Benzos Gabapentin for Benzo withdrawal

[Trebuchette]

Everything medication you mentioned here will help. There's no way of saying for certain, but it is likely you will suffer ZERO withdrawal here. The phenobarbital in and of itself could be enough and has the advantage of being very long acting. I wouldn't bother with an expensive Lunesta script. 2-3 Phenobarbital once or twice daily and 300mg of Gabapentin with an Ambien at night should more than take care of you.

A great deal of anecdotal evidence supports the use of Gabapentin and Pregabalin for benzo withdrawal. Some people claim a decent dose will halt benzo or opiate withdrawal. Keep in mind Gabapentin is only 1/6th as potent as Pregabalin and has bioavailability issues. Spacing out Gabapentin dosing helps because a large dose is largely wasted.

Hey thanks! I was doing it backwards (2-3 Gabapentins through the day, a little Phenobarbital at night with the Ambien. And I don't feel well.) So up my phenobarbital during the day (2-3/day), and decrease Gabapentin to 1 at night with the Ambien. Excelent; I'll try that! *****Thanks*****

—Sorry, all this gabapentin in my system right now along with the vicodin I just took for pain (leg pain I'd never had before), and I feel really drugged. Eyes half-open, sluggish, etc. My memory is slipping bad today, which I'd never experienced before. I'm just really tired now. But later when I get more withdrawal symptoms, I'll take a whole phenobarbital. Tonight at bedtime I'll take a Gabapentin and the ambien.

Sounds like a plan! Really, thanks! Exactly what I needed. {{hugs}} (I'm a girl so I can do that, LOL) (See how gabapentins make you loopy, like you're drunk?!)

 

[bennyZA]

But if SWIM has to do another ER trip, no ER doc is going to feel sorry for SWIM, because they've warned her about her doc. SWIM's not listed as a "drug seeker", since when she's gone to the ER before, she had plenty of Ativan or Xanax on her; she just didn't know her complaint was a panic attack (those are tricky beasts, masquerading as all sorts of problems that even the ER staff believes: heart attacks, strokes, you name it).

This should not be a concern. You need to get some meds, soon. What does it matter if the ER doc makes you feel bad? He has a legal obligation to help. If you can just deal with the ER doc for a few min than you get your xanax, so what's the problem? I'm also curious as to why you would work with a doc this bad? If it is just for the benzo's, than you have a problem. Staying with a terrible doctor just for the drugs is a pretty obvious sign of addiction. Are you sure you wouldn't want to take this opportunity to start a taper? You will probably feel better overall.

Also, please don't use SWIM. It's confusing to read and annoying to write. Not to mention it doesn't protect you from anything.

 

[Trebuchette]

BennyZA, yeah sorry about the SWIM. We use this doc because he's relatively cheap ($65/hr). Our Blue Cross plan pays for 3 visits a year then we pay full price, but when I started getting panic attacks, I needed to see a doc far more often (once a month, easy), have tests, etc. So we switched to Dr. Cheap, and I got my first benzos. To his credit, I also got my first real relief from panic attacks. And things got cheap (no more expensive tests, for one). But over the years, I got up to 4mg/day Ativan, and doc was about to move me to 5mg/day.

So I tried to quit cold turkey, and thought I had (went over a month without benzos), but ended up in the hospital on New Year's 2012 with a seizure. Dr. Cheap feared I was suicidal for quitting suddenly but I convinced him I just wanted off the benzos that bad. He still refused to give me Valium, but referred me to a pDoc who swore he could wean anyone off benzos "naturally". That was an epic fail (pDoc switched me to Xanax, gave me $200/mo vitamins like EMPower Plus complex and others, then added Ambien when I couldn't sleep from all those vitamins). I spent months with pDoc getting worse, so I went back to Dr. Cheap, asking if we could just go back to the 3mg Ativan. Dr. Cheap didn't want to overrule a pDoc, so I stayed on the Xanax. (And Ambien, but I don't take it. Well, except this week.)

Of course I've talked to other local doctors, even ER docs, but none of them seem familiar with a Valium taper; some didn't know about benzo withdrawals at all. So ever since the pDoc, I've accepted I'm on my own for quitting. I can't get the Valiums, but I did get my hands on phenobarbital, and my sister gave me the gabapentins. Plus I've saved up random prescriptions like vicodin instead of taking them, with the thought of having anything that might help me wean off long-term. I sorta know I'm addicted to this mess, but am not sure how to quit without the Valium. I mean let's be real: right now, I'm just trying to not die.

