And Now my Doctor

[[Pe...]]

Talked to my family doctor today and she said she doesn’t think I will feel better when I am off the clonazepam. So crushing to hear that. Please, any words of encouragement. I’m scared.

[[Pa...]]

Well she's a downer, good grief!  Tell you what, I'm grateful to this day that I stopped taking Klonopin and I've been recovered since 2008. 

 

I didn't suffer from anxiety when I started, I took it for sleep and of course, it robbed me of sleep and gave me horrible anxiety but since I've been free of it, I sleep just fine and I'm not anxious.

 

I don't know what you were prescribed it for but what benzo's cause is about 1000 times worse than the actual condition we went on them to fix.  Yes, we still have to deal with our original issue but its so much more manageable than the drug induced symptoms it creates.

[[or...]]

What a horrible thing to say, Perseverance. Boy, she knows how to encourage a patient, doesn't she? I feel lots better off my valium and I bet many buddies feel better off their benzos, also. It took a bit for me to feel better -- a couple of months, and it was gradual. And I saw steady improvement -- better at 1 year, lots better at 2 and so on.

 

Don't believe her. 

 

Best to you.

 

Katz

[[Ka...]]

Maybe your doctor believes what she is saying but this is a case where you need to tap into what sounds right and true.  The fact that you posted this here makes me think you are doubful about her statement to you.

 

My doctor was all for me continuing clonazepam ... until the hospital system she worked for put pressure on her to quit prescribing benzos - then it was a different story!  After 21 years on clonazepam (and Ambien also for several years) I tapered myself off and have never looked back.  I feel so much better, sleep better, but best of all my self-confidence and self-esteem are more solid then they ever were while I was dependent on pills.

 

 

[[Mi...]]

Please do not believe that. It is interesting as I had an appt today and my one said certain things do not happen till you are properly off (fully withdrawn). I just phoned a local support place and, as I thought, it was not true. You have withdrawals throughout reduction.

I am trying to find my big girl pants and courage. I know you can too. Xx

[[Gi...]]

Oh my!  Your doctor is obviously ignorant of the extreme dangers of long term benzo use. They’re only supposed to be given for very short term use.  Two weeks or less.  It’s true that you may have to learn better ways to deal with the original reason you were prescribed for, whether for sleep or anxiety,  but it is absolutely doable and you’ll be far better off in the long run.  Long term Benzo use has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to be dangerous, which is why fewer doctors are prescribing them now.

 

Here’s a good Pub Med article that will assure you that you’ve made the right decision Perseverance. You’re doing a GREAT job on your slow taper!  Trust me, you don’t want to wait any longer.  23 + years on Xanax was 23 years too long. 

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8629021/

 

And if you haven’t seen the excellent documentary, “The Benzodiazepine Medical Disaster” with Heather Ashton and Malcolm Lader, which I think everyone doctor should see, here’s the  link: