23 yr old male, 2Mgs Klonopin for 6 years, heres whats going on with me

[[ca...]]

Hello, signed up to show support to, and receive support from others whom are tapering off this little devil.

 

I am a 23 yr old male and I've been on 2mgs of Klonopin for 6-7 years

 

I have been tapering for 4 weeks or so and have been taking .25 daily for the past 4 days.

 

I designed a schedule and actually was able to cut down the time in half, not something I would encourage, but I felt like I was able to do so. (I do not get panic attacks, I know many people here do and I wouldn't want anyone to rush their taper). I gave myself 2 weeks per .5 mg drop, but actually dropped .5mgs every 7 days, simply because it didn't bother me too much.

 

It hasn't been a great 4 weeks, but it most certainly could be worse - I am here and soon, although I am very uncomfortable, I will be able to have a fresh start.

 

With my taper I am more so noticing physical symptoms more than I am the psychological.

 

Mentally, I feel aggressive and agitated but not too crazy. Im trying to focus my attention on myself, and the future - not the discomfort I feel now. The best trick is to do things you like to do, even if you feel like you just want to lay down, and even if doing it still feels bad. I won't lie, the things I enjoy are not quite doing it for me, considering I am in some discomfort - however, its important not to lose yourself. I know anxiety took a lot away from me - Im not going to let trying to get better take away even more. My advice is to cope with psychological manifestations of symptoms by distracting yourself with things you love.

 

Physically, I feel bad. I can not concentrate, every bone in my body hurts, I am very confused, my head hurts quite a bit, and I am experiencing a lot of nausea. I have goosebumps and am really hot. I have TMJ which is really feeling bad, and I have a really tight, burning sensation in my neck down to my shoulders. The headaches are whats driving me mad. All in all psychically, I've had better days. I dont know how to cope with this other than to grin and bear it. Distractions help, but its more or less something you just have to accept as an inevitable.

 

I must say I hope that it is reassuring to those looking to taper off, that over the past few weeks, the last few days where I have been taking .25, has been more difficult than every step in the taper combined. Going from 2 to 1.5 and so forth, was bad but not debilitating. But this last little bit is more of struggle. I dont mean that to make the last step sound scary, but rather to stress that discomfort is inevitable and sometimes it feels worse than other times; but you have to keep going.

 

I figured if I needed some thing, someone here would answer. However I am optimistic and I would encourage all whom are doing this to stay hopeful. Don't concentrate on how bad you feel right now. Concentrate on how very soon you will be able to be your true self.

 

I am very curious to see what I and everyone else whom has been taking a Benzo for a long time can accomplish in this world when we dont feel the hollowing effects of this type of drug.

 

Thank you

 

[Guest [Fr...]]

Wow. Candd. I wish I could go as fast as you. I've thought about just stopping but don't have the gutts to do it.

[[tw...]]

Welcome! Like you, I tapered from 2 mg of klonopin down to .25 mg over 3 months. (Looks like you're going way faster...)

 

I ended up getting over confident & jumping from .25 mg after a week. First 2 weeks I was fine, weeks 3-6 were a total sh*t show, however.

 

Just make sure you're stable on your lower dose before you jump. I plan to go jump from .0625 if possible.

 

Sounds like you're doing pretty well, though. I know that I would sometimes not feel a cut til day 7, and sometimes not be stable til day 14.

 

You seem to be having a pretty easy time of it (as easy as withdrawal can be, of course.) I did too...until I didn't. Just don't get greedy toward the end & jump too soon!

 

Again, welcome to the forum & keep up the good work! 

[[ca...]]

I wouldn't recommend the way I am doing it to anyone. I am 23 year old male,  5'10'' 184lbs, 9% body fat. I work out 7 days a week. I lift, run, spar (not now my heading is killing me lol) and do body resistance training. I am generally very healthy. I dont mean to sound a certain way Im just stating that as I feel like my body is able to heal faster than that of a 50 yr old whose been on them for half their life.

 

 

Thank you for the advice to not get greedy. I dont mean to sound like I am unmoved by the WD. However, I refuse to spread negatively anymore (not saying you are,  I understand what your getting at). I knew it was going to suck and it does, and theres nothing I can do but grin and bear it.

 

 

Today was a good day, I feel like I am handling things better than I did when I was on the medication. I dont mean to sound crazy but I am kind of embracing the struggle. The more and more it hurts the more I dont want to take it anymore, the more I dont want to take it, the less I do. Pain is cue to the mind, stop doing what your doing.

 

Thank you for your input, it is greatly appreciated

[[ca...]]

Welcome! Like you, I tapered from 2 mg of klonopin down to .25 mg over 3 months. (Looks like you're going way faster...)

 

I ended up getting over confident & jumping from .25 mg after a week. First 2 weeks I was fine, weeks 3-6 were a total sh*t show, however.

 

Just make sure you're stable on your lower dose before you jump. I plan to go jump from .0625 if possible.

 

Sounds like you're doing pretty well, though. I know that I would sometimes not feel a cut til day 7, and sometimes not be stable til day 14.

