This Is My Second Attempt

[[Ca...]]

My psychiatrist told me to take a half a pill for a few days, and if I felt fine, then to stop taking it. I took .25mg every night for 3 days and felt great, so I stopped. The next morning I woke up so dizzy I ended up in the ER. They said it was klonopin withdrawl, go home and take a pill and practically shoved me out the door. The ER dr told me to taper off by taking 1/2 a pill every other day, but I didn't listen to her thankfully. I made it 2 whole weeks without it, but by that point I started hardcore craving klonopin. The vertigo was too much so I went back on my full .5mg dose every night. I felt normal but I was still getting vertigo. I went to a new dr who said it was hormones and told me to take BC, so I was like okay whatever I will try it. Still nothing. Went to the ER and they ran every test on me imaginable and said they had no idea why I was experiencing vertigo. Then I went to another doctor who did some inner ear movements on me and referred me to an Ear, Nose & Throat specialist. I drove an hour to see him but it was totally worth it. Finally someone knew what was wrong with me! His exact words were, "I haven't seen a case like this in 18 years. You are teetering between Meniere's and Labrynthitis and it's all chemically induced by klonopin." I've been on it for 2 years. I've wanted off it for a long time, but my psychiatrist said it was probably helping and let's just keep me on it. The ENT dr said it would shorten my lifespan if I didn't get off it, and the only reason someone takes it for that long is if they have a tumor pushing on their inner ear. Apparently it numbs your body's ability to regulate your inner ear, and he said my vertigo was caused by my body trying to relearn to regulate itself. He told me to completely change my diet. Eliminate soda, diet sodas, and eat low sodium...and drink lots of water only. And to avoid ingesting things that make me dehydrated. I did faint from dehydration in September, so that is important. His instructions were to take half a pill for a month, and then a quarter of a pill for another month, until I'm finally off it.

 

So this is my second attempt. It has to stick this time.

 

 

[[tw...]]

Yes, you are in withdrawal, for sure!

 

That's an aggressive taper, but should be doable. (I did one similar and was okay, but I jumped from .25 mg and that was TOO HIGH to jump from.) I went into acute withdrawal about 2-3 weeks after that, and was totally fine on the taper. I went from 2 mg to .25 in 3 months. (that is a fast taper, but it was manageable for me.)

 

I'd try and jump off at .125 or even lower .0625 if possible.

 

 

[[So...]]

You will be fine, honestly, maybe even just cut to .375 for two weeks, then .25 for a month, and then .125 and .0625 and jump, with that small dose you should hopefully be healed within a few months after jumping and your body establishes an equilibrium without klonopin in your body. Yoga is really great for helping to re establish balance in the body, it's helping me a lot with symptoms and lots of detox baths with himalayan sea salt, baking soda, lavender oil and epsom salts. Sweating out this stuff and cleansing your liver, drinking fresh green juice and drinking a ton of water is great as well, healthy fats and low carb can also help heal the brain and lots of fish oil You can do it! 

[[Ca...]]

You'd think with such a small .5mg dose I wouldn't be experiencing such difficulties. I've thought of cutting it down to 3/4 of a pill first, because 1/2 seems pretty big of a jump. But oh well, its been 6 days already, no point in upping it now. The diet seems to be helping. I made the mistake of having 3 shots of tequila and 2 shots of bourbon one night, and I was so dizzy I couldn't function the next day. I'm doing better this time around avoiding lots of salt, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, and sodas.

[[bu...]]

You'd think with such a small .5mg dose ...

 

That's approx 10mg diazepam equivalent...not a small dose.

[Guest [Fr...]]

You're drinking alcohol while in benzo withdrawal. Damn. what the hell is wrong with me. I'm a mess.

[[Lo...]]

You're drinking alcohol while in benzo withdrawal. Damn. what the hell is wrong with me. I'm a mess.

 

Oh, God. Give the woman a break. She said she'd made a mistake by doing it, and was honest about it. Personally, between being told by her psych to rush off the Klonopin when she was not ready to go off, getting a questionable taper advice by the ER doctor and being scared out of her mind by the ENT she saw, I am not surprised.

 

Yes, definitely, avoiding alcohol at all costs is a key, but to me, it seems like she may not have reached for it if she had a better taper plan devised between her and her psych.

[[er...]]

I feel for you.. This clonazepam causes so many health issues, that of course our psych doctors ignore, it's incredible. 

 

about 5 years ago, my doctor dropped me from 2.0 mg k to 1.5 mg, and I had all kinds of ear issues like you're talking about.. the vertigo, dizziness, etc..

 

I do believe you were incredibly lucky that you've only been on it for 2 years, and that you were able to find an ENT doctor who knew what he was talking about in regards to benzos..

 

I haven't met one doctor who really knew what they were talking about in regards to benzos, yet I have met some who were sympathetic, so that's been a little helpful.

 

Good luck, and definitely do whatever you have to do, in order to get off of this poison!

 

Eric

[Guest [Fr...]]

Catladyaria. I meant no offense about the drinking comment. I'm just surprised anyone could drink while in withdrawal. Drinking would probably put me in the hospital. Goodluck to you.

[[Lo...]]

Catladyaria. I meant no offense about the drinking comment. I'm just surprised anyone could drink while in withdrawal. Drinking would probably put me in the hospital. Goodluck to you.

 

It's ok, FreeWilly. I have never been into drinking myself, and shake my head how sick the Ativan has made me. I guess some people do drink alcohol while on benzos and somehow manage for a while. Maybe their bodies are more resilient. Who knows? Since this is a new member, it's really hard to tell. Maybe this was a one-off thing done out of sheer desperation. Maybe it's a pattern. It just scared me though, as it seemed like a pretty desperate move. She hasn't logged in sinice, so I hope she is ok. I hope she can call a support line or call a friend next time, or something like that. I apologize if my comment to you was too harsh.

[Guest [Fr...]]

No worries. maybe I didn't word it right. I meant no harm. I feel for anyone going through this and hope this person is OK.