Second attempt at introduction (I can't reply to the first ticket.)

[[gl...]]

I can't reply to the reply to my introduction ticket (which is here). http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?action=helpdesk;sa=ticket;ticket=19306 I think a button is missing on my screen?

 

https://imgur.com/a/kJAsE

 

Because when I reply to my own post the button shows up.

 

I wanted to submit this as just a request for help and not the introduction but this is all I can get to when I click "Post A New Ticket".

 

I'm having a hard time with this forum software.

 

In any case to answer LeslieAsh I was messing with baclofen, phenibut, alcohol, and clonazolam (research benzo) mainly. I was a once/twice a week user for several months (edit:my bad  its actually about 1 year. I shouldn't have self medicated but I had a dog die and a long term relationship fall apart. The okayness, the sheer relief that washed over me after the first time I tried phenibut was something magical.)

 

I thought if I had off days and rotated substances I would avoid dependence. Fpr a while this seemed to be the case, but eventually I couldn't really sleep without something so I took daily baclofen in hopes I could maintain. I experienced diminished effectiveness and inter dose withdrawals however. I didn't want to increase my dose so I would add a couple ounces of beer to get it working again (which was almost certainly worse in retrospect, hitting more than one gaba type and synergizing). Tried to pull off a baclofen taper cutting 10/mg every 5 or so days until I was at 10 and then jump off. I was too aggressive (baclofentreatment.com recommended cutting 5-10 a day so I figured I was going a lot slower) and now a few weeks since stopping I'm still paying a heavy price. I couldn't sleep more than an hour for a week. I started using kava to get a bit of shuteye (I had read it was different from normal gaba drugs, flumazenil didn't stop it and users almost never reported tolerance or dependence). I don't know if kava was setting me back or not but yesterday my symptoms got hardcore. Akathisia, skin crawling, lots of sweating, intense dysphoria. The way these symptoms wax and wane  is so crazy-making and makes it so hard to know whats helping or hurting. I want to find out everything I can.

 

I hope that I'm still welcome here even if my main drug issue wasn't truly a benzo. The net effect is still damaged gaba system and glutamate rebound. Baclofen withdrawals are so similar in symptoms, and I don't really have a forum to turn to that's dedicated to my situation. I feel alone and a lot of people are going through the same things as I am and I want to have the ability to search through it. The sidebar for introductions made it sound like I needed only to briefly prove I was not a spammer. I don't want to get too testy here but I feel like I'm jumping through a lot of hoops here just to use basic features. Edit:thanks for approving me. Software irritations aside I'm glad this exists and I wish you all the best. I'm so sorry others are going through the same or even worse

[Guest [Le...]]

Hello, glocal - welcome to BenzoBuddies!

 

You are absolutely welcome here, and sorry for the glitchy software when you tried to reply. One of the reasons it’s good to get a little more info up front is so that other members have a better idea of how they can offer you support.

 

I see what you mean about taking lots of stuff that would affect GABA - a combo like that can certainly clobber your neurotransmitters. All of the symptoms you mentioned are common, and the insomnia can be absolutely brutal. Luckily these terrible symptoms ease up over time.

 

You may see a quicker recovery since you weren’t using the research benzo for a terribly long time, although it certainly was enough to set off some rough symptoms.

 

You’ve definitely come to the right place to taper off whatever’s left, and begin a successful recovery. 

 

I'm so glad you decided to join the forum - you'll find plenty of information and support here. Our members have gone through all aspects of benzodiazepine use and withdrawal, so you'll be able to connect with others who understand what you're going through.

 

Here are a few links to boards that may be a good starting place for you:

 

  General Taper Plans

  Withdrawal Support

  Other Medications

 

Please take a moment to Create a Signature. This will allow members to see where you are in the process, so that they can better support you.

 

Looking forward to seeing you on the forum!

Leslie 

 

 

The Ashton Manual is an authoritative resource on what to expect during withdrawal and recovery. It provides information that can be very reassuring during any stage of this process, including a list of common symptoms with helpful explanations.

 

For those who are currently tapering, a starting guideline is that the dosage not be reduced faster than by 5-10% every 10-14 days, although some taper even more slowly than that. One exception: very short-term users of a few weeks or less may be able to taper somewhat faster