Chapter Nine

Pre-Taper for Benzodiazepines, Anti-anxiety, Anticonvulsant,
and Sleep Medication

“I am taking Klonopin.  After one week on your program, I do not feel like I am taking a benzo.  I am sleeping better than I ever have in my life.  Vivid dreams have vanished and if I wake up in the middle of the night, I can go right back to sleep.  I will be starting the taper next week and I am very nervous.  Every time I have tried to quit in the past, the withdrawal was too much.  Everything you have said in your book has been true so far so I probably should not be nervous.”

G.Q.  Green Bay, WI.

If you have not yet read the entire chapter “General Pre-Tapering and Tapering Guidelines,” please do so before continuing with this chapter. Reading and understanding the “General Pre-Tapering and Tapering Guidelines” is vital before starting the pre-taper.

Starting Your Pre-Taper

Note: This pre-taper addresses several types of medication as noted in the chapter title. If the only drug named is a benzodiazepine, please take that to mean all medications (Benzodiazepine, Anti-anxiety, Anticonvulsant and Sleep Medication).

Physically, during the pre-taper and taper, you need to address a substance called Interleukin-2 (IL-2). A blood test can measure the level of IL-2 in your body. If a person has anxiety and/or insomnia their IL-2 levels will be too low. IL-2 is part of the human immune system. Whether you do this test or not is optional.

There are several things that might have made your IL-2 too low initially. If you work in an office building, installed new carpet at home or in the office, you are probably breathing positive air ions, instead of negative. Positive air ions will lower the body’s IL-2 levels and create an anxiety feeling. Increase the IL-2 level in your body as slowly and naturally as possible.

The air you breathe is not the only cause of IL-2 reduction, but if walking at night, walking after rain or standing by a waterfall drops your anxiety levels, it might be because negative air ions were just in your proximity. No running out and purchasing an air ionizer, they do not fix what really needs to be handled with air quality.

IL-2 levels are objectively tested. You and your physician can work on those levels to treat your anxiety and insomnia. Stage 2 of sleep (deep night sleep) requires ample amount of IL-2. Read additional information about IL-2 in the chapter, The Science Behind The Road Back.

You will begin your pre-taper by taking Body Calm, Body Calm Supreme, Beta 1, 3-D Glucan and the Essential Protein Formula. These four supplements should take care of most or all daytime anxiety, panic attacks and sleep problems. Remember, as soon as you start the pre-taper, you simultaneously begin keeping your Daily Journal.

You will then know which supplement turns off which side effect(s) or caused the major improvement. You will need to know this to successfully complete both the pre-taper and the full taper. The pre-taper addresses the normal cycle of anxiety/insomnia/anxiety that medication usage causes.

Anxiety both first thing in the morning and again in the afternoon are very common side effects of benzodiazepines, anti-anxiety, anticonvulsant and sleep medications. When using these medications, by the time you are ready to go to sleep at night you are too stressed out and fatigued from dealing with anxiety difficulties all day long. Sleep simply may not happen, and you could easily end up feeling depressed due to this continuing cycle of anxiety, no sleep, anxiety, no sleep – endlessly.

If also experiencing some degree of depression, do not be surprised if the depression goes away during the pre-taper as your ability to sleep improves or the daytime anxiety abates. But, even as you start to experience relief from your symptoms, do not change anything; just continue with the program. There are still many, many gains available as you move through and complete The Road Back Tapering Program.

The Probiotic Supreme can be used for sixty days and then discontinued if you wish. We have not included the Probiotic Supreme in the steps below to keep the daily schedule easier to follow. You can take 2 capsules of the Probiotic Supreme any time during the day with food. If you use birth control pills or have taken an antibiotic in the past, we urge you to use the Probiotic Supreme for sixty days.

If you have taken a benzodiazepine for 90-days or longer, you should begin taking biotin immediately. If you also have depression, the biotin should give you relief rather quickly. You will need to experiment with the amount of biotin you need to take daily. Taking 5,000 mcg of biotin in the morning and 5,000 mcg of biotin in the afternoon is the recommended starting point. Increase as needed until depression has lifted or until you have reached 10,000 mcg twice a day.

