clonazepam withdrawal / drug induced movement disorders?

[[cl...]]

went to "medically unexplained symptoms" hospital psychologist appointment today in total shaking, tremor mode, hardly able to talk and walk first thing asked is what emotions and physical symptoms I am feeling

- agreed to agree on possibility of correlation between anxiety and negative thoughts relate to movement disorder symptoms

- drugs or mention of benzo withdrawal is to be put aside as "medical explanation" and focus is on emotions

- psyche-therapy NOT working

- beyond frustrating!!!

have not slept in months even when i sleep i am half awake and half asleep

- shaking / tremors hardly ever stop / can not walk properly

how long can it go on like this before i die??

 

doctors will dismiss / not acknowledge that the benzo meds they prescribe cause harm

- even the psychologist refuses to talk about the drugs and effects it has had on me

I sneaked a peak at their computer notes one time when they left the room where my GP doctor stated to one of the others "i warned him about the dangers" reffering to going off the drugs

total lie..he did not warn me about anything!

 

My doctor did not ever respond to what was causing the leg movement.

When I was in the ER for dizziness and transient global amnesia, I was never given a reason/cause.

I figured out on my own, after finding the BB site, that it was most likely the clonazepam.

The medical help out there for people on benzos is fairly sparse.

[[...]]

Wouldn’t say it’s not working the first day. I would say best decision you may ever make is giving it a chance. I know mine are way worse based on my mental state, I’ve already acknowledged somewhat to myself they are correlated without outside intervention. Once you do, it’s a relief. Doesn’t make it easier but it’s nicd to think it will go away with healing.

[[cl...]]

I have been going to this psychologist since December 2018

I have had shaking/tremors and trouble walking since going off clonazepam after the medication stopped working

the frustrating part is that talk psychological therapy does not seem to be doing anything to stop the condition. the doctors not acknowledging that clonazepam might have anything to do with it smells of cover-up being referred to  a 'medically unexplained symptoms psychology clinic' by a neurologist

Wouldn’t say it’s not working the first day. I would say best decision you may ever make is giving it a chance. I know mine are way worse based on my mental state, I’ve already acknowledged somewhat to myself they are correlated without outside intervention. Once you do, it’s a relief. Doesn’t make it easier but it’s nicd to think it will go away with healing.

[[pr...]]

- agreed to agree on possibility of correlation between anxiety and negative thoughts relate to movement disorder symptoms

 

 

the only correlation is that anytime anyone has a brain injury, especially this kind of brain injury -- our thoughts and anxiety level is not going to be calm and normal. i always have to remind that to myself when intrusive and obsessive thoughts come in, it's not the real me. it's because of the damage that the drugs did. don't understand how anyone let alone a doctor can't understand that?

[[cl...]]

agreed

- agreed to agree on possibility of correlation between anxiety and negative thoughts relate to movement disorder symptoms

 

 

the only correlation is that anytime anyone has a brain injury, especially this kind of brain injury -- our thoughts and anxiety level is not going to be calm and normal. i always have to remind that to myself when intrusive and obsessive thoughts come in, it's not the real me. it's because of the damage that the drugs did. don't understand how anyone let alone a doctor can't understand that?

[[pr...]]

agreed

 

 

i know for a fact that i am one of the worse cases ever. i had "hypnagogic hallucinations" every single night for the first 4-5 years. i don't know of anyone else who has had those kinds of hallucinations? i still get them but rarely thank God, and i thought about it...if my mind has these horrible and disturbing hallucinations? -- how on earth could my normal waking state have any good and normal, positive thoughts? and the only reason i know this is from withdrawal is because i've had windows where it all lifts and where my perspective and my thoughts are normal and positive. but it doesn't last long and i sure wish it did.

 

and you doctor saying that you have depression and anxiety is something that is correct but only because of what the drug did to your brain and they don't understand that. it's not like you have a depression and anxiety disorder. it's just from the brain. until it heals.

[[cl...]]

well yes I had anxiety and depression before i went on clonazepam it was not caused by the drug. clonazepam helped with that for a long time until it didnt work anymore [tolerance withdrawal] and now still have anxiety and depression [worse now] and then the movement disorder stuff happened unfortunately and i am in the condition i am in now until hopefully it heals

 

agreed

 

 

i know for a fact that i am one of the worse cases ever. i had "hypnagogic hallucinations" every single night for the first 4-5 years. i don't know of anyone else who has had those kinds of hallucinations? i still get them but rarely thank God, and i thought about it...if my mind has these horrible and disturbing hallucinations? -- how on earth could my normal waking state have any good and normal, positive thoughts? and the only reason i know this is from withdrawal is because i've had windows where it all lifts and where my perspective and my thoughts are normal and positive. but it doesn't last long and i sure wish it did.

