My dog needs to know to come off Benzos

[tupac187]

My dog wants to get off benzo's...Should he just stop?.......If he takes 5 2m kolopins, he hardly feels it....Even 10 don't mess him much.......And this is all at once..........Two .5 mg xanax in the start, does more than 10 now

[diffs]

Swim was in a similar position to your dog for a while. He had massive tolerance to alot of drugs and there was no point in taking them?

Does your dog wanna stop taking them? If not, then there is not point in stopping until he is ready.

Is your dog prescribed any of these drugs? If not then stopping may be a good idea, if not for his health, then at least to lower tolerance. If he is prescribed then dont stop but reduce to the level doggy is meant to be taking.

How this is done depends if your dog is addicted to these drugs. If this is the case and he gets withdrawl symptoms if he doesn't take them, then he can taper down the amount he takes gradually. For example if he normally takes 5 tabs a day, he can reduce to 4 a day for a few days, then step down to 3 a day for a few days and so on, gradually reducing th amount taken each day.

If one isn't addicted or doesn't have enough supply to gradually reduce then cold turkey may be the only option.

Its not a healthy amount of benzo's to be taking (swim isn't judging, he's donr the same) so stopping or a reduction sounds like a good idea, but at the end of the day its up to your dog what he does.

Good luck.

[tupac187]

thanks, I have some to taper off my dog...which seem the best way to go.....If my dog is off for a long time and decides to start again would my dog still always have a tolerance........

[Jatelka]

For advice on tapering doses of benzodiazepines please see the Downers addiction forum here...

http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=288

[tupac187]

Thanks, looking at the Downers addiction forum helped...I think I know how to taper him off.....Will my dog's tolerance after stopping, ever return to what it was before he started Benoz's...... Also, one thing I noticed is that my dog's tolerance for kolopin's got real high faster, than his tolerance for xanax, is there a reason for this..........or just my dog....

thanks

[EndlessKnight]

Originally Posted by tupac187

Thanks, looking at the Downers addiction forum helped...I think I know how to taper him off.....Will my dog's tolerance after stopping, ever return to what it was before he started Benoz's...... Also, one thing I noticed is that my dog's tolerance for kolopin's got real high faster, than his tolerance for xanax, is there a reason for this..........or just my dog....

thanks

Just a guess but it probably has something to do with the fact that Alprazolam is much faster acting. A friend of mine was in much the same situation as your dog and he went cold turkey. Two straight weeks of constant, nearly 24/7, panic attacks. It was hell. My heart really goes out to your dog.

[tupac187]

Yeah, I am tapering my dog off....I have read different ways to do it.....I am afraid to stop him cold turkey.....I am going to make sure he still has some every day, but less and less..........

[bosch man]

Just to point out the above method gives a fate worse than death and i bet you would be wishing for death which is very possible too.

[Jatelka]

Cold turkey is not an option with benzodiazepines.

Along with alcohol and barbiturates, benzodiazepines produce one of the withdrawals that can actually kill you (rather than make you just wish you were dead, like opiates)

Please do not expose yourself to the possibility of seizures and hypoxic brain damage by stopping suddenly

The efficacy of tapering is well established, and a tapering dose will prevent the potential for serious harm

[onzero]

never ever ever withdraw cold turkey from benzos.

[brian12]

not to sound too negative or anything but when swim went to the doctor to get off heroin he was also using benzos but not often enough to get a habit and the doctor said it was easier to get 10 people off heroin than one off the benzos as the withdrawals are so bad . going on that i dont recommend you go cold turkey

[welshmick]

Don't go COLD TURKEY for the reasons several members have already stated.

General advice seems to be reduce dose by one tenth every few days.

This is difficult enough, especially if u come into some high stress situations.

Also if they are tablets, very difficult to cut a tenth off.

SWIM doctor is useless & cruel, yours maybe more understanding.

May give you something in liquid form, with a measure that allows u to do this.

Whatever u do don't prop them up with alchohol.

Very Very Best - I'm learning how hard it is.

[Jatelka]

Welshmick: This is one of the reasons that diazepam is perfect for a taper. As well as coming in low dose tablets, it also comes in a liquid form, which allows tiny reductions.

If you are struggling with your doctor, it is perfectly acceptable and, indeed desirable, to ask for a a second/specialist opinion, someone who is used to dealing with benzodiazepine dependence