I suspect benzo withdrawal has changed the way my medication works-i'm desperate

[[ti...]]

I've been off benzos for 3.5 years now and had gotten to a place where I was 80% better. Still had symptoms but they were way less intense and less frequent. Four months ago I took 10mg of oxycodone and it flared up old nerve pain that I got after an accident. The pain had been very well controlled with lyrica for the last seven years. At first the pain was off and on and fairly mild. I figured it would settle back down, but for the past 5 weeks it's been just as constant and severe as it was pre-lyrica. I've never been in a setback that has lasted months, I've never had a withdrawal symptom this constant with no windows. I'm afraid either my nerve pain has flared up permanently or my brain chemistry has changed and the lyrica is no longer effective. I'm not even sure if either of those things can happen. I'm not sure why I had such a bad response to a small amount of opioids. I'm horrible pain and so scared right now, I have no idea what going on.

Does anyone know if benzo withdrawal can change the way a medication works permenently? Can benzo withdrawal flare up old pain permanently?

I know the mantra around here is we all heal but I'm not sure if thats true. It feels like it's never really over for some of us.

[[Ma...]]

Yes, it can and does. Ashton states that our system becomes so sensitized that medications that worked previously may not any longer, or we may respond differently. And I gather opioids can really be problematic.

Maybe a different medication that is new to your system would work? 

I’m so so sorry you’re in so much pain. I’m just so sorry. 

[[ti...]]

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

Yes, it can and does. Ashton states that our system becomes so sensitized that medications that worked previously may not any longer, or we may respond differently. And I gather opioids can really be problematic.

Maybe a different medication that is new to your system would work? 

I’m so so sorry you’re in so much pain. I’m just so sorry. 

I just don't understand how it's worked through 3.5 years of withdrawal, including 2 CTs and a measley 10mg of pain meds causes this.

I tried all the other never pain meds before, nothing but lyrica helped. 

[[Ma...]]

Maybe the opioid just put you into a wave. Maybe the past medication that did not work will work NOW that your system has been altered?

I can only imagine how afraid you are but you’ve been through worse, or comparable, and gotten through it, so you will get through this too.

Can you make an appointment with your doctor for Monday? I think it’s trial and error until you find something and maybe just don’t touch another opiod.

You WILL get past this. Breathe, okay?

[[ti...]]

I'm just so scared. Lyrica has been the only thing that has allowed me to live a decent life for the better part of a decade. 

I'm trying to find where Ashton says that about medications. Is it in the manual?

[[Ma...]]

Maybe it was the Benzo Information Coalition. I will check tomorrow as I’m afraid I have to sleep.

Hang in there. Hopefully others will also respond tonight.

[[ns...]]

1 hour ago, [[t...] said:

I've been off benzos for 3.5 years now and had gotten to a place where I was 80% better. Still had symptoms but they were way less intense and less frequent. Four months ago I took 10mg of oxycodone and it flared up old nerve pain that I got after an accident. The pain had been very well controlled with lyrica for the last seven years. At first the pain was off and on and fairly mild. I figured it would settle back down, but for the past 5 weeks it's been just as constant and severe as it was pre-lyrica. I've never been in a setback that has lasted months, I've never had a withdrawal symptom this constant with no windows. I'm afraid either my nerve pain has flared up permanently or my brain chemistry has changed and the lyrica is no longer effective. I'm not even sure if either of those things can happen. I'm not sure why I had such a bad response to a small amount of opioids. I'm horrible pain and so scared right now, I have no idea what going on.

Does anyone know if benzo withdrawal can change the way a medication works permenently? Can benzo withdrawal flare up old pain permanently?

I know the mantra around here is we all heal but I'm not sure if thats true. It feels like it's never really over for some of us.

tiredgirl, hi. I'm sorry you are in such pain, I know what nerve pain feels like and I can sympathize. 

