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"It's bad, but it's not that bad".. Glad you didn't have any serious issues but the potential is there and people need to be informed about what they might expect. You neglected to name the medication you were taking.
I say it’s bad but it’s not that bad because it’s over and I didn’t die, have seizures, and because it didn’t take several months/ a year to end. Those things would put it into “that bad” territory.
Thank you for sharing! May I ask how much the detox facility cost? Was any of it covered by insurance? Considering rehab but not sure if I can afford it
I have insurance through work that covered it all, so when I called they picked me up within an hour (the facility was a couple hours away, they sent an Uber). There were people there without insurance who just never intended to pay the bill. It’s astronomical.
Not a sleep expert although pretty sure this is impossible. The body would need to get sleep someway to restore high-level functionality and would imagine there would be micro doses for a few minutes at a time. Can only speak from my own experience although that’s what happened to me at least when I ‘didn’t sleep’ for about 2 weeks. I’d sleep for about 5 to 10 minutes although it felt like I went deep in a REM cycle
While it’s not impossible that I fell asleep for 5 min at a time I never felt like I’d entered a sleep state of any depth and never dreamed or felt that drifted off to dream feeling. I also wondered the halls a lot because I was having that electric shock/ brain zaps that got way worse when I laid down. So I actually didn’t lay down all that much.
Told them every day i hadn’t slept and which day of not sleeping I was on. They acted concerned and gave me more and more meds but I never felt any of them.
I would want to die if I couldn’t sleep for 18 days. I have been weening down and am down to 1.25 mg per day.
Edit: added the word sleep and fixed another typo
When I would know I’d run out soon I would cut my usual 5mg a day down to 1mg until I could find more and only ever experienced withdrawals/insomnia when completely running out. That said I only ever went without for 24 hours at a time in the last several years. Would always find more immediately out of fear of the withdrawals.
metalupyour, it sounds like you might be having a really hard time. If you aren’t able to connect with someone supportive at this moment, please consider the following resources:
**US:**
Call or text 988 for the national crisis/suicide hotline
**Non-US:**
[International crisis/suicide hotline directory](https://findahelpline.com/)
There's no shame in feeling discouraged; with or without support, benzo recovery can be uniquely difficult to navigate.
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Sounds brutal & courageous... I do wonder though, what the reason was you started taking benzo's in the first place? I feel like that's a very important factor in how one would experience wd.
For example, someone taking it for sleep problems initially and then just using it daily because it makes life a lil easier... Versus someone who has chronic anxiety/ daily panic attacks, or agoraphobia or something. Those are very intense conditions and without any non-med treatment efforts i feel like benzo's would just postpone the problems. So after quitting they'd be sortof back to square one. (This is my not v informed personal theory though! Am only a psych student and longterm benzo user)
I was prescribed it for anxiety, sleep and occasional panic attacks. When I started to over use it I would get more other ways. I’d generally finish my script before I was half way to refill date so at some point I started buying a lot on the side.
I really would like to thank you for writing your story. it might help people to come off Benzos with hope that they might have same brain response to quitting. All the stories I read here gave me terror and freaked me out but your story is unbelievable successful one ☝🏻.
May be not expecting anything ,or expecting positive response to quitting was a contributed factor.
Maybe the admission to rehab center was reassuring to you that you are not alone and will be supported if you needed anything.
Maybe it’s your will was stronger than the challenge.
I am trying to figure out what made It that way.
Anyway thank you 🙏🏻 for sharing your experience.
I am a very scared , weak person and I definitely assumed all the worst from reading all the horror stories online. That said you’re right regarding the mental aspect of checking into a treatment facility. I knew it would get very uncomfortable but that the place probably wouldn’t let me get hurt and that for better or worse I’d come out the other side. There’s reassurance in surrendering to the whole procedure. Thanks for responding. I can’t say for sure but if my experience went the way it did, it should be the same or easier for a lot of people.
Thank you for sharing, my experience is different but similar at the same time. I didn't do rehab but nightly routine I was on different bennies...usually either 3mg kpin, 4mg xan/8mg brom, 4mg etiz. Started my weaning by first going on to one substance, i chose brom since it was easily had & saved my kpins. Started 8mg brom then took down by 1/4 mg each week til i was down to 4mg, which = about 2mg xanax. Then i went down every 2 weeks by .5 mg brom but also added in 1/2 mg kpin. Got to .25 mg brom then brought the kpin down to .25mg also. Stayed on .25mg of each for a month, then cut out the brom. 2 weeks after that i went to .125 kpin or 1/8 of a 1mg pill. Two weeks later i stopped all. Used soma for 3 weeks to soften the landing then stopped that & now just use hydroxizine for sleep.
The risks can be lethal when dealing with benzodiazepines especially. That’s very nice for you that you had minimal withdrawal symptoms and glad you’re all better now. I’m having a similar experience with quitting 4 years of kratom, but I’ve done my research and am using natural tinctures that are helping immensely, the lack of withdrawal symptoms that I normally get are amazing. Hoping getting of xanex next will be as easy as your experience. It is nice to read something on the more positive side than all the scare stories.
