NeuroTalk Support Groups - In Neurontin/Gabapentin Hell

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Thanks for prompt response

Quote:

Originally Posted by waves (Post 1030448)

Please do not go cold turkey again. The ER doctor saw you. He would not have given you the Klonopin if he felt you could/should ride it out. Use the pills you have at your disposal to d/c gradually. They will be enough.

I am unclear on a couple of points.

Question 1. As of right now, do you still have a total of 20 x 0.5 mg Klonopin pills?

Question 2. Yesterday you took 0.75mg in the morning at the ER, ok. Did you then take another dose in the evening? If so, how much?

----------------------

That same doc thought you could go cold turkey from 0.75 and how did that work out?

I see her reasoning as profoundly flawed, insoftar as one does not become dependent overnight, it is a gradual process. Anyway, worrying about this stuff is only going to raise your anxiety level -- bad idea. Please, put aside the "what ifs", and go forward. You have three choices:

1) cold turkey
2) taper with 20 pills and
3) have your GP oversee you with phenobarbital

If you want to be supervised your only choice is 3). I've already stated what I feel would be safest and sanest -- the taper. Apparently the ER doc expected something like this too, or would not have given you 20 pills.

I did not think going from 0.75 to zero was a good idea, but I didn't see you and did not want to discourage you if the doctor thought it was ok. Well, this other doctor (at ER) did see you, did not think it was ok, and gave you some pills to help you out. I think what he did was sensible. You have enough to d/c safely. You might have some discomfort but it won't be nearly as bad as it has been the past few days.

The dependence is not going to worsen, as your blood levels are falling as we speak. The abstinence of 5 days has already made your levels drop off significantly.

You can look at the 0.75mg as a rescue dose in dire circumstances -- it is not a reinstatement. It will not have worsened your dependence because a single dose cannot bring your levels back up anywhere close to where they were before.

I think your best bet is to resume or "reinstate" at 0.5 mg as of tonight. If you didn't take any last night, you can take tonight's dose a little early. As of tomorrow, take it at the time you'd normally take it in the evening.

You WILL be ok!!! :):hug:

waves

I didn't take any last night and slept with Elavil + 10mg Melatononin (8 hours).

As of today when I fill script I will have 20 .5mg pills to use for a decrease.

After I get down to .25 and I jump at day 21 can I assume that the withdrawal wont be as bad as the 5 day c/t? Because this is the only recourse I have now.

Thanks again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adamo (Post 1030455)

I didn't take any last night and slept with Elavil + 10mg Melatononin (8 hours).

Good. Very good. Keep using the Melatonin to help you sleep. Getting good sleep will be helpful to you.

Quote:

After I get down to .25 and I jump at day 21 can I assume that the withdrawal wont be as bad as the 5 day c/t? Because this is the only recourse I have now.

Thanks again.

I cannot fathom it being nearly as bad!

I would never have advocated your going from 0.75 mg to 0. I supported your attempt because you were following a doctor's orders. I disagreed with her, but I felt I could at most suggest you see someone else if you felt uncomfortable.

I feel comfortable saying that a change from 0.25 mg to zero is safe, as you've already done steeper reductions safely. Moreover, you were previously reducing every 5 days, with initial reductions of 0.5 mg -- 1/4 of your dose. I fully expect that going down by 0.25 only every 10 days will be gentler for you, including the final step to 0.

On average, 10 days is just barely enough for Klonopin to go steady state at the new dosage. This is a good thing in terms of stability and adjustment, because in the last few days the level is dropping off but only very slightly. Your brain will have time to adjust to the decreased level before you challenge it with the next reduction.

waves

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adamo (Post 1030455)

As of today when I fill script I will have 20 .5mg pills to use for a decrease.

Ok good. I wanted to make sure you had enough. Couldn't tell if any of these had been used yet... they have not. Perfect.

Hi Adamo,

Just checking on you...
How are you doing?

Hopefully you are recovering some? :hug:

----------

Also, I've been thinking about the possibility of splitting the pills in quarters, going forward:

Are your tablets scored with a cross, or just in half?

When you cut them in half, how precise are you able to be -- how "equal" are the "halves"?

waves

I fear there is no recovery in sight

Quote:

Originally Posted by waves (Post 1030905)

I'm certain that you Waves have heard some bad tales in your time so I hope you will not be disappointed by what I am recounting here.

