# Doctor said benzo withdrawl is worse than heroin



## Lostsoul26 (Oct 24, 2008)

My GP told me that once you are addicted it is easier to come off heroin than benzos. Anyone here who has been through both that could confirm this?


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## Medline (Sep 23, 2008)

Severe Benzo/Alcohol/GHB/Barbiturate withdrawal is for sure harder and more dangerous than Heroine withdrawal. But substitung the Benzo for a long working one and slowly tapering of is managable. Using Phenobarbital makes Benzo-withdrawal quite easy IMHO.


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## Foh_Teej (May 5, 2004)

yep it can very well be and some may argue benzo withdrawal is the worst there is. dont let it scare or dissuade you from using them if your doc feels you need it. Chances are unless your are completely irresponsible with it, you wont be out stealing your neighbors $20 walmart spinners or doing nasty sexual favors for hire just to cover your habit.


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## Lateralus (Oct 28, 2007)

I've heard that as well, but I was under the impression that you would have to abuse them on a daily basis for that to be true. As for taking them daily at a recommended dosage, I'm not sure. If you only take them as needed, like a couple times per week, in my experience there is no withdrawal. Although, I have noticed if I take a high dose one day (which is 1.5mg for me) I seem to feel a little edgy a couple days later when it's worn off.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

Ive gone through fentanyl withdrawal(an opiate like herion) and it was MUCH worse than any benzo or anti-depressant withdrawal ive gone through.


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## Medline (Sep 23, 2008)

Opiate withdrawal can be very unpleasant, but if somone has abused very high doses of Benzos for a long time, cold turkey withdrawal can kill him, the same is true for Alcohol/GHB/Barbiturates/Mebrobamate...

Severity of withdrawal depends on how long which dose of which Benzodiazepine has been consumed.


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## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

nasty issues when starting psych meds or stopping them incorrectly made me feel extremely overwhelmed


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## mserychic (Oct 2, 2004)

I wonder how anti-psych withdrawal compares. Having to stop Seroquel cold turkey caused the worst 2 weeks of my life.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

mserychic said:


> I wonder how anti-psych withdrawal compares. Having to stop Seroquel cold turkey caused the worst 2 weeks of my life.


Withdrawing from Fentanyl was the worst 3 MONTHS of my life.


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## njmalibu (Nov 1, 2008)

Everyone is so different. I'm having a HELL of a time w/ Paxil after being on for 8 years. I'm back on 20mg, in pooput, and feel like crap on a daily basis (though not as bad) to slowly taper this time. 60-40-20mg was nothing. Then 2 years later (in April of 2008) I went from 20-5 in 1 1/2 months time, and felt like My brain was hit with a sledgehammer.
Noca, you have had no trouble with paxil. These meds are a real wonder


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## gordonjohnson008 (Nov 2, 2008)

I've withdrawn cold turkey from benzos a few times. There's no way around this one, it really sucks. The most unpleasant side effects from withdrawal are increased anxiety and vivid nightmares at night.

Benzo withdrawal should be gradual and tapered. There are calendars you can find online showing a precise tapering schedule based on the dose you are currently taking.

SSRI cold-turkey withdrawal is not pleasant either, but it's not as bad as coming off benzos. You will CRAVE benzos, perhaps in a way very similar to how a smoker who is quitting will crave a cigarette. It takes some self-discipline, but you can get through it. The worst phase of it only lasts a few days for me.

[NOTE I've never been on a med for more than 9 months nor been on very high doses, so YMMV]


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## Bob Slydell (Oct 23, 2008)

I have sorta been through benzo withdrawal. My doc gave me a weak dose of Ativan because I complained that Klonopin stopped working. 

This gave me withdrawal effects for several months. Its very unpleasant and if you go cold turkey from a fairly high dose you can have a fatal seizure. 

Aside from that, it wasn't the worst thing in the world. I had this ongoing feeling like I wasnt quite in my body. I think this is derealization or some ****. I actually thought the feeling was kinda cool. 

As for the heroin, I have never been physically addicted to any opiate. I have only taken Vicodin, Percocet, and Loratab. It got me quite psychologically addicted though. I still mentally think about taking those pills and the feeling of total awesomeness they gave me and if I had a hookup, I wouldnt hesitate to take them. 

I think your doc was trying to scare you more than anything. Ive seen shows like Celebrity Rehab and Intervention and anyone thats addicted to opiates seems to be going through much worse withdrawal than I did with Klonopin.


