I realize that everybody is different as far as addiction is concerned but I have a few questions that I hope can be answered by those more experienced than myself. I am not new to drugs but I always kept my usage as far as physically addictive drugs to a manageable level until the last month or so. First off I'm a smoker, but I don't think im addicted physically, just mentally. I smoke 1-3 cigarettes a day, but I can not smoke one for a day or two and as long as I don't really think about it I have no problem. At one point I used to always smoke around the same time of day and would get irritable if I did not have one at that time of day but I started smoking at different times of the day and I no longer get agitated if I do not have a cigarette. I realize there isn't really a question here but cigs effect benzos so I included my nicotine intake because it is a factor and also to show that I am not easily addicted. For insomnia I have been taking clonazepam for about 5 months. At first I only took it when I needed it, but now I take it every night because I feel like shit if I don't. I usually take 2mg a night, but that does nothing to me and I need 5-6mg to feel anything. I would like to get my tolerance down and stop taking clonazepam every night, any tips for weaning off of the benzos? Also, generally how long does it take for an opiate tolerance to form? I have been binging on oxycontin for the last few weeks, my tolerance is reasonably low, it takes about 10mgs to feel it, 15-20mg to feel good. If I quit now for a few days should I expect any kind of withdrawal symptoms or should I be okay?
I don't really know much about benzo addiction, however, i will give my advice FWIW. I am assuming that tapering benzo's would be just like tapering anything else, say opiates. I would take 1.5mg till any ill feelings from the lower dose are gone. In other words, allow your body to adjust to only having the 1.5mg instead of the 2. Continue this process till your down to none. I realize you may not want to stop taking them, if that's the case i would talk to your prescribing Dr. and tell him your concerns. Maybe you would be comfortable taking something else as a sleep aid. It depends on the exact substance and the person, as it varies for each. I think your more concerned about an opiate dependence developing than a tolerance to opiates. A tolerance to any drug would be easily noticed by the user, where as a dependence isn't so until said user stops using. If you have been taking 10mgs of oxycontin everyday for the past couple(2?) weeks it is likely you will experience light WD symptoms. You'll probably just feel like you have a cold for 2 days, your usage isn't really getting you into any serious territory in regards to WD. I wouldn't worry too much.
For the opiates, I would recommend going cold turkey, its really the best way unless your gonna get sick, and at your use I do not think WDs will be felt.
Melatonin worked wonders for sleep for me. That, and vigorous daily exercise. All brains are different though! Good luck!
I think I was a little too worried about the oxycontin. It's been close to 48 hours since my last dose and besides for a few minor things I really don't feel that bad at all. Opiates just worry me because of how addictive they are and how bad the withdrawls are. As far as the benzos, im tapering off at 1.5mg a night and then slowly lower the dose to where I don't have to have it every night.
Thats a very positive thing man, imagine WDing from benzos and opiates at the same time. I couldnt imagine.... I have suffered some very minor opiate withdrawl which was terrible even though it was nothing serious. My natural chemicals were back on track after a week or so and now Im feeling great. Just smokin weed, did a little bit of k about a week ago, and about 15mg OC tonight. Opiates are great if you can keep it at like a once every two week basis. Otherwise you will soon find them losing magic, and you getting sick.
defintely stop the oxy first, as you haven't been using that long so the withdrawals won't be that bad, and opiate withdrawals don't last as long as benzo withdrawals. for the benzo withdrawals (once your finished the opiate WD's), only taper if you have the self control to not dig into your stash. if not, from cold turkey you'll feel a whole list of things, x100 anxiety and being convinced you're psychotic is completely normal.
Yeah I think the opiate withdrawls will be done soon, I have a few stomach aches and headaches, but from descriptions of bad opiate withdrawl this is nothing, I know people that have been addicted to H and they all say WD on it make you want to just kill yourself. Tapering wont be a problem because I have a script for clonazepam. I could honestly stay at 2mg for quite a while, I just don't like feeling dependant on something. I want to get back to using it only when I actually need it for insomnia or anxiety, rather than having to pop one every night so as not to get WDs. I actually do have pretty good self control, the first OC 80 I bought lasted me like a month and a half, but then 10mg every once in a while became every couple days to every day. But, I've been clean for a few days so I should have no problem riding out the last little bit of withdrawl. Thanks for the help guys!
