Sorry to bother again...is it OK to taper two meds at once?

[Guest [...]]

OK, signature line states what I am on currently. Wanting off 2mgs of Ativan daily plus taking 900-1100 mgs daily of gabapentin. I fear that the extreme anxiety I am going through is because of both meds. Is it possible to slow taper both? I have terrible bouts of insomnia and constant tinnitus and I know my system is tore up! I need to get off these so I can start fresh from my anxiety, or see in the very least if it is a result of these meds. Opinions please, good or bad!

[[Ma...]]

OK, signature line states what I am on currently. Wanting off 2mgs of Ativan daily plus taking 900-1100 mgs daily of gabapentin. I fear that the extreme anxiety I am going through is because of both meds. Is it possible to slow taper both? I have terrible bouts of insomnia and constant tinnitus and I know my system is tore up! I need to get off these so I can start fresh from my anxiety, or see in the very least if it is a result of these meds. Opinions please, good or bad!

 

Hi Pumkin

as you can see in my sig I have tapered Looooooooots of meds. One after the other. Ugh. But hey it worked.

Ativan was the drug that gave me the worst depression and anxiety ever, so, yes - that might be your problem.

But there is no other way than KNOWING this, being beware that it is not YOU who is producing the panic but the drugs, and go slowly your taper until its finished, than wait some weeks and start to taper the next one.

Any pressure or pushing will set you back - slowly but not stopping.

In my case I felt "in acute" the hole time while I was tapering ativan and 2 months after I had fished the taper my anxiety and the worst depression was gone.

 

You have the feeling the drugs are harming you - good! Let this be your goal. Accept that everything you feel  now is not you, its just withdrawal AND the drugs. Accept that this might be as long as you are tapering. Make a slow taper, and practice everything that is helpful against anxiety. Thats what I did and it was the best therapy ever because you just HAVE TO PRACTICE in this journey to survive.

 

Buddy, I was in a mess and I tapered so much meds while being at the lowest point. If I can, you can too!

Best wishes!

Marigold

[Guest [...]]

OK, signature line states what I am on currently. Wanting off 2mgs of Ativan daily plus taking 900-1100 mgs daily of gabapentin. I fear that the extreme anxiety I am going through is because of both meds. Is it possible to slow taper both? I have terrible bouts of insomnia and constant tinnitus and I know my system is tore up! I need to get off these so I can start fresh from my anxiety, or see in the very least if it is a result of these meds. Opinions please, good or bad!

 

Hi Pumkin

as you can see in my sig I have tapered Looooooooots of meds. One after the other. Ugh. But hey it worked.

Ativan was the drug that gave me the worst depression and anxiety ever, so, yes - that might be your problem.

But there is no other way than KNOWING this, being beware that it is not YOU who is producing the panic but the drugs, and go slowly your taper until its finished, than wait some weeks and start to taper the next one.

Any pressure or pushing will set you back - slowly but not stopping.

In my case I felt "in acute" the hole time while I was tapering ativan and 2 months after I had fished the taper my anxiety and the worst depression was gone.

 

You have the feeling the drugs are harming you - good! Let this be your goal. Accept that everything you feel  now is not you, its just withdrawal AND the drugs. Accept that this might be as long as you are tapering. Make a slow taper, and practice everything that is helpful against anxiety. Thats what I did and it was the best therapy ever because you just HAVE TO PRACTICE in this journey to survive.

 

Buddy, I was in a mess and I tapered so much meds while being at the lowest point. If I can, you can too!

Best wishes!

Marigold

Thank you...I feel like I have tried so many mind altering meds and been on some that I will never be the same. I am so scared. I can't be a good wife or mom, and I fear if I stop completely that I will live in anxiety and fear the rest of my life and never be the same. I can't live this, but the fear overtakes, and what has driven me to the meds in the first place. I am so scared.

[[Ma...]]

OK, signature line states what I am on currently. Wanting off 2mgs of Ativan daily plus taking 900-1100 mgs daily of gabapentin. I fear that the extreme anxiety I am going through is because of both meds. Is it possible to slow taper both? I have terrible bouts of insomnia and constant tinnitus and I know my system is tore up! I need to get off these so I can start fresh from my anxiety, or see in the very least if it is a result of these meds. Opinions please, good or bad!

