Hold or Updose?

Unfortunately even the "comfort med" I'm on, gabapentin, doesn't seem to be doing a whole lot, even at 2400 mg.

 

Gabapentin and it's stronger cousin, Lyrica, are a hit-or-miss. Some benefit, most don't. I use gabapentin, 300 mg. at bedtime, to help with sleep. I tried increasing the dose, didn't work. People taking 300 to 400 mg for sleep haven't had problems weaning off. Good luck with the benzo-wise doctor, he's on the BIC list of doctors. 

@Keagan

 

I may as well pursue it with confidence! We all have a one way ticket anyways. 

 

“We are the Pilgrims, master; we shall go always a little further."

 

I like you. You are clever and seem nice, Good luck!!!

If you can handle it it seems best not to take any other drugs affecting the CNS. Good luck! I'm also 25 btw.

Thank you Keagan. Hoping I make it through.

 

@Cocodot

 

I am leaving this "treatment center" today and my friend is taking me to a hotel today to reccuperate for 3-4 days. I know I need to updose but I am scared because I do not know by how much. I am holding at 23 mg of valium and dosing 4 times a day and still having constant anxiety and panic and agoraphobia. Unfortunately I was having these symptoms (to a much lesser extent) even when I was at 50 mg valium a day!

 

If you were already having these symptoms at 50 mg then why updose? Maybe a long hold of a couple of months could get you stabilized instead. You will need to get off at some point and going up that high when you already experienced these symptoms seems like it won't be that helpful? Can you survive with the intensity of the symptoms now? Because no taper seems symptom free. I have some neuropathy on my initial dose so I don't think it will go away any time soon...

At this precise moment Cocodot, I am having air hunger, near constant extreme anxiety and agoraphobia/social phobia, have had 10-20 mind shattering panic attacks since last November, constantly shaking my left foot and a new "vibrating" feeling in my left foot as well, weird feelings of dizziness in head (which have improved significantly)

 

In short, I am a total wreck.

 

Can barely walk around. Don't even really feel like I can stand up right now to get some water.

 

I guess the difference now is that I feel the same symptoms I felt at 40-50 but they are 10x worse.

 

I ct/ed from frequent moderate-heavy drinking in October of last year and then made the sudden switch from the klonopin to valium, and that's where everything in my life fell apart. Feel like a different person now. 

 

I read a fascinating post on here about klonopin being superior to valium in some ways.

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=161048.0

 

"Valium is 98% bound to plasma proteins. It rapidly crosses the blood-brain barrier and peaks within 2 hours following administration. Following the peak, the initial distribution phase in the brain is one hour. Since Valium is highly bound to plasma proteins, the drug is rapidly redistributed to adipose (fat) tissue. It is stored there, and slowly eliminated over a period of 4 days (or one month for prolonged use). Given that it is redistributed throughout the body, the duration of action following a single dose is 6-8 hours (average 6). The actual half-life of the drug (which is 30-100 hours) means very little."

 

Given that I am 6'3 and probably 150-160 lbs right now from significant withdrawal-induced weight loss, I have very very little body fat. I wonder if my low body fat % has something to do with me not doing great on valium.

Also, I really hope that this benzo-wise doc is open to the possibility of switching me back over to K. He is a big proponent of the Ashton method though, so will perhaps insist I stay on valium. In which case maybe finding a PCP who will prescribe me K is the better move. We shall see.

Talked with benzo doctor today. I explained the situation and that I was having a super difficult time at 23 mg. Told him about the sudden K to V switch and everything and he thinks it would be a good idea for me to get back on the klonopin.

 

He prescribed me 1.5 mg of K/day and 20 mg V/day.

 

The thought process is to get some functionality/quality of life back with the updose/reinstatement, then taper off of the K first, then tackle the V.

 

Any thoughts?

 

I already took my 23 mg of V for the day, so I’m wondering if I should try just a .5 of K tonight and notice any further improvement.

 

I was able to go on a 30 minute car ride with my friend to the pharmacy today and even talk with some strangers! All on 23 mg of valium!

Im not a doc, but i dont get it why prescribing the K again. Why not just go up to the equivalent in Valium then get stable then come down from just the V?

He doesn't feel as good on V compared to K I think.

For some reason V is in and out of my system in about 3 1/2 hours. I was metabolizing it so rapidly that I was having these significant peaks and valleys throughout the day, on top of a dizzying list of other physical/psychological symptoms

Then the switch seems best tbh.

important thing is to get stable, so you can then begin process of tapering if thats what you want to do (get off the drugs).  If at some point you were already on 1.5K and 10MG V and they took you off it just recently and your spinning out of control and not stabilizing really only think you can do is go back on what you were on, stay there for like a month until you feel good enough to start again...this time stay away from those drug rehab centers lol. If i felt like i could get off this crap in 30 days in a rehab center safely without going crazy i would believe me, i hate dragging this stuff out...i know its possible for some but not for me.

The sudden switch happened about 5 months ago. I was already having what I believe were so tolerance w/d symptoms even at my standard dose of 2 mg K + 1 mg V

The sudden switch happened about 5 months ago. I was already having what I believe were so tolerance w/d symptoms even at my standard dose of 2 mg K + 1 mg V

 

Hi-  I am so glad you got out of that place and glad you found a good doctor who is now working with you.  Did you quit drinking around that time? I saw you mentioned you quit drinking last year in October, and I wanted to clarify it was in 2022.  This could possibly have made it feel like it was tolerance w/d symptoms…just a thought.

 

Once you get stabilized, have you thought about how you are going to approach your cutting the K? A cut and hold or a daily taper?

 

Marie

Talked with benzo doctor today. I explained the situation and that I was having a super difficult time at 23 mg. Told him about the sudden K to V switch and everything and he thinks it would be a good idea for me to get back on the klonopin.

 

He prescribed me 1.5 mg of K/day and 20 mg V/day.

 

The thought process is to get some functionality/quality of life back with the updose/reinstatement, then taper off of the K first, then tackle the V.

 

Any thoughts?

 

I already took my 23 mg of V for the day, so I’m wondering if I should try just a .5 of K tonight and notice any further improvement.

 

I was able to go on a 30 minute car ride with my friend to the pharmacy today and even talk with some strangers! All on 23 mg of valium!

 

I like your idea of starting out with 0.5mg K first. I think 1.5mg is a huge increase. If you try 0.5mg for a couple of weeks and it doesn't work, then you can always increase. I'm trying to look at the bigger picture and I tapered down from 1mg which was an enormous challenge for me. Every little bit you don't have to taper will save you in the long run. Of course functionality is the key priority, but if you can be functional at 0.5mg that will be first prize.

Also, I really hope that this benzo-wise doc is open to the possibility of switching me back over to K. He is a big proponent of the Ashton method though, so will perhaps insist I stay on valium. In which case maybe finding a PCP who will prescribe me K is the better move. We shall see.

 

Just my opinion, switching back to K will not help

Also, I really hope that this benzo-wise doc is open to the possibility of switching me back over to K. He is a big proponent of the Ashton method though, so will perhaps insist I stay on valium. In which case maybe finding a PCP who will prescribe me K is the better move. We shall see.

 

Just my opinion, switching back to K may not help.