The Klonopin Klub

[[...]]

Gilster, praying for you.  This is a huge, dramatic transition.  Transitions are hard for anyone.  In wd, every grievous feeling is magnified.  Comfort yourself any way possible.

 

HI KlonopinKarl,  I don't know about your situation, but there are buddies here who are farther along than I am and will help you.  I am so sorry for your distress, depression, and fear.  I will be praying for you.  Strength, Hope, Wisdom, and endurance.

 

Bets, I hope you don't need any of the stockpile you are prudently gathering;  I hope you have an online BB yardsale after you jump...all new and unused items !!

 

KGirl,  I hope today is much better for you.

 

ME:  UGH.  Crying, frustrated, not a pretty sight.  Another rough night and day.  Walking has been my one salvation even if I am crazy with anxiety.  I couldn't get out there today again.  2 days without walking...feeling desperate.  All the usual thoughts like "maybe this is the real me; I am being dramatic; there is no way out..."  We know they are lies but I am tired and feeling a little nuts. 

 

It is my 2nd day taking progesterone.  The norm was 700-4000 progesterone.  I was at 64.  That is an F, right?  It supposedly makes you relax, but without the anxiety I am not walking.  I feel embarrassed at how dramatic I am feeling.  Bottom line is I gotta get through one more day.

 

I really hope this isn't "just me."  Been crying again all morning.

 

I will take anyone's prayers.  Anything.

 

With that, hope and light and prayers for mercy for all my dear buddies.

Nomo

 

 

 

[[NY...]]

 

 

KlonopinKarl- I 'jumped' off at .005mg, and I think others on this thread did similarly.  IMHO, the fear you are feeling now about jumping/withdrawal is likely more harmful and anxiety provoking than the actual jump & outcome.  Most BBs feel remarkably better once completely off - Kgirl, Daisies, and myself included (we all jumped in the last month or so).    If depression creeps in, know that it will pass as all symptoms do.  You will be okay! Good luck, and congratulations! 

 

CD - Ahh, so happy to hear you're enjoying a window. I hope it stays open for a long LONG time.  Big hug PW.

 

Bennie - GREAT news about the driving!!   Glad to hear you're feeling some relief.  Hugs to you too! 

Glister - Sorry to read of your grief. I'm holding you in my thoughts.

 

All - take good care, one breath at a time.  Sending love to all.

 

I'm doing okay, heading out now for another weekend away to see friends.  Not feeling anywhere close to 100%, but well enough to hike, swim, socialize, be joyful.  That is all that really matters.

 

WR

 

 

 

[[NY...]]

Gilster, praying for you.  This is a huge, dramatic transition.  Transitions are hard for anyone.  In wd, every grievous feeling is magnified.  Comfort yourself any way possible.

 

HI KlonopinKarl,  I don't know about your situation, but there are buddies here who are farther along than I am and will help you.  I am so sorry for your distress, depression, and fear.  I will be praying for you.  Strength, Hope, Wisdom, and endurance.

 

Bets, I hope you don't need any of the stockpile you are prudently gathering;  I hope you have an online BB yardsale after you jump...all new and unused items !!

 

KGirl,  I hope today is much better for you.

 

ME:  UGH.  Crying, frustrated, not a pretty sight.  Another rough night and day.  Walking has been my one salvation even if I am crazy with anxiety.  I couldn't get out there today again.  2 days without walking...feeling desperate.  All the usual thoughts like "maybe this is the real me; I am being dramatic; there is no way out..."  We know they are lies but I am tired and feeling a little nuts. 

 

It is my 2nd day taking progesterone.  The norm was 700-4000 progesterone.  I was at 64.  That is an F, right?  It supposedly makes you relax, but without the anxiety I am not walking.  I feel embarrassed at how dramatic I am feeling.  Bottom line is I gotta get through one more day.

 

I really hope this isn't "just me."  Been crying again all morning.