 

Hi Pumkin

as you can see in my sig I have tapered Looooooooots of meds. One after the other. Ugh. But hey it worked.

Ativan was the drug that gave me the worst depression and anxiety ever, so, yes - that might be your problem.

But there is no other way than KNOWING this, being beware that it is not YOU who is producing the panic but the drugs, and go slowly your taper until its finished, than wait some weeks and start to taper the next one.

Any pressure or pushing will set you back - slowly but not stopping.

In my case I felt "in acute" the hole time while I was tapering ativan and 2 months after I had fished the taper my anxiety and the worst depression was gone.

 

You have the feeling the drugs are harming you - good! Let this be your goal. Accept that everything you feel  now is not you, its just withdrawal AND the drugs. Accept that this might be as long as you are tapering. Make a slow taper, and practice everything that is helpful against anxiety. Thats what I did and it was the best therapy ever because you just HAVE TO PRACTICE in this journey to survive.

 

Buddy, I was in a mess and I tapered so much meds while being at the lowest point. If I can, you can too!

Best wishes!

Marigold

Thank you...I feel like I have tried so many mind altering meds and been on some that I will never be the same. I am so scared. I can't be a good wife or mom, and I fear if I stop completely that I will live in anxiety and fear the rest of my life and never be the same. I can't live this, but the fear overtakes, and what has driven me to the meds in the first place. I am so scared.

 

I don't know what has driven you to the meds. I had several diseases and a PTSD among them.

I really know what severe psychological problems are but after 10 years I can tell you that meds are not helping. My opinion.

Especially if there is a trauma beneath - your body is clever it will find a way to show you that there is something to be solved.

Benzos are causing depression and anxiety when taken over a longer time, that is a fact.

At the moment I would say that you are even not ABLE to see the reality, because the fear made by the meds runs your brain crazy.

You should be thankful, because your body is telling you "I don't want the meds". That means you have a connection. I followed exactly this feeling. I did not know how, I did not know how to survive without money and so on, all I knew was that my condition had become so bad that I was sure I would die taking the meds any longer. Trust that feeling. Thats the gift WD has given me. I will never ever again trust others, I only trust my body.

The fear, that everything will go even worse without benzo, is normal. Withdrawal will make that feeling worse. You will have that thought a long long time.

But it is a thought. You can not see the truth until you are about 6 months out of any med (my opinion!).

As long as you are still tapering or thinking about stopping meds - its all assumption.

WD makes us all brave. To be brave means to see the reality, like "these meds are not helping and perhaps make everything worse". And then make a decision without knowing what will happen. And follow that decision til the end.

You say you cant be a good wife and mother - what about you? You are suffering.

If you are suffering - why not suffering in withdrawal "to suffer with a goal" - and get out of the situation.

 

Just my thoughts...

Are you having help? professional? trauma therapy? Are there things that help you? Sport/hobbies or so?

I would start with a taper plan, but at the same time I would make myself a list with strategies, emergency plans and so on.

 

Hug,

Marigold

[Guest [...]]

OK, signature line states what I am on currently. Wanting off 2mgs of Ativan daily plus taking 900-1100 mgs daily of gabapentin. I fear that the extreme anxiety I am going through is because of both meds. Is it possible to slow taper both? I have terrible bouts of insomnia and constant tinnitus and I know my system is tore up! I need to get off these so I can start fresh from my anxiety, or see in the very least if it is a result of these meds. Opinions please, good or bad!

 

Hi Pumkin

as you can see in my sig I have tapered Looooooooots of meds. One after the other. Ugh. But hey it worked.

Ativan was the drug that gave me the worst depression and anxiety ever, so, yes - that might be your problem.

But there is no other way than KNOWING this, being beware that it is not YOU who is producing the panic but the drugs, and go slowly your taper until its finished, than wait some weeks and start to taper the next one.

Any pressure or pushing will set you back - slowly but not stopping.

