How long does it take for benzos to leave your system?

[[Co...]]

Hi Samantha,

 

There is huge variability depending upon how quickly the individual metabolises the benzodiazepine in question. For Klonopin, two weeks after your last dose, your blood levels will be somewhere between undetectable and 1% of their peak level after your last dose. 3-4 weeks after your last dose, even if you metabolise benzos particularly slowly, blood levels of Klonopin will be undetectable.

[[ri...]]

colin, how about ativan.  how long will it take to leave my system once i'm done tapering? thanks, robin

[[Co...]]

Hi riocadiz,

 

Since you are tapering, you will have low blood levels at the time of your last dose anyway. Ativan has a fairly short half-lile (10-20 hours), so I would guess that your blood levels of Ativan will drop to undetectable levels with days or a week of at the most.

[[mi...]]

Hi Colin,

 

How is it going?

 

Let me ask you this: do you have any data on where else benzodiazepines go in the body beside blood?  Brain?  Bone?  How long they might "stay" there?  Also, the brain changes made to us - the reversal of those changes is a "hot topic" on the web, among people tapering/recovering/etc.  Do you know why the healing is of a non-linear nature? 

 

I've been looking on forums, message boards, PubMed, etc for this and come up short.

 

Thanks,

Mike

 

 

[[To...]]

I know this might seem like a really silly, ignorant question, but what happens if you just stop?  I seem to have anxiety most of the time even taking the benzos so what's the difference?

Toyota

[[mi...]]

depends on various factors: usage, dosage, etc

 

people should never just stop

[[el...]]

I know this might seem like a really silly, ignorant question, but what happens if you just stop?  I seem to have anxiety most of the time even taking the benzos so what's the difference?

Toyota

 

The anxiety you have may be due to tolerance withdrawal , where your body has adjusted to the amount of benzo you take, and needs an increased amount to feel better. http://www.benzobuddies.org/benzodiazepine-information/tolerance-addiction-dependency

Going cold turkey will make you feel much worse! You could increase your dose to feel better, but this doesn't always work, and you will most likely eventually develop tolerance to the new, higher dose. The best course of action in this situation is to do a sensible taper.

[[an...]]

I took about .5 of xanax on 2-12 and .5 of kolnopin on 2/13 then ct..when can I expect my body to be "free" of the pills? And when do you think the risk of having seizures goes away

[[Co...]]

I'll make the calculations tomorrow. Honestly though, this is not an issue at all. Treat it as just a curiosity.

[[Co...]]

I took about .5 of xanax on 2-12 and .5 of kolnopin on 2/13 then ct..when can I expect my body to be "free" of the pills? And when do you think the risk of having seizures goes away

 

Hi Anna,

 

It is not possible to give you exact answer, because what is consider "free" is somewhat subjective. When you uit, blood levels will drop gradually.

 

The stated half-life figures for Klonopin is 18-50 hours. This is how long it takes for blood levels to reduce by half. For example, assuming this to be 18 hours, bllod levels will be one half after the first 18 hours, a quarter after another 18 hours, and an eighth after another 18 hours.

 

First, let us assume that you metabolise Klonopin relatively slowly (a half-life of 50 hours).

 

After 7 days (168 hours) =

168 hours / 50 hours = 3.36

0.5^3.36 = 0.097 (as a decimal) =

0.097 x 100 = 9.7% left if you system after 1 week.

 

After 14 days (336 hours) =

336 hours / 50 = 6.72

0.5^6.72 = 0.0095 (as a decimal) =

0.0095 x 100 = 0.95% left in your system after 2 weeks.

 

After 21 days (504 hours) =

504 hours / 50 = 10.08

0.5^10.08 = 0.00092 (as a decimal) =

0.00092 x 100 = 0.092% left in your system after 3 weeks (my guess is that would be an undetectable level).

 

Now, let us assume that you metabolise Klonopin relatively quickly (a half-life of 18 hours).

 

After 7 days (168 hours) =

168 hours / 18 hours = 9.33

0.5^9.33 = 0.00155 (as a decimal) =

0.00155 x 100 = 0.155% left if you system after 1 week. (My guess would be that this too is down to undetectable levels).

 

After 14 days (336 hours) =

336 hours / 18 = 18.67

0.5^18.67 = 0.0000024 (as a decimal) =

0.0000024 x 100 = 0.00024% left in your system after 2 weeks. (This is a tiny amount, that must be, surely, at an undetectable level).

 

That chances are that you will fall somewhere between the two half-life extremes of 18 and 50 hours. In short, blood levels of Klonopin are likley to be undetectable levels within a couple of weeks of your last dose, or three weeks in the extreme.

[[mi...]]

Colin what about in other areas of the body?  The bones?  The brain?  Fatty tissue?  Etc.  LOL I don't want to get too crazy about it but have been wondering. 

 

 

[[Co...]]

Mikey,

 

If benzos are "trapped" in other tissues, they cannot affect the brain. If they are released from other tissues, they will be metabolised. Any way you look at it (even if true), this is a non-issue.

[[...]]

Hi Colin, 

 

 

I’m not sure if this is the right thread. My question is - what is the scientific explanation (if any ) for withdrawal symptoms to disappear overnight.  I mean literally- waking up one morning and all is gone ( hopefully never to come back). I experienced it and  along with the huge amount of happiness that I feel,  I am curious and fascinated by this phenomenon. 

 

Thanks in advance for the input.

 

Shelly

[[mi...]]

