Anyone try another med to help deal with symptoms?

[[JC...]]

 

Anyone try a another med to help deal with the OCD, depression and anxiety caused by benzo withdrawal?

 

If anyone has or is on other meds, please let me know the drug and how it worked.

 

[[JC...]]

 

I like my psychiatrist.  He was very open to the Ashton method (though he didn't know about it before I showed it to him) and to allow me to taper off benzos.

 

He also is an old-timer so he doesn't just dole out prescriptions -- he does psychotherapy, which is the way psychiatry used to be performed.

 

So he told me about a couple of meds he told me he has had success with in respect to people with obsessive compulsions.  He never has pushed anything on me.

 

It's really the way psychiatrists should be.

[[sp...]]

Unfortunately I didn't find anything too helpful, but here's what I tried:

 

Trileptal - anti-seizure med, took it at doses up to 300mg/day. Almost no effect. Caused headaches.

Gabapentin - took at doses up to 600mg/day, caused sedation but otherwise unhelpful.

Campral - anti-addiction medication used to treat alcoholics. I took whatever the 'normal' dose is; zero effects whatsoever.

[[40...]]

I took depakote (valproate) which is an anti-seizure, anti-migraine med.  I had taken it previously for migraines.  It did seem to help slightly with the shakiness and sensitivity to light and ever so slighty with anxiety.  I tried it for about 6 weeks and decided to stop taking it since it wasn't helping that much. 

 

How long did you take the Campral for?

[[sp...]]

I took it for several weeks at least at the full dose, after ramping up over a week or so.

[[Pa...]]

I am using gabapentin  200 mg twice a day, and taking 60mgs of Prozac, but I have been on AD's forever, the gabapentin has helped me! As my Pdoc explained to me, it works on the same receptors, just differently, I am not having panic attacks!!!

[[Kl...]]

I am currently on 900 mg/Gabapentin (Daily) and 10/20 mg/Inderal (As Needed).

 

They both work marvelously.

 

I have just stopped my Klonopin use after 8 months at a fairly liberal taper. Went from 2 mg of Klonopin to 1 mg in 2 weeks. Have been off the 1 mg for about 4 days. I would be going crazy if it weren't for the Gabapentin and Inderal. Both work great for me.

 

NOT all medications work the same for everyone, fyi if you did not know. THESE have worked for me, try them. If they don't work for you, there is still hope. YOU CAN get through this. You just have to want it bad enough. Every day just say to yourself, JUST FOR TODAY I will go through hell to be away from these benzos...

 

BECAUSE MY WORST DAY WITHOUT A BENZO IS BETTER THAN MY BEST DAY WITH ONE!!!!!!

 

With love and respect,

 

KD

[[Ch...]]

Hi Curley,

 

I've been off for 4 years now. When I was doing my taper my worst symptoms were depression and OCD. I was actually diagnosed with OCD in the early 2000s.

The psychiatrist who diagnosed the OCD felt that the benzo was not helping me at all (I'll say!) and recommended CBT, and possibly an AD if the CBT didn't help.

I did not take on any additional meds at that time nor did I take on any when I was tapering.

My OCD has improved very significantly since coming off benzos. I no longer do any rituals and the obsessive thoughts though annoying at times are just that, a mild annoyance that no longer holds any power over me.

My depression which plagued me throughout my taper has lightened a lot too. I still feel a deep ineffable sadness at times but am now able to experience real joy too!

I wish I had something more to offer you other than my sincere belief that things will improve when you become benzo free.

I hope this brings you hope.

 

Best to you always,

Chinook

[[Co...]]

I take depakote and it's useless for me. The higher doses seemed to help a bit but the side effects are too much for me. I tapered down and it does nothing now. Gabapentin seemed to work for the 2 days I took it then had an allergic reaction to it. Figures!

[[JC...]]

Hi Curley,

 

I've been off for 4 years now. When I was doing my taper my worst symptoms were depression and OCD. I was actually diagnosed with OCD in the early 2000s.

The psychiatrist who diagnosed the OCD felt that the benzo was not helping me at all (I'll say!) and recommended CBT, and possibly an AD if the CBT didn't help.

I did not take on any additional meds at that time nor did I take on any when I was tapering.

My OCD has improved very significantly since coming off benzos. I no longer do any rituals and the obsessive thoughts though annoying at times are just that, a mild annoyance that no longer holds any power over me.

My depression which plagued me throughout my taper has lightened a lot too. I still feel a deep ineffable sadness at times but am now able to experience real joy too!

I wish I had something more to offer you other than my sincere belief that things will improve when you become benzo free.

I hope this brings you hope.

 

Best to you always,

Chinook

 

Thanks, Chinook.

 

It's good to hear that your symptoms have improved and you came to acceptance with the intrusive thoughts (which is what they say alleviates them).

 

I'm at 9.5 mg V right now and struggling with my taper.

 

My doctor recommended Effexor for OCD but I have read some rough withdrawal stories about that drug on the internet.

 

I took my first dose yesterday and it definitely lifted my depression.  However, I woke up jittery today.  Debating whether to continue.  I wonder if I can take it intermittently.

 

Anyway I gotta go.  Just realized I touched a toilet seat and didn't wash my hands.  Now I've touched my keyboard!   Oh no -- it's contaminated.  Have to go take a bath in Lysol. 

 

Curley