'Tapering' after 39 years on C-Pam, What can go wrong? Or right...

[[Bu...]]

Hi ya'll, new to forum. At this stage of my life, I've seen it all and I've been through it all; so I'm just checking in to kinda get my thoughts together about my benzo journey/experience.  In a nutshell, I never thought anything about taking benzodiazepine for CB related PTSD.  No informed  consent, just take them they'll help (they did help), they were given to me by, let's say, .gov.  About ~1 1/2 yrs  ago my doctor wanted me to taper off the clonazepam that peaked for many years @ 7mg a day.

Only twice in these 40 years, have I ever had a real problems with my med, once after 9/11 landed me in the emergency room because of inability to sleep, that was without any tapering,  another in 2017 where I had to go cold turkey for two weeks (beyond my control). That definitely gave me a glimpse of the gates to hell.... but I persevered and worked through it.

About a month ago went from 5 mg to 1mg yeah, not logical, but that was my mistake, not the doctors. I'm a couple of days away from a full month now at 1 mg a day. It's not been easy, but I think 'I can say I got this'. I stopped at any and all alcohol consumption, quit caffeine and on/off tobacco consumption. 

How's it going?  Well I noticed I have intense agoraphobia, grit my teeth, a little bit, to very tense, but manageable and strangely enough I sleep a lot, but never get any REM sleep. I have to say I'm smiling as I write this, I've been through worse and everything tells me it's gonna get better.

Thanks, Buzzies Bud

[[Bu...]]

Hello @[Bu...],

Welcome to BenzoBuddies.

Thank you for sharing your story; I'm so glad that you are doing well.  It sounds like you've really been through a lot and I appreciate your positive attitude!  Please let us know if there is anyway that we can support you.

We're glad you're here.

[[Bu...]]

BTW, Is there any association between Benzo withdrawal and tinnitus

[[Bu...]]

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

Hello @[Bu...],

Welcome to BenzoBuddies.

Thank you for sharing your story; I'm so glad that you are doing well.  It sounds like you've really been through a lot and I appreciate your positive attitude!  Please let us know if there is anyway that we can support you.

We're glad you're here.

Thanks

[[PE...]]

40 minutes ago, [[B...] said:

BTW, Is there any association between Benzo withdrawal and tinnitus

Oh yeah i say like 70% have it on some point in the withdrawal. 

[[...]]

Hope it goes well. Sometimes it gets a little harder at lower doses.

Also maybe give it two more weeks before another cut. When I finally jumped from clon it took a month for symptoms to really kick in.

I slept a lot too.

[[Bu...]]

On 22/04/2024 at 09:35, [[P...] said:

Oh yeah i say like 70% have it on some point in the withdrawal. 

I thought it was part of paying, 'I'm getting old dues'...lol  My tinnitus is a 9.5 out of 10 I never really knew where it came from when I looked at the current scientific research and see though it's downplayed, seems to be true. I think all my symptoms tinnitus is the most debilitating, but I try not to focus on it and I have my workarounds, so there's that. I think sometime ago I did research and I don't believe there's any cure for tinnitus, so I don't know what the answer is

.

[[Bu...]]

Would like to make an observation as somebody that's use benzodiazepines as a therapeutic device. When one mentions benzodiazepine to a medical professional, the reaction seems to be most unprofessional and shaming. But now I'm quite clear on hot on who the real culprits are.

[[or...]]

I've been on C as well, 35 years, and I'm doing a super, slow, micro-taper of tablet.  You can see my history of taper here if you would like to: https://benzobuddies.org/profile/243292-[or...]/?tab=field_core_pfield_34

I'm halfway through and I wouldn't recommend any other way that slow, micro, and steady, since I experienced other tapers, and one cold turkey I'll never forget, oregonlady

[[Bu...]]

Well, I see I’m gonna have to get my VA doctor on the micro program, but that may be difficult. We’ll see.

[[Li...]]

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

Well, I see I’m gonna have to get my VA doctor on the micro program, but that may be difficult. We’ll see.

Hello and welcome @[Bu...].  We have another member who is working with a VA doctor.  You might find it helpful to read through his thread at:

 

[[Bu...]]

Sweet Jesus, today I feel like someone drilled a hole in my head and sucked out all the endorphins with a straw, wow this jittery feeling is the pits 

I do realize that feeling goes back a long way, need to Sherlock that

Edited April 27 by [Bu...]
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