When to take a benzo while tapering...

[[Co...]]

Please advise....

 

Is there a 'best' time to take a benzo in the final stages of tapering? Is it better to take in the morning, afternoon, or evening? I typically take my .0625 mg K in the evening before bed.  This is causing me anxiety becuase I am so use to taking something to sleep.  Should I start taking the benzo in the afternoon (and eventually in the mornings) to get use to NOT taking a benzo to sleep?

 

Looks like I have 7-10 days before I step off of .0625 mg K.

 

Any information on this topic?

[Guest [ba...]]

There's a part of me that thinks you should take it in the evening to help you sleep (assuming 0.0625 is actually doing anything).  However, I understand your concern about the 'placebo effect' of taking a pill (any pill) before bedtime.  It's a legitimate concern, and one that's been discussed before.  Might be a good idea to slowly move your evening dose away from bedtime - perhaps an hour or half an hour at a time.  That wouldn't be much of an actual change in terms of the amount of drug in your body, but would move your dose into the dinner hour instead of being at bedtime.  I have no idea how or if it will affect you.

[[Co...]]

Thanks for the response.....

 

Yes. I am conflicted about this also. Like you part of me says take in the PM to get a good nights rest, the other part says take early evening to begin getting use to not taking anything to sleep. Either way, the time to walk away is coming up soon.

 

BTW - I actually still 'feel' the .0625 and unfortunately I like the relaxing effect - I do not drink alcohol so this is like my Martini to relax after a long day at work.  The slight benzo belly goes away and I feel my muscles slowly relax. I am one of those people who can easily shift around dosage times - I also can take either Klonopin or Valium without any crossover effect.

 

It is my understanding that Klonopin is more potent than Valium. Klonopin is catgorized as an anxiolytic and anticonvulsant whereas Valium is only an anxiolytic. I think this is one of the reasons Ashton preferred Valium as the tapering drug of choice. It is not as potent and has a long half-life.