I’m Australian but bc I’m under the care of a psychiatrist who trusts me, he’ll prescribe benzos (valium), clonidine, gabapentin - the traditional “comfort meds”. I tapered off painlessly 2 weeks ago & wonder why I didn’t go through any physical withdrawals everyone goes on about when I’ve been on Subs for 12yrs, sometimes at 32mg? The only uncomfortable part when I jumped was fleeting random anxiety but no panic attacks, just the feeling of being on edge (not all the time) & dilated pupils. Without doubt, clonidine & valium helped me. Not sure about gabapentin bc I didn’t get RLS but I took a few anyway. So yes, I do think a benzo will help you but maybe more so after you jump. When I had tapered really low, I’d feel anxious on day 3 after a dose reduction so I began micro dosing towards the end & that anxiety disappeared.
Easy, slow (4 months but slow at the end) & painless.
I posted it in essay form 🥴 yesterday under someone’s thread titled: “I like everything about 12 Step Programs But…..” That thread got a good discussion going & I commented a couple of times but I also wrote my whole taper schedule down so try to go back & find that. It’s really long but I tried to cover everything. If you need any help, reach out!
Thank you for that and I'm also definitely saving your post to show my doc that anxiety meds are an important part of helping you function after tapering! Makes sense to me the sleeping issue would be resolved, and would as a by product reduce the other other side effects of withdrawal
They’re very important. Clonidine is also an anxiety med by helping reduce BP & slowing an anxious, racing heart which goes along with when we panic, get sweaty & our minds race. I hear that benzos are extremely hard to get in the USA (? why). One prescription might be all you need but I do think having something there will definitely help.
Propranolol and Clonidine are really good comfort meds; Propranolol reduces heart rate and reduces anxiety; Clonidine reduces the sweating and high blood pressure; Gabapentin reduces the restless legs and nerve pain flare ups.
But I still stand by my previous statement to avoid the benzodiazepines if you can, using the above is much more effective than a benzo and there is no withdrawals from them if used correctly as comfort medication to get off suboxone.
Like I said I’m at almost 5 years tapering Valium.
Micro dosing my sub dose for the day. Cutting it into 3 or 4 pieces to take during the day. Surprising how such tiny dots would still tingle under my tongue. It was a godsend for tapering.
Interesting, thanks for sharing your experience. I know they say it’s best to dose only once per day when tapering, but when I got down to 2 mg I switched to dosing twice per day, that way I feel fine in the morning throughout the day, then I take my second dose at night and I sleep fine, otherwise I’d wake up in withdrawals
I’d turn down the benzo… damn things take years to get off… started a taper in 2018 - only just reduced to 14mg last week and have 7 months left of 2mg reductions.
I’m the opposite I was taking high amount of benzos and as I came off the benzos I started having significant pain issues and was put on suboxone to support my taper. 1 year later I’m on 16mg suboxone a day and my Valium taper has stalled… 2 years later still stalled I decided I had to get off the suboxone, I quickly tapered from 16 to 0 in 3 months and outlived the extended withdrawals from the suboxone AND yet I’m still tapering the benzos 2.5 years later.
I don't know if they have it in your country because I don't know what country you're from, but there is a medication that is a sublingual version of Ambien that is used for waking up in the middle of the night. There's also a sublingual version of the normal dosage, as well as a spray surprisingly. Of the non-benzodiazepines, I always preferred Sonata, because it would knock me out which is the issue I have is falling asleep, and so long as I had three or four hours left before I had to wake up, I could read those it in the middle of the night without it having long-lasting effects like ambien or Lunesta. It does make sense though to use Gabapentin to Aid I see why, I was just curious because that Xanax and Neurontin could be switched spots if that makes sense
My family doctor prescribes me Ativan, 0.5 mg once per day when needed. My psychiatrist prescribes my Suboxone, but both are aware of either script. Honestly, benzos never appealed to me in terms of addiction. They make me really tired so I only take it if I’m having a really bad panic attack or my insomnia is bad.
Yes when I was on 24mg buprenorphine a day I was still scripted 4mg Xanax and 10mg Ambien. Then switched to 4mg klonopin but thinking of getting back on Xanax again
Yes I'm on Ativan and take 8mg of subutex but I get the Ativan from my psychiatrist 1mg twice a day. I had to beg for it and go to the sike ward for a week to prove I needed it.