Step 1

Goal:

·         Improved sleep.

·         Vast reduction or elimination of anxiety.

·         Lessening or elimination of other medication-induced side effects.

Supplements you will take:

·         Essential Protein Formula.

·         Body Calm.

·         Body Calm Supreme.

·         Beta 1, 3-D Glucan

·         Biotin

Day One:

Action:

·    Rate your daytime anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia and other side effects using your Daily Journal. Rate the anxiety, sleep and any additional symptoms from 1 to 10 – number 1 being worst and number 10 no side effect or symptom remaining.

Take:

Essential Protein Formula: 1 teaspoon mixed in a liquid of your choice.

Body Calm Supreme capsule: 1 capsule.

Time: At bedtime.

Days Two, Three, Four:

Action:

·    Rate your daytime anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia and other side effects using your Daily Journal. Rate the anxiety, sleep and any additional symptoms you may be experiencing from 1 to 10 – with number 1 being worst and number 10 being no side effect or symptom remaining.

·    Rate the previous night’s sleep first thing in the morning.

·    Rate the daytime anxiety just before bedtime of that day.

Take:

Essential Protein Formula: 1 teaspoon mixed in a liquid of your choice.

Body Calm Supreme capsule: 1 capsule.

Time: First thing in the morning when you awaken.

Take: Beta 1, 3-D Glucan. 2 capsules, 100 mg each.

Time: Any time in the morning. Use only enough liquid to wash down capsules and do not have any further liquid or food until half an hour later. Ideally you would not have food half an hour before taking the Beta 1, 3-D Glucan.

The rest of the day and up until bedtime you will be alternating the Body Calm Supreme and the Body Calm every 4 hours.

 

Example: You wake at 7 am. Start the day by taking 1 capsule of Body Calm Supreme and 1 teaspoon of Essential Protein Formula.

At 11 am, take 1 Body Calm capsule and 1 teaspoon of Essential Protein Formula.

At 3 pm, take 1 Body Calm Supreme capsule and 1 teaspoon of Essential Protein Formula.

At 7 pm, take 1 Body Calm capsule and 1 teaspoon of Essential Protein Formula.

At bedtime or 11 pm, take 1 Body Calm Supreme capsule and 1 teaspoon of Essential Protein Formula.

Action:

·    The morning of Day 5 – Rate your sleep from the night before and look over your Daily Journal regarding daytime anxiety. If you now rate your daytime anxiety at a 7 or higher and your sleep at a 7 or higher, proceed to Step 2.

Note: If you do not rate yourself at a 7 or higher for daytime anxiety and sleep, turn to page 91 for Anxiety Handlings, page 96 for Sleep Handlings or page 99 for Anxiety and Sleep Handlings, located after Step 4 in this chapter.

Step 2

·         Continue taking all supplements as established during Step 1.

Goal:

·         Improvement of Mood.

·         A lessening or elimination of other medication-induced side effects.

Supplement you will introduce:

·         Ultimate Omega 3.

Day One:

Action:

·   Rate your mood and other side effects. Use the Daily Journal and rate your mood and any additional symptoms you may be experiencing from 1 to 10. Rate with number 1 being the worst and number 10 being no side effect or symptom remaining. Keep rating the anxiety and sleep as you were during Step 1.

Take: 1 softgel of Ultimate Omega 3.

Time: First thing in the morning, and around noon, but before 4 pm.

Day Two, Three, Four:

Action:

·   Rate your mood and other side effects. Use the Daily Journal and rate your mood and any additional symptoms you may be experiencing from 1 to 10. Rate with number 1 being the worst and number 10 being no side effect or symptom remaining.

Take: 2 Ultimate Omega 3 softgels.

Time: First thing in the morning when you awaken, and around noon, but before 4 pm.

After the rigors of Step 1, you will find Step 2 to be quick and easy. You are finished and ready to move to Step 3.

Step 3

·         Continue taking all supplements as established during Steps 1 and 2.

Goal:

·         Overall brightness of feelings and mood.

·         Nice and smooth energy level.

·         A lessening or elimination of other medication induced side effects.

