Benzos Need help/suggestions for Poly-Drug WD using Zolpidem

[polyDRUGuSeR]

been a lurker for years but now I need some HR info on using ambien/zolpidem to help with horrible poly drug use WD's.

I was taking high doses of prescribed trazodone, anywhere from 50mg up to 300 mg spaced out. Scripted originally for sleep and when it didn't allow me to sleep as long as I wanted I would just take more when I would wake up. It was a 60 day supply and I went thru it in 30 days. NON-prescribed xanax (8mg every couple days, went thru 40mg in about 2 weeks), NON-prescribed oxy (30-120mg per dose and that was on an off weekly when I could afford them, total about 2 months), melatonin (1mg at bedtime and would even redose if I awoke-every night and day just to get to sleep when I didnt have DOC), benedryl (25 to 100 nightly-every night and day just to get sleep when I didnt have DOC), also went thru 30 10mg prescribed zolpidem in 8 days. This is all over about 2 months. (may and june)

My poly drug use WD's are horrendous and am possibly gonna lose everything (job, woman, house) from it. I have derealization, depersonalization, tachacardia, metal taste in my mouth, physical tremors, lights are too bright and sounds are way to loud, riniging in my ears, smells are amplified, constantly seem dazzed and confussed, can't make any decision without a panic attack, sleep only 1 hour every other day and I wake up drenched in sweat, and almost worse as the insomnia is i believe I have acquired agoraphobia. So i have not left the house besides work for a long time which is why my woman may be leaving me soon. cant even seem to do simple board games or go visit her friends and hang out with friends. I am scared i'll just get out of my comfort zone and have repeated panic attacks and not be able to leave. These WD's have been going on now for over 24 days. I have used no meds in the last 24 days.

I was debating about getting this next refill of zolpidem since the 8th of July but didn't cave in until today. I just fillled my next zolpidem script and am wondering if it's safe to take 20 to 30 mg the first couple times and then just 10mg each night there after.then maybe at half way thru this script start only taking 5mg at bedtime. I am hoping tapering these 30 zolpidems (actually I have 1 more refill i can fill in a month as welli will then yse this script for 5mg at bedtime and half way thru down to 2.5mg and then jump off) will get me past these poly drug WD's I am experiencing. I may lose my job because I go to work and cant seem to focus or do anythihng despite me knowing that if I dont accomplish tassaks, I will be fired.

i may lose my woman because I am so irritable all the time. i can barely get an errection and when I do, i almost cum instantly.

Any thoughts or advice would be appreicated.
THanks

PS I don't smoke weed so don't bother mentioning that again.

 

[sekio]

If you're on day 24 of detox and you havent totally collapsed, taking zolpidem isn't going to work in your favour.

The major things to worry about there are:
Xanax detox
Opioid detox
then antihistamine rebound effects
then the zolpidem.

The rest are pretty benign.

I hate to be a smartass but this is what happens when you abuse drugs that produce physical dependency.

 

[polyDRUGuSeR]

If you're on day 24 of detox and you havent totally collapsed, taking zolpidem isn't going to work in your favour.

The major things to worry about there are:
Xanax detox
Opioid detox
then antihistamine rebound effects
then the zolpidem.

The rest are pretty benign.

I hate to be a smartass but this is what happens when you abuse drugs that produce physical dependency.

so you see no benefit at all from trying to taper with zolpidem? it does after all affect the GABA sites doesn't it?

Yes, I have not collapsed BUT I can't function like this anymore. I have thought about suicide daily and even purchased supplies. I don;t want to die BUT I also can't function the way I am.

 

[tricomb]

Zolpidem will do nothing but hurt you.

 

[RobotRipping]

there's no point in tapering now if you are at day 24, the worst will be over soon, i can guarantee that. The residual effects will last a bit longer but will lighten over the next few months. Thoughts of suicide are common during such a withdrawal, realize that it's not that you want to die but that you want to feel better. You will feel better so logically, not a good idea to kill yourself. If you are seriously considering it seek professional help immediately. My only advice is to keep riding it out, you are very close to getting over that hump.

