HOW LONG DOES SHORTNESS OF BREATH LAST

[[ca...]]

2 minutes ago, [[C...] said:

I agree with your assessment. Detox will have you off the meds safely but it is basically a slightly slower cold turkey that is medically supervised.

I did not recall that you were on 2 to 3 mg of Klonopin as recently as Apr 7th. How long were you on that dose? No wonder you are having trouble stabilizing at .75 mg. That wasn't your original dose but the dose you were on after your very first cut.

Your body is most likely still adjusting to the loss of 1.25 to 2.25 mgs. Your insomnia already made sense before, but now it is more apparent than ever what your body has been dealing with these last months. 

Things may likely improve for you little by little as the weeks go by. Please continue to keep us updated on any progress or changes.

So, you wouldn't recommend going back at this point on? It would be a huge stepback. 

Yes, sadly, that was my original dose. 

[[Cr...]]

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

So, you wouldn't recommend going back at this point on? It would be a huge stepback. 

Yes, sadly, that was my original dose. 

Let me sum up your situation.

*on klonopin for about 2 years eventually reaching 2 to 3 mg per day

*on April 7th you decided to come off and cut down to .75 mg instantly. The next 1.5 months you tapered down .25 mg but then crashed hard

*beginning of June you admitted yourself to hospital where they updosed you back to .75 mg.

*You are having trouble stabilizing and your most troublesome symptoms are shortness of breath and insomnia

All this is correct?

Since it has almost been 3 months since you were last on 2mg+, there is a chance that going back to that dose might not bring too much relief due to changes that have already occurred. That said, I have seen people that managed to successfully reinstate after being off completely for several months.

The fact that it is a gamble is what is most frustrating. If you absolutely do not feel like you can tough this out, it may be possible to get relief at dose that is still lower than your max dose. 1.25 to 1.75 may be enough if your doctor is willing to go that route. With your heart condition I'd hate for you to go through unnecessary extra suffering.

How are you feeling in regards to holding out where you are (.75mg)? You think you can tough it out? Our admin Pamster dealt with a cold turkey detox from around 6 to 7mgs of klonopin a day and managed to heal fully in about a year. Insomnia was one of her worst symptoms.

[[ca...]]

14 minutes ago, [[C...] said:

Let me sum up your situation.

*on klonopin for about 2 years eventually reaching 2 to 3 mg per day

*on April 7th you decided to come off and cut down to .75 mg instantly. The next 1.5 months you tapered down .25 mg but then crashed hard

*beginning of June you admitted yourself to hospital where they updosed you back to .75 mg.

*You are having trouble stabilizing and your most troublesome symptoms are shortness of breath and insomnia

All this is correct?

Since it has almost been 3 months since you were last on 2mg+, there is a chance that going back to that dose might not bring too much relief due to changes that have already occurred. That said, I have seen people that managed to successfully reinstate after being off completely for several months.

The fact that it is a gamble is what is most frustrating. If you absolutely do not feel like you can tough this out, it may be possible to get relief at dose that is still lower than your max dose. 1.25 to 1.75 may be enough if your doctor is willing to go that route. With your heart condition I'd hate for you to go through unnecessary extra suffering.

How are you feeling in regards to holding out where you are (.75mg)? You think you can tough it out? Our admin Pamster dealt with a cold turkey detox from around 6 to 7mgs of klonopin a day and managed to heal fully in about a year. Insomnia was one of her worst symptoms.

You are correct on your recap of events. 

I think I can tough it out as going back as you mention would most likely not relief my symptoms.  I was thinking on going to a 1mg dose and continue from there. My doctor received that tittle I don't know how as she clueless on how to taper that's why I took matters into my own hands.  She is pretty much in the picture just to do my LTD paperwork and prescribe as I wish. 

Yes, I have my heart condition and that's why I don't want to put more stress in my body. What do you think about going back to 1mg and hold?

Or how should I distribute the .75mg during the day???? If I decide to hold.

