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Almost 1 year off benzos but have come offof 3 others since


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On Nov. 4th it will be a year off of Klolpin, I went off of Remeron, Prozac and now Requip. I was on the K for 20 years, Prozac for 21 yaers and the other two were given to me in rehab about 2 years ago. Each med I go off of has caused flare up of sx's, I have been doing pretty good considering. I just went off of Requip 5 days ago, it helped me sleep, so I am not sleeping very much these days. Talk about restless, oh, it's here full force! I have no appitite,  no energy and anxiety, depression, have returned, has anybody else had w/d flare up when coming off of other meds? I try to not lose hope, I'm really tired of all of this. I'm glad this is the last time I will be going through this, my final med!!!!! I also know that when in the troughs of sx's it seems like you are never going to be well again. I have expeirenced wellness, so I'm hold onto that right now, and of course my faith in God. So glad I found this site, I used to be with benzo withdrawal,they shut down. Needing support again!

Thanks,

Mary

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I don't have a ton of experience with the long term prognosis with a situation like that.  You certainly have been medicated for a long time so it would make sense that it might take longer to heal.  If you are having strong symptoms over a year of being off medication I think you may want to try and support yourself in several respects.  The brain is probably still processing alot so move forward but be gentle. 
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I just want  to offer my support and congratulations.  I am so impressed with all you've been able to accomplish.  It gives me so much hope--as I will be tackling a Keppra XR taper in the future.  Congratulations again! :yippee:
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I' am NOT GOOD! I am not sure if I have come off of this med to soon, this is alot for my body to take. I have not slept in 5 days, restless beyond restless!!! Should I reinstate?  HELP
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i would post this question in the "Other Medications" forum (which is this forum) with the subject line REQUIP. It will get more attention.

 

I know what it is like to be without sleep for so many days---but don't know much about Requip.  I know it is often prescribed for restless legs and, sometimes, Parkinson's.  

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Hi Mary,

 

I am so sorry that you are in terrible distress.

 

Were you having side effects while taking Requip?  In other words, what made you decide at this time to taper off of Requip? 

 

I am a long term psychotropic medication survivor and know that the prognosis is OUTSTANDING AND EXCELLENT for a full and complete recovery and this is coming from a person who is in the midst of a benzo taper!  Congratulations to you with all of your hard work!!!  You are to be commended!!

 

Do you have a doctor that you are working with?  If so, have you spoken with him or her to get their take on this situation? 

 

What was your experience getting off the other meds?  Did you ever get terribly distressed at any point or points in withdrawing from other meds?  Can you remember how long it would take you to stabilize when you were tapering or became free of that certain med?

 

I am wondering if this is truly a medication that is helpful and necessary for quality of life in the absence of terrible side effects?

 

What do you think?  Hugs, Laurie :)

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Thanks Laurie,

    I was pu on the Requip during w/d, the w/d gave me restless leg. I wanted to go off of it cause I don't feel I have a lifelong restless leg condition, just want to be med free. I have no idea what side affects it may be causing. I am so greatful that yesterday I found answers, I looked up Dopamine Agonst, that is the class of this drug. Wow, was it an eye opener, it is used to treat parkinson disease, I knew that, but, to get off of it, you must taper very slow. They compared it to coming off of cocaine or meth. I pretty much did a cold turkey!!! I was so sick, did not sleep for 5 nights, anxiety like my chest was going to burst,I mean unbearable! I did have distress coming off of Benzos, it brought me back to that time, the first time coming off of Klonopin was a cold turkey as well, and it was sheer hell! I had to reinstate and took a year and a half to taper, wasn't as bad at all! You asked me if I spoke to my doctor, he is the one who said it would be ok to go off the Requip, he said, just take Bennadryl to sleep.I have learned that most doctors don't know about the meds they precribe, he will learn from me, hopfully! So...I have reinstated the Requip, I slept from 7:30pm to 11:30 am. I feel sooo much better. I woke up with a headache, like there was a tight band arround my head. My brain is probably confused, not knowing what to connect.I plan on stabalizing for awhile, and then getting the Requip compounded to liquid form, for a very slow taper. I hate being dependant on meds!!! You are an insiration, with the meds you have survived, you also sound very strong, coming off of Benzos, you are determined, as I was too! I'm proud of you!!! :thumbsup: This is a very couragous thing we do here. Thanks for writing, I would love to be here for you as you taper the Benzo beast! Keep in touch...hugs to you too!!