 

and you doctor saying that you have depression and anxiety is something that is correct but only because of what the drug did to your brain and they don't understand that. it's not like you have a depression and anxiety disorder. it's just from the brain. until it heals.

[[Aj...]]

went to "medically unexplained symptoms" hospital psychologist appointment today in total shaking, tremor mode, hardly able to talk and walk first thing asked is what emotions and physical symptoms I am feeling

- agreed to agree on possibility of correlation between anxiety and negative thoughts relate to movement disorder symptoms

- drugs or mention of benzo withdrawal is to be put aside as "medical explanation" and focus is on emotions

- psyche-therapy NOT working

- beyond frustrating!!!

have not slept in months even when i sleep i am half awake and half asleep

- shaking / tremors hardly ever stop / can not walk properly

how long can it go on like this before i die??

 

doctors will dismiss / not acknowledge that the benzo meds they prescribe cause harm

- even the psychologist refuses to talk about the drugs and effects it has had on me

I sneaked a peak at their computer notes one time when they left the room where my GP doctor stated to one of the others "i warned him about the dangers" reffering to going off the drugs

total lie..he did not warn me about anything!

 

My doctor did not ever respond to what was causing the leg movement.

When I was in the ER for dizziness and transient global amnesia, I was never given a reason/cause.

I figured out on my own, after finding the BB site, that it was most likely the clonazepam.

The medical help out there for people on benzos is fairly sparse.

 

 

I am so sorry they are doing this to you.

 

I would just stay away from them all and get support elsewhere.

 

I find Baylissa helpful. She has seen it all.

 

 

[[cl...]]

thank you

went to "medically unexplained symptoms" hospital psychologist appointment today in total shaking, tremor mode, hardly able to talk and walk first thing asked is what emotions and physical symptoms I am feeling

- agreed to agree on possibility of correlation between anxiety and negative thoughts relate to movement disorder symptoms

- drugs or mention of benzo withdrawal is to be put aside as "medical explanation" and focus is on emotions

- psyche-therapy NOT working

- beyond frustrating!!!

have not slept in months even when i sleep i am half awake and half asleep

- shaking / tremors hardly ever stop / can not walk properly

how long can it go on like this before i die??

 

doctors will dismiss / not acknowledge that the benzo meds they prescribe cause harm

- even the psychologist refuses to talk about the drugs and effects it has had on me

I sneaked a peak at their computer notes one time when they left the room where my GP doctor stated to one of the others "i warned him about the dangers" reffering to going off the drugs

total lie..he did not warn me about anything!

 

My doctor did not ever respond to what was causing the leg movement.

When I was in the ER for dizziness and transient global amnesia, I was never given a reason/cause.

I figured out on my own, after finding the BB site, that it was most likely the clonazepam.

The medical help out there for people on benzos is fairly sparse.

 

 

I am so sorry they are doing this to you.

 

I would just stay away from them all and get support elsewhere.

 

I find Baylissa helpful. She has seen it all.

[[pr...]]

well yes I had anxiety and depression before i went on clonazepam it was not caused by the drug. clonazepam helped with that for a long time until it didnt work anymore [tolerance withdrawal] and now still have anxiety and depression [worse now] and then the movement disorder stuff happened unfortunately and i am in the condition i am in now until hopefully it heals

 

 

that happens where we have underlying issues before benzo's but you know what had happen to me the first time i was off benzos? the underlying issues i had actually went away after i was off the benzo's for quite some time. i had been benzo free for 7 years at one point until i got back on klonopin. that is one of the reasons i say i am a worse case. but that can happen where you are off benzo's for a time -- the underlying issues can resolve. a lot of people on here don't think that, but it happen with me.

