The Klonopin Klub#2

[[Fi...]]

Hello,

 

 

Ive been having a persistent headache since Jan 22, 2022. (pressure, pain, heaviness, discomfort, pressure cooker, you name it)

Is this normal for a w/d symptom to stay this long with no relief from pain killers?

 

Should I stay at this dose a little longer or just move on with the taper and this awful headache?

Some other members have offered their opinions and suggestions in other threads, and I appreciate all their help.

I'm just trying to make a decision in the next day or two and all advice is appreciated.

 

Thank you and hope you are all doing better today.

 

You may have made your decision by now about moving on or holding but I have found that headaches are common with withdrawal-not that they should not be paid attention to but since all that activity of recalculating is going on in the brain, it makes sense that we would have head pressure, etc.

 

I did not have bad headaches but I did have head pressure. Besides the internal healing going on I thought that it had to do with tight muscles in the neck and shoulders.  So I used Arnica on my neck and shoulders along with a heating pad to keep that area as loose as possible. I would also use ice packs on my forehead if I needed to. 

 

FH

[[Pi...]]

Hello,

 

 

Ive been having a persistent headache since Jan 22, 2022. (pressure, pain, heaviness, discomfort, pressure cooker, you name it)

Is this normal for a w/d symptom to stay this long with no relief from pain killers?

 

Should I stay at this dose a little longer or just move on with the taper and this awful headache?

Some other members have offered their opinions and suggestions in other threads, and I appreciate all their help.

I'm just trying to make a decision in the next day or two and all advice is appreciated.

 

Thank you and hope you are all doing better today.

 

You may have made your decision by now about moving on or holding but I have found that headaches are common with withdrawal-not that they should not be paid attention to but since all that activity of recalculating is going on in the brain, it makes sense that we would have head pressure, etc.

 

I did not have bad headaches but I did have head pressure. Besides the internal healing going on I thought that it had to do with tight muscles in the neck and shoulders.  So I used Arnica on my neck and shoulders along with a heating pad to keep that area as loose as possible. I would also use ice packs on my forehead if I needed to. 

 

FH

Hello Final Healing,

 

Thank you for your reply. I did continue tapering slowly. The pressure continues but I have faith it will come to an end.

 

Did you use arnica in cream? My neck hurts a lot too. I will give it a try.

How long did the head pressure lasted?

 

 

[[Fi...]]

Hello,

 

 

Ive been having a persistent headache since Jan 22, 2022. (pressure, pain, heaviness, discomfort, pressure cooker, you name it)

Is this normal for a w/d symptom to stay this long with no relief from pain killers?

 

Should I stay at this dose a little longer or just move on with the taper and this awful headache?

Some other members have offered their opinions and suggestions in other threads, and I appreciate all their help.

I'm just trying to make a decision in the next day or two and all advice is appreciated.

 

Thank you and hope you are all doing better today.

 

You may have made your decision by now about moving on or holding but I have found that headaches are common with withdrawal-not that they should not be paid attention to but since all that activity of recalculating is going on in the brain, it makes sense that we would have head pressure, etc.

 

I did not have bad headaches but I did have head pressure. Besides the internal healing going on I thought that it had to do with tight muscles in the neck and shoulders.  So I used Arnica on my neck and shoulders along with a heating pad to keep that area as loose as possible. I would also use ice packs on my forehead if I needed to. 

 

FH

Hello Final Healing,

 

Thank you for your reply. I did continue tapering slowly. The pressure continues but I have faith it will come to an end.

 

Did you use arnica in cream? My neck hurts a lot too. I will give it a try.

How long did the head pressure lasted?

 

Yes, I used Arnica cream on my neck and upper back.

 

My head pressure was off and on. Things got better and better as I got lower. I do not have head pressure since I have been off.

 

Things will get better for you.

[[Pi...]]

Final healing,

 

Thank you. I am almost done with the tapering off this horrible pill.

This pressure began at the end tail of it. Is that something normal? I guess nothing is "normal" coming off these things.

