Jump to content

How long does it take for benzos to leave your system?


[Co...]

Recommended Posts

Colin and others,

Again.... so you all know how each and every one of us react differently to our addictions.....I am still taking X every other nightand only feel  mild interdose s/x  40 hours after my last dose. The inter s/x I feel are a dizziness, and out of body feeling. I do take the generic alprozalam which I do not think makes a difference. Once I go lower, I may have to explore titration, but for now...I am sticking to a direct taper. Slow and steady...... :)

 

This suggests, to me, that your dependency is not very deep - good news! In your shoes, I would not draw out the taper any longer then needed, as dependency develops over time and with continued use. Given that Xanax has a short (though, not very short) half-life, and that you take it only once every other day, you are probably not adding much to your level of dependency with your present regimen. Still, if I was in your position, I'd be careful to taper for no longer then necessary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 288
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • [Co...]

    35

  • [fi...]

    14

  • [si...]

    11

  • [Su...]

    7

Top Posters In This Topic

anyone know how long the damn ear noize after benzo stop are going to last normally?my 7 mounth now...

im scared it will be forever..

 

Hi alanapoli,

 

I never experienced this withdrawal symptom, so I'm not the best person to provide you with feedback. However, this is not related to the half-life of benzodiazepines - the remaining Xanax would have been metabolised out of your system within a week or two of your last dose.

 

I suggest that you start a new thread (topic) on the Withdrawal & Recovery Support board requesting feedback from those that have suffered from tinnitus-type withdrawal symptoms.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the ear ringing will eventually go away.  I experienced it after a failed detox from Klonopin, and it is slowly getting better.

 

Wishing you well ...

 

fg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the ear ringing will eventually go away.  I experienced it after a failed detox from Klonopin, and it is slowly getting better.

 

Wishing you well ...

 

fg

 

thank u for that oppinion...i feel better to read this=)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am dosing down on Ativan/lorazapam.  How long does it take for it to leave the system after stopping the drug?

 

Also, while dosing down, how long, on an average, should a person go between doses of lorazapam to minimize withdrawl?  I am at .25 mg. each dose at this time.  I'm on my 7th day at that strength and I'm still having varying troublesome  withdrawl symptoms.  On a separate note - I am supplementing with some herbs using GABA receptors, too, which may be a problem.  I may have to stop those.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

A question for Colin, I was recently switched from 5 mg clonazepam to 8 mg lorazepam.

 

Does the lorazepam fill-in the clonazepam's spot?  After two weeks, would the lorazepam have replaced the clonazepam and the clonazepam be gone from my system?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Mairin33,

 

There is quite a bit variability in what different medical authorities assume to be an equivalent dose of lorazepam to clonazepam, but after two weeks, you can assume there to be little to no clonazepam left in your system. Aif you feel OK, the 8mg lorazepam to 5mg clonazepam should be assmed to be about the right equivalent dose for you.

 

Switching rapidly between two benzos is a bit of crap shoot. You cannot know in advance of what constitutes an equivalent dose for you. This is why I suggest switching should be carried out gradually, where the amount taken in substitution might be tweaked, and where inaccuracies have little effect if the amount be substituted forms only a small proportion of your overall dose.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

TOOK MANDATORY URINE TEST AT MY METAHDONE CLINIC AT 15 DAYS CLEAN OFF BENZOS COLD TURKEY. I STOPPED A HOST OFF OTHER DRUGS AS WELL WHEN I CT'ED OFF THE BENZOS... NOW I AM CLEAN OFF EVERYTHING BUT MY METHADONE WHICH I TAKE AS PRESCRIBED, SHOWED UP NEGATIVE FOR BENZOS. AT 15 DAYS, HEROIN WAS OUT AT 6 DAYS, CRACK/COCAINE OUT AT 4.

 

HOPE THIS HELPS.

 

XOXO D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

TOOK MANDATORY URINE TEST AT MY METAHDONE CLINIC AT 15 DAYS CLEAN OFF BENZOS COLD TURKEY. I STOPPED A HOST OFF OTHER DRUGS AS WELL WHEN I CT'ED OFF THE BENZOS... NOW I AM CLEAN OFF EVERYTHING BUT MY METHADONE WHICH I TAKE AS PRESCRIBED, SHOWED UP NEGATIVE FOR BENZOS. AT 15 DAYS, HEROIN WAS OUT AT 6 DAYS, CRACK/COCAINE OUT AT 4.

 

HOPE THIS HELPS.

