Need help to tapet of Clonazepam 2.5 MG

[[Bm...]]

There are so many if's, I can see why you're stuck, but the way I see it you have two choices.  One is to taper from the Valium and hopefully enter the sober living house or two, stay on the drug with an unknown future.

 

Yes, if you taper the Valium you'll likely feel terrible but you'll be benzo free and on the road to the life you want.  No one will understand your pain but you'll be given opportunities in the sober home that you won't get if you stay on the drug.  Losing this opportunity because of fear is understandable but I hate to see you do it when you need it to help you with your other issues. 

 

I know about addiction, it takes a lot of work to get past it and it takes being honest with yourself.

 

Thanks for your advice again. I m 2 months drug and alcohol free. And had not really cravings and Would never do it again within my taper and hopefully after as well. But the safehouse I can start in October as well if I go at this rate.. I would not be able to follow the daily treatment program in the sober house.. Currently I m on 15 mg ( jumped a lot) but it s getting so hard I feel out of it even if I play Tetris I become overactive and hyper. The last week I talked to my doctor and he said we could try to switch to 1.0 mg clonazepam and taper from there.. I want that and I never used more as prescribed. Because of the brainfog that valium gives me. But on the other side I don t want to take a risk. He said if it doesn’t work we can switch back but is that not bad. The only reason I m thinking about giving it a try is because of the brain fog that Valium gives me.. and if I have to be 5 months with brainfog .. and all confused how can I start a treatment in the soberhouse , I m so confused about it all and  I haven t decided yet any advice?

[[Pa...]]

I'm glad you're still considering going to the sober house, and really, if your Dr is willing and you feel it will help, then why not cross over to Clonazepam?  Many people don't do well on Valium, this may be the case with you.  One thing to remember, whatever you decide to do there will be pain, but you can do this because you have a good incentive to follow through with your plans. 

 

Keep us posted on what you decide. 

[[Bm...]]

I'm glad you're still considering going to the sober house, and really, if your Dr is willing and you feel it will help, then why not cross over to Clonazepam?  Many people don't do well on Valium, this may be the case with you.  One thing to remember, whatever you decide to do there will be pain, but you can do this because you have a good incentive to follow through with your plans. 

 

Keep us posted on what you decide.

I will, but my doctor doesn’t really know if to switch in a day or a few days? What would you do I my shoes ? Can the switch cause any harm?

[[Pa...]]

Its my belief you can switch from Valium to Clonazepam quicker than going the other way around because it's faster acting.  I'd give it a week at least, perhaps make the switch of half the amount, then make the rest a few days later.  Any switch can add time and complications to a taper, sometimes getting used to the new drug takes a bit as well. 

 

If you do this, be sure to ask him to prescribe the lowest dose of Clonazepam the .5 to make your pill cutting easier.

[[Bm...]]

Its my belief you can switch from Valium to Clonazepam quicker than going the other way around because it's faster acting.  I'd give it a week at least, perhaps make the switch of half the amount, then make the rest a few days later.  Any switch can add time and complications to a taper, sometimes getting used to the new drug takes a bit as well. 

 

If you do this, be sure to ask him to prescribe the lowest dose of Clonazepam the .5 to make your pill cutting easier.

Really thought long about it and decided not to switch currently on 15.5 mg. So I went to my doctor today. And have a few options or go to a psychiatrist who specializes in Benzodiazepines withdrawal if I come back in 3 months I can come back without a new waiting list. And still start the daily program for my substance abuse and sober house. Or I stay and will be monitored (phone calls) with GP and than I can take 3 months or even longer to quit the Valium and also enter the program and sober living house Today 10 weeks sober:) I don’t really know what to do.

Also because I often think I have some kind of a burn out. Feel very insecure. When I go to a crowded place for 10 minutes I m just so overwhelmed. But overall I’m ok. The one thing that I don’t understand is why I’m way more tired than 5 weeks ago. I allmost did not taper. Maybe it is a good thing. Maybe my adrenaline levels dropped a bit because I was so hyperactive that I couldn’t be tired.

The other question I have. Is 15 mg doing taperstrips in 90 days fast and will the real withdrawal begin after the 90 days? Don’t want to stretch it to long. Max 5 months. And when does your CNS start to heal when you’re tapering or at zero. And is the latest part really that much harder?

[[Bm...]]

I really wanted to give an update, i did a big hold on 15 mg diazepam. Because of my relapses. Also i became hyper aware of other people’s energies, it like i m constant thinking they know that i’m stressed and when i m around other people i can’t relax, same with my cat every time my cat comes near me, i’ m aware of it since last summer. So basically the cat can’t be around with me for long. Also i had a couple of relapses and a relationship break up. That gave me a lot of stress as well. Now i’m currently 4 months sober in the soberhouse. But it’s so hard to be around other people. I’m currently on 12 mg. Went from 15 to 12 mg in a month. I m constant,depressed, stressed, confused, holding my breath can’t relax. Hypersensitive to impulses when i m outside. Feel extremely tired all the time. I have to options. If i want to start the CBT day treatment i have to go to 10 mg in 2 weeks and agree with a shedule to taper to 0 in 3 months. I think it’s not good for my stress levels. I don’t want a burnout. Also i used 2.5 mg of Clonazepam for years. The psychiatrist made the switch to 50 diazepam beginning last year and wanted me to taper in 6 weeks! Had two other psychiatrists since then. And they all say different things. My regular doctor advised me not to taper and even asked her to go back to clonazepam 1.0 mg to have break. Any advise is welcome.

