Benzos help with benzo withdrawal.. desperate

[duneplanet]

Hi. I am still on benzos so I am functional enough to type, but i experienced the withdrawal last night and I am not strong enough right now to handle it. 3 years ago I was on klonopin for a year. I got off of it and ended up having psychotic symptoms for a whole year after. Now 2 years after that terrible detox i got myself back on, starting with ativan. I started 3 or 4 times a week and you know how it is, got that benzo memory, and started taking them back to back without realizing it. welp ended up addicted. this was about a month ago. So then they put me on librium to get off. They also switched blood pressure medicines, meaning i was having intense panic and palpitations so id take way more librium than i was supposed to without realizing it. I was a mess. Now my doc tried to detox me with giving me 25 mg of librium a day. I was taking about 50 mg, along with the occasional klonopin. I didnt sleep at all last night, and was near mental breakdown, as I am today. I took a klonopin this morning because I am so hopeless. Just a few hours of peace you know? Ive gotten 3 hours of sleep now. I am getting sweats and chills now. last time i withdrew from klonopin i was on so much psych medication that i could sleep. now is not the case. I cant go weeks without sleeping. one night without sleeping makes me very, very paranoid and delusional. I need help. I don't have the strength for this. I've just been crying and wanting it to end. My life was getting better for the first time in 15 years. (im 20 now, ive lived a miserable, miserable life) and i messed it all up. What can I do to sleep? Amytjomg? Please help trazadone didnt do anything. IM down to 10-15 mg of librium a day and it is hell. My doctor offered me lyrica/neurontin but I wanna know if you guys have any experiences with them. My doc is at a rehab so he wont even give me baclofen, so barbs are outta the question. What can I do?

 

[dimethyltrypt]

Im 20 also, and have been through serious benzo WD's 4 times. It gets better, I would reccomend Lyrica and clonadine if theyll give it to you.

 

[duneplanet]

thanks for your response man. Im on a beta blocker and tried to switch to clonidine and it got me back on benzos, didn't help. But I am interested in seeing how lyrica/neurontin will act. I just don't wanna go thru another withdrawal you know? Doctors have made my life hell for too long.

 

[Newmorfan]

^^^^
step one, you have to stop blaming the doctors and start taking account for yourself

 

[Z Y G G Y]

I strongly suggest lyrica in your situation. It is similar to neurontin, except much stronger. It will definitely help you sleep. It is not the same as taking a benzo, but it will help a lot and definitely make you pass out. It's more expensive than neurontin but much more effective for what you need it for. Get some lyrica ASAP, it will get your through the worst of it.

 

[scottd420]

Sometimes if you go to your local clinic you may be lucky enough to get a sample of Lyrica. This is what they did for me, I had a free trial period before I figured out if it would work--however I was using it for chronic pain with opioids. Not to get off track, Lyrica can be very sedating if you have no tolerance, it will definitely help calm the CNS. As everyone says, I'd give it a try--try asking for those samples too!
Drug reps love pushing new drugs, so you may get lucky. Best of luck. I've been on clonazepam (Klonopin) for 3 years now, and I'm so hooked that it's ridiculous. I've tried to withdrawal on my own, cold turkey, but at day 5 I almost had a seizure, so back on them I went. I am tapering on my own as we speak, but it will take a while. Possibly a year or more!

Also, maybe talk to your doctor about starting a taper with diazepam, apparently that is supposed to work well because of the longer half-life. Good luck my friend! Don't give up!

 

[duneplanet]

Thanks all. Im tapering on lib which has a long half-life. Are there any consequences of being on lyrica long term? Is neurontin at all effective? I just no neurontin wasn't supposed to cause as much weight gain. benzos are fucking evil. Don Juan would have vomited if he had known about them. gonna wait it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xk8YCmJMuE

 

[StartedHydro]

I have no idea at all about benzos, but I often hear that benzos and alcohol do the same thing to the same region of the brain? If so, if your in a pinch can a few sips of alcohol help?

Im not saying switch substances per addiction but if your out and only option is cold turkey... will Alch help?

Its a sad state of affairs, truely, when we as addicits are afraid to mention to our docs the situation cause of fear what the doc may do.

It is true in regards to step one, you have to take account for yourself.