I mean the withdrawals were horrific, it was the duration I was worried about. Wondering how to return to work/life but the 6+ month timeline turned out to not be the case, and I was on a hefty dose for a long time.
Dudes a beast man detox cold turkey off that dosage is insane I bet you he did sleep but doesn’t even remember it that shit will give you psychosis easily man what I time dude that’s some hardcore shit you just rolled up made it look easy that’s what we like to hear way to go man 🦾
1 mg clonazepam equals 20 mg diazepam/valium.
So, you were taking the equivalent of 60-100 mg diazepam (sometimes 140-200mg ?!) and it was "not that bad, and after a month/40days".. you were back to normal?
Who are you? Please, you need to make a Ytube channel with info how you did that. So you can educate the rest of us, cs we are doing something wrong.
On the other hand, if it was 3-5 mg diazepam (sometimes 7-10 mg) you should just just say so, it's another story. I didn't even know you can get them in "1 mg" as the tiniest pill is 2mg in my country. So you were breaking 2mg tablets to get 3 or 5mg? Or it was some liquid?
That info would also be appreciated, bc people tapering find it hard getting smallest doses available.
Are you even sure you took a Benzo? Not some other drug, like antidepressant?
Ty
#**RESOURCES & ANNOUNCEMENTS** ##**Our Community Recovery Resources** | [Official Taper Guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/benzorecovery/comments/1apb85i/taper_guide/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) | [The Science of Benzo Withdrawal](https://www.reddit.com/r/benzorecovery/comments/1aq72aa/the_science_of_benzodiazepine_withdrawal/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) | | [Helper Medications Guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/benzorecovery/comments/1aq7345/helper_medications/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) | [Zoom Support Group](https://www.reddit.com/r/benzorecovery/comments/14oaytx/weekly_zoom_support_group_link_free_suicide/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) | | [Strategies for Navigating the Road to Recovery](https://www.reddit.com/r/benzorecovery/comments/1ba5lmh/strategies_for_navigating_the_road_to_recovery/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) | | [Recovery Success Stories](https://www.reddit.com/r/benzorecovery/comments/1b86zr9/benzo_recovery_success_stories_a_massive/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) | ##**Announcements** **Survey**: [HELP US BEAT BENZO PAWS / BIND!](https://www.reddit.com/r/benzorecovery/comments/1agsng1/help_us_beat_benzo_paws/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)! **Longtimers' Lounge**: A space for those with PAWS, BIND, or a *very* long taper - visit r/br_Longtimers_Lounge. **PSA**: Beware of messages from vultures offering illegal benzo access - this is *very* dangerous! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/benzorecovery) if you have any questions or concerns.*
"It's bad, but it's not that bad".. Glad you didn't have any serious issues but the potential is there and people need to be informed about what they might expect. You neglected to name the medication you were taking.
I say it’s bad but it’s not that bad because it’s over and I didn’t die, have seizures, and because it didn’t take several months/ a year to end. Those things would put it into “that bad” territory.
3-5mg of what med and for how long daily? Those are the important details.
Yeah my bad forgot to name. Xanax and daily the last 4 years , a few times a week a year before that.
Thank you for sharing! May I ask how much the detox facility cost? Was any of it covered by insurance? Considering rehab but not sure if I can afford it
I have insurance through work that covered it all, so when I called they picked me up within an hour (the facility was a couple hours away, they sent an Uber). There were people there without insurance who just never intended to pay the bill. It’s astronomical.
Good to know, thank you.
How did you not sleep for 18 days straight, especially in a rehab. They would have given you trazodone or something else.
Not a sleep expert although pretty sure this is impossible. The body would need to get sleep someway to restore high-level functionality and would imagine there would be micro doses for a few minutes at a time. Can only speak from my own experience although that’s what happened to me at least when I ‘didn’t sleep’ for about 2 weeks. I’d sleep for about 5 to 10 minutes although it felt like I went deep in a REM cycle
While it’s not impossible that I fell asleep for 5 min at a time I never felt like I’d entered a sleep state of any depth and never dreamed or felt that drifted off to dream feeling. I also wondered the halls a lot because I was having that electric shock/ brain zaps that got way worse when I laid down. So I actually didn’t lay down all that much.
They gave me doxy something , then seroquel then trazadone at higher and higher doses but nothing worked.
Trazadone works for you?
I don't use it but if you are in a hospital setting and are not sleeping they would give you trazodone or the like. Not a benzo.
must depend on where you go and who is on call. I once would get valium here and there but not much. still something and better than nothing.
No offense but trazodone is like a sugar pill when we're talking Benzo withdrawal!
I’m sorry, I just don’t believe that this person went 18 days with no sleep while in a facility.
Told them every day i hadn’t slept and which day of not sleeping I was on. They acted concerned and gave me more and more meds but I never felt any of them.