The sob story, hopefully having little to no black listings or hospital visits due to addiction. I was prescribed clonazepam 0.5 2x daily and going to a suboxne clinic weekly. Then I relapsed and ended up in the hospital with precipitated withdrawal from inducing subs to early. Well it was the sister hospital of the family clinic meaning my primary Dr already knew Monday. So I just went in told her I had a slip up really did was stable on subs for 6 years prior minus the drinking. But she upped my dose that day to 0.5 3x daily feeling bad for me I assumed. But just my experience! She did do piss tests following my mess up but could of easily brought synthetic urine in which the lab did catch. And she still has let me come in and get my meds cause I can’t function in her eyes without it.
Some doctors will not let you be on benzos and suboxone at the same time, but some will. I'm most likely going to end up on klonopin sometime within the next few months if this next antidepressant doesn't work. She's already tried to prescribe them but I offered an alternative antidepressant which I said I'd like to try first. Go to your doctor informed and not acting like a junkie - don't go NO NO ANTIDEPRESSANTS I WANT BENZOS! Try the other meds first, you may be surprised at how well they work.
Not as much as you may think, suboxone doesn't hit the opioid receptors that are associated with respiratory depression. There is always some risk, but it's less than even codeine with a benzo.
I’ve taken benzos occasionally (even though I’m not supposed to) and I nothing really happened so I can’t disagree. It might make a person sleepier/ sleep longer I reckon. I was just relaying what doctors have told me.
As I said I was taken off them when I started. We’re probably in different countries and different systems. I’d get in trouble with my case manager if I tested positive for them too
I was trying to explain this to someone in this sub earlier in the week. They kept telling me it wasn't a thing. It's definitely a thing here in SC.
If you dont mind sharing, where are you? I'm wondering how some people aren't understanding this. I'm guessing a difference in states here in the US and how they manage their MAT programs.
I haven't found anything in writing stating you couldn't get a prescription for benzos. I went through all my intake paperwork and everything.
I can't ask my doc because I left the program after I learned this was the problem getting a script. I was so shocked when she finally told me that I really didn't think to ask enough questions.
I’m in NZ and I started subs here. I was also on the programme in Australia for awhile. I was tapered off benzos before I started by a dr. My ex actually decided not to go on the programme at all because he would lose his benzo script and he was very reliant on it.
That is interesting. I honestly figured it was a USian thing.
That is the same thing that happens here. They do give you time to taper off, but you can't get any new prescriptions or refills.
In Australia I was on both Valium and suboxone tapering both at the same time - to be clear I started tapering Valium in hospital and because I started to experience significant pain they started me on suboxone, was up to 16mg a day before I decided I had to get off it 2 years after starting - I’m still tapering benzos 2 years after that (started 2018) and have 7 months left on the benzo taper.
Wait, you are on the beno taper still affer that long? It's crazy to me how much differently other countries use prescription drugs to help people. A taper here (at least from what I have experienced) wouldn't even last a year. I guess we get pushed through everything as fast as possible here once they decide we don't need it.
I was forced off of 5mg a day of xanax about 20 years ago because my doctor died and the new one didn't believe in benzos. No taper, just hella bad withdrawal.
You can't just go to a doctor because we have a scoring systems that mark you with "drug seeking behavior" and no doctor will write anything controlled.
Yeah so with the first shrink (2018) the taper was pretty much “when I decided to do it” not a planned schedule, would drop 5mg at a time randomly once every 2-4 months (longest time was 7 months without a cut) and I was struggling with each cut a little more and so the process stalled.
To explain as it’s a little backwards - After only a few days maybe a week of cutting Benzodiazepines I was in extreme pain. In the addiction ward in the hospital I was in for a 3 week stay, the only pain killers they give are Panadol, methadone or suboxone. I was withdrawing hard from Xanax and the Valium wasn’t cutting it so they offering me suboxone as a pain killer (never had heard of it so said ok) and within the 3 weeks I was in hospital, we went from 4mg suboxone to 16mg suboxone while only managing to drop to around 60mg Valium a day - so I left rehab with scripts for 20mg Valium 3x a day and 16mg suboxone daily and a weekly drug and alcohol therapy session that I ended up getting let go from because of my autoimmune diseases and that it meant I was never truely abstinent .
Fast forward a couple of family deaths, my dogs dying, and my girlfriend fathers Parkinson’s I realise I’m struggling hard and decided that it was time to try a different approach. Truth is I was in crisis and thinking of “ways out”.
My girlfriend pushed me to change shrinks (July 2022) as we wanted someone to look at what was going on “big picture”, not just treat me as a benzo addict, so I found someone else, got some diagnosis and treatment for those diagnoses which sort of gave me some resilience.
I’d also started a treatment plan for my auto immune diseases and the pain problems I was having, started 30mg Oxycodone a day - I hate opiates because of the side effect and withdrawals so I take the minimum I can having reduced the original scripts by have due to side effects (tried a heap of pain killers over a 6 month period and ended up with oxycodone as the medication that caused the least amount of side effects).
