Help please

[[st...]]

I’m coming on 3 days with no sleep and I’ve been in a constant panic attack. My stomach is in so much pain like a virus. I feel like I’m going to die. What do I do?

[[Pa...]]

Two and a half months off of Klonopin?  Can you tell us if you've had any recent stress in your life, other than benzo withdrawal that is.  What about alcohol, no drinking, right?  Have you quit or started any new medications or supplements?  What about lifestyle changes, anything new there?

[[st...]]

Yes it’s been 2 and a half months. No stress other than withdrawal, and I don’t drink alcohol. I started taking Prozac to get rid of the panic attacks and it worked. I did stop taking Prozac for 2 days which might have done it. No new supplants or lifestyle changes. I’ve been pretty much bedridden during this whole thing. I feel terrible but I reinstated I was ready to go to the hospital and they would’ve done the same thing. I haven’t eaten or slept in 3 days and I felt I was going to snap if I had to endure another second of torture. I’m now in a dilemma, do I continue with the hellish withdrawal or taper this time?

[[st...]]

Can anyone give advice?

[[Es...]]

Yes it’s been 2 and a half months. No stress other than withdrawal, and I don’t drink alcohol. I started taking Prozac to get rid of the panic attacks and it worked. I did stop taking Prozac for 2 days which might have done it. No new supplants or lifestyle changes. I’ve been pretty much bedridden during this whole thing. I feel terrible but I reinstated I was ready to go to the hospital and they would’ve done the same thing. I haven’t eaten or slept in 3 days and I felt I was going to snap if I had to endure another second of torture. I’m now in a dilemma, do I continue with the hellish withdrawal or taper this time?

 

I don't think it was a good idea to suddenly stop taking the 10 mg of fluoxetine. Why did you do it? ADs need to be tapered at a rate of 10% per month. It will now take some time for the fluoxetine to build up in your system again.  The panic attacks and insomnia should subside as the fluoxetine plasma levels in your system go back to normal. 10 mg is not a large dose. I understand you wanted to get rid of the side effects so you stopped the med?

[[st...]]

Yes it’s been 2 and a half months. No stress other than withdrawal, and I don’t drink alcohol. I started taking Prozac to get rid of the panic attacks and it worked. I did stop taking Prozac for 2 days which might have done it. No new supplants or lifestyle changes. I’ve been pretty much bedridden during this whole thing. I feel terrible but I reinstated I was ready to go to the hospital and they would’ve done the same thing. I haven’t eaten or slept in 3 days and I felt I was going to snap if I had to endure another second of torture. I’m now in a dilemma, do I continue with the hellish withdrawal or taper this time?

 

I don't think it was a good idea to suddenly stop taking the 10 mg of fluoxetine. Why did you do it? ADs need to be tapered at a rate of 10% per month. It will now take some time for the fluoxetine to build up in your system again.  The panic attacks and insomnia should subside as the fluoxetine plasma levels in your system go back to normal. 10 mg is not a large dose. I understand you wanted to get rid of the side effects so you stopped the med?

 

Yeah I agree. I stopped because I kept seeing horror stories about how AD withdrawals were just as bad as benzo withdrawal and that scared me. Plus the panic attacks I was having in withdrawal got better so I thought they just subsided. I realized the Prozac was still helping. Im gonna be back on 10 and eventually increase to 20 to get through this withdrawal.  Did I do bad damage in taking the .5 Klonopin? 

[[Es...]]

Try not to watch/read the horror stories. Everyone is different. People speak from their own experience. You cannot say what's going on in their mind or in their life. What substances they put in the system.

 

I'm on fluoxetine 40 mg, but took down my sig. Cause the anti-psychiatry propaganda from some individuals on this site is making me nauseous. I need time to think what I include in my sig. I never gave it much thought, cause I couldn't imagine people can be so judgemental. It's their way of coping, I guess.

 

I have no idea how much damage the BZD has done. You need to discuss it with your doctor. The BZD are addictive and shouldn't be taken long term.

 

If you ever plan to increase the fluoxetine, it's better to increase by 2.5 or 5 mg and wait some time. It comes with difficult side effects. So the body needs to adjust. Please always consult your doctor before increasing/decreasing the dose.

 

Take care.

 

 

[[st...]]

