Diazepam

[statum71]

Hi all, I was commenced on xanax 12 mths ago for panic attacks.  My GP (and to be honest me) felt we needed to keep increasing the dose.  Within 3 mths I was on 6mg per day (in 3 divided doses).  It almost cost me my marriage, job, home and friends.  I found a new GP, whom recognised what was happening (i.e. I was addicted to xanax and loving it but a voice in the back of my head told me things were not right - hence finding another GP).  He was great, switched me to diazepam and it's been over 6mths since my last dose of xanax.  

Now diazepam - my current GP moved practice and left me in the hands of a partner.  Currently, I think I "binge" on diazepam i.e. can go 8 -9 days without taking it, something stressful happens and I'll take 20-40mg.  In the last 8 weeks the longest I've gone without binging is 8 days (no withdrawal effects) but then wanted to have a binge.  

I'm booked in to see an addiction specialist / psychiatrist (I requested) in 4 weeks.

My question:

If I can make it to 8 days without experiencing withdrawal effects, could I make to 10, 14, 30 etc in other words can I stop the bingeing?

I'd actually like to stop as I love the 8-9 days where I take "nothing" and to be honest never really get anything out of the binge except regret.  I'm just worried that I'd go into some kind of severe withdrawal.  My current GP doesn't see an issue with PRN use but this isn't PRN use - it's bingeing.  I'd just love to be free of it all, my wife is happy to take my supply from me and only give it if required.

Any thoughts / opinions are appreciated.  It is relieving just venting what is happening thanks to this forum.

[Dylan465]

Hi,

I got off of valium years ago. Like any drug. I have found weaning the best for me. 8 days w/o is good in my opinion. But I believe it was mentioned, it's on your mind. I am not an expert but for various reasons tapered off of various drugs. Xanax I hear is horrible and I got off of ativan. Everyone is different---I know, obvious conclusion--but if you want to get off, keep going, if it gets that bad then taper. Valium is less strong than the others and I think 8 days is good but for yourself try it longer and if it's uncomfortable, break pills up till you are off.
Hope you understood me and that helped.

[peaceinknowing]

I read someone's response to you above where they said they don't think you've become dependant on the drug yet -- but I have to disagree to an extent with that. I'm not saying you're addicted, nor am I saying you're dependant on the drug....but I do see where you may be at the point where you're relying on it for too much. In other words, even though you're able to go several days without the medicine, when that moment hits you where something THAT stressful occurs -- BAM!!!!! -- you're taking far too many at a time to get over it. I hope that makes sense and doesn't sound rude. That isn't my intentions.

I think you're doing the right thing by going to see an addiction specialist in the next four weeks. If you want to stay away from the pills before you go see this specialist, then my suggestion to you would be to get rid of the pills all together. Go flush them down the toilet or something!  HAHA!!  :)

[subpop200]

You might as well stop as soon as you can because benzo withdrawals are some of the worst you can get.  I think you might need to taper and your wife will help you with that.  I heard benzo withdrawals can last for years...imagine that...years with anxiety worse than before you started taking them...ten times worse.  So considering how bad it is to get on benzos thinking of the withdrawal, get off them asap because the more you get into them the more difficult withdrawal will be afterwards.  I have an addictive personality and even I am afraid of even thinking of getting into benzos becuase of how insanely long it takes to recover from them when you stop and the fact that it's also life threatening to go through withdrawals from benzos.  So please, think about that main thing that benzo withdrawal is extremely lengthy and painful...get off them and taper asap and tell your wife to help you taper.  Ask your doctor how to taper and make sure you do it because if you don't...you will have more hell to pay.  I personally think benzo withdrawal is way worse than opiate withdrawal because it takes even longer to withdraw which makes it harder to stay clean.  So yea...do your best and just tell your wife immediately.  Exercise, and I mean heavy exercise during withdrawal will help your body get back to where it was before you started way faster.  High intensity training not only helps your brain recover faster, you will get amazing results along with a solid diet that will help you replace one addiction with a much healthier one.  So get on it and try going into weightlifting and cardio...that will make things so much easier and you will feel good from it because it helps release endorphins naturally.  What better than getting a natural chemical high from doing high intensity exercise.  It really does make a huge difference and it can change you mentally to a stronger and more positive person since it does help blood flow to the brain and it does help your body to release feel good chemicals.  Besides that get on supplements that will help you recover faster and possibly help your training results:  

L-tyrosine with B-6 for energy, increased dopamine output in your brain, and way better results from your training (helps to lose weight faster)

Fish oil for good fats that your body needs, helps with depression and also aids in weight loss

5-htp, helps to release serotonin naturally, makes a huge difference and does help with anxiety and depression

Amino acids, also to help your brain recover but also great for building muscle faster and aid in recovery

Zinc and magnesium supplement to help you recover faster, increase testosterone and also helps to get deeper sleep and good for your brain too

Valerian root with melatonin:  great for a nice deep and relaxing sleep.  Also great for anxiety.  