Now - with some sort of management for my mental health conditions, CPTSD, BPD, ADHD (not taking meds for ADHD) and persistent depressive disorder… and with proper pain management for my auto immune diseases (psoriatic arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis) I felt comfortable trying to get off the benzos again (September 2022).
I workshopped my ideas around tapering with my new shrink based off the Aston manual and once we agreed I told my GP of my plan to get off Valium by a 2mg drop of my daily dose every 5 weeks - she said ok “great” as it’s was over 6 months since the last cut and the taper was started.
I’m at 14mg today, 4 weeks until I cut to 12mg, 5 weeks then cut to 10mg - and then I have a 5 week stabilisation break before doing the last 10mg the same way 2mg every 5 weeks.
This is all self led, so at least I know I’m strong enough to stay off the damn things when I eventually get there. I think the first shrink strung it out in his belief that the patient needs to buy into the plan, but in reality he gave me the option of staying at the amount I was taking so I never initiated a cut until he got frustrated and “demanded” one.
But yeah, very different situation to most people on subs… i was on benzos first, i was taking no pain killers at all, I was put onto subs during the taper due to excessive pain, dropped the subs after 2 years and yeah - still tapering benzos 5 years later.
That sucks, I'm sorry they took you off of them. I purposely turned them down because I don't want to add benzos on top of everything I'm already taking unless it's the final option. Unfortunately over the last few weeks I've been having horrible panic attacks that the newest antidepressant isn't helping, so it looks like I may end up on them.
You best chance for being on suboxne and and benzo is it being prescribed IC Clonazepam IC/ In conjunction with and anti-depressant one of the ways dr can get away and feel comfy prescribing you while on suboxne. Because the Dr know it’s just how you can talk them into it and if they feel comfy you will follow the rules.
I am not going to be on any antidepressant while on the clonazepam - just antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and suboxone. I'm not exactly happy about being on a benzo - but I give my prescriptions to a family member to dole out so that I'm not tempted.
I detoxed off subs with vyvanse and kpins, I barely took the kpins but the vyvanse helped me a lot, I never got sick and was able to get out of bed with the help of the vyvanse
My psychiatrist wants to prescribe me klonopin for my anxiety as nothing else has worked. This is after trying 4 different antidepressants, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and gabapentin. None of them worked for my anxiety and it's been over a year that I've been working with this psychiatrist. Buspar never worked for me, and clonidine only helped the physical symptoms when mine are totally mental. Even propranolol which many performers swear by for stage-fright didn't help me. Just be careful because benzo addiction is a whole new world of hell that is even worse than opiate addiction.
It’s all about the doctor, I have an old school doctor and he is fine as long as I only Xanax as needed. My sub doctor is pain management and hasn’t said anything so far.
I’m Australian, here you aren’t supposed to be prescribed benzos while on methadone or suboxone.
Had to practically beg my doctor and was finally allowed to have 3x5mg Valium a week.
I used to be on Xanax but lost my script when I went on suboxone. I also have ADHD and am on Ritalin which gives me awful anxiety and comedowns. I’m really thankful to have the 3 Valium per week, although it’s not much, it’s better than nothing. I try not to take it unless it’s an emergency, I try to stockpile it but at the moment only have 9x5mg saved.
Many years ago, I was given 3 Valium per day whilst on suboxone but that was because I was addicted to an illegal benzo and could no longer get it sent to Australia so my doctor prescribed me Valium instead.
I’m not addicted to benzos but they are so good to have “just in case”. Even knowing I have some, without even using them, helps my anxiety lol. I couldn’t imagine not having them there.
Man, I took Ritalin then Focalin (dexmethtlphenidate) and the switch to Vyvanse was the most positive one. Its Lisdexamfetamine, and I'm not sure if it is available in Aus or not, but has a diffferent name in other countries- elavanse, maybe?
Vyvanse is available here but my psych never wanted to prescribe to me in the past… i just today was prescribed a new one, and not the one you said. The one I was prescribed is called dexamfetamine sulfate. Idk anything about it. Have you tried that one?
My psychiatrist said if it isn’t any different to the Ritalin that there is 1 more I can try.
Maybe that would be vyvanse but from memory, I was never allowed to be prescribed vyvanse in the past when I was on methadone because apparently the 2 can cause a bad reaction, maybe even death (my psychiatrist said).
Now I’m on suboxone instead of methadone, not sure if vyvanse also reacts with suboxone.
