Reinstatement scare

[[ca...]]

Hi,

I have been reinstated. Started last night. I was an Ativan user at 0.5-1mg but when I had the bad interaction with the medication, I was given 3mg and then 1-2mg even weren’t working anymore. I did mention all of this to the doctor last night.

I was prescribed a longer-lasting benzo, Clonazepam, at a dosage of 0.5mg, which I believe to be the equivalent to 1mg of Ativan.

 I took it last night. I woke up feeling much worse. More tachycardia, chest pain, shortness of breath, and feeling so weak. I was told it can take some time before my CNS gets readjust and better. But I am scared… scared to make things worse. But I can absolutely not function. My entire body is affected. I cannot work or shower or even breathe properly. If I don’t take the propranolol, I would probably be in the hospital. So obviously, there isn’t much to do…

Does it actually take some time to the body to readjust after reinstatement? When should I see the doctor if that doesn’t work? Also, was putting me back on 0.5 Clonazepam too quick? Should I only take half of it tonight to do a slow uptaper?

I am suffering today. Feeling awful. Feeling scared and afraid…

[[Bu...]]

Hi @[ca...],

I am so sorry things are so rough right now.  I know how frightening this process can be sometimes.  Can I ask how long you have been off Ativan?  And did you do a taper?  If so, how long was it?  

I am by no means an expert on this, but I thought maybe we could figure out together the best course of action to take.  I do think that if you only took one dose of Clonazepam and don't want to take it tonight, it should be ok to just not take it.  I don't think you would need to taper it for just one dose.  That might cause more of an issue.

[[Nu...]]

Guess I'm not understanding... you were on Ativan, stopped it, then were reinstated with clonazepam?

There are a few thoughts on clonazepam to lorazepam equivalency. Clonazepam at 0.5mg will range from 1-2mg lorazepam per UNC Chapel Hill.

Per UNC Chapel Hill:

• Clonazepam: 0.5 mg
• Lorazepam: 1-2 mg

[[dj...]]

9 hours ago, [[c...] said:

Hi,

I have been reinstated. Started last night. I was an Ativan user at 0.5-1mg but when I had the bad interaction with the medication, I was given 3mg and then 1-2mg even weren’t working anymore. I did mention all of this to the doctor last night.

I was prescribed a longer-lasting benzo, Clonazepam, at a dosage of 0.5mg, which I believe to be the equivalent to 1mg of Ativan.

 I took it last night. I woke up feeling much worse. More tachycardia, chest pain, shortness of breath, and feeling so weak. I was told it can take some time before my CNS gets readjust and better. But I am scared… scared to make things worse. But I can absolutely not function. My entire body is affected. I cannot work or shower or even breathe properly. If I don’t take the propranolol, I would probably be in the hospital. So obviously, there isn’t much to do…

Does it actually take some time to the body to readjust after reinstatement? When should I see the doctor if that doesn’t work? Also, was putting me back on 0.5 Clonazepam too quick? Should I only take half of it tonight to do a slow uptaper?

I am suffering today. Feeling awful. Feeling scared and afraid…

I reinstated twice, after nearly a year off both times.  I too, went back on clonazepam, and it worked immediately when I started taking it.  Honestly, within an hour I felt the best I had in months, although that didn’t last long.  I’m not aware of the body needing time to “readjust” with benzos.  But I’m not a doctor.  I suppose it’s possible.  Our wiring gets all screwed up after we take benzos for a long time and then go without them.  I’d be vigilant though.  Even my doctor said that sometimes when people go back on benzos they flat out don’t work, and can even cause paradoxical reactions. 
 

Did your doctor ever suggest going on an anticonvulsant like Lamictal or Trileptal instead of going back on benzos?  My doctor is one of the guys behind all this BIND research is that is his default regimen for treating benzo withdrawal. 
 

 

[[ca...]]

8 hours ago, [[N...] said:

Guess I'm not understanding... you were on Ativan, stopped it, then were reinstated with clonazepam?

There are a few thoughts on clonazepam to lorazepam equivalency. Clonazepam at 0.5mg will range from 1-2mg lorazepam per UNC Chapel Hill.

Per UNC Chapel Hill:

• Clonazepam: 0.5 mg
• Lorazepam: 1-2 mg

 

Yes, that’s what it is. They usually put you on a longer acting one if you were on Ativan.

[[ca...]]

8 hours ago, [[B...] said:

Hi @[ca...],

I am so sorry things are so rough right now.  I know how frightening this process can be sometimes.  Can I ask how long you have been off Ativan?  And did you do a taper?  If so, how long was it?  

I am by no means an expert on this, but I thought maybe we could figure out together the best course of action to take.  I do think that if you only took one dose of Clonazepam and don't want to take it tonight, it should be ok to just not take it.  I don't think you would need to taper it for just one dose.  That might cause more of an issue.

I did not do a taper. I unfortunately was sent into acute after taking antibiotics (see acute benzo withdrawal Fluoroquinolones or flagyl) and didn’t know what was happening. Suddenly, Ativan 1-2mg wasn’t even working anymore. The last 2 months was full of kindling and reintroduction that weren’t really working and then CT as I didn’t know why it wasn’t working, etc. Anyways. Nightmare. Had the WORSE withdrawal ever. Thought I was gonna die. I am out of this panic attack part now but the amount of symptoms I have is insane. Almost all of them.

[[Bu...]]

@[ca...],

That sounds awful, I am so sorry!  What did you decide to do about the clonazepam last night?  

 

[[ca...]]

Just now, [[B...] said:

@[ca...],

That sounds awful, I am so sorry!  What did you decide to do about the clonazepam last night?  

