Posted by yxibow on November 19, 2008, at 2:39:36
In reply to GABA receptor repair drug for coming off benzos, posted by heidiholloway on September 28, 2008, at 11:55:37
> Is anyone aware of any work on a drug that would facilitate GABA receptor repair that would enable people to stop benzodiazepines. I am having a terrible time getting off of Klonopin and know others have the same problem with other benzos after prolonged use. More than the 2-4 weeks now recommended. I read some patents that contain flumenazil in the drug compound and wonder if this would be a way to have a benzo repair medication that would enable people to withdraw without terrible sx's. Thanks.
As I posted around here, Flumazennil (Romazicon) is an IV drug that is one of the only ways of treating benzodiazepine overdose. It is a hospital administered agent only. It would put you in agony, but it is necessary to prevent respiratory depression. Other supportive care and ICU care may be needed to manage respiratory depression. I'm not sure if epinephrine is used also.It is not a prescribed agent.
There is no magic drug. Fortunately we have an antidote for those who, how shall I say it, want to check out, or have made a mistake. I'll leave that there. That's why barbiturates are rarely prescribed.
Getting off, if you want to or need to or you and your doctor have discussed this, is a slow process. You don't dump benzodiazepines or seizures and other wierd and strange rare effects can happen. Yes, people have posted they've done that, but they're lucky.First we would have to know your dose you're trying to get off and how long you've been on it.
But none of that really matters, the general psychiatric community would say about 10% per week, maybe a little more per week to withdraw from a benzodiazepine.
Remember, it will still be there, a relatively safe agent in the right directions, you should still have a supply in hand in case you have to backtrack, and there is no shame in that.
If you can go faster than 10%, so much the better for you.
Some people augment with things like propranolol, a beta blocker that affects the peripheral system and is non-cardioselective, it calms some of the aspects of an anxiety disorder without going to the root cause. Caution will robinson, if you have a low blood pressure and low pulse, be careful as it does still affect the heart somewhat. It is after all an old beta blocker. You don't want to be fainting. Have a cuff measurer, a fairly reliable one is not that expensive from a pharmacy these days.
There's Neurontin but I really wouldn't mix things around with your GABA receptors, if they're overloaded they will just need time.
In the end, its time, its frustration, but in the end, that is all you can and I believe should do. The psychiatric timeline and plasma levels and receptor overloads will vary by person and that is just how it goes.
I have a problem personally but it deals with a rare disorder and I actually have to stay at the moment on a level of Valium I'd rather not, but evidence proves that while there are side effects, there are benefits too. Its frustrating because I had been going down, but it may take much longer. But I've been on it perhaps longer than you, I don't know. That's a personal story and only a personal one and shouldn't be taken for general advice.
-- best wishesJay
poster:yxibow
thread:854603
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/neuro/20080706/msgs/863931.html