Since my 1st taper of lorazapam, I could no longer take anything for very long. I did go back on Gabapentin for 2 weeks but then they made me feel worse.  I have a bag full of meds that were prescribed and i can take none of them. This includes vitamins, supplements, ib profin, norco, etc. I had to stop taking benzo the 2nd time because it did the reverse. Tried valuim and k, couldn't take them either. Doctors look at me like I'm nuts but it is true.

It is the same with food, can't eat many foods now but I do know this, after about a yr off of lorazepam, I was able to eat many foods I couldn't eat and did take a half pain pill. So I expect that once you've finished tapering you'll probably be able to gradually go back on or at least go to something similar. 

I sure hope so because I'm tired if being in pain!

Take care

Ns
 

 

[[ns...]]

58 minutes ago, [[t...] said:

I'm just so scared. Lyrica has been the only thing that has allowed me to live a decent life for the better part of a decade. 

I'm trying to find where Ashton says that about medications. Is it in the manual?

tiredgirl,

Have you ever tried lidocaine? They gave it to me in the er for trigeminal neuralgia, it worked really well. The over the counter ones don't help much but your doctor can give u a prescription strength lidocaine gel or patch. 

I hope that helps

So sorry your suffering 

Ns

[[ti...]]

3 minutes ago, [[n...] said:

tiredgirl, hi. I'm sorry you are in such pain, I know what nerve pain feels like and I can sympathize. 

Since my 1st taper of lorazapam, I could no longer take anything for very long. I did go back on Gabapentin for 2 weeks but then they made me feel worse.  I have a bag full of meds that were prescribed and i can take none of them. This includes vitamins, supplements, ib profin, norco, etc. I had to stop taking benzo the 2nd time because it did the reverse. Tried valuim and k, couldn't take them either. Doctors look at me like I'm nuts but it is true.

It is the same with food, can't eat many foods now but I do know this, after about a yr off of lorazepam, I was able to eat many foods I couldn't eat and did take a half pain pill. So I expect that once you've finished tapering you'll probably be able to gradually go back on or at least go to something similar. 

I sure hope so because I'm tired if being in pain!

Take care

Ns
 

Thanks, but I'm not tapering. I CTd 3 years ago.  I'm very protracted and still sensitive to so many things, but I've never had anything like this happen before. I've tried lidocaine but it doesn't help much. My only hope now is maybe if I ever heal the lyrica will start working again, but at this point I'm not sure if that will ever happen. I lose hope with every year that goes by.

[[ns...]]

2 minutes ago, [[t...] said:

Thanks, but I'm not tapering. I CTd 3 years ago.  I'm very protracted and still sensitive to so many things, but I've never had anything like this happen before. I've tried lidocaine but it doesn't help much. My only hope now is maybe if I ever heal the lyrica will start working again, but at this point I'm not sure if that will ever happen. I lose hope with every year that goes by.

No I think you will be able to use it again, but it just takes time. If you've already tapered, have u tried any other nerve meds?have u tried Gabapentin, lyrcra is the big sis to Gabapentin so you may be able to take it. It may be u might have to stick with it for awhile for it to work idk, but I'd try anything at this point. 

I don't like Gabapentin but if you're suffering like that, you might give that or another nerve med a try. I'm so sorry, I know it's so painful. I used to use oxycodone for break thru pain with Gabapentin, it seemed to help buy it was really a waiting Game I think. Relaxing my face and jaw helped, and a heating pad. 

I'm numb from the waste down right now, don't know which nerve is causing this. Waiting for appointment for neurosurgeon just to get an mri of my lumbar spine. Can't use heat or tens unit.

Nerve damage is different for everyone and it is the worst kind of pain. I was grateful when the neuralgia left for sure!

Ill say a payer for u tonight 

Be well ok, try to relax and distract 

Take care

Ns

[[bw...]]

Unfortuatley this is all too common. Many such cases.

Ashton writes about this...

I believe you are in a setback.

What may affect you may not affect others.

