Marsha: can I taper off geodon before gabapentin?

[Marsha]

Why do you have to taper clonazepam now?

 

Is it possible 10mg Geodon might be enough to reduce withdrawal and restore your sleep?

I could try to take 10 mgs of geodon. I will try it. I am getting pressure from now from the psychiatrist that was supposed to let me keep taking benzodiazepines. I think I am going to have to alternate between geodon and clonazepam to satisfy the doctors. I made appointment with psych NP who prescribes clonazepam and see how long she will keep me at 3mgs before she tries to force me to taper off it. What else can I do?

[Altostrata]

Marsha, I don't understand what's going on. It seems you are in the habit of changing your dosages and switching your drugs. You need to stop doing this. It is adding to your problems. Changing drugs and dosages disrupts sleep.

 

If you are phoning your doctor and begging him to do something, you are confusing him. The only solution he can provide is to write a prescription. If you don't like Geodon, he's thinking you might like Zyprexa better.

 

If 10mg Geodon works, if I were you, I'd keep it and the clonazepam consistent for a good while, barring worsening side effects.

[Marsha]

 

Marsha, I don't understand what's going on. It seems you are in the habit of changing your dosages and switching your drugs. You need to stop doing this. It is adding to your problems. Changing drugs and dosages disrupts sleep.

 

If you are phoning your doctor and begging him to do something, you are confusing him. The only solution he can provide is to write a prescription. If you don't like Geodon, he's thinking you might like Zyprexa better.

 

If 10mg Geodon works, if I were you, I'd keep it and the clonazepam consistent for a good while, barring worsening side effects.

I took 20 mgs of geodon last night and the panic anxiety fear restlessness remitted within a half hour. Today I feel completely normal. But I will experience insomnia again even as low as 10 mgs. It is the drug effect on me. Im not even sure another drug would stop the insomnia. The antipsychotic simply cause insomnia for me. Its not withdrawal insomnia. Its a side effect of the drugs. I will take 10 mgs and the clonazepam and see if I can sleep. This is the whole reason I stopped taking the geodon. Complete insomnia and the emerging tardive dyskenisia. The geodon worked for sleep last night but it only does that for a night or two. This is how I got on trazodone. When I was tapered off trazodone I was taking 80 mgs of geodon. I was surprised that I was able to sleep. I have been able to sleep for 8 months and then insomnia. I feel I am in an impossible situation. The drugs that are supposed to make me sleep don't. At this point I am completely at a loss as to what to do to restore sleep. I mean I have total insomnia. That's why I thought maybe switching to 2.5 mgs of Zyprexa would restore sleep. But in 2009 all the antipsychotic did not allow sleep. Please can you help me to know what to do?

[Altostrata]

I'm sorry, Marsha, I have to leave those decisions up to you. I don't know what you should do.

[Marsha]

Terror, panic, tardive dyskenisia, sounds make me jump out of my skin. Insomnia. From 9:00pm until 5am. Starts 2 hours after I take geodon. Does this sound like an adverse reaction to the geodon after ri 20 mgs four days ago? Stop taking and go to hospital?

[Altostrata]

Marsha, it's impossible to tell where those symptoms are coming from because you have been so inconsistent in taking your drugs.

 

I don't know what will happen if you go to the hospital. Have you discussed this with your doctor? If you go without being admitted by a doctor, you will be put in the psychiatric ward and most likely given a bunch of other drugs.

[Marsha]

Marsha, it's impossible to tell where those symptoms are coming from because you have been so inconsistent in taking your drugs.

 

I don't know what will happen if you go to the hospital. Have you discussed this with your doctor? If you go without being admitted by a doctor, you will be put in the psychiatric ward and most likely given a bunch of other drugs.

Not going to the hospital under any circumstances. Doctor keeps trying to add drugs. Refuse to take any more drugs. Off geodon. Not going to that doctor anymore. Dealing with geodon withdrawal symptoms. Going to NP to get clonazepam and gabapentin. Will try to buy as much time as possible to keep taking clonazepam while I recover from geodon withdrawal then start clonazepam withdrawal.

[Altostrata]

That sounds like a plan.

[Marsha]

I am sleeping about 3-4 hours per night. Haven't changed anything. Have lots of fear at night. Memory loss. Brain fog. Am coping without the geodon but really difficult. Still have jaw movement and lip, face twitching at night. Finger tremors come and go. Doctor keeps trying to get me to take zyprexa or seroquel. I have repeatedly told him about my involuntary movements. I only hope he will continue to give me clonazepam while I get through the geodon withdrawals. He's the only one who will prescribe it. If in the next few months he insists that I start to taper it, I have to go with maybe 2% reduction. Or five % if I can handle it. The fear is starting right now and some twitching. Saw psych np yesterday. Total waste of time. She is in la la land. Also won't prescribe clonazepam. My options are becoming more limited. Very much afraid right now.