I did not take it last night. I really need to look at options. I am already 'withdrawing' from the previous dose, which is so crazy. Cause I never experienced this before I had that reaction with the antibiotics. Could go on and off as I needed. But eh.. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I am hesitant cause I read that everyone can be brought back to stabilization. I mean.. my dream?! Lol. But my nervous system is SO sensitized that even my propranolol hasn’t been working as good on my symptoms since I took that single 0.5 Clonazepam pill..

I was just reading BBB’s recovery story and he said, had he known about it, would have reinstating to avoid going through a 30+ months of hardship. But I don’t know. If it only messes my nervous system even more, how will I survive this?

[[ca...]]

18 hours ago, [[d...] said:

I reinstated twice, after nearly a year off both times.  I too, went back on clonazepam, and it worked immediately when I started taking it.  Honestly, within an hour I felt the best I had in months, although that didn’t last long.  I’m not aware of the body needing time to “readjust” with benzos.  But I’m not a doctor.  I suppose it’s possible.  Our wiring gets all screwed up after we take benzos for a long time and then go without them.  I’d be vigilant though.  Even my doctor said that sometimes when people go back on benzos they flat out don’t work, and can even cause paradoxical reactions. 
 

Did your doctor ever suggest going on an anticonvulsant like Lamictal or Trileptal instead of going back on benzos?  My doctor is one of the guys behind all this BIND research is that is his default regimen for treating benzo withdrawal. 
 

Curious, what dosage did they put you on?

[[Bu...]]

Gosh, I'm sorry.  That is a tough spot to be in.  I think going back and forth might be hard on you, but I don't know for sure.  I think that not taking anymore benzos of any kind might be your best shot at healing.  Has your doctor suggested any other type of medication, besides the propranolol?  

[[dj...]]

2 hours ago, [[c...] said:

Curious, what dosage did they put you on?

I don’t remember.  I want to say I got .5mg tabs and started out taking half and then took .5mg twice a day after a few weeks.  It worked right away.  But I hit tolerance after a few months, which never really happened in the previous 20 years I took it.  The brain gets wired differently after this stopping and restarting, etc. 
 

The overwhelming majority of doctors,  and even psychiatrists, don’t understand the dangers of this drug.  Especially with people that have already exhibited signs of a benzo injury.  They’re going to act even more bizarrely. 

[[ca...]]

14 hours ago, [[d...] said:

I don’t remember.  I want to say I got .5mg tabs and started out taking half and then took .5mg twice a day after a few weeks.  It worked right away.  But I hit tolerance after a few months, which never really happened in the previous 20 years I took it.  The brain gets wired differently after this stopping and restarting, etc. 
 

The overwhelming majority of doctors,  and even psychiatrists, don’t understand the dangers of this drug.  Especially with people that have already exhibited signs of a benzo injury.  They’re going to act even more bizarrely. 

I took 0.5 and about 7 hours later I was displaying symptoms of withdrawal already. I am so not myself. I am freaking out. I cannot believe how bad this medication hurt me, mixed with the flagyl. I am just not myself. Physically and mentally. People around me don’t understand. I get it cause I don’t understand either. I am so sad..

[[Bu...]]

Hey @[ca...],

I was wondering if you decided to try something else or just sit tight for now and see how things pan out.  Mostly, I just wanted to see how you're doing. 

[[ca...]]

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

Hey @[ca...],

I was wondering if you decided to try something else or just sit tight for now and see how things pan out.  Mostly, I just wanted to see how you're doing. 

Hi.. I am meeting with the addiction and complex withdrawal specialist in an hour. My understanding though is that even them don’t believe us… so I am kind of scared he won’t have anything to offer.

 

[[Bu...]]

You never know, sometimes doctors surprise us in a good way.  I'll be hoping and praying he can help. 

And even if he doesn't have anything for you, I believe you will make it through this.  I can't imagine how awful being cold-turkeyed must be, but I know people survive and go on to live beautiful lives.  There are a lot of people here who have been through that special kind of misery and can really understand and help you get through it. 

Keep me posted. ❤

[[...]]

On 8.2.2024 at 01:55, [[d...] said:

Ich erinnere mich nicht. Ich möchte sagen, dass ich 0,5-mg-Tabletten bekam, zunächst die Hälfte einnahm und dann nach ein paar Wochen zweimal täglich 0,5 mg einnahm. Es hat sofort funktioniert. Aber nach ein paar Monaten erreichte ich die Toleranzgrenze, was in den letzten 20 Jahren, in denen ich es eingenommen habe, nie wirklich passiert ist. Das Gehirn wird nach diesem Stoppen und Neustarten usw. anders verdrahtet. 
 

Die überwiegende Mehrheit der Ärzte und sogar Psychiater ist sich der Gefahren dieser Droge nicht bewusst. Besonders bei Menschen, die bereits Anzeichen einer Benzo-Verletzung gezeigt haben. Sie werden sich noch bizarrer verhalten. 

Can I ask after what time you hit tolerance? How did you noticed? Did you taper after that?

[[dj...]]

[[...]]

7 minutes ago, [[d...] said:

Es dauerte etwa 2-3 Monate nach der Wiedereinstellung. Es war ziemlich offensichtlich. Ich habe gerade angefangen, ohne Grund an Schlaflosigkeit und schlimmen Ängsten zu leiden. Wurde unruhig und gereizt. Benzo hat offensichtlich ein paar Monate lang geholfen, und dann, im Laufe von ein paar Wochen, begannen die Dinge schief zu gehen, ohne dass es zu Stress oder ähnlichem im Leben kam. Ja, danach habe ich mit dem Tapering begonnen. 

Thanks a lot for your answer ❤️