17 months update: insomnia, neuropathy, etc

[[Su...]]

Well, I haven't been here in a minute, as the kids say.  

Since starting an uninformed, unsupervised, tragic taper in February 2023, I have come a long way towards getting healthy. 

Along the way in the last year, I jettisoned all of these drugs and crutches...

1. klonopin
2. lithium
3. furosemide
4. allopurinal
5. nighttime supplemental O₂
6. levothyroxine
7. ambien

As a result I am feeling clearer and healthier than I have in decades.  I began my polypharmacy journey in 1998. Having some perspective now, I can see that it drastically impacted my life in a negative way.  Other drugs I was prescribed over the years included trileptal, geodon, neurontin, lamictal, and many many more. This all started after finishing a PhD and feeling anxious and a psychologist Dx'd me BPII !

Therapy within the last 9 months, focused on my childhood trauma, has revealed the real reasons for my feeling so overwhelmed so many years ago.  I never should have been drugged like I was. Rather, I just needed a good therapist who recognized trauma and PTSD.

So, I now want to caveat what I have written, that in combination of slow elimination of meds and therapy, I have arrived at this point.  Don't rush in until you are ready. 

Specifically, my klonopin and ambien discontinuation completely nuked me.  I have written many other posts about that.

Today I am reporting my primary prolonged withdrawal symptoms as:

• insomnia (slowly improving to maybe 4-5 hrs per night, uninterrupted)
• intrusive thoughts (a constant drumbeat but getting fainter)
• constipation ( i feel as though my bowels have almost completely stopped)
• peripheral neuropathy (has re-emergaed strongly in the last month in my feet and sometimes hands)

Question for others -  given that I am otherwise feeling so much improved, it doesn't make sense to class the relatively recent recurrence of neuropathy as stemming from a systemic issue. So, any thoughts on how to treat this? I attribute many of these symptoms to what is essentially a huge chemical imbalance (vitamins, minerals, etc) that wreaks havoc on the body during/post withdrawal, so maybe I can supplement somehow?  FYI - I have taken NMN since January, but stopped this week due to the neuropathy. I will see if they are related.

All for now.

SC

 

    

[[Br...]]

Hi @[Su...] - it's good to see your update and to know you're feeling much better in many ways. I'm sorry you're experiencing some withdrawal symptoms; insomnia, intrusive thoughts, and constipation.  I haven't seen all of your history but I gather you were tapered too rapidly. I'm sorry you were put through this and that you are suffering the consequences.  .

I don't see it as a given that your neuropathy is related to withdrawal.  In my opinion it's important to see a neurologist to rule out other causes.  I say this because I too developed peripheral neuropathy during withdrawal.  It was so uncomfortable I spoke to my PCP about it who referred me to a neurologist.  I had a battery of tests including blood tests and lo & behold a blood test revealed my B6 blood levels were off the charts.  As advised I immediately cut out supplements with B6.  I had read somewhere that mega doses of B vitamins were helpful in reducing anxiety and so I'd been taking a daily supplement with massive doses.  It was yet another lesson in not relying on a single anonymous person on the internet for advice in how to self diagnose and treat yourself!  It wasn't long after I quit the B supplements that the neuropathy vanished.  I'm not saying this because this is your situation - again, my point is that in my opinion it's worthwhile for you to get checked out by a neurologist.

I don't know anything about NMN other than its popular supplement.  It doesn't appear on BIC's list of Medications and Supplements of Concern on Benzodiazepines, During Cessation and After Withdrawal.

[[Su...]]

Thank you @[Br...]!

Interestingly you point out the B vitamins! As it turns out, NMN is a precursor to NAD+ , which is part of the B vitamins.

I thik we are onto something here...

[[sh...]]

I also still suffer from neuropathy.. I had my blood test done and it shows a  very low B6,5,3,1,7… I try to eat food high in these vitamins as I am too afraid to supply them. 

Or should I supply them!???

Has anyone improved by taking supplements?

Thanks 🍀

[[An...]]

12 hours ago, [[S...] said:

Well, I haven't been here in a minute, as the kids say.  

Since starting an uninformed, unsupervised, tragic taper in February 2023, I have come a long way towards getting healthy. 

Along the way in the last year, I jettisoned all of these drugs and crutches...

