Lyme Disease and Benzo Withdrawal - Advice Needed

[[Ja...]]

I need some help. I'm battling Lyme disease and some other tick infections that wreak havoc on my nervous system. I was periodically using Clonzepam over the last few years (never daily), but this year I began using it daily (doctor prescribed) while I was going through a difficult time with stress/anxiety related to some heart issues and having to get a heart ablation surgery. So I was on Clonzepam daily for about 4 to 5 months - .25mg twice per day - occasionally took .5mg. I've been trying to slowly taper off. My Psych had me switch over to diazepam. That was very hard the first week. Major diarrhea and felt off. I was origninally on 2mg Diazepam twice a day. A little over two weeks ago I reduced (cut) 1/4 of that 2mg tablet. I use a scale. I think that cut was too much at once but I'm over two weeks in and I'm not going to increase my dose. I'm having a hard time with symptoms but can't tell if it's withdrawal or my Lyme disease junk flaring up. I think I should hold at the dose of diazepam I'm on until things stabilize for me. Your thoughts? Also, does natural gaba supplements help during this time? Or is it better to avoid them for now? I eat a very clean diet. I don't drink. I don't smoke. Today was a very very very hard day. I wish I would've never started on benzos. Oh, and I also take 37.5mg of Effexor, 10mg of Buspirone twice a day, and 50mg Trazodone at night. My Psych wanted to start me on Zoloft two weeks ago. I told her NO!!! Enough with these psych meds. It took me forever to get down to 37.5mg of Effexor. A Lyme Doc put me on the Trazodone in 2018 because I couldn't sleep. He said it was non-addictive, harmless, and easy to come off of. I trusted him. Never again. Now I do my own research and ask people who've walked the dark valleys.

[[Pa...]]

Hello @[Ja...], welcome to BenzoBuddies,

Oh my goodness, you have a lot going on, I'm sorry you're dealing with Lyme, we have quite a few members mention struggling with this condition, I'm sure you'll find some helpful suggestions.

As for your benzo use, you were on between .5 and 1 mg a day for about 4-5 months and you crossed over to Valium?  If you didn't reduce the Clonazepam in stages while introducing the Valium, I can understand why you had a rough time.  It takes Valium awhile to build up in our system so if we withdraw the other benzo before the Valium has time to build up, we're left without adequate coverage. 

I'm also questioning the crossover amount, while equivalencies are difficult to get right on, going to 4 mgs a day Valium from .5 to 1 mg Clonazepam would leave you quite undermedicated.  Benzodiazepine Equivalents Conversion Calculator - ClinCalc.com

I agree that holding your dose would be a good idea, or even going up a bit if your symptoms are too much for you, you have to be able to function.  I understand how difficult it is to tell the difference between the Lyme and the benzo's but given the huge changes you've made to your medication, I'd assign your difficulties right now to the benzo.

I believe some of our members use GABA supplements but I've never read anything definitive on their usefulness, but like any other supplement, they can work for some and not for others. 

Lets keep talking, we're glad you're here.

@[Pa...]

 

[[Ja...]]

Thank you @[Pa...] for your insight. Makes sense.