Supplement you will introduce:

·         RenewPro.

Day One:

Action:

·   Rate anxiety, sleep and all side effects. Use the Daily Journal and rate your mood, anxiety sleep, and any additional symptoms you may be experiencing, from 1 to 10. Rate with number 1 being the worst and number 10 being no side effect or symptom remaining.

Take: 1/2 scoop of RenewPro.

Time: First thing in the morning.

Day Two, Three, Four:

Action:

·   Rate anxiety, sleep and all side effects. Use the Daily Journal and rate your mood, anxiety, sleep and any additional symptoms you may be experiencing, from 1 to 10. Rate with number 1 being the worst and number 10 being no side effect or symptom remaining.

Take: 1/2 scoop of RenewPro.

Time: First thing in the morning, around noon and one more before 4 pm.

Step 4

 

Day 1:

Begin taking 400 i.u. of vitamin E first thing in the morning with the rest of the morning supplements.

Keep taking all supplements exactly as you have established during the pre-taper while you taper off the medication and continue for 45 days after the last dosage of the medication.

You are completely finished with the pre-taper when:

 

The supplements and how much you take of each supplement may be changed during the taper portion of the program. Follow the exact instructions outlined in the taper chapter you are going to follow.

 

If you have tried to quit these medications in the past, you may be a little apprehensive about reducing them again. You can remain at this stage of the process for as long as you like. You do not have to rush.

 

It is now time to decide which taper program to follow. You can now taper off the medication twice as fast with this program if desired. The slower method has been kept in the book if you wish to really take your time with the taper portion.

 

The two chapters are:

·  How to Taper Off Benzodiazepines, Anti-anxiety, Anticonvulsant and Sleep Medication. The Slow and Gradual Taper.

·  How to Taper Off Benzodiazepines, Anti-anxiety, Anticonvulsant, and Sleep Medication. The Fast and Gradual Taper.

Anxiety Handlings

In this stage, you will be adjusting the times you take each supplement and/or the quantity of each supplement used during the day or at bedtime.

If your sleep was below a rating of 7 and is now at 7 or higher, you are responding very well to the Body Calm Supreme.

·    Replace the Body Calm during the daytime with the Body Calm Supreme. Take 1 capsule of Body Calm Supreme every 4 hours during the daytime and continue taking the 1 teaspoon of Essential Protein Formula at the same time as the Body Calm Supreme during the day.

Rate your daytime anxiety at the end of every day before bedtime and rate your sleep first thing in the morning and post in your Daily Journal.

The goal is three consecutive days with anxiety and sleep at a rating of 7 or higher. As soon as you have 3 consecutive days at a 7 or higher, move to Step 2.

If you improve to a 7 rating at any time DO NOT CHANGE WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

 

Example: You are on day number 2 of the above handling and you now rate yourself at a 7 with anxiety and sleep. Do not change anything you are doing but continue for 2 additional days and see if this new trend holds. This would give you 3 consecutive days at a 7 rating or higher.

For the rest of the pre-taper and taper process ensure you continue taking each supplement at the same time each day and night established during this step.

If this new trend of a 7 or higher rating for daytime anxiety holds for three consecutive days, proceed to Step 2.

 

If you are not at a 7 or higher after the previous handling use the following sequence:

·   Continue with the 1 Body Calm Supreme every four hours, but increase the Essential Protein Formula to 4 teaspoons with each serving.

·   Increase the Beta 1, 3-D Glucan to 2 capsules in the morning, 2 additional capsules in the early afternoon and 2 more capsules in the late afternoon. Make sure you do not consume liquid or food for half an hour after taking the Beta 1, 3-D Glucan and ideally no food half an hour before.

Rate yourself each night for the anxiety level of that day. If you feel an improvement, but not to a rating of a 7, continue with this step for 3 full days.

If no change or you are still not up to a 7 rating after 2 full days, do the following:

·         Keep taking the increased amount of Essential Protein Formula.

·         Keep taking the Beta 1, 3-D Glucan three times each day.

·         Increase the Body Calm Supreme to 1 capsule every 3 hours. (If a further improvement happens but you are still not at a 7 rating for daytime anxiety, you can take the Body Calm Supreme every 2 hours during the day.)

