The Klonopin Klub

[[co...]]

I've been with my current Health Care provider for 6 years now, (I don't know if we're aloud to say who they are), but there is a consistent pattern of them prescribing drugs immediately for whatever it is that is ailing me, instead of trying to address the root cause of problems.

Actually, this is the main problem of most healthcare systems. Treating symptoms, not the disease itself.

[[co...]]

Is it better to take clonazepam with divided doses throughout the day or once while tapering?

[[Go...]]

Day 9 of no Klonopin after about 8 years of using it. Was on 1mg the first few years and .5 in the latter. Did a rapid taper and started taking valium to substitute the Klonopin. Taking 5mg of Valium now and going to work my way down on it. My worst symptoms by far are my racing heart and shortness of breathe. I have a resting heart rate of about 110-115 and I find myself short of breathe most of the day/ very aware of my breathing. Heart palpitations are awful and come frequently, they can make me dizzy as well and make my whole body jolt. intense hot and cold flashes. So many more things bother me but I wanted to see if anyone else was short of breathe and had a high resting heart rate? I've started taking Proponlol to help with my palpitations and racing heart. It's been a rough 9 days. I'm hoping when I start tapering off this valium it won't get to much worse.

 

Good luck everyone!

[[ho...]]

cosmicgreen I started K by dosing once a day before bed. When I came to BB (in withdrawal from a huge cut) it was suggested to me that splitting my dose in 2 ... once very 12 hours... it would keep my levels more even. I ran this idea past my doc and she agreed. Some members have split their doses to 3 or 4 times a day. When I made my decision to do this I already knew that I wanted to titrate off the rest of the K (once I stabilized) and I didn't want to be mixing doses more than twice a day. There are so many ways (methods) to go about this. We all have to find what we are comfortable with.

 

Goku4prez I had these sx also while in acute w/d and to a lesser degree while tapering, and to still a lesser degree since jumping when I am in a wave. I guess my point is that our bodies do adjust to the amount of drug or lack of it in time. Sorry that it is so tough right now. When I was (am) faced with these sx, I repeat to myself..." it's only withdrawal" over and over and try to find something to distract myself. It took some practice for this to work well for me. I think the greatest help though was reading, getting info. here at BB. If I didn't know about all the various, off the wall sx that can happen to us I would have been running to the clinic all the time. Thankfully this forum exists and people here are so willing to share info. Time is your friend. Time makes a huge difference.

 

Sending peace and blessings,

hopeful2013

[[br...]]

KK:

 

Hello all.  Welcome to the new people.  There is a lot of wisdom on this thread.

 

Day 11 since I tapered from .75mg K daily to .625mg K daily.  It was a cut of 15%.  Feeling OK.  A little irritable for sure.  I have a cold as well and the weather has been miserable in NYC so it has been difficult to calculate a base line.

 

So I counted out my meds again.  I have enough of the .125mg K Wafers to take me through all of January and February.  So my plan is to taper from .625mg K to .5mg K the first week of March (giving me 2 months to stabilize at my current dose).  That will be a cut of 20%.  After that I would like to stabilize at .5mg K for a long while.  .5mg K was where I hit a wall last time.  Hopefully breaking it up into smaller cuts with time in between will help.  Last time I tried to cut from .75mg K directly to .5mg K resulting in overwhelming chest pain and anxiety and panic attacks.  If I get the chronic heart palpitations again I will ask my psych for daily beta blockers.

 

Just getting to and stabilizing at .5mg K daily will feel like a huge accomplishment.  I am trying to think of my daily starting dose of K.  It was like 7 years ago.  Not sure if I started at .5mg K daily or 1 mg K daily.  Anyway .5mg K daily will feel like a win either way.  Not sure how things will play out after that.  I might indeed do the crossover to Valium at that point - 10mg Valium I think.  Or I might try to lower by .0625mg K each cut.  It all depends on how stable I feel.  I can't accurately predict the future, especially regarding benzos.

 

Be well all.

 

Any advice or suggestions are always appreciated.

 

Brian

[[pe...]]