Edited June 29 by [ca...]

[[Cr...]]

31 minutes ago, [[c...] said:

, I have my heart condition and that's why I don't want to put more stress in my body. What do you think about going back to 1mg and hold?

With your doctor's backing you certainly can see if 1mg improves things. You might not be able to tell right away since awhile back you tested out taking an extra .25mg just for one night to try to get some sleep and found no benefit.

You could either see about increasing by .25 (or .125) a day until you feel stable 'enough'. Or you can increase by .25 a week until you feel stable enough.

First option makes it so that if the higher doses do not help, it will be much easier to come back down to .75 mg since you only went up in dose for a few days. The downside is that depending on the state of your cns, one day may not be enough to determine the best dose.

Second option gives you a decent amount of time to feel how each higher dose would affect you in regards to stabilizing making it more likely you will stabilize on a lower dose. The downside is that it is more likely your body may not have an easy time dropping back down to .75 if none of the doses work.

There may be even better options out but for now you can try going ti 1 mg and see how that goes.

[[ca...]]

27 minutes ago, [[C...] said:

With your doctor's backing you certainly can see if 1mg improves things. You might not be able to tell right away since awhile back you tested out taking an extra .25mg just for one night to try to get some sleep and found no benefit.

You could either see about increasing by .25 (or .125) a day until you feel stable 'enough'. Or you can increase by .25 a week until you feel stable enough.

First option makes it so that if the higher doses do not help, it will be much easier to come back down to .75 mg since you only went up in dose for a few days. The downside is that depending on the state of your cns, one day may not be enough to determine the best dose.

Second option gives you a decent amount of time to feel how each higher dose would affect you in regards to stabilizing making it more likely you will stabilize on a lower dose. The downside is that it is more likely your body may not have an easy time dropping back down to .75 if none of the doses work.

There may be even better options out but for now you can start with 1 mg and see how that goes.

How would you spread 1mg and .75mg depending on what route I choose?

Edited June 30 by [ca...]

[[Ca...]]

I have two  pulse oxymeters; sometimes they read below 90 when I first put my index finger in but it usually goes to 93-99 eventually. I was told anything under 90 was not good. I also updosed almost two mgs from 12.2 to 14 mgs of valium and held for three months. Did nothing. I think I should have slowed my microtaper rate. I resumed the microtaper three weeks ago and my physical pain increased significantly. Hindsight is 20/20.

Nothing I am saying is very significant so I am perplexed as to why my text is automatically underlining.....

[[Ca...]]

maybe I was typing in the wrong box

[[ca...]]

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

How would you spread 1mg and .75mg depending on what route I choose?

Crono, just decided to stay at .75mg

I got no sleep last night but we shall see how I do the next couple of days or weeks.

 

 

[[ca...]]

Hi Crono, I have to say that I am freaking out finding out that I've been taking a different brand than Teva since I started my taper on April ( aurobindo brand) I wonder if that has contributed to my symptoms. Could you please give me some comfort and support. I'm terrified and shaking. This whole thing has been an ordeal for me. Thanks Crono.

[[Cr...]]

13 minutes ago, [[c...] said:

Hi Crono, I have to say that I am freaking out finding out that I've been taking a different brand than Teva since I started my taper on April ( aurobindo brand) I wonder if that has contributed to my symptoms. Could you please give me some comfort and support. I'm terrified and shaking. This whole thing has been an ordeal for me. Thanks Crono.

Carlos, I am almost certain that your problems mostly stem from tapering from 2 to 3 mgs down to .75 mg in a single cut. The brand change is probably a negligible factor compared to the sudden dose change.

There is no reason to stress about brand changes relative to the overall picture. You are not currently tapering so slight variances between brands isn't really a needed concern.

[[ca...]]

Hi Crono, thanks for all your support.

