athiestjoe
Passenger
- Sep 24, 2024
- 412
Hey everyone!
As a little follow up/piggyback of the amazing @opheliaoveragain's post on checking benzo onsets, here is a general guide about benzo & z-drugs.
I'm highlighting a selection of popular benzodiazepines and Z-drugs, but there are plenty more out there. This information is meant for educational purposes. Especially since certain protocols (SN) recommend using benzos, I thought it might be helpful to include this. If you have access to Z-drugs, they could serve as a good alternative to benzos for the protocol. I'll include some brand names, but keep in mind that these can vary by country.
Benzodiazepines
Z-Drugs
Summary Notes:
Difference between Benzos Z-Drugs
Well, benzodiazepines, or "benzos," are a group of medications that share a similar chemical structure, featuring a benzene ring attached to a diazepine ring. Z-drugs, on the other hand, are chemically different but still work on the same GABA receptors in the brain. Both types enhance the effects of GABA, a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation and sedation. The key difference is that Z-drugs tend to be more selective for certain GABA receptors and this selectivity can lead to effective sedation but may produce fewer anxiolytic effects compared to traditional benzos. While both are often prescribed for sleep issues, benzos are also used for anxiety, panic attacks, seizures, and muscle spasms. Typically, benzos have a longer duration of action and longer half-lives compared to Z-drugs. Between benzos they have different onset and durations of actions outline above. Meaning some will kick in quicker and some might last a lot longer. For SN Protocol, a quick acting will be the best of the benzos and since all have a duration of action that is far surpassed what is needed, any will do.
Half Life Explained:
Basically describes how long it takes for half of a drug to be eliminated from your bloodstream. If a drug has a short half-life, it clears out of your system quicker. For our purpses, this is really not a big factor. So what does this mean for SN Protocol? Well, a medication with a quick onset is probably more important given these benzos all benzos have an long enough duration for SN purposes and for the most part have peak levels by the 1 hour mark. One might consider taking the benzos a few minutes before taking the SN to give it time for them to kick in, but be careful that high of a dose will cause drowsiness fairly rapidly and might lead to falling asleep before drinking the SN. We will discuss the idea of a trial run later in this post.
Does it Matter Which Benzo I Use?
No, not really. The specific benzodiazepine you choose might not be that critical, but it's important to pay attention to factors like how quickly it takes effect. It's worth noting that using benzos in the SN Protocol is a luxury item; they're not required for success. If you do opt for a benzo or a Z-drug, it can help ease some of the anxiety you might feel, allowing you to have a smoother and potentially more 'peaceful' self-deliverance.
Benzodiazepine Equivalence Chart:
The PPeH recommends taking 600 mg of Oxazepam for the SN protocol. If you don't have that on hand and are curious about equivalent doses of the benzodiazepines you do have, read on! Just a heads-up: this chart and calculators below are specifically for benzodiazepines, so it doesn't include Z-drugs, which are in a different class altogether.
Keep in mind. it is nearly impossible to determine an exact equivalent dose. Differences in pharmacokinetic parameters between benzodiazepines can be quite profound. Also, researchers have not consistently identified equivalent dosages between these agents (wide range of equivalent dosages reported). Using a range of +/- 25% for the result above yields the aforementioned doses below expressed as the median of the two figures generated.
Equivalance to 600mg Oxazepam:
Med Not Listed? Try a Benzo Equivalance Calculator:
These doses will be very large for ordinary folks with no benzo doses, would not suggest taking the large dose before the SN. Just my own two cents. Some of the most popular choices are Xanax, Valium, and Ativan, likely due to how frequently they're prescribed and relatively quicker onsets (see chart above). But ultimately, any benzo or even Z-drugs can be helpful for the protocol. Just be sure to check onset times and make the decision when you want to time it as although protocols say after SN ingestion there may be some value in doing some before SN ingestion to assist with any anxiety and help sedate you a little bit before. The ones mentioned above have onsets that are typically quicker than the onset of the PPeH suggested med of Oxazepam. Keep in mind, during the fasting for the SN Protocol, your stomach will be empty. Taking benzos, especially a high dose, will be rapidly absorbed by the body so the onset time will greatly go down when you flood your system with a benzo. These are typical onsets but with a very high dose of benzos they will work very quickly. If you do a 'trial run' with a regular or double dose of the benzo or Z-drug without SN for a test run and fast before it, it may give you a better idea of how quicky you feel the effects. Just remember, since there's a fasting requirement in the SN Protocol, you might find that the drug works faster during that time compared to a regular trial run—unless you also fast before your trial.