[Marsha]

Thought I would pop in with an update. I am holding my own. The fear has mostly gone. Sleep is good some nights then other nights not so good. All in all coping with the geodon withdrawal. Was depressed today but that is to be expected and I will work through it. The face twitching is gone but the jaw movement continues as well as some twitching of my fingers. I think I got off geodon just in time. So glad to be off it.

[Altostrata]

That's such good news, Marsha. What happened over the last 2 weeks?

[Marsha]

That's such good news, Marsha. What happened over the last 2 weeks?

mostly sleep problems, waking up with anxiety in the middle of the night, nausea, and anxiety as to when I will be able to start tapering clonazepam. But sleep has markedly improved. I still wake up in the middle of the night but now without the accompanied anxiety. I will need to start tapering clonazepam soon as the combination of gabapentin and clonazepam is causing bradycardia. Last night my heart rate went down to 41 for a while. Today it is 58. But this has been happening for a long time. But I know it's not good for my heart. I see the addiction Dr on February 4. She monitors overall health and symptoms. Might have to start tapering clonazepam sooner than I had planned.

[Altostrata]

You may wish to taper the gabapentin instead.

 

Still, you've come a long way, thanks for letting us know.

[Marsha]

You may wish to taper the gabapentin instead.

 

Still, you've come a long way, thanks for letting us know.

just curious, what is the reason for reducing the gabapentin first?

[Altostrata]

Because the clonazepam will be more effective than vice versa in compensating for gabapentin withdrawal symptoms.

[Marsha]

Because the clonazepam will be more effective than vice versa in compensating for gabapentin withdrawal symptoms.

I have decided that I need to get off the prevacid next. Should I wait to start tapering it? My last geodon was December 31. Prior to that i didn't take any from December 19 to the 27th. Then 20 mgs for 3 days. How do I know if I can start to taper the prevacid?

[Altostrata]

You can taper it anytime. See Tips for tapering off stomach acid blockers or PPIs...

[Marsha]

I feel very sick. Nausea. Aching. Bones hurt. Fatigue. No appetite. Maybe I have the flu. But this could be another part of geodon withdrawals. Don't know for sure. I felt this way for a few hours two days ago then last night it just hit me like a ton of bricks. Feel very very sick.

[Altostrata]

Well, you know there will be ups and downs. Time to practice your meditative breathing. Don't make any drug changes for a while, including the PPI.

[Marsha]

Well, you know there will be ups and downs. Time to practice your meditative breathing. Don't make any drug changes for a while, including the PPI.

ok. Where do i find out about meditative breathing?

[Altostrata]

See Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

[Marsha]

I feel much better. I am very concerned about what the benzodiazepines have done and continue to do to me. I am very withdrawn from society. When face to face with people i can't even form a sentence. My mind can't remember or form memories. This frightens me. And since I had to stop the geodon so abruptly because of tardive dyskenisia I am still recovering from the geodon. My memory began to be affected soon after I started xanax in 1997. I did not know it was the benzodiazepine causing it. Over the years I constantly voiced my concerns to many doctors only to be ignored and sent to a psychiatrist who experimented on me with every drug you can imagine. I know I shouldn't make any drug changes right now but what about the damage to my brain? The damage is substantial. I feel like I am in an impossible situation now for getting off benzodiazepines. I would have revealed this sooner had it crossed my mind. Where do i go from here? At what point can I begin the klonopin taper?

[Marsha]

I feel much better. I am very concerned about what the benzodiazepines have done and continue to do to me. I am very withdrawn from society. When face to face with people i can't even form a sentence. My mind can't remember or form memories. This frightens me. And since I had to stop the geodon so abruptly because of tardive dyskenisia I am still recovering from the geodon. My memory began to be affected soon after I started xanax in 1997. I did not know it was the benzodiazepine causing it. Over the years I constantly voiced my concerns to many doctors only to be ignored and sent to a psychiatrist who experimented on me with every drug you can imagine. I know I shouldn't make any drug changes right now but what about the damage to my brain? The damage is substantial. I feel like I am in an impossible situation now for getting off benzodiazepines. I would have revealed this sooner had it crossed my mind. Where do i go from here? At what point can I begin the klonopin taper?

I am sorry. I feel very very sick again physically.

[Altostrata]

Waves and windows, Marsha. Be brave, you'll get through this. Look how far you've come.

