Benzos

Christopher1990 · Feb 07, 2016, 08:39 PM

Are you on them, and how do you take them?

I take about 1-2mg of ativan before sleep. I don't take them in the daytime unless I have to, which is rare. Yet, I think taking ativan for sleep may be causing me more anxiety during the day.

Whats your take on benzos?

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Wander · Feb 07, 2016, 08:58 PM

At the moment I take about 2mg of Clonazepam a day but I am trying to wean off. Years ago I had a Valium addiction and it was hell to get off so I know I am in for a ride. Benzos are very helpful short term but tend to turn against you in the long term as you need higher doses to get the same effect and then coming off can be tough. Still, I have found them indispensable at times. Very helpful when severely anxious.

seoultous · Feb 07, 2016, 09:02 PM

I take 1mg Klonopin for sleep. I take Xanax for breakthrough anxiety only when I am having a really bad day.

Yoda · Feb 07, 2016, 09:04 PM

I've been taking Xanax since 1999. Back then I took 2 mg prn three or four times a day. Now I generally only take it to sleep.

My pdoc added Temazepam 60 mg for sleep in 2007 but after three years cut it back to 30 mg and now 15 mg and only take it on occasion.

I know they are addictive but since I now take less my pdoc and I are pretty comfortable with it. Though that could change at any time as I get older.

Which particular benzo works best I think depends on the individual. Valium and Ativan tablets do nothing at all for me.

wildflowerchild25 · Feb 07, 2016, 09:14 PM

I've been on klonopin off and on. I haven't had any since the summer. I really only need it when I am mixed to combat agitation and anxiety. I prefer not to take it because of the addictive nature, but I've been taking it off and on since I was a teenager. But I've also gone years without any. So I think they're good for short term use but I wouldn't want to be on it every day.

Keegan2015 · Feb 07, 2016, 09:22 PM

I used to take Klonopin and Ativan for anxiety but no longer can get scripts for either due to my history of drug abuse. However, I really liked Klonopin when I was on it.

I'm kind of surprised at how many people in this thread are saying they use benzos for help with sleep, I thought that was a major "no no."

Victoria'smom · Feb 07, 2016, 09:29 PM

I use klonopin as needed.... for mania (????)

Hashi/bipolar mom · Feb 07, 2016, 10:00 PM

I take .5mg x 2 of Xanax as needed during anxious times. After the past few days, it's been indispensable for me! I'm glad I have the prescription. Now saying that, yes the effectiveness can wear off and you can have rebound anxiety. Maybe that is what you are experiencing.

Christopher1990 · Feb 07, 2016, 10:16 PM

,yes, i need to come off it and only use it when needed. Im supposed to take one in the morning, but dont because it just makes me tired the rest of the day.

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SingDanceRunLife · Feb 07, 2016, 10:29 PM

I take klonopin (1mg) at bedtime to help me sleep, after going through a laundry list of other meds for sleep that just didn't work. I also take it PRN during the day, but most days I don't need it since I added buspar. I'm trying to get off of it though and really only use it PRN, and my pdoc is on board with that, although she'd be okay with continuing to prescribe it for sleep too. But we just added Seroquel to help me sleep and so far, so good. If things keep going well, when I see my pdoc next week I'll talk to her about halving my klonopin.

hopeless2015 · Feb 07, 2016, 10:37 PM

I'm taking a very low dose of klonapin every morning before work, I was taking another dose to get through the day but quit per pdoc. My morning anxiety is very high

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Wanderlust90 · Feb 07, 2016, 11:01 PM

I'm not prescribed benzos anymore. Im a risk.

When I was 20/21 my GP gave me an authority script for Xanax. 0.5mg BD. I maintain that it was exactly the drug I needed. Near on solved all issues I presented with, still would treat all issues I present with even though there's more now & I'm livid that they refuse to prescribe due to their own fear.