 

I will take anyone's prayers.  Anything.

 

With that, hope and light and prayers for mercy for all my dear buddies.

Nomo

 

Nomo, just read this. 

 

So sorry you are suffering today.  These feelings are not a true reflection of you, and they will pass.  Please do what you can to distract until the storm passes.  It will pass.  It always does.  I will paste this closing from Eli's success story - good reminders for us all.  Big hugs and love to you, WR

 

It just takes time. You have to hold on, and when you think you can’t hold on any longer, you have to hold on.

 

You may not “feel” hope through much of the journey, but you have hope. It is right there in the deep recesses of your very being. It is inside every one of us and constantly whispers to us. Don’t let the shouting of your ailing brain convince you that it’s not there.  It is there. It is speaking…constantly speaking truth and saying to hold on one more minute, one more hour, one more day…until you are one more healed man or woman. ..who then becomes a voice of hope for someone else to hear over the noise of their ailing brain.

 

Hold on. Just hold on. And you will heal. It’s a promise.

[[ca...]]

WR, Thanks and so very glad your getting out and about so enjoy and be careful in this heat !  @ Nomo , it`s a wave your in just hang on I for sure understand how your feeling as yesterday I felt so good most of the day and today not so great so I am trying to work thru this doom and gloom I feel today and know that yesterday was a good day and I wiLl get more days like I had. So please try and not get to far down as this is a hard mind game and thinking back on the good days will help ! @ Gilster don`t be so hard on yourself as life throws us many curves but we need to keep going and I know You have a strong faith so think of this as God`s plan for you ! Healing Huggs to ( Everyone ) ~CD

[[...]]

CD and WR;  Thanks.  Am re-reading your responses over and over.  There is nothing like words from you guys because I know you have been here.  I gotta distract and get through.    WR, I love Eli's stuff.  THANK YOU.

 

After our fight (I am not an easy chick to be around today, to say the least,) my husband said, "You are taking your body and brain on a conastoga ride through hell right now and you are angry at yourself that you can't make an apple pie in there during the ride.  Just get through it and it will be easy to do all those things when the ride is over."

 

I do get very angry and frustrated with myself.  Scared of future bogey men too.  Time to calm down and get through this hour by hour.  Time to re-read your loving responses a few dozen times.

 

Have FUN out there WR!!  Hang on CD, I will include you each time I pray for strength and calm for myself.

 

Better times coming. 

[[Be...]]

He guys.  I haven't posted in this thread before but I'm really in need of reaching out here.  So I'm at 0.0035 mg of Klonopin using a water titration. Yeah, less than 4 micrograms.  I can make a single pill last forever at this point.  It's been a multi year taper.  God I want to be done.  I'm doing a 2% per day taper holding as needed.  My body is so super sensitive to changes at this point.  For example, a couple weeks ago I hit a wall and kept my dose steady until I stabilized.  Stability didn't come so I updosed.  At the time I was taking 4 micrograms per day and added an additional 1 microgram dose.  Percentagewise that's more than I've EVER updosed (way more) although I've really only done that 3 or 4 other times in this multi year taper.  I'd been on the verge of suicide for a week and within 4 hours I was euphoric and hypomanic and that lasted a few days.  Over one single MICROGRAM.

 

I just don't know what to do.  Do I continue with the taper forever or do I just call it quits and cold turkey.  This dose is just ridiculously low.  On one hand, I'm concerned if I cold turkey I'll dive into a depression I won't be able to get out for months, maybe many months and even then I might need the help of another medication or might need to go inpatient.  God knows what they would do to me then.  Honestly, they would probably just pull another random benzo out of their hat.

 

On the other had, maybe for some reason my slow tapering is making things worse.  Maybe I'd be more stable if I just went cold turkey or called it quits altogether?

