My battle - please help

[[Pa...]]

I’m so sorry @[To...], I don’t have experience with pregabalin but I’ve seen many threads discussing it, you might want to use the search function to read what members have discussed.  Many of the comments are negative but if your health, home and livelihood are on the line then you have to do what you and your doctor think is best.  

I understand there is a significant taper involved with pregabalin so it might be best to prepare yourself for that once the benzo is gone but if this is what you have to do to survive this then you have to do what’s best for you. 

[[Th...]]

I found a Benzo-wise psychiatrist at a counseling center and that was his "Plan B" for me as well.  He was going to put me on Gabapentin, not Lyrica (Pregabalin) and then taper off of that.  Luckily I never had to go on Gabapentin as I made significant improvement in the timeline he projected.  Good luck!

[[Id...]]

On 01/12/2023 at 06:17, [[T...] said:

Has anyone ever heard of the Verona detox method using flumazenil? Thanks.

Yes…. followed every instruction for years. Still I am here kindled as hell and I almost died. 

Just my experience 

Edited December 14, 2023 by [Id...]

[[Id...]]

On 01/12/2023 at 06:17, [[T...] said:

Has anyone ever heard of the Verona detox method using flumazenil? Thanks.

Yes…. followed every instruction for years. Still I am here kindled as hell and I almost died. 

Just my experience 

Edited December 14, 2023 by [Id...]

[[To...]]

@[Id...]

thanks

Did you actually have that treatment performed in Italy?

Could you describe what it was like? What they did? Any meds that were given throughout or afterwards? Please and thanks. 
 

When you say you kindled what happened? You left with severe withdrawal symptoms and had to reinstate?

[[To...]]

@[Th...]

what was Plan A - just the slow taper? 

[[Id...]]

On 13/12/2023 at 19:55, [[T...] said:

 

 

I have too much trauma to go into details now

On 13/12/2023 at 19:55, [[T...] said:

You left with severe withdrawal symptoms and had to reinstate

Yes

On 13/12/2023 at 19:55, [[T...] said:

When you say you kindled what happened?

Got brutally reduced and switched to clonazepam which is a big no 

Happened twice and twice I was urgently recovered in hospital for weeks. Once poli drugged once ct

Edited December 20, 2023 by [Id...]

[[To...]]

@[Id...]

I am sorry to hear that happened to you. Deeply sorry. 
 

You would strongly advise against going that route then no doubt. 
 

Is there a way we could have a private convo about it? 

[[Id...]]

On 13/12/2023 at 20:18, [[T...] said:

Is there a way we could have a private convo about it?

I’ll see what I can do too much trauma now

edit: the private convo was about specific names and damages caused, because of strict laws about what you can publicly say without documentation. Otherwise my experience, without too gory details, is public shared all over the forum 

Edited December 15, 2023 by [Id...]

[[To...]]

God bless @[Id...]

Edited December 13, 2023 by [To...]

[[Si...]]

@[Th...] sorry to hijack the thread but what was the timeline your doctor projected for you?

@tonywasp I hope you find stabilisation.  stabilisation is everything.  if things get really bad and no dose of benzo works maybe another med like you suggested can help

[[To...]]

@[Id...] I’m seriously considering going to Modena for a 30 day flumazenil detox. Your insight would be greatly appreciated. I don’t want to bring up any trauma for you but I don’t your whole story so am not sure that it would not be a viable treatment option for me. Again, any input you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Please reach out. 

[[Id...]]

Done and I won’t recover soon from that 

[[Th...]]

I did the Flumazenil treatment at the Coleman Institute, in Richmond, VA.  Dr. Coleman has since retired.  My treatment lasted one week, not 30 days.  I cannot say with any type of certainty how much it helped or was a factor in how fast I healed, but I know I did start to get Windows within a week or 2 after treatment. He also had a compounding pharmacy give me a 3-month supply of Flumazenil cream that I could rub into my skin daily after he stopped the intravenous (belly fat) infusion using a wearable pump that slowly injected the Flumazenil.  Good luck.

Edited December 15, 2023 by [Th...]

[[Th...]]

On 13/12/2023 at 14:40, [[S...] said:

@[Th...] sorry to hijack the thread but what was the timeline your doctor projected for you?

@tonywasp I hope you find stabilisation.  stabilisation is everything.  if things get really bad and no dose of benzo works maybe another med like you suggested can help

The Psychiatrist said I should start to see improvement in 4-6 months and that he would not go the Gabapentin route if I felt like I had improved around 65% from my baseline.  He was spot on.

[[To...]]

3 hours ago, [[I...] said:

Done and I won’t recover soon from that 

Thank you once again for sharing. I replied to your PM. I wish I could only come to where you are to give you a hug and have a tea together. If nothing else maybe you have saved me from unspeakable pain further to what I’m going through already. God bless. 

[[To...]]