 

XOXO D

 

I use to do drug testing for a living many years ago. Just so you know, urine is allowed to have minute amounts of drugs. The labs measures the trace amounts off drugs in your system and as long as its low enough you will pass.  So you may have passed your test while you still may have a very small amount of benzos in your system.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

wow.. really?... i didn't know that. i have seen the urine results at the clinic though a few times (unfortunately i have been there for 5 years almost)... They have a seperate box for each substance that says "TRACE"... never knew what that meant.. perhaps that is what you say!.. but my counselor is pretty strict so even if a trace came up im thinking more than likely i'd never hear the end of it...

 

-D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
I guess everyone is different.  All I can say is what did and didn't work for me.  For me, a fast taper caused huge problems for me.  I couldn't cope with daily life.  A slow taper under my doctors review worked much better for me.  I think it took about 8-12 months to taper and get off.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can you do some calculations for me.  I would greatly appreciate.

Was on 2mg (total)  LORAZAPEM  (ativan) one month

did .25mg taper and 5 days later another .25mg.

Current daily dosage is 1.50mg.

Q- If I do another .25mg taper this week - how much has left the system.

What is the 1/2 life of each withdrawal.  When is it totally removed?

Thanks for the math help and insight for us on ATIVAN/ LORAZAPEM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

RareGem,

 

It is not possible to calculate this for you - there are too many unknowns, and the simplified model is an approximation anyway. The real point of my opening post is to demonstrate that: 1) it is not possible to calculate blood levels within an individual (half-life values differ greatly within individuals, and the resulting blood levels can vary hugely, especially with long half-life benzodiazepines; 2) in the final analysis, even if we knew the blood levels, it is of little significance. Even with with a long half-life benzodiazepine, blood levels are likely to have dropped to undetectable levels within a month (sooner, if you have gradually tapered off).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
if you have taken benzos for years at a high rate say 3mg xanax a day, you hold mind an body is run by it, so stopping it your reseting your body to where it was, it may take 1 week for the xanax to be out yout blood but not your mind and body you could still be haveing body an mind disfunction for years. that is why a lot of people fail withdrawl :'(
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hello sewerrat,

 

Certainly, it is advisable to taper slowly from sizable and higher doses of benzodiazepines, especially if they have been taken for an extended period of time. Indeed, it can be dangerous to taper rapidly from benzodiazpines (risk of status epilepticus seizures - such seizures can result in death or brain damage). In addition, very many people suffer very troubling and intense withdrawal symptoms by following a rapid taper regimen. A gradual taper can help moderate such symptoms.

 

There is great variability in the taper rate that can be comfortably tolerated from individual-to-individual. So long as the taper rate is not so fast as to be potentially dangerous, taper at a rate that feels reasonably comfortable to you. I usually suggest (after extended use of benzodiazepines), in the first instance, cut no more than about 10% of your dose. After a week or two, try another cut of similar size. According to how you feel, you can always shorten the interval between doses, or lengthen the time if need be. These suggestions mirror the suggested taper schedules published by Prof. Ashton. And, of course, you should always consult with your doctor before making any changes to your medication regimen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Half-life is the time required for any specified property (e.g., benzodiazepine in the body) to decrease by half.

 

Here is a chart of different half-lifes of benzos

http://www.non-benzodiazepines.org.uk/equivalents.html

 

What I think is important to know about half-life is that if it's short like xanax, you may you have interdose (between doses - during the day between two doses) withdrawal symptoms when you are near the end of your taper.

 

With diazepam, valium or klonopin, the half-life is considered long enough that you can taper all the way to near zero without interdose with drawals.

 

hth,

hbam

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Hi Nay,

 

It doesn't really matter much how long it takes to "get out of your system."  Symptoms won't go away "once its out of your system".

 

Your gaba receptors need time to heal, which takes longer than just having the drug out of your system.  How long that takes is different for everyone.  You will get better with time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Thank you so much for sending the formula.  My confusion do I use the last tapered amount .05mg lorazapem on Jan 1 to run my calculations?  I stopped on January 15.  A year prior I was on 2gr Lorazapam.

The calculation is paramount as I need to start differentiating what symptoms are withdrawal vs what are from Lyme disease.  My doctor is withholding IV treatment for cognitive lyme issues until I come up with an approximate calculation how long. I had initially eye twitch and burning that never happened unless I was withdrawing.  Off the list for needing more severe IV treatment.  However, vivid dreams...since loraz withdrawal, trying to get an idea - how long protracted symptoms.  I can happily wait for all to calm down but need to have some kind of calculation so the doctor doesn't hit me up with unnecessary IV.  Your help again is most appreciated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


×
×
  • Create New...