Popping in quick to see if anyone has advice for weathering illness while tapering. I've got something- sore throat, terrible stomach cramps and nausea. It started 3 days ago and is bad enough that I stayed home from work today and will visit the doctor this afternoon. If it's strep, I'm sure antibiotics will be offered. Are those ok to take during withdrawal? I don't remember. Any help is helpful. Thanks.

Peace2

[[co...]]

Hello again KK.

 

Anyone experiencing almost chronic chest pain over their heart? I have this pain since 9 months and not helping me at all with my anxiety and withdrawal. While I was on 2.0mg of clonazepam, while other physical symptoms were going away, this pain was always there. I had lone atrial fibrillation once and having PVCs throughout the day. I had cardiac and lungs workup. I even had coronary angiography and results came back normal.

[[re...]]

Hello, all -

 

Peace2, I'm so sorry you're ill!  As for the antibiotics, it may be that some are safer than others, but I don't have any specific experience with this.  One person I know who went through hell with benzos told me she specifically asked NOT to be put on Cipro, and was given Macrobid instead.  I'm not sure how well the Macrobid stacked up against Cipro (my impression was that it was somewhat better), and of course there's also the possibility that these things may be to some extent individual.  I would certainly tell any prescribing doctor--for whatever it's worth--that you're concerned about intensified side-effects from the combination of antibiotics with benzo-withdrawal; some doctors seem to be hip to these considerations, others less so.  Oh, I hope this will turn out to be something you can get over quickly, without complications!

 

Best of luck to you, Brian, as you manage the upcoming weeks.  I don't have advice to offer at the moment, just moral support.

 

Cosmic, I never had chest pain, but I believe plenty of others have had them in connection with benzo withdrawal.  If you do a keyword search around these boards, you may find others with useful insights--I hope you can find those folks.

 

Windows to all -

 

Peace,

 

Rek

[[...]]

Cosmicgreen:  I've had intermittant problems w/ what turned out to be panic attacks. The pain in my chest and the shortness of breath was pretty unnerving at the beginning of my taper but I know what it is now... I listen w/ a stethoscope just to be sure and once I'm sure its strong and steady, I just try to calm myself and they pass much more quickly and are not so severe anymore. Brian and  Peace: so sorry to hear you are ill.  I agree that the antibiotics are probably individual.  I've had to take them and had no problem, but I've read that others have really been floored by them.  If you don't have a fever, I would proceed w/ caution, if you do, you might not have a choice.  Good Luck!  I had to laugh the other day.  I got a msg on my email using the word, Njoy.  I don't smoke and never did so I didn't know that it was a brand of electronic cigarette.  I thought my acc't had been hacked.  Turns out, just a coincidence.  I feel a little weird today but no pain or overt pathology.  Didn't sleep well last night.  It is getting harder to sleep.  Glad i don't have to function.  Sweetie is bringing a pizza home for supper.  I love that I'm not expected to cook.   I'm going to start coming off 400 mg of N. next week.  I know I shouldn't, but I've read some really scary stuff and I've been on it as long as I've been on the K.  10 years.  I thought it would be easier but after reading alot on other threads and other sites... it sounds worse than K.  Didn't think that was possible.  Maybe I'm just paranoid.  First I thought I'd do a similar taper to K but someone suggested and I think I will cut 10 mg. /10 days instead of 10%.  Another year.  I don't know why I'm so down about it... I knew this was down the road... just thought I'd wait till I'd been through w/ the K for a month or two but that N is really nasty and Im not convinced its the N itself although it does work on the GABA so could be but there is talc in that stuff.  Talc is quite scary.  Thats why they don't put it in babypowder anymore.  I want to be grateful for everything that is good but some days are just so discouraging.  Njoy

[[br...]]

Hello all:

 

Peace 2:  I started taking Amox-Clav today for an ear & sinus infection.  It's an antibiotic.  I will let you know if I experience any additional side affects.  I don't like taking anything these days but I have been feeling bad for about a week and sick at home for a couple days.  I never really know if these antibiotics help.  If it just is a cold virus, it just has to run its course; but if it's a secondary bacterial infection, then the antibiotics can really be crucial.