But pressure all day 24/7 is hard to bear. It changes minute by minute. So weird.

 

But I thank the Lord for his grace.

Praying and hoping this subsides quickly.

 

 

 

 

[[Ul...]]

Final healing,

 

Thank you. I am almost done with the tapering off this horrible pill.

This pressure began at the end tail of it. Is that something normal? I guess nothing is "normal" coming off these things.

But pressure all day 24/7 is hard to bear. It changes minute by minute. So weird.

 

But I thank the Lord for his grace.

Praying and hoping this subsides quickly.

 

Heck, I don't think there's any kind of normal with this journey. Just one step in front of the other, and then I think that's when the real healing begins (in bigger steps, at least). You're healing, so keep up the good fight!

[[Pi...]]

Final healing,

 

Thank you. I am almost done with the tapering off this horrible pill.

This pressure began at the end tail of it. Is that something normal? I guess nothing is "normal" coming off these things.

But pressure all day 24/7 is hard to bear. It changes minute by minute. So weird.

 

But I thank the Lord for his grace.

Praying and hoping this subsides quickly.

 

Heck, I don't think there's any kind of normal with this journey. Just one step in front of the other, and then I think that's when the real healing begins (in bigger steps, at least). You're healing, so keep up the good fight!

 

Thank you.

 

Yes, you are right... just one step in front of the other and keep going. One day at a time.

When did you get off benzos?  8mg of klonopin sounds like a lot. Then again even a dust of these "meds" is poisonous enough!

[[Ul...]]

Final healing,

 

Thank you. I am almost done with the tapering off this horrible pill.

This pressure began at the end tail of it. Is that something normal? I guess nothing is "normal" coming off these things.

But pressure all day 24/7 is hard to bear. It changes minute by minute. So weird.

 

But I thank the Lord for his grace.

Praying and hoping this subsides quickly.

 

Heck, I don't think there's any kind of normal with this journey. Just one step in front of the other, and then I think that's when the real healing begins (in bigger steps, at least). You're healing, so keep up the good fight!

 

Thank you.

 

Yes, you are right... just one step in front of the other and keep going. One day at a time.

When did you get off benzos?  8mg of klonopin sounds like a lot. Then again even a dust of these "meds" is poisonous enough!

 

Yep, it was a brutal journey, but nothing is worse than being on these drugs forever. A few days ago (March 20th) was my one year anniversary for my very last dose of klonopin. It took a while for me to taper off Prozac and Pristiq years ago, but once I got off those things is when I started the 6 year journey to get off k. Totally worth it. At least I get a second chance at life!! Life is clearer when we're off these crazy meds, right? Onwards you go

[[Fi...]]

Congratulations Jeff!  One year off! 

 

I'm almost at 14 months and things continue to improve.

 

To everyone still tapering, it's totally worth the effort!

 

 

[[Pi...]]

Final healing,

 

Thank you. I am almost done with the tapering off this horrible pill.

This pressure began at the end tail of it. Is that something normal? I guess nothing is "normal" coming off these things.

But pressure all day 24/7 is hard to bear. It changes minute by minute. So weird.

 

But I thank the Lord for his grace.

Praying and hoping this subsides quickly.

 

Heck, I don't think there's any kind of normal with this journey. Just one step in front of the other, and then I think that's when the real healing begins (in bigger steps, at least). You're healing, so keep up the good fight!

 

Thank you.

 

Yes, you are right... just one step in front of the other and keep going. One day at a time.

When did you get off benzos?  8mg of klonopin sounds like a lot. Then again even a dust of these "meds" is poisonous enough!

 

Yep, it was a brutal journey, but nothing is worse than being on these drugs forever. A few days ago (March 20th) was my one year anniversary for my very last dose of klonopin. It took a while for me to taper off Prozac and Pristiq years ago, but once I got off those things is when I started the 6 year journey to get off k. Totally worth it. At least I get a second chance at life!! Life is clearer when we're off these crazy meds, right? Onwards you go

 

Congratulations on your 1st Anniversary off k!!!! So happy for you!