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## Lynno (Sep 28, 2010)

*you may be right*

Withdrawal from benzo's is not fun I am a nurse and substance abuse counselor. To withdraw from benzo's is terrible. Your anxiety goes through the roof along with you blood pressure. You feel cold, you feel hot. Your heart feels like it will beat out of your chest. On the other hand ......withdrawal from any drug is not fun. The best way to avoid withdrawal is to NOT DO DRUGS !!!!! DRUGS ARE DESTROYING THE GENERATION THAT WILL SOON BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS COUNTRY !!! Also they will be picking their parents Nursing Homes. !! STOP YOUR CHILDREN ANYWAY YOU CAN !! START WITH TOUGH LOVE !!!


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## Recipe For Disaster (Jun 8, 2010)

heroin withdrawal always comes to an end as far as i know. benzo withdrawal can last forever.


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## Under17 (May 4, 2010)

Well as far as generalizations go, what your doc said isn't that bad and it's certainly got some merit. Oh wait, this thread is 2 years old -_-. No matter. Some people who've been addicted to codeine and hydrocodone usually don't have that bad of withdrawals (in their own words). Sometimes it can only last 3 days if it's not that bad. With benzos it seems like a battle you can't really win, becuase for me they are not worth the addiction because they make me a bit more depressed and more apathetic so I'm never quite satisfied but at least it makes it easier to get through the day and makes it easier to be sociable (otherwise I wouldn't even be writing this) while oxycodone treats my anhedonia and makes the world a bit brighter place, I understand that in larger doses this can totally change for the worse. I don't know if the opiates help me by giving me a better sense of well being neurochemically or whatever or simply because they help relieve my severe pain which is in itself a source of depression and agony. It's probably better for me if it's the latter.

Don't wanna feed the trolls but just in case "The best way to avoid withdrawal is to NOT DO DRUGS !!!!! DRUGS ARE DESTROYING THE GENERATION THAT WILL SOON BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS COUNTRY " sometimes drugs are necessary so that a person can live as normal a life as possible, I'm sure if you had to get an operation or something you wouldn't deny the benzos and morphine IV.


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## Under17 (May 4, 2010)

Hey, I said benzos help me make posts on this site, I didn't say they give me the courage to read people's replies to me :b.


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## metamorphosis (Dec 18, 2008)

Serious Benzo withdrawl with tapering can take up to a year. Serious Benzo withdrawl can be quite a bit shorter with a grand mal seizure. Serious opiate and alcohol withdrawl are short in comparison and do not compare. I've been there. 
Don't even mention ssri's "withdrawl" in the same paragraph. Thats a joke.:lol


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## gordonjohnson008 (Nov 2, 2008)

metamorphosis said:


> Serious Benzo withdrawl with tapering can take up to a year... Don't even mention ssri's "withdrawl" in the same paragraph. Thats a joke.:lol


I disagree. I took benzos two times for about 1 year on 1mg/day, and both times withdrew cold turkey. It was unpleasant but the worst of it was over in 3-4 days. After about a week or two I was back to normal.

I've withdrawn from Paxil after being on it on and off for 4-5 years, and that was miserable. I still do not feel I'm 100% back to normal (been off it almost a year). Even several months after ending it I still got withdrawal side effects including tingling and electric shock sensations, plus sexual S/Es and heightened anxiety. Check out paxilprogress.com for some real horror stories.


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## metamorphosis (Dec 18, 2008)

I should clarify. I am talking about daily benzo use of 2mg or up. Used daily for an extended period of time (months or years). benzo's also cause cognitive impairment including short- term and long -term memory loss. The aftershocks of extended daily benzo use can be felt for years afterwards and can be permanent.
Comparing benzo discontinuation to Paxil or any other ssri is like comparing apples to oranges. It's not in the same league.


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## Banana Cream (Aug 22, 2010)

Definitely worse than opiates, especially since suboxone or ibogaine treatments, among others, have made this much easier. 

Opiates, even without any assistance, can be scary- time goes by sooooo slowly, uncomfortable, nauseating, anxiety/ sweats/ no sleep, etc., but it is rarely dangerous.

Benzodiazepines can be *fatal* to withdraw from. I don't know subjectively since I haven't been through it.

I know at least one person whose cause of death may be heart-attack/ mysterious circumstance linked to withdrawal.


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## Positive (Jun 29, 2009)

i do agree on memory impairment but i think anxiety hurt me in that dept as well.


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## metamorphosis (Dec 18, 2008)

Positive said:


> i do agree on memory impairment but i think anxiety hurt me in that dept as well.


Absolutely, I forgot to mention that.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

it is worse, far worse. High dose Lyrica is worse also, and they dont tell you about that one. Cold turkeyed 1mg klonopin and 300mg lyrica and took 6 months to feel right. BEWARE.


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## Recipe For Disaster (Jun 8, 2010)

how long were you on klonopon ben?


