Anyone have more trouble stopping non-addictive stuff than addictive stuff?

hopetofeelwell1 · 09-05-2007, 01:39 AM

Hi all! I was just wondering if anyone who's in recovery from either drugs or alcohol find that stopping some of the non-addictive stuff is more of a pain to stop than the alcohol, pills or other stuff. I"ve found that with some meds that I've taken through the years for depression, anxiety, hives, etc. that the stopping/withdrawal was harder at times or more drawn out than alcohol, caffeine, or cigarettes. As far as benzo dependence(same 3 mg. for 7 years), Klonopin to me was by far the absolute worst, but some of the psych meds(antidepressants and anti-psychotics) are awful. I know my metabolism changed through the years, but some of these things are a nuisance. If anyone has had a similar experience, drop a line. Thanks so much--Hopeto--

reachout · 09-05-2007, 08:16 AM

Hello Hopeto

It is so normal for it to be hard, very hard, to withdraw from the meds you have written about! Antidepressants and anti-pschotics work on brain chemistry and nervous system and make huge changes to it. Withdrawal from them , just as from opiates and benzos, is a long, drawn out process. The brain needs time to re-adjust to not having them and time to start again producing what we have been feeding it and produce the chemicals needed itself.

Even the meds for hives... taking it regularly is definitely going to cause withdrawals when stopping because these meds also work on the nervous system. Like Benedryl.... it has a calming effect on the nervous system. It is meant to to help control the sensation of itching. That is why so many use it in withdrawal from opiates and benzos. It has a calming effect. Makes us sleepy often when used. Things like Bendryl and Nyquil can be just as addicting as an opiate. They need to be used with as much caution as any prescribed med. Some supplements can be the same, also.

If I sound like some wannabe doctor here, I assure you I am not. What I am is experienced. Chuckles. I self-medicated with Nyquil right along with the oxycodone and Xanax. Had to withdraw from the Nyquil as well.

reach

jules3 · 09-05-2007, 07:00 PM

my son was addicted to benzos and opiods and has huge sleeping issues..he wont be prescribed those anymore..he takes trazadone and sometimes visteral to sleep.they are both non-narcotic.

merrillin · 09-06-2007, 03:04 AM

hopetofeelwell,

Listen, about 4 years ago I had to come off of Celexa ( anti-d) and it was H***!! I had taken it for about 3 years and it was awful to come off of. I cut down so slow, there was no slower way to even come off of it and yet is was awful.

I had these "brain zaps" if you will................I would feel this electric shock in my brain and I also had this awful sensation that when I would turn my head it felt as if my head would turn and then my brain would turn a few seconds later. It is very hard to describe, but it was horrible. I swore I would never, ever take another anti-d because I would not live through that wd again. I was on xanax at the time and my psych offered to up my dose to help me but I refused because I was terrified to add anything to this mess.

I have heard that Celexa is one of the scariest drugs to wd from because of the horrible psychological feelings it causes. I had feelings of being too tall to walk through our doorways in our house............I also felt like I was always walking uphill............then there was this zapping sound I heard in my head several times a day. Very scary, so yes, you are 100% right that these can be just as hard to come off of.

In fact, after the Celexa wd, I was not afraid of doing a cold turkey wd of hydro. That is how bad the Celexa thing was........

what anti-d are you coming off of if you don't mind me asking.

Love and prayers to you

hopetofeelwell1 · 09-06-2007, 08:24 PM

Hi ! The recent anti-depressant I was taking, and thank G-d it wasn't for very long was Celexa and what a pain in the neck even for only a couple of weeks! I thought I was gonna jump out of my skin while taking this thing, and then even with a gradual reduction the depression is the pits. Right now I'm taking Risperdal 0.5 mg 2x a day, Nasonex, and Zyrtec. Believe me, if I didn't have to take them right now, I wouldn't. I have been getting the hives for so long and they keep pointing to my digestive tract as the reason. Granted, with fibromyalgia I'm sensitive to meds anyway and I can only tolerate a med for no longer than maybe 3 weeks--but, wait! does that mean I'm bipolar because everything runs in 3's? I have severe anxiety dating back to when I was a kid and it's a familial thing, too, but I have to say some of these meds are HORRIBLE!! Sometimes the treatment is worse than the disease. I absolutely hate the side effects from some of these meds and I have to say when I stopped smoking over 4 months ago cold turkey the withdrawal from that didn't feel as bad as some of these "good" meds have made me feel. Is there nothing that a recovering alcoholic, fibromyalgic, allergic, and sensitive person can take safely with minimal side effects? If any of you folks can think of anything, let me know. As they say in AA, progress, not perfection and I'd like to get to the next step so I can continue my life. Thanks so much--Hopeto--