Posted by yxibow on May 22, 2009, at 21:50:19
In reply to How long before I'm addicted?, posted by gritslad on May 22, 2009, at 11:14:24
> I can go months without needing either ativan or ambien; then, I'll hit a spell where I seem to need one or both daily. I'm just wondering how long I can take these without running into problems.
It's an individual situation -- I have run into a catch-22 situation where Valium still helps me but no longer has a 'zing', but I have taken at a much higher dose than most.
I think an average dose of benzodiazepines PRN, is the best choice because taking consistently will cause 'habituation'
.... I wouldn't call it addiction, at least in my opinion that's more a situation where you don't need a type of medication but you have unstoppable cravings for it.Admittedly its possible that both can occur at the same time though.
However if one were to take a benzodiazepine long term, I think, and this is only an anecdotal thought, that those with long half lives (e.g. Valium, Klonopin) are a better choice than those with rather short half lives (Xanax, Ativan)....
....as I believe personally one can become habituated faster and they become even more useless (since they have a fast uptake and one would miss the 'zing' even more) over time.
But then again you are saying in your case that you have gone off a benzodiazepine (or pseudobenzodiazepine - Ambien) at times...(I hope you haven't just dropped it cold, that isn't a good idea)....
....so its quite possible that being on for periods and being off for periods would let the GABA transmitters 'heal' in a sense.
-- Jay
poster:yxibow
thread:897101
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090515/msgs/897176.html