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## a1jon (Sep 29, 2010)

Hi,

I can say that coming off benzo's is a horrible, agonising process from personal experience.

I can't say if it's worse than heroin because I have never taken it.

I was totally addicted to diazepam(valium) at 50mg+ per day when I was admitted to the phsychiatric unit at the hospital to come off the drug.This was in 2007 and I had been on diazepam for about 10 years at that time.

My phsychiatrist said I should be prepared for a bad time and to expect a min 3 week stay.

It actually took 5 weeks and it was a living hell. I can't go into it in much detail as it may be too shocking for some to read.

Andrew


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## Canadian4Life (Sep 27, 2010)

For some yes and others no. Everyones different so it's hard to say. You could seizure and die withdrawaling from benzos though. But that doesnt make it worse of a withdrawal. I find a slow taper of most benzos (except xanax) produced little to no withdrawal. Even the slowest of tapers from any opiate (including heroin) made me anxious and antsy.


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## mp333 (Apr 24, 2010)

Ive been addicted to both the reason he says this is because you can die from benzo withdraw and not from opiod withdraw. But they were both hell to go threw I would say just dont get addicted to either


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## Lacking Serotonin (Nov 18, 2012)

I've heard benzo and alcohol withdrawal can kill you. Heroin you can easily overdoes on, but the withdrawal from heroin is bad enough.


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## fineline (Oct 21, 2011)

ive gone through severe benzo withdrawal as well as severe alcohol withdrawal and i can tell you with certainty, the benzo withdrawal was 10x worse and lasted 10x as long.


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## Hex00 (Jun 17, 2012)

I think the dangers of benzo withdrawal are overblown having withdrawn at least 7/8 times from lorazepam and etizolam addiction. I found cold turkeying kratom was just as bad if not worse from the restless legs and extreme hot/cold flashes.

I'm not saying that benzo withdrawal is pleasant (it's certainly not) but certainly people over at benzobuddies (and paxilprogress) are mostly a bunch of hypochondriacs.


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## Ichigo91 (Feb 21, 2012)

If benzo is worse then heroine, perhaps heroine should replace benzo?


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## inerameia (Jan 26, 2012)

Ichigo91 said:


> If benzo is worse then heroine, perhaps heroine should replace benzo?


Oh yeah, that sounds real great.

Not really.

Benzos are more sustainable. I smoked heroin once and the next two days I could barely get out of bed. Not doing that again. Benzos are okay as long as you don't become dependent on them..


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## Terranaut (Jul 11, 2013)

That's a myth. I have been through both on quite a few occasions unfortunately. Benzo addiction has the down-side of possible seizures. But in terms of the experience, heroin or other opiates (Oxys, Vicodin, Percocets, Morphine) and opioids (Darvacettes, Methadone, Suboxone, Subutex) are horrific. There's a reason people commit crimes and risk jail for their habits--it's not just to get high, it's to keep from going into that awful experience. And just for anyone who might think Suboxone is a panacea because you don't have to go to a clinic every day and get it, as you would with Methadone, it is an insidiously long withdrawal that is as bad as methadone or worse. 

As far as benzos go, one must taper down to a reasonably small dose. Say, if it's XANAX, 1 mg a day for a while is a tolerable withdrawal. But if you do from taking it four times a day (4 mg.) to nothing, it will be nasty but the worst is the seizures and sleeplessness. But it's still not like the horror of dope. And as terrible as it seems, emergency rooms will not help you. They will at best keep you and watch you. 

I had a heroin and Xanax habit and thought I was having a heart attack. Though I had some H at home I went to the emergency room for the chest pain. They decided to keep me overnight and force me to do a stress test in the morning. Well, withdrawal from two drugs came on like a house a fire and they had me on a treadmill not having slept--pushing me to run uphill as fast as I could for as long as I could. If I didn't know any better I would say they were trying to make sure I died. They then left me without attention and didn't even feed me after being there for 24 hours. I lost my last bit of patience and signed myself out to go relieve myself with the H I had left (oh, did that satisfy). All they needed was to give me a 2mg Suboxone and a milligram of Xanax. But no. Instead they tortured me and made me run for my life. I think it amused them. I'll never go to a hospital for a drug withdrawal again. I went there once before in terrible shape begging for some relif. Nope. Not a stinking Vicodin. Nothing.


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## Steinerz (Jul 15, 2013)

I went cold turkey on my 1mg of klonopin and nothing happened. Was on lexapro and klonopin. I cold turkey all of my drugs though.


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## housebunny (Oct 22, 2010)

For me, withdrawal from a few months of ativan use was doable, but now I'm withdrawing from clonazepam, and it's awful. Also, I started taking it for withdrawal symptoms from another drug, so that is probably complicating it. 

