Seroquel for PTSD during benzo taper - need hope

@katnewton
Yes, I am hoping that they can cross-taper to Valium ASAP and give me something for the withdrawal symptoms. Do you know what might work? I am getting bruises on my feel and they seem to "go to sleep" more easily. I don't know which is worse -- waking up in searing pain or not getting much sleep. For now, it is the former. I sure hope I can get the right care to get off them. Thanks for your encouragement.

They gave it to me for most of the same reasons (agitation, mostly) plus I have cancer and IBD. I hate it, however, it's good for what it's supposed to do...put you into a stupor. That's why I divide the 25 mg pill in half. Take the lower mg, then, if I need the other half later on for sleep, I take it. This is sufficient for me to avoid the nausea, 'out of it' sensation if you take a whole pill at once. But I'd try it for a valium taper for sure. I think it'll work, however, be prepared they will put you on Seroquel then.

@ashleyharris728 I have been tapering ativan as well for the past couple of months. How are you doing with yours and where did you get your taper schedule? Mine is tapering off 1mg daily. 5-10% reduction every 3-4 weeks. I have been on it for 5 years. Love to hear how you are doing.

If anyone is wanting to see what a slow taper looks like, just google the Ashton Manual. It has protocols for many different benzos and strengths.

@katnewton and all... This is a tough situation for many of us. My son took Klonopin for several years with increasing dosages along the way. It helped slightly was not a good drug for him. Is doctor had increased the dose and then, a month later, stop precribing it cold turkey. NO Tapering!

This was via video appointment and I was not involved as I am normally. He's now 57, 100% disabled since age 35 with debilitating cevical dystonia and many other muscle, nerve, pain-chronic and acute- pain issues. He now is losing mobility due to loss of use of most of his left side. He has acute nerve pain 24/7, all these years, and getting worse. Has a Dilaudid pain pump and take multiple oral med, including Sereqeul to help level his mood, calm agitation.

He suffers desperately. When I noticed peronality changes, physical and emotional change to the point he was extremely paranoid, whispering to keep the cell and tv from hearing... actually, now we know that's not so paranoia related!

It was a sad and frightening downhill journey for this dear man. Klonopin stopped cold turkey!

I handle is meds, work with docs re meds, etc, but was out of the loop on this one. When I couldn't reorder is script, I finally bagan to get the story. He didn't realize what or why she did this. I could get no answers from her.

He ended up in the Mayo Hospital after I found him unconscious on the kitchen floor and then having multiple seizures. He spent a week in the hospital on 7 iv medications at times for electrolytes, heart meds, pain of course and mood/emotional medications trying to keep him alive and sane.

Now, this is a serious issue, tapering. They drugs mess with your brains and it takes a dedication and a watchful, knowledgeable doctor to oversee this process. He will never be the same mentally, emotionally as he was prior to this damage. It has permanently damaged him.

He is now on Seroquel for mood leveling and it is a superb drug for him. He takes now 500 mg, 3X daily to function without rages, paranoia, and some calm. But, it too must be carefully monitored. And, if you take a time-released tablet of Klonopin or Seroquel, do NOT cut a pill in half to reduce the dose. That destroys the releasing capability and you have no idea how much your are getting in that dose. It comes in varying sizes so be sure to be careful.

FYI: for PTSD, I take very successfully, an off label blood-pressure drug now used frequently with veterans and other with PTSD - Prozosin. I take 3/1mg tablet at bedtime and my cardiologist monitors my bp to ck if I need to lower that med. It has saved my sanity and I no longer have the night terrors and tremor following for days. I Also am allergic to Valium and got off it decades ago. I successfully use Xanax daily now for years and it is an excellent drug for my needs, on monitored and limited basis.

I hope some if this is helpful on your journey through this maze of health issues and medications. My advice is to be your strongest advocate overseeing ever portion of your health. If a doctor doesn't instruct and educate you along the way, answer your quetion fully, find a different doctor. You are in charge of you body. No one else.

This was a lifelong battle for me as a 79 year old woman. Women were historically treated by medical folks as emotional only beings, needing valium for every issue and not able to handle the decisions themselves. No more. I do research. A lot. Using Perplexity, not Google. I want straight, well-supported answers. No ads. No biases. I use Mayo Clinic webstie for excellent explanations and suggestions, Cleveland Clinic, and other such highly regarded medical institutions. Only.

Blessings in your journey, everyone. Elizabeth

@gunshy I feel very bad for your suffering and understand it from a personal experience, I'm sorry that this was prescribed for you, no matter your reason, there's still better options, fortunately 4 months is not as long as many years as some of us have any Clonazepam is a longer active time in your system which is a benefit. Get a good doctor and therapy for withdrawal symptoms, also perhaps a med that isn't addictive, you've come a long way and otherwise in relatively decent shape, I really hope you get through this without too much trouble, it's a different journey for everyone so it's not always the best choice but it's different for everyone, best regards.

@frouke
Thank you for your reply and encouragement. I am thinking of requesting to use the Ashton method, and looking around for medical supervision and the other things you suggested, as well as cranial sacral and somatic work once I am safely off then and not experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Blessings!

@gunshy It's very encouraging to hear how you have faced this and made good plans, I hope you have a successful journey, Blessings to you.

@nanagizer I’m on 0.5mg daily right now. Down from 2mg about a year plus ago. Basically I am working with my psychiatrist to slowly cut down plus using other meds to help make sure my sleep stays on track. So I may cut down by 12.5mg at a time but sometimes adding other meds like gabapentin, Seroquel, melatonin, etc to help. However I’m also trying to get off Seroquel so the process is slow going. How are you doing with your taper?

@gunshy thanks, I’ve seen variations of this before but wasn’t sure what the source was called. I appreciate the information.