Cold turkey after 3mg daily for a month

[[bu...]]

@[Co...] @[Fa...] Im on my 3rd day of 0.25 ive been cutting every 3 days and haven't had any worsening symptoms and it was my first day back at work from time off I felt pretty good.  Just worried I've been going too fast should I keep cutting like I have been or should I stay a little longer on 0.25 and should I try cutting lower than that?  I went from 2mg to 0.25 in 15 days.

[[Fa...]]

Hi again, @[bu...].  With your short-term use (1 month), and minimal discomfort discontinuing thus far, my opinion would be to not drag your taper out much longer.  Maybe a day or two longer at .25mg and jump?  You need to feel confident in your decision and not expect the worst.  Wish you the best!

[[bu...]]

Had bad headaches and neck aches all day. I'm scared to end the taper. Going to end it tomorrow. Just scared. 

[[Fa...]]

@[bu...] I suspect fear will be your worst symptom, but that it will be in your rear-view mirror soon.  Hopefully you are able to work and distract yourself next week.  Great job getting down to .25mg and so close to the finish line. 

[[bu...]]

@[Fa...] thank you.  Hopefully that's all and I can function at work. 

[[bu...]]

2 days off only slightly anxious nothing bad head still feels off and eyes feel weird. Sleeping is a bit tough with my arms and legs jerking a couple times here and there the closer I get to nodding off but I did sleep both nights. 

[[bu...]]

5th day off shaking legs not much anxiety but I'm having headaches and my eyes are worse than when I was tapering they feel almost swollen with blurry vision trouble focusing and dry so dry it feels like sometimes my eyelids are sticking.

[[wi...]]

Totally typical for eyes to be super sensitive and blurry/double vision. And my eyes also felt dry and had many different issues. They hurt, felt painful, sore, saw spots, etc.

They can still act up but nothing like it was the first two months I was off.

Hope your acute period is as short and manageable as one can be.

its a very promising sign that anxiety is low for you.

migraines and bad headaches and tightness are also very common!

Edited January 3 by [wi...]

[[bu...]]

1 minute ago, [[w...] said:

Totally typical for eyes to be super sensitive and blurry/double vision. And my eyes also felt dry and had many different issues. They hurt, felt painful, sore, saw spots, etc.

They can still act up but nothing like it was the first two months I was off.

Hope you’re acute period is as short and manageable as one can be.

Thanks i hope so. How long have you been off? And Yeah it makes for a long night of work not looking forward to another month and a half of this.

[[wi...]]

I was a long term user so very different from your situation. 
 

I’ve been off 8 months after approximately 26 years on!

 

 

Edited January 3 by [wi...]

[[PE...]]

I completely agree with @[Fa...]

Good luck and keep us updated.

 

[[Co...]]

Hello @[bu...]. Well done with completing your taper. How are you feeling now?

[[bu...]]

Hey @[Co...] I'm not too bad this is the 6th day off and its pretty much just my eyes at this point with slight hand numbness but no anxiety and I'm able to sleep just takes awhile.  

[[Co...]]

13 hours ago, [[b...] said:

Hey @[Co...] I'm not too bad this is the 6th day off and its pretty much just my eyes at this point with slight hand numbness but no anxiety and I'm able to sleep just takes awhile.  

It is not unusual - almost usual in fact - to experience some withdrawal symptoms. That you are mostly OK now and are sleeping is very encouraging.

[[bu...]]

9 days off and I was feeling okay but eyes are still weird then I made the mistake of drinking a couple drinks of a monster energy drink holy shit I hadn't had caffeine in 3 weeks I felt my pulse rise and my neck tightened got a bit anxious Ugh I didn't think it would cause all that. 

[[wi...]]

@[bu...] As long as that’s the only thing besides the eyes you’re still doing great.

we live and learn constantly in withdrawal and healing what sets our nervous system reeling.

I Was the same way in the beginning. I stopped caffeine for months and then had it one day..20 minutes later I felt like I was having a heart attack and freaking out difficulty breathing.

drink lots of water to flush it out of your system.

i can now tolerate one cup of good coffee in the morning.

 

[[bu...]]

15 days off and I feel a lot better no numbness anymore very light anxiety (mostly work related) and I'm sleeping decently with a small amount of melatonin and liquid magnesium glycinate. The only  symptoms left that bother me are the eye problems but I feel they are lessening over the weeks 

[[Co...]]

That's great news, @[bu...]. Not at all bad after, what, five weeks? Congratulations!

[[wi...]]

Great news!! 
 

[[Li...]]

On 15/12/2023 at 01:25, [[C...] said:

Hi @[Hu...]

I tapered off 4.5mg Rivotril (Klonopin/clonazepam) over six months. It was horrible, and probably faster than was advisable in my situation. I expect, give my history and withdrawal symptoms, I was a tougher case. Others will be able to taper more quickly than me (not that I am suggesting that people do this after protracted use). My point being, simply, is that we vary enormously in how quickly we can comfortably taper off benzodiazepines.

Further, we are not a representative sample of all those who withdraw from benzodiazepines. Rather, we are a self-selecting group of (generally) tougher cases. Those who experience few problems are unlikely to join this community.

Hi how did you taper from rivotril 4.5 mg? 

[[Co...]]

15 minutes ago, [[L...] said:

Hi how did you taper from rivotril 4.5 mg? 

By reducing 0.5mg in nine discrete steps. It took six months, so that would work to be about 0.5mg cut every three weeks. When I had previous tapered off (under the direction of my neurologist), I was advised to reduce by 0.5mg every 4-5 days. That taper resulted, a few days after my final dose, of me losing all sensation down the whole of my left side. Another neurologist advised that I immediately reinstate a small dose, which I did. I was still in bad shape, but at least sensation returned to my left side.

Obviously, it is very bad idea indeed to taper off 4.5mg of Rivotril (clonazepam) over a period of six weeks after extended use.

[[bu...]]

Month off update. Still feeling okay no symptoms really eyes are a little weird but nowhere near as bad but I have been having super bad back pain after shoveling had sciatica act up and I could barely walk for a week that's never happened before and I seem to be easily angered and agitated. Still it could be worse.

[[Co...]]

@[bu...] I go through occasional bouts of sciatica flareups. It can be very uncomfortable or down right painful. I sympathise.

[[Kr...]]

You have a good attitude. 
irritability and anger for me as well. 

[[je...]]

Hi @[Kr...]

Welcome to BenzoBuddies!