![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Lizzyb on May 2, 2005, at 19:16:33
I have been on .75 xanax and .5 Klonopin for over nine years. I want to get off benzo's. After a bad bout with Seroquel, today my doc said stop all benzo's and take 30mg 2x a day of Phenobarb. Anyone out there have any information on this or used phenobarb to get off benzos? What can I expect? Any information wil be helpful.
Posted by Lizzyb on May 3, 2005, at 10:07:18
In reply to xanax,klonopin withdrawl with Phenobarb?, posted by Lizzyb on May 2, 2005, at 19:16:33
> I have been on .75 xanax and .5 Klonopin for over nine years. I want to get off benzo's. After a bad bout with Seroquel, today my doc said stop all benzo's and take 30mg 2x a day of Phenobarb. Anyone out there have any information on this or used phenobarb to get off benzos? What can I expect? Any information wil be helpful.
Last night I have the shakes, freezing cold, couldn't sleep. I haven't slept in three days. I called and talked to the pdoc-on call and he said go ahead and take the Klonopin and xanax, because he didn't have my chart and had no idea what my regular pdoc had told me....HUH? I had just explained everything to him and he didn't hear a word I said during the call at 7AM this morning! I just want a good nights sleep and to feel normal again. Anyone out there? Please post your experiences and/or knowledge. Thanks
Posted by Lizzyb on May 3, 2005, at 23:16:01
In reply to Re: xanax,klonopin withdrawl with Phenobarb?HELP!, posted by Lizzyb on May 3, 2005, at 10:07:18
> > I have been on .75 xanax and .5 Klonopin for over nine years. I want to get off benzo's. After a bad bout with Seroquel, today my doc said stop all benzo's and take 30mg 2x a day of Phenobarb. Anyone out there have any information on this or used phenobarb to get off benzos? What can I expect? Any information wil be helpful.
>
> Last night I have the shakes, freezing cold, couldn't sleep. I haven't slept in three days. I called and talked to the pdoc-on call and he said go ahead and take the Klonopin and xanax, because he didn't have my chart and had no idea what my regular pdoc had told me....HUH? I had just explained everything to him and he didn't hear a word I said during the call at 7AM this morning! I just want a good nights sleep and to feel normal again. Anyone out there? Please post your experiences and/or knowledge. ThanksHere is an update. I found a new pdoc who is an addictions specialist. One who is willing to wean me off slowly NOT cold turkey. Also she is not adding one med to replace another.
Most of the pdocs I have dealt with that claim to be addictions specalists, seem to be really good at creating addictions, not helping you get rid of the addiction.
She appears to actually want to help me. I'm so relieved. I'm also relieved I found this board. Thank you everyone.
I am still interested in hearing if anyone knows about stopping benzos cold turkey and replacing it with Phenobarital. All information is welcome.
Thanks
Posted by mattw84 on May 12, 2005, at 10:53:11
In reply to Re: xanax,klonopin withdrawl with Phenobarb?HELP!, posted by Lizzyb on May 3, 2005, at 23:16:01
Lizzy,
This method is fairly "old-fashioned," the idea behind it is solid but rarely works in practice. The idea is to eliminate the withdrawal effects by substitution of a very similarly acting, but much more potent drug -- phenobarbital (Luminal). Problem is that phenobarbital only temporarily masks withdrawals from the benzo(s).
A much more sound plan is a *very* gradual taper as it would seem you are seeking. A crossover to diazepam is the most commonly accepted method for doing this, simply gradually replacing your current dose with the equipotent dose of diazepam gradually and then tapering from there. 10 mg diazepam twice daily would likely be a fairly equipotent dose to your current. Then expect to slowly taper down once you have gotten accustomed -- probably over a period of 3 or 4 months would be appropriate.
I am sorry you got subjected to the phenobarbital method. I have seen patients go through this only to come back after their two week supply runs out in a psuedo-epileptic state.