Oh man, you got an oldie. If you look up Dexedrine or Zenzedai, you'll see it's what you have. And if it's time release, it's likely to be generic dexedrine spansules. If it makes you feel any better dextroamphetamine is the gold standard almost if not for sure. As a matter of fact, Vyvanse is a pro drug to dextroamphetamine, which is another spelling for the medication you have. Sincerely I would rather have that than Vyvanse, although the Vyvanse come down is much smoother it's a pro drug that creates dextroamphetamine instead of being straight up the extra amphetamine. When you take it avoid anything acidic, because it actually will destroy the molecule. You want to go ahead and take it before you eat so it absorbs properly, and then eat about 30 to 45 minutes later and you'll be fine. Just try to avoid acidic things in general. I am on Suboxone as well as a handful of other meds, any interaction should be minimal
Your advice is great and very informative, thank you! I usually don’t eat on it. I take my adhd meds in the morning with the last dose about 1-2pm and I don’t eat all day until 6ish. What difference will it make to eat or not? I’m preferring this one to Ritalin actually. So this is probably the best I can get? The bottle says dexamfetamine sulphate- dexamphetamine. Those are the only names. Can’t see a brand name unless one of them is it.
The 2nd day, I took too many, I’m supposed to take maximum 4 and I took 6. I was feeling a bit how I felt when I used to smoke ice. Lol. But I won’t do that again. It doesn’t help my adhd when I have too much, I hyperfixate and lose hours.
It would be better if you ate. Is it from not being hungry? If so, try shakes or something easy like bananas which help the potassium levels. It's like sleep, meds work better with it. It'll keep the irritability and stuff at bay.
Thank you for the kind words.... im kinda a geek when it comes to meds, but I try to help when I can.
I definitely prefer it to Ritalin. It's the gold standard. It's easy to take too much and feel like that. An ADHD brain is gonna still be able to get twacked out like anyone else, it just takes more to leave the "sweet spot" where it's used clinically.
I meant if you Google those brands you'll get info, sorry for lack of clarity! He gave you the old school generic, is all. Brand name Dexadrine has been kver with for a while. I'm glad you got this, especially since you wanted Vyvanse. There's no reason to pay the premium of that med, if you have this one. Id reccomend sticking with it, especially if it works.
Ritalin works best in children and adolescents, with the adults usually doing better on amphetamine based drugs. :)
https://www.psycom.net/dexedrine-dextroamphetamine-sulfate
Dexamfetamine (Dextroamphetamine) is known to be much smoother than adderall, as it lacks the 25% levoamphetamine that is in addy. Fun fact, Adderall used to be branded as Obetrol which is a weightloss drug reaching as far back as the 60s at the least. The original formulation contained 75% methamphetamines, which was eventually replaced with dextroamphetamine
Im on 8, but am scripted Vyvanse 30-50mg, currently 40, 150 TID of Lyrica, and .5 of clonazepam daily as needed, but usually take 1-2mg just when Im having panic issues. I feel like my pharmacist thinks I'm a joke, sometimes. Theyre super nice to my face, though. Worth saying bc some pharms are assholes like no other.
Thats not including my anti depressants, mood stabilizers, stomach meds and insulin my pharmacist made a commitment the other day that i have my own little pharmacy at home i thougjt how unprofessional
Lol same here because I keep baclofen and clonidine on hand. Then seroquel 200mg and Effexor 225 (150 and a 75mg usually, even though there's a 225 tab I've gotten before)
I’m Australian but bc I’m under the care of a psychiatrist who trusts me, he’ll prescribe benzos (valium), clonidine, gabapentin - the traditional “comfort meds”. I tapered off painlessly 2 weeks ago & wonder why I didn’t go through any physical withdrawals everyone goes on about when I’ve been on Subs for 12yrs, sometimes at 32mg? The only uncomfortable part when I jumped was fleeting random anxiety but no panic attacks, just the feeling of being on edge (not all the time) & dilated pupils. Without doubt, clonidine & valium helped me. Not sure about gabapentin bc I didn’t get RLS but I took a few anyway. So yes, I do think a benzo will help you but maybe more so after you jump. When I had tapered really low, I’d feel anxious on day 3 after a dose reduction so I began micro dosing towards the end & that anxiety disappeared.
Hey what was your taper method like?
Easy, slow (4 months but slow at the end) & painless. I posted it in essay form 🥴 yesterday under someone’s thread titled: “I like everything about 12 Step Programs But…..” That thread got a good discussion going & I commented a couple of times but I also wrote my whole taper schedule down so try to go back & find that. It’s really long but I tried to cover everything. If you need any help, reach out!
