Neurodivergent rapid taper ( clonazepam)

[[mu...]]

Hello, 

I love this forum its very supportive and helpful. Ive been on benzos for about a decade but only took them daily for a few years. I am currently rapid tapering off of clonazepam from 2mg a day to now .25 a day in 4 months and am expected to come off next month. Is this too quick? I am having a heck of a time and my psych doctor will not hold despite the difficulties I am having. She laughed at me and accused me of drug seeking and refused to coordinate care with my other doctors. I am having the worse sensory issues, very bad dissasociation ( to where I look out of it sometimes), my blood pressure and nervous system are always spiked( my chest and my left arm hurts really badly when I'm very anxious (( which is all the time)) and I have auditory hallucinations when I'm super uncomfortable . I was wondering if anybody has had these issues and if there are any techniques or tips that worked for you all? 

Thanks so much for your help,

Cheers and wishing everybody struggling a speedy recovery.

 

Edit: I forgot the most troublesome symptoms which are chest and left arm pain with swollen legs 

Edited August 8, 2023 by [mu...]
Add symptoms

[[mu...]]

Sorry if this post is a little off I don't know how to human on a good day and the withdrawal symptoms are making me a bit tired.....thanks for your help

[[Su...]]

Hello. I'm sorry but it sounds like we are in the same boat.  I had 1 mg twice a day klonopin since about 2009. I had so much dissociation since starting in February that I didn't even understand what was happening.  When the taper ended in the first week of June my physical body crashed even more.  I'm only just becoming aware.

I specifically started with left shoulder pain, which expanded over time out my arm along the nerve. 

I don't know what you should do but I try to minimize psychological and physical stress, keep the lights low,  take a warm soaking bath,  as I have noticed this demon has a daily cycle. 

I wish you the best.  We should compare notes more since our dose history and symptoms are similar. 

[[mu...]]

Thanks sumthincatchy I'm sorry you're feeling the same way....I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy but it is comforting to know I'm not alone. How long was your taper? 

 

[[Su...]]

My taper,  which I mostly don't even remember,  started beginning of February and ended first week of June.

1 hour ago, [[m...] said:

Thanks sumthincatchy I'm sorry you're feeling the same way....I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy but it is comforting to know I'm not alone. How long was your taper? 

 

[[mu...]]

Wow our timeliness do sound similar , and yeah if you ever want to talk or compare symptoms my pms are open. Take care and pls update me on your recovery.

[[st...]]

I had to change to a detox clinic to get appropriate care. My doctor did not take me seriously. They are trained to get people ON meds not get them off. Switch doctors, find someone who listens to you. If you've been on 10nyears you need to go slow slow slow 

[[Ho...]]

Your psych doctor is bizarrely wrong and I'm so sorry they're putting you through this! It's no way to taper at all. To accuse you of drug-seeking when you're trying to safely get off something she proscribed is wrong-headed and harsh. She's just wrong, on every level.

Clonazepam is a serious, strong and dangerous medicine even at tiny doses. Your symptoms sound like mine! When a prominent doctor (Mayo Clinic) told be to taper at a rate of .25 mg every two weeks for two months, I did. But I went to pieces; dizzy, terrified of nothing, ringing in my ears, couldn't listen to music or watch TV, anxious although I've never had anxiety in my life, the list goes on and on. I had to stop tapering at .25 because among many other symptoms, my eyes were twitching back and forth. I couldn't control it.

Remember the opioid crisis? As the FDA investigated opioids, they inadvertently uncovered a withdrawal syndrome that occurs with some people taken off of benzodiazepines. So, in 2020 the FDA required benzos to have a warning about this. I had a hard time finding the warning! It didn't come with my prescription, but I found it under my prescription online, in a pdf. I'll attach it for you. I've highlighted the sections that apply.

Would your doctor disagree with the FDA? She/he might. I hope you can find a doctor who will work with you and not cut you off at the knees. You need to slow that train down! So, so sorry you're having to go through this!

Sincerely,

HC

Clonazepam warning.pdf