Supporting my husband on Ashton taper

[[Ro...]]

I found BenzoBuddies when researching benzo taper support as I've been supporting my husband through his taper since this past November.  It's been a very long an unexpected journey as my husband was only prescribed klonopin for a 2 week period to address unexpected anhedonia which was brought on by 3 weeks of sleep deprivation after a terrible hemorrhoidectomy recovery.  Following those 2 weeks his primary care doctor had him taper off over the following 4 weeks.  A week after this initial taper was done he started having extreme physical symptoms of a panic attack but with no mental anxiety.  That began the journey finding the Ashton Manual and working the taper.  He's currently on Stage 9 of Schedule 5 so he's full on valium and struggling still with the emotional roller coaster, jaw tremors (brought on by over stimulus either positive or negative), and he seems to be very impacted by what he eats and when. 

[[ma...]]

Hello RoxieB Welcome to Benzobuddies

 

We are glad you joined welcome to the BB community.  Thank you for joining in support of your husband.  Members caring for loved ones  suffering the effects of benzodiazepines are always welcome here. That’s a long taper your husband is doing for 2 weeks on the drug. What made him reinstate after first taper?  Withdrawal symptoms can take quite a long time to resolve after complete withdrawal.    We have/had members going through hell after a short benzodiazepines use.  Some of us are more sensitive to these meds than others. 

 

Please reassure your loved one that they will come through this, he will start to get better  once he’s benzofree.  You will find lots of information on the forum.  Please post questions to any of the dedicated boards,  our members are very knowledgeable  and will help were they can.

 

I will leave a few links to resources:

 

The Ashton Manual. 

Colorado Consortium Benzodiazepine Deprescribing Guidelines

Planning Your Withdrawal(TaperPlans)

Insomnia 

 

Members can respond with the best information if they know your medication history.  Go to the top of the page and select PROFILE then choose forum profile then insert drug history into the text box and remember to click change profile

 

Welcome aboard

Magrita

[[Ro...]]

Thank you for the kind welcome. 

 

In hindsight, knowing what we know now I suspect it may have been better for him to ride out the withdrawal symptoms but at the time we didn’t know what was going on and his doctor thought doing a longer taper was the right path to go down.  We have been through a  lot with his PCP who never steered us wrong but I now think going back on them was likely the wrong call as I believe what he’s experiencing now is a combo of tolerance and withdrawal.  On top of this he’s managed ADHD and generalized anxiety for the past 24 years (since he was 20) which certainly isn’t helping the current situation.  The K & V seem to have diminished the effectiveness of his SSRI and stimulant during this time.  The psychiatrist we found to take over care of his meds has been wonderful and explained how the neural pathways work and how the brain is lazy and his really likes the pathways created by the benzos hence the sensitivity / physical dependence. 

 

This whole experience has been terrible but I do see glimpses of progress and hope.  It’s just hard for him to maintain that hope when he’s low on dopamine which seems to happen in the late afternoon, early evenings.  We’ve  been playing around with when he takes his concerta throughout the day as his  does is 72mg taken in two 36mg pills; one after breakfast, the other around 3pm (previously around noon).  That seems to be helping along with strategically timed meals which we try to keep high protein.  He’s struggling to eat enough so we’ve introduced the high protein Ensures (350 cal, 16g protein) about mid morning. 

 

I’m looking forward to scouring the forum and interacting with others to see what I can learn.  Thank you again, so happy to have found a place where others understand and can relate.  While it can be scary to understand others journeys it’s also comforting to know there’s hope. 

 

 

 

[[ma...]]

Hi again RoxieB, how are things today?  I am glad you found a supportive psychiatrist to take care of the medication. Yes hindsight is a wonderful thing!  If we only knew?  With hindsight I wish I had researched my medication earlier, It would have saved me years of pain, (I was long term user 26 yrs)  Many very short term users out there have reinstated, not realising the symptoms do eventually ease off and disappear, it’s scary when you don’t know.

 

So sorry that he’s dealing with  ADHD on top of all this, I am really glad he’s got you, you’re taking care, making sure he eats and stays strong.  How is he managing his anxiety? has he found any coping skills, meditation, square breathing. Distracting  the brain helps, by doing something he loves, find a hobby.

 

He might learn how others cope reading/posting on the anxiety board

 

Anxiety 

 

Tell him no matter how bad he’s feeling now it’s temporary he will eventually recover.

 

I wish you both the best

Magrita