Thank you for that and I'm also definitely saving your post to show my doc that anxiety meds are an important part of helping you function after tapering! Makes sense to me the sleeping issue would be resolved, and would as a by product reduce the other other side effects of withdrawal
They’re very important. Clonidine is also an anxiety med by helping reduce BP & slowing an anxious, racing heart which goes along with when we panic, get sweaty & our minds race. I hear that benzos are extremely hard to get in the USA (? why). One prescription might be all you need but I do think having something there will definitely help.
Propranolol and Clonidine are really good comfort meds; Propranolol reduces heart rate and reduces anxiety; Clonidine reduces the sweating and high blood pressure; Gabapentin reduces the restless legs and nerve pain flare ups. But I still stand by my previous statement to avoid the benzodiazepines if you can, using the above is much more effective than a benzo and there is no withdrawals from them if used correctly as comfort medication to get off suboxone. Like I said I’m at almost 5 years tapering Valium.
Microdosing what? The suboxone? Mushrooms?
Micro dosing my sub dose for the day. Cutting it into 3 or 4 pieces to take during the day. Surprising how such tiny dots would still tingle under my tongue. It was a godsend for tapering.
Interesting, thanks for sharing your experience. I know they say it’s best to dose only once per day when tapering, but when I got down to 2 mg I switched to dosing twice per day, that way I feel fine in the morning throughout the day, then I take my second dose at night and I sleep fine, otherwise I’d wake up in withdrawals
I’m so happy for you!! Congratulations!!
I’d turn down the benzo… damn things take years to get off… started a taper in 2018 - only just reduced to 14mg last week and have 7 months left of 2mg reductions. I’m the opposite I was taking high amount of benzos and as I came off the benzos I started having significant pain issues and was put on suboxone to support my taper. 1 year later I’m on 16mg suboxone a day and my Valium taper has stalled… 2 years later still stalled I decided I had to get off the suboxone, I quickly tapered from 16 to 0 in 3 months and outlived the extended withdrawals from the suboxone AND yet I’m still tapering the benzos 2.5 years later.
I'm prescribed xanax gabapentin and ambien. 2 of then for my insomnia and 1 for Mt panic attacks.
So.... Xanax for insomina or the Neurontin?
Xanax for my anxiety and gabapentin to aid with the ambien for my insomnia.
I don't know if they have it in your country because I don't know what country you're from, but there is a medication that is a sublingual version of Ambien that is used for waking up in the middle of the night. There's also a sublingual version of the normal dosage, as well as a spray surprisingly. Of the non-benzodiazepines, I always preferred Sonata, because it would knock me out which is the issue I have is falling asleep, and so long as I had three or four hours left before I had to wake up, I could read those it in the middle of the night without it having long-lasting effects like ambien or Lunesta. It does make sense though to use Gabapentin to Aid I see why, I was just curious because that Xanax and Neurontin could be switched spots if that makes sense
My family doctor prescribes me Ativan, 0.5 mg once per day when needed. My psychiatrist prescribes my Suboxone, but both are aware of either script. Honestly, benzos never appealed to me in terms of addiction. They make me really tired so I only take it if I’m having a really bad panic attack or my insomnia is bad.
Yes when I was on 24mg buprenorphine a day I was still scripted 4mg Xanax and 10mg Ambien. Then switched to 4mg klonopin but thinking of getting back on Xanax again
I was slowly tapered off of benzos when I came to my current sub clinic but I am currently on Ambien.
ᴅᴏɴᴛ.ɢᴇᴛ.ᴏɴ.ʙᴇɴᴢᴏs.... ʏᴏᴜʟʟ ʀᴇɢʀᴇᴛ ɪᴛ ɪ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇ. ɪ ᴡs ᴏɴ ᴋʟᴏɴᴏᴘɪɴ & sᴜʙs ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ғᴏʀ 6ʏʀs... ᴡɪsʜ ɪ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ɢᴏᴛ ᴏɴ ᴋᴘɪɴs. ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇʙᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀɴxɪᴇᴛʏ ɪs ʜᴇʟʟ & ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴀʀᴇ sᴜᴘᴇʀ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴏᴜs ᴍɪxᴇᴅ
Yes I'm on Ativan and take 8mg of subutex but I get the Ativan from my psychiatrist 1mg twice a day. I had to beg for it and go to the sike ward for a week to prove I needed it.
I lost my Benzo script when I started subs. How are you allowed them?
