What about ...

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I keep reading about people switching over to Valium. My question is; can you get off of Clonazepam without switching over. I keep reading this over and over... where people use Valium and it frightens me because I asked my pharmacist if I should ever consider this.  He says my dosage is so small at .025mg, why would I want to do something crazy like that and then, why risk a whole set of other withdrawal symptoms. He did compound my Clonazepam, but the part that scares me is that there are so many switch overs and I just want to get off of this without even considering something like that, and it was hard enough getting a prescription for the compound...I can't even imagine my Dr writing out this prescription. I was on 1mg of Clonazepam for the better part of 5 years and then about 2 years later directly cut to .025 without any w/d symptoms. Which confounds me to this day, after reading all the problems people are having, that I did that so easily and nothing...no w/d.  Now I am fighting to get off only .025mg of this crap.

 

Do withdrawal symptoms get progressively worse or is it just somewhat consistent. That's what scares me right now, the fear that I am going to get far worse symptoms.  I am on my first 14 days of weaning.  

 

And should I think about anti depressants because I do get those dark horrible bouts and I end up crying for days.  I was on Paxil for 5 years but somehow I managed to get off of that cold turkey and relatively unscathed...well there were the Zaps but they didn't last long. Clonazepam is hell on earth. I am clean cut, never drank alcohol, don't smoke, and here I am an addict. How ironic is that.

 

Plus does anyone know where I can get a visual aid of a syringe that shows all the measurements on the barrel. I can't understand how to read a syringe. Math was never my strong point and seeing how this has to be so precise...I ended up in the psyche ward for going c/t on the .025mgs and I didn't like the way I was being treated as a crazy or common criminal. Plus right after that I ended up getting these suicidal ideation, to which my doctor said it was just me. I told him I never ever thought of that stuff until c/t and it took me two months to bring them under control. Whenever I get spooked or depressed, those damn thoughts come back in full force. If there ever was a hell on earth...this is surely it.

 

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I keep reading about people switching over to Valium. My question is; can you get off of Clonazepam without switching over. I keep reading this and it frightens me because I asked my pharmacist if I should ever consider this.  He says my dosage is so small at .025 why would I want to do that and then why risk a whole set of other withdrawal symptoms. He did compound my Clonazepam but the part that scares me is that there are so many switch overs and I just want to get off of this without even considering a switching over. I was on 1mg of Clonazepam for the better part of 5 years and then directly cut to .025 without any w/d symptoms. Which confounds me to this day that I did that so easily and nothing.  Now I am fighting to get off of this crap.

 

Yes, you can get off Clonazapam without switching, many have done this through titration. Clonazepam has a bit shorter half life than Valium, that's why some people switch, but your Pharmacist is right, Valium can come with it own set of symptoms so it's up to you... but getting straight off Clonazepam is do-able.

I've read that it's harder once you start getting down to the lower amounts. Try to keep in mind that this is typically common and push your way through.

 

Do withdrawal symptoms get progressively worse or is it just consistent. That's what scares me right now, the fear that I am going to get far worse symptoms.  I am on my first 14 days of weaning.

 

The symptoms can wax and wane. You should have periods of relief we call "windows" during withdrawal, and after time, the windows get longer and longer.

When was your last drop?  

 

And should I think about anti depressants because I do get those dark horrible bouts and I end up crying for days.  I was on Paxil but somehow I managed to get off of that cold turkey and relatively unscathed...well there were the Zaps but they didn't last long. Clonazepam is hell on earth. I am clean cut, never drank alcohol, don't smoke, and here I am an addict. How ironic is that.

 

My personal opinion is to steer clear of anti-depressants if you aren't already on them as they have their own set of side effects and you would just be adding chemical confusion and sometimes make the symptoms worse. Though many have benefited from anti-depressants, it's still a drug that you may have to eventually wean off too. I'm for letting the body balance and heal itself, but I would never suggest that someone avoid them at all costs because I think some may benefit from them in some cases.

 

Plus does anyone know where I can get a visual aid of a syringe that shows all the measurements on the barrel. I can't understand how to read a syringe.

 

I can't post a picture here in the Withdrawal and Support area but you can google "Oral syringe" then click on "images" at the top left of the google page and find lots of images of syringes.

 

I hope this helps you...

 

 

Also, here is a link to the Ashton Manual, it's a wealth of information!  

 

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/index.htm

 

 

You can get through this, remember you're not alone  

 

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Thank you star104 for your replying.

 

"The symptoms can wax and wane. You should have periods of relief we call "windows" during withdrawal, and after time, the windows get longer and longer.

When was your last drop?"  

 

I have just started on the compounded Clonazepam.  The first drop is in 4 days and I am feeling apprehensive. I am already getting apprehensive as I have been experiencing a few withdrawal symptoms.  So I am doing my best to mentally prepare myself.

 

"My personal opinion is to steer clear of anti-depressants if you aren't already on them as they have their own set of side effects and you would just be adding chemical confusion and sometimes make the symptoms worse. Though many have benefited from anti-depressants, it's still a drug that you may have to eventually wean off too. I'm for letting the body balance and heal itself, but I would never suggest that someone avoid them at all costs because I think some may benefit from them in some cases."

 

I asked about anti depressants because I hate the dark depression that comes while on my usual dosage. Since the c/t whenever I am really fearful I tend to start getting those horrible suicidal ideations. That is usually when I feel I would be better off dead or when I feel alone...even though I have so many around me.

 

I still can't get my head wrapped around the fact that I am now dependent on this drug and the fact that somehow it brought about this depression and those ideations. It astounds me that something so small is so deadly.  