 

Cosmic:  Hey.  My most persistent symptom a couple months ago was chronic chest pain (heart palpitation and feeling like I could not catch my breath).  There was actual burning pain in my chest constantly.  I had experienced these symptoms very mildly all through out the withdrawal process; but when I cut from .75 K daily directly to .5mg K daily, the chest pain was relentless.  It persisted for about 3 weeks.  I went to my primary doctor and got an ECG and my BP checked.  I have a family history of heart disease and thought I might be having a heart attack.  I went back to my psychiatrist and he up-dosed me back to .75mg K daily.  The chest pain subsided.  This was the first time in this long tapering process that I actually up-dosed.  The chest pain was pretty horrible (along with high anxiety and some real panic attacks).  My current psych does not believe in physical w/d symptoms and simply categorized it as anxiety.  I disagree whole heartedly with him but he is willing to go at a very slow pace with this taper.  I experienced anxiety many years prior to taking benzos and it never took the form of this type of chronic chest pain.

 

I have been hitting the gym and doing both 30 min cardio sessions and strength training.  My hope is that continual physical exercise will at least help with these symptoms if and when they arise.  I have found acupuncture helpful as well.  Also if the chest pain comes back again I want to talk to my psych about taking a daily beta blocker.

 

Hope this helps. Be well all.

 

Brian

[[In...]]

Hi all. Just a quick but important message to say that none taking benzos or tapering should ever take flouroquinolone antibiotics.

 

The most common of these dispensed are Cipro and Levaquin. As a matter of fact, these antibiotics are a "stage 2" or "second line"  type antibiotic and should be used only for highly resistant type bacterias like the "flesh eating bacteria" we all heard about several years back.

 

Ironically, flouroquinolones are often dispensed for relatively simple infections like UTIs or earaches when a more common antibiotic would work just as well.

 

There are some dangerous side effects with flouroquinolones and this can be googled. There has been enough trouble with these antibiotics that they now carry a "black box" warning on them. These drugs

are generally reserved for the most serious and highly resistant type infections that can be life threatening. The side effects I have seen and read the most about are tendinitis, tendon rupture, and CNS side effects.

 

I have taken antibiotics twice this past year and both times it was Keflex. I had no trouble with this. Just wanted to mention the dangers of flouroquinolones. It's serious enough that no one in the general population should take these for common infections. I always ask any doctor Rxing an antibiotic if he/she will be considering a flouroquinolone as this is not usually necessary.

 

Intend

 

[[re...]]

Good morning, everyone -

 

Intend, THANK YOU SO MUCH for the huge public service you've just done.  This is crucial information.  I've had Levaquin prescribed for relatively minor infections; now I'll know better than to accept it.  Then, though, I was clueless; I was also taking alprazolam at the time--very sparingly and occasionally, but from what you say the fact that I was taking it at all was reason enough why I should on no account have been given Levaquin.  You'd think, even if the prescribing doctor was too out-to-lunch to take the right precautions, that it would be standard practice for the pharmacists to ask the patient/customer the right questions.  But no.  Once again, we have to be our own advocates and defenders.  It takes people like you to sound the alarm--THANK YOU AGAIN.  We are indebted to you.

 

I hope everyone finds windows today -

 

Peace,

 

Rek

[[br...]]

Hello one and all:

 

It's not freezing out today but it's rainy and grey in NYC.  Anyone else feel like weather can really affect their mood.  I know it's documented (SAD, etc); but when I'm am in "it", my perception gets so altered.  I guess I'm mainly talking about depression.

 

I like how this thread is very solution based.  However, today I need to lay out how I'm feeling, which I suppose is not very solution based.  I've been sort of depressed - and any of you that deal with depression know that it can really alter your perception of the present and both the past and the future.  It's not a nice place to visit, let alone live in.