[Marsha]

Waves and windows, Marsha. Be brave, you'll get through this. Look how far you've come.

ha! One good thing is that I can fit into a size 12 again. Haven't been able to do that in 15 years. Lol

[Marsha]

Well, you know there will be ups and downs. Time to practice your meditative breathing. Don't make any drug changes for a while, including the PPI.

well I feel a lot better. Wake up at night after two hours sleep with fear then after an hour go back to sleep and sleep the rest of the night but wake up with fear. It dissipates within an hour or so. Not going to worry about it. Really when can I start to taper the PPI? How long should I wait before tapering again? How do I know when I can? Also, the clonazepam? Sorry just being anxious because of the damage they are causing and have caused. Altostrata, you said don't make any drug changes for a while. How long is a while? Arghh. The frustration of it all!

[Altostrata]

Let your sleep settle down. See what happens for at least a month. It was only a weak ago you felt nauseated.

[Marsha]

I am not going to be a statistic. I am gaining strength in my mind. My brain and body has suffered damage but I am going to recover. Even if my old body becomes diseased and I die I have faith that God will resurrect me into an exquisite earthly paradise where the Bible promises no drugs, no doctors only life in a paradise earth in perfect mental, spiritual, and physical health for all eternity. Thank you everyone for all of the insight, information, compassion and dedication to help us get off drugs and reclaim our lives.

[AliG]

Marsha. I just wanted to say Hi.  I saw your post in "Off Topics" , and I'm so pleased that you are feeling a little happiness again.   As Alto said, you have come a long way . You seem to be gaining momentum everyday and will recover from this " experience" .  It's encouraging that you realize you are healing, and that one day, all of this will hopefully just be a distant memory. Although, having said that , I'm sure that you will come out of this stronger, in mind, body and spirit !

Best wishes,

Ali

[Marsha]

I think I have the flu. It came on suddenly yesterday. Swollen painful lymph nodes under my chin aches and bones hurt. I had a fever of 99.6 this morning. Sore throat. Strange feeling. I haven't had the flu in over 20 years. Oh well. Just another bump in the road to recovery. So very happy to be alive.

[Ali4]

Hello fellow benzo user, I am a drug addict and have been out of rehab for two weeks now, I was in treatment for 2 months, one of my drugs of choice was clonazepam, they are tricky to come off,I totally feel for you,I would say come off it last, get a doctor that knows alot about benzos, if you don't,your gonna have a long road ahead of you.

[Marsha]

Well the flu symptoms are gone. Now I'm having cortisol spikes during the night and wake up every 2-3 hours with fear. I take 1 lactium each time and am able to go back to sleep. I also take half a tylenol. Jaw movement and finger twitching from tardive dyskenisia remain. I need to learn to be patient regarding when I can start tapering again. Could be a while if I continue to experience sleep disturbances. Hope not. Can you still taper even while experiencing disturbances with sleep? I mean, do i have to have perfect sleep every night in order to begin tapering again? I know I need to take a wait and see attitude.

[Altostrata]

Your sleep doesn't have to be perfect but you need to have confidence you can manage your symptoms. Sounds like your nervous system still needs settling. If you're having a good response to Lactium, you must be very sensitive.

[Marsha]

I try to read about ways to cope with my unstable nervous system in symptoms and self care and I am overwhelmed by the vast amount of information and I cannot focus or process any of it. Is there something specific I can do to deal with the intense fear in the morning or is it too early in the abrupt withdrawal from the geodon for anything to help? It doesn't happen every morning. Do i just need to be patient and let my nervous system settle down? I have other symptoms as well. All sorts of uncomfortable feelings. The greatest is intense fear. I can't seem to quell it. And then I read horror stories. I've got to stop doing that. I so desperately need to get off the other drugs. I feel like I am going to vomit. Please someone send me a lifeline.

[Marsha]

Your sleep doesn't have to be perfect but you need to have confidence you can manage your symptoms. Sounds like your nervous system still needs settling. If you're having a good response to Lactium, you must be very sensitive.

I try to read about ways to cope with my unstable nervous system in symptoms and self care and I am overwhelmed by the vast amount of information and I cannot focus or process any of it. Is there something specific I can do to deal with the intense fear in the morning or is it too early in the abrupt withdrawal from the geodon for anything to help? It doesn't happen every morning. Do i just need to be patient and let my nervous system settle down? I have other symptoms as well. All sorts of uncomfortable feelings. The greatest is intense fear. I can't seem to quell it. And then I read horror stories. I've got to stop doing that. I so desperately need to get off the other drugs. I feel like I am going to vomit. Please someone send me a lifeline.

Marsha you are going to get through this!!!!!

[Altostrata]

Read

Withdrawal dialogues & encouragement

Waking with panic or anxiety -- managing cortisol spikes

 

You've made so many changes recently, probably it would be best for you to let your nervous system settle down. Keep everything steady for a good while, maybe months. Please stop fixating on getting off all the drugs, you need to take care of yourself by being patient.