 

You seem to be having a pretty easy time of it (as easy as withdrawal can be, of course.) I did too...until I didn't. Just don't get greedy toward the end & jump too soon!

 

Again, welcome to the forum & keep up the good work! 

 

The cuts seem to be peaking at day 3 or 4 and then I start feeling ok-ish. I take that dose a few more days and when I'm sure I feel reasonably ok (not good but not vomiting all over myself), I drop. I saw my dr when I started taking .5mg and she was very confident that I would be able to successfully taper off. She told me to do 14 days per .5 until I got to .5 in total. Then Im cutting that in half for 14 days, and so forth. Obviously I told her I cut the schedule in half and she said that so long as Im comfortable with it, that would be fine for me to do so. She thinks I am at a low risk for complications like a seizure or something. My vitals are all a little high, but within reasonable range. Im going to cut to .12 when I feel stable for 5 days. After .12, Im going down to .06.

 

Once Im at .06 I plan on really taking my time, as after .06, I'm done.

 

In my original post I should have added that we made a schedule up to get me to .5 that would be 2 months or so. Then once I got to .25 we would do the same process. So the dr's plan was actually 4 months and if the rate I am going continues, it will take me 2.5 months to get to .06 and probably a few weeks once I hit 0 to start feeling 100%

 

My OP focused more on how I was feeling at the moment and I didn't really elaborate on the schedule. Its really not that fast, I know someone who took 1mg for quite some time, lost their health insurance and just stopped and claims to have felt bad but nothing crazy. I suppose everyones body is different.

[[Tw...]]

It seems as if your one of the lucky ones mate. Hopefully, things keep going as they are and you can be off and defy the odds! Welcome.

[[lo...]]

Wow congrats. 3 months into a 18 month taper off 0.75mg .... A bit slower than you lol

[[Ma...]]

I love this post!! I understand 100.% what you're going through. I'm 2weeks off C/T been a awful time. I've been mentally okish. I have had so many  physical symptoms. I also try to stay positive. I'm SO better off without Klonapin!! I laughed so hard with my oldest daughter last night. Blessed. Yesterday was a better day then today. I feel one good day is goin to lead to a better life. Today I have nasty headache,  dizzy, vision ( hard to type) feels as someone filled my head with Novocain. Eyes, tongue, head, neck numb tingles. Ringing in ears. Burning spine. everydsy passed is a  day healing a day closer to being myself again.  I'm sure I have spelling mistakes. To fuzzy to fix today. Maybe I'll have another good day tomorrow. 

[[ca...]]

Today was day six of being on .25.

 

Today I felt a lot better than I did yesterday. I feel relatively normal after day six, with my only abnormal feelings being ringing in my ears, and a headache. Of course I still feel a bit weak, but I feel a lot better than I thought. I woke up and felt pretty good, so I really feel like, while I'm not all the way done and still have a lot of work to do, that I will succeed. I genuinely believe that anyone can and if your willing to suffer a bit, you will find yourself feeling like your life is just beginning.

 

I never though I could do this. I never thought I would get this far.

 

I hope all who read this know that I was really intimidated to taper off of this, mostly because of what I read. While it sucks, it is do-able. I feel like the key to doing this properly is doing it safely, being ready to accept the that the symptoms of your DX will show themselves, and being aware of whats coming, but also knowing that whats coming is only temporary.

 

Side Note: I have a wicked cavity and that is bothering me more than anything right now.

 

Stay strong

[[tw...]]

Today was day six of being on .25.

 

Today I felt a lot better than I did yesterday. I feel relatively normal after day six, with my only abnormal feelings being ringing in my ears, and a headache. Of course I still feel a bit weak, but I feel a lot better than I thought. I woke up and felt pretty good, so I really feel like, while I'm not all the way done and still have a lot of work to do, that I will succeed. I genuinely believe that anyone can and if your willing to suffer a bit, you will find yourself feeling like your life is just beginning.

 

I never though I could do this. I never thought I would get this far.

 

I hope all who read this know that I was really intimidated to taper off of this, mostly because of what I read. While it sucks, it is do-able. I feel like the key to doing this properly is doing it safely, being ready to accept the that the symptoms of your DX will show themselves, and being aware of whats coming, but also knowing that whats coming is only temporary.

 

Side Note: I have a wicked cavity and that is bothering me more than anything right now.

 

Stay strong

 

That's awesome! Sounds like it's going well! I'm right there with you! I'm on day 4 of a cut from .375 to .25 mg of K (but unlike you, I'm 48 & have been on these things on & off for almost 20 years!)

 

You are so right. Being able to convince yourself that this is temporary and that you're not literally dying is key. (easier said than done.) The inability to breathe is my one symptom that did me in last time. I'm now learning to not panic, which makes it 10x worse! Ignoring the high heart rate & PVC's too. Mentally, my symptoms have been okay this time. By going slow at the end, and making sure I jump from a small dose, I really think (hope/pray) I'll be successful this time!

 

Way to go, keep up the forward progress!!!

[[Tw...]]

Inspiring and I hope it works out as it seems so far it is. Great to hear it really!