 

I'm looking at my signature and I see that I first lowered from 4mg K to 3mg K in September 2012.  So I have been in some stage of tapering off Klonopin for a year and a half.  If I think back to when I first started taking Klonopin, my guess is about 7 years.  So I spent 5 and a half years slowly upping my dose and peaking at 4mg; then I've spent the last year and a half trying to come off of K, leading me to .625mg K daily today.  I know the dose is much lowered but I feel as though my life is passing me by while I remain in a constant state of "recovery".  I also take an antidepressant (40mg Celexa daily) and I was certain I would be off both the benzos and the antidepressant by now.  Med free and living a healthy life style I thought.  Happy, joyous and free I thought.  Ha!

 

There are no definitive answers with benzos I have found.  I am just so tired.  I have met people in my life who have recovered from drug abuse, like crystal meth, addiction to pain meds and people who were heavy heavy daily drinkers.  The formula for recovery is linear and logical.  Not to say it is an easy process, but the withdrawal process is in so many ways more straight forward.  I've personally dealt with alcoholism and it is by no means easy to get and stay sober from alcohol - but it is nothing like coming off benzos.  I have found that benzodiazepines, not alcohol, has truly taught me the ultimate lesson in powerlessness.

 

What really frustrates me is benzos were presented to me as a solution for anxiety and panic attacks.  Now the drug itself is the problem.  One holy day when I am truly off of benzos for good, I feel as though I will never trust a doctor or medication ever again.

 

At the moment I have a sinus infection and the weather sucks and I'm stuck inside and I have some acute benzo w/d symptoms and I am consequently depressed.  I know this will pass.

 

I plan on getting to .5mg K by March.  Then after I've stabilized,  I think it's time to throw in the towel with my clueless psychiatrist and switch over the the out of network $500 monthly benzo specialist psychiatrist that I had a consult with last month.  He uses the Ashton Method and would switch me over to Valium.  He is knowledgeable and would take the guess work out of this for me.  He would taper me off Valium according to the Ashton method.  He uses betablockers and Remeron to counteract the w/d symptoms.  He tells me I would also have to taper off Remeron once off the benzos but that it is nothing like benzo w/d.  He assured me that all of his patients are working professionals and he has had great success.  At 34 years old, I would have to ask my parents in their mid 70's to foot the bill for this psych.  What a shit show!

 

Thanks for letting me write here.  My family and friends are understandably tired of hearing the word "klonopin" and have reached compassion burnout.  I am feeling a bit unheard and unseen at this stage of the tapering process.  In their mind, I am on a lower dose, so it should be easier to come off.  Au contraire!  I have found it to be the opposite.

 

Please let me know you understand me.  I am really starving for emotional support.  Can anyone relate to me?

 

brian

[[th...]]

Hi brian,

sorry to hear your morale is down.

In august i will be 34 years old, so even if my situation is different from yours, I can imagine your feelings and mood. You know, I felt some empathy with you when you talked about your parents, and the weight you think you are charging on them because of this mumbo jumbo, and the same on friends. My girlfriend left me after 16 years and i found myself dependent from my parents (economically and, sometimes, morally) like when i was a teenager, a situation in which one is not supposed to be at 33 years old. But as somebody told me on this thread, and my father too, is that you are one of the reasons of life for your parents, and I am sure that they will support you and deep inside their heart they are happy to be still useful to you. You brought them the joy to be parents, you are the product of their love and the ultimate reason of their existence together. So, don't bother yourself with hallowed toughts about how much you are relying on them.

 

Instead, you can do the following:

 

1. try not to counteract all your bad toughts, but write them, keep a diary and make a long list of your bad thoughts, take your time to analyze them, add something if it is missing. Then pick one, just one per day, speak to it, tell it something it doesn't wanna hear, with clear voice, laught with it, laught of it, laught with yourself of that problem. Be rational. One per day. Demolish them slowly.