 

Then again, maybe I just need to go to twice per day dosing.  I don't really notice any interdose withdrawal effects but I don't know.s

 

FML.  This sucks.  As an aside I have an EXTREMELY supportive and benzo-wise nurse practitioner.  She has all of the gory details on my symptoms and will support pretty much any decision I come up with.  All around amazing woman.

 

Thoughts?

 

Hey Karl, I think it's time to let go. Let go of the belief that a .0034 mg dose is doing anything other than keeping you trapped in a habit. Tapering is over. You've arrived already. Probably been hanging out in acute for a while. Time for Plan B: recovery, which includes addressing fear along with lingering issues, over and over again. If symptoms ramp up, it's likely the non-linear nature of things. Perhaps your excellent nurse-practitioner will know of some therapy like CBT, a support group, or have perspective and recommendations for your new stage of being Benzo-free. Ride this out using every coping skill available. We are here for you, buddy.

 

Bennie

[[...]]

Klonopin Karl,

 

I was really hoping that Bennie would come on and say what she so wisely and lovingly posted below.  I thought the same for you but didn't feel qualified to say it.  Courage.  Step out and we will be here for you.

 

:smitten:

 

 

[[Be...]]

After our fight (I am not an easy chick to be around today, to say the least,) my husband said, "You are taking your body and brain on a conastoga ride through hell right now and you are angry at yourself that you can't make an apple pie in there during the ride.  Just get through it and it will be easy to do all those things when the ride is over."

 

Wow. That's one hell of a visual. I'm sure you will get through this, but damn—it's the how part that I'm sure you're wondering about. One freaky moment at a time is all. Keep your eye on how the progesterone may be effecting you. That's a biggie. I still don't understand the progesterone numbers you threw out there. If you care to PM me, I'm around. Hang in there, Nomo!

[[li...]]

I posted this in two other groups but was encouraged to post it here. First of all--for those tapering or trying to stabilize or who have been successful--I am putting dissolvable 1.25 mg k wafers in 60 ml of milk and have been holding at a total daily dose of 1.19 mg because I can't go further. This isn't my first rodeo as you can see by my signature. I was advised to do a liquid microtaper but since I crashed in February, a long hold was recommended. I'm not much better so I'm thinking this:

 

Before I consider updosing, I wanted to ask opinion about one other thing (CUZ one of my symptoms is fear of everything). When I crossed from ativan, I was dosing six times a day.  Somehow I landed at four doses a day Of klonopin despite the half life. When I took it years ago I only dosed at night and I totally get the idea of multiple doses a day (though I'm constantly sedated, fogged, DR'ed, etc) but my doses are uneven. The evening dose is for 8 hours and the doses during the day every 5 1/2 or so. Has anyone ever tried to reduce the number of doses?  Like if I did three a day it would be an even 8 hour dose?  My doc says it will make my sedation and fog Worse. I know someone who couldn't tolerate four doses and went to three. Am I overthinking it?  I'm trying anything tO stabilize before I updose .06 mg of klonopin where I started tapering from this time last year. Don't want to screw this up any more. Love y'all

Liza

[[Be...]]

I posted this in two other groups but was encouraged to post it here. First of all--for those tapering or trying to stabilize or who have been successful--I am putting dissolvable 1.25 mg k wafers in 60 ml of milk and have been holding at a total daily dose of 1.19 mg because I can't go further. This isn't my first rodeo as you can see by my signature. I was advised to do a liquid microtaper but since I crashed in February, a long hold was recommended. I'm not much better so I'm thinking this:

 

Before I consider updosing, I wanted to ask opinion about one other thing (CUZ one of my symptoms is fear of everything). When I crossed from ativan, I was dosing six times a day.  Somehow I landed at four doses a day Of klonopin despite the half life. When I took it years ago I only dosed at night and I totally get the idea of multiple doses a day (though I'm constantly sedated, fogged, DR'ed, etc) but my doses are uneven. The evening dose is for 8 hours and the doses during the day every 5 1/2 or so. Has anyone ever tried to reduce the number of doses?  Like if I did three a day it would be an even 8 hour dose?  My doc says it will make my sedation and fog Worse. I know someone who couldn't tolerate four doses and went to three. Am I overthinking it?  I'm trying anything tO stabilize before I updose .06 mg of klonopin where I started tapering from this time last year. Don't want to screw this up any more. Love y'all

