Self taper and severe muscle/joint pain

[[60...]]

Hi I am in week 5 of a self taper (little support from psychiatrist) and I am experiencing what pretty severe muscle/joint pains which I initially attributed to my Fibromyalgia and being overly active. The pain is really different from the normal Fibro pain.

 

Does anyone or has anyone experienced pain like this? Was there anything that helped? How long did or does it take before the pain stops if you hold at current dose or come off completely?

 

It feels almost inflammatory and is mostly in my limbs and hip, knee, forearms. I started at 2.5-3mg (inconsistant) and I have weaned from that dose to alternating .5mg to .25mg nightly for about 1.5 weeks now. I’ve been on clonazepam for about 11 years.

[[gr...]]

Hi 60Gwendo,

  I am having severe pain in my neck shoulders and arms. It is definitely from the withdrawals. When I got low in my dose the pain became very intense. Mine is not letting up. I actually think I have 2 frozen shoulders at this point. cannot lift or use my arms without extreme pain. I took ibprophen for it and it helped but it also increased my other withdrawal symptoms.  Have been using bio-freeze and aleveX spray which helps but it does not last very long. With some people the pain lessens if you hold and some people it does not. I held for 2 months and it did not help, so I am just continuing with my taper.  Hope you start feeling better.

[[60...]]

Hi gray cloud,

 

Thank you ever so much for responding. I am sorry you too are experiencing so much pain. Do you also have pain throughout your body or is it mostly just your shoulders? I wonder if out will eventually level out and the pain stop? Have you read any accounts that indicate how long in general it takes to subside?

I also tried ibuprofen but did not find any relief. I thought I had invited my left knee and hip (which has a lump now) but the pain then started in both hips and knees and my wrist/forearms making it difficult to type. I even take Percocet when needed for my chronic pain but it’s not really touching this pain sadly.

I hope you too start feeling better soon!!!

[[gr...]]

Hi Gwendo, Most of my pain is in my neck shoulders and arms. sometime I get pain in my foot but it is short lived.  Not sure how long it takes to go away. For me it is lasting a long time. It subsided in my right shoulder a little bit before it started in my left shoulder but I still have the pain in my right shoulder too, just not as bad as the left.  For some people it goes away after they hold for a bit, but in my case it has not. I am very low in my dose so I don't think it is going to go away until I finally get off of this poison.. Wish I could be of more help!! Hang in there it has to get better!!

[[gr...]]

I noticed in your signature that it appears that you are tapering very fast. Try to slow down a bit. From what everyone states on here that reducing 10% per month is good. You might want to hold for awhile and see if the pain subsides. If you slow down you will minimize the withdrawals.

[[Wa...]]

I have severe shoulder, neck, arm pain also. I can barely lift my arms. If I get them myself the pain is a lot more tolerable. Since I have been bedridden a lot my right neck sober it's so painful and I have so much tightness everywhere it's almost impossible to lay down and that's where I spend most of my time. I feel like I'm going to I have severe neck injury. When I set up my body feels so heavy like I'm going to go through the chair. I have sensitivity to my lower back where it feels like I cannot put any pressure on it I have not sat with my back against anything for a year-and-a-half. I have pain in my hips and my knees and my legs and my feet unimaginable and humane gravity and pressure and in my arms it feels like they're being broken. I can't even describe it. I was micro tapering for a year or so and up DD o s e d and so now I'm back at square one.  I'm years from being off.  I'm scared sgitless.  I take oxycodone,  morphine,  ibuprofen,  tylenol and magnesium and the pain is still not tolerable!  I'm really scared.  I need to turn into a bat so I can hang upside down as I cant have comfort any other way!  When I start tapering again, will it get better or worse? I cant live worse.

[[gr...]]

I'm so sorry Wanttofeelcalm that you are going through so much pain! My arms neck and shoulders are                                                          killing me but the rest of my body is okay for now.  I cannot imagine my entire body feeling like this...Everyone is different, so I don't know when or how the pain will go away.. You probably have 2 frozen shoulders, that is why the pain is so excruciating. I wish I could be of some help to you,but I have no idea when or how to get rid of this pain. Hopefully it gets better for everyone...

[[60...]]

Wanttofeelcalm,

I am so sorry you are also experiencing such debilitating pain. Like you I have been mostly bedridden for many years due to severe depression, anxiety and chronic pain (arthritis and Fibromyalgia). I also experience pain in my hips, knees, legs and arms which I knew was different from my normal aches and pains. I am grateful but also not grateful? to know that it is the withdrawals causing this pain. I too am frightened that this may even get worse as I continue to taper and may not ease for sometime.

One saving grace I have is my fairly new regular meditation practice. I found an online free Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program called Palouse MBSR and I started it around the time I started to reduce my clonazepam. I do find it very helpful and it enables me to connect with others which helps me feel supported and less alone.

I truly hope you will find some relief soon. We all deserve to feel well!

[[60...]]

gray cloud, I think I sent you a private message in response to your last response. I do not know what I am doing as I haven't used a forum before and I am not tech savvy.

Again I am so sorry you are suffering so much. This is really hard stuff!

[[Fr...]]

Hi I am in week 5 of a self taper (little support from psychiatrist) and I am experiencing what pretty severe muscle/joint pains which I initially attributed to my Fibromyalgia and being overly active. The pain is really different from the normal Fibro pain.

 

Does anyone or has anyone experienced pain like this? Was there anything that helped? How long did or does it take before the pain stops if you hold at current dose or come off completely?

 

It feels almost inflammatory and is mostly in my limbs and hip, knee, forearms. I started at 2.5-3mg (inconsistant) and I have weaned from that dose to alternating .5mg to .25mg nightly for about 1.5 weeks now. I’ve been on clonazepam for about 11 years.

 

Hi It is t advised to Alternate different doses on different days. Maybe make another post about it and one of the moderators can answer.

[[Ha...]]

It feels almost inflammatory and is mostly in my limbs and hip, knee, forearms. I started at 2.5-3mg (inconsistant) and I have weaned from that dose to alternating .5mg to .25mg nightly for about 1.5 weeks now. I’ve been on clonazepam for about 11 years.

 

Heii. Do you Still have inflammation in hip ? Its killing me now. Thank you!

[[je...]]

Hi All,

 

Our bodies are often in the same position day after day in the bed. This is not good for us, it will most certainly worsen all the pain in the body

Stretching and self massage can really improve your pain and stiffness. If you can, do some light stretches a few times per day, every day... try to imagine getting your blood to circulate into the pain areas.

 

In addition to gentle stretching, give yourself massages on you scalp, neck, shoulders, arms, tummy, hips, butt, thighs, calves and feet.

You can use a light oil like jojoba or coconut to make massages easier.

It is a nice way to distract and feel some self love as well as moving blood, breaking up fascia and draining lymph nodes, all of which prevents pain and helps us to heal.

 

The basic stretching and self massage can be intuitive, just do what feels good, no need to find a routine to follow.

I do these while listening to a podcast or watching tv..make it easy and not a chore.

If you want to get more information, you can google lymphatic drainage massage, myofascial release techniques, basic stretching routine.

 

I have put in some links, but there are hundreds online.

 

https://www.bupa.co.uk/newsroom/ourviews/waking-up-stretching

 

https://www.verywellhealth.com/self-myofascial-release-techniques-4154550

 

https://www.massagetoday.com/articles/14639/Lymphatic-Self-Care-Boosting-Your-Bodys-Ability-to-Heal-Itself

 

I hope this helps,

xJenny