Glad to have found this place

[[fa...]]

I have joined BB for a couple of reasons.

 

1. Gain information

2. Present a personal diary of my rehab (for self motivation purposes)

 

The drugs I am currently looking to stop abusing are:

 

1. Zolpidem (8 years)

2. Zopiclone (7.5 years)

3. Diazepam (2 years)

 

Daily I have no fixed dose of those 3 drugs. 1 day may have just 1, another 2, another 3. I take these drugs to sleep, and I currently take a combination of these drugs in order to achieve what I believe is sufficient to get a good night's sleep.

 

Maximum I take of these drugs daily (nightly), would be:

 

1. Zolpidem 10mg (typically 5mg)

2. Zopiclone 7.5mg (typically 3.75mg)

3. Diazepam 10mg (varies 5 - 10mg)

 

I am beginning my taper tonight

 

I am going to cut out Zopiclone altogether and begin with 5mg Zolpidem and 5mg Dizepam nightly.

 

At the moment all I fear is not being able to sleep. When I don't get a good night's sleep my whole day can be ruined and my current occupation does not really accommodate absent minded / tired employees. 

 

 

[[ma...]]

Hi fatboy74

 

Welcome to Benzo Buddies, we are glad that you have found us. You will get plenty of support here. You should taper one drug at a time, if it was me I would taper the benzodiazepine first. Please don’t stop these meds abruptly.

 

Zoplicone and Ambien are not benzo’s but they need to be tapered in the same manner. I don't have personal experience but I'm sure we have members here that can offer more concrete information.

 

It is generally recommended to taper no more than 5-10% every 10-14 days.  The goal is to minimize withdrawal effects.  It is important to listen to your body as well and adjust the rate if necessary.

 

I will put a link to the Ashton Manual, although it discusses benzo withdrawal, there is some information about sleep hypnotics as well. : Professor Ashtons Manual

 

For tapering advice General Taper Plans Board  For support with any symptoms you may have post here: Withdrawal Support 

 

We have a very helpful and friendly community. Please feel free to ask questions. So that members can respond with the appropriate information.  I will also ask you to create a signature line listing your medication and doses. Here are the directions to do that: to Create a signature

Welcome Aboard

 

Magrita

 

[[Mo...]]

Hi fatboy,

These so called meds are serious buisness, popping one here and there is not a good

idea at all. If i were you i would get as much knowledge as possible and start

a sensible taper. As Magrita pointed out, the Valium (diazepam) first followed by the other crap.

 

How do Benzos affect the brain ?

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=66397.0

 

here is the Valium support group.

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=96753.0

 

warm welcome , all the best and good luck,

Claudia.

[[fa...]]

Hi Magrita and Morreweg,

 

Firstly, thank you for your welcome messages. I appreciate the time and thought put into them.

 

Thank you for the relevant links to starting me off on this journey. I have begun reading 

 

I just had 1 query about something you both mention. That is, taper and withdraw from the benzo (diazepam) first. Reading Ashtons reference, she advocates c/o taper from the Z-class drug to diazepam? Eliminating the z-class drug first then the benzo.

 

I'll post this query up in one of the relevant forum sections.

 

Thanks again

 

 

[[Ju...]]

Hi Magrita and Morreweg,

 

Firstly, thank you for your welcome messages. I appreciate the time and thought put into them.

 

Thank you for the relevant links to starting me off on this journey. I have begun reading 

 

I just had 1 query about something you both mention. That is, taper and withdraw from the benzo (diazepam) first. Reading Ashtons reference, she advocates c/o taper from the Z-class drug to diazepam? Eliminating the z-class drug first then the benzo.

 

I'll post this query up in one of the relevant forum sections.

 

Thanks again

 

Hi fatboy74,

 

Welcome from me too.

 

I agree with tapering the z-drugs first because their half lives are much shorter than the half life of diazepam.

 

I'd try a one by one taper of the z-drugs, tapering one at a time and keeping my other med doses stable.  IF I ran into problems eliminating the z-drugs, I might consider crossing over to an equivalent dose of Valium to help stop taking them.  At any rate, my last med to taper would be Valium.  It has the longest half life and this should help end the taper a bit more gently rather than ending a taper on a short half life medication, (z-drug).

 

And I'd only cross over my z-drugs to Valium IF I had a definite problem tapering them.  You might not run into a problem, not everyone does. 

 

Good luck and do post on the taper boards so more folks can see your post and weigh in.  Glad to have you with us. 

[[fa...]]

Thanks Juliea,

 

To be honest, my greatest fear is insomnia.

 

It will be interesting to hear what others have to think.

[[ea...]]

I began using benzos and Z drugs because of insomnia, a chronic problem for me. So I understand your fear! I have been off it all for just over two years now, and while my sleep isn't perfect, it has greatly improved. I had to learn how to handle those times when I cannot sleep, using techniques I have learned. Many times, they work. The most important thing to learn is not to get panicky when you have trouble sleeping. Easier said than done, I know. What helped me was reading up on what can happen if a person does not sleep at all. In reality, we DO sleep, even if we don't feel like we are - its called "micro sleeps" and your brain does it automatically. You may not be aware of this happening, but it is. Even prisoners who are tortured by lack of sleep generally do not die! So, much of our fear about lack of sleep is unfounded.

I have learned how to do deep abdominal breathing, which relieves anxiety. I also found "sleep hypnosis" videos which I can listen to when I cant sleep, and often they help me fall asleep.

I tried every over-the-counter sleep remedy there is, and none of them work, and some of them have side effects.

And alcohol may work for a while, but then it will stop working - it has a reverse kind of effect on the brain.

 

Not sleeping well is scary and unpleasant but it wont kill us. I hope you are successful getting off the drugs, and start learning some techniques to help you.

One last word of advice - do not stop ANY of your drugs abruptly!! ALL of them can have a nasty withdrawal.

east

[[fa...]]

Thanks for your time eastcoast62

 

I feel a little more reassured after reading your post.

 

I began using benzos and Z drugs because of insomnia, a chronic problem for me. So I understand your fear! I have been off it all for just over two years now, and while my sleep isn't perfect, it has greatly improved. I had to learn how to handle those times when I cannot sleep, using techniques I have learned. Many times, they work. The most important thing to learn is not to get panicky when you have trouble sleeping. Easier said than done, I know. What helped me was reading up on what can happen if a person does not sleep at all. In reality, we DO sleep, even if we don't feel like we are - its called "micro sleeps" and your brain does it automatically. You may not be aware of this happening, but it is. Even prisoners who are tortured by lack of sleep generally do not die! So, much of our fear about lack of sleep is unfounded.

I have learned how to do deep abdominal breathing, which relieves anxiety. I also found "sleep hypnosis" videos which I can listen to when I cant sleep, and often they help me fall asleep.

I tried every over-the-counter sleep remedy there is, and none of them work, and some of them have side effects.

And alcohol may work for a while, but then it will stop working - it has a reverse kind of effect on the brain.

 

Not sleeping well is scary and unpleasant but it wont kill us. I hope you are successful getting off the drugs, and start learning some techniques to help you.

One last word of advice - do not stop ANY of your drugs abruptly!! ALL of them can have a nasty withdrawal.

east