Do you think most people who suffered the most from benzo withdrawal was due to improper tapering or C/T?

[[Md...]]

It seems like most of all the horror stories i read or see about people getting off benzos stem from the fact that they tapered way too fast or quit cold turkey, either because they went to detox, or their doctor didn’t inform them of the ramifications.

But i wonder about the people who slowly and painlessly crossed over to Valium, then did a slow 5 to 10% reduction every 2 to 4 weeks, until they were completely off. 

Seems like most doctors and detox centers do not approach tapering this way, so I can’t help if this silent benzo epidemic is mostly due to that, or from the people who developed tolerance withdrawal while on the medication.

What are your thoughts?

Edited December 15, 2023 by [Md...]

[[Br...]]

This is a good question.  We don't know all the answers but it seems clear there are many factors that contribute to one individual suffering more in withdrawal than another.  As time goes on and there is more good research conducted we'll know more.  At this point I believe there is some consensus that broadly a healthy person with no previous history of benzo use, who has taken their benzo for a relatively short time, who doesn't take other psych drugs or drugs that interact with benzos, and who carries out a careful taper is less likely to have severe symptoms during withdrawal than a person who has multiple health issues, whose current use has lasted many years, has a history of using and stopping benzos prior to current use, who takes multiple psych drugs and/or drugs know to interact with benzos and who tapered too fast or CTd. 

[[Di...]]

Some folk notice every PVC/Ectopic beat they have and others don't notice them at all.......some folk take heavy duty meds like Tramadol and stop cold turkey and are neither up nor down....go figure

 

Merry Xmas all

 

[[Nu...]]

On 15/12/2023 at 08:53, [[B...] said:

This is a good question.  We don't know all the answers but it seems clear there are many factors that contribute to one individual suffering more in withdrawal than another.  As time goes on and there is more good research conducted we'll know more.  At this point I believe there is some consensus that broadly a healthy person with no previous history of benzo use, who has taken their benzo for a relatively short time, who doesn't take other psych drugs or drugs that interact with benzos, and who carries out a careful taper is less likely to have severe symptoms during withdrawal than a person who has multiple health issues, whose current use has lasted many years, has a history of using and stopping benzos prior to current use, who takes multiple psych drugs and/or drugs know to interact with benzos and who tapered too fast or CTd. 

Well said. Out of those factors, it seems as though how the taper was managed does seem to have an overly heavy impact. Seems to be a general trend after talking with folks who had a mix and match out of the other factors. But BD is right -- we won't know much and it's all speculation until proper research is done in this area.

[[Pi...]]

I think about this question frequently.
I had a hard taper and I jumped off too soon and had to be reinstated.

I think the key to tapering is too feel stabilized most of the time and I didn’t feel stabilized.  I took Ativan for decades.

I am 17 months out and feel much better.  
 

 It will have taken 31/2 years of my life.  
 
 

Edited January 1 by [Pi...]

[[ve...]]

There's an objective and subjective side to withdrawal symptoms, and each side feeds each other.  That's why, if we drop the subjective side, we cut the whole suffering down to 25% instead of just 50%.

A taper will bring up the issues that led us to take benzos.  By tapering off slowly we have more time to deal with them and also learn coping mechanism to deal with withdrawal symptoms.

Time is a key factor here.

Edited January 1 by [ve...]

[[Si...]]

It's the fast tapers, cold turkeys and yo-yoing around in doses.  I'm sure of it.  I haven't read of anyone who was stable on the benzo, tapered super slow, and had severe withdrawal.  

[[PE...]]

I think it's much up to the person and individual coping strategies..

[[PE...]]

3 minutes ago, [[S...] said:

It's the fast tapers, cold turkeys and yo-yoing around in doses.  I'm sure of it.  I haven't read of anyone who was stable on the benzo, tapered super slow, and had severe withdrawal.  

Yeah me to. Felt better after a very intense CT. But I'm not prone to seizures at it seems.

[[Md...]]

On 31/12/2023 at 21:29, [[P...] said:

I think about this question frequently.
I had a hard taper and I jumped off too soon and had to be reinstated.

I think the key to tapering is too feel stabilized most of the time and I didn’t feel stabilized.  I took Ativan for decades.

I am 17 months out and feel much better.  
 

 It will have taken 31/2 years of my life.  
 
 

What would you suggest for someone like me who feels more debilitated from the drug itself, rather than any withdrawal symptoms?

For example, i have been taking Valium since the summer, while the depression has lifted, the sedation has not. I also seemed to get some brain fog and sedation a little before my next dose. Not sure if it’s interdose withdrawals or what, but the fatigue from the V itself definitely makes it hard to function. I just feel sleepy and unmotivated most of the time.

Edited January 5 by [Md...]

[[PE...]]

20 minutes ago, [[M...] said:

What would you suggest for someone like me who feels more debilitated from the drug itself, rather than any withdrawal symptoms?

For example, i have been taking Valium since the summer, while the depression has lifted, the sedation has not. I also seemed to get some brain fog and sedation a little before my next dose. Not sure if it’s interdose withdrawals or what, but the fatigue from the V itself definitely makes it hard to function. I just feel sleepy and unmotivated most of the time.

