Feeling shaky and agitiated...

[[ke...]]

I have moderately lowered my dose of diazapam and stopped drinking alcohol (the latter in detox).  I feel real shaky and irritable today. 

 

Can someone confirm that these are normal symptoms of tapering --- given that I gave up alcohol, it's hard to know for sure if the symptoms are related to both of just one of the changes. 

 

By the way, I have a prescription for carbamazepine from the detox center.  Anyone know much about this drug.  I was told it's an anit-seizure medication but it's #1 use seems to be the treatment of mania (mood stabilizer) and I am not bipolar. 

 

Tx. for either answer. 

 

kestrel 

[[ru...]]

Feeling shakey and irritable is normal for both tapering from benzos and tapering from alcohol.

 

I can't help you with the carbamazepine though.

 

rufus

[[Co...]]

Hi,

 

You will know far better than me about the shakes and alcohol (how long has it been since you quit the alcohol); but yes, benzo-withdrawal can certainly cause shakiness - it is pretty commnon. What was your Diazepam dose, and how much did you cut?

 

Why did they prescribe the Carbamazepine? It is indeed an anticonvulsant (I took for a short time some years ago). Someone else, though, will have to speak up about it's mood-stabilising properties - it's not why I took it, so can't really comment.

[[Sa...]]

Carbamazepine- Class:  Anticonvulsant, antineuralgic, pain syndrome modifier, mood stabilizer

 

 

[[ke...]]

Tx. for the support.  Well, this is my first time giving up alcohol (first detox and first attempt), so I'm not quite certain of the symptoms.  I gave up alochol two weeks ago so I imagine this is more diazapam driven but I'm not sure.  I used to take 10-40mg of diazapam a day for years.  Then excessive alchol drinking came and I actually cut down on benzo use.  But now with the alcohol withdrawal my dependence on CNS depressants or diazapam more specifically seems to have reared its ugly head. 

 

I try to take 10mg of valium per day now but it seems a bit light, especially now that I'm off alcohol (which, I believe allowed me to temporarily reduce my benzo dose). 

 

The need for alochol seems to be more pyschological/feeling good and the need for diazapam seems to be more physical/withdrawal symptom oriented. 

 

The anti-convulsant drug?  Maybe it reduces the ability to drink and that's why they gave it to me!  People at some detox centers seem to be very militant and "know it alls."  I supect it was for its anti-seizure properties but who knows how well it works at this and whether I need it or not.  Of course, I don't want a seizure! 

 

kestrel         

[[...]]

Kestrel,

 

I've been down that road with both alcohol and benzo's (not at the same time) and yes what your feeling is due to w/d's. Try to hang on, what your going through isnt going to be easy but as time goes on you will heal.

 

Dave

[[...]]

I know what you mean about alcohol reducing your need for benzos. I drank for thirty years mostly beer and took xanax everday as well, but pretty small doses1/2 -1mg per day mostly to sleep through the whole night. When i quit drinking I increased by xanax intake by three fold and then even more.  If you were taking up to 40 mgs of valium perday and are now only taking ten that is a whopping big reduction. You're probably sufering from valium withdrawals. Did the people at die tox know you were also taking valium with your drinking? Valium is an anti convulsant. I had a friend who was a heavy drinker (vodka) and he got the stomache flu and he couldn't hold down any alcohol. He had an abstience siezure. I took him to the doctors and the first thing they did was IV him with valium. The Carbamazepine might be to prevent seizures from reducing the valium, since as i said valium is an anti convulsant and if they know you are stopping it or greatly reducing it the Carbamazepine may be to prevent seizures from valiuum withdrawal. I am bascially just guessing . I would definitely try and see a doctor to sort it all out.

[[si...]]

hi dave havent' seen you in a while.

 

yes not drinking and stopping benzos is a challenge i would guess.

[[ke...]]

Tx.  I took another 10mg and felt better a few hours later.  Coincidence.  I doubt it.  Boy, from a withdrawal perspective, it sure is harder to cut down on benzos than to stop drinking.      I can only imagine cold turkey and what day 10 must feel like --- most likely I would be in a hospital. 

[[si...]]

kestral i was just thinking about that as i was driving today - how many things i have given up and how hard it is to stop benzo's - i would put it on the same level as smoking and i have yet to give up my nicorrette gum after all these yrs - but i will give up benzo's cause i need a script for them and i will not allow myself to be black mailed by the medical community.

[[Co...]]

Tx.  I took another 10mg and felt better a few hours later.  Coincidence.  I doubt it.   Boy, from a withdrawal perspective, it sure is harder to cut down on benzos than to stop drinking.       I can only imagine cold turkey and what day 10 must feel like --- most likely I would be in a hospital.   

 

Hi Kestral,

 

I think the first thing you need to do is to stabilise your dose, since your past usage has been so erratic. Try to find the minimum dose that you makes you feel relatively 'OK' (not 'great', that's unrealistic). Take this dose consistently for at least a couple of weeks before you begin your taper.