Continue this for 3 full days. Make sure to rate your daytime anxiety each night before bedtime. If on day two or three of this procedure, you now rate yourself at a 7 or higher, continue taking the supplements exactly as you have been in this stage until you have 3 consecutive days of a rating of 7 or higher with daytime anxiety and then move to Step 2.

 

If the daytime anxiety is still not rated at a 7 or higher, do not get discouraged, there are still options for you.

 

The Anxiety Reduction Chart located in the chapter “General Pre-Tapering and Tapering Instructions” shows how anxiety tends to drop as time passes when using the correct supplement. Give yourself some time.

Other Options

There are other options available with using the Body Calm, Body Calm Liquid, Essential Protein Formula, Biotin and the Body Calm Supreme. The next section provides further ways an individual may use, change or alter these products for anxiety and/or insomnia relief.

Body Calm capsules – You can add 1 Body Calm capsule with each Body Calm Supreme if needed. You may take as many as 3 Body Calm capsules at bedtime for sleep. You may take 1 Body Calm Supreme, along with the Body Calm at bedtime if needed.

Body Calm liquid – For some, but very few, the Body Calm liquid is the answer for daytime anxiety and/or insomnia. Making the switch from capsule to liquid can be magic.

Body Calm Supreme – As described in the chapter “General Pre-Tapering and Tapering Instructions,” reaching a “steady state” can be different for each person. If you are feeling some relief from anxiety, but only temporarily, you may need to change the frequency or amount of Body Calm Supreme. You can take the Body Calm Supreme every 2 hours during the day to achieve this. This gives astounding results for some people.

Biotin – If you have not used the biotin yet, it is time to start. Begin with 5,000 mcg in the morning for 3 days and if needed increase the biotin to as high as 10,000 mcg in the morning and an additional 10,000 mcg in the afternoon. Benzodiazepines and anticonvulsants can cause depression and biotin deficiency can be the reason for the depression. These medications do create a biotin deficiency.

As mentioned earlier in this chapter you can take the Nature’s Vitamin C and Probiotic Supreme. If the adrenals need, help introduce the Nature’s Vitamin C. The adrenals require ample supply of vitamin C to work properly.

Most medications create a yeast overgrowth which the Probiotic Supreme handles quickly. Side effects from yeast overgrowth can include anxiety, depression and insomnia.

Daytime anxiety – Daytime anxiety may also be helped by including CLA daily. You would take 1 softgel in the morning, again at noon and once more before 4 pm. Make sure to include 1 Ultimate Omega 3 in the morning and at noon along with one vitamin E in the morning.

We have tried to remove all trial and success out of this program but sometimes there are no other options. The Nature’s Vitamin C, Probiotic Supreme and CLA are trial and success. They may not make a change or they may be the exact fit for your body. Use these at this stage to see if they are what your body needs to get over this hump.

Suggestions: If you have felt any improvement during these procedures, you have something to work with. If the anxiety has at least moved from a rating of 3 to a 5, and is holding at that level, using these supplements will be the answer to your success. You will need to adjust them further, allow a little additional time, or adjust the time of day you are taking them. Adjust supplements one-by-one every third day. Keep good notes in your journal. The answers vary between the quantity and how often a supplement is taken. The answer can also be both quantity and frequency of taking the supplement.

Experiment with these variables as needed and keep your Daily Journal. Allow some time for results. If you have had some improvement, such as from a 3 to a 5 rating, and it is holding steady, but will not move beyond a 5 rating, give this stage 30 days to fully work.

After 30 days, if still at a 5 rating, move on to Step 2 and keep rating the daytime anxiety each evening. It may very well improve to a 7 rating later in the pre-taper.

A blood test can verify the level of a substance called Interleukin-2 (IL-2). The reference range for IL-2 will be from 223 to 710 with most laboratories. If your test results come back with a level under 466, you need to increase the IL-2 further and you should increase the Beta 1, 3-D Glucan to a total of 9 capsules each day.