After I got the Klonopin script I went back to .75 mg for a week and then decided to give the bottle my psyche who was furious. She now has switched me to 15 mg of valium/day w/proponal for 5 days; 12.5 mg for 5 days; 10 mg for 5 days then reevaluate. Im filled with fear now that I am on valium and do not expect to be free of anything for months and months. I have also been told that my underlying anxiety condition needs the the benzo and removal will not only be detrimental to my future sanity but that continued use will worsen my condition.

There are so many things I wanted to do in my life and now it seems as if I will only recover over a very long time if at all or remained mentally dysfunctional forever. I am suicidal and hopeless.

If there is any way you can give me some perspective I would be most grateful. All I can think of is how I use to be normal and that now I am surely never to regain such a thing again. Truly despairing....

Could I ever make it off this stuff or reagin anything?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adamo (Post 1033425)

There are so many things I wanted to do in my life and now it seems as if I will only recover over a very long time if at all or remained mentally dysfunctional forever. I am suicidal and hopeless.

If there is any way you can give me some perspective I would be most grateful. All I can think of is how I use to be normal and that now I am surely never to regain such a thing again. Truly despairing....

Could I ever make it off this stuff or reagin anything?

Adamo,

If you are feeling suicidal please call a crisis hotline, go to the ER, or call your psychiatrist. I will suggest again that you see a different psychiatrist. At least gauging by what you say, she sounds rather negative and threatening... that doesn't sound like a good thing to me, with you in this state. :(

That is the best perspective I can give you right now. I understand about feeling hopeless. Get some help. If one door won't open, try another. You don't have to be alone in this, and there will be better things ahead. Please remember that since you are scared you are probably seeing things as hopeless, but there is hope. The mind is a tricky bugger in that regard.

There is also a forum here at Neurotalk where you can talk about feelings of suicide. It is called "Survivors of Suicide". Although it isn't for crisis management, the folks are compassionate and there are fewer restrictions there for discussions about suicide or about feeling suicidal. Here is the link:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum29.html

I am afraid I don't have any useful take on your benzo situation, at this point.

waves

I still hope to hear from you

Quote:

Originally Posted by waves (Post 1033455)

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum29.html

I am afraid I don't have any useful take on your benzo situation, at this point.

waves

Your last e-mail was comforting to me. I am now stable, sleeping, and calm (not at all suicidal) at 12.5mg Valium and the psych's plan is to reduce 2.5 mg every 5 days. I beg your pardon with my last communication. Would you still be willing to write me? Your words of encouragement have meant a lot to me! Whatever the case, I thank you for trying to help me through this nightmare, and I wish you well Waves.

Sincerely,
Adamo

so good to hear you are doing better!

Hi Adamo,

No need to ask for pardon on your last post... nothing wrong with it.

You did have me worried, though, so I am very relieved and glad that you are doing so much better now -- wow, sleeping and calm! :) It sounds like this process stepping down from the Valium is working well.

Keep checking in with me and letting me know how you are doing.

waves

Let me describe some of what is happening

Quote:

Originally Posted by waves (Post 1035141)

To clarify I am calmer for some time during the day. Right now I am on 2.5 mg of Valium w/10 mg proponal in the am at 11. I am usually fairly sedated until 2 at which point the anxiety builds consistently up until 6 pm when I take 5 mg. Strangely enough that does nothing for the anxiety but I try to distract myself as best I can until 11 when I take another 5 mg + proponal .

I cannot figure out why the valium seems to intensify anxiety at 6 pm after taking it but at least I am tired enough to sleep at night. Is stepping down 2.5 mg every 5 days radical, you think? I am 2 days into first of such drops. You said previously that it takes 5 days at least to stabilize....

Thanks again for writing me back because I wondered if you had given me up for lost. I hope that I can survive this detox without consequences afterwards and your friendship has given me faith!

Adamo,

I feel for you, I've been on Neurontin Dilantin for over a year. I tried to stop taking it and a nervous rush came over me out of nowhere. This drug makes me numb in the face & other places.

I'm still taking it I have no choice it helps with my spasms. I know I will go thru H whenever a correct dx is found.