Kicking benzos to curb while on TRT

[[am...]]

Hi guys,

Just posting my experience so far here. This is my second recovery period from benzos.  the first time it was Xanax, and my god am I glad this time its from valium.

I feel like such an idiot.  I knew the risks, but because it was 'only' valium I allowed myself to take a half of 10mg every now and then until before I knew it it had been longer than I could recall. I basically went back to valium when I knew I'd be away for a couple weeks somewhere I couldn't access weed to sleep.  And in the end I preferred valium because I didn't feel like a zombie the next day.

The tricky thing is I'm on TRT. When its working well its great.  but I have to be so careful to keep the levels stable in my blood. If it gets thrown it triggers a certain intensity, which leads to insomnia, which leads to (can) valium abuse.

two weeks ago on return from holiday with friends the benzos just STOPPED working. I realized to keep  things stable I would have to up my dose to 10mg which I did for 2 nights, then thought, no way am I going down this road. Then had several sleepless nights. Then decided: I am done with it (again)

So cut to today.  I am on a taper and have managed to get back from 10mg (which I went up to briefly) down to 0.5, and now to 0.25 - this has been over two weeks. I've been able to do this by using indica to help me sleep, magnesium, and lots of teas.

the more acute symptoms have ebbed, my nervous system doesn't nay longer feel on fire. I have headaches, and some trouble with depth perception. I hate being around people, but gradually that is easing off.  I'm managing to keep working.

My dad is here now for 10 days so I will not change my doseages or approaches while he is here. Then after 10 days I will jump to zero.

So, Id be interested in any feedback: especially from people who are combining TRT with benzo withdrawal, and how to manage the peaks and troughs that TRT treatment induces. Also any experiences using indica as you come off it (though I know any gaba-ergic things are not recommended!

this forum is just fabulous, and Im glad I stumbled on it!

Thanks!!

 

Edited Sunday at 15:37 by [am...]

[[Os...]]

How did the Xanax withdrawal go for you?

[[am...]]

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

How did the Xanax withdrawal go for you?

Much harder, mainly because of the inter dose withdrawal making me feel manic the following afternoon. 

[[Os...]]

Everyone has a benzo story. Many of us feel like you felt, where you “should have known”. And the truth is, I feel that way. I should have done research when given a pill to solve all my problems. But, I was so desperate that I didn’t care. It wasn’t until the side effects presented themselves that I started to think about it, and it was too late to just stop CT. So, here we are, intrenched on a taper (I’m at 0.5mg after a 4 month taper from 5mg).

I don’t know anything about TRT, but I will just say to follow your symptoms and take it one day at a time. From everything I have read on this site, the worst of the symptoms will go away in short time, with some annoying but tolerable ones that will take longer.

hang in there

[[am...]]

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

Everyone has a benzo story. Many of us feel like you felt, where you “should have known”. And the truth is, I feel that way. I should have done research when given a pill to solve all my problems. But, I was so desperate that I didn’t care. It wasn’t until the side effects presented themselves that I started to think about it, and it was too late to just stop CT. So, here we are, intrenched on a taper (I’m at 0.5mg after a 4 month taper from 5mg).

I don’t know anything about TRT, but I will just say to follow your symptoms and take it one day at a time. From everything I have read on this site, the worst of the symptoms will go away in short time, with some annoying but tolerable ones that will take longer.

hang in there

Thank you!! ❤️