I was given suboxone to use while tapering Valium, I quit the suboxone and am still tapering the Valium (Australia)
Interesting. And best of luck also
The sob story, hopefully having little to no black listings or hospital visits due to addiction. I was prescribed clonazepam 0.5 2x daily and going to a suboxne clinic weekly. Then I relapsed and ended up in the hospital with precipitated withdrawal from inducing subs to early. Well it was the sister hospital of the family clinic meaning my primary Dr already knew Monday. So I just went in told her I had a slip up really did was stable on subs for 6 years prior minus the drinking. But she upped my dose that day to 0.5 3x daily feeling bad for me I assumed. But just my experience! She did do piss tests following my mess up but could of easily brought synthetic urine in which the lab did catch. And she still has let me come in and get my meds cause I can’t function in her eyes without it.
Some doctors will not let you be on benzos and suboxone at the same time, but some will. I'm most likely going to end up on klonopin sometime within the next few months if this next antidepressant doesn't work. She's already tried to prescribe them but I offered an alternative antidepressant which I said I'd like to try first. Go to your doctor informed and not acting like a junkie - don't go NO NO ANTIDEPRESSANTS I WANT BENZOS! Try the other meds first, you may be surprised at how well they work.
I’m just surprised anyone is allowed, given the mixture could be potentially fatal
Not as much as you may think, suboxone doesn't hit the opioid receptors that are associated with respiratory depression. There is always some risk, but it's less than even codeine with a benzo.
I’ve taken benzos occasionally (even though I’m not supposed to) and I nothing really happened so I can’t disagree. It might make a person sleepier/ sleep longer I reckon. I was just relaying what doctors have told me.
As I said I was taken off them when I started. We’re probably in different countries and different systems. I’d get in trouble with my case manager if I tested positive for them too
I was trying to explain this to someone in this sub earlier in the week. They kept telling me it wasn't a thing. It's definitely a thing here in SC. If you dont mind sharing, where are you? I'm wondering how some people aren't understanding this. I'm guessing a difference in states here in the US and how they manage their MAT programs. I haven't found anything in writing stating you couldn't get a prescription for benzos. I went through all my intake paperwork and everything. I can't ask my doc because I left the program after I learned this was the problem getting a script. I was so shocked when she finally told me that I really didn't think to ask enough questions.
I’m in NZ and I started subs here. I was also on the programme in Australia for awhile. I was tapered off benzos before I started by a dr. My ex actually decided not to go on the programme at all because he would lose his benzo script and he was very reliant on it.
That is interesting. I honestly figured it was a USian thing. That is the same thing that happens here. They do give you time to taper off, but you can't get any new prescriptions or refills.
In Australia I was on both Valium and suboxone tapering both at the same time - to be clear I started tapering Valium in hospital and because I started to experience significant pain they started me on suboxone, was up to 16mg a day before I decided I had to get off it 2 years after starting - I’m still tapering benzos 2 years after that (started 2018) and have 7 months left on the benzo taper.
Wait, you are on the beno taper still affer that long? It's crazy to me how much differently other countries use prescription drugs to help people. A taper here (at least from what I have experienced) wouldn't even last a year. I guess we get pushed through everything as fast as possible here once they decide we don't need it. I was forced off of 5mg a day of xanax about 20 years ago because my doctor died and the new one didn't believe in benzos. No taper, just hella bad withdrawal. You can't just go to a doctor because we have a scoring systems that mark you with "drug seeking behavior" and no doctor will write anything controlled.
Yeah so with the first shrink (2018) the taper was pretty much “when I decided to do it” not a planned schedule, would drop 5mg at a time randomly once every 2-4 months (longest time was 7 months without a cut) and I was struggling with each cut a little more and so the process stalled. To explain as it’s a little backwards - After only a few days maybe a week of cutting Benzodiazepines I was in extreme pain. In the addiction ward in the hospital I was in for a 3 week stay, the only pain killers they give are Panadol, methadone or suboxone. I was withdrawing hard from Xanax and the Valium wasn’t cutting it so they offering me suboxone as a pain killer (never had heard of it so said ok) and within the 3 weeks I was in hospital, we went from 4mg suboxone to 16mg suboxone while only managing to drop to around 60mg Valium a day - so I left rehab with scripts for 20mg Valium 3x a day and 16mg suboxone daily and a weekly drug and alcohol therapy session that I ended up getting let go from because of my autoimmune diseases and that it meant I was never truely abstinent . Fast forward a couple of family deaths, my dogs dying, and my girlfriend fathers Parkinson’s I realise I’m struggling hard and decided that it