Drinking

[[mi...]]

I think binge drinking is becoming a problem for me. A few weeks back I discovered that a few beers in quick succession helps immensely with withdrawal symptoms. Now I am making a habit of going to my favourite cafe and ordering sometimes up to 6 full-strength beers in the space of 2 hours or less. While it helps in the moment I end up suffering the next day with extra anxiety..

 

I know it's bad to mix benzos and alcohol plus alcohol works on the same brain receptors as benzos so it stands to reason. that booze will have an affect on withdrawals.

 

Has anyone else done the dangerous dance with alcohol during taper?

[[bi...]]

Yes, I drink more than I should. I am a woman and 3 drinks gets me pretty drunk, so I usually have about 2. There have been some stretches where I have had two drinks every night. It does help with withdrawal temporarily.... It has been two nights in a row where I have not drank any alcohol and I feel pretty anxious, but then again I did a micro-taper last night which usually makes me feel bad the next day. I should try abstaining for a week and see how I feel. Have you tried that?

 

[[mi...]]

The abstainance is a good idea.. I think I'll give it a week without alcohol then see how I feel..

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

 

Yes, I drink more than I should. I am a woman and 3 drinks gets me pretty drunk, so I usually have about 2. There have been some stretches where I have had two drinks every night. It does help with withdrawal temporarily.... It has been two nights in a row where I have not drank any alcohol and I feel pretty anxious, but then again I did a micro-taper last night which usually makes me feel bad the next day. I should try abstaining for a week and see how I feel. Have you tried that?

[[pi...]]

Benzo's and alcohol are not supposed to be mixed is what Ive always been told. I was a lover of drinking, no problems or anything but I just loved drinking with buddies. I made my peace with alcohol abstinence for the immediate future. Id recommend the same. The health risks of combining benzos and alcohol are well documented and most times BB's have mentioned it, it is a strident "dont do it yourself" Ive found. I drank stupidly during taper and it now sends shudders down my spine to recall because I feel like I basically could have killed myself but wasnt thinking straight to know any better.

[[mi...]]

Thanks for the insightful reply...

[[bu...]]

Fortunately I got schooled from the forums here and quit drinking the little amount I did once the benzo withdrawals showed up.  From what people have told me alcohol can really throw your taper off big time.  It leaves your system so fast that it will make you feel really anxious and crappy for a little bit.  Most people say after a week or so you can recover from any damage the drinking may do.  Staying away from alcohol is definitely in your best interest, and you can do it. 

[[Ne...]]

alcohol mades me much worse !

[[Re...]]

Fortunately I got schooled from the forums here and quit drinking the little amount I did once the benzo withdrawals showed up.  From what people have told me alcohol can really throw your taper off big time.  It leaves your system so fast that it will make you feel really anxious and crappy for a little bit.  Most people say after a week or so you can recover from any damage the drinking may do.  Staying away from alcohol is definitely in your best interest, and you can do it. 

 

I quit too on June 1st(would have a few drinks once a week or so). And yes you can do it milicent

[[bu...]]

Forgot to mention that I do take tiny sips of new beers that I haven't tried just because I like to try them.  It doesn't seem to affect anything but we're talking super tiny sips.

[[wa...]]

If you are having trouble letting go of alcohol during this - another online support can help.  It is not abstinence based like AA but there are plenty of folks doing long-term abstinence on there.  moderation.org  WBB

[[Ma...]]

Earlier in my taper I started using wine to cope. I always been a beer and whiskey drinker so I figured maybe wine could be okay. It was okay for a few months. I would just walk to a restaurant that was a few miles from my house that I liked a couple days a week and drink 2 glasses and eat well. Then after 2 months or so I went to the liquor store and bought a box of wine and it was over. I ended up blacking out. Also, I got myself into a very stressful situation during this time too. Everyone was breathing down my neck and I was super paranoid, so I bought a pint of Crown Royal and drank it. Woke up the next day, did a big dab of hash oil and basically had some type of seizure I think. I was on 25-30mg of Librium at this time probably. Not sure what it was, but my entire body went numb, my thoughts were at warp speed and made no sense, lost feeling in my bladder completely, and was convulsing a bit...I could barely walk too. One glass of wine with food may or may not have a negative effect on tapering. I just think it best to stay away while trying to heal from this. I'm an addict though so I just need to abstain for now. It seems like you are too. 6 beers is a lot.

