Posted by DStupid on November 29, 2007, at 22:39:03 [reposted on November 30, 2007, at 22:39:15 | original URL]
In reply to Stopping Benzodiazepines - Please Help, posted by sonic_gb on November 29, 2007, at 13:28:12
I'd not convert both benzos into diazepam at the same time. Oxazepam, I think, is a metabolite of diazepam, but clonazepam is not. I'd keep clonazepam as is without converting it. I'd also gradually taper oxazepam without converting it into diazepam. Once you sufficiently reduce oxazepam, then I'd start reducing clonazepam, again without converting it into diazepam.
My dad, who has taken Xanax (alprazolam) for years and is now taking a reduced dose of Xanax plus some Klonopin (clonazepam), has a lot of experience with benzos. I live with him and I've picked up a lot of things from him about that stuff. He is a retired scientist. He wanted to get off Xanax completely and I found for him the Ashton method, and he tried it for Xanax 4-6 mg daily withdrawal. According to his experience which I witnessed, Ashton's method worked only in the beginning, but then he couldn't get enough of diazepam, meaning it was much weaker than Xanax and couldn't replace it. Worse yet, diazepam stayed in his body for a long time (I think the half-life of diazepam is 100 hours), causing him problems with ground control. So he tapered Xanax slowly on his own to about 2 mg for the night and added Klonopin about 4 mg for the day time. He did everything on his own. The p-doc couldn't tolerate his meticulous and slow taper. Most importantly, you must build up an emergency supply of both drugs (clonazepam and oxazepam) in case you need to take a full dose for a while. Very important.
If you tell your p-doc that you're tapering, you won't get a full prescription ever. As other posters have said, always fill a full prescription.
poster:DStupid
thread:797166
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20070929/msgs/797976.html