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Recovery Process - Day 1

M

m59077

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Oct 15, 2016
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I'm on Day 1 detoxing from ambien after 6 months of continuously heavy usage, consuming on average around 20-40mg a day. This has also been on top of having recently detoxed completely from 3-4 years of tramadol usage, of which I consumed on average between 400-600mg a day along with Gabapentin which I took anywhere between 1200-1800mg a day on and off for years. Its been 2 and a half months since I've tooken either tramadol or gabapentin.

I've developed all the classic withdrawal symptoms from having stopped tramadol and gabapentin, dizziness, loss of appetite, sensitivity to stimuli, fatigue, visual snow, and some of these symptoms seem to have now gotten worse now that I am attempting to get off of ambien.

These prescription drugs are nothing to play around with, they are extremely addictive and have dire consequences, its been a daily battle for months especially around the time I stopped using the tramadol and gabapentin. I've been using the sleeping meds as a way to cope with PAWS stemming from having halted the tramadol and gabapentin but am now becoming aware how much of a disservice the sleeping meds are doing to my mind and body. I'll keep you posted on how it goes, this will be my third attempt quitting ambien in the past couple of months, last time I was not able to sleep for days which prompted me to go back on them again. Thank you all whom participate in this forum, its helped me tremendously to cope with all the hardship that's come from having taken these drugs.
 
What you are doing is very admirable!

The business you are undertaking is super hard work, as you already know well enough. Your post certainly indicates that you're aware of the significance of what you're doing.

Please let us know if we can do anything to aid you in your recovery.
 
Unfortunately I relapsed before day 2, the scattered thoughts, nerve pain upon trying to get any sleep, dizziness, heart arrhythmia fatigue and hyperacusis, sensitivity to sound which sends my nerves into a jolt are very difficult to tolerate. If I go to the hospital they can possibly give me some ativan, perhaps I can switch over to something like that, say an anti anxiety like ativan or Valium that lasts long. Or perhaps gabapentin to help me stabalize.

My ears are sensitive to sound and everyloud sound seems to nerve me up. If I try to go to sleep without the ambien, I get jolted with nerve pain around my chest and head area as I drift to sleep or I enter rem sleep immediately only to get jolted out of that with nerve pain. My arrhythmia and fast heart rate is worrying me.

All I've been taking has been the ambien but am now seriously considering taking something else to substitute from this drug. What do you guys recommend, gabapentin, tramadol, ativan, and or Valium. Would prepare to stay away from xanax as its very short acting. I just wanna live my life without the horrors that have been coming from having taken these ambiena for so long.
 
It really sounds like you'd benefit from a good medical detox. Do you have a good doctor who knows about what you're struggling with who could help you manage your detox at home?
 
toothpastedog said:
It really sounds like you'd benefit from a good medical detox. Do you have a good doctor who knows about what you're struggling with who could help you manage your detox at home?
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No money, only medical insurance, I'm currently staying with a family member and she has been great offering me whatever I needed to distract me from these wds. What are my options, could going backto gabapentin be something I could consider. Riding these Wds is too vicious, the mental aspect even more so as I cant even think coherently
 
A low dose of lorazepam or diazepam would be your best bet for a week or two. Try:

400mg of gabapentin in the morning and 1mg lorazepam or 10mg of diazepam at night for four days (take either diazepam or lorazepam, not both);
400mg of gabapentin in the morning and 10mg just at night for days 5-8;
400mg gabapentin in the morning and 0.5mg lorazepam or 5mg diazepam just at night for days 9-12;
400mg of gabapentin in the morning and at night for days 13-16; and finally
200mg of gabapentin in the morning and 200mg at night for days 17-20.
 
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