 

Ive been on oxycodone daily for 12years. My early years was 140mg per day. (About 7years).  I was taking 20mg instant x 7 a day.  i gradually reduced my dose over the years and got down to 25mg daily eventually.

I was on oxy my whole taper. And off my taper and held oxy while in acute wd.

I held this for years. Was great on it. And i was 5.2 years off... i Driving working socalizing and got to 80% healed but never the same pre benzos. But life was becoming managable.

 

I unfortuatley took Pepcid for heartburn 12months ago for 28days.

Day 28 my brain snapped and litterally overnight BOOF i could not tolerate oxycodone. I was thrown into ACUTE wd. Akathesia included....

Now oxycodone ...It causes SEVERE heart racing and extreme breathlessness and PANIC . Its very uncomfortable. And believe me... i know opoid drugs inside out as ive spent a decade or more on them DAILY.

So yeah, litterally overnight I couldnt tolerate it. I HAD to take oxy in very small doses to deal with my opoid withdrawal WHILE back into benzo acute wd again. So at the moment I am taking 1mg... yes you read that correctly... 1mg of oxycodone. Spaced out 5x a day...... a total of 5mg daily.

If i deviate or go higher on this dose my nervous system goes CRAZY.

So this was caused by a setback and now im dealing with horritic pain daily and I cannot take litterally anything for it. Not even tylenol. Aspirin or anything. Im now sensitive to everything. Its out of control. And its been 12 months since this happened. And ive had barely any improvement in my setback apart from the akathesia has stopped.

So I fully understand how you feel and its very grim when im at 6.4 years out now.

Edited February 25 by [bw...]

[[ns...]]

1 hour ago, [[b...] said:

Unfortuatley this is all too common. Many such cases.

Ashton writes about this...

I believe you are in a setback.

What may affect you may not affect others.

Ive been on oxycodone daily for 12years. My early years was 140mg per day. (About 7years).  I was taking 20mg instant x 7 a day.  i gradually reduced my dose over the years and got down to 25mg daily eventually.

I was on oxy my whole taper. And off my taper and held oxy while in acute wd.

I held this for years. Was great on it. And i was 5.2 years off... i Driving working socalizing and got to 80% healed but never the same pre benzos. But life was becoming managable.

I unfortuatley took Pepcid for heartburn 12months ago for 28days.

Day 28 my brain snapped and litterally overnight BOOF i could not tolerate oxycodone. I was thrown into ACUTE wd. Akathesia included....

Now oxycodone ...It causes SEVERE heart racing and extreme breathlessness and PANIC . Its very uncomfortable. And believe me... i know opoid drugs inside out as ive spent a decade or more on them DAILY.

So yeah, litterally overnight I couldnt tolerate it. I HAD to take oxy in very small doses to deal with my opoid withdrawal WHILE back into benzo acute wd again. So at the moment I am taking 1mg... yes you read that correctly... 1mg of oxycodone. Spaced out 5x a day...... a total of 5mg daily.

If i deviate or go higher on this dose my nervous system goes CRAZY.

So this was caused by a setback and now im dealing with horritic pain daily and I cannot take litterally anything for it. Not even tylenol. Aspirin or anything. Im now sensitive to everything. Its out of control. And its been 12 months since this happened. And ive had barely any improvement in my setback apart from the akathesia has stopped.

So I fully understand how you feel and its very grim when im at 6.4 years out now.

They gave me pepcid in er, I didn't ask for it but they put it in my vein. I did start having acid reflux symptoms after, bought some pepcid. Mistake! Bad stuff.

It's also supposed to be connected to mcas.

Benzos are the worst,  let's face it, they've caused so many issues and people are suffering. I'm still tapering and almost done,  you finished and now you're miserable. 

Idk, I guess time will heal all but I know u must be miserable after all this time and I know your in pain. I'm so sorry 😞 

Praying tomorrow is a good day for you 

 

 

[[bw...]]

Thankyou nsindy appreciate it. Yeah its such a long time. I havent always felt this bad. But this setback is just something else...