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Having alcohol post Ativan w/d


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Asking for Help!! Has anybody drank after 2 months of Ativan withdrawal?? Was on Ativan 1mg for 10 yrs for insomnia, wean myself over a month, 2 months later had glass of wine and 48 hrs later had full blown withdrawal symptoms again. Any knowledge or insight on this would be appreciated. Thanks
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This is common when alcohol is introduced after tapering. I went through it during the holiday. I'm still a little raw, but I'm better than I was right after the holidays. Just hang in there. What's done is done. Get through the next few days and go easy on yourself. It'll balance out again  :thumbsup:

 

 

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Mek two months into this is very early unfortunately and at that phase I don't even believe I could get alcohol down. I barely could eat and only drank water for a long time. I had some over the holidays but it was in moderation. Two glasses of wine with Christmas even dinner and like two glasses of champagne on new year. It made me feel good at the time and I still had the same shitty I have everyday. If you are going to drink you have to do it in moderation. I would wait until I was at least six months out and then I would only drink a little and see how it effects it, and then only drink in moderation. If I had to deal with a hangover I would never make it. Good luck hang in there.
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Alcohol affects the same GABA receptors in the same way as Ativan.  Drinking alcohol is very nearly the same as popping an ativan.

 

You will eventually be able to consume alcohol, but you need to wait a while and then take it slowly when you start back.  Wait till you think you're healed, then wait a bit longer.

 

Also, needless to say, if you find yourself using alcohol to relax or cope with stress you need to tread very carefully.  It's not unusual for someone that has used benzos to essentially substitute alcohol for the drug.  They have very much the same effect and the potential to self medicate with alcohol is there.

 

 

 

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Thanks for all your responses. Only had 1 drink and did I pay the price. Thinking about going back on long term benzo to have at least 1 glass of wine here and there. Was on 1mg of Ativan for 15years. Took at bedtime, never new the dangers. Stop after 1 month of wean. Was really rough, but got thru it. Last took 1mg on Nov. 22, had 1 drink on Jan 13, (38th wedding anniversary) had full blown w/d 2 days later an now just getting better.  Was another 3 days of hell. Any thoughts,
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Why would you go back on ativan and risk long-term health issues for a drink once week? For someone who was in tolerance WD for most of the 17 years I was on benzos, I can tell you that there's a VERY real chance that you'll continue to get sicker and weaker the longer you take benzos, risking brain injury even.

 

I'd strongly advise against it. Stay off benzos. Let some time occur so your brain heals. Then in a year or so try a drink again (or not).

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Thanks. Everyone I hang with and know has a drink once in a while. Trying to have it both ways. Was wondering if I would have titraded much slower could I do both and slowing wean benzo to zero
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Ahhh... That's a tough question. You might be able to, but you're risking kindling and a worse WD process next time. I really believe there is no easy way out of benzo WD and the damage it causes. Only time heals. I loved to drink socially too, it's a big part of where I'm from, but I just cannot do it anymore. Years down the road? Maybe. If you are at all functional in a day-to-day manner being this early off Ativan, I'd say you're doing very well and another drink isn't worth the risk.
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Mek, if it's any consolation it seems that *most* people can return to moderate social drinking after a good chunk of time has passed since their last benzo. What I most often see recommended here is to wait a full year after being symptom free to try alcohol again, and then very slowly in small quantities.

 

There is a good chance you'll be able to enjoy wine and beer again, you just need to give it time.

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Don't go back on benzos so you can one drink here and there. Benzos burned my mind completely out. I have the intellect of a 3 year old now thanks to benzos. I know it is supposed to get better with time but I'm 14 months off now. Every benzo you take is going to make that worse, don't do it stay off them. I can drink in moderation now and you should be able to do that at some point too.
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In a past life I made it off benzos tapering and drank even during the taper and after and long story short it didn't work out very well. I would have been done with this all years ago if I would have known the things I do now. Spare yourself the misery and focus on anything but drinking. Hell, smoke a joint or 12. That's the one vice I can still have in the midst of all this that can at times bring me relief. Theres no set time frame bc everyones different but Id say just plan on giving it up for a long time if you want to be free and well again.
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Thanks for advice. Going to 2 different specialist starting tomorrow, I'm sure they'll say same thing. Damm, sure would like 1 beer at times. But just 1 drink sets me back. Going to see if there's alt medicine for this. Will repost🖖🖖
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I am seven years off benzos now and I can drink alcohol without any problems, although I have never tried to push the limits and get drunk or anything. I generally don't have more than one drink ever as thats the amount that feels right to me.
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In detox and afterward the recommendation was to hold off on alcohol for a year and let the brain receptors heal.  If you view alcohol as liquid benzos and ask yourself if you would pick up a benzo again, maybe you'll have your answer.  This entire process has been too difficult for me to even think of a setback brought on by something over which I had control (unlike things like allergies, illness, etc which other BBs indicated can cause problems). Good luck and enjoy plain old water!
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To give you some hope for the future. I'm about 14 months off now and i can have up to 6 drinks with zero issues whatsoever. at 8 months off 2 drinks would give me a few issues for sure so time does heal.
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All your answers are encouraging. Start the clock, last Ativan 11/22. Any advice on Otc for tinnitus!!!