Liza

 

Lizgal,

I've always been suspicious of the efficacy of liquid titration using orally dissolving K tablets. Forgive me for bringing this up when the question was about evening doses. I just wonder if you would be better off dissolving regular K. I looked up the pharmacokinetics of each type and couldn't find the info I needed. I throw this out there because I really hope you can move forward with tapering and hope it's not the firm that stands in the way. I don't see why evening out your doses to three times a day would make you more sedated over the long haul. Maybe you would notice more tiredness initially, but with a 30-40 hour half life, that should even out within about 7-10 days. But as you know, we each react differently. That's my take. I do hope you can get somewhat stable.

Bennie

[[Tr...]]

Hi KK,.

 

Nomo, hold on my friend.  You'll be back taking walks before you know it.

 

CD, Bennie, WR, thinking of you.  Hope you are having a good weekend.

 

 

Me-I think I ate something last night that messed me up.  I ate a banana, which I never eat.  And, some broccoli and raddish sprouts.  Feeling horrible this morning.  My body doesn't like something. 

 

Take care,

TRY

[[ca...]]

Hi, Try and Bennie another day has arrived hope its a decent one for you ! @ Liz, sorry I can`t help but can offer that I did take my klonopin in 2 doses am & pm and when cutting I dropped from my am dose the most ! Just offering or trying to help !

[[Tr...]]

He guys.  I haven't posted in this thread before but I'm really in need of reaching out here.  So I'm at 0.0035 mg of Klonopin using a water titration. Yeah, less than 4 micrograms.  I can make a single pill last forever at this point.  It's been a multi year taper.  God I want to be done.  I'm doing a 2% per day taper holding as needed.  My body is so super sensitive to changes at this point.  For example, a couple weeks ago I hit a wall and kept my dose steady until I stabilized.  Stability didn't come so I updosed.  At the time I was taking 4 micrograms per day and added an additional 1 microgram dose.  Percentagewise that's more than I've EVER updosed (way more) although I've really only done that 3 or 4 other times in this multi year taper.  I'd been on the verge of suicide for a week and within 4 hours I was euphoric and hypomanic and that lasted a few days.  Over one single MICROGRAM.

 

I just don't know what to do.  Do I continue with the taper forever or do I just call it quits and cold turkey.  This dose is just ridiculously low.  On one hand, I'm concerned if I cold turkey I'll dive into a depression I won't be able to get out for months, maybe many months and even then I might need the help of another medication or might need to go inpatient.  God knows what they would do to me then.  Honestly, they would probably just pull another random benzo out of their hat.

 

On the other had, maybe for some reason my slow tapering is making things worse.  Maybe I'd be more stable if I just went cold turkey or called it quits altogether?

 

Then again, maybe I just need to go to twice per day dosing.  I don't really notice any interdose withdrawal effects but I don't know.

 

FML.  This sucks.  As an aside I have an EXTREMELY supportive and benzo-wise nurse practitioner.  She has all of the gory details on my symptoms and will support pretty much any decision I come up with.  All around amazing woman.

 

Thoughts?

 

Karl not sure why you say it would be a cold turkey.  You are on such a low dose.  Maybe you should discuss this with your nurse.  At your dose I would have jumped.  But, that's just me.

 

Do what you feel is right for you.

 

All the Best,

TRY

[[li...]]

Thanks Bennie. Have people told you that they've had problems with the dissolvables?

[[Be...]]

Hi KK,.

 

Nomo, hold on my friend.  You'll be back taking walks before you know it.

 

CD, Bennie, WR, thinking of you.  Hope you are having a good weekend.

