Daily Micro-Tapering Support Group

[[Mi...]]

Dear cantfly and anybody else: here is my gastroparesis story. Hope it helps. Good luck.

 

I have gastroparesis (slow stomach emptying) and believe it is related to the benzos and withdrawal. It was diagnosed via a stomach emptying study, and it causes terrible nausea and causes my stomach to “lock up”. I've been coping with it since October 2014. For many months, it occurred all the time and flared up badly at times during my taper. But it is considerably better now (April 2017).

 

I don't know what your gastroenterologist says, but try to find a gastroenterologist that you like and trust, though he is unlikely to know anything about benzo tapering and the connection with gastroparesis. Here is what my doctor recommends and what works for me. It may not be the same for you - so I am not giving medical advice. Some gastroenterologists say not to consume fats such as whole milk, but my gastro doc says to consume whole milk to get the calories - I was losing too much weight - down from 125 pounds to 100 in three months. I gained about one or two pounds per month on this diet. I am 5' 1" tall and went up to 110 pounds by Feb. 2016.

 

Here was my diet for gaining weight: I ate six small meals a day - no fresh or cooked fruits or vegetables, except well-cooked carrots and canned peaches, and nothing greasy. I also take a daily vitamin/mineral supplement to make up for the lack of fruits and vegetables. I ate: at 6 am: 2 scrambled eggs and one cup lactose-free milk with a little bit of liquid chocolate. Maybe also some canned peaches. About 10 am I ate four crackers with tuna fish (mixed with mayonnaise) and a cup of Campbell's tomato soup made with whole lactose-free milk. About 1 pm I ate four crackers with peanut butter and a carton of yogurt (with lactaid). About 4 pm I blenderized two cups of lactose-free milk with a little liquid chocolate and three tablespoons peanut butter. About 6:30 pm I had baked chicken (I roast a chicken every week or so, cut the breast into portions and freeze them, then thaw one in the refrigerator every day), along with mashed potatoes or pasta or cooked carrots or white bread from the deli or canned yams mashed in the blender. About 1 a.m. I repeated the chocolate milk blenderized with peanut butter. The goal was to get 2,000 calories.

 

Since getting to 110 pounds, I have slowed down my food intake, changing the breakfast to eliminate the chocolate milk (replacing it with toast or a small pastry); eliminating the crackers with the tuna – though I still eat the tuna; and changing the 1 am meal to one cup of chocolate milk. I made this change to ease my stomach, reduce the frequent urination (though I still have it, due to benzo withdrawal), and to maintain weight at 110. (Update - I hit 112 pounds in April 2017 and dropped the middle-of-the-night chocolate milk).

 

Before each meal I take 5-10 drops of Iberogast. It is an herbal product from Germany that I have to order through Amazon or feelgoodnatural.com. Your doctor won't know anything about it, but it helps my digestion. It costs about $30 per bottle and lasts about two months. I also take a capsule of 550 mg. powdered ginger (I take Nature's Bounty from Walgreen's or the grocery store) before each meal. And I take prescription ondansetron (Zofran) 8 mg. three times per day. If I eat yogurt, I need a Lactaid supplement as I am lactose intolerant. I have a lot of gas and take simethecone pills frequently to reduce gas pain.

 

If my nausea got bad, I drank 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon aloe vera juice (Lakewood organic from a health food store). It has a laxative effect and kept my system moving. Now my stomach moves better, and I frequently have diarrhea and less stomach pain, so I don’t need to take aloe vera juice any more. Instead, I’m likely to take Immodium or a similar product to reduce diarrhea.

 

This is a very monotonous meal schedule, but I stick to it and am glad I gained a little. My stomach feels better than it did, and I hope that when I get through benzo wtihdrawal my stomach will improve. But I don't know if it will or not. I'm eating just to stay alive now and hope I won't ever need feeding tubes in my intestines if my weight drops, which my doctor said might occur. I prepare most of this food on the weekends when my husband is home to help me, and all I have to do is heat it up during the week.