Mary

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Well I've been sleeping while back on Requip, but I feel strange, I have anxiety...don't know if I've upset or flared up the Benzo w/d because of the stress I endured during this last ordeal. Ugg, Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm also still very nauses, no appitite! Thanks would love to hear from you.

Mary

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Well I've been sleeping while back on Requip, but I feel strange, I have anxiety...don't know if I've upset or flared up the Benzo w/d because of the stress I endured during this last ordeal. Ugg, Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm also still very nauses, no appitite! Thanks would love to hear from you.

Mary

Hi Mary!

 

Congratulations on your success getting off all the meds you have gotten off.  You really need to pat yourself on the back for that.  Don't be discouraged if it takes a while for your brain to normalize completely, you were on a lot of meds and some of them for a long time, but it's obvious the healing is happening and you're going to do fine in the long run.

 

I think from what you've said that reinstating the Requip, stabilizing, and then tapering down off of it makes good sense.  You probably are feeling so terrible right now because your brain just hasn't had time to stabilize yet.  It may take a little while.  Hang in there!  (easy for me to say, I know!)

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I thought your plan to stabilize and then taper was good too.  I also agree that things were probably stirred up and just need to some time to calm back down afterwards.  I too was on benzos and Prozac for 20 years, plus some other meds...but my situation was different as I weaned off the benzo last.  Other than this recent flare from stopping the Requip, how was your recovery coming along?

 

My w/ds from the other meds was no walk in the park, so I can just imagine how stopping the Requip must be.  However the w/ds from the other drugs were a piece of cake compared to benzo w/d and the duration was a month or less for each.  I hope you stabilize soon, and then have a successful wean!

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Thanks, better day today, gonna chill out on the last med. I've been doing really good before I did this last, c/t, for 1 year off of benzos, I surely can't complain, not 100% but on my way for sure!
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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Mary,

 

Hope you are doing well.  I see from your signature that you were on Remeron.  Did you cold turkey or taper off of it?  If you tapered how did you go about it? 

 

Thanks for the info,

NYClady

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I tapered the Remeron, I did cuts, it was a fairly quick taper for me. I did have w/d...but it was tolerable...nothing compared to benzos! The Remeron was given for sleep...so insomnia was pretty bad as I tapered. Are you on Remeron?
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Hi Mary,

 

Here I go again...  I have been on Zoloft since 1998 and last March 2010 I went to see a homeopathic/pysch doc to help me wean off the Zoloft.  He gave me a remedy and I was bedridden for approximately 3 weeks with severe anxiety/depression.  He ended up increasing the Zoloft to 200 mgs from 100 mgs., adding the Remeron 30 mgs and Klonapin .50 pm and .25 am.  Although I have been able to function (barely) I felt and continue to feel very depressed.

 

I started tapering off the K in May 2011 and jumped on August 1, 2011.  I am still experiencing wd sxs and depression.  I'm just wondering if the depression is a wd sxs or if the Remeron and increase in Zoloft might be contributing to it. 

 

NYClady

 

 

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Hi Mary,

 

I am considering tapering off the Remeron to see if the depression eases up a bit, but some BB have advised me to wait until the K wd sxs have stopped.  However, not sure if I can continue dealing with this depression as I spend every week-end either in bed or on the couch.

 

How many mgs. of Remeron were you on and how did you go about cutting it down?  Did you suffer with insomnia for a long time after stopping the Remeron?

 

Thanks for the info and feedback,

NYClady

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Hi Nyclady,

    Well, congradulations for being benzo free...when you jumped off, how much were you on? Did you do a slow taper? I really think that your sx's are w/d and not related to the A/D's you are taking. I was on 15 mg. of Remeron, I cut it in half and was on 7 1/2 mg for awhile and then cut it into 1/4's . It was a pretty easy taper, I had gained 30 pounds on Remeron, that's why I wanted off so bad. My doctor told me that he gives it to patients who needed to gain weight when they have cancer. I was shocked! Well...since I have gone off of it, I have lost 20 pounds...that made me very happy! Have you gained weight on it? I was also on Prozac for 21 years, I did a cold turkey for that one, i was on 20 mgs, I have been off since June 11 th. I have good and bad days still, but try to remember how far I've come, I'm very thankful! The benzo w/d is by far the worst, I was sick for a year and a half, really sick!!! You will be free from the meds, it just takes time, hang in there, don't fight it! I never thought I would ever be where I'am now, NEVER! You will too. God is on our side, He wants us well! I'm here for you, I understand wanting to be off those other meds. How long have you been on them?

Hugs,

Mary

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Hi Mary,

 

Thank you for taking the time to give me feedback.  I was on .50 mgs. of K in the pm and .25 mgs. in the am since October 2010.  I started tapering in May 2011 and jumped 3 months later on August 1st.

 

Wow...how was your cold turkey from the Prozac?  What wd sxs did you experience?

 

Again, thanks for your help.  It is greatly appreciated.  Just knowing that there's someone like you who has managed to get off so many meds is comforting.

 

Take care,

NYClady

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No problem...I want to help! It kind of sounds like you you did a quick taper off of benzos, did you titrate? ,I  pretty much did a cold turkey my first time around, went to a 30 day re-hab, huge mistake, was so sick, doc reinstated, then went slow. Well the Prozac c/t is a miracle for me...I am a Christian and back in June I had a womens retreat in my home. I had about 28 women for the weekend, I was so busy with helping the ladies that I forgot to even take the Prozac. So, on Sunday morning the guest speaker asked me to come up to the front. She told me that God had freed me from the Prozac! No joke...I was standing there amaze...then told them all that I had completly forgotten to take it all weekend! I knew I was done, this was huge, I was on it for 21 years!!!  I did good, no sx's at all!!! When God is in it, you can't go wrong! I have one more med to conquer, Requip for restless leg. I tryed, but the timing is not right yet! I'm not a fanatic or anything, but I know beyond a shadow of a doulbt, I have had a miracle! Praying for you!!! Hugs

Mary

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Hi Mary,

 

Wow...I'm a Christian/Believer as well.  After being on Prozac for 21 years that was truly a miracle that you were able to c/t and not experience any wd sxs.

 

When tapering off the Klonapin I had my scripts compounded by a pharmacy to help with the transition.  It was great but very expensive.  However, I thank the Lord that is over and done with.  Now I have these two other giants to defeat called Remeron and Zoloft.  I'm trusting the Lord for his help with this battle.  I have been on Zoloft since 1998 and the Remeron since October of 2010. 

 

Take care and let's keep each other in prayer.

NYClady

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Praise God, another follower of Christ! What would we do w/o him, i don't think I would be here! In His time you will conquer the other meds, he does it differently for all of us, if I would have known i was going to c/t the Prozac ahead of time, I would have freaked out. I was so mentally attacted to that drug. The enemy wants to come in and have me second guess sometimes, especially if I have a bad day and feel down, I recongnize where it's coming from. Coming off of these meds is more of a battle for us believers, I think, we have made the devil so mad, he had us  where he wanted us for quite some time and now we are getting free! Praise God....... yes I will be your prayer buddie  :angel:

Hugs to you, let me know how i can pray for you

Mary

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Hi Mary,

 

It's so good to meet another believer on BB.  There are a quite a number of us on here.  I have such a strong desire to get off these meds and I need you to help me pray for wisdom.  Right now with going through the benzo wd I'm finding it difficult to know how the Lord is leading me.  There have been times I have felt so physically sick and depressed that I've questioned the Lord's presence and love for me.  However, he is always letting me know that I'm in the palm of his hand. 

 

Please let me know if there's anything specific you want me to pray for you about.

 

:smitten:

NYClady

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I will pray for wisdom for you. I understand when you say that you question His love sometimes...b/w makes everything seem so dark and distorted. I'm sorry  you are so sick! I need prayer for my stress level,which flares up sx's, my family is sooooo lost, I have a hard time with them, it makes me angry and frustrated. It's my brother and his family, they have turned from God, now everything is literally falling apart in their life. The holidays are here, which means we are expected to get together with them. They know where I stand with the Lord, I feel I can't be who I am around them.

Thanks,

Mary

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Hi Mary,

 

So sorry to hear about your brother and his family and your frustration with them.  However, try to remember the story of the lost sheep and the prodigal son.  I pray that the Lord fill you with a supernatural love and patience for them and that the love of God through you will lead them back to the Lord.

 

I will keep this situation in prayer...

 

:smitten:

NYClady

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