I can't wait to take that one last dose and be free!

May God help all of us!

 

 

[[he...]]

Thanks for the encouragement from you both, and congratulations on being off a year and just over!

 

I'm at about 51 to 52% off my starting dose (depending on how much I was actually getting when I was cutting), so I have a ways to go yet as the taper gets slower each day.

 

I'm currently at .160 mg morning and .269 mg at bedtime. Does anyone have any thoughts on the unevenness of my dosing and how that might be affecting me? I'd honestly like to cut my morning dose off completely once I get to just under half a tablet (<.25 mg) on my bedtime dose, because all my symptoms are during the day, but then there's that unfortunate potential for interdose WD symptoms. I wonder if I'd be better served trying to even out the doses and then tapering them concurrently again like I am now. I just don't know.

 

Lately I usually get hit with one of the following modes of symptomatology (I just like this word): 1) a fog during the morning starting just after 9am that stretches into afternoon, some anxiety twinges following that, and then GI symptoms during the evening. 2) no fog but much greater anxiety throughout the whole day and then GI symptoms during the evening. Seldomly, I'll get a late fog that starts in the afternoon and persists into the early evening. I used to be able to taper with no GI symptoms, but that changed recently. The only time I'd had them before was during my cut-and-hold phase when I was trying to determine what I could tolerate. Once I locked in to a DMT at 6.3% / 14 days, the GI stuff was nonexistent and I didn't have to be so careful with what I ate (but I still was eating pretty healthy most of the time), but that has all evaporated.

 

OnceUponaTime, I hope the pressure has gotten better.

[[Pi...]]

Thanks for the encouragement from you both, and congratulations on being off a year and just over!

 

I'm at about 51 to 52% off my starting dose (depending on how much I was actually getting when I was cutting), so I have a ways to go yet as the taper gets slower each day.

 

I'm currently at .160 mg morning and .269 mg at bedtime. Does anyone have any thoughts on the unevenness of my dosing and how that might be affecting me? I'd honestly like to cut my morning dose off completely once I get to just under half a tablet (<.25 mg) on my bedtime dose, because all my symptoms are during the day, but then there's that unfortunate potential for interdose WD symptoms. I wonder if I'd be better served trying to even out the doses and then tapering them concurrently again like I am now. I just don't know.

 

Lately I usually get hit with one of the following modes of symptomatology (I just like this word): 1) a fog during the morning starting just after 9am that stretches into afternoon, some anxiety twinges following that, and then GI symptoms during the evening. 2) no fog but much greater anxiety throughout the whole day and then GI symptoms during the evening. Seldomly, I'll get a late fog that starts in the afternoon and persists into the early evening. I used to be able to taper with no GI symptoms, but that changed recently. The only time I'd had them before was during my cut-and-hold phase when I was trying to determine what I could tolerate. Once I locked in to a DMT at 6.3% / 14 days, the GI stuff was nonexistent and I didn't have to be so careful with what I ate (but I still was eating pretty healthy most of the time), but that has all evaporated.

 

OnceUponaTime, I hope the pressure has gotten better.

 

Hi Hereforhelp,

 

Sorry that I cannot give you much advice about deciding whether or not to even out your doses. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable here in the forum may chime in and help you in that area.

 

Are your symptoms more bearable now?

 

The head pressure is there still. I just can't believe it's been 2 months and 3 days like this.

 

I was just talking to a friend who said she was tapering off some thyroid medications and went through 6 months of everyday headaches and pressure.  Took her a good year to get better. Thyroid medication!!!  I don't know if I'll ever touch another pill in my life again.

 

I just pray we all feel better soon.

 

 

 

[[go...]]

I have a dilemma. My original dose was 2 mg/day and now over 120 days in, I'm down to 1.625 mg! Yay!

 

That's one .5 mg tab + one .125 mg ODT tab in the morning and 1 mg at night.