[[cl...]]

that is interesting that your underlying issues went away

for me they came back differently and worse than before plus with the extra movement disorder condition that i never had before that makes it even worse, constant anxiety, fear, insomnia, and panic

I had to stop taking clonazepam because it was not working anymore it was making me feel like a dying zombie with no motivation i could'nt keep taking it forever i told my doctor this and he said "yes clonazepam will do that / it is not meant for long-term" [after almost 10 years of prescribing it] but wonder if i made a mistake going off it because withdrawals are worse

i cant live like this i feel like i am dead in a horror movie nightmare

i feel like i am going to die and i want to die

well yes I had anxiety and depression before i went on clonazepam it was not caused by the drug. clonazepam helped with that for a long time until it didnt work anymore [tolerance withdrawal] and now still have anxiety and depression [worse now] and then the movement disorder stuff happened unfortunately and i am in the condition i am in now until hopefully it heals

 

 

that happens where we have underlying issues before benzo's but you know what had happen to me the first time i was off benzos? the underlying issues i had actually went away after i was off the benzo's for quite some time. i had been benzo free for 7 years at one point until i got back on klonopin. that is one of the reasons i say i am a worse case. but that can happen where you are off benzo's for a time -- the underlying issues can resolve. a lot of people on here don't think that, but it happen with me.

[[cl...]]

just tried to go for a short walk down the road to get my regular mail box

- became dizzy / head shaking / wobbling /  legs weak / off balance / lungs were on fire trouble breathing felt like i was going to have a heart attack barely made it back home it was just down the street...there was no anxiety to be had but i was having a panic attack for no reason

WTF is happening to me?? i used to be able to walk 10 miles a day no problem just this time last year

this is no way to live i cant do anything or go anywhere certainly can not drive anymore

i cant live like this i feel like i am dead in a horror movie nightmare

i feel like i am going to die and i want to die

 

that is interesting that your underlying issues went away

for me they came back differently than before plus with the extra movement disorder condition that i never had before that makes it even worse, constant anxiety, fear, insomnia, and panic

I had to stop taking clonazepam because it was not working anymore i couldnt keep taking it forever but wonder if i made a mistake

i cant live like this i feel like i am dead in a horror movie nightmare

well yes I had anxiety and depression before i went on clonazepam it was not caused by the drug. clonazepam helped with that for a long time until it didnt work anymore [tolerance withdrawal] and now still have anxiety and depression [worse now] and then the movement disorder stuff happened unfortunately and i am in the condition i am in now until hopefully it heals

 

 

that happens where we have underlying issues before benzo's but you know what had happen to me the first time i was off benzos? the underlying issues i had actually went away after i was off the benzo's for quite some time. i had been benzo free for 7 years at one point until i got back on klonopin. that is one of the reasons i say i am a worse case. but that can happen where you are off benzo's for a time -- the underlying issues can resolve. a lot of people on here don't think that, but it happen with me.

[[pr...]]

for me they came back differently and worse than before plus with the extra movement disorder condition that i never had before that makes it even worse, constant anxiety, fear, insomnia, and panic

 

 

when my underlying issues resolved, i was about 4-5 years benzo free at the time so maybe for you -- you were not recovered as much and maybe it will take awhile to have that happen -- but just know that it can happen...

 

so you were on clonazepam for 10 years? i forgot, how did you taper? i really think that makes a difference.

[[cl...]]

taper was quick so I guess it was basically cold turkey

- March 2018 .5mg then breaking them in half April-May-quit in July 2018 because of bad unbearable withdrawal symptoms

- i was having bad withdrawal symptoms around late 2017 and early 2018

head twitching, panic attacks, insomnia, and weirder than usual behavior

- I was always prescribed .5 mg X 1-4 daily 'as needed' and was only taking one .5 clonazepam daily when I started to taper some days over the 9-10 years on it i would take 3 very rarely 4

- when i started twitching and walking weird April-May 2018 while still taking clonazepam

I knew inside i had to get off these drugs!!! something was seriously wrong

- I told my doctor what was happening and all he told me was i had to do it slowly he did not warn me of any dangers or tell me about withdrawal, and just said "keep doing what you are doing"[breaking pills in half] never gave me any instructions on how to taper or anything

- now after having done alot of research over the last year I know that i have been betrayed by my doctor and the medical community and have become a victim of pharmaceutical company poison products

- when i went back to the doctor with bad tremors and told him I am going through tolerance withdrawal from the drugs he just said "I am not convinced that it is the medication-you can believe what you want" and referred me to a neurologist that started this entire nightmare of non-stop ER visits and mental health pyschologist doctors appointments going nowhere

- i know i have probably messed up and am now disabled mentally and physically

there is nothing i can do and should never have went on these drugs

now i am confused and scared that i am going to be like this forever for the rest of my life and can not live like this in constant anxiety fear panic shaking / tremoring and unable to walk properly or drive

- i feel like i am dying and sometimes want to die

i can not go back on benzos

 

for me they came back differently and worse than before plus with the extra movement disorder condition that i never had before that makes it even worse, constant anxiety, fear, insomnia, and panic

 

 

when my underlying issues resolved, i was about 4-5 years benzo free at the time so maybe for you -- you were not recovered as much and maybe it will take awhile to have that happen -- but just know that it can happen...