 

2. live the present. This is the most powerful weapon you have in your hands (and brain). Do not think about anything but live the present. Be there. This is the secret of all the oriental stuff and religions you can come across. Somebody calls it active meditation, somebody else calls it kharma, somebody else again call it "God is everywhere". You have to be present in everything you do. Don't put on the autopilot in nothing. Look the beauty of the clouds, their forms, breath the air, feel it. Take a lemon from your fridge, look at it, look how yellow it is, how beautiful it is outside. Then cut it with a knife. Look inside it: watch the perfection of nature, the infinite patterns that are repeating over and over inside it. Contemplate it. Then make some juice, put some sugar inside, watch the glass, watch the water coming off the bottle, and mix. You can see the suspension, you can feel the sugar dissolving into the water. etc... this with just a lemonade. Imagine what you can think about that beautiful girl that is crossing the street or a juicy hot steak with a salad. Remember: live the present. Put out that damn autopilot. Imagine the autopilot as a defense that our brain has to keep up because we have too many useless stimula. So, do your brain a favor, switch that defense off and think carefully of what you are doing. You won't have time for bad thoughts, then.

 

Dalai Lama said: "There are two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday, and the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live".

 

3. try to have fun with somebody, try to go out and drink something. I know it is hard at the beginning, I know it's better to stay at home staring in front of a computer, I know outside is damn cold and you don't really want to. But, believe me, it's better to move our a** from the sofa, the television, the computer, and distract ourselves. Today I walked 18 kmtrs (that is more than 10 miles). And this evening I am going out for a dinner with a friend. He doesn't know I am de-toxifying, and look how damn I have speed up my taper during these days. It's not so easy for me today. But, okay, I don't give it a single tought. Unless another strong and unbearable wave, I try to distract myself. Try to speak to everybody. Try to socialize with everybody. Speak to your friends. And when you find yourself thinking bad stuff, maybe while a friend of yours is talking to you, switch again off that nasty autopilot. Concentrate on your friend, look his behaviour, his moves, his face, his expression, listen to the words coming off his mouth. Concentrate yourself.

 

Everything will pass. Yepp it will be fine... at least better than this.

 

I dedicate this cover to you my distant friend. It's an italian band called Lacuna Coil, i have been knowing them personally since they were just a local band playing around here.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTOLMbKjLeY

 

Keep on rocking. And take a look to the beauty of nature.

[[ho...]]

Hi K Klub,

 

Just taking it easy today. Had a busy day yesterday after too many days cooped up inside because it has been so dang cold here. I ran errands for a few hours. Picked up the booties that rek talked about. I love them, they feel so good on my aching feet. Thank you! Because it is warmer here it is also overcast. Another front has moved in which brings some sx, some mild depression. It will pass, it always does.

 

peace2 sorry that you are coming down with something. It is not easy to deal with cold, flu, ect. when also in w/d. May it pass quickly.

 

thetrader your compassionate post to brian was very touching. For you to reach out while dealing with your own recovery is a testament to the compassionate person that you are!

 

Njoy and here I had thought all this time that you screen name DID come from the E-cig, lol. I know what you mean about the pressure to cook. Most of the time I do cook but some days I'll call my hubby and say I just don't want to, so, it's either make a sandwich or bring something pre-made home with you. He's very good about it. He had to do all the shopping and cooking when I got sick. I don't anything about N. I'm sorry that you are faced with another taper. I do want to research it thought. Wishing you all the best in your taper.

 

intend nice of you to post the warning. I unfortunately took a 10 day course of Cipro just as w/d began for me. I am allergic to most antibiotics and Cipro is the only one I know I can take without a reaction. I got a dental infection. I think I got lucky because from what I read about withdrawal here, it didn't seem to me that the Cipro made mine any worse but I guess I will never know for sure. One of my great fears since finding out about Cipro is that I would get some kind of an infection that requires antibiotics. Thankfully I haven't needed any but it is a scary thought.

 

brian glad you have leveled off from the strong sx you were having awhile back. I agree that not being able to see or have a linear progression with benzo healing is frustrating. I helped me to just stop having any sort of expectation or looking for patterns in healing. This was hard, but I am much happier just taking it a day at a time, excepting what that day brings. I just finished a post on a thread I started on the Faith Board. I was reflection on what a difference a year has made for me. It took along time for me to see much progress but looking back I can see that it has in fact happened. Wishing you all the best as you move forward.

 

To ALL I'm so glad we have this thread to share our experiences with each other. This thread continues to be a peaceful safe place to come to and it is because of all of you. Wishing windows to all and a great week-end.

 

blessings,

hopeful2013

 

 

[[...]]

