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Re: Trials and tribulations with opioids

Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 6:13 pm
by dgarmaise
I should add that importing items like these into Thailand can be quite difficult....

Re: Trials and tribulations with opioids

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2017 2:53 am
by badnights
David, what was the anti-nausea med you were prescribed? You should be cautious if it's not on the list Steve gave. I recently was given ondansetron (Zofran) and it worked well without causing any increased WED/RLS.

Re: Trials and tribulations with opioids

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2017 5:08 am
by dgarmaise
That's what I have, Beth, Zofran. I checked the list of compatible medicines first. But it seems to knock me out. I take only a half-pill. I tried different scenarios in terms of when I take what. Doesn't seem to make any difference. Right now, I take the methadone at 2 pm (I have been taking it earlier and earlier in the day); the clonazepam at 8pm and the Zofran at the same time. As I write this, it is Noon on the following day, and I still feel wiped out and a bit naseous. I tried taking the Zofran later; that seems to be worse.

Re: Trials and tribulations with opioids

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2017 5:29 am
by ViewsAskew
David, wish I had some wise advice. Only commiseration...

Re: Trials and tribulations with opioids

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2017 8:36 am
by badnights
Gee David. It must be horrible. I have never had to go through a benzo withdrawal, for which I'm very grateful. At least you can look forward to an end of the nausea, and hopefully other improvements, once it's over.

Re: Trials and tribulations with opioids

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2017 8:54 pm
by Madmom02
Dgarmaise, I pm'd you with my Madison, WI RLS doctor info. Also, I have nausea from gastroparesis from multiple sclerosis and ginger is the most effective treatment I've found. Ginger tea (real ginger root, nothing else) works well but I also have pure ginger root capsules (no fillers or binders) of 550mg each. I take 1-2 capsules in the mid-morning when the nausea is worse and it goes away really quickly.

Re: Trials and tribulations with opioids

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2017 11:48 pm
by ViewsAskew
Thank you, Madmom02!

Re: Trials and tribulations with opioids

Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 10:28 pm
by legsbestill
Hi David, How are you getting on? I hope things have improved for you.

Re: Trials and tribulations with opioids

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2017 9:32 pm
by dgarmaise
Thanks, everyone, for the posts! I don't think I have received an email alert for the last few posts. I will have to look into that. I have to make a decision regarding tapering the clonzepam. Let me sum up; and sorry if I repeat some things I have already said in earlier posts. I have round-the-clock nausea. I believe it is due to the interaction between the methadone and the clonazepam. But I can't be entirely certain. Four or five days ago, I skipped a dose of the clonazepam. I usually take it around 8pm. For a few hours after I skipped the dose, I had no nausea. That would seem to indicate that I am right about the link between the two. But after those few hours, the nausea crept back in and rose to former levels. Why? Because of the long half life of clonazepam? Maybe. But I am puzzled. I repeated the experiment tonight. It is 4am as write this. I did not take my 8pm dose. This time, I did not get a complete break from the nausea – well, maybe I did, but it was short-lived. However, the nausea was mild, and though it has crept back up again, it is still not that bad as I write this.

Next part of the story: I have been experiencing the nausea for over a month. I had been taking 2mg of clonazepam every evening. I started tapering. I am down now to 0.875mg. I went from 2mg to 0.875mg in about five weeks. (I don't remember precisely when I started; I have been keeping a careful record since 22 January. But, before that, it is a little murky in my mind.) I hoped in vain that once I got to 1mg, the nausea would abate. The tapering I have done so far was faster than what everyone recommends. But in the past I have gone for short periods of time from 2mg to 1mg of the drug, and I don't remember having a big problem. So, I figure that the last 1mg is hardest part and that, ideally, I should do it very slowly. However, I really don't want to have round-the-clock nausea for the next 8-10-15 weeks! So, I am considering simply stopping the drug at this point. Cold turkey. I believe from what I have read that if I do this, I will experience 1-2 weeks of acute withdrawal. Well, I figure 1-2 weeks of acute withdrawal is better than 8-10-15 weeks of round-the-clock nausea.