I think that I have exhausted all my options to get some sleep.  I'm not sleeping and I had became a useless rag during the day. I'm supposed to get the Teva brand tomorrow from Walgreens to see if that cuts me a brake. Mirtazapine does not work anymore.  Any last words of advice? It is crazy how long I have been without proper sleep. Before my taper back in April I was getting at least 2 or 3 hours here and there. Now is zero. I look very sick.

[[Mi...]]

Hi Carlos I’m so sorry to hear this - I am on 0.75mg clonazepam.  This may not be popular in this forum to recommend adding more medication - but I take trazadone and I have been able to sleep.  I take 88mg.  I am so sorry for what you are going through - praying for you right now.  
hang in there 

Megan 

[[Mi...]]

I also agree with Crono - the most I’ve ever been able to taper clonazepam is .03mg every 2 to 4 weeks.  And even that has been too fast.  I recently messed up and reduced my trazadone too fast - when I reinstated the full dose - a lot of the horrible withdrawals I’d been experience (lack of sleep, akathisia) went away - this was only a couple of weeks ago so still not perfect yet but much improved.  Praying you will get to a better place.  I have so much compassion for what you are going through.  
xoxo 

[[Mi...]]

Kind of sounds like you need to go back to 3mg and start over very slowly.  But this is just my opinion. Hang in there 

xoxo 

[[Cr...]]

49 minutes ago, [[c...] said:

Hi Crono, thanks for all your support.

I think that I have exhausted all my options to get some sleep.  I'm not sleeping and I had became a useless rag during the day. I'm supposed to get the Teva brand tomorrow from Walgreens to see if that cuts me a brake. Mirtazapine does not work anymore.  Any last words of advice? It is crazy how long I have been without proper sleep. Before my taper back in April I was getting at least 2 or 3 hours here and there. Now is zero. I look very sick.

Just trying to learn more about your past. What were you originally prescribed clonazepam for and what dose? What factor caused you to want to taper off so quickly?

As @[Mi...] said, sleep didn't get better until she got back to her original dose with the Traz she made a huge cut to. That may be the case with you, although going back up with benzos is always a crap shoot on whether it will work or not. Your sleep should improve over time even if you held steady at .75mg. Although if updosing were to work you would probably get relief almost instantly. It is tough to know the best route and depends on your own willpower.

And don't concern yourself with how withdrawal is making you look. I got down close to 140 lbs by the time my withdrawal finally ended. Within a year and a half later I was told I looked like an MMA fighter. You can make drastic improvements to your body once this is over. So don't let the way WD makes you look bother you. It is all temporary.

[[ca...]]

6 minutes ago, [[C...] said:

Just trying to learn more about your past. What were you originally prescribed clonazepam for and what dose? What factor caused you to want to taper off so quickly?

As @[Mi...] said, sleep didn't get better until she got back to her original dose with the Traz she made a huge cut to. That may be the case with you, although going back up with benzos is always a crap shoot on whether it will work or not. Your sleep should improve over time even if you held steady at .75mg. Although if updosing were to work you would probably get relief almost instantly. It is tough to know the best route and depends on your own willpower.

And don't concern yourself with how withdrawal is making you look. I got down close to 140 lbs by the time my withdrawal finally ended. Within a year and a half later I was told I looked like an MMA fighter. You can make drastic improvements to your body once this is over. So don't let the way WD makes you look bother you. It is all temporary.

Hi Crono,

I started on Benzos due to high stress, health anxiety  and eventually insomnia. I started at 1mg twice a day but I was many times taking 3mg with so much stress caused by a heart condition that was caused by stress. I was a gealthy 50 year old until Feb 2022. That is when I started with stress, headaches and high blood pressure. From there, everything went south. One heart stent then another. Stress through  the roof and taking clonazepam trying to scape. Then I was told that I needed open heart surgery. More stress, less sleep always worry, overthinking,scared. I had open heart surgery (triple bypass)on Sep. 2023 but I didn't recover well because I was not sleeping well not able to do cardiac rehab. Health anxiety and stress continued where two of the grafts got occluded. About two months ago I got two more stents in one of the blocked grafts.  Among all this mess since 2022, I tried AD, anxiolitics and I didn't respond well to any. There were too stimulating and created more anxiety because I couldn't do anything due to lack of energy.

