Side effects switch from Klonopin (Clonaz.) to Valium (Diaz.), please help.

[[Ca...]]

Hello everybody,

 

while tapering from Klonopin, my friend has been switched to the equivalent amount of Valium since it's easier to taper (Valium is provided in pills and drops) and since Klonopin is no longer available in our country if you don't have a proven epileptic disorder.

 

The tapering itself seems to be "easier" -- there aren't as many extreme Ups and Downs anymore, no aggressive outbursts or severe feelings of "loosing it."

 

Instead, there is hardly any feeling left anymore at all. My friend now lives in a constant haze, a numbness. He says he can't express his feelings -- if he even feels anything -- and feels like in a cage. When we go on day trips, he says that he has to literally tell himself how beautiful things are and that it's worth walking around town... Things like that. It seems it's a constant fog, and it pains me to see him like that. The "extremes" that the Klonopin withdrawal brought him he says he'd actually trade for this continuous emotionlessness and lightheadedness.

 

I'd like to konw if that's a common feeling, or side effect of Valium? Do you have any experience with that?

Can you tell me what I can do to help? Or what he can do to help himself?

 

And most of all: Is it going to get better? While withdrawing? Or can he expect this to end only be the time he'll be done tapering?

I can tell it's really, really torturing him.

 

I think just hearing from anyone who's been through the same kind of anguish might already be very helpful.

 

Thank you so much for reading my post. I hope that you can help me, or us.

[[Li...]]

Hi there,

I myself was switched from Klonopin 2mg. Daily to 40 mgs. Valium ......that is when the depression and anger started for me. I've been doing as much reading and research as I possibly can and it seems from all I've read everyone one of us are experiencing different symptoms.

I'm sure it's not easy for your friend, that said I applaud him for continuing the road off these hateful things and I applaud you for being there for him !! You are a good friend !!

It will get better, time is our only healer......but healed we will be.

Best of luck to your friend and you !!

[[pi...]]

I also crossed over from clonazepam to valium although at a much lower dose.  I can relate to what your friend is feeling, valium was extremely sedating for me and I was in a daze a lot. In fact, I couldn't tolerate the equivalent amount of valium compared to the clonazepam because I kept falling asleep.

 

This lasted for several weeks but then started to get better as my body adjusted to the valium.  This constantly fogged up feeling also lifted as I started to taper.

 

pianogirl 

[[Ca...]]

Thank you so much, Lil One and Pianogirl!

 

Was there anything you did that helped you get over the anger and/or brain fog?

Were you able to continue some sort of normal life?

 

Even though it must have been, or still is so hard for all of you, I can only say that I admire you for having the strength to go through this.

I'm convinced that it is worth it -- and you can all be so incredibly proud of yourselves!!

 

 

[[pi...]]

Thank you so much, Lil One and Pianogirl!

 

Was there anything you did that helped you get over the anger and/or brain fog?

Were you able to continue some sort of normal life?

 

Even though it must have been, or still is so hard for all of you, I can only say that I admire you for having the strength to go through this.

I'm convinced that it is worth it -- and you can all be so incredibly proud of yourselves!!

 

Well, I worked.  My teaching at times was not stellar but at least it distracted me from the symptoms.  The fog will lift as the haze of the drug is reduced slowly and healing starts to happen.  The best thing I did was to distract myself.  Besides teaching I read books, did puzzles and played Scrabble.  I had to start at the easiest levels and work up. Time is the healer.

 

PG 

[[Ca...]]

That's amazing, Pianogirl!

 

It's hard ot believe, but I just ordered a Scrabble-edition yesterday as I thought it could help my friend a great deal to occupy his mind with something like that! Cool! 

 

Time is the healer... 

[[Ca...]]

My friend is now considering tapering a little faster, because he feels safe as it is. He's tapering 9 drops (=4,5mg) every other week, spread over 3 days (-3 drops, hold 1 day, - 3 drops, hold one day, -3 drops, hold one week).

 

Do you have any experience with that? Is it a safe and not too fast or too slow tapering?

 

Aside from the effect that Valium has on him (as described above), it seems he doesn't feel any withdrawal symptoms yet -- even if he's been tapering as I described for about 4 weeks now. What's your experience?

 

And what about alcohol? I've found such confusing information online about it... Can he have a glass of wine every once in a while? Or is that already dangerous? And if so, why?

 

[[je...]]

NO ALCOHOL!!!!

can cause a terrible setback. it's not worth it.