So I get them illegally when possible & have stolen from the first hospital I worked at. I've tried alprazolam, diazepam, oxazepam, lorazepam, midazolam, temazepam, clonazepam, nitrazepam. Favourites are alprazolam & clonazepam. They all work wonders. They are alcohol without the kilojoules, nausea or hangover.

I'm fully aware of the risks of addiction.

Does anyone have any advice as to natural products which also work on GABA receptors?

I'm going to try this thing called lactium, it probably won't do anymore than drinking milk would though. Lactium is some casein protein that's supposed to potentiate GABA.

ComfortablyNumb5 · Feb 08, 2016, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christopher1990

Are you on them, and how do you take them?

I take about 1-2mg of ativan before sleep. I don't take them in the daytime unless I have to, which is rare. Yet, I think taking ativan for sleep may be causing me more anxiety during the day.

Whats your take on benzos?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I'm prescribed 1mg ativan PRN 3x's a day but I don't take it every day as it loses its calming effects or I get used to it. At least in my case. Also I really don't want to get physically dependent on it. Even though the bottle says one at a time I often have to take 2-3 at a time to have any effect. I'm a very small person but I have a crazy high tolerance to meds. Maybe from years of being on psych meds? I only use it when I'm anxious at work or I'm having trouble sleeping. However I find it only lasts a few hours so I'll wake up a few hours later.

Trileptal 600mg BID
Buspar 45mg
Seroquel 150-300mg for sleep
Ativan 1mg PRN
Vyvanse 70mg
Risperdal 4-6mg PRN

I don't get msgs unless the other person using tapatalk app!

Nammu · Feb 08, 2016, 12:57 AM

I don't take benzos for that very reason...I think they can cause anxiety to go up.

Christopher1990 · Feb 08, 2016, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wanderlust90

I'm not prescribed benzos anymore. Im a risk.

When I was 20/21 my GP gave me an authority script for Xanax. 0.5mg BD. I maintain that it was exactly the drug I needed. Near on solved all issues I presented with, still would treat all issues I present with even though there's more now & I'm livid that they refuse to prescribe due to their own fear.

So I get them illegally when possible & have stolen from the first hospital I worked at. I've tried alprazolam, diazepam, oxazepam, lorazepam, midazolam, temazepam, clonazepam, nitrazepam. Favourites are alprazolam & clonazepam. They all work wonders. They are alcohol without the kilojoules, nausea or hangover.

I'm fully aware of the risks of addiction.

Does anyone have any advice as to natural products which also work on GABA receptors?

I'm going to try this thing called lactium, it probably won't do anymore than drinking milk would though. Lactium is some casein protein that's supposed to potentiate GABA.

Green tea helps me relax. I don't know how much it would help you, it's just one remedy I find helpful.

Imah · Feb 08, 2016, 01:25 PM

I take Atarax (hydroxyzine) 3 times a day.

raspberrytorte · Feb 08, 2016, 01:52 PM

I always call alcohol a dirty alternative to benzos because it feels similar but makes me sick.

Benzos were wonderful for me in the beginning, but in the end caused me a lot of problems because I became dependent and had a lousy experience getting off of them.

Gabapentin works on GABA receptors too but I hear getting off of it is as lousy as getting off of benzos so I'm a little freaked out that I'm taking it but for me it works better than benzos.

I would never take benzos again even if I found a doctor that would prescribe them for me.

gina_re · Feb 08, 2016, 02:17 PM

I take Temazepam 15mg for sleep
I've also taken Xanax in the past, but then I od'd on them so probably cant get another prescription for that anymore
I've also been on Klonopin for only a month (that pdoc was against prescribing benzos unless of extreme emergency) only because I was a wreck after my grandma died. When the prescription ran out, I was a mess again

Feb 08, 2016, 02:49 PM

I take lorazepam for sleep. But I'm going to be getting off it soon. Kinda scared insomnia will return....But I don't think they're good long term. A study found they can cause early onset dementia....I know it's just one study but I'd rather be safe than sorry...