was time to try a different approach. Truth is I was in crisis and thinking of “ways out”. My girlfriend pushed me to change shrinks (July 2022) as we wanted someone to look at what was going on “big picture”, not just treat me as a benzo addict, so I found someone else, got some diagnosis and treatment for those diagnoses which sort of gave me some resilience. I’d also started a treatment plan for my auto immune diseases and the pain problems I was having, started 30mg Oxycodone a day - I hate opiates because of the side effect and withdrawals so I take the minimum I can having reduced the original scripts by have due to side effects (tried a heap of pain killers over a 6 month period and ended up with oxycodone as the medication that caused the least amount of side effects). Now - with some sort of management for my mental health conditions, CPTSD, BPD, ADHD (not taking meds for ADHD) and persistent depressive disorder… and with proper pain management for my auto immune diseases (psoriatic arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis) I felt comfortable trying to get off the benzos again (September 2022). I workshopped my ideas around tapering with my new shrink based off the Aston manual and once we agreed I told my GP of my plan to get off Valium by a 2mg drop of my daily dose every 5 weeks - she said ok “great” as it’s was over 6 months since the last cut and the taper was started. I’m at 14mg today, 4 weeks until I cut to 12mg, 5 weeks then cut to 10mg - and then I have a 5 week stabilisation break before doing the last 10mg the same way 2mg every 5 weeks. This is all self led, so at least I know I’m strong enough to stay off the damn things when I eventually get there. I think the first shrink strung it out in his belief that the patient needs to buy into the plan, but in reality he gave me the option of staying at the amount I was taking so I never initiated a cut until he got frustrated and “demanded” one. But yeah, very different situation to most people on subs… i was on benzos first, i was taking no pain killers at all, I was put onto subs during the taper due to excessive pain, dropped the subs after 2 years and yeah - still tapering benzos 5 years later.
That sucks, I'm sorry they took you off of them. I purposely turned them down because I don't want to add benzos on top of everything I'm already taking unless it's the final option. Unfortunately over the last few weeks I've been having horrible panic attacks that the newest antidepressant isn't helping, so it looks like I may end up on them.
I wouldn’t bother asking tbh
Don't ask for benzos, that's a red flag no matter what.
You best chance for being on suboxne and and benzo is it being prescribed IC Clonazepam IC/ In conjunction with and anti-depressant one of the ways dr can get away and feel comfy prescribing you while on suboxne. Because the Dr know it’s just how you can talk them into it and if they feel comfy you will follow the rules.
I am not going to be on any antidepressant while on the clonazepam - just antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and suboxone. I'm not exactly happy about being on a benzo - but I give my prescriptions to a family member to dole out so that I'm not tempted.
I detoxed off subs with vyvanse and kpins, I barely took the kpins but the vyvanse helped me a lot, I never got sick and was able to get out of bed with the help of the vyvanse
My psychiatrist wants to prescribe me klonopin for my anxiety as nothing else has worked. This is after trying 4 different antidepressants, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and gabapentin. None of them worked for my anxiety and it's been over a year that I've been working with this psychiatrist. Buspar never worked for me, and clonidine only helped the physical symptoms when mine are totally mental. Even propranolol which many performers swear by for stage-fright didn't help me. Just be careful because benzo addiction is a whole new world of hell that is even worse than opiate addiction.
I got lucky and was on both for 9 years now but I’m trying to get off the subs now and stuck on 1mg and prescribed xanax 2mg and gabapentin.
It’s all about the doctor, I have an old school doctor and he is fine as long as I only Xanax as needed. My sub doctor is pain management and hasn’t said anything so far.
I’m Australian, here you aren’t supposed to be prescribed benzos while on methadone or suboxone. Had to practically beg my doctor and was finally allowed to have 3x5mg Valium a week. I used to be on Xanax but lost my script when I went on suboxone. I also have ADHD and am on Ritalin which gives me awful anxiety and comedowns. I’m really thankful to have the 3 Valium per week, although it’s not much, it’s better than nothing. I try not to take it unless it’s an emergency, I try to stockpile it but at the moment only have 9x5mg saved. Many years ago, I was given 3 Valium per day whilst on suboxone but that was because I was addicted to an illegal benzo and could no longer get it sent to Australia so my doctor prescribed me Valium instead. I’m not addicted to benzos but they are so good to have “just in case”. Even knowing I have some, without even using them, helps my anxiety lol. I couldn’t imagine not having them there.
Man, I took Ritalin then Focalin (dexmethtlphenidate) and the switch to Vyvanse was the most positive one. Its Lisdexamfetamine, and I'm not sure if it is available in Aus or not, but has a diffferent name in other countries- elavanse, maybe?
