Klonopin Taper: neuropathic-like pain, especially on scalp

[[na...]]

Hello all,

 

I have been taking Klonopin for about 8 years. I have successfully tapered off 3 or 4 times over the years, but I always returned to taking Klonopin because of depersonalization/derealization feelings. Most of my time on Klonopin has been at 1mg, which is my current dose, but there where a few years when my dose was 2mg. In 2015, I increased my dose to 4mg (without my doctor's approval) to help myself sleep as I tapered off of seroquel. I took 4mg for about 3 months. Then, I ran out of Klonopin, and I had to stop cold-turkey for about 2 weeks before getting my 2mg dose refilled. I was tough going from 4mg to 2mg, and after about a month I began having bee sting sensations in random parts of my body. The stings, which I still have, would only last a few seconds in each location before moving along to the next. Within the week, I also developed crawling and dripping sensations along my torso and legs. The painful sensations were, and still are, 24/7. At first the stinging was mainly in my hips, torso, and legs, but overtime my scalp and face have become the primary areas of the stinging and crawling sensations. In addition, I usually only get sensations on one side of my body at a time, and if I ever get chill bumps (which is now a rare occurance) also only get those on one side or one quadrant of my body.

My doctors do not believe that bezo withdrawal/taper is the source of my pain. I have had numerous blood tests, a nerve conduction test, DNA testing, and an MRI. I have also seen multiple primary physicians, neurologists, and psychiatrists. They all believe that I have small fiber neuropathy. I am not 100% convinced, however, due to the timing of the onset of symptoms.

I am able to control my pain for the most part with 1800mg of gabapentin and 60mg of cymbalta. Due to horrendous brain fog, I have also had to add 20mg twice a day of aderrall to my medication list.

As mentioned earlier, my current klonopin dose is 1mg.

 

Since the onset of symptoms, I have had to quit my job, withdraw from my PhD program, and move in with my parents. I rarely leave the house due to the pain, fatigue, and brain fog, so I have also lost all of my close friends and social life.

 

I am desperate to connect with someone can provide insight as to whether or not my symptoms could be related to my drastic klonopin taper from 4mg to 2mg 18 months ago.

 

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to help!

[Guest [Le...]]

Hello, namasteinbed - welcome to BenzoBuddies!

 

Congratulations on your decision to come off of Klonopin - you've come to the right place for support while continue your taper. 

 

It's definitely possible that your symptoms are coming from the dose reduction, which may have left you in a continual state of withdrawal. Burning and stinging sensations are classic symptoms during benzo withdrawal and recovery.

 

I'm so glad you decided to join the forum - you'll find plenty of information and support here. Our members have gone through all aspects of benzodiazepine use and withdrawal, so you'll be able to connect with others who understand what you're going through and can tell you what has worked for them.

 

Please feel free to post to any of the specialized boards, which can all be accessed from the BenzoBuddies Community Forum homepage. Based on the information provided in your introduction, the following links may be a good place for you to start.

 

  General Taper Plans

  Withdrawal Support During Your Taper

 

When you have a chance, we highly recommend that you take a look at The Ashton Manual, which is an authoritative source on what to expect during withdrawal and recovery, authored by Dr C Heather Ashton, an expert in the field. It provides a great deal of information that can be very reassuring during any stage of this process, including a list of common symptoms accompanied by helpful explanations.

 

For those who are currently tapering, we suggest reducing no faster than 5-10% every 10-14 days, and some taper even slower than that. One exception: very short-term users of a few weeks or less may be able to taper faster than that. 

 

Please take the time to Create a Signature. This will allow members to see where you are in the process, so that they can better support you.

 

Again, welcome!

Leslie