1. klonopin
2. lithium
3. furosemide
4. allopurinal
5. nighttime supplemental O₂
6. levothyroxine
7. ambien

As a result I am feeling clearer and healthier than I have in decades.  I began my polypharmacy journey in 1998. Having some perspective now, I can see that it drastically impacted my life in a negative way.  Other drugs I was prescribed over the years included trileptal, geodon, neurontin, lamictal, and many many more. This all started after finishing a PhD and feeling anxious and a psychologist Dx'd me BPII !

Therapy within the last 9 months, focused on my childhood trauma, has revealed the real reasons for my feeling so overwhelmed so many years ago.  I never should have been drugged like I was. Rather, I just needed a good therapist who recognized trauma and PTSD.

So, I now want to caveat what I have written, that in combination of slow elimination of meds and therapy, I have arrived at this point.  Don't rush in until you are ready. 

Specifically, my klonopin and ambien discontinuation completely nuked me.  I have written many other posts about that.

Today I am reporting my primary prolonged withdrawal symptoms as:

• insomnia (slowly improving to maybe 4-5 hrs per night, uninterrupted)
• intrusive thoughts (a constant drumbeat but getting fainter)
• constipation ( i feel as though my bowels have almost completely stopped)
• peripheral neuropathy (has re-emergaed strongly in the last month in my feet and sometimes hands)

Question for others -  given that I am otherwise feeling so much improved, it doesn't make sense to class the relatively recent recurrence of neuropathy as stemming from a systemic issue. So, any thoughts on how to treat this? I attribute many of these symptoms to what is essentially a huge chemical imbalance (vitamins, minerals, etc) that wreaks havoc on the body during/post withdrawal, so maybe I can supplement somehow?  FYI - I have taken NMN since January, but stopped this week due to the neuropathy. I will see if they are related.

All for now.

SC

What is NMN?

[[Su...]]

NMN is a supplement that is supposed to promote cell repair and, some think, longevity.

When you take NMN, the body breaks it down into NAD+ , which does the cell-level work.

 

[[or...]]

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

I also still suffer from neuropathy.. I had my blood test done and it shows a  very low B6,5,3,1,7… I try to eat food high in these vitamins as I am too afraid to supply them. 

Or should I supply them!???

Has anyone improved by taking supplements?

Thanks 🍀

I take magnesium, and it helped with burning pain in my toes, and also, leg and foot cramps.  I also take B's, and but no multi as I needed to get what I believe is the right dosage.  Multi's tend not to have that according to my reading.  But a multi could be better than nothing.

I also have T2 Diabetes/Insulin Resistance so not sure if my toe-pain and cramping is from that, or the benzo's Tolerance WD, or my tapering wd sxs, oregonlady

[[sh...]]

Thank you for your reply❣️Actually I started to sneak in magnesium in a very low dose two days ago. 

Hope the burning and all the other pain will soon go for all of us 🙏🍀

[[Br...]]

5 hours ago, [[s...] said:

I also still suffer from neuropathy.. I had my blood test done and it shows a  very low B6,5,3,1,7… I try to eat food high in these vitamins as I am too afraid to supply them. 

Or should I supply them!???

Has anyone improved by taking supplements?

Thanks 🍀

It's possible to over supplement some vitamins by taking doses that are too high.  As I mentioned above Vit. B6 toxicity caused my neuropathy - luckily it was reversible and my neuropathy went away when I stopped taking mega doses of B6.  I would ask your doctor about what levels of supplements you should take.

[[fa...]]

8 hours ago, [[s...] said:

Thank you for your reply❣️Actually I started to sneak in magnesium in a very low dose two days ago. 

Hope the burning and all the other pain will soon go for all of us 🙏🍀

Shamrock, I just read through your story. You seem to be in such great spirits even with all thrown at you. I don't really have burning but I do have tbe stiffness.  Has your neuropathy gotten any better for you?  I did try myofascial and it did help.  

[[fa...]]

8 hours ago, [[s...] said:

Thank you for your reply❣️Actually I started to sneak in magnesium in a very low dose two days ago. 

Hope the burning and all the other pain will soon go for all of us 🙏🍀

Also my most major issues started with lexapro but I suspect the 6 pills of ambien I took had something to do with it. 

[[An...]]

IMO, vitamin supplements and minerals (micro-nutrients) are completely unnecessary if you are eating a healthy diet. The only exception is B12 if you are a strict whole food, plant based vegan. Unless a blood test can demonstrate a deficiency, supplements are a waste of money, unnecessary, and can be dangerous in some situations.