Benzos Clonazolam and Pregabalin, sleep and addiction

[PalimmPalimm]

Hey all, welcome to my first post.
I'm currently taking some 3-ish mg (sometimes 2 mg, sometimes 5 mg)of clonazolam throughout the day and start to experience now, 3 weeks in, I experience first WD symptoms Also had just switched from an etizolam-diazepam rotation for some weeks, 90 x 10 mg Diazepam, 200 x 1 mg etizolam all original pharma with a one week phenibut break afterwrads.
I was now put on Pregabalin, too by a psychiatrist, just started this week at 2x75 mg per day, which makes me quite sleepy, but I feel the clona has fucked up my day-night rythem already, ever so slightly. I wake up early, don't feel I get enough sleep. The pregabalin doseage will be adjusted in a while to yeald first good results and I'll have a phone call bc of something else with my GP, but will mention the pregabalin, though the psych-doc gave me a 3-weeks supply and told me to up the dose at the end of this instead of after the first week.
So here is my issue: I want to get off the clona asap, as it feels like it's becoming more and more of a problem (higher and higher doses to somewhat function, side effects). So I was wondering about your best advice here? My clona supply is in solution and, considering my dosage, virtually unlimited. Should I try something like a taper or do you think I might get away with just doubling the Lyrica and stopping benzos? Or should I try to substitute with phenibut, of which I still have a small amount in solution. All the benzos have so far only been helpers I just enjoyed my life again, started making conversation, started meeting with people hand talk to them over some coffee... nothing of this would have happened without the benzos. And no neative effects. Till Clone. I'm now really scared after discovering the 100 mg clone/day thread and hope I can make it short and painless, though that might mean waving my newly wone social comptence goodbye. If the kyrice doesn't catch it soon...
I'm also on 60 mg Methadone, but I think this doesn't really matter here.
I hope someone here can help me kick off the clona as soo as possible.

Thank you for your advice in adcance!

 

[LivingOnValium]

Considering how strong clonazolam is your doses aren't actually low and therefore you should definitely taper. A good rule of thumb when tapering down with benzos is to reduce the dose by 25% at the time. Then you should stay on that dose for 2 weeks and then reduce your dose by 25% again. And then repeat until your ready to drop down to zero.

I was advised to do tapering this way by a psychiatrist who i trust and has never disappointed me. I guess some people might need lesser of a dose reduction to be able to stay on the lowered dose but that's at least a good starting point. No reason why you couldn't adjust this protocol to make it feel comfy for you.

Edit: First of all you'll have to find out what is the daily dose that allows you to feel ok and stable. Only after that you can start tapering. Stop alternating your daily dose.

 

[PalimmPalimm]

Oh, tht's what I suspected. Many thanks for your hoest reply. Yes, I'm at the moment taking it whenever I start to feel low, don't really know how much I'm on.
I was thinking about waiting tilll I really feel it, get all shaky, can't sleep anymore, feel mpending doom and anxiety and then try something like 0.5 mg.

 

[PalimmPalimm]

Ok, I find the absolute limit is something like 0.5 mg Clona with 150 mg Lyrica (twice a day) and 150 mg Promethazine. I took this abouy 1 hr sgo ago and I hope it'll get me well through the night.
In case it doesn't work, I could add some low dose phenibut ot the mix...

 

[LivingOnValium]

Sounds like a solid plan mate. Keep us updated on how it goes. (y)

 

[tarman]

Eek dropping 25%... I'd aim for less if you can supply it, but this is.. bad advice probably. Chip off 5%... coupla days, chip off another 5%... keep it steady... another 5. I dunno.

 

[LivingOnValium]

IDK about that. Dropping down 5% every other day sounds worse to me. It's a lot faster rate than 25% dose reduction and staying on it for 2 weeks before the next drop.

 

[PalimmPalimm]

Thank's for all he support.

So I need .6 mg twice a day to feel "normal". As my Pregabalin has just been increased, I'll try to trop 25% and see hgow I feel. Hope the Pregabalin can mask or reduce most of the synptoms.

 

[PalimmPalimm]

Start a moderate exercise routine. Focus on cardio at first.

In many studies exercise has been shown to promote faster up / down regulation of many receptors as you move back to homeostasis from a state of addiction.

Absolutely. I try to exercise at least every 2nd day.

I didn't expect the cravings to be so horrible, though. I mean: I came off diazepam, etizolam and alprazolam in the past, but had never cravbings like this.

 

[PalimmPalimm]

Ok, guys, I slipped up tonight. Took something around 3.5 mg Clona at once (can't say exactly how much, but must have been 3.5-3.8 mg), 225 mg Lyrica (my regular dose is 150 mg twice a day) and prior to all of this about 2 g Phenibut, about 1 our earlier. I feel terrible, in some way, but of course it;s not a problem, all my fears, anxiety and lonelyness is gone. I sometimes think I might be os panicky bc I'm feeling so lonely, don't know. My Psych doc and GP know about my benzo habit and that it would rather help me to get clean pharma benzos at the right dose, but are not willing to prescribe anything in this regard (yet). Lucky enough I got lyrica and am up to my dose so quickly, considering I'm in the south of UK.
I guess as I have it in my system now, I shoiuld just enjoy the effects and not give so much thought about this mess, but try to be better tomorrow. Tomorrow will come. What do you all think?

