Clonazepan for 25 years

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Hello. I started this topic a while ago. I didn´t know if it was possible to be without benzodiazepines. Apparently it is, but with a few problems. I plan on later to post my story here, but for now is suffice to say that I didn´t take then in a while. About a month. I´m experiencing some severe dizziness, which made me unable to work properly. I hope that this gets better in time. has anyone had any dizziness, and how long did it last?

[[Br...]]

Hello @[...] - Welcome to BenzoBuddies!  We're glad you found us.

Dizziness is a common withdrawal symptoms.  I'm sorry yours is intense right now.  Like all withdrawal symptoms dizziness tends to fade away with time.  How long it takes varies from one individual to another but the important thing to remember is it will ease up as you heal.

Please tell us more about your taper and let us know how we can help you.  In the meantime I am moving your post to the Benzodiazepine Withdrawal, Use & Recovery forum where members will be more likely to see it and will be able to respond. 

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Hello Brighterday! Thank you for replying. I certainly hope it goes away

My dizziness is very bad, I can´t work properly, but I´m doing the best I can right now. I certainly hope this gets better. I´m taking Antivert about 75 mg a day for this dizziness. My taper was short really, I started in december 2023, and ended in february 2024. I began to slow down the clonazepam that I was taking, about 50 drops a day (about 6,5mg a day), to diazepam 20 mg a day until I stopped taking in february for a few days. I took the clonazepam 1 drop a day a few days ago and then I stopped. I don´t know if I´m going to continue this, I want to, but I also need to address my issues with extreme social anxiety, insonnia, and this awful dizziness that I feel. This diziness is what got me scared enough to stop taking, it started in december, whem I was still taking the clonazepam. But it´s been a long time since I wanted to quit this medication, it made me tired all the time, and I seemed different from what I used to be, very slow really. Amd emotionally numb a bit.

I guess the medication also mess with my intestine, I´m having trapped intestine issues?! I guess. 

But the anxiety of having to go out and do my job is what really got me worried. That, and also dizziness got me worried sick, so I´m still watching how my body reacts to be without medication.  I´m also feeling not focused enough, I don´t know if is the dizziness or to be without clonazepam, but hoping to feel better.

Best wishes,

Bia

Edited March 12 by [...]

[[Br...]]

Hi @[...] - It sounds like you did an extremely fast taper.   What was your starting dose of clonazepam?

Did you ever start and stop benzodiazepines before or did you take clonazepam consistently for the 25 year period?  

It sounds like you had dizziness while you were on clonazepam and that's one of the reasons you wanted to stop taking it.   I'm sorry it's so severe and affecting your ability to function.  Was it as severe before you stopped taking the clonazepam and diazepam?

Digestive problems are very common in withdrawal too.

It can take some time for many of us but these symptoms will fade away as you heal.

 

 

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Hi, Brighterday! how are you doing?

Yes, my taper was really short. I started on benzodiazepines when I was 18 years old. I was taking bromazepam 6mg a day, for my social anxiety. After a year or so, I began taking clonazepam since I was having allergies due to bromazepam and it worked fine during this time. I also had allergies all the time, but they are gone now. So I took clonazepam consistently during 25 years. The dose went up very fast and by the time I quit was about 6,5 mg clonazepam a day.

I tried to stop the benzos a few times, especially in the begining, so I didn´t take it when I was in vacation from college, but the withdraw was too difficult so I couldn´t stop taking the benzo, and I took for 25 years.

About 2 years ago I stopped for about 10 days and was very scared with the withdraw, I was shaking incontrollably, so I ended up taking again.

So, this time I prepared myself, and I manage to stop the benzo. I was having this dizziness and wanted to quit, because of the dizziness as well. I think the dizziness became more severe as I quit the benzo, and I seem to be experiencing a problem with my ability to focus and read and I feel some detachment from the emotions. 

So, do you believe that at least the dizziness will get better in time? Because I´m having the dizziness since december, but I think it has gotten worse with the withdraw.

Thank you very much for your reply

Best wishes,

Bia.

[[Br...]]

Hi @[...] -

Thanks for adding more info.  

I think your dizziness will get better with time as you heal.  Problems focusing and feeling detached from your emotions are also common withdrawal symptoms.  Here's a link to a pretty comprehensive list of Withdrawal Symptoms.  

Many of us tapered quickly off of benzos.  Tapering too quickly can set us up for difficult withdrawal symptoms that take a while to resolve.  Some but not all of this can be more manageable if a person tapers slowly.  The important thing is many of us have gone on to heal.  For instance, I was put through a taper that was way too fast by my doctor before I knew any better.  It took time for my symptoms to ease up and fade away but I healed.  

There are many ways we know of that can help cope with withdrawal symptoms.  Here are two of what I think are the most effective tools: 

Distraction:  Distraction works by focusing outward on the external world—rather than inward toward the self.  The idea is to pour yourself into activities like walking, cooking, tidying, household projects, puzzles, drawing/painting, funny TV shows, etc. - anything that absorbs your attention so you stop focusing on your symptoms.

Self-care:  Taking the best care of yourself that you can: moderate exercise; a healthy well balanced diet; drinking plenty of water; avoiding stress as much as possible; regularly practicing relaxation exercises like yoga; deep breathing; etc.

Here's a link to other Coping Techniques.

I hope this helps.  Please let us know how thing are going and reach out with any questions you have.

[[Nu...]]

My dizziness did improve, but took a few months. I struggle with it still, but it's not near as noticeable. I can survive with it. It was hard to walk straight at one point...

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Hello Brighterday! Thank you so much for replying. I went outside today to buy some clothes, and I couln´t drive, so I walked all the way. Tomorrow I´ll get outside again. My mother was with me, or it would not be possible to go outside. I certainly hopes this gets better and my ability to focus. I´m sorry that your doctor wasnt very careful with your taper, doctors don´t seem to be careful enough about this medication.

Thank you  for the links I´ll look very carefully into that. This is very helpful. It makes me want to endure the withdraw.

Best wishes, 

Bia

Edited March 15 by [...]

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

My dizziness did improve, but took a few months. I struggle with it still, but it's not near as noticeable. I can survive with it. It was hard to walk straight at one point...

Hi Nursing Buddy! Thank you for replying. Sorry to hear about your dizziness, this is really bad and difficult. You got better, thats great! How long did it take?

Best wishes,

Bia

Edited March 15 by [...]

[[Nu...]]

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On 15/03/2024 at 01:20, [[N...] said:

It is tough! It's hard to say how long it took -- everything made progress, like molasses, and it's hard to pinpoint a time frame. Maybe about 5-6 months?

Hi, Nursing Buddy! Wow, so it does take a while to get better. Thank you.