Unbearable fatigue for weeks, Cant Function!! Normal??

[[he...]]

I would really appreciate if I could get some feedback on this matter that has been crippling my life for the past 2 plus weeks. Been on clonopin for 11 years. Had enough. Went to a detox center and was scammed. Just took away my clonazepam and put me on a tapering dose of Valium in 6 days and said I was cured. I went back to my regular doctor and he put me on Valium 60mg/day and was tapering me down 5mg every two weeks. Everything seems like it was going OK, until I went from 50mg to 45mg and it was as if I hit a brick wall very hard.

 

I have been suffering from debilitating fatigue every day for the past two weeks to the point that I don't have enough energy to even get out of bed even when I have to use the restroom. (So Pathetic).  I went to the ER, everything was within normal limits, my doctor uped my dose from 45mg to 47mg. Been at 47mg Valium now for 5 days and the fatigue and weakness has just consumed me to be bedridden just about every day and just seems to be getting worse and I cant take it anymore. Its a struggle to just take a shower. Have not even taken one today due to this.

 

Just wondering, is this normal? Is the chemicals in my brain taking this long to adjust??? Or is this just normal for some people and I am doing myself injustice and making it worse by staying bedridden. My doctor said to move around but how can you when all you feel like doing is collapsing from unbearable fatigue???

 

Please, any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

-Heather

[[SJ...]]

It would have helped if they had cross tapered slowly. This means slowly introducing Valium and decreasing the other Benzo at the same time as per Ashton method. Valium can be very sedative especially at 45 to 50mg.

[[he...]]

To SJDADL

 

Thank you for responding. I don't think this unbearable fatigue has to do with the sedation of the Valium. My sedation from Valium normally goes away after I take it and go to sleep for the night. But I wake up to this extreme fatigue and it stays with me all day long.

 

Talked with the advice nurse tonight and she said she had never had anyone complain of just my one symptom from benzo withdrawal. And she recommended me to talk to my primary care doctor tomorrow and do a full blood/exam workup on me. 

 

Thank you.

[[Ch...]]

Well, I could have written nearly the exact description at one time. 

 

I can guess what probably happened to bring on these symptoms...the 5mg cuts were okay until you got below 50 mg and then the percentage of your daily dose went higher than 10%.

 

It's a good (but painful) sign to make the next cut smaller, maybe 2.5mg instead of 5mg.  Glad your doctor is letting you cut every two weeks.  That's important.

 

You're at the tail end of the two weeks since the cut.  My guess is that things should start lightening up soon.  If they don't, I'd keep holding until they do.  My opinion would be that holding for up to a month can be helpful, not sure about longer than that, you may run into tolerance again if you wait too long before resuming your taper.

 

I was pretty functional until I made a bad cut (before I found BB) and then I went to the couch.  Bed to couch, couch to bed, and bathroom trips until it passed.  Miserable. 

 

Each night I'd go to bed thinking I'd be better in the morning.  It lead to a lot of disappointing mornings for awhile. 

 

For me the fatigue was a feeling of 'I cannot do anything. I don't want to do anything.'  But when I had to, I could get up and do what had to be done. 

 

Moving around is good advice.  There isn't anything really wrong with your overall health that will prevent you from doing things, it's just that doing anything feels overwhelming and impossible.  Keep moving so that you don't start to lose muscle tone or worry/bore yourself to pieces on the couch.

 

I worked out with a friend twice a week for one hour during the end of my taper and for awhile into recovery.  I could work out for a full 60 minutes without a problem then go home, back to the couch and stay there until the next time I met my friend at the gym to workout.

 

Odder than odd, I know. 

 

 

[[er...]]

I tapered off of clonazepam and had horrendous fatigue!  It was unbelievable - I even take adderall and I was just wiped out after making coffee in the morning, then I'd lay on the couch and watch Netflix all day - this lasted a long time for me, about 3-5 months.  I remember being so stressed about having to go to a doctors appointment (my one chore all day), that that would exhaust me even further..

 

All part of withdrawal- if I were you, I wouldn't waste money / time on too many lab tests!  I'm glad that's one mistake I didn't make during this nightmare!

 

Our bodies need the rest to take care of all the stress the taper puts on our minds, just accept it and move through it, you'll get to the other side! 😳

[[be...]]

I've had this and yes it's almost unbearable but the truth is when we absolutely have to do things most of us can. I was in bed all day...then my recliner for Netflix all night. Can only hope it's better tomorrow. It does come and goes. For me it's the Valium that knocks me out. I get up, have my coffee, feel ok until I take my Valium dose. Then I'm a mess. Not always though so that's wonderful when this happens. Trouble is I can't plan ahead. Never know when it will hit. You're not alone. Hang in there. B

[[be...]]

I am having the same issue with fatigue. I am on clonazepam and I am going to try my third attempt at tapering. This time it's going to be very slow and could take over a year using daily micro taper but I don't see any other way. I have tried rapid tapering and other medication (gabapentin) but that just made things worse. I am hoping that my fatigue will go down while tapering because I need to work and money is running out. Right now work is not an option. I can barely do anything and if I push myself I get even more tired.

 

I have also gone through tests, and everything came up normal. When I think how the medical system has no clue when it comes to benzos, it makes me very angry. First they put you on them, but then they don't know how to take you off them. My doctor thinks that my fatigue is due to depression. His suggestion is to increase or change my antidepressant. That's not going to happen. In fact I am also cutting down my antidepressant. I never had fatigue before going on these medications. I strongly believe that once we will be off these poisons then our bodies can heal.

[[Be...]]

Add me to this ...feeling fatigue and jelly legs is my main sx......staying postive as best as I can buts its hard    This too shall pass and HAS to get better

[[Ja...]]

It's comforting to read this because I have had really bad fatigue too. A friend suggested it's because my brain has to work harder on less meds. Hang in there.

[[he...]]

Thanks to all who replied to my post. Was not sure if I was going to get any responses at first cause no responses showed up a bit afterwards. Then woke up today to see about 10 or so replies, that confirms I am not alone. Its scary to do this alone, which I am, and to feel this crappy all the time. So reading all of the feedback from the responders has helped me out a lot.

 

My doctor told me that exercise would help. I have not tried this yet, due to such fatique, but getting on the eliptical machine for about 20 to 30 minutes. I dont know, some say rest, some say exercise. But I am willing to try anything to reverse or steady out this fatique. Its been quite debilititating for me and I want my energy back so bad. I do feel that I still have my cold lingering in my body. That could be a factor also.

 

Heather