Withdrawal Symptoms

[[Sa...]]

Hi Colin,

 

Thank you so much for the prompt response.  This is really so debilitating.  The reason why I take both doses of 5 mg (total 10 mg) at night is because it helps me sleep.  If I only take 5 mg at night, I wouldn't be able to sleep.  My doctor said I can up my dose up to 20 mg of Valium which is equivalent to 1 mg of Clonazepam but I am scared to do that.  My doctor said, I can take 10 mg at night and 5 mg in the morning when I wake up.  Do you think I should?  Please, your input is much needed.  I feel so horrible and have to work.

 

Thank you very much.

[[Co...]]

Hi SF,

 

Since you are having such a tough time sleeping, then maybe you should stick to taking it all at night, for now at least. Later, when things are more stable, you could then think about slowly shifting part of your dose 12 apart from your nighttime dose. You will know better than anyone what's best for you. We are just here to make suggestions and relay our own experiences, insights and opinions. At the end of the day, benzo-withdrawal is a very individual thing, so we have to be careful of drawing hard and fast rules from other's experiences.

[[Sa...]]

Colin,

 

Am I ever going to get better?  Am I going to get over this? Will I ever be well again and be myself again?  :'(

[[Co...]]

SF,

 

How you feel now is felt by most that are tapering and still recovering. It does get better and is well worth the effort. The truth is that benzo have no useful effect upon insomnia and anxiety after they have been taken for a while. They do fog us up for as long as they are taken though. You have everything to gain by quitting.

[[Sa...]]

Hi Colin,

 

Thank you for the very encouraging response.  How long did it take you to fully recover or even just feel a little better after tapering and full withdrawal from Klonopin? 

[[Th...]]

I'm of Colin's opinion, that it's going to take a while for the Valium to build up in your bloodstream. I would not up your dose of Valium, because it will just be that much more drug that you'll have to taper from.

 

Many people suffer from various sleep problems during a taper. Even if you're not having insomnia, you might not be having very deep sleep. That might be why you feel so awful in the morning.

 

I had lots of sleep problems during my taper. In fact, I'm still not back to normal. I had terrible insomnia, light sleep, and teeth clenching/grinding. I also had terrible anxiety, adrenaline surges, brain fog/inability to concentrate, depression, heart palpitations, and feelings of rage for no reason. I didn't have problems with tremors, but many people do.

 

Some people take time off of work while they're withdrawing from a benzo. I worked only part-time. It can be hard. It is completely frustrating! But it will get better. Benzo w/d really messes with your emotions. At times, it seems like there's no light at the end of the tunnel. But you will get there!

 

Therese

[[Sa...]]

Hi Therese and Colin,

 

Thank you both for your patience.  Withdrawal really messes up with my emotions.  I feel so depressed and feel that it will never get better.  I wake up in the morning feeling so terrible.  Tired, nervous and feel like I've got the flu.  During the day, I feel like I'm not myself.  Sad, withdrawn and have no energy at all.  I still manage to go to work because I'd rather be around people than stay home by myself.  At least at work, I can get my mind off this horrible feeling.  Therese, how are you feeling now 2 months after being benzo free?  When did you finally feel some what better?

 

Hope you guys had a wonderful weekend. 

[[Th...]]

I agree with you about the work. It's a nice distraction when you feel crummy.

 

Your feelings are very typical. Many of us have rough patches, where we feel like we're going to be screwed up forever. Then a "window" comes where we feel good, and we're sure everything is going to be okay. Then another rough patch hits, and despite the fact that we had this "window," we're again sure that there's no hope and things will not improve. It's a terrible emotional roller-coaster.

 

I felt better at different stages during my taper. I crossed to Valium at 5 mg, and I felt a "lift" at around 2 mg. Then I felt another "lift" under 1 mg, then again right before I got off. Since getting off, things are improving, albeit slowly. My sleep is better. I still do have some rough patches. But they're not anything like when I first started the taper, or even halfway through. In general, I feel tons better than when I was on the stuff.

[[Sa...]]

