually makes it more difficult for me to sleep if I take it at night. If I take it in the morning, it does help me with sleep, which is odd.
I only take benzo's(0.5mg alprazolam) if my amphetamine usage during teh day makes me think I wont be able to sleep at a healthy time. I probably take 1 pill every 4 or 5 days.
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its your doc so you can talk with him about your problems/addiction and i bet you are not the only drug addict in your area.. if you have a problems with your gp just go to another doctor, or isn't that possible for you? as said, every doc, who don't wanna harm or kill you, will give you a script when you suffer from serious withdrawal syndromes. you will most likely get scripts for small amounts for tapering down and quit your addiction.
it sounds like you don't wanna quit benzos yet!? now you are just taking 10-15mg but i am sure you will raise your dose pretty fast (because of tolerance) and this only makes it harder to quit them. i dont know how old you are, but do you want to take benzos your whole live? how long you took the celexa? they need min 2 weeks to work (wich can be even worse than without any antidepressants), but after some time they should work.. you could take low doses of valium for the first weeks till the celexa is working..?
Yeah, not really interested in quitting - but seeing the original post about him being on the dose I am for only two weeks and worrying about withdrawal got me a little concerned. Cuz like I said, no guarantee I'll have access to them any time I need them. Its a good question as to whether I want to be on them my whole life , and one I'm not sure how to answer. Being on them definitely seems preferable to being very anti-social/nervous, or heavy alcohol abuse (which eliminated the anxiety, but causes lots of dumb behavior). My tolerance has definitely raised from when I started (2.5 mg used to put me to sleep! I cant imagine what a 20mg dose would've been like during the first couple weeks I tried them), but I've kept it steady the past few months.
I tried Celexa for around six weeks (completely drug/alcohol free during this time too), and that messed with me more than any illegal drug ever has. And its another drug you have to take your whole life or taper off of as well. I'm a bit skeptical of the medical/pharmaceutical industry - after all, if this was the 70s and I went to a doc, told him my problems, getting benzos probably would've been no problem at all. Docs just seem scared these days to prescribe anything that can be potentially used recreationally.
Ideally, I'd like to get back to the point where I'm not taking them daily, but only use them when my anxiety is at its worst. Anyhow, its reassuring to know there is legal options if I ever have to/want to quit - and good to read/talk about others experiences.
and SpiceyT - sorry for sort of hijacking your thread, and definitely agree with you about how just having them on hand is comforting...
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If you are concerned about availability in the future, the only thing i can recommend is to keep a supply that is sufficient to taper off at a reasonable pace at all times.
If for some reason you would not be able to source the medication anywhere, at least you have the option to quit decently, albeit not by choice. For benzo's that would practically mean always keeping at least a month of your regular consumption in stock - not that hard to do. Downside is that you have no choice but to taper down as soon as supply becomes uncertain.
Then again, realistically supply for common benzodiazepines may only become expensive, not completely unavailable.
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So after my visit to the doctor , his solution was to give me another box of fifty ??? , the medical profession makes me cringe sometimes , no better than drug pushers.
Now i have to strengthen my will power , which is good in a way.
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So after my visit to the doctor , his solution was to give me another box of fifty ??? , the medical profession makes me cringe sometimes , no better than drug pushers.
Now i have to strengthen my will power , which is good in a way.
I wish I had your doc! Seriously though, good luck in staying away from that box unless you're having bad withdrawals or serious meth-related issues like you mentioned originally needing them for.
You mentioned upping the dose so you could feel a high - and benzos seem like the riskiest way to achieve a high - I've never used them in a way I would consider recreational at all, and you can see i still have a daily habit that I'm a bit concerned with. Using them on a regular basis just to get a buzz seems like a quick path to an extremely bad addiction. Even after developing a tolerance, and taking them daily, there's no way I'd take a 20mg dose at once.
Like you said, just having them on hand should be reassuring.
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I wish I had your doc!
Me too, i'd be visiting every day and bring pie too :D
As for something like valium producing a high: I don't really see it. It is a downer to begin with, and at large doses the only pleasurable effect would probably be comparable to being drunk - as in drinking more then is good for you. The recreational use of valium is really limited - most people that use or abuse it do so to deal with something else. I've never had the feeling to "lets have a valium" in the same sense as "lets have a beer" at all.
As far as you could call in recreational, valium does stop you from worrying in some occasions, and provides a decent nights sleep you may otherwise not get. It can also help with discomfort like muscle aches and such very effectively, but none of that would be considered recreational as far as i'm concerned.
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That varies greatly by location. Dutch doctors are not very inclined to write scripts for benzos, even if you have a perfectly good argument for using then (like, 'they proved to work very well for my condition').
I guess pharma marketing has pushed them to the point for prescribing ssri's for most mental conditions, regardless if it they have been proven effective for a specific condition.
This is the eternal problem with pharma patents though: producers benefit most by prescribing substances that are still covered by patents, and do all they can to persuade doctors to do exactly that, even if there is an older medication available that works perfectly well, but is not available as a generic.
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They can be pretty bad, but not as bad as opiate.
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Benzo withdrawls are killer. worse than meth or opiates. i have been addicted to all 3 at one point
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My will power is being severely tested , tapering is fucking hard thing to force yourself to do.
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If you are concerned about availability in the future, the only thing i can recommend is to keep a supply that is sufficient to taper off at a reasonable pace at all times.
If for some reason you would not be able to source the medication anywhere, at least you have the option to quit decently, albeit not by choice. For benzo's that would practically mean always keeping at least a month of your regular consumption in stock - not that hard to do. Downside is that you have no choice but to taper down as soon as supply becomes uncertain.
Then again, realistically supply for common benzodiazepines may only become expensive, not completely unavailable.
That is what I do, though I keep I keep a supply of a longer half-life benzo. I regularly take about 4mg/Klonopin (clonazepam) but know that tapering from benzo's is essential. I keep a several month supply in "cold storage" of Valium/diazepam for when I decide to get off the Klonopin addiction. It is better to withdraw too slowly rather than too quickly from benzodiazepines!
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Absolutely. If you are addicted to benzo's i would recommend always keeping something in the order of 60 tablets of 10 mg diazeapam in storage, if there is any chance you are no longer able to source any bemzo's at all.
Quitting a large benzo habit can be pretty dangerous, and i'd even suggest doctors prescribing a tapering off dose if some patient walks in with this problem. The downside is you cannot rely on all doctors doing so, making it best to keep some supply directly available.
The upside is that substances like diazepam actually store very well, lasting decades beyond their expiry date as long as you store them dry and dark.