 

 

Me-I think I ate something last night that messed me up.  I ate a banana, which I never eat.  And, some broccoli and raddish sprouts.  Feeling horrible this morning.  My body doesn't like something. 

 

Take care,

TRY

 

Hi Try,

Quite the combo you ate. Maybe that did it. Eating a ripe banana could be too much fruit sugar for you to digest, especially on the heels of gaseous food. Whatever, I know you will feel better soon enough! But beware taking an OTC Diarrhea aid, as things could possibly go the opposite direction. I speak from experience. 

 

I had a good night sleep. Not hurting. But hungry! I'm thinking that I'm back in that ravenous eating cycle. Anxiety simmering but manageable at the moment.

 

Have yourself a good day.

Bennie

 

Bon voyage to WR, traveling again!

[[Tr...]]

Hi KK,.

 

Nomo, hold on my friend.  You'll be back taking walks before you know it.

 

CD, Bennie, WR, thinking of you.  Hope you are having a good weekend.

 

 

Me-I think I ate something last night that messed me up.  I ate a banana, which I never eat.  And, some broccoli and raddish sprouts.  Feeling horrible this morning.  My body doesn't like something. 

 

Take care,

TRY

 

Hi Try,

Quite the combo you ate. Maybe that did it. Eating a ripe banana could be too much fruit sugar for you to digest, especially on the heels of gaseous food. Whatever, I know you will feel better soon enough! But beware taking an OTC Diarrhea aid, as things could possibly go the opposite direction. I speak from experience. 

 

I had a good night sleep. Not hurting. But hungry! I'm thinking that I'm back in that ravenous eating cycle. Anxiety simmering but manageable at the moment.

 

Have yourself a good day.

Bennie

 

Bon voyage to WR, traveling again!

 

Bennie,I did not think of fruit sugar.  Maybe that's what it is.  And, fiber!!  Mercy!!

 

Hunger over hurting sounds like a great turn around.  For some reason, I have noticed that If I slept well my day it is usually smoother.  If it was broken or no sleep, well it's more challenging for me. 

 

Sounds like you have the makings of a GREAT day.  Enjoy it!  You deserve it!!

 

CD, how is it going my friend?

 

TRY

[[Be...]]

Thanks Bennie. Have people told you that they've had problems with the dissolvables?

I had a discussion with my psychopharmacologist earlier in my taper. We explored how to do the taper and I had some .0125 mg ODTs on hand that I asked about using. Although NOT considering a liquid taper, he did NOT see that as being the best use of the ODT. (I had them on hand for PRN, as needed when I wasn't tapering.) The rapid absorption of ODT did not thrill him. It was formulated to work best in the mouth, and the binders used aid in that and are different than regular K. The inert binders in ODT K include aspartame, which does not thrill me (but caused him no concern) because it is considered an neuro-excitatory substance. I only look at the little details if there seem to be possible issues.

[[NY...]]

Greetings from the NJ transit railway  .  You know you're in benzo withdrawal when you have to rush to use the bathroom ( ), then your ears plug from a chemical reaction .  Ran back to my seat and hopped on KK  .  Really though, this chemical sensitivity stuff is spooky, hate it. Makes me feel unsafe, vulnerable.

 

Interesting tidbit... my mom has three autoimmune disorders and often our symptoms overlap.  She called me yesterday with guess what?  Plugged ears 

 

Bennie, I notice waves of ravenous hunger also.  I just eat, bc convinced myself it's my body's way of ensuring I stay above a certain weight.  Dunno.  Glad you slept well.

 

Take care buddies.  Love to all.

 

WR

[[Be...]]