Hopeful:  thanx for the thoughts   trader:  it is so good to see you feeling better    Brian:  I know what you mean about being so tired.  As someone said, "there is no duct tape for benzos."      Its been a dreary day here but at least all the snow and ice is gone for the moment and my good news is my son and his wife are on their way here.  He was supposed to leave for Georgia in a couple of months... its just been changed to Germany.  So far away. :'( :'(  i guess it will be a good experience for them.  I try to see things from others perspective  when I can but sometimes, its hard.  I'm trying to stay positive about coming off the K and things being so good w/ that.  I talked to Aweigh and my sweetie last night and between the two of them they have convinced me to stick w/ the plan and wait till I've been completely off the K for a couple of months before starting the N taper...and more research indicates cutting 10 mg every 10 days works better than trying to apply Ashton and cutting 10% every 10 to 14 days.  Glad I read that before I got started.  Anyway.  its all good here in the wild blue yonder.  Njoy

[[Fr...]]

So it has been 6 weeks since I rapidly cut my dose in half from 1.5mg per day to 0.75mg per day. I was hoping I was in withdrawal since I experience constant sever symptoms all day such as chest pains, dizziness, Foggyness, fatigue, blurred vision, numb face and increased anxiety and confusion and disorientation. I experienced all these everyday all day. I was hoping it was withdrawal symptoms but since it's been 6 weeks since my rapid taper (advice of doctor) I am thinking it must be me which means my anxiety has gotten worse. 4 months so I was the happiest guy with no symptoms. One panic attack later and my LIFE has spiralled out of control.

 

I am getting worse and worse and the weeks go on since the panic attack.

 

What I would like to know from anyone is whether or not it is possible that even after 6 weeks it could still be withdrawal? Because if not then I have much bigger problems and should likely look into increasing meds or going on anti depressant.  I am so lost.

 

Advice would be appreciated.

[[th...]]

Friday,

have you considered to reinstate a little bit, in order to stabilize?

 

50% cut is a huge cut... my opinion is still the same i posted to you some pages ago: try liquid taper and go slow. Stabilize then taper slowly.

[[Fr...]]

I have been trying to stabilize before confusing to taper but no dice. Ashton says not to go up and it's been 6 or 7 weeks since that cut.  I will definitely take your advice to slow taper the rest but I am not stable to continue a taper. I am a mess. I can only assume that given it's been so long that this cannot be withdrawal and must be something more serious. Ashton says not to increase dosage but I'm starting to think this can't be withdrawal. I was only on this poison for 3 months. I can't imagine this being withdrawal after cutting so long ago.  Am I wrong ? 

[[pe...]]

Friday- I think you could be wrong, but if you're really hitting a wall it might be time to get a trusted friend or relative to take you to a doctor. The reason I think you could be wrong is that I completely lost it after coming off Xanax after just 3 weeks. I was then put on klonopin and suffered the same symptoms every time I cut my dose. Many people updose to get stable and then take things slowly from there. I've been told it's fine to go back to the last dose you felt comfortable at, or 10 percent less than that dose, and then taper. Ashton knows a lot, but there are no absolutes in benzo withdrawal except to follow your body.

 

Peace2

[[Fr...]]

But my last dose was at 1.5 per day and that was 6 or 7 weeks ago. If it was withdrawal would I not be ruining my healing from last 7 weeks by updosing?

 

Is it even possible that it could be withdrawal after 7 weeks? Especially since I was only on it for 3 months?

 

I just want all the info I can get before making a decision.

[[pe...]]

Friday-

I get it. I really do. I've been tapering from .125 klonopin for 7 months. I wouldn't believe this hell and the duration if I wasn't living it. I believe that taper should not equal torture. By up dosing and seeing what happens I don't think you're ruining anything, just the opposite. This is going to take some time, more than six or seven weeks if you want to feel at all well along the way to zero. 1.35 would be 10% less your previous dose. You may not have to go all the way back to 1.5. But give yourself a break. If I've learned anything it is that this is a marathon and not a sprint. My other thought is for you to cross over to Valium from a dose slightly higher than the equivalent of k you're currently on. I didn't do it so can't talk from experience. But I have heard k called 'a bang your head against the wall benzo' and many people find relief on Valium, stabilize on that and then taper from there. You've got options. You don't have to suffer this much.