 

I hope you get well and get through benzo withdrawal okay. I started on klonopin after back surgery in 2013, hit tolerance withdrawal in 2014, learned about benzo dependence, got switched to Ativan, transferred to mostly Valium and have been tapering since then. I've had all kinds of symptoms and figure I will be tapering until July 4, 2017, then postwithdrawal to deal with. It's really miserable. I hope you are one of the lucky ones who doesn't have too bad a time. This site provides a lot of good support.

 

- MirandaJane

 

 

[[ga...]]

Just saying hello and hope people are dong OK today. Sorry, cog fog is not allowing me to say anything more helpful. Sleep pretty bad this week.

 

One day closer to freedom!

 

Gard

[[Ca...]]

MirandaJayne, Thank you so much... While my problem is a little lower, -loss of peristalsis in small intestine, and weight is my problem, There was much there that fitted, and info on things i am considering... like Aloe juice or tabs...  I found that Iberogast rather soothing, but was given two bottles to last 20 days as a trial... But I had to run from my gastro Drs, and start working it out on my own... So thanks again for your part in it all...

[[ka...]]

MJ - so sorry for the digestion ordeal you have endured. Sounds like you have figured out what can help ya and are now able to pass along great wisdom for others to use. Thx for sharing, as many will benefit!

Can't- sure hope you find relief for your lower digestion issues too.

Hi Ya GARD - sorry you are having a tough day!! always makes me smile to see you posting!!

Hey Blue, how is your week going?

[[Ul...]]

Thanks, Jeff. You're a sweetheart. You are exactly right, a least it isn't this time last year. What a nightmare that was! Also seems some upcoming events have been postponed, so I may take another hack at my L again before I hold. All on the sly. Both my doctor and my therapist seem to think I need to be on this drug. It's very disheartening. Don't know what I'd do without BB!

 

Gard

 

I know!! It's crazy and it's sad how totally lost doctors are. YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS!!!

[[ga...]]

MJ - so sorry for the digestion ordeal you have endured. Sounds like you have figured out what can help ya and are now able to pass along great wisdom for others to use. Thx for sharing, as many will benefit!

Can't- sure hope you find relief for your lower digestion issues too.

Hi Ya GARD - sorry you are having a tough day!! always makes me smile to see you posting!!

Hey Blue, how is your week going?

 

Hi Kasey. Always good to see you posting, too. And to see those numbers getting lower. 

 

Gard

[[Ul...]]

Gardener99, Kasey, and Ultra...thank you so much for the input and support, it is greatly appreciated.  I thought by doing a slow micro taper ( with many holds ) that it would be less painful but I assume I'm kindled from the C/T off 2 mg of klonopin. During the year and a half of the C/T my Dr was medicating me with so many different meds and AD's that I'm sure they further disrupted my fragile CNS ( I guess they were C/T's too as he would start me on a med, rip me off and start another one...I was too sick to even question it  :'( ) , when I ended up at the ER the Dr had good intentions with reinstating me but sadly it back fired.  Anyway....guess at this point I just have to keep going and try to get through this.

 

Jeff...I'm so sorry for all the suffering that you have gone through. I hope that these Drs are held accountable for what they have done to so many innocent souls. I'm the same as you...tapering so slow it's kinda mind boggling!  Good point re the supps, I'm gradually trying to eliminate the supps that I have been using and improving my diet which is also challenging due to gastroparesis.  I truly appreciate your support, Jeff....I wish you well and a 100% deserved recovery 

 

MirandeJane...thank you for contacting me.  Boy the gastroparesis sure puts the *boots* to you while tapering doesn't it?!?!  I barely tapered last year, when I first developed GP I was in and out of the hospital and tapering became almost impossible at that point but I'm back at it and hopefully on the last lap of benzo w/d. I'll deal with dropping the last AD when I'm benzo free. I'm so happy to hear that you are doing better.

 

Thank you everyone for being so kind and caring...I don't feel quite as alone now. Wishing you all healing and happiness 

 

Blue

 

Hey Blue, reading your signature makes me sick! Doctors are wicked (most). I've been through a couple of spine surgeries myself, so we have quite a bit in common. Well, we are where we are, so we'll just take things from here and move in a forward direction. Good faith and good luck to you!! Great people here on this thread.

