Need Help Detoxing soon from fent with clonidine and ativan, need advice

[Ohdoug]

So I've been through withdrawal a handful of times, sometimes it's been absolute hell and I was totally convinced I wouldn't make it through it and other times it has been kind of tolerable. I'm snorting about 4 of the pressed M30 pills a day, which I'm assuming is fentanyl. In the past I have tried suboxone for withdrawal and it was a huge mistake. Even if I tried waiting a couple days id go into precipitated w/d so I'm not going that route again. This time I have hundreds of 0.1mg clonidine and about 30 0.5mg Ativan. I have no benzo tolerance, I don't use them at all. The clonidine is prescribed but I haven't taken it in months. I plan on trying to slow down on the m30s for a couple weeks and try to bring the amount I'm doing down before withdrawal. Once I decide to jump off I'm not sure how often I can safely take the clonidine and Ativan. I have no idea how much is safe to take or if they're even safe to take together. I'm also prescribed oxcarbazepine ( trileptal 100mg daily) which is an anticonvulsant but it prescribed as an antidepressant in my case. I'm prescribed quietiapine as well (seroquel 50mg nightly). So basically I want advice on how I should be dosing these and any suggestions of anything else I could take with these are welcome too. Is it safe for me to be taking the Ativan with these other prescriptions? Should I stop taking my seroquel or oxcarbazepine for a bit to take the other meds until I'm done with withdrawal? Any type of advice is really appreciated.

 

[n3ophy7e]

So I've been through withdrawal a handful of times, sometimes it's been absolute hell and I was totally convinced I wouldn't make it through it and other times it has been kind of tolerable. I'm snorting about 4 of the pressed M30 pills a day, which I'm assuming is fentanyl. In the past I have tried suboxone for withdrawal and it was a huge mistake. Even if I tried waiting a couple days id go into precipitated w/d so I'm not going that route again. This time I have hundreds of 0.1mg clonidine and about 30 0.5mg Ativan. I have no benzo tolerance, I don't use them at all. The clonidine is prescribed but I haven't taken it in months. I plan on trying to slow down on the m30s for a couple weeks and try to bring the amount I'm doing down before withdrawal. Once I decide to jump off I'm not sure how often I can safely take the clonidine and Ativan. I have no idea how much is safe to take or if they're even safe to take together. I'm also prescribed oxcarbazepine ( trileptal 100mg daily) which is an anticonvulsant but it prescribed as an antidepressant in my case. I'm prescribed quietiapine as well (seroquel 50mg nightly). So basically I want advice on how I should be dosing these and any suggestions of anything else I could take with these are welcome too. Is it safe for me to be taking the Ativan with these other prescriptions? Should I stop taking my seroquel or oxcarbazepine for a bit to take the other meds until I'm done with withdrawal? Any type of advice is really appreciated.

Hi @Ohdoug and welcome to Bluelight! I'm glad you found us.
I've been through opiate withdrawals numerous times too, sometimes attempted cold-turkey, other times at inpatient medicated detox, other times at home self-medicating with clonidine, alcohol and/or benzos.

Will you be working and/or have any other committments while you're withdrawing from the fentanyl? Or will you just be at home? Will you have anyone to help you out e.g. a partner, housemate, relative etc?

Clonidine is excellent for the restless legs and insomnia. Ativan is (obviously) great for the anxiety, irritability, and insomnia. Another great thing to have in your arsenal is loperamide which you can just get over the counter at the drug store, and that will help with the stomach cramps and diarrhoea. I'd also get some ibuprofen for the aches, or you can just tackle those with hot showers/baths, stretching and massage.

DO NOT stop either the Trileptal or the Seroquel, period. Ativan is safe to take with both of them, but please please please do not overdo it with the Ativan, because a) you'll be too sedated, you might get really dizzy and out of it, and b) you may have mild benzo withdrawals to deal with after you run out.
There is a similar risk with combining clonidine and Ativan, i.e. dizziness, confusion, heavy sedation, so be careful with combining them.

What time of the day do you take the Trileptal?

If I was you, I'd continue taking Trileptal and the Seroquel as prescribed. Take the loperamide as directed on the box, or more if you need it. Loperamide is pretty safe. You could take the approach of waiting to see what symptoms are the worst when you get up each day and treat accordingly, for example if your worst symptom is anxiety, take some ativan in the morning. Then towards the afternoon if you're getting restless legs, take some clonidine. Or if it's the other way around, swap. Keep in mind that clonidine has some anti-anxiety effect as well, so it will help with mild irritability. Regardless of what happens during the day, I would take some clonidine at night when you want to sleep, 0.1-0.2mg depending on how you're feeling, as it will help immensely with sleep.

 

[Robi]

So I've been through withdrawal a handful of times, sometimes it's been absolute hell and I was totally convinced I wouldn't make it through it and other times it has been kind of tolerable. I'm snorting about 4 of the pressed M30 pills a day, which I'm assuming is fentanyl. In the past I have tried suboxone for withdrawal and it was a huge mistake. Even if I tried waiting a couple days id go into precipitated w/d so I'm not going that route again. This time I have hundreds of 0.1mg clonidine and about 30 0.5mg Ativan. I have no benzo tolerance, I don't use them at all. The clonidine is prescribed but I haven't taken it in months. I plan on trying to slow down on the m30s for a couple weeks and try to bring the amount I'm doing down before withdrawal. Once I decide to jump off I'm not sure how often I can safely take the clonidine and Ativan. I have no idea how much is safe to take or if they're even safe to take together. I'm also prescribed oxcarbazepine ( trileptal 100mg daily) which is an anticonvulsant but it prescribed as an antidepressant in my case. I'm prescribed quietiapine as well (seroquel 50mg nightly). So basically I want advice on how I should be dosing these and any suggestions of anything else I could take with these are welcome too. Is it safe for me to be taking the Ativan with these other prescriptions? Should I stop taking my seroquel or oxcarbazepine for a bit to take the other meds until I'm done with withdrawal? Any type of advice is really appreciated.

yes welcome to BL! such a wealth of information and great advises, i too snorted the hell out of those pills, i was ill a week, much like the flu, but wasnt bad as i thought( NO. sleep for 5 days , ugh, cold ass turkey ) more fear of WD than the actually WD, now im dealing with emotional issues, do to all the damage i might have done and so much money spent, but im trying to not look back with all my might , and forgive self for being a hyprocrite/liar, it was never my way, and i want so much for you to feel better