 

[Nikolai]

Unfortunately nothing is probably going to help enough. Neurontin in huge doses is very effective for some of the physical symptoms of opiate withdrawal, lyrica is similar to neurontin. If able I would definetly get my hands on either one and use it, it may take large doses though to help. Also muscle relaxers, flexeril or baclofen, soma even better. Opiates of course would help a lot but are probably going to be tough to get and may just end up getting you dependent on them as well.

Good luck.

 

[Drifter74]

@ Duneplanet - I don't think you are ready for a cold turkey DT. I really think you will benefit from a long term benzo taper.

You also need to stop being so hard on yourself. You need to find a Dr. that you can trust and devote yourself to him. (But don't take his/her word for ANYTHING - look at it as ADVICE.) Most Dr's are complete idiots and nobody knows you or your body as well as yourself.

Do as much research as you can and make informed decisions based on what the Dr. says and what you've learned on your own. READ, READ, READ!!!!

Take a look at this thread - it might help you.

http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=509628

Also, the Ashton taper plan is a good place to start. The most important thing is you need to be in agreement with your Dr. that there shouldn't be some definitive "cut-off" date. This will only add to your stress. The speed of the taper should be solely dependent on how YOU feel. If it takes three years, WHO CARES? At least you are stable, happier and able to function. That's the most important thing - your well being.

You're a young person with a full life ahead of you. The decisions you make NOW are some of the most important ones you'll be making in your life.

Here is another link to the Ashton taper plan, along with some other resources:

http://ashtonbenzomanual.com/

Another very important thing is being able to find someone you can trust to talk to on a pretty much daily basis - a good friend, girlfriend, ANYBODY that TRULY CARES. Even someone from Bluelight.

PLEASE stop being so hard on yourself.

Feel free to PM me if you need any help or advice. I'd be glad to help in any way I can.

Best of luck to you.

 

[fm1983]

^ Great post.

 

[duneplanet]

hey it wouldn't let me pm you drifter cause im not bluelighter status or some shit so here is what i said

hey thanks a lot for your response.
I'm gonna keep tapering the librium. The hope I try to keep in my mind is that i've only been on these things for 6 weeks this time so it won't last 2 years like last time. I have girlfriend now but the problem is I don't want to wear her out and am so scared of losing her. I constnatly repeat myself and ask reassurance and i know that it is just gonna end up making my fears come true. IDK what to do to remain positive and confident. Im gonna give lyrica or neurontin a try. Id really just like a muscle relaxer but my doc wont do it. ha i can't even listen to music anymore. I just don't understand how to do this. Sleep deps making me irrational. the years of psychedelics didn't help me too much. at least not the dissosiatives.

peace to you

dune

 

[Pegasus]

You need be careful to not binge on the Librium... Do this, and you're back on the right track. Maybe try giving the pills to someone to dispense to you on a daily basis (or whatever basis you can arrange)? Tapering is by far the best way to get off of benzos, but you have to stick to it. I know how difficult it can be; I've been there. The only way you're not going to go through hell is if you stick to your taper, though.

If you do the taper correctly, you really shouldn't experience intense w/d symptoms. Rebound anxiety will possibly appear, but if you taper correctly (not dropping too quickly), your symptoms won't ever get anywhere near unbearable. If the symptoms start to get pronounced, maintain at the level you are at, but do not decrease further until you are fully adjusted to that dose. Also, once you get down to the smallest dose you will be taking before dropping off, start skipping gradually more and more days between doses until you are dosing only once every 3-4 days or so. This will prevent the hard transition from daily dosing to not dosing at all from ever happening, instead spreading it over weeks.

Good luck, and be sure to ask any other questions you may have!

 

[duneplanet]

You need be careful to not binge on the Librium... Do this, and you're back on the right track. Maybe try giving the pills to someone to dispense to you on a daily basis (or whatever basis you can arrange)? Tapering is by far the best way to get off of benzos, but you have to stick to it. I know how difficult it can be; I've been there. The only way you're not going to go through hell is if you stick to your taper, though.

If you do the taper correctly, you really shouldn't experience intense w/d symptoms. Rebound anxiety will possibly appear, but if you taper correctly (not dropping too quickly), your symptoms won't ever get anywhere near unbearable. If the symptoms start to get pronounced, maintain at the level you are at, but do not decrease further until you are fully adjusted to that dose. Also, once you get down to the smallest dose you will be taking before dropping off, start skipping gradually more and more days between doses until you are dosing only once every 3-4 days or so. This will prevent the hard transition from daily dosing to not dosing at all from ever happening, instead spreading it over weeks.

