Seeking Advice

[[DH...]]

My husband was addicted to Xanax about 15 years ago, taking at least 6 mg per day. He quit cold turkey (I know, stupid) and ended up in the hospital after attempting suicide. Over the following months he eventually recovered. Last year he had two small strokes and while in the hospital, he was given 0.5 mg of Klonopin three times/day. Thankfully, he recovered from the strokes and continued taking the same dosage of Klonopin for a couple of months before he decided (again, stupidly) to go cold turkey. It has been almost one year and he is still experiencing all the classic symptoms of benzo withdrawal. It seems unexplainable, because the Klonopin dosage was much lower than the Xanax of 15 years ago. But, a psychiatrist and two detox center physicians have said that he could be experiencing this protracted withdrawal from Klonopin because his body "remembers" what he went through with the Xanax withdrawal. I am jioning this forum to find out if anyone else has had a similar experience, or if the Xanax withdrawal has anything to do with the Klonopin withdrawal.

[[Pa...]]

Hello DHBFJS, welcome to BenzoBuddies,

 

I'm happy to hear your husband has recovered from his stokes but so sorry to know he's still suffering with symptoms.  I'm really surprised to hear his doctors know about kindling which is the name for what they're describing, here are two definitions.

 

Kindling - The Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices

https://benzoreform.org/kindling/

 

Kindling - Benzodiazepine Information Coalition

https://www.benzoinfo.com/kindling/

 

Have the symptoms lessened at all, I quit cold turkey too and wished I would have kept a journal of my symptoms because that would have been the only way I would have known I was recovering, my poor sick brain couldn't see it at all.

 

I'll give you some links to the forum but please let us know how we can help you.

 

Pamster

 

The Ashton Manual

 

Post-withdrawal Recovery Support

 

[[Ha...]]

Hi DHBFJS, good to have you here. Bless you for supporting you husband through all this. It can be challenging for everyone involved. I don’t know much about kindling but I offer you a warm welcome.

Hardy.