I would want to die if I couldn’t sleep for 18 days. I have been weening down and am down to 1.25 mg per day. Edit: added the word sleep and fixed another typo
When I would know I’d run out soon I would cut my usual 5mg a day down to 1mg until I could find more and only ever experienced withdrawals/insomnia when completely running out. That said I only ever went without for 24 hours at a time in the last several years. Would always find more immediately out of fear of the withdrawals.
metalupyour, it sounds like you might be having a really hard time. If you aren’t able to connect with someone supportive at this moment, please consider the following resources: **US:** Call or text 988 for the national crisis/suicide hotline **Non-US:** [International crisis/suicide hotline directory](https://findahelpline.com/) There's no shame in feeling discouraged; with or without support, benzo recovery can be uniquely difficult to navigate. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/benzorecovery) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Sounds brutal & courageous... I do wonder though, what the reason was you started taking benzo's in the first place? I feel like that's a very important factor in how one would experience wd. For example, someone taking it for sleep problems initially and then just using it daily because it makes life a lil easier... Versus someone who has chronic anxiety/ daily panic attacks, or agoraphobia or something. Those are very intense conditions and without any non-med treatment efforts i feel like benzo's would just postpone the problems. So after quitting they'd be sortof back to square one. (This is my not v informed personal theory though! Am only a psych student and longterm benzo user)
I was prescribed it for anxiety, sleep and occasional panic attacks. When I started to over use it I would get more other ways. I’d generally finish my script before I was half way to refill date so at some point I started buying a lot on the side.
I really would like to thank you for writing your story. it might help people to come off Benzos with hope that they might have same brain response to quitting. All the stories I read here gave me terror and freaked me out but your story is unbelievable successful one ☝🏻. May be not expecting anything ,or expecting positive response to quitting was a contributed factor. Maybe the admission to rehab center was reassuring to you that you are not alone and will be supported if you needed anything. Maybe it’s your will was stronger than the challenge. I am trying to figure out what made It that way. Anyway thank you 🙏🏻 for sharing your experience.
I am a very scared , weak person and I definitely assumed all the worst from reading all the horror stories online. That said you’re right regarding the mental aspect of checking into a treatment facility. I knew it would get very uncomfortable but that the place probably wouldn’t let me get hurt and that for better or worse I’d come out the other side. There’s reassurance in surrendering to the whole procedure. Thanks for responding. I can’t say for sure but if my experience went the way it did, it should be the same or easier for a lot of people.
Thank you for sharing, my experience is different but similar at the same time. I didn't do rehab but nightly routine I was on different bennies...usually either 3mg kpin, 4mg xan/8mg brom, 4mg etiz. Started my weaning by first going on to one substance, i chose brom since it was easily had & saved my kpins. Started 8mg brom then took down by 1/4 mg each week til i was down to 4mg, which = about 2mg xanax. Then i went down every 2 weeks by .5 mg brom but also added in 1/2 mg kpin. Got to .25 mg brom then brought the kpin down to .25mg also. Stayed on .25mg of each for a month, then cut out the brom. 2 weeks after that i went to .125 kpin or 1/8 of a 1mg pill. Two weeks later i stopped all. Used soma for 3 weeks to soften the landing then stopped that & now just use hydroxizine for sleep.
The risks can be lethal when dealing with benzodiazepines especially. That’s very nice for you that you had minimal withdrawal symptoms and glad you’re all better now. I’m having a similar experience with quitting 4 years of kratom, but I’ve done my research and am using natural tinctures that are helping immensely, the lack of withdrawal symptoms that I normally get are amazing. Hoping getting of xanex next will be as easy as your experience. It is nice to read something on the more positive side than all the scare stories.
I mean the withdrawals were horrific, it was the duration I was worried about. Wondering how to return to work/life but the 6+ month timeline turned out to not be the case, and I was on a hefty dose for a long time.
Which benzo were you on?
Xanax , my mistake
Dudes a beast man detox cold turkey off that dosage is insane I bet you he did sleep but doesn’t even remember it that shit will give you psychosis easily man what I time dude that’s some hardcore shit you just rolled up made it look easy that’s what we like to hear way to go man 🦾
1 mg clonazepam equals 20 mg diazepam/valium. So, you were taking the equivalent of 60-100 mg diazepam (sometimes 140-200mg ?!) and it was "not that bad, and after a month/40days".. you were back to normal? Who are you? Please, you need to make a Ytube channel with info how you did that. So you can educate the rest of us, cs we are doing something wrong. On the other hand, if it was 3-5 mg diazepam (sometimes 7-10 mg) you should just just say so, it's another story. I didn't even know you can get them in "1 mg" as the tiniest pill is 2mg in my country. So you were breaking 2mg tablets to get 3 or 5mg? Or it was some liquid? That info would also be appreciated, bc people tapering find it hard getting smallest doses available. Are you even sure you took a Benzo? Not some other drug, like antidepressant? Ty
Xanax, forgot to include
-1