I have to join the Benzo Bunch. I have had quite the love affair with Xanax, Librium (Detoxing), Ativan, Valium, and mostly prescribed Klonopin. All of these medications have helped me substantially to avoid the freight train in my mind that drives me to drink. Right now I take 1mg klonopin in the morning and 1mg at night. I hope this does not interfere too much with TSM, as I would titrate down on the benzo if it is. Instead of waking up and drinking, I can wake up and take my meds (Lexapro, Propranolol, Klonopin) and feel fine most of the day (AL is always on my mind) but today started NAL. I've had 2 cape cods and 1 bottle of white zinfandel (7.0%) and feel moderately buzzed. The other benzos I was never prescribed, the klonopin I've been prescribed for about 2 years and it does wonders to my anxiety levels. If I try to go without it my head just starts to go crazy, I think everyone is watching me, every police car is out to get me, and take one, 30 minutes later I'm feeling "normal". I just want to cut my drinking levels down to normal. I have my fingers crossed for TSM. Thanks for support you guys.

It takes a very long time to titrate down on Benzos but I believe it helped me. After my AL cure, I started back up on my Valium and found that I didn't need nearly as much to control anxiety and mania as I did pre-TSM/pre-Cure. 31 weeks post cure, I am still at less than 1/2 of my pre-TSM Benzo levels.

Somewhere on this site or even this thread there is a link to a titration schedule. That helped me a lot. If I lowered too fast, the mania was overwhelming, but I could always take my "normal" dosage to treat it. I know I had to do that a couple of times. Eventually my dosages were ridiculously low, then my AL cravings suddenly stopped with no warning. I was as surprised as anybody since I never believed TSM would work, but it did and that's the beauty of TSM. You don't have to believe in it for it to work.

Bob

Can't speak to the benzos, "victimless", but wanted to let you know you are welcome here and hope you find the relief you seek...hoping TSM works for you and everything else falls into place. Good luck!

XO

Hi victimless -- I'm glad you found us, too. Please carefully read the first few posts of this thread, and consider visiting the benzo detox site that is linked there. 2mg/day of klonipin is a huge dose -- equivalent to 40mg valium. I was on what I thought was "only" 1 to 2 mg a day of klonipin, too. With your combo of meds, I feel I should remind you that nothing said on this board is to be considered medical advice -- we are only sharing our own experiences and resources. No one here has any medical expertise.

The Sinclair Method has worked just fine for many in the benzo bunch, so don't assume it can't work for you. Bob3d is an example. One thing I do know is that I haven't felt better in years since very slowly tapering off the benzo. I hope you look into it, and I hope you have a supportive md to help you through it.