1 minute ago, [[T...] said:

The Psychiatrist said I should start to see improvement in 4-6 months and that he would not go the Gabapentin route if I felt like I had improved around 65% from my baseline.  He was spot on.

Sounds like you have a great psychiatrist. When you say ‘improved’ do you mean reduction in dosage? Reduction is symptoms? Functionality? Can you work and carry out the day to day now? I currently can’t chalk up what portion is due to severe depression or withdrawals.  

[[Th...]]

I was already off all Benzos via a Cold Turkey at the recommendation of my doctor.  I never stopped working.  I worked through withdrawal the best I could.  I ended up using about 25 sick days randomly when things got really tough. A 65% reduction in symptoms and/or symptom intensity along with functionality is what he (the psychiatrist) was looking for.  I've been completely healed for over 5 years now and have enjoyed a complete return to a normal life over that time.  I had major depression during withdrawal that I never had prior to Benzos.  I have not had it again since I healed. In fact, I had over 15 symptoms during the worst of my withdrawal.  I never had any of these symptoms prior to Benzos.  I have been completely symptom free for over 5 years except for an off night of sleep here and there every few months.

Edited December 15, 2023 by [Th...]

[[To...]]

1 minute ago, [[T...] said:

I was already off all Benzos via a Cold Turkey at the recommendation of my doctor.  I never stopped working.  I worked through withdrawal the best I could.  I ended up using about 25 sick days randomly when things go really tough. A 65% reduction in symptoms and/or symptom intensity along with functionality.  I've been completely healed for over 5 years now and have enjoyed a complete return to a normal life over that time.  I had major depression during withdrawal that I never had prior to Benzos.  I have not had it again since I healed.  I have been completely symptom free for over 5 years except for an off night of sleep here and there every few months.

That’s incredible to have CT’d and done that. My work - engineering is all mental - I don’t feel I could work the most basic job at the moment or deal with minute stress much less what I would find at my office. Which is a relatively new job for me among other things. 

You are a champ. What and how much did you CT off of?

[[Th...]]

I started with .5mg Xanax and quickly went up to 1mg of Xanax.  Then my doctor switched me to Klonopin as it has a longer half life and I quickly (in about one month) went up to 3mgs of Klonopin along with 30mgs of Temazepam at the same time. I then tried to cross-over to Valium to taper, but just ended up doing a CT at his advice. I was on a total of 12 weeks.  The K-pin and Temazepam would only get me an hour or 2 of sleep at best.  I was in IT at that time and most of my work was mental too, but I looked back a few years later at some of the work I did while in withdrawal and it was every bit as good as any other work I did prior or after.  Go figure. 

[[Id...]]

@[To...]I wrote you the details of what happened me in the centers you named me. That was my experience. I think that @[Th...] gave you a reasonable feedback about the treatment. My advice is to open a thread in benzodiazepine use or taper here on the forum and explain your situation as you did with me, if you can. There’s a good moderation team and people with similar experiences to point you to possible choices and good sources. I think it’s forbidden for good reasons to give private advices and anyway I wouldn’t be comfortable  doing that 

[[Id...]]

2 hours ago, [[T...] said:

My treatment lasted one week, not 30 days

I got treated for a week and a second time for a few days more but I was never gave info about dosages. The “30 days” plan also provides with 7/10 days of infusion, the rest (for what I have experienced) is made of a lot of benzos, other drugs or CT to fill the remaining days. They also tried to “sell me” more infusions using the exact words “we can give you as many as you want”. Which doesn’t seem a scientific dosage plan for what I know.

The specialist that pointed me in that direction when I didn’t know anything about benzodiazepine risks spontaneously told me “the 30 days plan is just a way to make more money from you”

Edited December 15, 2023 by [Id...]
Clarity

[[Th...]]

I'd be super careful with that "proposed" treatment plan.  Why on earth would they use Flumazenil for 7/10 days then mix Benzos back in?  That completely defeats the purpose of Flumazenil, that is supposed to "gently" remove the Benzos from your body and GABA receptors.  It doesn't speed healing, just "flushes" out the Benzos. It seems to work well for some but not so great for others.  I'd stay away from places that don't understand Benzo withdrawal and places that want to push Benzos.  I was on Zyprexa and Lyrica during my Flumazenil treatment.  Benzos were never an option.

[[To...]]

Thanks @[Th...]

the whole protocol is here : https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.857376/full

@[Id...] what was your starting dosage when entering treatment and when coming out? 

[[An...]]

On 01/12/2023 at 00:17, [[T...] said:

@[Pa...]Having intense anxiety all day long. Anytime trying to taper. Anxiety persists even when holding the current dose. 

Has anyone ever heard of the Verona detox method using flumazenil? Thanks. 

I have never personally heard of Verona but I would avoid. Flumazenil is like a benzo CT on steroids. Desperation will cause you to make bad decisions. Please, do your due diligence and try to learn from the mistakes of others who have gone before you.