nicotine and benzos

Hello,

I was wondering whether it would be wiser to quit smoking before tapering off clonazepam or the other way around. Do both substances work off each other negatively and if they do, how so? Thanks.

Hi Kshell!

I don't smoke anymore, but I think there are a couple of folks here that smoked and wd at the same time. My guess is to quit smoking afterward. I quit smoking in 1994, and there were more than a few times I would have killed for a smoke during my taper! Don't make it any harder on yourself! 

Hello,

I was wondering whether it would be wiser to quit smoking before tapering off clonazepam or the other way around. Do both substances work off each other negatively and if they do, how so? Thanks.

 

hi welcome to the forum - it to quit only one thing at a time - eljay is right - to quit smoking then benzo's would be an unnecessary challenge.

 

so start with benzo's - once safely off then tackle smoking.

Thanks,

Oh boy, I'm into my first week off smoking and on the patch. So you're saying I should just start smoking again and then quit the benzos? I've been on .5 clonazepam every other day for just over a year - just so you all know - but I've tried cold turkeying it and slowly tapering which, i think, accurately gives me an idea of what hell feels like. My psychiatrist suggested quitting nicotine then moving on to the benzos, and the Ashton UK website also suggested that. Given this information, should I still quit the benzos first?

 

Thanks again  

Well, I didn't realize you had already quit! I was only my personal opinion of what I would prefer to do. IF you are already one week into it, I certainly wouldn't tell you to start smoking again. It's a decision you will have to make yourself. You might want to hold off a bit on starting your benzo taper in that case. I would wait til you are off the patch. I always found the patch to be extremely stimulating, much more so than smoking. That along with benzo wd might cause you some anxiety and agitation.

Thank you very much, i appreciate the advice and i'll update you on my progress!

it is like this - you might quit smoking and not want a benzo - but i don't think there is any way you can go through benzo withdrawal and not want a cigarette - even if you quit before benzo withdrawal.

 

quiting benzo's is a challenge i think it is best not to add to that challenge if you are going through withdrawal - but that is my opinion.

it is like this - you might quit smoking and not want a benzo - but i don't think there is any way you can go through benzo withdrawal and not want a cigarette - even if you quit before benzo withdrawal.

 

 

From my own personal nicotine addiction experience, I agree 100%. Every one is different though. But it does surprise me that Ashton recommends quitting smoking first.

 

The reason Ashton and other additction doctors recommend quitting smoking before benzo detox is that cigarette smoke contains over 1,000 chemicals - over 400 of which are neurotoxic and 9 of which cause the benzo receptors to be upregulated and can/will make the withdrawal symptoms worse

 

Zazen

The reason Ashton and other additction doctors recommend quitting smoking before benzo detox is that cigarette smoke contains over 1,000 chemicals - over 400 of which are neurotoxic and 9 of which cause the benzo receptors to be upregulated and can/will make the withdrawal symptoms worse

 

Zazen

 

This is true, nicotine is a stimulant, but quitting smoking brings it's own kind of hell, and tapering benzo just post-nicotine cessation would be extremely difficult. JMO.  Maybe waiting a few months in between would be the answer.

 

Welcome to Benzo Buddies!

Linda

i guess when i read about smoking i someone figured out that you should not quit when tapering so not only did i not quit - i actually started

 

then i started again when starting chantex because you are suppose to smoke the first week you are on chantex - some addicts just look for any reason to smoke.

i have read a couple of places that smoking/nicotine reduces the concentrations of xanax in your blood. is this true?

i personally don't smoke, but "chew". you know, the skoal stuff. this supposedly delivers far more nicotine than smoking. if this is true, does'nt it seem like quitting would help me out with tapering? i wouldn't have much difficulty stopping if it will make me feel better during tapering.

mike if it isn't hard to quit chewing then quit - you smile will be brighter and it might help your withdrawals.

 

i was chewing 170 pieces of nicorrette gum and started smoking again during withdrawals - right now i am on chantex trying to quit all together

mike if it isn't hard to quit chewing then quit - you smile will be brighter and it might help your withdrawals.