 

Hugs,

 

Jeff

[[ga...]]

Thanks, Jeff. You're a sweetheart. You are exactly right, a least it isn't this time last year. What a nightmare that was! Also seems some upcoming events have been postponed, so I may take another hack at my L again before I hold. All on the sly. Both my doctor and my therapist seem to think I need to be on this drug. It's very disheartening. Don't know what I'd do without BB!

 

Gard

 

I know!! It's crazy and it's sad how totally lost doctors are. YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS!!!

 

Hi Jeff, Blue. Hope you're having a good day. I've had spinal cord surgery and have a permanent hole in my sacrum as a souvenir. Nasty stuff, back surgery.

Had another "Next!" moment today, Jeff. Very sad, but necessary. I love how that word pops into my head just when I need it the most.

[[Ul...]]

Thanks, Jeff. You're a sweetheart. You are exactly right, a least it isn't this time last year. What a nightmare that was! Also seems some upcoming events have been postponed, so I may take another hack at my L again before I hold. All on the sly. Both my doctor and my therapist seem to think I need to be on this drug. It's very disheartening. Don't know what I'd do without BB!

 

Gard

 

I know!! It's crazy and it's sad how totally lost doctors are. YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS!!!

 

Hi Jeff, Blue. Hope you're having a good day. I've had spinal cord surgery and have a permanent hole in my sacrum as a souvenir. Nasty stuff, back surgery.

Had another "Next!" moment today, Jeff. Very sad, but necessary. I love how that word pops into my head just when I need it the most.

 

Permanent hole for a souvenir. Now that chews the big one! That deserves a definite "next". Next!!!

 

Hugs your way.

 

Jeff

[[ga...]]

Thanks, Jeff. You're a sweetheart. You are exactly right, a least it isn't this time last year. What a nightmare that was! Also seems some upcoming events have been postponed, so I may take another hack at my L again before I hold. All on the sly. Both my doctor and my therapist seem to think I need to be on this drug. It's very disheartening. Don't know what I'd do without BB!

 

Gard

 

I know!! It's crazy and it's sad how totally lost doctors are. YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS!!!

 

Hi Jeff, Blue. Hope you're having a good day. I've had spinal cord surgery and have a permanent hole in my sacrum as a souvenir. Nasty stuff, back surgery.

Had another "Next!" moment today, Jeff. Very sad, but necessary. I love how that word pops into my head just when I need it the most.

 

Permanent hole for a souvenir. Now that chews the big one! That deserves a definite "next". Next!!!

 

Hugs your way.

 

Jeff

 

Yeah, don't nobody push on my sacrum!!   Sounds like a ridiculous comment, but I do have to remind my physical therapist that there's nothing under that scar, so hands off!

 

To be honest, some neurosurgeons patch the hole in the sacrum with a titanium plate (did you know the sacrum is the only bone in the body that does not regenerate itself?), but mine used a bioresorbable mesh plate that slowly broke down as my body slowly filled in with scar tissue. The hole in the bone was intentional. He did not want to leave a foreign object on my body that might some day cause problems. He used all bioresorbable material to patch me back together that is long gone and replaced with scare tissue, except for the cow's heart valve that he used to wrap the nerve root. That will last 10-20 years. So I have part of a cow in me! Moo!

[[Ul...]]

Thanks, Jeff. You're a sweetheart. You are exactly right, a least it isn't this time last year. What a nightmare that was! Also seems some upcoming events have been postponed, so I may take another hack at my L again before I hold. All on the sly. Both my doctor and my therapist seem to think I need to be on this drug. It's very disheartening. Don't know what I'd do without BB!

 

Gard

 

I know!! It's crazy and it's sad how totally lost doctors are. YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS!!!

 

Hi Jeff, Blue. Hope you're having a good day. I've had spinal cord surgery and have a permanent hole in my sacrum as a souvenir. Nasty stuff, back surgery.

Had another "Next!" moment today, Jeff. Very sad, but necessary. I love how that word pops into my head just when I need it the most.

 

Permanent hole for a souvenir. Now that chews the big one! That deserves a definite "next". Next!!!