How long were you using each drug? if it was only for 2 months then you are lucky and this misery will be over very soon.

There are some things which will give you a tiny bit of relief; valerian root, passionflower, hops, exercise, eating healthy, meditation and therapy. If possible, some jobs offer you support if you're going through a serious mental breakdown, it may require a doctors recommendation but if you do this you can probably get unemployment if you are let go. As far as losing a woman over this, a good woman should not leave you in such a terrible state, but maybe you can talk the issue out, somehow show her how much suffering you are going through and she may be more willing to hold on and wait for things to improve. Try to remember this is only temporary, and better yet, it's almost over.

Congrats on doing 24 days, i know that insane suffering. If you need any help/support from someone who has gone through similar situations a bunch of times, send me a pm.

 

[polyDRUGuSeR]

Zolpidem will do nothing but hurt you.

why do you say that? i know you have extensive experience with benzos but can you explain why it can't help ease the WD's ever so slightly? im in such a world of hurt that it's unthinkable to ever wish this upon anbother human soul.

 

[sekio]

Zolpidem is very selective for the GABA-a benzodiazepine receptors that regulate sleep. But in your case, you're trying to help those receptors re-equilibriate to "normal" levels.

It wouldn't help with any of the anxiety, twitching, feeling like shit... it might make you sleep, but in your case it probably would do nothing but aggravate your withdrawals when it wore off.

If you start taking zolpidem it will initially help but then you'll liekyl relapse to taking huge amounts of it again, and then you'll have to detox even worse.

The posters above me are right, after 24 days you are through the worst of it and you should start feeling better in a while.

 

[tricomb]

You're already almost a month into recovery, yeah it's shitty and you're not out of the woods yet but if you start fucking up your GABA again then it will all have been for nothing.

Primarily, Ambien is a shitty drug altogether, it is not likely to improve any psychological effects induced by reckless drug abuse. Focus on making positive life changes man, fix your diet and exercise and work on good sleep hygiene. It will all come together soon, and your girl will be able to see that you're making an effort and not still popping pills.

 

[polyDRUGuSeR]

You're already almost a month into recovery, yeah it's shitty and you're not out of the woods yet but if you start fucking up your GABA again then it will all have been for nothing.

Primarily, Ambien is a shitty drug altogether, it is not likely to improve any psychological effects induced by reckless drug abuse. Focus on making positive life changes man, fix your diet and exercise and work on good sleep hygiene. It will all come together soon, and your girl will be able to see that you're making an effort and not still popping pills.

ive been thru inpatient opiate WD CT detox with only clonidine-10 days stay, i made it out but 6 monthes later I relapsed afer running into a friend, addiction fired rihft back up so i joined a MMT ptorgam. Didi that for 5 years and tapered all the way dsown tp 5mg, then skipping days. had bad anxiety and my GP scripted me Valium (his reason, least addition potential) anyway, got hooked on valium due to abusing it to numb the pain, soon after that I ran in to OC's again. heavy habit (over drawn credit card etc etc-0-- so then I checked int another inpatient place that did suboxone whih councelornig, went thru that prgram and they had me on gabapentin, depakote, ambien, and suboxone stated at 16mg/day but lowered very fast to 4mg /day, Anyway, they saw me mental and physical state and put me on a short script of xanax to come off the lingering effects from the valium. got off the valium and depakote but stucj the gabapentin and suboxone, I had to had a hip scope done to remove broken cartilidge and repaor a tear, so i get back on perc 10"s for about 2 weeks (very enjoyable I might add) but then I have to go back on suboxone and finish my taper.i jumed off at 2mg cause the Dr noticed I was missing outpatient clases so he cut me off,

remained clean for about a year until i ran into old friends who had masss ssupply of the blues. I toldmyself that I would only do them a couple tomes a month and we all know where that lead me!! BUT some times did pass and I wasnt using any Polyt drugs, just drinkning (i know i know) so i was chipping hear and there on weekends hjelping friends move stuff eetc etcv and they woud pay me with a blue.. well, the itch returned and now I wanted them so I started seeking them out, in doing so, i found oxy and xanax this time.

there's a summary of my last 12 years---use-rehab---use--MMT---use----rehab---use (not very heavy or for vewry long so I am trying to get this taken care of before i lose my job, my woman, and my house using zolpidem.