Hi Therese,

 

Thanks for replying.  I was on .5 mg Klonopin when my doctor and I decided to crossover to 10 mg of Valium.  I'm stil on 10 mg and taking 10 mg of Celexa.  It's helping me (I think).  My taper will start when I get up a little bit higher on my Celexa dose according to my doctor just to help with some withdrawal symptoms.  I need to be on Celexa as I was diagnozed with anxiety/depression.  Doctor said I should be on Celexa for at least a good year then taper off.  You mentioned you had rough patches while withdrawing.  Can you give me an idea of what kind of feelings you were getting (physical and emotional)?

[[pe...]]

 

Hi Colin

I am trying to taper from Klonopin.  Initial dose 0.5 mg 3 x's a day...taken since 5-22.  But I was on ativan and xanax and prescription sleep aides for a month prior to the Klonopin and was not weaned properly and went into horrid withdrawal that I have never fully come out of even when they prescribed the full dose of Klonopin I did not get better.  I have quit my job and am home bound.  Now I am trying to wean off the Klonopin and remeron. I need to know a tapering schedule as I can't go on to valium.  I have reduced my doseage down to 0.25 3 x's a day and don't know where to go from here.  I never feel good and don't stabilize in between doses....tolerance probably....what would you advise and I can't do the water titration.  I need to be able to make dry cuts.  Do you know of anyone who has successfully done dry cuts while in tolerance and suffering from withdrawal from previous benzos?  Thanks, pebbles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is equivalent is variable. Prof Ashton's experience from her clinic was that 0.5mg Klonopin is equivalent to about 10mg Valium. This is irrelevant though. If your switch or not, you should only take enough for you to feel reasonably OK. Your GABA system will have repairing itself to some degree since you quit, so you might only require a very small dose to gain the relief you need from the withdrawal symptoms.

 

Whichever benzo you take, tapering off is just about making small cuts your dose. This is trickier with Klonopin as it very potent and comes in reletively lerge dose (but small phisical size) tablets. This makes cutting the dose by small amount more complicated. We have method to get around this though.

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/titration-tapers/titration-instructions!/msg55024/#msg55024

[[up...]]

Its my 4th day off Clonazepam and im kind of irritated, sometimes twitching, and my heart rate goes crazy for no reason sometimes, and my mind has been everywhere. Should I expect this to get worse?

[[Co...]]

Hi Colin

I am trying to taper from Klonopin.  Initial dose 0.5 mg 3 x's a day...taken since 5-22.  But I was on ativan and xanax and prescription sleep aides for a month prior to the Klonopin and was not weaned properly and went into horrid withdrawal that I have never fully come out of even when they prescribed the full dose of Klonopin I did not get better.  I have quit my job and am home bound.   Now I am trying to wean off the Klonopin and remeron. I need to know a tapering schedule as I can't go on to valium.  I have reduced my doseage down to 0.25 3 x's a day and don't know where to go from here.  I never feel good and don't stabilize in between doses....tolerance probably....what would you advise and I can't do the water titration.  I need to be able to make dry cuts.  Do you know of anyone who has successfully done dry cuts while in tolerance and suffering from withdrawal from previous benzos?  Thanks, pebbles

 

Hi,

 

Are you using 0.5mg tablets? If not, you need to get hold of them. At the present stage of your withdrawal, I would be cutting by 1/4 of tablet every 1-2 weeks. If that is to difficult, then I would use our milk-titration method, or some other variation of titration.

[[up...]]

No, I'm taking none right now. I tapered for about a month or so and now I'm taking none.

[[Co...]]

No, I'm taking none right now. I tapered for about a month or so and now I'm taking none.

 

Hi Upperdecker,

 

I quoted and was replying to Pebbles.

 

To answer your question though: you should not expect to feel worse. With time, you should feel better. Your path will be individual to you, but since your benzo use has been erratic, you are probably less dependant than most on this forum. Try not to worry and dwell upon it. Assume the best because that is likely to be what will happen. Besides, it only helps to take a positive attitude.

[[Th...]]

Hi, Pebbles,

 

I know of someone who used to crush their tablets and divide the powder up into little piles with a razor. That would be a way to continue with dry cuts.

 

Is there a reason you don't want to do the titration? If you can't handle being so accurate with all the measurements and stuff, you could just use, say, a cup of milk, add a crushed benzo to the milk, and then remove 1/16 or 1/8 or whatever of the benzo milk solution. That would be like dry-cutting 1/16th or 1/8th of a tablet.

 

Therese