Good luck, and be sure to ask any other questions you may have!

kk will do. Im sticking to 10, tho im having intense shaking, little sweats, lotta anxiety and sensitivity. But I have felt worse. I'll stick with the 10 until im adjusted and then lower. I guess I have the time thing on my side this time, I was only on for a month and a half. Must keep positive at this point. Mind is starting to go
I just need to sleep somehow. Peace to all of you.

EDIT: oh and the lowest librium is 5 mg and it is in a capsule so u cant split it. I couldnt even open the capsule. Is 5 to zero too big of a drop?

 

[Drifter74]

hey it wouldn't let me pm you drifter cause im not bluelighter status or some shit so here is what i said

hey thanks a lot for your response.
I'm gonna keep tapering the librium. The hope I try to keep in my mind is that i've only been on these things for 6 weeks this time so it won't last 2 years like last time. I have girlfriend now but the problem is I don't want to wear her out and am so scared of losing her. I constnatly repeat myself and ask reassurance and i know that it is just gonna end up making my fears come true. IDK what to do to remain positive and confident. Im gonna give lyrica or neurontin a try. Id really just like a muscle relaxer but my doc wont do it. ha i can't even listen to music anymore. I just don't understand how to do this. Sleep deps making me irrational. the years of psychedelics didn't help me too much. at least not the dissosiatives.

peace to you

dune

If you are determined to get off of Benzo's completely, I wish you the best! You can do it if you really want to and with only six weeks of use under your belt, combined with your age, you've got a WONDERFUL chance of success!

I have used Neurontin (Gabapentin) while helping someone taper off of benzo's and had great success. I think you will find that it helps a lot. At the very end of the taper I also gave them an occasional muscle relaxer (Flexeril/ Cyclobenzaprine) to help with sleep at night. Hopefully you can find something similar. If you can't get that I would suggest Diphenhydramine. (Benadryl) - I still suggest finding a more intelligent/understanding Dr. but that's your call!

*HOWEVER* - One thing you have to take into serious consideration is that you could very likely have a chemical imbalance that needs long term medical treatment. This cannot be ignored otherwise you're just going to keep repeating this same vicious cycle. I honestly do not advocate long term benzo use however sometimes it is necessary, and a safer / easier alternative to all those nasty SSRI's out there. (Paxil comes to mind.)

Personally, after years (starting at your age) of trying a buttload of different SSRI's to try and get off of Xanax I ended up right back where I started - taking Xanax daily.

I do not have to raise my dose to get the same effects and I get complete relief of all anxiety. My Dr. calls it Low Dose Dependency and he is perfectly fine with it. Granted I was taking almost 6 mg's a day when I first started seeing him a few years ago, I am now only taking 1-2 mg's a day now and have been for several years. Maybe I'll go down more, maybe I won't. Right now it works great and I don't have to deal with all those nasty side effects that you get with the SSRI's. I'm happy, the Dr. is happy. Win/Win IMO.

Everybody is different though. The person I helped taper is still doing great with NO BENZO's at all. What works for some isn't going to work for others. This is what ended up working for me.

Good luck, and keep us posted as to your progress. You'd be really surprised at how many Bluelighters care more about you than your own Dr.

This is a wonderful community of many highly intelligent people. (and some really ignorant ones, so read, read, read! It's pretty easy to pick out the ones to ignore.)

You're in the right place.

 

[Drifter74]

You need be careful to not binge on the Librium... Do this, and you're back on the right track. Maybe try giving the pills to someone to dispense to you on a daily basis (or whatever basis you can arrange)? Tapering is by far the best way to get off of benzos, but you have to stick to it. I know how difficult it can be; I've been there. The only way you're not going to go through hell is if you stick to your taper, though.

If you do the taper correctly, you really shouldn't experience intense w/d symptoms. Rebound anxiety will possibly appear, but if you taper correctly (not dropping too quickly), your symptoms won't ever get anywhere near unbearable. If the symptoms start to get pronounced, maintain at the level you are at, but do not decrease further until you are fully adjusted to that dose. Also, once you get down to the smallest dose you will be taking before dropping off, start skipping gradually more and more days between doses until you are dosing only once every 3-4 days or so. This will prevent the hard transition from daily dosing to not dosing at all from ever happening, instead spreading it over weeks.

Good luck, and be sure to ask any other questions you may have!

