Hope4Healing:Long term SSRI user quit a year ago and now I have a benzo dependency

[Hope4Healing]

On 3/18/2022 at 6:53 AM, MerryJayneFriday said:

Hello and welcome @Hope4Healing

 

I'm also formerly of the Facebook Lyrica Survivors group. Glad you found your way here and I'm glad I caught up with you!  I'm still learning the site so please be patient.  

After reading your story it sure sounds like you have been thru it!!  Terrible that a detox place put you on the gaba to help with another drug. I'm so sorry. But look how far you've come!!!  Woo hooooo!!  

My taper was over a 4 year time period and I remember so well being sick over and over again. Sometimes I held a lot longer than 4 weeks just because I couldn't bear to be sick again. It's a tough road but you can do it!  I feel so much better now that im approaching 2 years off Lyrica!  Lots of remedies in the files as you know,  but don't be afraid to hold for a while to get well if you need to.  

 

You are indeed a Warrior!  Holler when you need help. Know you are in my prayers XO

 

MJF

Thank you for your words of encouragement.  Right now my anxiety is at a high level.  I think that now that I am at a lower level of Gabapentin I am no longer getting the anxiolytic effects from it that I once was.  I don't know what to do other than to just hold and hope to start feeling better.

[Hope4Healing]

On 3/17/2022 at 7:23 PM, canaanstongue01 said:

 i relate to this so much, and just want you to know that it was comforting to find someone else with a similar experience (though i was taking benzos along with the pot and booze). it really did feel like hitting a brick wall in slow motion.

I'm sorry you are having to go through this.  I've been slow to respond to posts because I just haven't felt up it.  I see that you are tapering valium.  I know that has to be tough.  I tried tapering klonopin but wasn't successful at it so I ended up in rehab.  I have to think that if I had just continued tapering klonopin (instead of going into rehab) I would have been done with all these drug withdrawals  by now. 

[Hope4Healing]

On 3/18/2022 at 11:16 AM, OldDodgy said:

@Hope4Healing

 

Hiya. Well I think you are doing a great job to reduce so sensibly !  At last you are at a safer level.  With support from SA and us pentinoid survivors do you think you can cope going nice slow. ? 
 

Might be worth editing your signature so folk know instantly approx your tapering dose. .? 
 

Wishing you well 

 

OldDodgy aka Dxxxie 

Hello OldDodgy.  Thanks for responding to my post.  You said I am at a safer level now and I suppose I am but ever since getting below 200 mg I haven't been able to stabilize.  I am experiencing constant withdrawal symptoms and don't feel stable enough to continue with my taper.  I was dosing twice a day but I switched to three times a day 1.5 months ago and still don't feel any better.  Some have suggested (on a FB group) that it could be a vitamin, electrolyte or mineral deficiency.  My most recent blood tests all show normal, with the exception of sodium which was slightly low.  I don't know what to do.  Should I continue my micro taper and just try to bear the w/d symptoms?  I've been feeling very desperate and have even considered doing a cold turkey.  I tried to get into a rehab clinic but they said they didn't have a program for me because I was already at a low dose and should just be able to cold turkey with no major issues.  I'm at 177mg per day.  Even my prescribing doctor seems to think that jumping cold turkey is my best option.  I was hoping to get down to 100mg before jumping but I don't know if I will be able to make it that far. 

[OldDodgy]

@HopeforHealing

 

Hi. 
I am chuffed that you value my opinion   
 

I think you are doing well. I think the three times a day is a good idea.  
 

I have more experience of pregabalin than gabapentin but if you divide 177 by 6 that is about 29.5 of pregabalin. 
 

I would not jump off that dose!  I tried and failed. I would continue to micro taper to 50 of gabapentin or below if my experience was anything to go by. 
 

I know you have had a blood screen but it should include magnesium, ferritin, and the vitamins B12 D and folate. These are depleted by gabapentin I understand. 
 

If it would help then message me every week to encourage you or post often on here. 
 

This is a painful challenge as the dose lowers but if an old chicken like me can do it then I know you will. 
 

Best wishes, chin up!! 
 

OldDodgy aka Dxxxie 

[Hope4Healing]

I started my daily liquid micro taper on Saturday, March 26th.  I am tapering 1mg per day.  I am already feeling withdrawal symptoms and I've only tapered 2 mg so far.   My main symptoms are yucky (indescribable) feelings, head pressure on my eyes and forehead and dizziness.  I'm also having some skin burning and tinnitus in my right ear.  I don't know how I will ever be able to taper all the way down.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

[OldDodgy]

@HopeforHealing

 

Sorry you are having withdrawal on even this slow reduction but don’t lose heart. 

Pentinoids are weird to come off. 

Please hold if you need imho for a week and see if things stabilise. I am afraid it’s a long road but you are not alone. 

 

Backing you -)) 

 

OldDodgy

[canaanstongue01]

On 3/24/2022 at 2:42 PM, Hope4Healing said:

  I see that you are tapering valium.  I know that has to be tough.  I tried tapering klonopin but wasn't successful at it so I ended up in rehab.  I have to think that if I had just continued tapering klonopin (instead of going into rehab) I would have been done with all these drug withdrawals  by now. 

thank you for your kind words hope. i’m sorry you’re still having such a rough time. i really wish i could hold my valium until i get a bit further out from my rapid lexapro taper, but that just doesn’t seem to be an option for me now because the guy prescribing me wants me to keep going down. i don’t want to go back to buying valium off the street. 

 

the fact that you’re still around telling your story gives me hope. thanks.