Klonopin to valium crossover

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Things have become way worse. I cant take any more. Having very scary thoughts. No body understands. Not doctors or family. There is nothing any one can do for me. I tapered for 6 months and have be off med for about a 1 1/2 months and it just keeps getting worse. No windows. I read posts and i cant go another 4 or 5 or whatever months for any relief.  No sleep , relentless nausea, cant eat, lost 30 lbs and a host of other symptoms. How can this be from such short term use.  Not the way i wanted to go out. 

[[Li...]]

Oh no @[...], I am so sorry to hear this.  Your doctors and family may not understand but we do.  The symptoms you’re experiencing sound like acute benzodiazepine withdrawal to me.

1. How many days has it been since you stopped taking the clonazepam?
2. What was your total daily dose (TDD) of clonazepam in milligrams of drug at that time?
3. Were your symptoms tolerable and stable (i.e. not changing) at that dose?  If not, what was the TDD the last time your symptoms were tolerable and stable?

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Its been about 40 days since i jumped at .08 mg per day. I had symptoms but was tolerable. 

[[Li...]]

@[...]

Forty days is within the timeframe for acute withdrawal.

It’s also within the timeframe for reinstatement.

What’s your gut telling you?

Are you leaning toward:

(1) Tough it out for a while longer to see if your withdrawal symptoms start trending toward the tolerable range?

or 

(2) Reinstate at 0.08mg and (if needed) gradually titrating your dose upward to see if you get relief?

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I know every case is different but is there a range of time for acute symptoms to ease. 

[[Li...]]

Not to my knowledge.  As you’ve said, every case is different.  

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Have members started lexapro or mirtazipine at this point in their recovery or do you think that would be a mistake ?  

[[Li...]]

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I have a doctor that wanted to prescribe mirtazipine knowing i was in withdraw from klonopin. Sounds like a bad idea like every other attempt at easing symptoms.  Ugh. 

[[Li...]]

Regrettably, many clinicians lack the knowledge and experience to safely taper benzodiazepines or assist patients post-cessation. 

How are your symptoms today, @[...]? Any signs of stabilization or lessening?

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About the same maybe a little less.  I cant go back. Will try to push ahead.  Hardest thing I have ever battled. Hope this acute stage eases in a couple weeks.    

[[Li...]]

I’d take ‘maybe a little less’ as a win, @[...].   Although many, perhaps even most individuals are able to stop benzodiazepines with little or no problems, some of us are not so fortunate.  As the saying goes, ‘The only way out is through.’

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@[Li...] thank you for continuing to hang in there with me. I am going to stop trying to explain my condition to family.  They will never understand.  On another note I think the hospital forced me to jump too soon at .08 mg.  No turning back now. It would just prolong the agony. Do you agree?  I seem to be rambling but at least its a distraction. I will continue to update.  Heres hoping acute stage goes quickly.  

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@[Li...]  I may have asked this question before but benzo brain I guess.  Are you aware of any members that have had success with Thc ( gummies) for sleep without ramping up withdraws. What would be a good mg amount to use? Do these type if meds extend the w/d timeline? 

[[Li...]]

You’re most welcome @[...].  I agree with you that discontinuing the clonazepam at a dose of 0.08mg was not a good idea.  Although that may sound like a small dose, clonazepam is a very potent benzodiazepine.  The fact that it’s manufactured in a strength of 0.125mg tells us that it still has therapeutic effect at that level and 0.08mg is not all that much less than that.  (Also just because a drug is no longer exerting a therapeutic effect does not mean that it isn’t having an effect.  Benzodiazepines affect multiple receptors/neurotransmitters and cause multiple neuroadaptations.)

Although some people are of the opinion that reinstating just ‘prolongs the agony’ I am not one of them.  If symptoms are intolerable and functionality is severely impaired, it seems sensible to at least consider reinstatement, especially in cases of an abrupt cessation (cold turkey) that occurred fairly recently.

[[Li...]]

[[Li...]]

@[...] I just realized it’s been a week since we’ve heard from you.  How are you doing?

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@[Li...] I decided not to reinstate. Am going through windows and waves.  I may have just developed a bit of appetite which I have not had for about six months.  Hope it continues. Still having same food triggers, mainly gluten. Hoping I am beginning to turn the corner but have thought that before and was wrong so will see how it goes. Will post again when I see improvement. 

[[Li...]]

Thank you for touching base @[...]. I’m sure I am not the only member who has been wondering how you are doing.

The return of your appetite is an encouraging sign!  However, you are wise to recognize that the recovery process is non-linear.  Symptoms may come and go as your body returns to its pre-benzo homeostatic set point.  If they continue to be tolerable and trending in a overall positive direction (i.e. decreasing in number and nature), the likelihood of a positive outcome is good.