 

[Trebuchette]

I feel like whale shit on the bottom of the ocean. (Along with the phenobarbital, I'm doing a fourth of the last half pill - I waited until it felt like my ears were bleeding, and the fourth seemed to help.) It's so weird: I miss coffee a lot, but coffee makes this "sudden withdrawal" unbearable. I called the doc's office as someone suggested; the office took a message, but there was no Rx. A BFF is overnighting me 5 Ativans, but I won't get it until tomorrow night.

I''m definitely weaning off this shit; this w/d is so much worse than the ativan w/d. I'd far prefer to wean off Ativan than Xanax. Except, why does a fourth of Xanax seem to help so much more than even an half of an Ativan? Does the yukky xanax taste fool the body into thinking you're getting more benzo?

 

[Predecessor]

GABA is a great drug.. Waiting for someone to plug it and let me know if it works

 

[Trebuchette]

Well, I went to the ER like, that day :D and they called my doc and worked some magic. The problem was different than I'd thought: another doc had Rxed it, not my regular doc and why they couldn't just say that, I don't know. But they treated it like a new Rx, and the ER got the new doc to call the pharmacy and fix whatever that idiot problem was. They gave me two weird pills they said was Xanax (never seen any benzo look like that; it was COATED, brown, and oval; wtf?), and they got it so I could pick up the Rx in the pharmacy right afterwards.

This ER doc though, he said, "if you've been off a benzo 4 days, you won't have withdrawals". WHY do they make them so STUPID?! I've heard varying crazy doc opinions about benzos, but NEVER "4 days is your withdrawal and then you're good". (Not to mention, I wasn't off them 4 days; I'd taken a quarter that day, a half or something the day before. He heard I had been off my regular dose for 4 days, and figured "withdrawals are over!") He's one of those who doesn't think benzos are a big deal, He looked 18. Shithead.

But my heart rate was high, and beta blockers are listed as giving me hives, so that's why he gave me Xanax right there I guess. (He said benzos were interchangeable with beta blockers. Isn't he special.) Well, when I went to the new doc the next week (really, just the partner; "new doc" my ass), she wrote me some propanolol, and that was pretty good —but even measly weak propanonol gave me hives after a few days of using them. Itching like mad. So I'm on basically the same amount of Xanax, and I'm trying to take 1 propanolol a day with some benedryl. (I didn't know they were giving me Xanax for high heart rate too. That's a bummer. Now I've got to figure out how to cut my Xanax use with some alcohol or something I guess. —I still don't want to EVER get in a position again where I NEED that shit and don't have it. That was a new kind of hell!!!)

Yes yes yes the GABAs are mega-good, yes! They didn't help at all with the benzo w/ds, and neither did the phenobarbital tbh (maybe the pheno helped keep me alive, but I felt like shit).

But GABA along WITH benzos, you get a real smooth feeling going on! I imagine if I took more than 3 or 4, I'd be seeing shit for real. Right now 2 or 3 just gives me a big grin and nice happy feeling. %)

 

[Methacodone]

Old thread, but I want to share my experience with Gabapentin for benzo withdrawal.
About a year ago, I got addicted to Alprazolam (Xanax).
I was taking 4 to 6mg daily, for about 7 months straight. It doesn't sound as bad as others, but trust me, it was bad.
I got HORRIBLE withdrawal symptoms. Including anxiety, the shakes, depression, insomnia, sweating, and almost got a seizure. By saying 'I almost got a seizure', because I was shaking real bad and my heart was pounding and almost fainted. If I didn't call an ambulance, I could've got a seizure that could've been fatal. The peramedics told me, 'youre lucky you called us on time, you were seconds away from a seizure' they immediately gave me an IV of 2mg Ativan, just to make sure I got to the hospital safely. I was still on Methadone at the time (I've been on Methadone for about 4 years now).

After I got discharged from the ER, my doctor gave me a referal to go and see a physciatrist. The appointment I got was an Emergency so I got to see her within just a couple days. I got a script for 8 1mg Ativan tablets to avoid withdrawal. They gave me enough benzos to get me through those couple days to go and see my physciatrist.

I told her my problem, about my addiction to Alprazolam, and that I got life threatening withdrawal symptoms.
She gave me a script of 1mg Clonazepam tablets. My minimum dose to avoid withdrawal from benzos was 4mg of Alprazolam.
So I got started on 4mg of Clonazepam daily. My detox plan was, going down 0.5mg every week, until I get down to 1.5mg, then go down 0.25mg every week.
When I completed my detox. I still felt withdrawal, but of course not nearly as bad as before I started tapering.