[[mi...]]

I notice you are on Gabapentin Marmoot.. does that help with withdrawals? So many people seem to be on it but my old psychiatrist said theres no evidence that it helps..

 

 

Earlier in my taper I started using wine to cope. I always been a beer and whiskey drinker so I figured maybe wine could be okay. It was okay for a few months. I would just walk to a restaurant that was a few miles from my house that I liked a couple days a week and drink 2 glasses and eat well. Then after 2 months or so I went to the liquor store and bought a box of wine and it was over. I ended up blacking out. Also, I got myself into a very stressful situation during this time too. Everyone was breathing down my neck and I was super paranoid, so I bought a pint of Crown Royal and drank it. Woke up the next day, did a big dab of hash oil and basically had some type of seizure I think. I was on 25-30mg of Librium at this time probably. Not sure what it was, but my entire body went numb, my thoughts were at warp speed and made no sense, lost feeling in my bladder completely, and was convulsing a bit...I could barely walk too. One glass of wine with food may or may not have a negative effect on tapering. I just think it best to stay away while trying to heal from this. I'm an addict though so I just need to abstain for now. It seems like you are too. 6 beers is a lot.

[[Es...]]

I think binge drinking is becoming a problem for me. A few weeks back I discovered that a few beers in quick succession helps immensely with withdrawal symptoms. Now I am making a habit of going to my favourite cafe and ordering sometimes up to 6 full-strength beers in the space of 2 hours or less. While it helps in the moment I end up suffering the next day with extra anxiety..

 

I know it's bad to mix benzos and alcohol plus alcohol works on the same brain receptors as benzos so it stands to reason. that booze will have an affect on withdrawals.

 

Has anyone else done the dangerous dance with alcohol during taper?

 

If one takes into account the amount of psych meds you take. You may be risking your life.

 

It's either diazepam WD or Prozac induced anxiety (one of it's sx). Alcohol is even more dangerous than benzos. Yes, it also acts on the GABA receptors. But affects internal organs in a more destructive way.

 

However, it brings on euphoria which one can only achieve with one benzo: Xanax. Before one hits tolerance.

 

I suggest you consult a specialist on cross addiction. Or visit a local AA meeting. Or even call the AA's hotline. You may easily google their site on the net. Someone there should be ready to go to a meeting with you.

 

You don't have to be religious to go to AA. I'm an atheist.

 

Take care.

 

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[[er...]]

I did a shit load of alcohol and Phenibut last night (9/9/17 see my 'holy crap' thread)

 

I don't know how dangerous it was but it was sure a lot of fun.    Sorry, I'm hijacking your thread.

 

AA may be religious and it may be a cult.

[[wa...]]

I think binge drinking is becoming a problem for me. A few weeks back I discovered that a few beers in quick succession helps immensely with withdrawal symptoms. Now I am making a habit of going to my favourite cafe and ordering sometimes up to 6 full-strength beers in the space of 2 hours or less. While it helps in the moment I end up suffering the next day with extra anxiety..

 

I know it's bad to mix benzos and alcohol plus alcohol works on the same brain receptors as benzos so it stands to reason. that booze will have an affect on withdrawals.

 

Has anyone else done the dangerous dance with alcohol during taper?

If you don't think you can get to AA, which is an abstinence only program - try the online moderation.org an get on their forum and/or listerserve - to help control your drinking.  Maybe do a 30 day on there.  Alcohol is not the answer to symptoms in the long run.  WBB

[[Es...]]