I think withdrawal can be influenced by a lot of things, your general state of health, your age, why you started it, what else you were on, how long you were on it, how much you took, how quickly you tapered, your individual physiology, what else you have experienced, etc. It's a subjective experience.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

I would say it is as it would last much longer tha opioid withdrawal and more severe. Though as someone said you can easily continue to take benzos and its not that hard to get them and wean off them properly.


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## LoveMissesG (Dec 21, 2011)

Benzo withdrawal will make life hell. I came off twice & ended up going back on after becoming completely housebound & unable to attend grad school.


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## Caedmon (Dec 14, 2003)

I successfully tapered off of daily use of Valium/diazepam after years of use. One factor: I had been on Parnate for a while and felt anxiety was under control. I took 6 weeks or so to taper, it was fine.


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## brooke_brigham (Nov 28, 2013)

As someone who is currently on Xanax I am really interested in this topic, but nobody is mentioning DOSAGE! How much are you guys taking to even go through withdrawal? Im on a low dose and hope to not increase but Im not invested in it long enough to have withdrawal. Should I get out now??? Im on the lowest dose I think... .5? maybe?


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## Caedmon (Dec 14, 2003)

blue_blue said:


> As someone who is currently on Xanax I am really interested in this topic, but nobody is mentioning DOSAGE! How much are you guys taking to even go through withdrawal? Im on a low dose and hope to not increase but Im not invested in it long enough to have withdrawal. Should I get out now??? Im on the lowest dose I think... .5? maybe?


I would not worry. Are you on XR?

If someone wants to go off of benzos, it is helpful to switch to diazepam which has a realllly long half-life and is easier to withdraw from.

Having a low dose does probably help speed up the process. Tapering should be gradual; a high dose will take longer to get off of.


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## brooke_brigham (Nov 28, 2013)

Ya know I really dont know. I got it filled with another prescription and they used the other label on both bottles. It was too busy to go back and complain, now that I think about it thats pretty negligent on their part!


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## brooke_brigham (Nov 28, 2013)

1 mg. Isnt that pretty low?


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## BrainCandyDan (Dec 20, 2014)

This might be a tad length but in my humble opinion; conclusive..... I suffer from severe panic disorder, seizures, and a pain management issue from head trauma. I have also been A HEAVIY consumer of opiates from vicodin to iv heroin, barbituates like seconal, phenylbarbs, and even methaqualone at one point, as well as xanax bars, and klonopin. An exorbitant amount of each at different times and occasionally the same time. Barbituates.... oooooh barbs.... more to the point quaaludes were HORRIFIC and about on par in pain and tourment as methadone. Except methadone can have acute withdrawal symptoms for at least a month and as long as a year. Their all bad, some even deadly, but if were to base this just on the topic of tourment and pain; getting off 100mgs of methadone was 100 times worse than my quarter ounce a day heroin habit, 20 times worse than ANY benzo withdrawal (12-15 bars a day), 10 times worse than my 10 a day methaqualone habit. I prayed for death every second of my methadone withdrawal for just shy of a year!! As opposed to theses 2-5 day acute withdrawal benzos and barbituates, even heroin for that matter.....And if i had to do it again; id gladly swallow a bullet before that methadone withdrawal set in. (Please dont comment back unless you have experienced methadone withdrawal as well as withdrawal from another substance forementioned.)


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## WineKitty (Nov 26, 2004)

I am nearing the end (or so I thought) of tapering off Klonopin and you would think it would get easier but it doesn't. It was way easier in the beginning. It's been so bad lately i am beginning to wonder if I can do this. I am so close to being done but I am having so many WD symptoms now I just want to scream. I can't sleep and when I do I dream such vivid and weird stuff. I have no patience at all and can feel rage well up in me in a scary amount from the slightest provocation. I seem to be slurring my words at times. I have been having trouble even thinking of the right word that I want to say. I was trying to express that to my husband and couldn't think of the world "ARTICULATE" ironically enough. My heart beats heavy and hard and times and fast. I get anxiety for no reason at all --ALL the time now. This has all crept up in the last 2 or 3 weeks and I am on a fraction of what I once took (around .25 or a bit more per day..was on 2 to 3 mg per day for four years). I figured by now I would be free but I am not and I am so tempted to just pop an entire mg pill just to ****ing feel better. I take no other drug and this is the hardest and most horrible thing I have ever attempted and it's not over yet and I am beginning to think it never will be.


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## CopingStrong (Jan 14, 2013)

Well, I've never experienced heroin withdrawal but benzo withdrawal can be pretty hellish! I was addicted to Xanax about five years ago and it took about five months to taper down. Horrible anxiety, night sweats, paranoia!! Whew! You can make it!!


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