Alprazolam And Clonazepam ~ Thinking Of Stopping Alprazolam

[[Se...]]

I’ve been tapering 4mg/day alprazolam since late August, 2018.  I was put on clonazepam 1mg/day in November in an attempt to crossover from alprazolam.  I couldn’t do it.  I’m currently at .88mg/day of alprazolam via DLMT.  I dropped a small dose of clonazepam in January, 2019 so my daily dose is .87mg/day.  I take 0.5mg at 8:00 a.m. and 0.37mg at 10:30 p.m.  I dose alprazolam all day long at regular intervals.  I’ve been sick/nauseated for years I’m sure due to tolerance.  The doc kept increasing the alprazolam because of “anxiety”.  I went along with it thinking the same.  I know better now. It was definitely tolerance.  In retrospect,  I believe i was tolerant or Celexa “pooped out” on me...adding to symptoms. 

 

There was a bad crossover in June from Celexa to Zoloft.  I believe I suffered from discontinuation syndrome as the 30mg of Celexa was stopped (no taper) and right to 25mg of Zoloft.  This was not an “equal” crossover.  After a summer from hell, by late August, 2018 I was off all ADs.  I think I’m still suffering to a degree.

 

Psychiatrist kept telling me it wasn’t discontinuation syndrome it was “anxiety”. He also told me there was no way I was going through withdrawal since my taper was so slow! More eye rolling !  I constantly argued my tolerance case but he didn’t listen. He tried me on Lexapro.  That lasted four days..horrible symptoms.  After that debacle, I was convinced to go back on Celexa.  It took me FOREVER to get to a “therapeutic” range all the while I was feeling sicker and sicker.  Once I got to 20mg, I had enough!  I started to taper that too. It was doing more harm than good.  I’m down to 7mg thanks to manufacturer solution which makes tapering easier but certainly not without symptoms.

 

On a happy note and probably a sign from God, he left the practice and the state for family matters and I started seeing a psychologist a couple of months ago.  She’s awesome but can’t prescribe meds.  I’m going to see if the primary doc will takeover med management (or mismanagement).  I’m good for a couple of months on the med front.

 

Anyway, I know this is a benzo forum not an AD.  Just setting the stage.

 

Tolerance to alprazolam is a given and I really feel like crap even at the lower dose. I’m nauseated, paresthesia, hyperacusis (hypersensitivity to sound...especially right after dosing) and tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ears), my balance is messed up, I’m agoraphobic (never was before) and other fun symptoms.  I’ve lost 50 pounds, become very food sensitive, and carbs increase my sugar to ridiculous levels.  I am eating healthy things but can’t gain any weight back. The Celexa taper is probably contributing to symptoms too.

 

I’m wondering if I should stop alprazolam at .88mg and DLMT clonazepam with more frequent dosing three times a day.  I would stay at .87mg/day until I stabilize...HOPING I WILL STABILIZE!

 

I need some feedback on this plan. I know you’re not docs, but honestly...would ANY of us be on here if docs knew what they were doing with psychiatric drugs?  I’ll answer.  HELL NO!!

 

Looking forward to your comments, suggestions and any ideas that you may have.

 

Thanks.

 

 

[[la...]]

.88 mg of Alprazolam is not a low dose.

Look into the substitution taper boards and read the Ashton Manual to learn how to do a proper crossover to the K.

Best of luck to you. 

 

[[Se...]]

Thanks Lala...I didn’t mean to imply it was a low dose.  I really don’t want to crossover from clonazepam to diazepam either.  I was just wondering if splitting the dose of clonazepam over three times a day would fill in the gap of no alprazolam.  The dose of alprazolam I’m at now is about equal to the clonazepam dose.

 

I’m not looking to go into withdrawal but staying on it seems to be causing more symptoms.

 

💜

[[Mo...]]

So sorry you are also going through this.  I think we are kind of in similar boats.  I'm also struggling with stabilizing and I believe it's due to starting/stopping AD and going up and down on the K dose last year, then on and off the PPI.  I had only taken K before bedtime before, until about 6 weeks ago, regardless of my dose, regardless of my daytime anxiety.  I've experimented with splitting my dose into 3 and now 2 to try and stabilize.  I tried to get back to the once per day as I kind of wish I would have stayed at that.  I think b/c I'm not sleeping as well, I'm having other tolerance w/d symptoms that I hadn't had on the once per day, in particular the severe morning akathesia, paresthesia, facial numbness, dizziness, more tremors.  The nausea and some other things have improved, however.  I have tried to get back to once per day but I don't know how.

 

Your CNS is likely so unstable - seems like you are trying to do too much at one time.  This feels like HELL sometimes. 

[[Se...]]

Hi MomOf7!  I’m sticking with the AD and alprazolam taper.  I’ve always dosed throughout the day so I’m still doing it that way with alprazolam except I’m using DLMT.  I have paresthesia every day, tinnitus is ridiculous, nausea isn’t as bad but present every day, carb intolerance with sugar spikes, food sensitivities, can’t gain any weight, dizzy, and waking up with panic/anxiety every morning between 4 and 5.  It’s been terrible but I need to look at the big picture...getting off this poison!!

 

We both need to plod along the best we can and hope for the best.

 

Cindy

💜