Increase the Beta 1, 3-D Glucan to 3 of the 100 mg capsules 3 times a day. Give this increase 14 days to completely work. If you have improved after 14 days but are not up to a 7 rating yet, you can increase the Beta 1, 3-D Glucan to 2,500 mg each day if needed. Increase by no more than 300 mg every 3 days.


Sleep Handlings

a.  Keep doing exactly what you have been doing during the daytime, during Step 1. Keep in mind as you increase the supplements for sleep that changes made during the daytime for the anxiety may very well help with sleep as well. If a person who previously had daytime anxiety no longer has such, the chances are very high that their ability to sleep will improve greatly.

b.  Increase the Body Calm Supreme to 2 capsules at bedtime and continue to take the 1 teaspoon of Essential Protein Formula. Take 2 additional 100 mg capsules of Beta 1, 3-D Glucan after 4 pm but before 8 pm.

Stay at this level for 3 nights.

Make sure to rate your night’s sleep each morning upon waking.

If you rate yourself at a 7 or higher on any of these 3 nights, continue with exactlywhat you are doing until you have 3 consecutive nights of sleep rated at 7 or higher. Then move to Step 2.

See if this gives you the 3 consecutive nights of sleep at a 7 rating or higher and then move to Step 2. If it does not, reduce the Essential Protein Formula back to a 1 teaspoon serving.

c.  If b. did not result in the desired rating of a 7 or higher, include 1 Body Calm capsule at bedtime, along with the 2 Body Calm Supreme capsules, and the 1 teaspoon of Essential Protein Formula. Continue with the additional Beta 1, 3-D Glucan.

d. If there is no change in 3 nights, increase the Body Calm capsules to 2 at bedtime, along with the 2 Body Calm Supreme capsules and the 1 teaspoon of Essential Protein Formula. Continue with the additional Beta 1, 3-D Glucan.

Again, wait 3 days and see if sleep improves to a 7 or higher. Then move to Step 2 after 3 consecutive days of this 7 or higher rating.

e.  If you are having difficulty going to sleep, try taking all the supplements half an hour before bedtime for 3 nights. If still no change, try taking the supplements 1 hour before bedtime for 3 nights. If you begin to feel tired before your normal bedtime, go to bed a little earlier than usual. This may be your window of opportunity to fall asleep with ease; you do not want to miss that chance.

f.   If you are waking up in the middle of the night and are able to go back to sleep with little effort, that is normal. If you have difficulty going back to sleep, take 1 Body Calm Supreme in the night when you waken.

g.  If at any time you begin to sleep well with a 7 or higher rating, but you wake up tired, reduce the last supplement that was increased slightly. You can open up any of the capsules and remove half of the supplement powder.

Reaching Stage 2 of deeper sleep requires IL-2. If IL-2 levels are too low you will have difficulty going into deep restful sleep. You can increase the Beta 1, 3-D Glucan to 3 of the 100 mg capsules 3 times a day. Allow 14 days for this increase to work. If you feel improvement after 14 days but are not yet up to a 7 rating, you can increase the Beta 1, 3-D Glucan to 2,500 mg each day if needed. Increase by no more than 300 mg every 3 days.

Remember, have 3 consecutive nights at a 7 rating or higher for sleep and then move to Step 2.

 

Suggestions: If you have felt any improvement during this procedure, you have something to work with. If the insomnia has at least moved from a 3 to a 5 rating, and is holding at that level, these supplements will be the answer to your success. You just need to adjust them further, allow a little additional time or adjust the time of day you are taking them. Adjust supplements one-by-one every third day. Keep good notes in your journal. The answer will either be the quantity of a supplement or how often the supplement is taken.

 

Experiment with this and keep your Daily Journal. Give this some time to work. If you have had some improvement, such as from a 3 to a 5 rating, and it is holding steady, but will not move beyond a 5 rating, give this stage 30 days to fully work.

 

After 30 days, if still at a 5 rating, move on to Step 2 and keep rating your sleep each evening. It may very well improve to a 7 rating later in the pre-taper.

 

Special Note: If you are taking calcium and still not at a 7 rating or higher, you need to remove the calcium supplement or at least add Calsorption and see if the additional calcium absorption helps. If  you are taking other supplements not part of The Road Back Program, it is time for you to quit taking them.