 

I got here by cutting the .125 mg ODT every 3-4 weeks. So .0625 mg reductions. I was at 2 mg for over 13 years, so I need to go slow.

 

Unfortunately, Sun Pharma, the maker of the .125 mg ODT seems to have stopped production. Their ODT was ideal because it didn't come in a blisterpack. Regular pill bottle and I could cut it in half very easily.

 

I have an appointment with my doctor this week and I need a plan. My next .0625 mg reduction is coming up in 2 weeks. Should I try to cut another brand's ODT in half? Maybe liquify the ODT and then split it?

 

Last resort would be crossing over to Valium and I really want to keep that as an emergency option because I hear it can have its own problems.

 

Oh and I don't want to get into dry cutting until I get rid of that .125 mg dose in the morning.

 

What would you guys do?

[[Li...]]

Are you in the US?  Have you verified that the manufacturer has indeed stopped production by checking one of the databases below and contacting the manufacturer directly?  There have been supply chain issues with clonazepam ODTs from some of the manufacturers, but that’s not the same as an actual discontinuation of production.

 

Also, have you tried calling other pharmacies (e.g. independent pharmacies or pharmacies that use a different supplier/distributor than your current pharmacy) to ask if they have the Sun ODTs in stock or can get them from their supplier/distributor?  For example, one of our members has been getting Sun ODTs online via Amazon Pharmacy.

 

Drug Shortages | FDA

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/drug-shortages

 

Contact Us | Lannett Company

https://www.lannett.com/about/contact-us/

 

Drug Shorages | ASHP*

https://www.ashp.org/drug-shortages

*American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

[[Fi...]]

I started out with one brand, maybe Accord?, and then in my third month, my pharmacy switched me to Solco.

 

I heard my first brand was going to be discontinued so I made the switch to the Solco brand.  I did it dose by does, meaning I had one dose of Accord and then another dose Solco.  I did this till I was entirely on Solco.  There was a difference in the brands so I gave myself a week to adjust to what felt like a heavier medication.

 

After that, I had my psychiatrist specifically ask for the Solco brand and I would check each time at the pharmacy.  One time I didn't check and they gave me another brand.  I had hoarded enough pills to get me through.

 

So, switching brands can be done, you just need to give yourself a period of adjustment and not view the possible symptoms to mean there is something wrong.

 

FH

[[Ul...]]

Congratulations Jeff!  One year off! 

 

I'm almost at 14 months and things continue to improve.

 

To everyone still tapering, it's totally worth the effort!

 

Man, you're not kidding!!! Life is an open lens now, rather than a focused and narrow vision of pain. And congrats to you for your 14 months! Keep on rockin' it forward

[[Ul...]]

Final healing,

 

Thank you. I am almost done with the tapering off this horrible pill.

This pressure began at the end tail of it. Is that something normal? I guess nothing is "normal" coming off these things.

But pressure all day 24/7 is hard to bear. It changes minute by minute. So weird.

 

But I thank the Lord for his grace.

Praying and hoping this subsides quickly.

 

Heck, I don't think there's any kind of normal with this journey. Just one step in front of the other, and then I think that's when the real healing begins (in bigger steps, at least). You're healing, so keep up the good fight!

 

Thank you.

 

Yes, you are right... just one step in front of the other and keep going. One day at a time.

When did you get off benzos?  8mg of klonopin sounds like a lot. Then again even a dust of these "meds" is poisonous enough!

 

Yep, it was a brutal journey, but nothing is worse than being on these drugs forever. A few days ago (March 20th) was my one year anniversary for my very last dose of klonopin. It took a while for me to taper off Prozac and Pristiq years ago, but once I got off those things is when I started the 6 year journey to get off k. Totally worth it. At least I get a second chance at life!! Life is clearer when we're off these crazy meds, right? Onwards you go

 

Congratulations on your 1st Anniversary off k!!!! So happy for you!

I can't wait to take that one last dose and be free!

May God help all of us!

