Polydrugged - when it is time for next taper?

[[Ho...]]

I have been heavily polydrugged lexapro 20mg and oxazepam 60mg. I tapered oxazepam from 60mg to 37,5mg in a month six years ago. Right after I started lexapro taper and tapered according dr advise in a month from 20mg to 7,5mg. I was a mess. It was horrible. The rest 7,5mg of lexapro took five years to taper. My cns was so mess. Now I am 14 moths off lexapro and I have difficult dysautonomia. Dangerous high bp due to dysautonomia. I have functional neurological disorder.

 

I want to taper off of oxazepam but I am not sure if time is good for that. Should I still wait longer? Any advices? I am bedridden. I have also cfs. I have hypersensitivity to medications and all the chemicals. 

Edited July 14 by [Ho...]

[[Cr...]]

Hi @[Ho...]

I guess the goal is to figure out the best route for you to take. The problem with polydrug issues is it is often hard to decide on a course of action based on current symptoms alone.

If a lot of the symptoms keeping you bedridden are an extension of your Lexapro withdrawal, then it probably would be wise to hold off on tapering the oxazepam as you don't want to compound your symptoms.

However, it could also be that a lot of your physical/mental symptoms are not from just ssri withdrawal but are also/mostly side effects from longterm use of oxazepam. In that case you may want to begin your taper as soon as you can. CFS is often a disorder without a singular cause. It is very likely that benzo use has greatly contributed to your severe fatigue. With your hypersensitivity to medications it may be in your interest to see how you feel coming off of oxazepam slowly.

With your health issues it would be prudent to keep your doctor informed of any changes you plan to make. Keep in mind that if oxazepam is the major source of your current symptoms, you might feel some side effects subside as you taper but gain new withdrawal symptoms. Whether they balance out or skew into the positive I cannot know.

Whatever choice you make we will support you. If you decide to taper the oxazepam then we will gladly help you figure out a taper plan suited to your situation and needs.

[[Bu...]]

On 14/07/2024 at 20:23, [[H...] said:

I have been heavily polydrugged lexapro 20mg and oxazepam 60mg. I tapered oxazepam from 60mg to 37,5mg in a month six years ago. Right after I started lexapro taper and tapered according dr advise in a month from 20mg to 7,5mg. I was a mess. It was horrible. The rest 7,5mg of lexapro took five years to taper. My cns was so mess. Now I am 14 moths off lexapro and I have difficult dysautonomia. Dangerous high bp due to dysautonomia. I have functional neurological disorder.

I want to taper off of oxazepam but I am not sure if time is good for that. Should I still wait longer? Any advices? I am bedridden. I have also cfs. I have hypersensitivity to medications and all the chemicals. 

Some of what has been diagnosed as functional neurological disorder could be from oxazepam.

I had that happen to me - with regards to withdrawal muscle spasms and lack of coordination from diazepam