benzo dependent 15 yrs and lyrica dependent too....help can't do this anymore

[mattycat]

Hi Im Matt a 59 yr old morbidly obese 310lb male who has been taking benzos (klonapin 2.5 mgs.at the moment) for 15 yrs....

added lyrica (200mgs) daily for nuropathic pain 8 yrs.

have arthritis (dont take pain meds)and access to medical pot and oil ...also adhd and access to adderall etc. I use them on occasion.I smoke cigs.

But I am done.Just done.Dont use booze at all.

Just these 2 drugs on a daily basis have worn me down to a shadow of myself.

tried to get off the benzos using lyrica in rehab....failed miserably. then tried to detox the lyrica ...fail... and sick ,very sick.

these two drugs are like a firestorm in my body...I am alone and desperate to lose this weight and some of the drugs or all of lyrica....so I can have something of a life at this age before diabetes and all that crap take me under.

My brain feels cooked.I know its weird cause Im not using lots of drugs ....but I have trouble remembering and no motivation.

a dr suggested bariatric surgery but even if i cut up my gut ---THE DRUGS ARE STILL THERE.

DISSAPOINTED IN DRS NOW DON'T TRUST THEM AFTER GIVING ME THESE BENZO FOR YEARS.

Thought about spending my life savings and go to a rehab but not sure rehabs really deal with benzos or lyrica.And Im afraid of hospitals & institutions..terrified.

my latest info is my question in this forum ...actually if any good soul has any idea where i can start to lower these drugs ...i would be grateful.

Someone told me about memantine .....here is the theory ....dose 30 mgs memantine and when you feel very groggy ....half your meds and detox slowly from there?....if that makes any sense.???

I cant even get these two meds on a schedule ,I have no schedule.no friends ------but i just cant give up.

I have read everything there is about lyrica and ashtons manual on benzos...still stuck .

Feel like a weak person.And i want my mind back.

I guess i just don't want to end up in an old folks home where they feed me these drugs.

my physical health is failing. I came here because I know many of you know about drugs....and W/D

Looking for info of any kind. Honesty too.

I do know that taking benzos with pregablin is not a good thing (trusted a dr)---hard enough to quit the lyrica.

Thanks in advance for any advice you have on memantine or anything to lower these or where to start.

 

[T. Calderone]

Hi Matt, welcome to Bluelight! I've no experience in taking memantine but if your goal is to completely quit, I don't think that drug by itself is meant for this purpose. So at the rehab facility, they gave you lyrica to stop clonazepam and now you're addicted to both? I don't blame you for not trusting doctors.

How does this work in your province with rehab? I mean, do you have to pay for it all? The Ashton method has helped many people with benzo dependence though it is a very slow taper. Maybe you could bring this up to your doctor, or another one if this person isn't helping you. I wish I had better advice. It can be done but it's not going to happen overnight. Don't give up though, we're here for you!

 

[Speed King]

Hello mattycat. Welcome to Bluelight. Happy you have joined. First, you only have to post a question/subject in one forum. I currently take 30mg of Diazepam and 450mg of Lyrica. The good news is that you are not on super high doses of either drugs. I will subscribe to this thread so we can sort this out. Other Bluelighters will certainly join in with great advice.

The short suggestion I can give is loose the smoking habit and start getting healthier, in general. I am understand the reason you want to get off your meds, but all you really have to do is dial it down a little bit. That right there may make you feel more energetic. You also left out reasons your on those meds in the first place.

I first suggest that you go to your doctor and tell him what is wrong and why you feel like you do. If you must attempt anything, speaking only for myself, I would taper the Lyrica down to where I'd want it. The Phizer Lyrica website says you could taper in a week but I'd want at least a month taper. You really need to speak with a doctor asap.

 

[mattycat]

Hi Speed King ...thanks for the welcome....drs dont consider lyrica having any w/d and so no one to begin a taper...have spoken w many drs ....also detoxed lyrica once and the wanted to shoot myself.....depression so bad for months on end ....so i went back to lyrica.I cannot begin to tell you how bad the w/d was ....

benzos given by mistake I have adhd looked anxious to dr 15 yrs ago so benzos it was.

lyrica for pain in feet ,which they d=said was idiopathic but now know its diabetes or pre diabetes

hell i can't even find a dr in canada.waitng on referral for new shrink who gives the benzo ----as he retired suddenly that referral will take forever.

if this is such a low dose ,why does my brain feel like mush? I cannot even stabilize these meds let alone think my way out of a wet paper bag.

i agree ditch the smokes.

so no drs here to help i am on my own.LIERALLY> why the lyrica first ? curious as it keeps tolerance to the benzo ? I was told to take the bulk of meds at night and smallest amount in am is that how you take yours ?can I ask

 

[mattycat]

Hi I tried the ashton method and wound up very destabilized hospitalized and failed miserably....drs here dont help w benzos and rehab is mostly for painkillers oxy and stuff.

yes we can pay but no medical detox available only counselling.s I am on my own here.

 

[mattycat]

thank you --i know there is no overnight fix but at my age i am running out of options .....