 

Funny how I always vued myself as someone who was strong and right after I did a c/t ... I was completely bowled over by the pain that I was going through. I was indescribable. Burning throughout my gut. My skin felt like it was on fire and all other sorts of nasty feelings. How do the people who created this witches brew live with themselves or justify putting out there for the public to consume.

 

Somewhere I read people were actually snorting this garbage. I am desperate to get off this and there are people getting off on it. I can't even imagine why anyone would want to do something like that and I wonder if they realize the world of pain that is awaiting them when they try to detox from this horrible crap.

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I've read that Clonazepam itself can cause depression too, it's one of the side affects, keeping that in mind can help you through, it's not you, it's the drug. Suicidal thinking is listed as a w/d symptom as well, as long as you don't feel like you will act on those thoughts... do you have people around you through this?

 

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I do have people around me but they are simple folk and have already been through so much crap ... it is unfair that they have to see me go through this. I am living with my parents who don't speak English and who do not know what to do in an emergency.  My father had a stroke a few years back and my mother is pretty much holding up this family. She is our rock. But you can see the cracks that are starting to appear. I don't know how much more she can take. I was supposed to take care of her at this point and now they are still taking care of me. Life sucks and suffering seems to be a part of the equation. I am trying to come to terms with all this. 

 

I would hope that I can control those thoughts but I am not sure how bad this gets. I pray that these thoughts never get any worse than they have been and I don't want to die ... for any reason or so I hope.  I have usually gotten those thoughts under control by meditating, but I am not sure what the cuts will bring and if this will get any more painful or if it will just be pain here and there. I am hoping that I will be strong enough ... but I am afraid that I will not be strong enough for this.   

 

I have been building up my strength and meditating everyday.  I have been riding my bike as much as I can and "attempting" to get my diet under control.  I feel helpless because I am not sure just how painful this. Everyone has so many different symptoms that its hard to gauge what is going to happen as I cut.

 

I am afraid because even though there are people here, they are dependant on me to keep thing in order and I am barely able to help myself these days.   

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Travuz,

 

I am currently tapering from .50 clonazepam.  I have just hit my 80% of original dose and the w/d has been manageable.  What is your taper schedule like?  Everyone says slow is the way to go and follow what your body tells you to do.

 

I know you will be successful with this.  Best wishes.

 

Kelly

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Thank you Kelly

 

I am following the 10% decreases every 14 days.  I hope I am as lucky as you. I pray they are managable cuz after c/t ... I just don't want to face that horror again.  What schedule and method are you using? You seem to be dropping quickly.

 

I have just started the compound my pharmacist made for me.  So I am at .05ml still(.025mgs. A big thank you to Sigma for helping with the math). I was originally cutting but then I talked to my pharmacist he quickly offered to compound since cutting was not practical or precise.  Thankfully I also found my way to this site by a sheer luck.

 

My pharmacist called my up Dr and with his approval ... began compounding my dosage.  Now I am working at keeping my myself positive ... unfortunately as I said ... fear starts the ideations.

 

With all the misfortune that has hit my family ... this is very hard. Seven years ago I injured my back. Given the original dosage of 20mgs Paxil and .05mgs of Clonazepam. From there my brother got the shaft from his ex.  She lost everything ... house and all and so he came to live with us. Later my brother's oldest son, he got kicked out of home as well and he lives with us. Since the age of 10, he was left without a mother or father, and then he was faced to witness what those meds would do to me, and the complete breakdown of my entire family. His view of life is dark and he is failing at school. My father suffered a stroke. Grandmother died. Subesquent falling out with extended family cuz supposedly even though we were taking care of my grandmother ... who lived with us ... rumour is that we were doing nothing ... other than stealing her money. My sister divorced. Relatives completely destroyed our reputation and persecute us to this day. In that time I was put on 60mgs of Paxil cuz of depression and 1mg of clonazepam ... for which I am unsure of today, as to why I was given that crap.  During that time I became a different person. Paxil ruined me and now Clonazepam threatens to bring me down.  I am jobless. I have huge debt. No insurance and barely hanging on. Yes this all happened within those 7 year time span.

 

I was trying to put my life back together. I made up my mind that I was going to look for a job and that is when I finally decided to rid myself of Clonazepam.  Instead I found myself in the hospital's psyche ward. I was asked if I had any intentions of suicide. Days later the ideations started and this just c/t cuz I was told that I split the pill in four and then slowly decrease dosage. Life just continues to kick my family down.

 

My family is now dysfunctional ... where once we were united. My brother is lost; he comes and goes as he pleases and hates the fact that I am ill. My sister is on a revenge kick and while she plans to get her ex husband back for the affair he had ... she is losing everything instead and now I found out she is on Clonazepam and as her usual ignorant self ... attests that she can get off anytime she wants. My brother's son is lost and has no one to help him. My other sisters look at me like I am some kind of leper and don't visit cuz the atmosphere here is so depressing. Life ... is just peachy. So now I await tapering and withdrawal with bated breath and fear.

 

Sorry I am venting. I also do that when I am fearful.

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Travuz,

 

Excellent venting...sorry to hear about all the difficulties that are surrounding you.  I am using liquid clonazepam and am reducing by a tiny amount every day.  I was only taking the C for a couple months so I am hoping that the 10% weekly will work for me.  If it becomes too difficult, I will slow things down.

 

You have made the right choice to get off the C.  Fear is our worst enemy.  Often times the reality does not come close to our fears.  You can get through this and I look forward to following your progress.

 

Best wishes.

 

Kelly