In my case I felt "in acute" the hole time while I was tapering ativan and 2 months after I had fished the taper my anxiety and the worst depression was gone.

 

You have the feeling the drugs are harming you - good! Let this be your goal. Accept that everything you feel  now is not you, its just withdrawal AND the drugs. Accept that this might be as long as you are tapering. Make a slow taper, and practice everything that is helpful against anxiety. Thats what I did and it was the best therapy ever because you just HAVE TO PRACTICE in this journey to survive.

 

Buddy, I was in a mess and I tapered so much meds while being at the lowest point. If I can, you can too!

Best wishes!

Marigold

Thank you...I feel like I have tried so many mind altering meds and been on some that I will never be the same. I am so scared. I can't be a good wife or mom, and I fear if I stop completely that I will live in anxiety and fear the rest of my life and never be the same. I can't live this, but the fear overtakes, and what has driven me to the meds in the first place. I am so scared.

Thank you Marigold...I think you gave me exactly what I needed to hear..a little tough live. My body don't want it. My mind makes me think I do for fear. Land attacks in my chest today have given me fear today along with the tinnitus getting louder today. Know it's anxiety. Been to a cardiologist who says everything is OK.  I have to set goals, get off the couch. I need a support system other than my husband. I am lacking that, hence coming here. I appreciate you taking the time with me. It's the hand holding i needed!

[[NJ...]]

To your original question of tapering two drugs at once, if you do that, how will you know what taper is causing you issues? I just think it makes sense to taper one at a time. I don't have any experience with this but I do know that if you are changing multiple things at one time it is hard to isolate what is causing symptoms.

[[Ma...]]

OK, signature line states what I am on currently. Wanting off 2mgs of Ativan daily plus taking 900-1100 mgs daily of gabapentin. I fear that the extreme anxiety I am going through is because of both meds. Is it possible to slow taper both? I have terrible bouts of insomnia and constant tinnitus and I know my system is tore up! I need to get off these so I can start fresh from my anxiety, or see in the very least if it is a result of these meds. Opinions please, good or bad!

 

Hi Pumkin

as you can see in my sig I have tapered Looooooooots of meds. One after the other. Ugh. But hey it worked.

Ativan was the drug that gave me the worst depression and anxiety ever, so, yes - that might be your problem.

But there is no other way than KNOWING this, being beware that it is not YOU who is producing the panic but the drugs, and go slowly your taper until its finished, than wait some weeks and start to taper the next one.

Any pressure or pushing will set you back - slowly but not stopping.

In my case I felt "in acute" the hole time while I was tapering ativan and 2 months after I had fished the taper my anxiety and the worst depression was gone.

 

You have the feeling the drugs are harming you - good! Let this be your goal. Accept that everything you feel  now is not you, its just withdrawal AND the drugs. Accept that this might be as long as you are tapering. Make a slow taper, and practice everything that is helpful against anxiety. Thats what I did and it was the best therapy ever because you just HAVE TO PRACTICE in this journey to survive.

 

Buddy, I was in a mess and I tapered so much meds while being at the lowest point. If I can, you can too!

Best wishes!

Marigold

Thank you...I feel like I have tried so many mind altering meds and been on some that I will never be the same. I am so scared. I can't be a good wife or mom, and I fear if I stop completely that I will live in anxiety and fear the rest of my life and never be the same. I can't live this, but the fear overtakes, and what has driven me to the meds in the first place. I am so scared.

Thank you Marigold...I think you gave me exactly what I needed to hear..a little tough live. My body don't want it. My mind makes me think I do for fear. Land attacks in my chest today have given me fear today along with the tinnitus getting louder today. Know it's anxiety. Been to a cardiologist who says everything is OK.  I have to set goals, get off the couch. I need a support system other than my husband. I am lacking that, hence coming here. I appreciate you taking the time with me. It's the hand holding i needed!

 

You are welcome.. I really think we can achieve a lot. Needs a decision, a plan and the will to look for new stuff and leave the comfort zone. Here on the board are a lot of topics with strategies and so on. In your shoes I would focus on these topics and not on those who are listing symptoms. At least at the beginning.