DiazepamCrossover

Hello,

 

I originally was prescribed Ativan and Seroquel for Panic Attacks. As 14 years have past I only took Ativan because the Seroquel was giving me irregular heart rate. I crossed over from Ativan to Diazepam to get off of Ativan that was mixing with my other meds and raising my Blood Pressure over 200/100 and killing me. I made the switch on August 02 of 2022 but now the Diazepam is giving me insomnia and I haver not even began tapering yet. I get sleep about 4 to 5 hours. Originally, I switched from 1.75MG Ativan to 12.5 Diazepam and it nearly killed me with seizures for 2 days and on the 5th day I made it. I decided to drop to 10mg of Diazepam on the 6th day and stayed there for 5 days and then dropped again to 8.75mg of Diazepam. I stayed at 8.75mg for 8 Days and then dropped to 7.5mg and then had shakes had no sleep, anger, irritability, depression, rage, and muscle twitching. My MD said I dropped too FAST and to go to 8mg! She was  sure that I tapered too fast. She also said to try Trazodone which she did not prescribe and that my former MD who got me Dependent on Ativan prescribed to me. I tried the Trazodone for 2 days and became worse and was having mania and the EMT came and a online ER Doctor gave me 10mg of GEODON and I slept for 1.5 days. I was told by my new MD do not take any Geodon.  I am NOT going to take Trazodone either! I am Hyper Manic NOT depressed and antidepressants have NEVER worked and I told my new MD that and she blew it off! She said  she did not think it was the Trazodone. However, I know it was because my former MD's have tried antidepressants and they did the same thing to me! She then told me to go to 10mg of Diazepam for 14 days!?!?! Is it common to have insomnia while on Diazepam? I want to taper after 14 days but will this be possible when at dose equal to the Ativan I am having insomnia? Thanks in advance for any information. I can't find the information while taking Diazepam and getting insomnia without tapering or I just do not understand how this works!

Hello John1234, welcome to BenzoBuddies,

 

I can see you're having a rough time, I'm so sorry.  May I ask, did you gradually cross over to the Diazepam while withdrawing the Ativan?  A slow crossover is important because it takes so long for the Diazepam to build up in your system that if you discontinue the Ativan without allowing this to happen, you're left without adequate coverage.  It looks like you got the equivalence of Ativan to Diazepam correct but maybe didn't allow time for the Diazepam to take full effect?

 

It's important to taper slowly, this will hopefully allow us to stay functional, we use the drug to get off of the drug.  Once off the drug comes the recovery phase and it can last many months so using the drug to mitigate our symptoms as we taper helps because once off the drug, we're at the mercy of them.

 

If you're not functioning well, it may be advantageous for you to go back up in dose a bit as your doctor suggested then begin your taper again, only slower this time.  We typically suggest reducing your dose by about 5-10% every couple of weeks or whatever your symptoms will allow, a symptom based taper will hopefully keep us functioning.

 

I know I haven't answered all of your questions but hopefully we can get them worked out in follow on posts.  I'll leave you with some links but please let us know how we can help you.

 

Pamster

 

Colorado Consortium Benzodiazepine Deprescribing Guidelines

 

Planning Your Withdrawal (Taper)

 

Withdrawal Support (during your taper)

 

Chapter 3 Ashton manual, list of symptoms

 

 

My MD said it was easier to just cross over without Ativan in between to Diazepam. The switching nearly killed me the first day. The second day was half as bad. The third day was easy with bumps and the 5th day no seizures or ill effects. My schedule with Diazepam was 5mg at 7:00 AM , 5mg at 12:00PM and last 2.5mg if needed at 6:00PM. I did this while I crossed over.

 

When on the 6th day I dropped to my equivalent does of 1.75 Ativan and dropped and took 10mg Diazepam for 5 days with a schedule of 5mg @ 7:00AM, 2.5mg @ 12:00 PM, and 2.5mg@ 6:00PM.

 

Worried about taking intermixing with 40mg of Nexium I dosed down to 8.75mg Diazepam with a schedule of 5mg at 7:00AM, 1.25mg at 12:00PM, and finally 2.5mg at 6:00PM for 8 days.