 

so you were on clonazepam for 10 years? i forgot, how did you taper? i really think that makes a difference.

[[pr...]]

taper was quick so I guess it was basically cold turkey

- March 2018 .5mg then breaking them in half April-May-quit in July 2018 because of bad unbearable withdrawal symptoms

- i was having bad withdrawal symptoms around late 2017 and early 2018

head twitching, panic attacks, insomnia, and weirder than usual behavior

- I was always prescribed .5 mg X 1-4 daily 'as needed' and was only taking one .5 clonazepam daily when I started to taper some days over the 9-10 years on it i would take 3 very rarely 4

- when i started twitching and walking weird April-May 2018 while still taking clonazepam

I knew inside i had to get off these drugs!!! something was seriously wrong

- I told my doctor what was happening and all he told me was i had to do it slowly he did not warn me of any dangers or tell me about withdrawal, and just said "keep doing what you are doing"[breaking pills in half] never gave me any instructions on how to taper or anything

- now after having done alot of research over the last year I know that i have been betrayed by my doctor and the medical community and have become a victim of pharmaceutical company poison products

- when i went back to the doctor with bad tremors and told him I am going through tolerance withdrawal from the drugs he just said "I am not convinced that it is the medication-you can believe what you want" and referred me to a neurologist that started this entire nightmare of non-stop ER visits and mental health pyschologist doctors appointments going nowhere

- i know i have probably messed up and am now disabled mentally and physically

there is nothing i can do and should never have went on these drugs

now i am confused and scared that i am going to be like this forever for the rest of my life and can not live like this in constant anxiety fear panic shaking / tremoring and unable to walk properly or drive

- i feel like i am dying and sometimes want to die

i can not go back on benzos

 

 

in the ten years i was on clonazepam and trying to taper i cannot tell you how many times i ended up in the ER only to have them give me an IV of ativan. i was also on opiates too. i also cannot tell you how often i thought that my symptoms had to be from something else...still do sometimes. i cannot believe that just getting off this drug or even tapering can cause such severe, bizarre and demonic symptoms. how the hell could any physician ever understand without going through this themselves?

 

do you have any other neurological issues like neuropathy, numbness, squeezing tight muscles?

[[cl...]]

yes I have all of those physical symptoms ["do you have any other neurological issues like neuropathy, numbness, squeezing tight muscles?"] and many more

- also when I went to my GP doctor with shaking / tremor problems last year he dismissed me saying it is "beyond his knowledge it is a psychiatric problem" and casually mentioned mentioned maybe 'they' [psych doctors] can give me "parkinsons meds" [yeah right just give someone anything when they dont know what the problem is just pump them full of other drugs when they just stopped clonazepam recently not knowing what it is going to do to the persons brain and body]

- I felt so betrayed and screwed over by my doctor I have not and will not ever go back to him again! he is a sleazy weasel!

- if GP doctors are not qualified and do not have knowledge about benzos: how they work what to do when something goes wrong [tolerance / withdrawal etc] they should not be allowed to prescribe them especially long term.

 

taper was quick so I guess it was basically cold turkey

- March 2018 .5mg then breaking them in half April-May-quit in July 2018 because of bad unbearable withdrawal symptoms

- i was having bad withdrawal symptoms around late 2017 and early 2018

head twitching, panic attacks, insomnia, and weirder than usual behavior

- I was always prescribed .5 mg X 1-4 daily 'as needed' and was only taking one .5 clonazepam daily when I started to taper some days over the 9-10 years on it i would take 3 very rarely 4

- when i started twitching and walking weird April-May 2018 while still taking clonazepam

I knew inside i had to get off these drugs!!! something was seriously wrong

- I told my doctor what was happening and all he told me was i had to do it slowly he did not warn me of any dangers or tell me about withdrawal, and just said "keep doing what you are doing"[breaking pills in half] never gave me any instructions on how to taper or anything