So I called her back, explaining my withdrawal symptoms, and she gave me a script for 300mg Gabapentin 3x daily.
It was a MIRACLE ! My very 1st dose of 300mg, I felt like I was never on benzos.
I couldn't sleep for more ghan 1 to 2 hours, I couldn't eat anything, and feeling very exhausted.
Gabapentin took that ALL away. It really kept me from relapsing. I was going insane with no sleep, and no food. Gabapentin kept me away from benzos.

Overall, you should always taper down to as small of a dose as possible with benzo withdrawal, as you all should know it can be life threatening.
Gabapentin is a GREAT drug to keep you from relapse after a successful detox.
You'll go in withdrawal no matter what. Tapering is definitely the key part of withdrawal.
Then after Tapering, comfort meds is the 2nd key to success and keep you from relapse.
Gabapentin is a great comfort med. Along with OTC meds like Advil and Tylenol for migraines, aches, and pain.
Benadryl and Nyquil also really help. Benadryl for Nausea and Insomnia. Nyquil for Insomnia related with pain.

Hope that helps! Bless everyone who's struggling with addiction related withdrawal.
You CAN do it. Safety is key. Alway seek medical experts and doctors for these life threatening sickness.

 

[Gothmog]

I had a similar situation but with oxy withdrawals. The gaba completely took away the worst of the withdrawals so I could function

 

[blue comet]

I was prescribed gabapentin at five months off benzos to deal with lingering extreme insomnia and some rebound anxiety. I took it for 7 weeks at dosages of 1200mg-2100mg per day.

Gabapentin turned me into a basket case. It crippled me psychologically (major depression, suicidal thoughts, irrational thinking, paranoia, irrational fears, major cognitive impairement, social anxiety, driving anxiety, major alcohol intolerance) and physically (shakes, pins & needles, heart palpitations, nerve pain, hair falling out, painful anxiety). Both of these were 10 out of 10.

It has been seven months since I got off gabapentin and I am still suffering greatly. Things have reduced but I still have a lot of these strongly. If I had avoided it I would be good by now from my benzo withdrawal.

Suffering from gabapentin withdrawal made the initial cold turkey of benzos seem like a walk in the park. I hate gabapentin with all my heart.

 

[Methacodone]

^^^ I also got terrible withdrawal symptoms from Gabapentin.
After it got me off of benzos, I said 'hey, Gabapentin feels good, and it doesnt make you withdrawal'

Boy was I terribly wrong. After I got off of benzos, I stoped taking Gabapentin after just 1 month. With no withdrawal symptoms at all.
Then I was reading posts from users, and a lot of them use Gabapentin recreationaly. I decided to start using it again, 900 to 1200mg daily, for months.
Then one day I decided to not take Gabapentin, after just 24 hours, I started feeling terrible. Shaking, sweating, leg and back pain, anxiety, rapid heart beat, it was a nightmare. It really felt like opiate and benzo withdrawal combined.

So, like I said in my above post, Gabapentin is GREAT to get off of benzos.
But beware! Don't abuse the drug and only take it for 1 or 2 months max. It causes withdrawal that can be just as bad as opiate and benzo withdrawal.

 

[Bryant73]

Well I've withdrawed from benzos many, many times. Using grabapentin twice. In my opinion. It halos some after your down on your benzo taper. Tapering for me doesn't have to be drawn out for weeks. Yes I have some severe anxiety and discomfort but your going to have that anyway. I started grabapentin a few days before my last dose. Its an interesting drug. Makes me feel kind of stoned. But as far as feeling like a canal bar. Its not going to happen. It takes the edge off. I took more than the recommended amt and was still on clonidine and xanaflex. I felt really euphoric talkative and smooth. That quickly fades. Its not addictive or at least not controlled so I don't I know why you get a tolerance that fast. Overall works ok. Better than nothing but not a benzo like pill aT all. To me at least. Good luck you'll. Try it. It has few if any side effects. Its one of of those drugs that works different for everybody.

 

[JMArsenault1982]

Don't plug neurontin I plugged 10 800mg pills and 10 1mg clonazepam and was shitting blood not worth it think its the neurontin

 

[IBHopper]

I have also had life shredding WDs from Xanax. I still take it and I want to say that the first several times it happened - I had no clue what was even going on! Just suddenly, by doing nothing more than leaning my head back while painting a bedroom wall, WHAM!!! The world just packed up and left town, man.. VERTIGO is too lame a term. Everything started spinning like from the bottom left of my field of view, to the top right, and FAST. I couldn't stand, and it wasn't only the visual mind f##k, I felt the motion as well - like an out of control Tilt a Whirl ride at a state fair.
The next gift was extreme nausea and the most gut wrenching, violet puking I've ever had. I mean, just on and on until even bile had been long gone. After the puking settled, the spinning slowed and I broke into what I've named "The Hard Seat" ..where I just literally pour water. It starts while puking, then goes on a little while after. Then as soon as the sweating stop, I get ice cold and have to just lay and shake and be very still. Things settle down and I almost pass out - but then within 20 minutes - BAM!! it states all over again with the spinning, then puking, hard sweat and "the freeze"..