I went from being athletic and healthy to this mess.

I noticed that the benzos were my problem in regards to sleep and anxiety and this is why I decided (not the doctor) to come off of it.  She wanted to put me on a higher dose of clonazepam so I could sleep and I refused. 

This is so freaking sad for me because I have had no life since then. Lost my jobs, house,friends etc.  Now I'm trapped in an apartment trying to overcome this process with my girlfriend who barely understands my situation.

God was my mediator and goy approved for LTD until April 2025 but time is counting down. I'm trying to take my day at a time but is so hard. Sometimes I don't even know if this shortness of breath is from my heart or the stupid benzos. I have made somany trips to the ER that causes me more anxiety as they say that my heart is "stable" but I feel inside that all this trauma has not helped my heart recovery. Rest is so crucial for thisttpe of healing and I haven't had that.

Going back to the original dose will probably make me crazy as the times a tried higher doses trying to get some sleep, anxiety came back with a revenge. 

I will continue this journey as it has been. No turning back. I will let God make the decision to take me away or keep me alive. He acts in very strange ways but they say that he has a purpose for all of us. 

This is so hard Crono, I'm crying like a little baby now. If I could only sleep some hours, things would be so different. 

Sorry for my typos and nonsense.  I'm just typing along. Thank you guys. 😪😪😪😪😪. This was me on Deb 2022. I didnt look my age. Now I look crazy.

[[ca...]]

Just spoke with my mom and it is so frustrating that nobody understands, nobody unless you have lived this nightmare. She wanted to send me to Colombia to a holistic center for detox and she tells me that I would have had all of this out my system already in a month. I had to end the phone call because she oblivious of what she is taking about. I so hurt brother. Jesus Christ is my only hope , my only hope

[[Cr...]]

Thank you for giving some more detailed background Carlos. I wasn't sure if you got off of Klonopin mainly because you were sick of relying on a medication, side effects, or it was making you feel worse the longer you were on it.

If you felt OK while you were still on 2 mg then going back up in dose to stabilize would be a safer gamble in the risk/rewards angle. But it seems that even at 2mg you were having breathing issues from anxiety and insomnia.

That is a really good photo btw, and you look genuinely happy! If you don't want that bike anymore just let me know  But I stand by what I said before, you can easily recover lost ground when this is all behind you. Since you are a tattoo connoisseur, maybe add another one of you slaying the benzo beast?

Right now you are probably just in a state of shock as if your whole life has been turned on its head. What you went through with your heart and now withdrawal truly can feel like the rug has been torn out from underneath you. But these trials and tribulations will ultimately make you stronger. Some say bad things often happen for a reason, often bringing about a better good. You seem like a good man, so while I feel things will turn out fine in the longterm, I am hoping that you get some relief soon in the short-term.

[[Cr...]]

4 minutes ago, [[c...] said:

Just spoke with my mom and it is so frustrating that nobody understands, nobody unless you have lived this nightmare. She wanted to send me to Colombia to a holistic center for detox and she tells me that I would have had all of this out my system already in a month. I had to end the phone call because she oblivious of what she is taking about. I so hurt brother. Jesus Christ is my only hope , my only hope

Try not to be too upset with her. She means well. Many people think that benzos are like any other drug or medication in that if someone is having trouble coming off it is because they are "addicted" and they only need to find a way to stop using the med to quickly recover (like a detox). As we know that is rarely ever the case with benzos, especially for those that find their way onto this site. 

This process is rough. Imagine doing a cold turkey off of 6 to 10 mg if clonazepam after many years of use like Pamster did. Insomnia was one of the worst symptoms for her just like it is for you. The thing that sucks about insomnia is that sleep is not only a temporary escape from withdrawal, but it helps give us the physical and mental strength to endure withdrawal while awake.