Search for Bart, he's an administrator and I think gives good advice on tapering. So does a guy called Etown. They both crossed over and slow tapered from there.

 

Peace2

[[re...]]

Hello, folks -

 

First - Brian, I hope you are feeling less bereft and alone.  I thought Trader's response was thoughtful and to the point, so I didn't try to add to it, but I hope you know that you are not alone and you are supported here.  I doubt there is anyone on this thread who doesn't have at least some idea of how you feel, and sympathies run deep.  I do hope things are better now.

 

Trader, I love the line from the Dalai Lama.  I have a longtime practicing Buddhist in my family, but I had never encountered that particular quotation--it's wonderful!  Thank you.

 

Friday13, I agree with Peace2 that this really could still be withdrawal.  I'm so sorry you are going through this, but you are not alone--we each experience this awfulness in individual ways, but you are in company with many others in the way it seems to be hitting you.  I was only on clonazepam for about two months (off and on--I did a disastrous sort of yo-yo thing, trying to get off the stuff, over the course of one summer), and never went above 1mg per day, but still it wrought absolute havoc in my life.  The first two weeks off (cold-turkey from .5mg--a bad decision, but that was before I discovered Benzobuddies, and no one was guiding me, so I was clueless) were distinctly the most hellish, but I was by no means out of the woods then; it was a long time after that before I felt as though I was anything like in the clear.  Here is what helped me: (1) mindfulness meditation (I took a class, for the group support--it REALLY helped), (2) deep breathing, (3) lots of herbal tea, especially ginger, (4) getting (despite the calming effects of meditation) really, really angry with the drug and with everyone I felt had pushed it on me (three different doctors) and not listened to me when I told them I thought it was f***ing with me.  That anger gave me a kind of strength, I think; I was trying to empower myself against the effects of the drug, and I found that being gentle with myself, but UNgentle--at least in my mind--with those I felt had helped put me in the situation I was in, was effective in helping me through the months it took to stabilize.  I would say it was about eight months after I took my final dose before I really felt anything like normal again--the weird and alarming body pains, the crippling anxiety, the scary depression had all subsided, and I felt as if the me I used to know was back home again.

 

I don't know what to say about up-dosing; given how long it's been since you made the cut, it might not be a good idea.  But I think Peace2 has steered you right in suggesting you check with Bart and Etown.  There IS a way through this--it's painful, but it's doable.  And everyone here is rooting for you.

 

I hope everyone gets some sleep -

 

Peace,

 

Rek   

[[Fr...]]

Thanks guys. Hearing your stories gives me some hope. So maybe this is still withdrawal. Hopefully someone can tell me if I should updose or stay the course. Or maybe I should just continue the taper and get off this crap. Maybe I won't stabilize until I'm off it.

 

 

[[br...]]

Hey all:

 

Doing OK.  Day 12 since I cut from .75mg K daily to .625mg K daily.  Feeling OK.

 

Friday:  In my experience, w/d symptoms can last for weeks or months post tapering.  I believe your cut was from 1.5mg K to .75mg K.  This is a huge cut and I feel like it could lead to some prolonged symptoms that you are describing.  I know it does not seem logical, especially with doctors and psychiatrists sometimes mixing up rebound symptoms with withdrawal symptoms.  When I cut from .75mg K to .5mg K a couple months ago, I experienced bad chest pain and anxiety for about a month before I up dosed back to .75mg K.  I just lowered to .625mg K a couple weeks ago and am on a much slower schedule and reducing by smaller percentages.  So far, so good.  Best of luck to you.  Ultimately take care of yourself and make informed decisions with the help of your doctor.

 

Trader:  Thank you so much for your kind words.  I think you are right about so much of what you wrote - themes of living in the moment and being grateful for all the good things.  Another thing you touch on which is so vital for me to hear is to try not to isolate in this process.  Thank you.

 

Thanks to you all for your kind words.

 

Be well all.

 

brian