Centrum, you need multi vitamins if you are going to work out to replenish your body with the nutrients it will need and so your brain and body function at best.  

Lots of water and a good diet split up into 5-6 meals throughout the day to increase you metabolism.  Your diet should be high protein, moderate good complex carbs, and moderate fats (only good fats like fish oil, olive oil, fat from meat, nuts, etc. etc.).  You need to eat well if you want to see results and so your body doesn't go through withdrawal from training and not supplying it with fuel for recovery.  

All this will get you through withdrawal faster and beyond that, you will look better, feel better, have more confidence, and your metabolism will go through the roof and your brain will start releasing the feel good chemicals it needs.  It helps to balance your body all around.  

Now shut up and get on it!!! =)

[statum71]

Your spot on - an accident waiting to happen, I know in my head (or a part of my mind) that I can hand over whats left of my valium (55 x 5mg tabs) to my wife and see what happens after day 8.  

I also know that I am scared she will not give them to me should I start to experience withdrawal symptoms etc.  

Strange - I've read so much about xanax and I remember the night I ran out and had to wait to see the doc the next day in the afternoon (was on 6mg a day) and I honestly thought I was going to die.

Thats why I'm scared to hand over the valium, what if on day 10 or 14 I experience that same experience I had with xanax withdrawal - you haven't met my wife, she will tell me to suck it up.

Your absolutely spot on I AM AN ADDICT - be it physical, psychological or both and always will be (i.e. I know that if I stopped and a valium tab was placed in front of me it would be in my mouth without batting an eyelid).  This is why I asked to see a psychiatrist.

I just want to stop, for it to be over, but am scared

[worried878]

a physical addiction to benzos/a true one..does not go 8-9 days before problems arise..valium is much less addictive that what u were on..had u stayed on xanax u would not be able to go 8 days like u r..ur dr was smart to put u on valium which is a whole lot weaker than xanax
what u r dealing with now r ur learned coping mechanisms,,it is the addict in u..not sure as I havent posted with u before/i dont think anyway
Your coping mechanisms are unhealthy as are most of the posters here..most people dont run to pills or a substance when a problem occurs...sounds as if u have done the work/be it intentaily or not/ on the physical part of this whole scenario..but the mental part is why we continue to return to our learned behavior...for most addicts it is called ESCAPE..we choose not to cope when the going gets tough,,we use to escape the yucky feelings that stress, depression, chaos in our life causes us

I do know that changing our learned coping mechanisms is difficult..but it can be done thru counseling or some type of aftercare/if the person realizes that their coping mechanisms do not work in the real world

I am not saying this to be ugly..nor to wish any failure on ur fantastic progess u have made cos benzos r hard to wd from....but in my bones/'which i call my perception i guess///u r an accident waiting to happen...and i dont know squat...i am just telling u what i feel when i read ur post.again..no negativity meant as u have made alot of progress from where u were

[statum71]

Bugger, was hoping that I could just stop and this would be over....

[GA Guy]

Actually, Valium has very long half life. I have to admit my mistake here. I was thinking of Xanax when I replied (it's alprazolam). The reason I'm saying this is that Xanax has a short half life..and, waiting a week would surely show withdrawals. However, with Valium (who's half life is 20-200 hours) it may take a week OR MORE to show withdrawals. So, the only real way to see if the withdrawals will come is to get off them for at least a couple of weeks. I was taking Klonopin when I entered detox. It has a half life of about 35 hours. I actually still tested positive for benzos 23 days after my last dose. That just shows how long it takes to get clear benzos from your system. So..I've written all of this to say....you may not be taking enough time between binges to see if you will have withdrawals. Only time will tell....

[statum71]

Thanks - I just really wanted to purge all this to others who can perhaps see where I'm at, your response (regardless of what you said) was so important to me - thank you.

So MY thoughts are to simply wait and see i.e. see what happens after day 9 (longest I've gone)?

When would you normally expect to see (how many hours or days) withdrawal symptoms with diazepam?

[GA Guy]

You're just not totally dependent on the medication yet. This is a rare time when addiction isn't directly involved with dependence. Can you stop without withdrawals? Yeah..cause you do every few days. You need some sort of counseling to deal with the mental aspects so you can quit the binges.