WR,

Greetings to you from my kitchen where I'm peeling beets. Last night I thought of you when I was ravenously hungry. And yeah, no glucose monitoring, just eating. Because what else is there to do? No sense in it. The ear plugging thing is so strange. I know of one other person outside of BB that had this (yes, past tense, it's cleared up), and it turns out they were allergic to eggs and gluten. I know you don't eat gluten, and I'm not sure about the eggs. And I'm also sure you don't want to be trying to endlessly figure this out, especially not on NJ railway. So have a good journey. I hope things even out for you. So far, today is 80%. I don't see this as a trend except in the longest trajectory. I am grateful for what today brings, and that's all.

 

Big hug,

Bennie

[[li...]]

Bets,

 

You mentioned it elsewhere but maybe this is the best place to ask (otherwise I forget the thread): why did your psychiatrist ask you to sign a confidentiality agreement ?

[[my...]]

Hi everyone,

 

Lizagal,  just to let you know I dose K 3 times a day - every 8 hours.  It has worked out well for me.  I do a cut/hold dry taper.  The amount of the cuts have changed (gotten smaller) as I have gone down in my total dose.  I'm now reducing by .006g every 10 days.  At your dose...I can't remember but I think it was .125 mg every ten days or so.  I threw in some long and one VERY long hold last summer.  Since September, 2015 I have been pretty consistent.  The w/d sxs are not nearly as intense as they were early on in my taper but when they do arise...(mostly interdose w/d) they are bad - and then they disappear.  Hope this is helpful.  (Oh,BTW, when I was taking K before my taper I broke the pills into 4 doses...switching to 3 happened a month or two into my taper).

 

Hey WR!  Yes...the plugged ear (or in my case ear pain/pressure) experience...lovely....but it will pass.  It does for me most of the time unless, occasionally, I am getting close to my next dose and get hit with it.  Nothing like the first 6 months of my taper.  You know...it could be that some of these sxs are sticking around just b/c you were strong enough to taper all that K in what many would consider a pretty rapid overall taper.  They will pass FOR SURE.  You are a wonderful healer and will be fine....

 

Nomo....hoping you will find some relief soon.  You deserve it. 

 

Thinking of ALL of you with much 

 

Mana 

 

 

[[li...]]

Thanks for responding My Mana.  I am stuck at 1.19 mg and have been holding for 5 1/2 months, but yes, I was thinking of doing what you're doing:  3 times a day dosing because I haven't been able to get stable since I crossed from ativan over a year ago.  I was totally stable on the Ativan so I get really pissed that I can't get back there.  If I can get stable switching from 4 to 3 doses,  or from a slight .06 mg updose back up to 1.25 mg where I had a stable week before I started to taper, then I will be doing .001 every day with holds maybe after every 5 days until I see how I do.  So things have gotten better for you as you have gone down?  I hear people say that but I was crashing majorly even in a daily microtaper (I was not doing any holds, just thought I was going slow enough.)

 

 

[[Pl...]]

Hi everyone,

 

Lizagal,  just to let you know I dose K 3 times a day - every 8 hours.  It has worked out well for me.  I do a cut/hold dry taper.  The amount of the cuts have changed (gotten smaller) as I have gone down in my total dose.  I'm now reducing by .006g every 10 days.  At your dose...I can't remember but I think it was .125 mg every ten days or so.  I threw in some long and one VERY long hold last summer.  Since September, 2015 I have been pretty consistent.  The w/d sxs are not nearly as intense as they were early on in my taper but when they do arise...(mostly interdose w/d) they are bad - and then they disappear.  Hope this is helpful.  (Oh,BTW, when I was taking K before my taper I broke the pills into 4 doses...switching to 3 happened a month or two into my taper).

 

Hey WR!  Yes...the plugged ear (or in my case ear pain/pressure) experience...lovely....but it will pass.  It does for me most of the time unless, occasionally, I am getting close to my next dose and get hit with it.  Nothing like the first 6 months of my taper.  You know...it could be that some of these sxs are sticking around just b/c you were strong enough to taper all that K in what many would consider a pretty rapid overall taper.  They will pass FOR SURE.  You are a wonderful healer and will be fine....

