Rapid detox might be an issue and i am afraid

first and foremost I would like to say that this is my second post next to my introduction. I read all the rules as best as I could I'm trying to remember them. My situation seems unique but if it isn't I apologize in advance for the Post. I currently live in a state on the west side of the United States and my family lives on the other side of the country. I currently have no health insurance and I have been taking diazepam along with another legal medication for 10 years. I am going cold turkey as a test because I do not know if or when I will be able to find another doctor when I move to see my family. All I know is I would very much like to be off of this medication. I am in no way shape or form putting anyone down that needs it technically I was told I needed it and I'm not sure if I still do. It has been between 10 and 14 days since my last dose I really don't remember but I have gone through cold sweats and other withdrawal symptoms. To my knowledge I have never had a seizure in my life. I am seeing my doctor tomorrow and I still have medication but I am trying very hard to not take it. The only reason I am posting under this thread is because I saw this sticky regarding the danger of immediate cessation of use. If a seizure is the only thing I really have to worry about I don't think I will have one then again I'm not a medical professional. I have been feeling very blue especially over the past few days and the night sweats are pretty difficult to deal with. I have an introvert personality to begin with so it is already difficult for me to talk to people when I do take the medication. I tried this one other time about 2 years back I made it almost to a month but I felt like I was going to have a psychotic break and of course as soon as I took my medication I went back to normal. I understand that some of the very sad and depressing thoughts are probably due to the cessation of the medication. My biggest concern is losing the progress I have made but I don't want to lose more than that in terms of my health in other words if I absolutely need to I will take it but I've already made it almost 2 weeks. my family does not understand my situation very well they think I can just snap out of it. I'm going out of my way to try to remember all the rules to the Forum and considering this is my first post I guess primarily I am looking for moral support but I posted under this thread because of the relevancy of the topic. I know that I cannot solicit medical advice except from my doctor.. but I very much hope that I can least get general advice or maybe experience stories from other people and on that note I'm going to leave this post as is because I feel like I'm already going over And over in terms of how long it is.  I really need this and i want my best to be happy and know that there IS light at the end of the tunnel.  I also take another medication and I saw a form for that but if it is okay to add it in this post I will edit the post later because I don't want to do multi posting right off the bat. Okay I think that's good for right now thanks in advance for understanding that I'm really just trying to learn the rules and I'm really just going through a lot right now so please grant me a little leniency if I spelled something wrong or if I did something wrong I'm here for support and help and Hope and that's all. Thanks in advance. - the sky is red

Hi there, TheSkyIsRed. Thanks for sharing your current situation and story. I am in no way an expert, but I have unfortunately quit benzodiazepines cold turkey a couple times  before, not knowing that I was addicted. What that can do, at least in my personal experience, is really screw up your nervous system. Things like alcohol, caffeine and any stimulants were very poorly tolerated for a long time after ceasing Xanax cold turkey after two months of use. This was my first experience, 10 years ago. I did eventually heal, but it took me a long time.

 

I am in another similar situation now, because unfortunately until this recent situation, I didn’t realize that I had done damage to myself in the past by stopping these pills abruptly. This time I’ve been taking them for about five months, with another stretch of taking them for a couple months about a year ago. Tried to quit cold turkey and didn’t know I was addicted until I started having withdrawals. First, the main symptom was extremely debilitating fatigue and lethargy. This continued for 2 to 3 weeks until the more intense symptoms started manifesting. Anxiety, depression, and this horrible electric shock feeling as I’m trying to go to sleep. Basically feels like I’m about to have a seizure! I have never had one, but the feeling was so scary it put me in the hospital because I thought I was gonna have a heart attack.

 

When I finally figured out what was going on, I went immediately back on the Xanax… But the same dose wasn’t cutting it anymore. It no longer put me to sleep, and I still have withdrawl symptoms and a lot of anxiety and the same electric shock feelings as I’m trying to go to sleep. Gabapentin is the only thing that I found it helps with this, and with withdrawal symptoms in general. Right now I am trying to get the courage to begin a taper, and I’m also considering a rapid taper with the aid of gabapentin. I just posted a link in this forum to some studies where doctors have successfully gotten people off of long-term benzodiazepines very quickly with the use of this additional drug.

 

Quitting benzodiazepines or alcohol repeatedly can cause what’s called the “kindling effect.”

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindling_(sedative–hypnotic_withdrawal)

 

I will let you read up on it… But in short: each time you quit benzos, the withdrawl symptoms are worse and worse each time.

 

Not sure if all this helps, but wanted to let you know you’re not alone! There is hope. You can and will get better

 

P.S. I think it’s safe to say that you could share any other medication you are taking (even cannabis, many here have said it helps them) with the group, people are pretty open and accepting here.

Thanks.  The OTHER ten year devil is buprenorpherin aka subutex.  That one scares the h3ll out of me.  W. The valium the hallucinations have started.  Oy.. Im scared.  As for cannabis i currently work for a club in CA so yes it definitely helps it's just so darn expensive ever since it went legal the tax is crazy