 

Then I messed up again and dropped to 7.5mg with a schedule of 3.75mg at 7:00AM, 1.25mg at 12:00PM, and then finally 2.5mg at 6:00PM!?!?!? I had a Bad withdrawals and given a rebuked by my MD for tapering too FAST! She said go to 8mg and stay there and try my old MD's Trazodone. I already new I was NOT depressed and had bad experiences with antidepressants buy tied it  for 2 days with the results of EMT's being called out and the Geodon being given at dose of 10mg to stabilize me and sleep for a 1.5 days.

 

My next visit to the Detox Center in Santa Anna they told me to go to 10 mg of Diazepam for 14 days with a schedule of 4mg at 7:00AM, 2mg at 12:00PM, and finally a 4mg dose at 6:00 PM. I am not getting any sleep until I take my 12:00PM dose. I found on the first day that by taking my 12:00PM dose at 11:30 I can sleep better. The 2nd and 3rd days were no sleep. I am now on my 4th day and took the 12:00PM dose at 11:26AM a moment ago to see what happens. That's my story. Any advice or help thanks in advance.

I wonder if your sleep would improve if you combined two of your doses and took the larger dose at bedtime to help with your sleep, meaning you'd only take it twice a day.  You should have the freedom to take your doses anytime of the day that meets your needs.

 

It appears to me you're not stable at the moment so I agree with your MD that it would be wise to go back up in dose and hold until you are.  Trazodone when taken in small doses is often used as a sleep aid and for some it can help, I would imagine that's why your doctor suggested it, I'm sorry you had a negative experience.

 

As I mentioned in my other post, what you're going through now is only the beginning, once off the drug you will most likely continue to suffer the same symptoms so allowing your body to heal by using the drug to tamp down your withdrawal symptoms is prudent.

The Trazodone made me have thoughts of  doing myself in, Rage, Depression, anger, extreme irritability, and caused on the second day epigastric pain. Emergency Services  (EMT's) and the Sheriff were called and they gave me 10mg of Geodon. My current MD does not want me on Geodon. She also did NOT prescribe me the Trazodone either; but wanted me to try the old prescription of/from my former MD who got me hooked on Ativan? I do believe this is not Lawful as my wife is a BSN RN? Also, I have and was told that I have to use Nexium for life? I stopped the Nexium because of the interaction with Diazepam. I had to stop ALL PPI's that included the option of use of Pantoprazole which will react with my Hydralazine and Simvastatin and cause nerve damage and so I stay away from carbs and meat except fish and salad as much as possible to reduce the cholesterol. I do not have a Gall Bladder. Funny thing though? I had gastritis while on the Nexium for the last 18 years and I have less symptom s now than when on it. I read somewhere chronic use of PPI's to reduce acid GERD or Hiatal Hernias with GERD can cause Gastritis, Gastroenteritis, and Esophagitis? The article also said if PPI's are over used then they must be reduced... by reduction of the PPI's my symptoms have almost disappeared and the medical article seems very true. Additionally, Ativan is Colo-genic and IT was DEFINITELY contributing to Gastritis as well. My Blood Pressure is NOW in the 140/99 some times or 130/89-90 and when on both Diazepam and Hydralazine in the 125/80's! My problem will be insomnia while getting off this Diazepam stuff!! I have no plans and have no idea or medical knowledge on detoxification on Diazepam. Worse the Diazepam impairs Cognitive Function and decisions can't be made by me. Today, I have had sleep of 7 hours after moving my middle dose closer to my morning dose! That is why I can write at all. I am simply terrified. 6 to 8 months of no sleep and then insomnia again after getting off of the Diazepam seems impossible.

Wow, you definitely had a reaction to the Trazodone, thank you for explaining its not the somewhat benign drug I thought it was.  You've done a lot of research into PPI's, I'll have to tell my friend about your findings, he takes it daily, I'd hate to see him cause himself more problems. 

 

Our cognitive functions are seriously compromised when we need them the most to make decisions about taper methods, we can help you work your way through this if you'll start a thread on the taper board I'm providing a link to.  Will your doctor allow you taper slowly enough to remain functional and by that I mean by prescribing enough pills to do this?  http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=56.0