 

Hugs your way.

 

Jeff

 

Yeah, don't nobody push on my sacrum!!   Sounds like a ridiculous comment, but I do have to remind my physical therapist that there's nothing under that scar, so hands off!

 

To be honest, some neurosurgeons patch the hole in the sacrum with a titanium plate (did you know the sacrum is the only bone in the body that does not regenerate itself?), but mine used a bioresorbable mesh plate that slowly broke down as my body slowly filled in with scar tissue. The hole in the bone was intentional. He did not want to leave a foreign object on my body that might some day cause problems. He used all bioresorbable material to patch me back together that is long gone and replaced with scare tissue, except for the cow's heart valve that he used to wrap the nerve root. That will last 10-20 years. So I have part of a cow in me! Moo!

 

Moo YOU!

 

[[ga...]]

:laugh:

[[Bl...]]

Jeff and Gardener99...I'm so sorry that you have to deal with horrible spinal issues too, sure makes tapering so much more difficult. Gardener, my dura ( it was tethered to bits in the accident ) has been so tight that I ended up back in physical therapy last week...I thought I was going to snap!    I really feel for you both as it adds another level of suffering through this journey of tapering doesn't it?!

 

Hoping everyone is having a better weekend 

Blue

[[ga...]]

Sorry to hear about your problems, Blue. I hope your P.T. is helpful. My back isn't really that painful lately. But as soon as I say that it will flare up, you can be sure!

[[Ki...]]

Any advice on switching manufacturers?- my pdoc did quit- I had worried she was leaving but she understood and wrote me an upgraded script based on another year tapering. Hopefully I can go at the same speed with a little padding. My only bad thing was they changed brands on me. I can call around and switch next month but for now I have basically two months of mylan when I had been on "dan" whatever that was. Since Im dry cutting and MT Im wondering if I should just stick with this brand and gradually swap? Like today my weight is .199, maybe use .175 or so of old pills and start adding in bits of the new? I plan to switch to liquid when I get below 5 mg anyway. I have enough old pills to get me to 5 mg. Maybe I should just switch all at once since changing to liquid messes with so many people anyway. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[[Ho...]]

Any advice on switching manufacturers?- my pdoc did quit- I had worried she was leaving but she understood and wrote me an upgraded script based on another year tapering. Hopefully I can go at the same speed with a little padding. My only bad thing was they changed brands on me. I can call around and switch next month but for now I have basically two months of mylan when I had been on "dan" whatever that was. Since Im dry cutting and MT Im wondering if I should just stick with this brand and gradually swap? Like today my weight is .199, maybe use .175 or so of old pills and start adding in bits of the new? I plan to switch to liquid when I get below 5 mg anyway. I have enough old pills to get me to 5 mg. Maybe I should just switch all at once since changing to liquid messes with so many people anyway. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

I don't have any great advice but I've sent people say on the boards that the Mylan is weaker than other generics, so if you switch you should hold for a bit and treat it as a cut. The dan is probably the ones made by Watson. It's what I use. Does it have the numbers 5621 on the pill along with the dan? If so those are Watson.

[[Ki...]]

Yellow 5619 for the 5 mg tablet. I hate it that they changed on me but the doc called it in and they dont let you switch, apparently. But I can transfer it. Not sure what to do but whatever I do at least it will just be temporary. Thanks!

[[Ho...]]

Yellow 5619 for the 5 mg tablet. I hate it that they changed on me but the doc called it in and they dont let you switch, apparently. But I can transfer it. Not sure what to do but whatever I do at least it will just be temporary. Thanks!

 

I have the 2 mg. My 5 mg were yellow when I had them though. So probably same brand.Gook luck with whatever you decide Kitty!

[[Ul...]]

Jeff and Gardener99...I'm so sorry that you have to deal with horrible spinal issues too, sure makes tapering so much more difficult. Gardener, my dura ( it was tethered to bits in the accident ) has been so tight that I ended up back in physical therapy last week...I thought I was going to snap!    I really feel for you both as it adds another level of suffering through this journey of tapering doesn't it?!

