HELP NEEDED- Should I reinstate my Klonopin or Lamictal?

[[he...]]

I am at a loss as to what to do. I will see my psychiatrist on Tuesday who will advise me more. I apparently withdrew way too fast off of Klonopin .25mg as I have been experiencing intense depersonalization for the past 2 weeks I have been off of it. I already had depersonalization/derealization prior to going off of it (one of the reasons I want off of it!), but now both are just intensified 10 fold and I am so worried I have done myself an injustice. there are other withdrawal symptoms, but those are manageable. I don’t know if I should reinstate at this time and begin the taper all over again or just stick this out. It seems more than I can bare. I might also ask her about going back on Lamictal (which I successfully withdrew from about 2 months ago) but not certain if this would just complicate things. I would think it might help to balance things back out. All input is appreciated!

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How long have you been off Klonopin?

How fast did you withdraw?

 

Reinstating is a very personal choice.

 

Here's some information about reinstatement from the Ashton Manual Supplement from http://www.benzo.org.uk/ashsupp11.htm.

 

Reinstatement after withdrawal? Many benzodiazepine users who find themselves in this position have withdrawn too quickly; some have undergone 'cold turkey'. They think that if they go back on benzodiazepines and start over again on a slower schedule they will be more successful. Unfortunately, things are not so simple. For reasons that are not clear, (but perhaps because the original experience of withdrawal has already sensitised the nervous system and heightened the level of anxiety) the original benzodiazepine dose often does not work the second time round. Some may find that only a higher dose partially alleviates their symptoms, and then they still have to go through a long withdrawal process again, which again may not be symptom-free.

 

Pharmacologically, neither reinstating nor updosing is really rational. If withdrawal symptoms are still present, it means that the GABA/benzodiazepine receptors have not fully recovered (see above). Further benzodiazepines cause further down-regulation, strengthen the dependence, prolong withdrawal, delay recovery and may lead to protracted symptoms. In general, the longer the person remains on benzodiazepines the more difficult it is to withdraw. On the whole, anyone who remained benzodiazepine-free, or has remained on the same dose, for a number of weeks or months would be ill-advised to start again or to increase dosage. It would be better to devote the brain to solving individual symptoms and to finding sources of advice and support. Advice about how to deal with individual symptoms is given in the Manual (Chapter 3).

 

Hope you can figure something out with your psychiatrist that will work for you.

[[sh...]]

Unfortunately, there is no right or wrong answer.

 

Reinstating could either help your symptoms subside, or it could bring them on further. If it were me, I'd try to stick it out. I'm not sure if you tapered or went ct but, hopefully, the decision you make will be the best for you.

 

You can also do a search to see how others have taken to reinstating.