My 13-month old had an AVM rupture in late March and suffered multiple strokes. He has endured a major brain surgery to remove the malformation and now has a shunt. After 7 weeks in the hospital, we are currently in a rehab facility for another 7. My confidence in terms of the medical decisions being made is lacking, to say the least. They're trying to rush the weaning process in order to pursue therapies, which is detrimental to my child. Anyone who has weaned their child from Klonopin, valium and/or methadone... please help.

They have reduced his Klonopin by half now, and he has these sudden jerks. We hope they're nothing more than withdrawals from that med. My question is the best way to wean from methadone or valium. How much should be weaned off and how often? I know that different children handle things differently, but any advice pointing us in the right direction would be helpful. Right now, he's on 13mgs of valium/day and 4.8mgs of methadone. Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks!

This is really a very specialized issue for you.

I don't have experience with children this young using Valium. The only experience I have is with children using it rectally for severe seizures.

In adults withdrawal from benzos like Valium take a LONG time. They are withdrawn over months as a rule.

I also know that with newborns, or infants, born with addictions to opiates, they sometimes put them into a coma, and withdraw them in a special way with medical support. But I cannot extrapolate this to a toddler. I just don't have
that experience.

I went on PubMed looking for papers on this subject. Sometimes an email is
included with the paper, so one can contact the author.
I am not having alot of success with this.
This is the only one I found so far:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15567675?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez. Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.P ubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=3&log$=relatedarticles& logdbfrom=pubmed

Valium and other benzos lower the seizure threshold. So if you withdraw too quickly you may see a seizure. The jerks you see are perhaps myoclonus.
This one has an email too:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17541548?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez. Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.P ubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=5&log$=relatedarticles& logdbfrom=pubmed

This one gives time frames:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15907670?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez. Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.P ubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=5&log$=relatedarticles& logdbfrom=pubmed

My impression is that this is not common..so it is going to be difficult to
find a good answer.

P.S. I don't know why these links didn't turn blue for quick linking... you'll have to cut/paste them I'm afraid.

Warren's Mom

I really believe this doctor should be investigated by the medical board....prescribing methadone and benzo's together is HIGHLY negligent in adults let along prescribing it to a child!!!!!! It is referred to as the toxic cocktail and attending a CME training course for doctors a few weeks ago on how to prescribed methadone ....it is completely contraindicated to prescribe these drugs together. Why is this so called professional prescribing not 1 but 2 benzos with Methadone???? This is truly the scariest thing I have heard in a long time.

Methadone is now the #2 killer drug in the US killing over 4600 people a year more then any other drug besides cocaine.

Melissa
harmd.org
Helping America Reduce Methadone Deaths

fiance lost to Methadone, Valium, Klonopin, and Restoril prescibed by negligent doctor (Patel) and died while inpatient and not being monitored at Greenleaf Center Valdosta GA

Dear Warren's Mom,

First, let me say how sorry I am for your situation and I think of your post often and pray for your boy.

As far as the weaning off the medication's I truly don't know but what I would do is call one the the best Pain Depts. in the country, and I here it is located at John Hopkins in MD, you can google there web site. I would ask to speak to the head of the the dept. tell whatever person who answers the phone your situation and I bet someone will help you. If for nothing else a new opinion. They may not say anything but may want to even get involved. I thought I saw you live in NC which is not far from MD. A lot of these teaching hospitals want to work with different situations. I have tried this approach with my own situation and if I didn't I might have lost one of my limbs. And if you can't get an answer the first time try two, or three more.

I had a different situation at one time, I am much better now, I worked with one of the best hospitals in the country named #1 for Orthorpedics for many years and I found those doctors to me the most attentive or had very attentive staff than my local doctor.

Please update us on you boy.

Ann

to you and I wish I could be of some assistance.

I am grateful to see mrsd, Melis11577 and Ann have been so helpful!
Bless you, your son, your family, medical staff and all members here trying to help in any way!

May any doors that need opening be opened and may your son be safe and well.