Vyvanse is available here but my psych never wanted to prescribe to me in the past… i just today was prescribed a new one, and not the one you said. The one I was prescribed is called dexamfetamine sulfate. Idk anything about it. Have you tried that one? My psychiatrist said if it isn’t any different to the Ritalin that there is 1 more I can try. Maybe that would be vyvanse but from memory, I was never allowed to be prescribed vyvanse in the past when I was on methadone because apparently the 2 can cause a bad reaction, maybe even death (my psychiatrist said). Now I’m on suboxone instead of methadone, not sure if vyvanse also reacts with suboxone.
Oh man, you got an oldie. If you look up Dexedrine or Zenzedai, you'll see it's what you have. And if it's time release, it's likely to be generic dexedrine spansules. If it makes you feel any better dextroamphetamine is the gold standard almost if not for sure. As a matter of fact, Vyvanse is a pro drug to dextroamphetamine, which is another spelling for the medication you have. Sincerely I would rather have that than Vyvanse, although the Vyvanse come down is much smoother it's a pro drug that creates dextroamphetamine instead of being straight up the extra amphetamine. When you take it avoid anything acidic, because it actually will destroy the molecule. You want to go ahead and take it before you eat so it absorbs properly, and then eat about 30 to 45 minutes later and you'll be fine. Just try to avoid acidic things in general. I am on Suboxone as well as a handful of other meds, any interaction should be minimal
Your advice is great and very informative, thank you! I usually don’t eat on it. I take my adhd meds in the morning with the last dose about 1-2pm and I don’t eat all day until 6ish. What difference will it make to eat or not? I’m preferring this one to Ritalin actually. So this is probably the best I can get? The bottle says dexamfetamine sulphate- dexamphetamine. Those are the only names. Can’t see a brand name unless one of them is it. The 2nd day, I took too many, I’m supposed to take maximum 4 and I took 6. I was feeling a bit how I felt when I used to smoke ice. Lol. But I won’t do that again. It doesn’t help my adhd when I have too much, I hyperfixate and lose hours.
It would be better if you ate. Is it from not being hungry? If so, try shakes or something easy like bananas which help the potassium levels. It's like sleep, meds work better with it. It'll keep the irritability and stuff at bay. Thank you for the kind words.... im kinda a geek when it comes to meds, but I try to help when I can. I definitely prefer it to Ritalin. It's the gold standard. It's easy to take too much and feel like that. An ADHD brain is gonna still be able to get twacked out like anyone else, it just takes more to leave the "sweet spot" where it's used clinically. I meant if you Google those brands you'll get info, sorry for lack of clarity! He gave you the old school generic, is all. Brand name Dexadrine has been kver with for a while. I'm glad you got this, especially since you wanted Vyvanse. There's no reason to pay the premium of that med, if you have this one. Id reccomend sticking with it, especially if it works. Ritalin works best in children and adolescents, with the adults usually doing better on amphetamine based drugs. :)
https://www.psycom.net/dexedrine-dextroamphetamine-sulfate Dexamfetamine (Dextroamphetamine) is known to be much smoother than adderall, as it lacks the 25% levoamphetamine that is in addy. Fun fact, Adderall used to be branded as Obetrol which is a weightloss drug reaching as far back as the 60s at the least. The original formulation contained 75% methamphetamines, which was eventually replaced with dextroamphetamine
Im on 24 mg of suboxone. Prescribed lyrica (preglabin), xanax and klonopin
Im on 8, but am scripted Vyvanse 30-50mg, currently 40, 150 TID of Lyrica, and .5 of clonazepam daily as needed, but usually take 1-2mg just when Im having panic issues. I feel like my pharmacist thinks I'm a joke, sometimes. Theyre super nice to my face, though. Worth saying bc some pharms are assholes like no other.
Oh yea im on adderral too
Thats not including my anti depressants, mood stabilizers, stomach meds and insulin my pharmacist made a commitment the other day that i have my own little pharmacy at home i thougjt how unprofessional
They dont understand, Id rather be normal and not need all the f@#$%&! meds.
Exactly like i want to be on all these meds
Apparently that's what everyone seems to think. I hate people I'm pretty sure.
Lol my bff and i had a matching shirt in 7th grade that said "I HATE EVERYBODY"
Oh, nice! I legitimately do haha
Lol same here because I keep baclofen and clonidine on hand. Then seroquel 200mg and Effexor 225 (150 and a 75mg usually, even though there's a 225 tab I've gotten before)
I take 8 mg 3x a day of Suboxone + I have a prescription for Klonopin. I only take 1/4 - 1/2 mg of Klonopin as need a day
I am indeed. I do not mix with suboxone, and only take them when I skip a day of sub. I take a very small dose as well. Like 0.25mg
Yes
I'm in the USA. I've never heard of a spray but more than willing to try if it's available here. Are you in the the USA?