[Arisa1536]

So I have been admitted to a drug addiction facility for benzo and pain killer addiction which has lasted a good ten years (for the pain killers) and four and half years for the benzodiazepines including the zopiclone/imovane.

They are going to put me on a drug detox program which includes medical tapering from a psychiatrist.

My question is, for people who have been in rehab or managed to taper their meds, or possibly do no have addiction problems

What are the best forms of medication to go on when tapering off of the following

• Ativan (Lorazepam)
• Klonopin (Clonazepam)
• Zopiclone (imovane)
• A tablet that combines Paracetamol mixed with a tiny amount of codeine and a sleep aide known as Doxylamine

I can easily take up to ten of these pain killers a day, up to six zopiclone if i have them per day, and between 2-6MG of klonopin, then i beg, borrow or steal lorazepam since my doc wont let me on them and they work better.

Some people who have been through this program, my advocate told me, went straight onto antipsychotics :mum:mum:mum NO WAY am i doing that
OR
people were given Valium in place of the other benzo's and used them until they were down to 0.5MG
As for the pain killers, its a matter of detoxification

So yeah, i was just wondering what works for people here
And what did not work

its unlikely they will take me off everything and replace it with xanax and codeine lol (i cannot stand it in high doses anyway):b

 

[Himi Jendrix]

I would recommend just going with the flow of it all and be prepared for a battle in your mind. I have come off 4mg day Klonopin before and its really bad. I could'nt imagine coming off all those drugs at once.

You just have to tough it out really. There is no magic pills that make withdrawal easier. The only thing thats really helpful is getting lots of sleep which a drug like mirtazapine can help alot. Most docs would prescribe it with no problem even to a person with a history of "abuse".

 

[euphoria]

So I have been admitted to a drug addiction facility for benzo and pain killer addiction which has lasted a good ten years (for the pain killers) and four and half years for the benzodiazepines including the zopiclone/imovane.

They are going to put me on a drug detox program which includes medical tapering from a psychiatrist.

My question is, for people who have been in rehab or managed to taper their meds, or possibly do no have addiction problems

What are the best forms of medication to go on when tapering off of the following

• Ativan (Lorazepam)
• Klonopin (Clonazepam)
• Zopiclone (imovane)
• A tablet that combines Paracetamol mixed with a tiny amount of codeine and a sleep aide known as Doxylamine

I can easily take up to ten of these pain killers a day, up to six zopiclone if i have them per day, and between 2-6MG of klonopin, then i beg, borrow or steal lorazepam since my doc wont let me on them and they work better.

How much paracetamol were you taking in a day?

Some people who have been through this program, my advocate told me, went straight onto antipsychotics :mum:mum:mum NO WAY am i doing that

You're right, that's a terrible idea. Not only that but antipsychotics could cause seizures in benzo withdrawal, as they both lower the seizure threshold.

OR
people were given Valium in place of the other benzo's and used them until they were down to 0.5MG
As for the pain killers, its a matter of detoxification

So yeah, i was just wondering what works for people here
And what did not work

its unlikely they will take me off everything and replace it with xanax and codeine lol (i cannot stand it in high doses anyway):b

Valium is good for tapering benzos. For all the drugs, they should wean you off very slowly - going abrupt/cold-turkey is cruel and unnecessary (and for benzos, worse for you in the long run).

Have you heard of phenobarbital? It's sometimes used under strict medical supervision to get people off benzos rapidly and painlessly, rather than the long tedious taper using other benzos. I'm not sure how widespread its use is, perhaps someone else could elaborate on this? A very promising drug for all kinds of addictions/dependence is memantine, but that's highly experimental so probably not a good idea.

Good luck anyway, it's going to be hard but you will get there .

 

[jim_morrison]

I'd say;

Klonopin or Valium for the benzo taper.

and

Doxylamine (alone) and also maybe Clonidine to replace the mersyndol.

 

[euphoria]

Yeah, clonidine is a great idea. It'll help the anxiety, racing heart, and insomnia from withdrawal.

 

[mark555666]

phenobarbital is the best for WD

Otherwise slowly taper off with klonopin.

Take alpa/beta blockers for psychical anxiety. Carvedilol does not up regulate receptors which makes it awesome. (No rebound anxiety when you quit)

 

[VagueResemblance]

Only thing I've heard working for benzo withdrawals is more benzos. Klonopin or valium tapered off very slowly.

Good luck....

 

[Positive]

Just go cold turkey.

For me it's more of a psychological thing.

 

[euphoria]

Cold turkey benzo withdrawal is not a good idea...

 

[Medline]

Just go cold turkey.

Very bad advice...

Slow taper with long acting benzos is the way to go for most people.

 

[Arisa1536]

Cold turkey benzo withdrawal is not a good idea...

yeah that is what i thought, and thanks medline for seconding that as i disagree that completely stopping benzo intake will help in the slightest it will increase paranoia, visions and nightmares, it could also cause hallucinations and all sorts of horrific things designed to keep me awake and afraid, i already shake when i do not take my zopiclone and i am down to 3.25 per night from almost 30.5mg per evening so its a big change, no wonder the sleep paralysis is so bad and the nightmares, the zopiclone has been horrific for nightmares and as far as paralysis goes, the doxylamine in the pain killers i take has been really bad, the only pill that is said to help with bad dreams and sleep problems is clonazpeam, which is what i take but mixed with the others it might not be doing anything:afr:afr

 

[seafolly]

I haven't gone through the Clonazepam wean yet but I just wanted to extend a giant virtual hug. This must be really scary. :/

 

[Arisa1536]

**GLOMP**
it is thank you for ur hugs

 

[Redefine]

Taper Slow as you can handle.

I'd recommend MIRTAZIPINE for the insomnia and any loss of appetite/nausea. That's really the only medication that helped me when I tapered. Clonidine sounds like a good idea too.

 

[Arisa1536]

My doc said NO to mirtazipine and i am not willing to gain weight as mirtazipine sounds horribly similar to seroquel and antipsychotic medication which, to be honest makes my sleep paralysis worse, i feel mirtazipine would do the same. I have suffered sleep anxiety, insomnia, paralysis and sleep apnea so i do not want to aggravate it


i just looked up clonodine on wikipedia, sounds good actually
thanks everyone