I'm a little scared now.

[[Ho...]]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm new here. I posted my introduction about an hour ago. In it I explained that I've been taking clonazapam for about 4 years. Excuse me copying and pasting what I posted..but it's just faster:

 

I'm joining this forum as I am about to taper off 1 mg. of Clonazapam. I actually started with 2 mgs and dropped to 1 mg in the last week or so. Withdrawals aren't too bad...but not good either. I've been on approx. 2 mgs (some days more, some days less) for about 4 years. I have the .5 mg pills.

 

My plan is to stabilize on 1 mg in the next three weeks (one, .5 tablet twice a day) then my first cut will be .125 mg (a quarter of a .5 mg tablet) which I plan on staying on for 3 weeks. In fact my general plan is to cut .125 mgs every 3 weeks until I'm off it completely. I'm planning on remaining flexible about that depending on how I feel.

 

A nice moderator replied to my introduction and said that he'd hoped I had tapered from 2 mgs to 1 mgs slowly. I didn't I just went from 2 mgs to one in a day or two. That was 6 days ago.

 

My plan was to just stay the course at 1 mg daily until my WDs stopped. I have some tingling in my arms and legs, tremors in my torso and had flu like symptoms this morning but they seem better now.

 

But now I'm really scared. Is it really bad that I went down from 2 mg to 1 so fast? My worst fear is seizure. I can handle the other symptoms I'm having. I'm planning on staying on 1 mg for as long as it takes until the WDs are gone..then I plan on going down .125 mg every 3 weeks until I'm off them..which will be in November.

 

So, can I just bottom line my question? Am I going to have a seizure?

 

Hope

[Guest [Si...]]

Hope,

 

I read your introduction. That nice moderator was Crono.  

 

I'm joining this forum as I am about to taper off 1 mg. of Clonazapam. I actually started with 2 mgs and dropped to 1 mg in the last week or so.

 

That's a fast taper down, but you state that the withdrawal is bearable. Hopefully, it will stay that way  

 

In fact my general plan is to cut .125 mgs every 3 weeks until I'm off it completely. I'm planning on remaining flexible about that depending on how I feel.

 

That's what is usually suggested. 0.125 mg every 2-3 weeks, you can hold if needed.. and then taper on.

When you get to a lower dose.. you may encounter some intense withdrawal, then again you may not.

You will need to listen to your body, as this is important while managing a taper.

 

As far as your taper, it sounds reasonable from here on out. I would taper slower, as you now know.

 

So, can I just bottom line my question? Am I going to have a seizure?

 

I rarely if ever hear of a seizure, tapering slowly.

The way you are tapering now, which is 0.125mg every 2-3 weeks. I wouldn't think so.

 

Ashton says it's rare to have a seizure.

If you haven't read the Ashton Manual, here's the link-

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

 

Feel free to ask any questions you may have  

 

Sigma.

 

[[Ho...]]

But I understand that in a few days or weeks some intense symptoms could hit me as a result of the 50% decrease. That's not a slow taper and from what I understand a big drop like that could cause seizures...couldn't it?

 

Ugh..this is such a mess.

 

I appreciate your reply Sigma. It's made me feel a little better. I've had withdrawals before on an antidepressant and I was in counciling to help me through it so I have some psychological tools that I can use. As I said, I don't really care about the tingling or tremors..my biggest fear is seizure.

 

I did read the Aston manual several times in the last few days which is when I realized that I shouldn't have taken such a huge drop.

[[Ho...]]

..additionally...I bought a great pill splitter. It's clear so I can see the pills. I experimented today and was able to split a pill into 1/8 (.065 mgs I think)..so I'll probably go more slowly in 9 weeks or so...I could even split that in half if I had to. It's not that hard if you have a new pill splitter with a good sharp blade.

[Guest [Si...]]

But I understand that in a few days or weeks some intense symptoms could hit me as a result of the 50% decrease. That's not a slow taper and from what I understand a big drop like that could cause seizures...couldn't it?

 

Ugh..this is such a mess.

 

I appreciate your reply Sigma. It's made me feel a little better. I've had withdrawals before on an antidepressant and I was in counciling to help me through it so I have some psychological tools that I can use. As I said, I don't really care about the tingling or tremors..my biggest fear is seizure.

 

I did read the Aston manual several times in the last few days which is when I realized that I shouldn't have taken such a huge drop.

 

 

But I understand that in a few days or weeks some intense symptoms could hit me as a result of the 50% decrease. That's not a slow taper and from what I understand a big drop like that could cause seizures...couldn't it?

 

Hope,

 

I read that you couldn't get anymore pills?