 

You'll definitely get to that last dose! Chances are you'll take it and it won't even be that big of a deal...you'll just take it and then move on about your day. It was really uneventful for me, but I'm super glad I got there. The real fun begins when you start to really improve your health as time goes on past that last dose. In the meantime, keep healing as you taper. Don't rush the process. You'll do just great!

[[he...]]

Hi Hereforhelp,

 

Sorry that I cannot give you much advice about deciding whether or not to even out your doses. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable here in the forum may chime in and help you in that area.

 

Are your symptoms more bearable now?

 

The anxiety has increased quite a bit this week, yesterday and today especially. I started drinking some decaf coffee on Tuesday for the first time during this taper and perhaps that's why, but the fogs have been very short or nonexistent. The GI symptoms have been overall better but still have been painful some days without much rhyme or reason like pretty much everything in this season of tapering.

 

How are your symptoms? Any improvement?

[[Te...]]

I cut on Monday from 1.75mg by a quarter  of 0.5 mg pill (0.125) to 1.625. I was OK-ish for 3-4 days, but today I am down. Is this the usual progression, to peak around day 4-7?

[[he...]]

That's pretty standard for cutting and holding. I'd have to look back and see. It seems like I had my worst symptoms more around days 8, 9, and 10, but they definitely started earlier around day 3 or 4.

[[je...]]

I always feel my cuts on day 5. Like clockwork. They last for about 3 days intense, then wears off in the next 2.

[[Te...]]

Thank you both. My doc proposed a switch to diazepam. Any thoughts?

[[je...]]

I'm not familiar with your history. Why do you want to switch?

[[Li...]]

In addition to answering the excellent question jelly baby asked, here are a few more.

 

Your signature indicates the following:

 

April 2021- Diazepam at first prn, then daily up to 25 mg, changed to Ativan 2-3 mg  in June to present

 

Can you tell us more about your experience for the 3 months you took diazepam?  Was it positive, negative, neutral?  Why was your Rx changed from diazepam to lorazepam (Ativan)?

 

Is your signature up-to-date?  Are you still taking 2-3mg per day of lorazepam? 

[[he...]]

I mentioned this in my blog the other day but wanted to bring it to a wider audience because I find it interesting and wonder if anyone else has had similar experiences...

 

I find something interesting about my body's ability to calm itself, as it has been tested on occasion and was again while walking in the park today. I came upon a couple and their German shepherd. They were smiling at me, but the dog started growling and they were trying to calm it down. As soon as I passed, it let it out a couple of big German shepherd barks, which I half expected, but it made me jump and my heart race for a moment, but I was able to calm down quickly like I always did before the benzos. So why is my body able to move from fight-or-flight so quickly with an potential actual threat like this, but it gets anxious for minutes to hours over little things and can't come out of it? It seems like the GABA is at least partially working. This has happened other times in traffic as well, and I've calmed down immediately after the initial heart jump. Just find it curious. Any thoughts?

 

Why does this happen?

[[Pi...]]

I mentioned this in my blog the other day but wanted to bring it to a wider audience because I find it interesting and wonder if anyone else has had similar experiences...

 

I find something interesting about my body's ability to calm itself, as it has been tested on occasion and was again while walking in the park today. I came upon a couple and their German shepherd. They were smiling at me, but the dog started growling and they were trying to calm it down. As soon as I passed, it let it out a couple of big German shepherd barks, which I half expected, but it made me jump and my heart race for a moment, but I was able to calm down quickly like I always did before the benzos. So why is my body able to move from fight-or-flight so quickly with an potential actual threat like this, but it gets anxious for minutes to hours over little things and can't come out of it? It seems like the GABA is at least partially working. This has happened other times in traffic as well, and I've calmed down immediately after the initial heart jump. Just find it curious. Any thoughts?

 

Why does this happen?

 

Interesting because this has happened to me, too!

Sometimes I am able to quickly calm down and other times not that easy. I guess is part of the healing process at this point.