Benzodiazepine Withdrawal: Symptoms, Timeline, and Treatment

Alcohol can interact with these drugs, causing dangerous side effects or complications. There may be other circumstances where you shouldn’t take benzodiazepines with certain foods or beverages. Your healthcare provider can answer questions about whether to change severe benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome what you eat or drink while taking these medications. The strength and duration of action of benzodiazepines are important in what conditions they treat. Short-term or emergency conditions usually merit the use of stronger, short-acting benzodiazepines.

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal

• Many medications have been tested to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and make it easier for patients to discontinue BZD since a gradual taper does not always lead to successful discontinuation of the drug.
• Patients should not stop using any medications, including benzodiazepines, without first contacting their doctor.
• These include mindfulness practices, meditation, yoga, and relaxation techniques to reduce stress and promote a sense of calmness.
• A significant minority of people withdrawing from benzodiazepines, perhaps 10% to 15%, experience a protracted withdrawal syndrome which can sometimes be severe.
• However, there are many other potential interactions, so a drug interaction screen with your pharmacist or doctor is needed.

Regular use of BZDs has been shown to cause severe, harmful psychological and physical dependence, leading to withdrawal symptoms similar to that of alcohol withdrawal. The current treatment for withdrawal is through tapering with clonazepam. Many drugs have been tested as a treatment for withdrawal, with few proving efficacious in randomized control trials. Future research is warranted for further exploration into alternative methods of treating BZD withdrawal. This call to action proves especially relevant, as those seeking treatment for BZD dependence and withdrawal are on the rise in the United States. The beta-blocker propranolol has shown mixed results when it comes to treating BZD withdrawal and dependence.

Medications

Try to hold on to the thought that if you felt better before, you will again. You are most likely beginning to feel the effects of “tolerance withdrawal”. Tolerance withdrawal occurs because your body is requiring more of the drug in order to achieve the same effect.

Management of cannabis withdrawal

If the person’s original symptoms return once they stop taking prescription benzodiazepines, doctors may also prescribe a different class of medications, or other drugs or therapies, to help manage them during withdrawal. Benzo withdrawals can be severe, and life threatening complications can occur. A healthcare professional should supervise benzo withdrawal to help monitor and manage the symptoms.

Symptoms were numerous, could be severe, and were long lasting

Oxazepam, temazepam, and chlordiazepoxide which are low potency benzodiazepines are well tolerated with low toxicity levels. Alprazolam, lorazepam and clonazepam are high potently clinically used to treat panic disorders and serve as adjuncts for treating many other diseases [1]. Due to their toxic effect on the central nervous system, appropriate care is necessary with BZD. BZDs lead to long-lasting impairment of episodic implicit memory while it only impairs implicit memory transiently [1].

This form of epilepsy may involve seizures of multiple types, mental impairment, and a particular brain wave pattern. Clobazam (Onfi) is used as an add-on (adjunct) benzodiazepine anticonvulsive treatment with other seizures medications in the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. All of the nonbenzodiazepine agents are approved only for the treatment of insomnia. Before you drive, go back to work, use heavy tools and machinery, or participate in other potentially dangerous activities, talk to your healthcare provider. They can guide you on what you can do to take your medications as prescribed and stay safe at the same time. Benzodiazepines are a class of medications that slow down activity in your brain and nervous system.

• The onset of benzodiazepine withdrawal depends on the specific medication you are taking.
• Patients in benzodiazepine withdrawal should be monitored regularly for symptoms and complications.
• One study found that propranolol attenuated some withdrawal symptoms in patients who stopped taking either diazepam (a long-acting BZD) and those who took lorazepam (a short-acting one) abruptly [69].
• One of the debilitating side effects of BZDs is their addictive potential.
• Symptoms of anxiety can escalate, along with panic attacks and increased heart rate.

Long-term use of benzodiazepines can lead to adverse behavioral symptoms and drug dependence. Patients who have been using large amounts of cannabis may experience psychiatric disturbances such as psychosis; if necessary, refer patients for psychiatric care. Give 20mg diazepam by mouth every 1-2 hours until symptoms are controlled and AWS score is less than 5.

Alcohol Withdrawal Scale8

Together, these drugs may slow your respiration and heart function to a point where they may stop altogether. Benzodiazepines are a Schedule IV medication due to their risk of physical and psychological addiction. As such, they are usually prescribed for no more than two to four weeks.

4. Complications of Benzodiazepine Abuse

• The amount of benzodiazepine medication taken daily also affects withdrawal.
• The dependence on BZDs generally leads to withdrawal symptoms, which necessitates careful tapering of the medication when prescribed [26].
• The relationship between hypnotics and cancer was expanded upon by Kripke et al.
• The important thing to remember is that you are moving forward towards healing.

After exerting their effect, BZDs are metabolized primarily by the liver and excreted by conjugation, so they should be used in caution in the elderly, smokers, and those with liver disease or damage [3]. Due to their rapid onset and immediate symptom relief, BZDs are used for those struggling with sleep, anxiety, spasticity due to CNS pathology, muscle relaxation, and epilepsy. Their sedative effect aids in sleep and insomnia disorders by reducing sleep onset latency. Their CNS depressant effects potently reduce anxiety and abort acute-onset panic and anxiety attacks [4]. Benzodiazepines are also incredibly effective at rapidly aborting convulsant activity in those with epilepsy or other seizure disorders [5].

Benzodiazepines Abuse

When tapering off benzodiazepines, you’ll always want to work with a trained healthcare professional who can monitor you for side effects and adjust your pace accordingly. In addition, over half of the survey respondents said benzodiazepines’ side effects or withdrawal symptoms caused them to consider suicide. For severe allergic reaction symptoms, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away.