- now after having done alot of research over the last year I know that i have been betrayed by my doctor and the medical community and have become a victim of pharmaceutical company poison products

- when i went back to the doctor with bad tremors and told him I am going through tolerance withdrawal from the drugs he just said "I am not convinced that it is the medication-you can believe what you want" and referred me to a neurologist that started this entire nightmare of non-stop ER visits and mental health pyschologist doctors appointments going nowhere

- i know i have probably messed up and am now disabled mentally and physically

there is nothing i can do and should never have went on these drugs

now i am confused and scared that i am going to be like this forever for the rest of my life and can not live like this in constant anxiety fear panic shaking / tremoring and unable to walk properly or drive

- i feel like i am dying and sometimes want to die

i can not go back on benzos

 

 

in the ten years i was on clonazepam and trying to taper i cannot tell you how many times i ended up in the ER only to have them give me an IV of ativan. i was also on opiates too. i also cannot tell you how often i thought that my symptoms had to be from something else...still do sometimes. i cannot believe that just getting off this drug or even tapering can cause such severe, bizarre and demonic symptoms. how the hell could any physician ever understand without going through this themselves?

 

do you have any other neurological issues like neuropathy, numbness, squeezing tight muscles?

[[pr...]]

- if GP doctors are not qualified and do not have knowledge about benzos: how they work what to do when something goes wrong [tolerance / withdrawal etc] they should not be allowed to prescribe them especially long term.

 

 

no, they should not be allowed to prescribe them.

 

so why is your walking difficult? do you think it's just from your head? is it the squeezing neuropathy that i have? do you have any feet problems like squeezing, numbness, neuropathy, nerve pain? lately the nerve pain my feet is literally burning the skin off and my toes are infected. my doctor wants me to take some kinf of vascular ultrasound to see if the blood is getting down there. it's so painful i can't believe it.

[[...]]

I want to join in to this topic as I too had bad movement impairment ever since starting valium. It comes and goes feeling like paralyzed. Lots similarity as described by I CAN.

 

Anyone know if it's caused by drug or wd?

I hope this will go away as it's really scary.

[[...]]

I never had it while on drug, only withdrawal. So my hope is it will all go away with time!

[[...]]

Thank you so much I CAN!

I'm glad to hear that. I'm getting severe drug toxicity /paradoxical reactions as well as very severe wd. If it's from the drug, I will have to ct as it feels very dangerous.

[[cl...]]

i dont know why my walking is difficult it seems to start in my head with a bobbing shaking violently dyskenisia backwards forwards / side to side and then spasms down my back and my legs get stiff or sometimes move fast and march stomp up and down or not move at all and i fall backwards it is very scary

never had this happen before in my life until stopping cloanazepam after i was getting bad withdrawal symptoms

I have numbness and joint pain and sometimes my head has a dizzy 'magnetic pressure' feeling and pressure in my ears / ringing

 

- if GP doctors are not qualified and do not have knowledge about benzos: how they work what to do when something goes wrong [tolerance / withdrawal etc] they should not be allowed to prescribe them especially long term.

 

 

no, they should not be allowed to prescribe them.

 

so why is your walking difficult? do you think it's just from your head? is it the squeezing neuropathy that i have? do you have any feet problems like squeezing, numbness, neuropathy, nerve pain? lately the nerve pain my feet is literally burning the skin off and my toes are infected. my doctor wants me to take some kinf of vascular ultrasound to see if the blood is getting down there. it's so painful i can't believe it.

[[cl...]]

same here i never had movement problems while on clonazepam except for occasional head twitching it all started when i hit what i think was tolerance withdrawal and then really bad after quitting

I never had it while on drug, only withdrawal. So my hope is it will all go away with time!

[[...]]

Omg, I'm so heartbroken clonxxx for your suffering! How did you survive it day to day like that!

 

Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts!

I'm really scared about the future journey getting off the poison.

 

 

 

 

[[cl...]]

i dont know how i am surviving this

- it feels like a surreal horror movie nightmare

- i feel like i am dying and want to be dead

 

Omg, I'm so heartbroken clonxxx for your suffering! How did you survive it day to day like that!

 

Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts!

I'm really scared about the future journey getting off the poison.

[[...]]

I know I feel the same ever since starting valium. This is worse than death. You are so strong!

Are you still taking paxil?