Okay, so a quick update...
For the most part, I am doing somewhat okay. I am able to work most days and have the cognitive skills to do my tasks and function efficiently. I am usually able to get a decent nights sleep with 10mg-15mg melatonin. I have been doing a lot of socializing which has been nice, and I am been doing it without any problem. I had a few nights where I went drinking and got a pretty good drunk but had a bitch of a hangover the next day. My derealization is mostly at bay, and for the first time in a long time, I am sleeping comfortably instead of having some arbitrary, random fear. I went on a weekend trip 200 miles away from my home without any problem whatsoever.
These are not constant, though, and some come back from time to time, mainly the insomnia and sometimes the cog fog.
HOWEVER, I still do have a lot of aggravating and disruptive problems. My anxiety is through the roof all the time. This prevents me from driving, which is pissing me off. I have nerve pain that comes and goes, and it is always concentrated on the right side of my body (right arm and leg). When this kicks up it's unbearable! I usually have to take 2-3 percocets to get this under control. I have been dealing with some depression over this entire situation. My hair is still falling out.
Whenever I take the percocets, it seems to rev up my symptoms. I almost always get derealization shortly after I take the percocet, but that goes away in about two hours. I also usually get worsening symptoms of all this gabapentin/benzo withdrawal crap like two or three days AFTER I take percocet. I took a heartburn medication last night and it had me feeling terrible (shakiness, rapid heartbeat). And on and on and on. So, ideally I would like to stay off ALL medications and OTC but it can be hard when the nerve pain is strong.
So my body still has some healing to do, namely with handling anxiety, driving, and not having terrible hangovers after drinking. I am going to minimialize the drinking to only special occassions to let my brain heal more.
Based upon when I wrote this, I would say that there has been improvement. Trucking on one day at a time.