Rescue dose

I’m feeling pretty distressed today.

Waking up at 2am like a lightning bolt and unable to return to sleep, I reached for a rescue dose. Now feeling angry with myself. I’m in my most vulnerable state in the early hours of the morning. I’ve now removed all “rescue” meds from the house to avoid the possibility of further temptation. How much damage occurs with rescue dosing?

I’m pretty f***** up mentally today. I’m positive I have some major health problem. Current symptoms all relate to CNS.

Dry mouth

Dry eyes. Constant eye infection in left eye.

Blurred vision

Heart palpitations

Insomnia ++

No energy

Hot flushing without sweating

Low mood

Anxiety

GI issues- constipation, reflux, unable to digest certain foods

Excessive weight loss

 

 

Are all these symptoms a “normal” picture of withdrawal? Or do I have some major chronic health problem? What the hell is going on? Feeling overwhelmed. Not sure I can continue this however I know I must. I’ve been holding for a while.

Just seeking some compassionate reassurance.

 

Edit: Profanity

Hi Joanne,

I have taken a couple of rescue doses when I was beyond desperate.

All the advice is DONT.

But, please know that I understand how terrifying it is and sometimes the rescue dose is the only (and sometimes safer ) option.

From what I’ve read, a single rescue dose is not a problem. Some folk have to have sedation for medical procedures and these one off doses seem NOT to hinder recovery……….but no one really knows because the research has simply not been done.

All I can say is that it’s done now so don’t fret about it.

Your symptoms are all completely typical of withdrawal. Maybe get your eye checked out though.

I don’t beat myself up about my rescue doses because it really was the only action available to me at that time of extremis.

Al this is very very tough, you’re very brave to be doing what you’re doing.

Hardy x

Do you think you might be tapering too quickly?

Possibly going too fast. Just don’t seem to stabilise. Have been holding for 2 months now and new intolerable symptoms continue to emerge.

I was a right mess before I started my taper. Knew nothing about tolerance, withdrawal or half lives.  So I never stabilised before, during or after my taper!

I don’t know what the answer is. I decided to push through.

Others decide to updose and try to stabilise.

I’m sorry you’re suffering so much.

You certainly have my compassion. You are a brave lady to be doing this at all.

Hardy x

Hi- I agree, you already took it, so no reason to beat yourself up over it.  Just move forward.  I have read so many times where people have gone in over sx and had all kinds of testing done, because they thought something was wrong and nothing is found.  I remember reading about phantom tooth pain, and the person going into the dentist, but nothing was wrong and other’s saying “me too”.  Sure enough when I was having all kinds of bad sx, I had severe tooth pain, and I remembered this….I gave it a week (I was holding at the time, I just hit a wall) and the pain went away.  Obviously if it persisted, I would have gone in.  If you have an eye infection, you should probably seek medical attention for that.  My eye’s are constantly blurry, and that has been one of my ongoing sx too.

 

It would help if you put your taper process in your signature.  I do see you are holding, and some people have had to hold for a good 3 months to see stabilization, where other’s have said, it didn’t work, and just had to keep going at some point.  It would help to know how fast you were going to begin with.

 

Some of us really get into trouble if we go to fast, where other’s seem to be able to breeze right trough.  I am so sorry that you are struggling and hope that you will start to feel better soon.  As far as the GI trouble, for myself when this happened, I found probiotics helped tremendously. A huge game changer.  Also belly breathing exercises (you can find them on YouTube) and massaging your stomach and the Vegas Nerve (also found on YouTube).  We get so stressed, we don’t breathe right and this causes GI issues to get worse, and anxiety too. 

 

Marie

Hey Joanne I'm currently holding at 23 mg and having a tough time. I went to 23 from 25 on Feb 24th and have only seemed to "stabilize" a little since then. I'm wondering if this is just the hell I have to be in until I get off this drug.

 

Sometimes I wonder if I should just bite the bullet and do a rapid 7-14 day detox in a hospital or something but after reading about it on here it seems like the outcomes for that are generally not great.