 

i was chewing 170 pieces of nicorrette gum and started smoking again during withdrawals - right now i am on chantex trying to quit all together

 

170, like, per day? 

 

maybe i should quit the chew and pick up smoking to cut down on my nicotine consumption. american spirit cigarettes, zero additives 

170 per week - that is 200 bucks a month

 

well i finally after all these years found an additive brand that is 100 times better then indian spirit - would you just know one week before quitting i would find the perfect smoke

 

but ya know i have been smoking since i was 9 yrs old - off and on - i really have to get real - i am done with benzo's now so i am focusing on other ways to make my life - well better and less expensive to maintain.

 

i don't recommend quiting during a taper/titration but if people can handle - sounds good to me.

OK! back from the "hell" of quitting smoking. I've been smoking 8 years - since I was a senior in high school. I've finally managed to quit smoking and am getting off the Klonos . I feel a lot better...more energy, clearer thinking (unusual since nicotine is a stimulant), and deeper sleep. When I tried to lower my dose when I was a smoker, I felt the w/d effects more acutely. Now, when I jump down to a lower dose, the w/ds aren't that intense. So IMO, I think people, if they are both smoking and taking pills, would benefit from quitting smoking before they try and tackle the pills.

Congratulations on getting off the nicotine...what a huge accomplishment....no doubt you will feel better all the way around.

 

 

For further clarification from some of the above posts I am posting what Ashton says in her manual about smoking.  I think it great if someone can quit but some can't at this time.  So Kshell you have done amazing.

 

From the Ashton manual:  Smoking. I hardly dare to mention smoking in view of present day attitudes to this unfortunate addiction, but for those who are smokers it is probably asking too much to attempt to stop smoking and withdraw benzodiazepines at the same time. Many people have found that giving up smoking is easier when they are off benzodiazepines, when the desire for nicotine may even wane somewhat. In general, excessive worrying over your undesirable habits (or your diet) can add to the stress of withdrawal. It is better to relax a bit and be gentle with yourself.

 

Just wanted to clarify some of the above in regards to what Ashton says in her manual.  Of course she doesn't say not to, but she does say it might be rather difficult.  At least this my interpretation.  Janus

OK! back from the "hell" of quitting smoking. I've been smoking 8 years - since I was a senior in high school. I've finally managed to quit smoking and am getting off the Klonos . I feel a lot better...more energy, clearer thinking (unusual since nicotine is a stimulant), and deeper sleep. When I tried to lower my dose when I was a smoker, I felt the w/d effects more acutely. Now, when I jump down to a lower dose, the w/ds aren't that intense. So IMO, I think people, if they are both smoking and taking pills, would benefit from quitting smoking before they try and tackle the pills.

 

I agree. When I smoked and was in benzo withdrawal, the ciggies racheted up the anxiety by orders of magnitude.

Maybe that's what makes me so shaky??  Still not a good time for me to quit while I'm going through this. I'd quit for two months before my panic attack, but started again during stressful time taking care of my mom. Live and learn. 

I found it so bad I had no choice but to quit smoking. 

I just finished smoking one, and am feeling the shakiness. What an idiot!!  Really did not connect it, or I was just trying not to subconsciously.

I just finished smoking one, and am feeling the shakiness. What an idiot!!  Really did not connect it, or I was just trying not to subconsciously.

 

Hee hee! See?

Smoking releases adrenaline, thus stimulating the fight or flight mode. Scientists say it can be either relaxing or stimulating depending on our mood. In my case, I thought it was relaxing me when in reality it kept me on the shaky see-saw of nervousness (cravings) and temporary satisfaction (still nervous). Once you get past that initial 2 week hump, it gets a lot easier.

If you need a boost then that's good, but I doubt any of us need that right now. 

I desperately want to quit smoking, because I know it makes anxiety worse.  But it's a catch 22:  The worse my anxiety, the more I smoke.  AAARRRGGGHH!  Any suggestions from smokers or ex-smokers?