Klonopin cessation desire

[[sv...]]

Hello,

 

I learnt about BenzoBuddies from benzo.org.uk. I'm not anti-psychiatrist, though, so don't worry about that. I take Klonopin 0.5 mg BID and up to BID PRN breakthrough anxiety. I am on disability for anxiety and schizoaffective disorder. I am going to therapy and my prescriber knows my wish to cease the Klonopin, and we're gradually reducing it (I am tapering it to BID and 1T QD PRN breakthrough anxiety, but the directions and quantity remain as they were because I just got a part-time job and he wants me to have a fall-back in case I have panic attacks and until we see how I'm doing - I have an appointment Friday, so I may come down), but I'm scared because I've had this to rely upon for so long.

 

I've taken Klonopin since about April 2011. I was having panic attacks that lasted the entirety of my shifts at work and needed a way out of them. I will keep my mouth shut about what happened to precipitate my going up in dose, but then I would feel myself becoming tolerant to this dose and this dose of Klonopin every six months until eventually I got up to 3 mg. I had to go to a new doctor because of my new insurance, and she refused to go any higher because of the risk of permanent memory loss. I did work my way back down to 1 mg QD and was doing that successfully for a while, even managed to enter my first relationship and then first long-term relationship after that as well - but then after the break-up I went back up to 1.5 mg daily, and back in January of this year up to 2 mg daily.

 

My former GF and I hung out for the first time since March and she was shocked both by how "not present" I seemed, how "unnaturally tranquil" I seemed, and how much I had forgotten about the past year. I've had memory trouble for a while.

 

This is why I'm joining BenzoBuddies. I want a support group for if it gets tough coming off. I get these psychological cravings for the extra half a milligram of the Klonopin and I have to struggle not to take it. My aim is to eventually be off the stuff entirely.

[[Ch...]]

Welcome to BenzoBuddies, sventevith.

 

Glad you're here for information and support, and congrats for already getting your dose down so significantly.  As you already know, this isn't a race, and the slower the better as you get lower in dose.  Avoiding too large of a cut in dose is pretty important for long term users.

 

Here are a couple of boards to begin posting to the wider membership:

 

General Taper Plans 

Withdrawal Support 

 

When you have a chance, I 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, who is 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 with helpful explanations on the reasons for their existence.

 

Please take some time to Create a Signature. This will help other members understand your history so they will be better able to support you.

Go to the top of the page and select Profile, then choose Forum Profile, insert drug history/timelines into the text box and click Change Profile.

 

Challis 

[[sv...]]

Thank you for the lovely message of support, Challis I will be sure to check out the links. Headed up to create my signature now.

[[sv...]]

Just so's you don't think I dropped off, I'm still here, have just been dealing with some unrelated health issues (kidney problems, usual migraines and GI distress) and have even been missing work because of it I'm a bit afraid I'll lose my PT job over it, but it won't set me back on my course of quitting, if anything it would speed it up, because I'm on disability.

[[sv...]]

I had a bump in the road of my taper - I had an extremely anxiety provoking night the other night, and in order to sleep before work the next day, I took my full 2 mg of Klonopin which I'm trying to come off of. At least when I lost the job the next day due to health reasons, I didn't take the extra 0.5 mg.

[[de...]]

Just wanted to offer a bit of encouragement. I was on 4mgs a day Kpin, for a very long period of time. My memory was shot and my anxiety was high, luckily, I noticed when I finally came off of them I actually felt less anxious. So despite the cognitive issues, which will resolve. A great motivator is that your anxiety might see a reduction after full withdrawal of the medication. Also I would like to commend you for keeping at it despite all the health/anxiety problems you seem to be having. Keep kicking ass we are rooting for you.