Benzos benzos, need help. Scared

[Drummer04]

I was taking xanax and then ativan for about a year and a half. Was up to maybe 8 mg of ativan a day. I tried cold turkey and failed after only 4 days. Had scary blood pressure.

I then tapered myself down to 2 mg a day but that was rough and couldn't go below that.

I then admitted myself to a detox center and it was a very traumatic experience. They essentially made me go cold turkey for 3 weeks. I just got out of there yesterday morning because my blood pressure has been so high it was scaring me and I kept getting worse every day.

Now my doctor gave me valium and I want to do a taper. I took 10 mg last night and 4 this morning but my blood pressure is remaining very high. Average I'd say is about 150/100. I'm developing new systems (pressure in my head and headaches). My feet are having intense neuropathy and I have pain in my calves and heavy legs. Also getting a lot of scary chest pains. I've had my heart checked out and they say it's fine.

I don't know what dose to start at though. I have pretty severe symptoms on withdrawal, I'll list them.

1. Unbelievably loud tinnitus to the point that it hurts my ears.
2. Nerve and muscle pain
3. High blood pressure
4. Vision disturbances
5. Pressure in head
6. Hypersensitive nervous system
7. ears keep popping
8. stabbing pains in arm
9. Panic attacks when symptoms get too much to bear

pulse is always in 60s and 70s so no issues there. Temperature is always normal.

Really looking for advice on what dosage I should be doing but any advice is appreciated.

 

[mazda01]

i can't believe the detox facility allowed you to have such a high blood pressure while in there and even released you? did you leave against doctors orders?

anyway, i strongly suggest you consult with your physiscian. check out the ashton manual and maybe print out a few pages to show your doctor. it's possible you need more than 10mg valium a day but according to medical manuals or what not they wont script more than 30mg in 1 day.

do you get any relief when you take the 10mg valium for any amount of time? valium is very subtle with no noticable come up and it has a very long half life, the longer you're on it then more that it builds in your blood stream so maybe it will just take a few days to fill that void of the ativan and xanax although its weird your symptoms are this bad after 3 weeks of no benzos at all.

ive been through benzo withdrawals and no they suck very bad, try to keep your mind busy as hard as that is because the more your just sitting there the more you will focus on the symptoms. you need to tell yourself that this too shall pass. i know cliche saying but having a postive mind set is very important. good luck

 

[Znegative]

Detox facilities suck ass for benzo withdrawals. IMO it's not really something that can be done inpatient, you have to slowly taper over periods of months. Didn't they give you clonodine? That helps a little bit for benzo withdrawal and if you're having high blood pressure it will certainly help with that. I might also consider gabapentin or pregabalin to help with the benzo withdrawals, they're GABAergic drugs but they're not as addictive as benzos.

Honestly, no matter how you taper with benzos' it's going to suck when you get off of them, but the point is to make it suck less. I would think twice about raising your diazepam dosage unless you're getting shakes and are worried that you're at risk of a seizure because while it will make the symptoms go away temporarily you're really just pushing them off. Really try to talk to your doctor about the clonodine and neurontin.

 

[EnlightenedOne1]

Detox facilities suck ass for benzo withdrawals. IMO it's not really something that can be done inpatient, you have to slowly taper over periods of months. Didn't they give you clonodine? That helps a little bit for benzo withdrawal and if you're having high blood pressure it will certainly help with that. I might also consider gabapentin or pregabalin to help with the benzo withdrawals, they're GABAergic drugs but they're not as addictive as benzos.

Honestly, no matter how you taper with benzos' it's going to suck when you get off of them, but the point is to make it suck less. I would think twice about raising your diazepam dosage unless you're getting shakes and are worried that you're at risk of a seizure because while it will make the symptoms go away temporarily you're really just pushing them off. Really try to talk to your doctor about the clonodine and neurontin.

I've never read your advice, however, this is the second time this morning I'm agreeing with you ;-). 10 years ago I was court-ordered to Detox from a 2 year daily benzo addiction for 6mgs of Clonazepam daily + 4mgs of Alprazolam a day (Both were legally RX'ed) I had 5 grandma seizures after the 5 DAY DETOX!!!!!!! I'm lucky to be alive.

My advice is if you find yourself addicted to your first benzo script...Finish them and NEVER return to them unless you keep a handful for a year or 2 for desperate situations.