I agree 100% the Ashton manual says it’s ok to have ADs to get through withdrawal. I also feel better and more hopeful after I read it as opposed to all the horror stories out there. Not that I’m downplaying anyone’s suffering, I know how hard this experience is.  No one here has the right to judge.

[[Pa...]]

It sounds like you may have found the source of your recent problem, the discontinuation of the Prozac, I hope by going back on it you'll find relief.  I was on Lexepro while I was in withdrawals and I'm glad I was, I got off of it easily after I healed, it was NOTHING like benzo withdrawal so try not to worry.

 

It distresses me to hear people are judging anyone for the choices they make in their medication decisions, please if you see this on the forum use the Report to Moderator option, it's anonymous and easy and will help keep the forum safe for everyone.

 

As to the .5 mg of Klonopin you took, I don't feel you've done any damage, it happens to the best of us and it sounds like you were desperate.  Did you get some sleep?

 

 

[[lu...]]

English is not my language and it is defective, I hope it is understandable.

I understand what you're going through and it's horrible.

I was taking benzos for 28 years and stopped taking them in just 25 days.  That was a horrible decision.  After taking benzos for so many years, according to Dr. Ashton, I should have decreased the benzos for at least one year.

 

Everything you tell, the horror, the despair, the panic, the insomnia, the difficulty in speaking, thinking and a thousand more disorders, that was happening without improvement in the first months, which were enough.  Now, after two years, the intensity is no longer the same in general and there are more variations sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse, but the important thing is that I begin to see rays of light although I know that there is still a long way to go.  good.

 

But he thinks it is normal for me to take so long to heal since they were giving me benzos 28 years, of course you should heal well before me.

To the extent that I feel better, it is to realize that this is making me stronger.

 

Dr. Ashton also recommends not leaving the antidepressant until the symptoms have almost or completely disappeared.

I am taking Dumirox similar to sertraline since I am free of benzos and I still can't stop taking it, emotions get out of control and depression gets worse.  When I see myself more qualified I will try to quit.

I'm also taking gabapentin that helps me somewhat with the nervous system and sleep better.

 

I know that what you are going through is very hard and desperate, but it will happen.  It can be very useful to find a psychiatrist who believes in the withdrawal of benzos.

It helps me to try to convince myself that I am strong, that I can with this and that everything will happen.  I never imagined that I would endure something like that.  Rest assured that you can.

 

First of all, what I intend is to give you courage and hope,

Hopefully you will find a way to get along better and be as light as possible.  Good health

[[...]]

When my sleep is really bad, I take Chamomile Extract and L'Theanine about 30 minutes before bed.  Then I read until I feel sleepy.

 

[[st...]]

It sounds like you may have found the source of your recent problem, the discontinuation of the Prozac, I hope by going back on it you'll find relief.  I was on Lexepro while I was in withdrawals and I'm glad I was, I got off of it easily after I healed, it was NOTHING like benzo withdrawal so try not to worry.

 

It distresses me to hear people are judging anyone for the choices they make in their medication decisions, please if you see this on the forum use the Report to Moderator option, it's anonymous and easy and will help keep the forum safe for everyone.

 

As to the .5 mg of Klonopin you took, I don't feel you've done any damage, it happens to the best of us and it sounds like you were desperate.  Did you get some sleep?

 

Yes I did end up sleeping and it was a desperate situation. I felt terrible at the time for choosing it. Thank you for telling me about your situation with Lexapro. That makes me feel better.

[[He...]]

Can you get off benzos without taking AD?

I no longer take AD.

The AD. Gave me scary symptoms too

Like being hyper or keeping me up

at night .

[[...]]

Can you get off benzos without taking AD?

I no longer take AD.

The AD. Gave me scary symptoms too

Like being hyper or keeping me up

at night .

Absolutely you can.

I got off my AD first.  I did have about 2 or 3 weeks withdrawal symptoms from the AD but they resolved quickly.

Then I took about 8 months to taper off the benzo.

Be at peace.  You can do this.

 

[[ki...]]

Just wanted to chime in— great advice given here. Don’t read/listen to people who are negative about ADs. I’m on Effexor 150 mg, I plan to take it until I’m healed from my benzo taper. We’re all different, but once you’re healed from your benzo taper, a slow and sensible taper off the Prozac will be fine.