I thought I was dying. And of course, ended up in Al ambulance and at the ER. ... dehydration bad by then, so was plugged in with saline and given nausea meds. ...but no one knew why. No one had a clue including me. I had been taking Xanax for like 15 years - 3 or 4 2mg bars a day. I had never ran out - so I never knew. I wasn't out then, I had just been busy and forgot to take one for a day or so. WOW.

This happened several months after a bad Harley wreck and busted head, so we were chalking it up to some kind of inner ear damage. It happened a handful of times since then (5 years ago) and we always thought it was the head injuy.
I'm a biologist, so you would think I would have put it together sooner. But it was just 3 years ago I made the connection. I knew that a Xanax would HELP these verigo/puke/die episodes - I J St didn't realize it was the lack OF them that was causing them to begin with.

At one time, I was being prescribed insane amounts of everything. You probably won't even believe it, but really.. the doc had worked me up to 4 80mg OCs, 4 100mg morphine ers, 4 2mg Xanax bars, 4 350mg Soma. ...oh, yeah, and 8 10mg hydrocodone/apap for "breakthrough pain" ... (and trazadone).
Yes, that was 3 different opiates, and yes I somehow lived. That went on from 1996 until 2007.. 21 years on 8 mg of Xanax and all those pain meds..

So, I decided to quit it all Nov of 2015.. so, a years and half ago. I checked into a 6 day detox, medically supervised.. because I knew I would die most likely.
They used Suboxone and phenobarbital.. it was the phenobarbital that kept me from seizing and puking.. the Suboxone helped some - but of course they wanted to make a Sub customer outta me, ..I declined.

I hurt so badly, for over a year it was insane. It still is (I'm a disabled veteran). But I haven't taken another pain pill since.

Xanax? .. different​ story man. Even 6 months after I stopped, I still couldn't hardly write (hand shake) and my blood pressure went from 175/75 up to 220/120 and wouldn't come down. I took blood pressure meds, still sky high and I felt like I woul stroke out any time. Then my hearing went out in my left ear ( the tinnitus was crazy anyway) and I went to urgent care. BP was way up. They gave me nothing, said go lay down. So, I call my buddy and said this wasn't working. He said, come get a bar before you die, man.. I did. And within 5 - 10 minutes I was normal. No tinnitus, no shaking and twitching and we checked my BP.. 121/82 ..

My point is this - I believe that one can pass the point not of no return. I think my receptors have evolved to the picture not they just won't funtion normally without some help. That was 6 months of hell and I wasn't getting any better.

One more thing - Z drugs WILL by cross tolerance action, keep you alive if you're in an emergency. (Ambien, Lunesta, etc) .. this past year I was in Ecuador, my meds got lost by DHL then stuck in customs hold for another week.. and there, (forget getting a benzo) but they do have a Z drug that is a stereo isomer (molecular mirror) of Lunesta. It was cheap, it was OTC and it left a nasty nasty taste in your mouth like metal and old meat.. but it damn works. I didn't "feel good" or anything, but I didn't ride that tilt a whirl either.

 

[cdin]

i have used phenibut to some success. You need to keep a log of what you're taking when, and slowly, surely remove small amounts yourself. Get a scale. it will help you immensely. .001

 

[Lana X]

Xanax off and on my entire life. Of course everyone is different. This time I was doing 2mg-5mg daily for about 6 months and the fear of withdrawal symptoms kept from quitting. I tried to taper but could only get down to 2mg. Dr wasn't willing to prescribe another benzo so wrote me a rx for Gabapentin. So far, I spent day one in bed expecting severe withdrawals as I've experienced in the past many times but this time I took Gabapentin 600mg spread throughout the day. So far so good. For me, it's been almost completely alleviating the anxiety, shakes, sweats, etc. The cravings are still there but the physical withdrawal is not as bad. I managed 5 hours of restless sleep with Benedryl which is to be expected. Very impressed with Gabapentin.

 

[DayDreamBeliever]

I never really noticed a difference on gabapentin. When taking a large quantity or just 1. Except it would help me fall asleep, but not stay asleep. And I would wake up sweaty. And not typical withdrawal symptoms.