There are a number of other options, including a direct taper without crossing over to diazepam. Yet this is the method I would most highly recommend to minimize withdrawals. Best of luck.
Regards,
M.W.
Posted by Lizzyb on May 12, 2005, at 16:56:02
In reply to Re: xanax,klonopin withdrawl with Phenobarb?HELP!, posted by mattw84 on May 12, 2005, at 10:53:11
Hi M.W.-
Thank you for the great information. You told me what I wanted to hear. Here is an up date-
I was having horrible withdrawl(I think), shakes, meltdowns, headaches,insomnia, nausea and I felt like I was in a fog for five days. I can't distinguish whether it was withdrawl or the Phenobarbital.
After reading this board from top to bottom I went for a second opinion.
The new pdoc was floored by the long list of meds I had been on and off of in such a short period of time. Her choice is to ween me off S-L-O-W-L-Y xanax first, then the klonopin. She said even though I had been on a low dose, what concerned her was the fact I had been on it all for NINE years. She also said she did not want to replace one perscribed addiction with another, unless it was truly needed.
She is sending me for labs and a complete work up with an internal medicine doc. They will share information and work together so I can hopefully be benzo free.
I felt like my original pdoc who touted himself as "an addiction specialist" was in the business of creating addictions, taking my money, hoping I would not educate myself. I got a call from him today, after I told his receptionist to cancel my next appointment. Ha called explaining what he was trying to do with my meds and why, blah blah, blah. He was back tracking and trying to cover his tracks. I still didn't understand why he would stop both xanax an klonopin cold turkey and replace it with phenobarb.
I walked around for five days like a phenobarb/seroquel, etc induced nut who was going through benzo withdrawls. Enough was enough. Something drastic had to be done.
The new pdoc has at least appeared to take an interest in helping me and has listened to my concerns. I am back on my original low benzo doses in an attempt for be to get back to what I thought was "normal". In seven to ten days I will start the slow withdrawl process. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared about it, I am.
I am grateful people are sharing their experiences here and all the good information.
Sorry if this post was long, I guess I needed the vent. I'll be posting in the future I'm sure.
Thanks,
Lizzy
Posted by Declan on May 16, 2005, at 18:08:24
In reply to Re: xanax,klonopin withdrawl with Phenobarb?MW, posted by Lizzyb on May 12, 2005, at 16:56:02
Hi Lizzy
IMO its crazy to withdraw long term benzos and replace them with phenobarb. I tried a similar (but worse) thing once, a methadone+valium withdrawal glazed over with Largactil/Thorazine. You can imagine!! There is nothing better that I know of than some of the drug to which you are currently addicted/or whatever you want to call it. Tapering is hard enough. Good luck.
Declan
Posted by Lizzyb on May 16, 2005, at 23:00:14
In reply to Re: xanax,klonopin withdrawl with Phenobarb?MW, posted by Declan on May 16, 2005, at 18:08:24
> Hi Lizzy
> IMO its crazy to withdraw long term benzos and replace them with phenobarb. I tried a similar (but worse) thing once, a methadone+valium withdrawal glazed over with Largactil/Thorazine. You can imagine!! There is nothing better that I know of than some of the drug to which you are currently addicted/or whatever you want to call it. Tapering is hard enough. Good luck.
> DeclanDeclan-
All I can say is OMG!!! What a nightmare it must have been. Can I ask what did you end up doing? Did you taper down off benzo's? If so how did you do it?An update- I am still waiting to get in with my MD for a full workup. Then my pdoc will start the taper. So I'm back to my normal doses of .75 xanax and .25 Klonopin. Small doses I know, but I've been on it for nine years.
Until the process starts I will keep reading the boards to educate myself on other people's experiences.
Does anyone know if it's a slow taper starting with xanax, what if any side effects could I have? What have any of you had?
Thanks for sharing,
Lizzyb
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Withdrawal | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.