I did a shit load of alcohol and Phenibut last night (9/9/17 see my 'holy crap' thread)

 

I don't know how dangerous it was but it was sure a lot of fun.    Sorry, I'm hijacking your thread.

 

AA may be religious and it may be a cult.

 

AA is not religious and it’s not a cult. Please do not post about stuff you know nothing about. AA has saved thousands of lives. It is a spiritual movement toward recovery. There are no leaders in AA. Everyone is equal. Cults usually have gurus.

 

Most successful recovery oriented programs operate according to the Minnesota model. Which is based both on the therapeutic approach and the Twelve Steps of AA. There is no "God" in AA. Members interpret the notion of "God", according to how they understand it.

 

We both came to BB cause our "God" were/are benzos or some other mind-altering substance. I’m an atheist. I owe 11 happiest yrs of my life to AA philosophy. Drinking alcohol is more dangerous than taking benzos. Alcohol binds to the same receptors in the brain, as benzos - GABA. Additionaly, it has a euphorizing effect. Increases the production of serotonin and dopamine. Activated more strongly the whole "reward center" in the brain (see article). Thus is more addictive.

 

Many alcoholics subconsciously dream to taper benzos in order to start drinking again. Have noticed this phenomenon here. Some combine benzos with alcohol, to increase the effect of alcohol. This may be lethal. Especially in the case of Klonopin. Good luck.

The greatest fun will be when you kick the bucket. It was meant as a sad joke...

 

Well, I did what I could. FIY, if you even care to open the link:

 

Alcoholics Anonymous, 12 Step Program

[Guest [my...]]

I wonder about the people who use alcohol when they do a liquid titration.  They say it's not enough to hurt but it's still alcohol and it does bind to gaba receptors. 

[[Jo...]]

I've been tapering off of 2mg/day of Klonopin for 5 months and I'm down to .5mg/day now. I drink 2 beers almost everyday and have had no problems with it but anymore than 2 becomes a problem. I get a hangover the next morning that takes almost all day to recover from and doesn't feel good at all so I've limited myself to a couple and so far no issues.

[[Pa...]]

drinking only makes me sick, and worse :\ even though im pretty scared/sick right now

[[Es...]]

I wonder about the people who use alcohol when they do a liquid titration.  They say it's not enough to hurt but it's still alcohol and it does bind to gaba receptors.

 

It’s not any kind of titration. It’s drinking ethanol and deluding oneself. Better not to do any titration at all. Titration of benzos diluted in vodka sounds like a Woody Allen movie I think I would prefer to dilute my Valium in French champagne... "So good for the brain" - as Iggy Pop and Debbie Harry once sang in

.

 

[[Es...]]

I've been tapering off of 2mg/day of Klonopin for 5 months and I'm down to .5mg/day now. I drink 2 beers almost everyday and have had no problems with it but anymore than 2 becomes a problem. I get a hangover the next morning that takes almost all day to recover from and doesn't feel good at all so I've limited myself to a couple and so far no issues.

 

Why not just flush Klonopin down the toilet and drink 2-3 more beers instead? Let’s see how long you will last... This is not tapering benzos at all. It’s called cross-addiction.

[[gi...]]

I notice you are on Gabapentin Marmoot.. does that help with withdrawals? So many people seem to be on it but my old psychiatrist said theres no evidence that it helps.

 

It doesn't, I've tried it.

[[Iw...]]

Man, you need to quit the drinking. I drank most of my life. Drank daily while taking 3mgs of Klonopin for over two years. One day, out of nowhere, I was paralyzed with panic. Couldn’t leave the grocery store. Had to leave my car and get a ride. I ignored all the symptoms leading up to that day while drinking, now that I look back on it. Haven’t drank since then. Please put the drinking shit on pause and well after you’re done with your benzo as well. Trust me, it’s not worth it....

[[Wo...]]

I have.  It might be OK if it is done in small amounts and occasionally.

 

Even Dr. Ashton says alcohol is appropriate in moderation for people who can tolerate it.