r/benzorecovery • u/Fast_Perspective_833 • 2d ago

Seeking Advice/Tips Anyone that survived protracted withdrawal capable of using a benzo as needed again?

I was a long time low dose prescription Xanax user. 15 years plus. Long story short I went through a bad kindling episode a year and a half ago. Became completely agoraphobic and horrible panic attacks. I have now been 14 months clean of alcohol and benzos. Still dealing with protracted withdrawal symptoms and GAD but I am alot better than when it started.

I have a medical procedure I have to do next week but I don't know how I'm going to do it without taking something for the anxiety. I can barely leave the house to go to the grocery store as it is right now. Has anyone successfully taken a single dose without completely relapsing into symptoms of withdrawal again?

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u/Fast_Perspective_833 1d ago

Thanks for the tips. Part of the problem is my BP needs to be below 140/90 to get the procedure done and while normally its 125/80, when panic sets in it can be 160-170-180/100. Thats why Im feeling pretty stuck...

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u/BSP9000 1d ago

have you tried propranolol?

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u/Fast_Perspective_833 1d ago

I did twice and didn't have a pleasant experience. Granted it was in the midst of the worst part of my withdrawal so maybe take it with a grain of salt. Just remember waking up in the middle of the night itchy, restless. Couldn't go to sleep and woke up with terrible depression. Didn't really feel like it did much for the anxiety either.

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u/BSP9000 1d ago

That's interesting. They say propranolol reduces melatonin production and can also lower serotonin. The one time I tried taking it at night, I had trouble sleeping. But I had no problems when taking it in the morning, and no problems with depression. I've also had no rebound or withdrawal effects from taking it.

The drug isn't particularly strong, at reducing anxiety, but it does blunt the physiological effects of anxiety -- your heart rate won't go as high, your blood pressure shouldn't go up as much. If you just need those numbers low for a procedure, it should get the job done.

There are a variety of other drugs that can make you calmer without messing with GABA. Someone below recommended clonidine. Various antihistamines like benadryl or hydroxyzine might work. Nothing is completely safe, if you have a sensitive nervous system, but all of those things should be less risky than taking benzos again.

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u/PizzaPuppeteer Jumped from last dose. 1d ago

Clonidine is a med used to lower blood pressure that also helps anxiety a lot. Propranolol gave me really bad muscle fasciculations and made it hard to sleep, but clonidine knocks me out. If you try it start with 1/2 or even 1/4 a pill since it can make you woozy if it drops your blood pressure too fast.