Starting my clonazepam taper

[Scissel]

I'm sorry if I've already asked this question; but I can't find it anywhere and I don't remember an answer.

Does anybody by any chance know how long its takes for benzo receptors to normalize after years of use/abuse?

I'm going to go very slowly and my med provider is recommending I do so if possible, but again, VERY slowly - she increased the gabapentin for me to help.

Does the benzo system even ever (fully) recover from this?

Thanks in advance.

Sal

[panic_down_under]

Does anybody by any chance know how long its takes for benzo receptors to normalize after years of use/abuse?

Receptors are protein molecules studded through brain cell membranes with short 'lives', not permanent structures, Sal. GABA receptors and the benzodiazepine (BZD) binding sites on them have half-lives of around 4-13 hours so most of the GABA receptors in your brain last Friday have been replaced.

However, that's only half the issue. Those with anxiety disorders and some forms of epilepsy have fewer GABA receptors and when BZDs are taken often the brain responds within days by reducing the numbers even further. But it will usually increase receptor density just as quickly once the BZD is discontinued. The problem is that the density after quitting may only return to pre treatment levels which contributed to the disorder.

I'm going to go very slowly and my med provider is recommending I do so if possible, but again, VERY slowly - she increased the gabapentin for me to help.

Going slowly is definitely the right way of quitting. No one hands out gold stars to those who wean off the fastest.

Does the benzo system even ever (fully) recover from this?

Sure. Much of what your read about weaning off BZDs is questionable. Psychology is at least as important as chemistry/biology in quitting successfully. Convinced yourself that you'll suffer greatly and the anxious mind can generate your worst nightmares. There were several studies in the 1970s in which hospital inpatients were told their BZD dose had been reduced and the majority began experiencing withdrawal symptoms even though their dose had remained changed.

[Scissel]

Thank you, PDU; I'm sorry I didn't reply sooner.