Oh, I will be on the phone with my GP tmrw. She appreciates and rather rewards honesty. What should I tell her, you reckon?


Many thanks for yiour greatsupport! :giggle:

 

[PalimmPalimm]

PS: The phenibut was meant to mask my mild benzo-wds, but it was, assume, the disinhibition of that which lead to the other stuff. NExt time I'll try Promethazine instead.

 

[LivingOnValium]

If the 25% drop seems too steep there's no reason to try a lesser amount.

 

[PalimmPalimm]

If the 25% drop seems too steep there's no reason to try a lesser amount.

Don't think it's to steep. I just bthougt the phenibut would helk, but ultimatelty lead to the opposite of what I was hoping it'll do, in the end.
And Why do ytou say that? Maybe 10% with some promethazine might be appropriate for me? Or whart about just cold wd with lyrica only? People slip up. I washoping you'll give me soime more constructive advice here, to be honest .

EDIT: Well, thanks for trying to help at alll, though. Thanks.

 

[PalimmPalimm]

Some people have had to reduce Valium intake 2.5-5mg every week because the withdrawals and rebound effects are too much. Personally I would find a dose that eliminates WD completely for 1 week. (without getting intoxicated) On day 8, you start the taper. 25% is too much for a lot of people. The Pregabalin will help you feel more comfortable. Look up the Ashton Manual.

Thanks so much. Great advice!

 

[PalimmPalimm]

Howeverm I always wd from fairly high doses without any problems, inclusing alprazolam, which I undertsnad is most similar durg (chemically) to clona. Don't undertand whatds different now. Is it the cocktail?

 

[PalimmPalimm]

Ok, so I am now on 1.2 mg twica a day, again. Must say my life cicrumstances aren't great either atm. But neither are they worse. Anyway, I upped m,y dose to 2 x 150 mg officially now and my GP just gave me another script for three weeks at 300 mg per day. I still have my pack of 150 mg per day for 3 weeks. So I've got quite a bit extra. Do you think the extra pregab might help me to get off the benzoes?
the 150 mg arre original lyrica, the other one is some off-brand.

Thanks very much and I appreciate all of your nice and heart warming support.

EDIT: I've got the standard meds, tooo. Like promethazine, scopolamine in low dose for motion sickness (maybe to enhance my methadone during WD (?)) and DXM.

 

[PalimmPalimm]

I mean: Saying something about 150 mg, I clearly mean lyrica, not clona .

So yeah, things are not going as I wished they would atm. I feel I just can't get opver the cravings with my current life... Any other ideas? Would any of the medis I've listed help me ore just make it worse?
Or should I use something like legit Diazepam to get sobar from benzos?

P.S.: Sorry about my last few threads, I was high on Lyrica plus Clona and might have posted some stuff that's hard to read and to understand. Sorry about that. You are a great community and I appreiciate every single positive word or any help, especially as things seem to be getting worse, not better, though I use less clona oer the day.

My GP had the great idea to prescribe me a double dose of lyrica because they thought taking one pill would be more easy than taking two with my old prescritpiopn. So I've got an extra 56 days of lyrica at 300 mg a day I don't need. Tempting.

Some people have had to reduce Valium intake 2.5-5mg every week because the withdrawals and rebound effects are too much. Personally I would find a dose that eliminates WD completely for 1 week. (without getting intoxicated) On day 8, you start the taper. 25% is too much for a lot of people. The Pregabalin will help you feel more comfortable. Look up the Ashton Manual.

Sounds like a great idea. Might hopefully work. Though I still think I should try to switch over to clonazepam or diazepam.

This all makes me feel like a terrible looser. Why can't I just taper down like everyone elese and like I did before????

Anyway, there is no damping effect from the lyrica regarding my benzo habit, though mood and sleep have clearly increased since I started pregabalin. I callled it a "wonder-drug" a first because it is the only thing that can help me sit still for a prolonged period of time without restless legs. Nothing else, including all kinds of opioidsand antidepressants, could achive this. So long story short: pregabalin seems to help me welll in therapeutic doses and it might be the right drug for me. But I need to get of these nasty benzos.

 

[PalimmPalimm]

Ok, folks, the cravings were just to stong, but I REALLLY want to try with your help. Still anyone here or am I alone . I'll make it, you'lll see.

Can I mix 1 g Clona in PG with 2 ml Water without any problems??

I'm thinking about asking for some klonopin, too.

I REALLY TRY!

 

[PalimmPalimm]

Ok, obviously I h gave up for now. But willl try again , latest date next week and I'll keep you updated. Do You think Etizolam might be of any help what about Pregabalin? What about talking to my contact person at my methadone clinic? Any chance they replace it with Clonazepam or Diaepam to collect in ever degreesing doses at my chemist (UK)?

 

[PalimmPalimm]

Willl give them a ring, try to be honest amd try to explain y situation and how unbelieveabely potent this stuff is and hopefully they'll help. Hwat do you think? Or better do it myself? Tried it once with as doc who just wrote down "so and so much klonopine". End of story.