Individual Factors and Tolerance
For those without any prior tolerance to benzodiazepines, these medications usually work quickly and very effectively, which is why they're commonly used. Just keep in mind that individual factors—like age, body weight, overall health, other medications, and even stress levels—can all play a role in how well they work for you.
This should be taken only as a reference for educational purposes only; please do a lot of reading and research! And as always, please feel free to make suggestions to this or share your personal experience if it can benefit others, keeping in mind that we all have individual factors at play when it comes to these drugs. Be kind & respectful to all, please!
I hope you all find everything you are looking for and get whatever peace & serenity you may be seeking.
As a little follow up/piggyback of the amazing @opheliaoveragain's post on checking benzo onsets, here is a general guide about benzo & z-drugs.
I'm highlighting a selection of popular benzodiazepines and Z-drugs, but there are plenty more out there. This information is meant for educational purposes. Especially since certain protocols (SN) recommend using benzos, I thought it might be helpful to include this. If you have access to Z-drugs, they could serve as a good alternative to benzos for the protocol. I'll include some brand names, but keep in mind that these can vary by country.
Benzodiazepines
| Medication | Onset Time | Duration | Peak Levels (hours) | Half-Life |
| Alprazolam (Xanax) | 15-30 minutes | 4-6 hours | 1-2 hours | 6-27 hours |
| Bromazepam (Brozam) | 30-60 minutes | 6-12 hours | 1-3 hours | 10-20 hours |
| Chlordiazepoxide (Librium) | 30-60 minutes | 5-10 hours | 1-4 hours | 5-30 hours |
| Clonazepam (Klonopin) | 20-60 minutes | 6-12 hours | 1-2 hours | 18-40 hours |
| Diazepam (Valium) | 15-60 minutes | 8-12 hours (metabolites can prolong effect) | 1-2 hours | 20-50 hours |
| Estazolam (Prosom) | 30 minutes | 6-8 hours | 1-3 hours | 10-24 hours |
| Flurazepam (Dalmane) | 30-60 minutes | 6-8 hours (metabolites can prolong effects) | 1-3 hours | 40-100 hours |
| Lorazepam (Ativan) | 20-30 minutes | 6-8 hours | 1-2 hours | 10-20 hours |
| Oxazepam (Serax) | 30-60 minutes | 6-10 hours | 0.5-2 hours | 4-15 hours |
| Temazepam (Restoril) | 20-30 minutes | 7-10 hours | 1-2 hours | 8-20 hours |
Z-Drugs
| Medication | Onset Time | Duration | Peak Levels (hours) | Half-Life |
| Eszopiclone (Lunesta) | 15-30 minutes | 6-8 hours | 1-2 hours | 6-9 hours |
| Zaleplon (Sonata) | 15-30 minutes | 2-4 hours | 0.5-1 hour | 1 hour |
| Zolpidem (Ambien) | 15-30 minutes | 6-8 hours | 1-2 hours | 2-3 hours |
| Zopiclone (Zimovane) | 15-30 minutes | 6-8 hours | 1-2 hours | 5-6 hours |
Summary Notes:
- Quick Onset (15-30 min): Xanax, Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata, zopiclone
- Moderate Onset (30-60 min): Valium, Ativan, Klonopin, temazepam, estazolam, oxazepam, bromazepam
- Short Duration (2-4 hours): Sonata
- Moderate Duration (4-8 hours): Xanax, Valium, Ativan, Ambien, Lunesta, oxazepam, bromazepam, temazepam, zopiclone
- Long Duration (8+ hours): Klonopin
Difference between Benzos Z-Drugs
Well, benzodiazepines, or "benzos," are a group of medications that share a similar chemical structure, featuring a benzene ring attached to a diazepine ring. Z-drugs, on the other hand, are chemically different but still work on the same GABA receptors in the brain. Both types enhance the effects of GABA, a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation and sedation. The key difference is that Z-drugs tend to be more selective for certain GABA receptors and this selectivity can lead to effective sedation but may produce fewer anxiolytic effects compared to traditional benzos. While both are often prescribed for sleep issues, benzos are also used for anxiety, panic attacks, seizures, and muscle spasms. Typically, benzos have a longer duration of action and longer half-lives compared to Z-drugs. Between benzos they have different onset and durations of actions outline above. Meaning some will kick in quicker and some might last a lot longer. For SN Protocol, a quick acting will be the best of the benzos and since all have a duration of action that is far surpassed what is needed, any will do.
Half Life Explained:
Basically describes how long it takes for half of a drug to be eliminated from your bloodstream. If a drug has a short half-life, it clears out of your system quicker. For our purpses, this is really not a big factor. So what does this mean for SN Protocol? Well, a medication with a quick onset is probably more important given these benzos all benzos have an long enough duration for SN purposes and for the most part have peak levels by the 1 hour mark. One might consider taking the benzos a few minutes before taking the SN to give it time for them to kick in, but be careful that high of a dose will cause drowsiness fairly rapidly and might lead to falling asleep before drinking the SN. We will discuss the idea of a trial run later in this post.
Does it Matter Which Benzo I Use?
No, not really. The specific benzodiazepine you choose might not be that critical, but it's important to pay attention to factors like how quickly it takes effect. It's worth noting that using benzos in the SN Protocol is a luxury item; they're not required for success. If you do opt for a benzo or a Z-drug, it can help ease some of the anxiety you might feel, allowing you to have a smoother and potentially more 'peaceful' self-deliverance.
Benzodiazepine Equivalence Chart:
The PPeH recommends taking 600 mg of Oxazepam for the SN protocol. If you don't have that on hand and are curious about equivalent doses of the benzodiazepines you do have, read on! Just a heads-up: this chart and calculators below are specifically for benzodiazepines, so it doesn't include Z-drugs, which are in a different class altogether.
Keep in mind. it is nearly impossible to determine an exact equivalent dose. Differences in pharmacokinetic parameters between benzodiazepines can be quite profound. Also, researchers have not consistently identified equivalent dosages between these agents (wide range of equivalent dosages reported). Using a range of +/- 25% for the result above yields the aforementioned doses below expressed as the median of the two figures generated.
Equivalance to 600mg Oxazepam:
| Medication | Equivalent Dose (mg) |
| Alprazolam (Xanax) | 20 mg |
| Bromazepam | 120 mg |
| Chlordiazepoxide (Librium) | 1000 mg |
| Clonazepam (Klonopin) | 20 mg |
| Diazepam (Valium) | 300 mg |
| Estazolam | 20 mg |
| Flurazepam | 600 mg |
| Lorazepam (Ativan) | 40 mg |
| Temazepam (Restoril) | 600 mg |
Med Not Listed? Try a Benzo Equivalance Calculator:
- https://clincalc.com/benzodiazepine/
- https://psychopharmacopeia.com/bzd_dose_convert.php
- https://www.omnicalculator.com/health/benzodiazepine-conversion
These doses will be very large for ordinary folks with no benzo doses, would not suggest taking the large dose before the SN. Just my own two cents. Some of the most popular choices are Xanax, Valium, and Ativan, likely due to how frequently they're prescribed and relatively quicker onsets (see chart above). But ultimately, any benzo or even Z-drugs can be helpful for the protocol. Just be sure to check onset times and make the decision when you want to time it as although protocols say after SN ingestion there may be some value in doing some before SN ingestion to assist with any anxiety and help sedate you a little bit before. The ones mentioned above have onsets that are typically quicker than the onset of the PPeH suggested med of Oxazepam. Keep in mind, during the fasting for the SN Protocol, your stomach will be empty. Taking benzos, especially a high dose, will be rapidly absorbed by the body so the onset time will greatly go down when you flood your system with a benzo. These are typical onsets but with a very high dose of benzos they will work very quickly. If you do a 'trial run' with a regular or double dose of the benzo or Z-drug without SN for a test run and fast before it, it may give you a better idea of how quicky you feel the effects. Just remember, since there's a fasting requirement in the SN Protocol, you might find that the drug works faster during that time compared to a regular trial run—unless you also fast before your trial.
Individual Factors and Tolerance
For those without any prior tolerance to benzodiazepines, these medications usually work quickly and very effectively, which is why they're commonly used. Just keep in mind that individual factors—like age, body weight, overall health, other medications, and even stress levels—can all play a role in how well they work for you.
This should be taken only as a reference for educational purposes only; please do a lot of reading and research! And as always, please feel free to make suggestions to this or share your personal experience if it can benefit others, keeping in mind that we all have individual factors at play when it comes to these drugs. Be kind & respectful to all, please!
I hope you all find everything you are looking for and get whatever peace & serenity you may be seeking.
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