Little by little things will improve. The changes may be ever so slight as to hardly be noticed at first. You seem like a fighter Carlos. That is good. I will do my best to see you through this.

[[ca...]]

Definitely updosing is not an option. I became very tolerant to those doses and were not working anymore. I was still not functioning and decided to grab the bull by the horns and get off. I figured that was my problem. I was on 100 mg of zoloft until December 2023 and I taper thar one. I can do this. Whether I make it or not is up to God. I just have to be wise and patient.

 

[[ca...]]

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

I also agree with Crono - the most I’ve ever been able to taper clonazepam is .03mg every 2 to 4 weeks.  And even that has been too fast.  I recently messed up and reduced my trazadone too fast - when I reinstated the full dose - a lot of the horrible withdrawals I’d been experience (lack of sleep, akathisia) went away - this was only a couple of weeks ago so still not perfect yet but much improved.  Praying you will get to a better place.  I have so much compassion for what you are going through.  
xoxo 

Thank you Mrgan for your prayers. 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[[Mi...]]

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

Thank you Mrgan for your prayers. 🙏🏻🙏🏻

Of course - i am praying for guidance for you and clarity, peace and sleep - God bless you - we will make it through this - we will… by the way - my first time I tried to quit klonopin I fully quit, was off for 3 months but had panic attacks etc. reinstated full dose and they went away.  Second time I tried to quit - only in withdrawals for a week but they were really bad.  Reinstated full dose and all went away.  Made extremely dumb decision to switch from nightly klonopin to Xanax - was having interdose withdrawals.  This time I did direct switch to Klonopin and had to updose to 0.75.  Devastating to me as I’d been on 0.125 in the past.  But once again my symptoms, insomnia, no appetite went away.  This is just my experience everyone is different.  It is so so hard to reinstate.  But then for me - it is just impossible not to taper slowly.  I guess I’m not very strong.  Just my experience - you know your body best.   Praying you will figure this out Carlos and sending a hug your way.  
xoxo 

Megan 

[[ca...]]

2 minutes ago, [[M...] said:

Of course - i am praying for guidance for you and clarity, peace and sleep - God bless you - we will make it through this - we will… by the way - my first time I tried to quit klonopin I fully quit, was off for 3 months but had panic attacks etc. reinstated full dose and they went away.  Second time I tried to quit - only in withdrawals for a week but they were really bad.  Reinstated full dose and all went away.  Made extremely dumb decision to switch from nightly klonopin to Xanax - was having interdose withdrawals.  This time I did direct switch to Klonopin and had to updose to 0.75.  Devastating to me as I’d been on 0.125 in the past.  But once again my symptoms, insomnia, no appetite went away.  This is just my experience everyone is different.  It is so so hard to reinstate.  But then for me - it is just impossible not to taper slowly.  I guess I’m not very strong.  Just my experience - you know your body best.   Praying you will figure this out Carlos and sending a hug your way.  
xoxo 

Megan 

Thanks Megan, God bless you. 

I just got off my knees praying and asking God for guidance and peace. To wrap me around his arms and don't let me suffer. I also hope that you recover, we deserve a second chance as we didn't know any better. Big hug for you as well. 🤗🤗

[[Mi...]]

Praying for you this minute Carlos… hang in there 

xoxo 

Megan 

[[ca...]]

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

Praying for you this minute Carlos… hang in there 

xoxo 

Megan 

Hi Megan, thank you foryour prayers. I defenitely need them. It is defenitely noticeable that the generic brand Aurobindo lacks the same effect as the Teva brand. I called the pharmacy and they don't have it eventhough they said they would get a shipment today. They received a Solco brand. I'm getting a really bad wave since last night. Heightened anxiety and really bad shortness of breath along with the devastating insomnia and chest pressure/pain. 

I am also praying to our Lord to keep me safe. I'm so scared and alone.

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