 

Yes a 50% decrease is fast. We recommend 10% every 14 days.

 

You seem to be stable?

 

I know what you mean about the seizures. Have you read my story?

A doctor told me to drop 5mg of Klonopin. I had a seizure, but I cold-turkey.

 

You are now on the right path, and know to taper slowly. I don't think you will have a seizure because you will be tapering reasonably from now until November, you stated. it sounds like a good plan to me.

 

What kind of symptoms are you having?

 

S#

 

[[Ho...]]

Sigma,

 

Today is day 7 since the 1 mg drop. My symptoms haven't really changed too much. It started with a feeling of tingling on my whole body, which is still the case. When I'm anxious or worried it gets worse. Yesterday, before I read that I could be in huge and very bad WDs in a couple day or weeks (which freaked me out although I appreciate the intention of the person behind the words, very, very much )... the tingling was almost unnoticeable. I was feeling a tremor a few days ago but that seems to have gotten a lot better in the last 2 days...I would say it's just a little uncomfortable now. Nothing terrible. My worst symptom is some sleep disturbances that I had last night but I think that had a lot more to do with anxiety because the night before that I slept well because I had a pretty calm day. The night before that I has sleep disturbance but I had a stressful day. So, some of my symptoms seem greatly exaggerated by anxiety and stress.

 

I really thought (and still am hoping) that this would be the worst of it seeing as I'm 7 days in and that I could just coast on 1 mg (divided into two doses) for a few weeks. At which time I figured most of these symptoms would be gone and I could start the slow taper. How long until I don't have to worry about them getting worse? I thought if I got to the 8 day mark without them getting worse that the worst that could happen is that I have to stay on 1 mg for longer until the symptoms went away.

 

As I stated in the introduction thread a minute ago...in fact, I was looking forward to dealing with my anxiety without taking pills. I was in therapy for years. I'd gone through WDs with the doxipen I am on (long story). They went on for months. I was seeing a therapist at the time who really helped me through all the strange physical sensations I was feeling and taught me to learn to accept how I was feeling and not to emotionalize it too much.  I'm pretty good at doing that because I've suffered from chronic pain for 25 years. If you don't learn how to not emotionalize pain, you'll be a basket case. So, I've been trying to do that with all this and feel that ultimately going through this and getting through to the other end will be setting myself free by proving to myself that I don't need pills when I'm feeling discomfort from anxiety.

 

Btw, I don't take any pain killers for my pain condition. I take Tylenol now and then but mostly I've learned to work through it in my life.

 

 

Hope

[[wh...]]

Go really small and slow in the end. That was my experience.

[[Ho...]]

Stigma: I just read your story. You've been through a lot. I'm glad things are getting better for you.

 

We have one psychiatrist in my city ( as I said, we have a severe doctor shortage in Canada and the province I live in is by far the worst) and he has a waiting list that's months and months long. It's the same in the entire Province. So the odds of me getting into see someone that knows what they're doing isn't good.

[[Ho...]]

what2do,

 

Yeah, I plan on smaller cuts after about 6 to 9 weeks...depending on how I feel. I can cut a .5 mg tab into 1/8 or even 1/16 if I need to.

[[Ho...]]

Most of my story is on the Introduction section of this forum. Is it ok to continue asking and having questions answered there? There is a question there on my last post that I'd really like answered to anyone's best ability. This is really the only support I have so I'm counting on you.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Hope

[[Lu...]]

Hope, I sent you a reply in my blog " I'm so scared" so please read it. Then I found you here so I'll say thank you again. You are doing your taper pretty good now but just remember that just because we have frightening WD symptoms, you may not. I pray you don't. But please do keep in touch. I'm not familiar with Canado but if you're right above Wisconsin we are in the same time zone.  I'm here for you no matter what.

[[Ho...]]

I saw your reply Lucy. and replied to your reply. lol

 

 

[[Ho...]]

I have two threads going. One is in the Introduction section and one is here. I hope it doesn't get too confusing.

 

Tomorrow will be day 8 after my badly managed 50% drop of my clonazapam drop. Wish me luck.

[[Pa...]]

If you're asking for specific taper suggestions, this is the place to post.  If it's getting too confusing for you and others, I can lock this thread and provide a link to your introductory thread for others to follow.  Let me know what you'd like to do. 

[[Ho...]]

Yes please Pamster. If you could do that it would be a lot less confusing. I'm using the introduction thread as my main thread as it turns out so your suggestion would be perfect. Thank you.

[[Pa...]]

Perfect Hope, maybe at some point, you'll want to start a blog and we can link your introductory thread to it once you feel comfortable. 

 

Here is the link to Hope1962's introduction thread. http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=32464.0