Now that you know all that, any different opinions.

THE DREADED HORROR STORIES: I CAN'T AFFORD TO REMAIN IN THESE DEBILITATING wd'S FOR ANY LONGer. IVE SEEN MANY GO THRU IT FOR 6MONTHS TO A YEAR. I KNOW MY USE WAS SHORT BUT THAT'S WHY I AM SO SHOCKED ABOUT HOW BAD THIS WD IS!

 

[sekio]

Listen to what you just said. Do you think drug use is going to fix any of your problems?

Why start using again if you know where those roads lead?

 

[polyDRUGuSeR]

It wouldn't help with any of the anxiety, twitching, feeling like shit... it might make you sleep, but in your case it probably would do nothing but aggravate your withdrawals when it wore off.

it is helping me with all those symptoms you list above though. and sleep. granted I have taken 60mg over 4 hours and am about to pass out in bed

Listen to what you just said. Do you think drug use is going to fix any of your problems?

Why start using again if you know where those roads lead?

its the addicts brain wriring, i need a quick fix, a pill that will make it all better. i am just asking for opinions about my taper plan. you all feel that its not worth it WHILE my quality of life is shit. I think it may work and am going to give it a try.if it doesn't work, wel then i'll deal with the zolpidem WD when they come, i will be tapering it slowly thats for sure.

Listen to what you just said. Do you think drug use is going to fix any of your problems?

i feel the zolpidem will help me get sleep so I can concentrate at work and get back into a normal sleep cycle. Insomnia is memtally and physically draining!!! I need sleep so badly to function.

 

[chase_in_56ace]

What u trnyna hear brown it wont help. U almost done

 

[klonodonian]

PolyDrugUser,

I feel your pain man. We have similar stories. At age 18 I found myself with a 120mg OxyCodone / half gram cocaine / 4mg alprazolam habit. People just do not respect the pain that polydrug addicts go through when quitting. I have tried everything short of suicide and Salvation Army. I have cold turkeyed more times than I care to remember, I have tried Suboxone, hospitalized detoxes etc etc. NA/AA. I would be clean for a while, and then eventually my habit would sneak back into my life and escalate. Didn't take long before I was shooting heroin (the OCs were so much better, but so much more expensive) and popping mad benzos again.

My advice: Get on MMT Methadone Maintainence Therapy. ASAP. Many people on these forums will bad-mouth Methadone, because either a) it didn't work for them because it's "more addicting" (yeah, but you can fucking taper with it, anybody know a junkie who successfully tapered with heroin/OC? I sure don't) or b) they simply don't know a damn thing about it besides the propoganda they hear.

Also, people say that opiate WDs should only last a week or two. Complete bullshit. Coming off a 2 year OC habit my bones hurt for 3 months and I didn't sleep longer than 2 hours, often filled with nightmares. I finally gave in and relapsed.

My advice: You can't hide this from your girl. Tell her the truth, the whole truth (or as much as you think she can handle) And get PROFESSIONAL help. Find a doctor that is more than just a pusher, or go to a MMT clinic where there aren't a lot of dopeheads out front. You can beat this, but you'll need help. And this time, if the doctor gives you meds to help don't abuse them, use them. Hope I helped. Good luck amigo.

 

[shreddedlettuce]

At recommended doses Zolpidem has an elimination half-life of about 2,5 hours.
This is way to short for relief of w/d's, so I can't see it helping at all.