Next part of the story: The articles I have read all say, basically, don't even consider stopping clonazepam cold turkey unless you are being closely monitored by a doctor. Well, believe it or not, I have not been able to find a doctor who knows something about withdrawal, and cold turkey, and nausea! I have written to or approached three of my doctors at the local hospital. They don't know anything about this stuff. One of them actually said I should just stop the methadone. The other day, I sent an urgent email to the three of them, asking if they could please find me a doctor to monitor me if I decide to quit cold turkey. They haven't responded. One of them said I just need an anti-nausea drug (I already have one, Onsia, and I don't find it works all that well); he referred me to another one of the three doctors to get anti-nausea medication; that doctor said, no, not me, and referred me to the third doctor, the one who had already prescribed the Onsia! She is an endocrinologist, so why should she know about these things? I am going to the hospital Thursday morning (in a few hours, therefore) to see her, and to beg her to find me someone who knows something about these things. But I suspect there is no such person at the hospital.

To finish: I skipped a dose of clonazepam on Wednesday night. If I skip another dose Thursday night, that means I have decided to stop the drug now (I think). So, my questions are: (1) Does anyone know whether it really is that important to have a doctor monitor me if I quit cold turkey? Or can I handle it on my own? (2) Do you think there is anything to be gained by trying hang on for another week or two, and to use that time to taper quickly down to zero? (3) Do you have any other suggestions? Thanks!

Re: Trials and tribulations with opioids

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2017 10:36 pm
by stjohnh
dgarmaise wrote:...(1) Does anyone know whether it really is that important to have a doctor monitor me if I quit cold turkey? Or can I handle it on my own? (2) Do you think there is anything to be gained by trying hang on for another week or two, and to use that time to taper quickly down to zero? (3) Do you have any other suggestions? Thanks!


David,
Most benzodizepines (Valium etc) can be stopped cold Turkey with minimal risk. However clonazepam is not like the usual benzodiazepine, and cold Turkey stopping is a higher risk situation (unexpected seizures) but that happens with higher doses usually than what you have been on. The risk for you is probably low (unless you have a known seizure disorder). Still, while risk is low, even a rapid taper is better than cold turkey.

Nausea is caused by lots of things, and while yours is probably medication related, it might be something else entirely. Your doc should help you eliminate other causes.

Ginger is an excellent antinausea remedy and you should try it.

Re: Trials and tribulations with opioids

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 12:50 am
by ViewsAskew
My doctor told me I could taper by .5 mg every few days and be off it shortly. I was taking 1 mg, IIRC. I was so sick - vomiting, pain in my bones, sweats. I had to start taking the full dose again. When I found the Ashton Method board, I read that Dr Ashton - who came up with a method to stop benzos - said that about 50% of us have no problem at all, even if we have taken these for years. The other 50%? From minor withdrawal to huge problematic withdrawal. Guess which I was?

I took a small dose for a few months. it took me about 7 months to stop it. I lost about 25 pounds. That was good because I'd gained it taking another drug, but I'd have rather lost it another way!

So, try a small reduction, see what happens. I reduced on a Monday or Tuesday, I think, and by Friday I was exceedingly ill. So, wait 5 days, see what happens, then reduce more. If it makes you sick, cut back by less.

Re: Trials and tribulations with opioids

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 11:42 am
by dgarmaise
My nausea broke at 13:23 Thai time Thursday. There is a God. But she charges. I await the onslaught of symptoms from stopping clonazepam cold turkey.

Re: Trials and tribulations with opioids

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 11:58 pm
by legsbestill
Good luck, David. Maybe you will be in the lucky 50% Ann refers to ...

Re: Trials and tribulations with opioids

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 3:18 am
by ViewsAskew
I also hope you are in that 50%! Several times someone on this board has said something like, I took clonazepam for 6 years and stopped it without a problem, and I just shake my head, wishing I'd been able to say that! And glad the nausea is gone. I hate being nauseous...hate, hate, hate...

Re: Trials and tribulations with opioids

Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 5:14 am
by dgarmaise
The nausea is back, but it's not the same nausea! I guess there are different kinds, or different degrees of severity. The latest nausea is, I assume, part of my withdrawal symptoms. The latest nausea responds to Motillium-M (not available everywhere I take it) and Onsia; the first nausea didn't (much). I tried the ginger tea. Tried it twice. I am on my third try now as I write this. I did not find it to be effective the first two times. Maybe because that was the old nausea. My partner is going to make ginger root powder for me to try.