question

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if you tapered too quickly, and have been off for two months is there anything you can do

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How quickly did you taper and what amount?

 

What are your symptoms?

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Well, I was prescribed .5mg per day, but in the beginning could only tolerate 1/4 of that.  I was on it for a month when I started to back off.  I never got up to .5mg per day, it was just too much. I pretty much stayed at .25mg for a month, and then the last week or two that I was on it went down to 1/4 of a tab again and then stopped.  In total I was on it for two and half months, but from reading all of the symptoms of too rapid of taper, I am scared I have confusion where you can't place yourself in the world.  I dont know if that is dp/dr, or what.  I can't think straight, I have memory loss, hard to focus, feelings of like how am I even doing this right now?  I know where I am, I just can not connect with it.  I get scared that I will start forgetting more and more things, or forget faces, I don't know what this stuff did to me, but I feel crazy.

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Have you talked to your doctor about discontinuing your medication?

 

What benzo were you taking?  Why were you prescribed a benzo?

 

When you say you could only tolerate a smaller than prescribed dose, what problems did you experience?

 

It's good that you were on a low dose for a short period of time.  Some people can tolerate a rapid taper after short-term use, some suffer many withdrawal symptoms.  Everyone is different.

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Yes, I did, and he told me to just stop taking it because I wasn't taking enough to do anything....I knew better once I tried to skip one dose.  So I found a better dr, who told me it was ok to taper off over a two week period because I wasn't on it very long and it was a low dose.  I am doing acupuncture to help with the nerves, which is helping, but still really struggled with the w/d.  I was taking clonazepam, they gave it to me for anxiety.  I could not tolerate how drugged it made me feel, I just felt so out of it when I was on it.

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Unfortunately many doctors are not very knowledgeable about how to help patients withdraw from benzos.

 

Well back to your initial question if there is anything you can do.  I don't know your medical history or if you take any other medications.  However, when it comes to benzo withdrawal the only thing that truly helps is time.  There are a few things you can do to help you cope with specific symptoms along the way but only time can heal the damage done by benzos.

 

What symptoms are you experiencing?

 

Here is some information from the Ashton Manual regarding coping with symptoms.

 

All the evidence shows that a steady decline in symptoms almost invariably continues after withdrawal, though it can take a long time - even several years in some cases. Most people experience a definite improvement over time so that symptoms gradually decrease to levels nowhere near as intense as in the early days of withdrawal, and eventually almost entirely disappear. All the studies show steady, if slow, improvement in cognitive ability and physical symptoms. Although most studies have not extended beyond a year after withdrawal, the results suggest that improvement continues beyond this time. There is absolutely no evidence that benzodiazepines cause permanent damage to the brain, nervous system or body.

 

People bothered by long-term symptoms can do a lot to help themselves. For example:

 

    Exercise your body. Physical exercise improves the circulation and function of both brain and body. Find an exercise that you enjoy: start at low level, work up gradually and keep it up regularly. Exercise also helps depression, decreases fatigue and increases general fitness.

 

    Exercise your brain. Use your brain to devise methods to improve its efficiency: make lists, do crossword puzzles, find out what bothers you most - there is always a way round it. Cognitive retraining helps people to find ways around their temporary impairment.

 

    Increase your interests. Finding an outside interest which you have to work at employs the brain, increases motivation, diverts attention away from your own symptoms and may even help others.

 

    Calm your emotions. Above all, stop worrying. Worry, fear and anxiety increase all withdrawal symptoms. Many of these symptoms are actually due to anxiety and not signs of brain or nervous system damage. People who fear withdrawal have more intense symptoms than those who just take it as it comes and think positively and confidently about recovery.

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My symptoms are dp/dr, mental fog, difficulty concentrating, short term memory problems.  Sometimes I wonder if I have the whole confusion thing but I don't know if thats just the dp/dr or what.  My w/d have improved since the beginning obviously, but some things are still really bad.

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Also, I was taking lamictal too, but I stopped taking that before the clonazepam, and I was barely taking any of that towards the last few weeks.  Stupid freaking doctors, there is nothing wrong with me mentally, I had a bunch of food allergies making me sick, and they just told me I was crazy.  Now I feel crazy.

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It's good to hear that your withdrawal symptoms have improved.

 

The symptoms you're describing are common during benzo withdrawal.  Some symptoms take longer to decrease and eventually disappear than others.

 

Sometimes it's a good idea to get checked out by a doctor to rule out any other cause and for peace of mind.

 

You're benzo free and you're healing.  It takes time for your nervous system to heal.  Since everyone is different, there is no way to know how long it will take.

 

Be kind to yourself.  Do things you enjoy.  Build a strong support network. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Also, I was taking lamictal too, but I stopped taking that before the clonazepam, and I was barely taking any of that towards the last few weeks.  Stupid freaking doctors, there is nothing wrong with me mentally, I had a bunch of food allergies making me sick, and they just told me I was crazy.  Now I feel crazy.

 

I've also had many frustrating experiences with doctors.  Unfortunately it's an all too common story.

 

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thanks mmgc, I appreciate the advice, I think I will go to a dr, because I am done trying to figure it out.  I guess there is nothing to do but endure it at this point.  Thanks for the help!

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You're welcome.

 

Keep us posted.