 

If your healthcare provider suggested other supplements, let the practitioner know what you want to do, and give the practitioner this book. Once you are off all other supplements for 3 full days, you should feel a remarkable difference.

Anxiety and Sleep Handling

          Do all of the handlings for sleep and anxiety mentioned earlier and if you are still not handled, add the supplements as outlined below:

 

Daytime Anxiety Below a 7 Rating and
Sleep Below a 7 Rating

a.   Increase Body Calm Supreme to 1 capsule every 2 hours during the day.

b.   Take 1 teaspoon of Essential Protein Formula with every Body Calm Supreme.

c.   Take Probiotic Supreme as directed on the bottle each day.

d.  Take 3 capsules of Nature’s Vitamin C each day. Take 1 in the morning, one at noon and one additional capsule before 4 pm.

e.   Take 1 softgel of CLA in the morning, 1 softgel at noon and 1 softgel at 4 pm.

f.  Take 1 softgel of Ultimate Omega 3 in the morning, 1 at noon and 1 more softgel at 4 pm.

g.   Take 1 softgel of vitamin E in the morning.

If you have read this entire chapter you will notice you are doing part of Step 2 of the pre-taper. Once you have your anxiety and sleep rating at a 7 or above in this step and that rating has held for 3 consecutive days, you are ready to move to Step 3 of the pre-taper.

 

Make sure to keep your Daily Journal as well as your daily graphs for your 1-10 rating. Note all changes made in supplements and when made. When a positive change happens it is usually from some change that took place in the past 3 days.

 

If you do not rate yourself at a 7 or higher after 7 full days using this approach move to Step 3. Step 3 may be the supplement that gets you over the top.

 

If you complete all stages for anxiety and sleep and you still rate anxiety and sleep below a 7 on a 1-10 scale, one of these ten things are probably happening:

1.       You are one of the few who need to continue taking the supplements for additional time before they will work for you.

This happens rarely.

2.      You need to reevaluate how you are rating yourself. Are you being a little too rough on how you are judging yourself?

Reread the section in the chapter, “General Pre-Tapering and Tapering Instructions.”

Keep in mind, if you had anxiety throughout the day which was extreme, and the anxiety now occurs only in the morning when you wake up then disappears for the rest of the day, you have had a major positive change.

Review all the sleep scenarios in the chapter, “General Pre-Tapering and Tapering Instructions.” Before starting Step 1 of the Pre-Taper, if you previously woke up in the middle of the night and had a difficult time going back to sleep, but now wake up in the middle of the night and instantly go back to sleep, this is a major positive change.

3.      You are taking other supplements and the reason you are unresponsive to Stage 1 is those supplements. This is where you need to reevaluate calcium (if you are taking it), B vitamins and all other supplements. The other supplements, herbs or concoctions may have been causing the increased anxiety or insomnia for some time.

These other supplements might be excellent, but not when you are taking these types of medications.

Meet with your doctor. Ask him or her if you can quit taking other supplements that are not part of The Road Back Program. If OK with your doctor, discontinue the other supplements. Continue taking the supplements used during Step 1 of the Pre-Taper. Give yourself 3 days and see how you are doing.

4.      You are changing something.

5.      You are not taking the supplements as outlined.

6.      Maybe you are changing the time of day when you take your medication.

7.      Look at the weekends. Are you sleeping in a few hours later and not taking the morning medication at the same time? Are you staying up later in the evening thus not taking the medication at the same time each day?

Have you changed anything in your daily routine?

8.      You started The Road Back Program after you had already made one or several attempts to come off your medication and were having withdrawal side effects before starting the program.

You should give Step 1 additional time. Many people respond quickly to this step, even if they fit into this category, but some require from 14 to 30 days to fully complete Step 1 when they fit in this group.

Give it some time, at least the 30 days.

9.     E-mail us at info@theroadback.org and allow us to assist.

10.   The Road Back Program is not for you. I wish I could say this program works for everyone, but it does not. From years of experience, I know the program does not work for a very low percentage of people, but there is that percentage nonetheless.