That's what benzos doe's to you. Makes you sleepy and unmotivated. 

Since the summer is long enough to get serious wd symptoms and I would try a taper.

I never had a working taper because a extreme tolerance and can't suggest going CT in any way. It's totally horror.

[[Md...]]

1 minute ago, [[n...] said:

That's what benzos doe's to you. Makes you sleepy and unmotivated. 

Since the summer is long enough to get serious wd symptoms and I would try a taper.

I never had a working taper because a extreme tolerance and can't suggest going CT in any way. It's totally horror.

I hear ya. Valium is generally the most sedating one though, right?

I started taking Xanax in March, but developed interdose withdrawals (so long story short, i had to find a benzo smart doc who got me on Valium, and the sedation has been rough.)

Anyways, i didn’t experience any sedation from Xanax, at least not like i have been with Valium, which ive been on for several months now. 

[[PE...]]

2 minutes ago, [[M...] said:

I hear ya. Valium is generally the most sedating one though, right?

I started taking Xanax in March, but developed interdose withdrawals (so long story short, i had to find a benzo smart doc who got me on Valium, and the sedation has been rough.)

Anyways, i didn’t experience any sedation from Xanax, at least not like i have been with Valium, which ive been on for several months now. 

It's just a matter of dose IMO

I was on at max 150mg of diazepam/valium and it had zero effect on me because of tolerance. Xanax is what I liked the most in the benzo family. But remember the first time I took just 10mg of diazepam and it put me in a nice place..

Tolerance is coming for every user no matter. Just a matter of time. I been of 10 weeks now and doing better then I did when I was on them. What dose do you take? What ever you dp don't up your dose.

[[Md...]]

57 minutes ago, [[n...] said:

It's just a matter of dose IMO

I was on at max 150mg of diazepam/valium and it had zero effect on me because of tolerance. Xanax is what I liked the most in the benzo family. But remember the first time I took just 10mg of diazepam and it put me in a nice place..

Tolerance is coming for every user no matter. Just a matter of time. I been of 10 weeks now and doing better then I did when I was on them. What dose do you take? What ever you dp don't up your dose.

I was taking 2mg of Xanax for a few months for nerve pain (due to its anticonvulsant properties), but the pain seemed to get better so I dropped to 1.5 mg (so, actually it was a 1/4, not a 1/3 that i dropped). 

I was on 1.5mg of Xanax for a while, until i got transferred over the summer to the dosage equivalent of Valium, which apparently is 30mg (10mg taken 3 times a day, since that’s how i was dosing my Xanax). 

I’ve been microtapering everyday for a month now. It’s been smooth so far, aside from the depression (which eventually went away), and the sedation, which is still just as strong.

Edited January 5 by [Md...]

[[wi...]]

This is a sensitive and controversial subject.

There is nothing black and white in any of this relating to cause and effect.

[[To...]]

Considering going ct off of Valium. No perceived benefit at this point. Very high anxiety , racing thoughts , sedation are the norm however. 
please help me out guys I am at wits end either way it seems. 

[[Br...]]

3 hours ago, [[T...] said:

Considering going ct off of Valium. No perceived benefit at this point. Very high anxiety , racing thoughts , sedation are the norm however. 
please help me out guys I am at wits end either way it seems. 

@[To...] I'm so sorry you're suffering with these symptoms.  Please start a thread on the Benzodiazepine Withdrawal, Use & Recovery forum.  Members will be more likely to see it there and you'll get more responses.  

[[Bu...]]

On 05/01/2024 at 07:52, [[S...] said:

It's the fast tapers, cold turkeys and yo-yoing around in doses.  I'm sure of it.  I haven't read of anyone who was stable on the benzo, tapered super slow, and had severe withdrawal.  

@[Si...] ive seen people very stable taper to the last crumb and get absolutely rocked. It happens all the time. I’ve also seen people who were short term do a taper and then get rocked as well. I had a super stable taper and got rocked from a small mistake. It’s soooo individual I think it’s hard to say

[[wi...]]

There is no proof of a slow taper keeping people from severe withdrawal symptoms or quicker healing. 
CT is dangerous as seizures can occur.

[[bw...]]

I tapered at the ashton manual speed.

When i got down to 5mg valium from 20mg...

I then went half the recommended speed and still ended up severely protracted at 6.5years off now.

[[Pa...]]

On 26/02/2024 at 19:48, [[b...] said:

I tapered at the ashton manual speed.

When i got down to 5mg valium from 20mg...

I then went half the recommended speed and still ended up severely protracted at 6.5years off now.

I’m so sorry to read this. Did you feel ok on your taper but then felt worse post taper? Do you have any underlying health issues?

I really hope you turn a corner soon and find some relief. 

Edited March 3 by [Pa...]

[[An...]]

Often, IMO, improper tapering (too fast) or C/T leads to reinstatement b/c the w/d SXs are simply intolerable. Even with a slow, prudent taper, some ppl who are super sensitive will still have a really tough time. Some will also end up protracted. It is really hard to say who will and who won't suffer the most during benzo w/d but a slow controlled taper done at your own personal pace gives you the best chance of coming off these drugs successfully with the least amount of suffering for most ppl.