K to Phenobarbital (and Tegretol?)

Great, I just did a search for folks who are trying to go the phenobarbital route (and apparently my doc also wants to add Tegretol) and replace it with the Klonopin immediately. I've already told him that I had a hard time with getting off even .25 mg of K and he was shocked. I may tell him to just keep prescribing K and I will find a way to taper myself. I'm just not finding any docs around here who can both prescribe K and are willing to help me taper slowly. I didn't ask about the Ashton Method but may at my next appointment. He said he's an addiction specialist and helped thousands of people get off K with PB but I'm just not buying it. Plus, I'm about to start a new job and don't want to go through any changes right now.

 

Just an update. I may see if I can get the liquid form but he seemed deadset against it.

I understand phenobarbital can be helpful in preventing seizures, I was given this when I quit Klonopin cold turkey but not sure how it could be a taper aid, and besides, is it smart to use one addictive substance to taper from another addictive substance?

 

I believe Klonopin comes in liquid form in parts of Europe, but it’s not available in the US.  Klonopin has a fairly long half life so crossing over to Valium isn’t really necessary if you were considering following the Ashton manual.  Have you shown this paper to your doctor, it sounds like he could use some education about benzodiazepines vs other addictive substances he’s encountered with his other patients. Colorado Consortium Benzodiazepine Deprescribing Guidance

Thank you - how did you respond to the phenobarbital cold turkey method?

I walked out of a treatment facility AMA when I heard what they had in store for me, they gave me a prescription for 5 pills, I took them over the next few days.  They may have kept me from seizing, but couldn’t touch the nightmare of cold turkey withdrawal.

I am not advocating this, but there are two cases on this site that I have read that utilized phenobarbital to get off of benzos. They couldn't taper due to severe symptoms. I know of one other case of a man in his 60s who did it and had success but he did not have that much drug damage from previous medications only used benzo and a sleep med for five years. I know Tinkered on this site used pheno to taper off of Abilify given during benzo withdrawal. Three-week taper from what I recall and then a week off of the pheno.

 

Everything carries risk. Even tapering slowly. I thought trying CBD with THC could help and didn't want to touch pharma drugs and ended up having a distonic reaction right after taking it. Apparently, that is not uncommon along with psychosis. So.....there is no predicting.

 

On the other hand, I don't see the necessity of Tegretol or how it would be helpful other than to protect from seizure but the pheno would do that. Pheno was a benzo before benzos were benzos.

 

I also see that you are on other psych meds. Usually the medical consensus is to taper those first and the benzo last. The benzo will cover any withdrawal from those. If you taper the benzo first you could have greater difficulty tapering the other psych meds later.

I had an absolute hellish time trying to go from 2mg xanax/day for ~5 years to straight phenobarb that the doctor prescribed. By day 5 I could not take the withdrawal  symptoms anymore, and went back to X. I think the phenobarb might have stopped me from having a seizure, but did nothing for the multitude of other withdrawal symptoms. Just my experience.

I had an absolute hellish time trying to go from 2mg xanax/day for ~5 years to straight phenobarb that the doctor prescribed. By day 5 I could not take the withdrawal  symptoms anymore, and went back to X. I think the phenobarb might have stopped me from having a seizure, but did nothing for the multitude of other withdrawal symptoms. Just my experience.

 

Hello blacklabdoggo14 and welcome to BenzoBuddies!

I'm very sorry you've had such a difficult time with benzos. This is a community of others who understand what it's like. Please let us know how we can support you.