 

[Raysu]

Hi Matt! Welcome and way to go on making the decision to see it through and have such a great inner strength to fight and persevere for a better life! I believe you can do it and know personally how big a role motivation plays in achieving such a goal. I've never tried memantine but I was on clonazepam for eight and a half years before my psychiatrist decided to drop me after I told him about my suicide attempt. I was honest with him and as a thank you got cut off because he didn't want to give me "ammunition" in case I decided to attempt it again. At least he wasn't a total dick and tapered me off before dismissing me. I met with him each week for a month and went from my 2mg clonazepam a day to 1 1/2mg to 1mg to 1/2mg with a weeks worth of the script at a time under my husbands control. The worst part was the rebound anxiety, RLS, and sleep disturbances in the little sleep I got. Benzo withdrawal is dangerous and agonizing but for me it was a safe taper and the psychological aspect was the worst part because by then my poly drug addiction managed a good bit of the physical side. I was on opioids, meth/crank, coke at the time. Afterwards my drug use expanded to compensate for no longer being able to have "my miracle drug" around and I eventually was able to obtain other benzos to have when the panic attacks were really bad but they were inconsistent and none of them (Valium, lorazepam, and Xanax) worked as well for me (although the Xanax was good at removing me from reality). As far as the Lyrica goes I can't say but if the pharmaceutical company says it can be tapered off in a week honestly I would go that route simply because for me the longer a taper goes the more I had a tendency to tell myself I can't live without it. All the tapers I have done on my own I tried to go with whatever was the safest, shortest, one from a physical standpoint. Addiction is both physical and psychological so to me physical cessation was the halfway point even though the battle of the mind made it seem like only a fraction of a percent of the distance to being clean and sober and free. I understand what it is to detox/wd with no support around and it is grueling to say the least. It is good that you've shared on BL because a support system is so important to having added encouragement on the journey to a better life. Keep reaching out and sharing. You can do this!

 

[Snake_Eyes]

You can't taper off pregabalin in a week if you have been taking it daily for any significant period of time. The w/d from this drug can be as bad and long lasting as benzos although probably not life threatening. For me the w/d was more physical than the temazepam I came off a year prior. I was pretty stable on 200mg when I decided to come off and my taper lasted 4 months with a jump off dose of 12.5mg. Listen to your body and make small enough cuts to keep you as comfortable as possible. Good luck.

 

[TommyJ]

Hi mattycat

I have been on Benzo's for 20+ years. Ive currently got myself down to 4mgs (2 x 2mg pills) I have previously been on Xanax, Temazepam and now Valium.

I have battled for years with alcoholism, anxiety, depression the list is endless.

I have some tips for you

1). 1st and foremost get off Klonopin and get on a longer acting Benzo like Diazepam. Valium is much longer acting and easier to taper. I don't agree with the Ashton manual as their method is much too quick. (Find a good understanding GP to work with and be open with them about everything. Having a solid relationship with a medical DR is key)

1mg of Klonopin = 10mg of Diazepam. So you should switch to 25mg of Diazepam immediately. Stay on 25mg of Valium until your stable and then go down 2mg every 2-3 weeks. You will need 5mg and 2mg tablets as you go along. Once you get down to the lower dosages like 8mg you will need to take it slower and just go by how you feel, don't rush it there is no need to put yrself through extra stress and it will take time for your GABA receptors to get back to normal. It can take some people over 12 months to feel better after they are completely off.

2). Take activated B complex, double strength Zinc and B Complex 6. I highly recommend the Thorne practitioner dispensing brand. You will need the B's for your nervous system and B6 & Zinc will help yr brain with its neurotransmitters. I don't want to go into all the details but you should Google it.

Also take Magnesium and look into taking a all round Herb like Ashwaganda or Ginko Biloba or Ginseng.

Amino Acids like Taurine, Glycine, L-Theanine greatly will help.

3. Possibly look into going on a SSRI antidepressant whilst you taper to help you stabilise. Talk to yr Doctor about this.

4. I would not recommend going off the Lyrica completely until you are feeling steady with the Benzo taper. You may want to look at lowering your Lyrica dose a bit though.
I did find Lyrica help me get down off Benzo's but Lyrica needs its own taper and is very hard to come off too.

5. Clean your diet up as much as possible. Good nutrition will help wonders. And take a good Protein powder with Organic Hemp Seeds as a meal replacement. I like Pea Protein powder as its not dairy.

Hope this helps some.

 

[mattycat]

Thank you all so much for responding and the good tips . I appreciate it and the support too!

 

[jayjaysleepyhead]

Hi im jay this is for tommyj you seem to be similar to me ive dettoxed from 20 to 4mg of diazepam how do you feel on just 4 do you top up or not also i done temszys the jellys caps wicked banned in britain now anyway well done on the benzos its hard tho

 

[TommyJ]

Hi im jay this is for tommyj you seem to be similar to me ive dettoxed from 20 to 4mg of diazepam how do you feel on just 4 do you top up or not also i done temszys the jellys caps wicked banned in britain now anyway well done on the benzos its hard tho

Hi Jay...i stay on 4mg cause the Dr's don't want me to be on them anymore. If it was up to me i'd stay on them forever.

Being on the smallest dosage is the hardest to taper. The constant heart palpitations and anxiety. I'll see how i feel once completely Benzo free - although it does take up to 12 months four our brains to recover.