Supplement and Withdrawal Research

[[ce...]]

Hello I am trying to navigate withdrawal from several months of xanax / valium, while also dealing with opiate withdrawal.  While I have had issues with opiates, I have never been over exposed to benzo's, and have only taken them for a day at a time, randomly, and never repeatedly or abused them (the benzo's... the opiates, I may have used beyond what was medically necessary).  Anyway, with the benzo's I was accidentally overprescribed valium for panic attacks, and took it for about two and a half months, before I realized I was going into withdrawal when I was not taking it.  I was between .5 to 1.5mg of xanax a day for two months.  Then stopped cold turkey, not knowing about withdrawal, and had severe withdrawal symptoms.  The only problem is I did not know what they were from.  I thought I had "adrenal fatigue" or about twenty other things, but then figured out I felt better when I took a small peice of xanax during the day.  Then realized, I was in withdrawal from xanax. 

 

I have since switched to valium taper, several months ago.  I am currently at 6mg a day, and trying to get to 5mg a day.  I am trying to figure out why I am having such a hard time with withdrawal having only been on benzo's for four months now. 

 

At the same time, I am trying to break a several year affair with oxycodone, and other opiates.  I was taking as much as 1000mg a day for awhile.  I switched from opiates to suboxone in May 1 2017, and have tapered from 12mg a day, down to 2mg a day. 

 

I am at 2mg a day of suboxone now, and at 5 - 6 mg a day of valium now.  I am interested in finding out what issues there are with withdrawaling from these at the same time.  Should I get off the suboxone completely, or should I stay on and hold at 2mg while I taper off of the valium ? 

 

I am very interested in figuring out what supplements can help.  I understand this is where it is easy to mis-step and use a GABA antagonist supplement (like Ashwagandha) accidentally, which I read on here will increase your time dealing with withdrawals.  When I thought I was suffering from Adrenal Fatigue, I bought about every supplement you can buy.  Specifically I am wondering about Lion's Mane, and Bacopa, and Phosphatidyl Serine. 

 

Also, I know this is bad 'form', but thinking of purely function over form, what if I went back on the oxy / opiates, big time, for a few weeks, and did a fast / acute withdrawal from the benzo's?  What I have in mind is taking several 30mg oxycodone's throughout the day, for several weeks, while my body / brain, get used to no benzo's.  I think trying to deal with both at the same time is a problem. 

[Guest [ba...]]

Hello SkiPowder.

 

Welcome to the forum.  I'm glad that you found us.

 

I don't personally have a lot of experience withdrawing from oxycodone, but there are members in the forum who do.  Perhaps they will have some useful knowledge to share with you. 

 

Benzo withdrawal is best done slowly over time.  Fast tapers or cold turkeys are not advised.  Withdrawal often takes some months.  I don't think that you would want to reinstate onto oxycodone for that length of time. 

 

Let me share a couple of resources that may help you to decide a prudent course of action. 

 

General Taper Plans

 

Withdrawal Support Board

 

The Ashton Manual is an authoritative source on what to expect in withdrawal and recovery.  Dr. Ashton is an expert in the field. Section III explains and describes symptoms, and there is also a section with suggested taper schedules.

 

Please take the time to Create a Signature.  This will allow others to see where you are in the process so they can better support you.

 

Again, welcome!

[[NJ...]]

I have absolutely no experience with opiates so hopefully someone will chime in, but I do think you will make your life much easier if you figure out which drug you want to get rid of first and stick to that then focus on the rest later. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to figure out what is causing symptoms.

 

I have found help with many supplements--ltheanine for anxiety, magnesium, melatonin, and some don't agree with me (vitamin D, don't know why, but I don't sleep even if I take it in the morning). Good luck.

[[ce...]]

Thank you both.  I should have included something about opiates / suboxone in the subject line. 

 

For anyone else that reads this - what about flumazenil for a fast benzo withdrawal - specifically I am sure there is plenty on here about it, but can you do it while on Suboxone ?

 

Anyone have experience with that ?

[[Su...]]

Thank you both.  I should have included something about opiates / suboxone in the subject line. 

 

For anyone else that reads this - what about flumazenil for a fast benzo withdrawal - specifically I am sure there is plenty on here about it, but can you do it while on Suboxone ?

 

Anyone have experience with that ?

Hi Skipowder,

Welcome to the forum.

I think you'll find that tapering BenZos and Opiates are very different processes.. there are many on here that have done or are doing both. Opiates can be c/t'd with an ensuing hell but a much quicker recovery.

a quick taper of Benzo's results often in a longer recovery time -- and flumazenil simply puts the body into cold turkey from benozos so it not really advised by many...

If you look around at what others have posted or post questions in the forum regarding withdrawal support you'll probably get some response from folks who have done both.  When I first found BB I spent a long time on the boards looking for writers who were going through similar things as I was and learned from that...

Wishing you well!

SS