BEST ADVICE and ALL TRUE!!!

 

[duneplanet]

Thanks so much. Im so happy that neurontin helped you, I have hope now. See the thing is I can't get a doc to give me benzos, my doc now is at a rehab and he is the only decent one that is covered by my insurance. He said no to baclofen but maybe flexeril is different, I'm not sure. Im gonna try to stick to ten mg til the 8th (when I see my doc) and see if he can help me. To be honest, I am one of those people who need benzos, but maybe neurontin will help too. I have hppd and severe anxiety at times, with insomnia that leads to craziness. This was before the benzos. ha.\Thanks again.

EDIT: Just a note to anyone else who is withdrawing from benzos, don't take kratom. Made things a lot worse. I miss kratom

 

[Drifter74]

Thanks so much. Im so happy that neurontin helped you, I have hope now. See the thing is I can't get a doc to give me benzos, my doc now is at a rehab and he is the only decent one that is covered by my insurance. He said no to baclofen but maybe flexeril is different, I'm not sure. Im gonna try to stick to ten mg til the 8th (when I see my doc) and see if he can help me. To be honest, I am one of those people who need benzos, but maybe neurontin will help too. I have hppd and severe anxiety at times, with insomnia that leads to craziness. This was before the benzos. ha.\Thanks again.

EDIT: Just a note to anyone else who is withdrawing from benzos, don't take kratom. Made things a lot worse. I miss kratom

Our pleasure! I hope everything works out for you.

Once you have the ability to PM and if you have any personal questions or concerns you don't want to post publicly, feel free to send me a message.

Once again, Good Luck!

 

[qwe]

Hi. I am still on benzos so I am functional enough to type, but i experienced the withdrawal last night and I am not strong enough right now to handle it. 3 years ago I was on klonopin for a year. I got off of it and ended up having psychotic symptoms for a whole year after. Now 2 years after that terrible detox i got myself back on, starting with ativan. I started 3 or 4 times a week and you know how it is, got that benzo memory, and started taking them back to back without realizing it. welp ended up addicted. this was about a month ago. So then they put me on librium to get off. They also switched blood pressure medicines, meaning i was having intense panic and palpitations so id take way more librium than i was supposed to without realizing it. I was a mess. Now my doc tried to detox me with giving me 25 mg of librium a day. I was taking about 50 mg, along with the occasional klonopin. I didnt sleep at all last night, and was near mental breakdown, as I am today. I took a klonopin this morning because I am so hopeless. Just a few hours of peace you know? Ive gotten 3 hours of sleep now. I am getting sweats and chills now. last time i withdrew from klonopin i was on so much psych medication that i could sleep. now is not the case. I cant go weeks without sleeping. one night without sleeping makes me very, very paranoid and delusional. I need help. I don't have the strength for this. I've just been crying and wanting it to end. My life was getting better for the first time in 15 years. (im 20 now, ive lived a miserable, miserable life) and i messed it all up. What can I do to sleep? Amytjomg? Please help trazadone didnt do anything. IM down to 10-15 mg of librium a day and it is hell. My doctor offered me lyrica/neurontin but I wanna know if you guys have any experiences with them. My doc is at a rehab so he wont even give me baclofen, so barbs are outta the question. What can I do?

find a doc that will taper you VERY SLOWLY

A) the slower the better as far as long term post withdrawal symptoms, including your psychotic symptoms (w/d as you know is very stimulating, i'm in kpin w/d right now and i can see why people lose wives/jobs/lives and why people crack... the body can't use up all its reserves and keep its metabolism high and not sleep forever)

B) it is possible to go so slow (take off an eighth of a pill or something, i don't know what mg your pills are, every month... that's really slow i know, but if you need to go that slow then you need to) that your heart rate increases a couple beats for two weeks when you adjust but you don't feel the difference at all in your head. keep in mind the nearer you are to zero mg, the smaller the taper increments

do you use alcohol or any other GABA drugs? how long was your first addiction? each withdrawal will be harder than the previous, it's something about "kindling" and "sensitization" (read in wiki, don't know the term). any use of alcohol or ambien or other gaba-ergics will mess up your w/d by causing rebound

 

[qwe]

check drug side effects for any stimulatnig effects that may exacerbate your symptoms. stay away from stims and IMO SSRIs/SNRIs have some rather anxiogenic side effects (even if they prvide anxiolysis for some)