Can't put on A/C in Jan in Pa. Damm, still like to have a beer. Last 1 drink was hell!!! Full blown withdrawal. My GP said it was impossible because benzo was out of my system for 2 months. Instead of paying Him$140.00 I should pay you guys. Thanks

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Thanks for advice. Going to 2 different specialist starting tomorrow, I'm sure they'll say same thing. Damm, sure would like 1 beer at times. But just 1 drink sets me back. Going to see if there's alt medicine for this. Will repost🖖🖖

 

I don't want to discourage you but I don't think you will find any medicine for this, alt or otherwise.

 

The problem is that alcohol binds to GABA receptors and has essentially the same effect on them as a benzo.  I spent a lot of time looking and I have found no medication that is proven to fix the damage that benzos have done to your GABA system. 

 

What you need is time.  And if you just went off benzo's 11/22 you're just going to have to be a bit more patient.  It might be a year before you can consume moderate quantities of alcohol.  Or it could be longer or shorter, there's just no telling.  But for me personally, there's no way in hell I'd take these drugs forever just so I could have a beer or two every now and then in the short term.  If you weren't in tolerance you will be eventually and benzos have been shown to increase your chances of getting things like Alzheimer's which you really want to avoid.

 

Just give it some time.  Eventually you'll be able to consume alcohol in moderation.

 

 

 

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Thanks for your input, Question: What is meant by tolerance!! After 2 months, if I took a urine test, the dip stick would show no traces of benzo. If there is tolerance, tolerance for what!! Again thanks to all of you for your help. It's getting rough not being myself.
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Thanks for your input, Question: What is meant by tolerance!! After 2 months, if I took a urine test, the dip stick would show no traces of benzo. If there is tolerance, tolerance for what!! Again thanks to all of you for your help. It's getting rough not being myself.

 

Tolerance means that your body (mostly your brain in this case) has changed itself to accommodate the drug you are taking such that you must have a certain level of that drug in your system to approximate "normal".

 

In the case of benzos it is a GABA agonist, meaning that it makes it easier for GABA (a neurotransmitter) to bind to and open a GABA receptor.  GABA exerts a damping and therefore calming influence on your nervous system, which is why it is prescribed for anxiety and insomnia.

 

After taking these drugs for a while, your body will try to restore your original balance by producing less GABA, down regulating the number of GABA receptors in your brain, or by changing the shape of these receptors so that they are more difficult to open.  When this happens you must have a certain level of the benzo in your system just to maintain the original state you had before taking the drug, and you will require an increasing dosage to get the original calming effect. As the level of the drug fluctuates between doses, you may experience increased anxiety as the level wanes.  This is particularly common in a short acting drug like xanax.

 

Once you are in tolerance, you will experience more severe withdrawal once you discontinue the drug.

 

 

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Thanks Nathan for the info. Question:I feel much better after that 1 drink setback 10 days ago.Will severe W/D symptoms appear down than line or is it maybe/maybe not. Going into Week 9.
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Thanks Nathan for the info. Question:I feel much better after that 1 drink setback 10 days ago.Will severe W/D symptoms appear down than line or is it maybe/maybe not. Going into Week 9.

 

As long as you don't make a habit out of that drink in the near term, that should be just a little transient babble of no lasting effect.

 

I don't recall which benzo you were taking at what dose, for how long, or how long you've been off them so I don't know what you will experience down the road.  In general, the higher the dose for a longer time will give you more problems in withdrawal, but a few people are lucky and experience only mild symptoms even after long term use at fairly high dose.  On the other hand, some people on moderate doses for a relatively brief time will have some difficulty.  It's really hard to say.

 

I guess I don't see many people that have a relatively easy time from their initial withdrawal that get more severe symptoms down the road.  Usually the people that have more severe long term symptoms tend to have pretty major symptoms right off the bat during tapering or after withdrawal.

 

Remind me what you were taking for how long and how your taper and initial withdrawal went?

 

 

 

 

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I started on 1mg of Ativan 15years ago, alternating with Ambien and alcohol. Not 100 percent in that order. 1 day Ativan,next Ambien etc. not always same pattern but you get the idea. Lately, (within last 2 years mostly 1mg of Ativan at night. Went on Vac., forgot to take Ativan with, then found my little present waiting for me in the form of a ugly W/D. Nightmare began with do it myself tapering on Oct 17,( going down 1/4 for 2 weeks at a time, then .5 for 2wks. Pill was to small to split so I said the hell with it a took no more. Flush down toilet all remaining Ativans. Last dose Nov. 22. Here I am.
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