 

Hoping everyone is having a better weekend 

Blue

 

Yes, Blue...it stinks!! Everybody has their battles though, so I can't complain. I'm continuing PT indefinitely too, so we'll see. I hope you had a decent Easter.

 

Take care!

 

Jeff

[[ta...]]

Hi

 

I was advised from another board to post my question here.

I am taking 2.5 mgs of klonopin.  I take 1 mg two times a day and .5 mg one time a day.

 

I want to cut 5 percent from the .5 mg pill and hold for a week or two.

 

The 1 mg and .5 mg pills all have an average weight of .170.  I subtracted 5% from 170 and came up with a 8.5 per cent cut. 

 

I have no idea if I am doing this right.  I would really appreciate it, if I could get some help!

 

Thanks

Taylor

[[ta...]]

Hi again

 

Concerning my last post, I'm confused about the 1 mg pills weighing the same as the 0.5 mg pills.  I am on brand name klonopin.  I need to cut 5%.

 

I would really, really appreciate it, if someone could help me out or guide me to where I should post my messages.

 

Thanks

Taylor

[[Ul...]]

Hi again

 

Concerning my last post, I'm confused about the 1 mg pills weighing the same as the 0.5 mg pills.  I am on brand name klonopin.  I need to cut 5%.

 

I would really, really appreciate it, if someone could help me out or guide me to where I should post my messages.

 

Thanks

Taylor

 

Hi Taylor. I'm hoping SG or Builder will get on here soon and answer your question. I'm no help except to say that I'm glad you're getting off the k. Nasty stuff. I've been fighting the liquid micro taper for a loooong time and have a super long way to go since I can only cut a very tiny amount several times a month. I wish you a speedy and healthy successful taper!!

 

Jeff

 

P.S. Isn't 5% of a .5mg tablet .025mg?? Wouldn't you just subtract that from the .5mg tablet?

[[jr...]]

Hi

 

I was advised from another board to post my question here.

I am taking 2.5 mgs of klonopin.  I take 1 mg two times a day and .5 mg one time a day.

 

I want to cut 5 percent from the .5 mg pill and hold for a week or two.

 

The 1 mg and .5 mg pills all have an average weight of .170.  I subtracted 5% from 170 and came up with a 8.5 per cent cut. 

 

I have no idea if I am doing this right.  I would really appreciate it, if I could get some help!

 

Thanks

Taylor

 

IMO, you could take 2mg dry and titrate the .5mg and take daily micro cuts.

[[Ca...]]

Hi again

 

Concerning my last post, I'm confused about the 1 mg pills weighing the same as the 0.5 mg pills.  I am on brand name klonopin.  I need to cut 5%.

 

I would really, really appreciate it, if someone could help me out or guide me to where I should post my messages.

 

Thanks

Taylor

 

Hi Taylor. I'm hoping SG or Builder will get on here soon and answer your question. I'm no help except to say that I'm glad you're getting off the k. Nasty stuff. I've been fighting the liquid micro taper for a loooong time and have a super long way to go since I can only cut a very tiny amount several times a month. I wish you a speedy and healthy successful taper!!

 

Jeff

 

P.S. Isn't 5% of a .5mg tablet .025mg?? Wouldn't you just subtract that from the .5mg tablet?

0.025mg is the active ingredient weight (5% of K) the rest is binders and fillers making up the 170

Which is probably why the tablets can weigh so similar...

 

Best get this comfirmed though... im still asleep...!!

[[Ma...]]

Hi everyone,

I finally hit 7mg v.  Yeah!!. I took my original Benzo for sleep, so I dose twice at night. 11pm. 2mg dry, 1 mg liquid titration.  And when I wake up between 2 and 3, I take 5mg v.  I also break up a 50 mg trazadone pill. Now that I hit 7, i have to make a change. My question is : should I work toward getting Rid of 11pm dose and take 1mg dry and titrate 1 mg or weigh and shave 5mg to 4mg and keep 11pm dose as Is?  Thanks for any feedback or opinions. It took me 2.5 months to get from 8 to 7 due to tapering error and other self induced mistakes, so I need feedback on this decision.