 

[Drummer04]

Yeah I left against medical advice but they were telling me wife they weren't equipped to deal with me because I was suffering so much. Also, the two doctors there were arguing about me and what to do. It was ridiculous and I had to get out of there.

They had me on gabapentin but it didn't really help at all and they kept upping the dose which did nothing.

I also have clonodine at home which does work to lower my BP but within 4 hours it's just sky high again so it doesn't really work that well.

I mean I need to be functional enough to work because right now it's just too much for me. I'm basically in bed all day long suffering.

 

[Speed King]

I agree with mazda01. OP, read the Ashton manual for yourself and see the withdrawal section. It's available on line. Figure out what you need and have Valium used as your medication for withdrawal. Valium is pretty much the gold standard for that purpose.

 

[Drummer04]

Yeah but I don't know where to start my taper now it's confusing. My psychiatrist said to keep taking 2 mg portions until I felt normal but I took 10 mg last night and really don't feel normal at all.

 

[tightlywound]

well clonidine is meant to be redosed every ~4hrs so no surprise your blood pressure is high after 4 hours.
get some more of that and start lowering your dose of valium.
you ARE going to suffer quite a bit, don't think there's some way around that. every addict makes their bed and will eventually have to lie in it. just suck it up and be happy you have something to taper w/, and taper as directed. you shouldn't really even NEED something to taper w/ after 3 weeks anyway, you are not at all likely to experience life threatening complications at this point, most especially anything that cannot be managed w/ a non benzo medication.

 

[TommyJ]

me 20+ years taking Benzos. Im down to 4mg from 40mg and its taken a year.

You may also have a genetic polymorphism that inhibits your ability to form GABA itself. When that is the case, then supplementation may be needed ongoing.
Pyroluria is a genetic problem in hemoglobin synthesis that can result in deficiencies in B6 and zinc, both of which are critical for the production of GABA or the management of excess glutamate. Therefore, if you have pyroluria it can indirectly contribute to a GABA and glutamate imbalance.

Since ive been taking high doses of B complex, Zinc and B6 its really helped me cut down. You need Vitamin E and Omega oils too.

Could be worth getting a check.

 

[Speed King]

I use the Ashton Manual to get the better dose of my medication. You got to have an idea what your comfortable dose of Valium would be. Only speaking for myself here, I would stop driving my self nuts restart at a decent dose, ONLY as the beginning of a taper. Did you look at the Ashton Manual yet? It tells you how to do it. Also, so no viewers of this thread get the wrong idea, some detox centers are rough, I'll agree, but a lot of them help quite a bit.

 

[SKR]

^Yes SK, and there's another reason not to abuse our benzos, especially Valium. Fucking common sense and its brutal irony. Dammit........we're my V's at?!

 

[Speed King]

Common sense, FTW !!!

 

[Mighty-oak]

me 20+ years taking Benzos. Im down to 4mg from 40mg and its taken a year.

You may also have a genetic polymorphism that inhibits your ability to form GABA itself. When that is the case, then supplementation may be needed ongoing.
Pyroluria is a genetic problem in hemoglobin synthesis that can result in deficiencies in B6 and zinc, both of which are critical for the production of GABA or the management of excess glutamate. Therefore, if you have pyroluria it can indirectly contribute to a GABA and glutamate imbalance.

Since ive been taking high doses of B complex, Zinc and B6 its really helped me cut down. You need Vitamin E and Omega oils too.

Could be worth getting a check.

Interested in this.....Does the Zinc have to be a certain type like Gluconate, Picolinate, Citrate etc?[h=1][/h]

 

[EnlightenedOne1]

I'm down to 2.5mgs of Clonazepam from 6mgs which I was taking daily for 2 years. I dowloaded a free-app on my smart phone called "quit that" and have documenting my progress that way.

What I'm doing is too fast and uncomfortable albeit I won't have seizures....

Every 15 days, I lowered my dosage .250 of a mg. I also have an AM/PM pill divider and make sure to take 2 dosages throughout a day.

I started at 6mg (3mg in AM and 3mg around 10 PM) and dropped to 2.75mg in the AM and 3mg in the PM. I find that lowering the morning dose helps me deal with social anxiety and CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and then I save the larger dose for the end of the day..Even dropping .250mgs is pretty intense.

Good luck but low and slow is the key.