New Here-Valium

[SuzieeQ]

I am a recovering alcoholic, over 2 years sober from that. Problem is I started taking Valium to help me through the rough spots when I felt I needed a drink really bad. I was pretty good at first, I only took 10mgs a day after work to settle me down, Well last summer we had a freinds son who was living with us while going to college commit suicide in our home. This ramped up my usuage. I'm not sure how much I was taking as I took them when I felt anxious  which is a good portion of the time but probably on average 30mgs a day.

Now I am trying to ween myself off of them. I didn't realize how addictive they were. I used valium to get off alcohol so I guess I was just stupid. I am 3 weeks in to this and just came down from 15 to 10mgs the last 2 days and its hell all over again. I feel like a could just scream.

Am I (or hubby who has the control of said drugs) weening myself off to fast for as long as I have been taking them? Has anyone out there had to deal with coming off of Valium.. I swear I feel like I am going crazy. And to top it off I am dealing with Chronic back pain and was taking 500/5 hydrocodone usually just one a day for 6 months. When my Doc found out about the valium he cut me off the pain meds. Now I am dealing with the back pain as well.

I feel like freakin druggy. Wait! I am....Help

Suziee

[SuzieeQ]

Actually I think I'm doing pretty well right now. Down to 12mg for now.  I even think I could get by without them if it were not for the pain. I discovered that valium is a muscle relaxer too. I found this out on a message board for Chronic Back Pain (SpineHealth). That was another reason I was taking more of it. My Doctor limited my Hydro to just 1 or 2, preferably just 1 of hydrocodone 500/5 so I was supplememting with valium.  I'm just fortunate that I didn't get addicted to both. I was really good about only taking the minimum of the Hydocodone, could have, would have taken more for the pain but I didn't want my doctor to think I was abusing them.

Now I am left to my pain and the Valium gives me some relief.  I have been dealing with this pain for far too long. I finaly had an MRI and it showed one bulging disc in my "t" area which is where the pain is but Doctor said it shouldn't hurt. Huh!!!!!!!!!! So now he wants me to start walking which I am doing but only very short distants. It just kills my back. Supposed to start physical therapy when I have the valium out of my system. Not sure why, I guess so I can embrace my pain and learn to be its friend.. Being just a tad sarcastic... Can't help myself.

[lisa650]

I dont think u can gt anything with codeine over the counter in the good ol' USA.  Mareke is in australia and i believe they can get the syrup over the counter out there. right Mareke?    I could be wrong, anyone else have any thoughts on this?  . I have to agree with avis on this please get it thru your husband that u need to go slowly, and i can't believe the caregivers at your last detox! You are so right they should have been prepared.  that is exactly what i ws talking about on my previous post. Some people dont know what the hell they are doi ng!.I dont know what to tll u girl, can u go into detox again? or see another professional like a psychiatrist, they're allowed writing prescriptions for xanax and valium and stuff like that. Maybe he or she could stabilize u then slowly take you down. Idk just a thought.

[addictedme]

From my own experiance mareke is so right. My 4th back surgery was just to relieve pain (dr said it"d take 40 to 50 % of pain away if succesful,,it wasnt) and it left me with a cage built around my lower spine held together with 2 plates and 6 screws. My xrays look like I have a small car in my back lol,,anyway being an addict I"m not able to take as prescribed and if I start taking narcotics my back pain becomes 2nd to my addiction so physical therapy is my main relief. Ideally a pool is the best cause its low impact on your back. They even have treadmills in the pool now.It"s temporary relief but with chronic pain all relief is temp. My rule for pm drs is if they dont have exercise equip. or suggest a place to go for physical therapy then their just gonna push pills,,,gl to ya

[SuzieeQ]

Yes I knew what I was doing was wrong but in my stupid thinking I thought if it saved me from having a drink it would be worth it.

I have always been very athletic and always walked up to 3 miles a day several times a week. I loved walking especialy when I finally got my husband to join me. He lost about 25 lbs walking.  But since this back thing started it hurts just do my grocery shopping.  The Doc told me yesterday to start walking again to build up the muscles in back but to start out at a very short distant. Well I did walk last night and barely made it home and was crying when I got there. So I now know that that was too far for me right now.

I will walk again tonight but keep it shorter. It makes me so angry that a year ago I walking, washing and fueling airplanes, mowing my yard and now I can't do any of these things. It all *****. But I am taking it one day at a time.

Oh, what medication has codeine in it? Didn't think you could get anything with codeine in it over the counter.

Thanks for the encouragement

Suziee

[mareke]

No recovering alcoholic should take valium. My experience of valium is that it's like booze in a pill. Everyone is different but when I stopped valium I felt off colour for a time-only a few days for me but I never took that much of the stuff. I believe hydrocone can be pretty addictive so it's understandable that your doctor cut it off after learning about the valium. There are over the counter medications that contain ibuprofen and codeine that should help a little with your back pain but be careful to take no more than the recommended dosages at the recommended intervals. I've had my share of pain and these days I exercise a lot and have found that as a result my pains have eased considerably. You might be surprised what a daily long walk would do for you-make you feel tired and relax you and maybe even ease your back pain. The more I have exercised the less pain I have felt. Exercise can be addictive once you feel the benefits and no-one will try to stop you and it would give you something positive to focus on. All the best-I hope things go well for you.

[SuzieeQ]

My bad.. My doctor didn't know I was taking them, I was getting them by another means.  I think that is why he is so unsympathatic. My husband knew I was taking them though. I guess he didn't realize it was getting out of hand. I could still choke him for telling my Doctor. I guess its for the best.

[avisg]

Stick to your guns with the slow part .Even if this means that you have your hubby come on here and read .It always amazes me that these doctors stick people on these meds but refuse to take the time to get them off properly .Of course they wont take responsibility if you need having a seizure because he was in a hurry .Ask your doctor for something like zanaflex.

[SuzieeQ]

I sorta of feel that my doc and my hubby are trying to get me off them to fast. They say that since they really don't know how much I was taking its hard to have a starting point.
I think just the fact that I have been on them so long says a lot.

Lisa,

I do know about seizures as I had one when I was in the hospital when I was in detox from alcohol and xanx. Pretty scary thing and the fact I had already been there a day was really strange. They knew what I was there for so you would have thought they would have been on the look out for it.  Anyway's I had a grand maule seizure walking down the hallway. I guess I was seizing for about 10 minutes and they had the "start cart" ready..

That's why I was so insistant with my husband and Doctor that they need to do this slowly but I can't seem to get it through their heads. It took me a long time to get to this point and it's going to take a while to get me back to normal.

I am just so frustrated with the back pain and now this. Between the two it's putting a strain on my marriage.  

I'm glad to have found a place to talk to people who understand what its like to go through w/d.

[lisa650]

Please be careful, i had a doc/'s appt today and he was running late, when he finally got to me he told me that it had been a very busy morning, there were 4 people in emergency, 2 were in seizures because of trying to detox of benzo's the other 2 were alcohol related and were suffering from dts. While i was in his office, he got a phone call from the emergency room and he had to correct them on how to treat them.  They almost gave them wrong medication. He was telling them what to do and said no , you never give that to people coming of benzo/s that wont stop the seizures, give them phenobarbital...sorry i'm just rambling now, but that scared me , i would hate to go in emergency and have the wrong meds given to me.  Although i guess most people should be well trained, but not all are when it comes to addiction.  Well i've rambled enough, but please be careful.

[avisg]

Suzie,
You have to go very slow when coming off of benzos .Like a quater of a pill every two weeks.That will greatly reduse your wd and its safe.Dicuss this with your doctor .You can do this .