 

Nomo....hoping you will find some relief soon.  You deserve it. 

 

Thinking of ALL of you with much 

 

Mana

 

Hi Mana.... I just wanted to ask you during your holds did some of your symptoms get worse before they got better.... I've heard that with some people when they hold.....

 

I am a severe rapid cold turkey case who reinstated after 10 months from ativan to kolonopin....

 

please look at signature..... I'm pretty hopeless as most of my symptoms are left over from ativan.... Very physical and horrific......the past 3 days especially has been beyond despair... I'm getting my cycle and it all ramps up but this is just inhumane torture....

 

thank you kindly for your response and insight....

 

 

[[my...]]

Thanks for responding My Mana.  I am stuck at 1.19 mg and have been holding for 5 1/2 months, but yes, I was thinking of doing what you're doing:  3 times a day dosing because I haven't been able to get stable since I crossed from ativan over a year ago.  I was totally stable on the Ativan so I get really pissed that I can't get back there.  If I can get stable switching from 4 to 3 doses,  or from a slight .06 mg updose back up to 1.25 mg where I had a stable week before I started to taper, then I will be doing .001 every day with holds maybe after every 5 days until I see how I do.  So things have gotten better for you as you have gone down?  I hear people say that but I was crashing majorly even in a daily microtaper (I was not doing any holds, just thought I was going slow enough.)

 

Well...where to start....There is probably no question that your past tapers and CT's are playing a role now.  Maybe the updose idea would work for you - you could try it and see.  Get back to where you felt stable (except you write that you haven't felt stable since you crossed from Ativan).  But if you think it might work, try it and see, holding maybe another few weeks.  IMO .001g every day even with a couple of holds thrown in sounds pretty fast, given your history.  Why not forget a MT for now and try to cut/hold just 5% every 14 days?  See how that goes.  OR, if you wish to MT, try a cut/hold or a C/H/H pattern.  In any case, do whatever you need to do to stabilize and then begin to gradually taper.

 

You asked if it has gotten better as I have gone lower.  The answer is emphatically YES.  There is no comparison between how I felt in the early month of my taper -- actually the first 6 months - and now.  Oh I have some days, or some hours within days that are not so great...a few of my sxs (mine tend to be ear pressure/pain, extreme muscle/body tension, tremors as a result of the tension and some psychological stuff -- but nothing scary or long lasting.  All of these sxs fade or recede completely over the course of most days now.

 

Yes -- lots of hope down the road 

 

Mana

[[my...]]

Hi Pleasebehere,

 

I did look at your signature but am not sure I understand what is going on right now.  Why did you cross from Ativan to Klonopin?  I see this happening with others and don't understand it.  If Ativan worked for you, would your doctor be willing to Rx Ativan and let you taper gradually and directly off of that?  It does sound like the problems you are having resulted from the fast/CT from Ativan.  You were not on it for that long but obviously you were taken off of it too rapidly.  This doctor sounds sympathetic to your situation.

 

You asked about my holds.  Well, it depended (for me) on what preceded the holds.  Sometimes sxs would ramp up during a hold but they almost never got worse than they had been before.  Now I too was in agony -- horrific ear pain, body tension, etc (you can see my answer to Lizagal for more of my more troubling sxs)..which is why I held and then slowed down my taper.  I also held for non-taper related reasons - travel or family stuff.  During those times, unless I was under a lot of stress, I felt pretty stable.  Last summer, for example, when I held for many months, I felt almost normal...but stress - mostly interactions with difficult (for me) family members who also were not at all sympathetic to my altered (i.e. withdrawal) state - would send me into full panic mode!  I swore that after last summer and the long hold, that I was going to focus on my health and get through this taper.  I've had to beg out of many family events and to curtail travel (we are retired and travel is something we really enjoy doing) in an effort to complete the taper. 

 

Let us know how you decide to proceed.  Try and work with your doctor to come up with a plan.  Wishing you all the best,

 

Mana