[[Pa...]]

Its good to see you again and I'm glad to hear you made it into the sober living facility but it sounds like things are still rough.  Everything you're feeling is normal, it was really rough for me to be around people too, its so hard to pretend we're okay when we're screaming on the inside.  I'm sorry to hear you lost a relationship.

 

I've read members here say that CBT doesn't really work while we're in withdrawal so I'm not sure that reducing your dose so drastically in order to join that group would be worth it.  I'd sure do a search on the forum to see what other members have to say about it.

 

I'm sorry you're getting such conflicting opinions from your doctors but this is pretty common, the one I may disagree with is your regular doctor saying to go back on Clonazepam for a break.  It sounds lovely of course, who doesn't want a break from this torture but the price you could pay is pretty high. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that repeated starts and stops of benzo's leads to worsening withdrawal, its just not worth it in my opinion.  Of course, whatever you decide to do we'll support because this is your life and you have to do what's best for you.

[[Bm...]]

Thnx Pamster! A small update, i’m still in 12 mg of valium it became unberable , i think i have PAWS from tapering to fast last year. And also the couple relapses with my other substances die not help. I don’t have to taper for my sober living home, if i continue my CBT with the safe house i’ll get a house in Amsterdam. But when i hit the 15 mg, i started to think That my cat does feel my stressfull energy. And now i have it even with friends. Being in the soberhouse does give me a lot of stress. And also the CBT as well. I m so aware of my surroundings. Social anxiety my upper chest breathing is so high that eating has become difficult. Also i want a gold for a few months and really go slow from there, but i really hate the sedating valium feeling. I m obsessed with the feeling that this extreme stress is bad for my nervous system and that i should recover from my cocaïne and alcohol first. I m all day thinking About switching back Because i want to go slow and that means i have to use valium. What s the equivalant, there are Many guidelines. Ok should i updose? I just can’t take it no more.

[[Pa...]]

Physical recovery from alcohol and cocaine happens within days or a couple of weeks of you stopping, what remains from them is the addiction aspect, the social and mental cravings.  Using those as a reason to raise your dose of Valium or any other benzo isn't valid, you've already recovered from them.

 

I don't feel going up in dose is a good idea, this is how it is and there is no easy way out, we have to go through it to be free of it.  I'm sure you're suffering but it doesn't really matter if it's PAWS or anything else, this is your shot to be free and I hope you take it.  I can see you bargaining with yourself, trying to find reasons to delay your taper or go up in dose but this is a mistake.  I'm a recovering alcoholic and I spent many years before I got sober trying to justify my drinking or make excuses for it and it feels to me like this is what you're doing. 

 

I hope you'll stay on the Valium, I know you're uncomfortable but Clonazepam isn't the answer, sticking to your plan is.

[[Bm...]]

Thnx for your reply Pamster, but i Made the a bad decision, stopped my diazepam and currently for the 4 th day in 1.0 mg clonazepam, the first day i felt Okay, but then became confused especially in the evening and i m feeling much worse. What should i do switch back or not? Also i think the last test was not only the diazepam withdrawal but big stresses in my relationship. That caused extre stress.

But i’ m feeling helpless.

[[Pa...]]

I'm so sorry Bms88, its tough to lose a relationship and especially tough when going through this process but life doesn't seem to care, it still presents us with challenges.

 

I honestly don't know what to tell you about your switch to Clonazepam.  If you're on 1 mg you're likely over medicated at the moment since the equivalency charts we use state that 10 mgs Valium is equal to .5 mgs Clonazepam, plus the Valium is still in your system so that could be adding to your confusion.  You could try reducing the Clonazepam a bit to see if that helps, hold this dose to see if when the Valium fully leaves your body you feel better or switch back to the 12 mgs of Valium.

 

I know none of these choices are ideal and you'll hurt no matter what but we have to do the best we can with what we're faced with. 

[[Bm...]]

I went back to 0,75 mg of clonazepam. Also 2 years ago when i was using thuis medication (2.5mg) i was less tired. Also i m forgetfull depressed,whiney. could it be the cross over as well. And if so how long does it take for your body to adjust? And i want to add for the last few months i really became obsessed with my medication “ should i switch or not” now  i want to switch back again. Could it be that these are alle symptomps of my taper last year?

[[Pa...]]

I'm not sure I understand your question about symptoms of your taper last year but it's very normal to obsess over this process. Now that you've switched back to Clonazpam maybe you can let go of the indecisiveness which can be very stressful. 

 

I hear Valium can take up to 3 weeks to fully leave your system but hopefully you level out before then.