Shelly glad you did feel that!  I also had it during my taper and wow, what a feeling.  It lasted six months too, no sx at all.

 

Colin thanks.

 

Signed,

"Mikey" lol

[[Co...]]

Hi Colin, 

 

 

I’m not sure if this is the right thread. My question is - what is the scientific explanation (if any ) for withdrawal symptoms to disappear overnight.  I mean literally- waking up one morning and all is gone ( hopefully never to come back). I experienced it and  along with the huge amount of happiness that I feel,  I am curious and fascinated by this phenomenon. 

 

Thanks in advance for the input.

 

Shelly

 

Hi,

 

I don't have an hard and fast explanation beyond gradual change to brain chemistry and GABA receptors over time. The GABA system (and abnormal GABA functioning) will affect other systems in the brain. As I understand it, it is possible to feel recovered even before the GABA system has returned to its normal state, as other brain functions will try to compensate for GABA system inadequacies. This attempt by the brain (and other closed systems) to compensate is termed homeostasis.

 

Anyway, I guess that a small change in the GABA system could equate to a larger rapid change in the way brain operates, where one day you feel pretty dreadful, and the next you feel great. I am just guessing you understand, but perhaps a small change in the GABA system, where change is slow, could be enough to tip the balance in another brain system (that is much swifter to change), compensating for the disruption in normal GABA functioning, so you feel much improved. Again, this is pure speculation from me. I tend to avoid most theory as it does nothing to improve outcome. We get better over time, and that's all that is important. Maybe someone else has a perspective on this?

[[...]]

Hi Colin 

 

Thanks for the reply. Colin you wrote 'We get better over time, and that's all that is important' and this sentence strike me. I guess I shouldn't even occupy my mind with this question, and simply feel blessed that time implemented the needed healing for me.  I should take this opportunity and personally thank you Colin for creating this site- It sure guided me through those unbearable moments. Simply put -Godsent!!

 

 

Shelly

 

 

Hi Mikey,

 

It is amazing isn't it? Wishing you complete healing soon.

[[Co...]]

Hi SDM,

 

It is common for our members to become transfixed by the minutiae of benzodiazepine dependency and withdrawal while still in the midst of the process of withdrawal or recovery. I think this is much more than just curiosity about what's happening to them, as it is often an obsessive need for answers - I think it is related to the use of benzodiazepines themselves. I guess it comes from the confusion that many (or most) of us experience with benzodiazepine use. I know I was away with the fairies when I was taking Clonazepam. The need for answers is completely understandable, but it can lead to more distress when those answers are not easily forthcoming. Those that are more able to accept that it is a process, and what will be will be, tend to fair better during withdrawal. I know it is difficult, and more difficult for some than others, but it is better to try to roll with it.

[[mi...]]

I readily admit to wanting answers and looking for them all over. 

 

Thanks.

[[pa...]]

Hi Colin

I read your post about how to calculate half-life. I remember studying this info when I took pre-calculus. At the time I learned this just to pass the course. I never suspected that it would take on such a personal meaning for my life! I'd long since forgotten how to do the math. Thank you for explaining this.

The last 2 months before finishing up my taper, I attempted to calculate the amount of Valium I was carrying in my bloodstream. Not remembering the correct calculations, I took the estimated half-life of Valium (36-200 hrs). I divided 24 hrs in a day to the max-half life (which is about 8.3 days). From this, I used a convenient figure of 7 days for a half-life. I then calculated that 7 goes into 100 almost evenly (about 14 times) so I arrived at an estimated percent per day. So, starting with the previous days dose, and working back through each day (.98%, .91%, .84%,...etc), I calculated a rough estimate for the amount of the drug in my bloodstream. I know this sounds obsessive (one of my symptoms), but I just felt I had to know. It's been 3 weeks now since my last dose. While on the drug, I was cautioned about eating grapefruit. Question: is it too early for me to celebrate with eating a grapefruit yet?

Pangelingua

 

[[Co...]]

Hi pangelingua,

 

There is probably still a small proportion of Valium left in your system, but if you have tapered off following a sensible taper plan, your blood levels must be really low after three weeks, even if you metabolise benzos very slowly. Having said this, I think it is worth giving it a few more weeks, if for no other reason that it can't harm you to stay off grapefruit for another two or three weeks. Beyond that stage, I would not give it any more thought and eat grapefruit whenever you like, unless you take other medications that might affected similarly.

[[sw...]]

[[am...]]

Hi,

 

 

I read somewhere that benzodiazepines are fat soluble.  If this is the case,  if you were to put on weight (body fat) during bdz use,  when you finally stopped ingesting the drug orally would the burning of said fat cells release the active compound into the blood stream?

 

Always wondered about this one.

[[Co...]]

Hi,

 

There is a lot of nonsense written about fat cells and benzodiazpines - please don't worry about what you have read.

 

Most benzos are fat soluble - but there is no real significance to this.

[Guest [ke...]]

For me, after I c/o to valium, it took the Klonopin around 3 weeks to leave, I could tell under the Valium when it did too.

About the fat soluble, I've read that too and it concerns me, I took Klonopin 7 years!! and i have been off for months, since Jan, so I wonder if I still have it in my cells, the klonopin?

It's very very discouraging..I had a Doctor to tell me once it always stays in your fat..I hope he was a Quack.

 

Keryn.

 

[[Co...]]

Keryn,

 

If benzodiazepines stay trapped in fat cells, then they cannot affect GABA receptors. If they leach out of the fat cells, they will be metabolised. Either way, it is not a problem.