The Klonopin Klub

[[li...]]

So sorry to hear this, Jax.  Thinking of you today .......

 

Gentle hugs,

Lizie

[[Ly...]]

Jaxnj so sorry to hear you hurt your foot.. Ironically enough I did a similar thing last night too

I have foot w a bad sprain that just healed

And I tripped and turned the ankle again and it's swollen

Like crazy .

 

I really really hope your foot feels better. Thinking of you

Today . Hang in there . I hope things get easier . Sending positive

Foot thoughts your way!

[[bb...]]

Oh sorry Jax! Hang in there! Take deep breaths! This too shall pass. I'll be thinking about you..

 

Hugs

 

bballmom

[[So...]]

Hey guys I really need your support .

Yesterday after trying to figure out how to

Cut my .0325 dose down I decided f- it and I jumped ship.

I have been benzo free since yesterday . My

Psychiatrst said I would be ok to do it . I tapered about 36 days off of .25

Klonopin .. I stayed at the last dose of .0325 for 10 days...

Second day out I'm starting to feel the usual headaches and dizziness and a bit of some bursts of panic ... Not full fledged panic attacks ....and alot of burning sensations

Seeing psychiatrist tommorow . Hoping I make it thru this without it

All getting worse . I'm ready to be free

First off LynnR, Congrats on taking the plunge to benzo free! This takes alot of courage and strength.

 

I'm one month out and the w/d s/x do get better. Am also glad you are seeing your Pdoc to get the support you need - hope you found a good doc as they are hard to come by!

 

Please do let us know how things are going for you. The first few weeks your brain is getting used to the "new" you so give yourself plenty of space - low stress, and just take care of your health.

 

You can do this!

 

Sending healing energy to you.

[[Ly...]]

thanks Sonic!

 

thats great you are one month free .. hows your day going? how are you feeling today?

 

did you have anxiety disorder before this whole ordeal? i did.. i just am hoping that whatever is left of my disorder is not as bad as this....it all comes and goes you know how it is...

 

working on day 3 free......im excited and scared at the same time.

have a great morning

[[ta...]]

LynnR,  congrats on being benzo free!  You can do it!  Keep your head up through the rough parts and enjoy the parts where you know you will be free.

[[So...]]

thanks Sonic!

 

thats great you are one month free .. hows your day going? how are you feeling today?

 

did you have anxiety disorder before this whole ordeal? i did.. i just am hoping that whatever is left of my disorder is not as bad as this....it all comes and goes you know how it is...

 

working on day 3 free......im excited and scared at the same time.

have a great morning

 

I know how you feel! Excited yet scared is a good way to put it.

 

Thanks for asking how I'm doing - better! The tingling in my arms and legs has gone as well as muscle stiffness. The ear ringing is better too but still present. My biggest problem is and has been insomnia. My sleep has been generally improved but now it's getting rocky. I do have a few OTC herbal remedies I'm using and they help. Especially since I'm working now.

 

I did not have anxiety disorder before all this - it happened during my pneumonia. Then I developed severe depression which led to a brief hospitalization. Went thru an out patient program and that helped but mostly I got off the benzos and the more I got off, the better I felt. Also had my hormones checked which seems to have been the root cause of a lot of my problems.

 

Lynn, I do hope you are feeling better every day. Give yourself time and I admire you for your strength and courage!

[[ja...]]

Congrats, Lynn! That's awesome!

 

Thank you all for your good wishes...turns out I dislocated my bad toe. I'm back in a surgical shoe and on a cane. Can't believe this is happening...I'm usually so cheery but I can't help but be down about this! I had a week with no pain. I had even written my doctor a thank-you note. I've been having heart-pounding anxiety attacks the last day.

 

I actually went out to my car at work and meditated for about 10 minutes...it helped me get through. Now it's all about chocolate pretzels and "Americas Next Top Model" reruns.

 

More seriously, anyone out there in the path of the storm coming? I'm really nervous because we're in the "up shit's creek" area - central NJ.

[[ja...]]

Between the foot and the storm and withdrawal symptoms that are popping up now...

 

 

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

 

Be safe, all. Good night.

[[Sk...]]

had some unpleasant withdraw experiences today, but I plan to stick to my taper plan. 

[[Or...]]

Hey folks.

How long after you start to tapper klo it`s usual to start to experience rebound effects or w/d sx?

 

 

[[Ly...]]

Hows my favorite K Club today-- JaxNj sorry about your setback with your foot... I wish i could build you a bionic one and ship it to you. I'm having a problem that is really bothering me. I am day 5 off my benzos

I am having intense hyperawareness of my head and my hands. I am concerned that this isn't normal and that it is connected to the fact i had a head injury and went thru six horrible months of headaches ,bad experiences with medications , and never feeling normal in the head ...

off and on throughout my experiences I've gone thru periods where I obcessed about my head never

Feeling right but now that I'm off medicine entirely I Am super obcessing about it. I've been thru depersonalization where I felt everything was dreamy and not real but this is a little different . I'm hyperaware of all my

Head movement and it all feels off and dizzy on top of that and my hands feel big and clumbsy. I hope this will pass in intensity and is not A sign of how I will stay ... Anyone else have this experience. i posted this in the regular benzo support room but wanted to ask your guys opinions as well.. im worried ill always be hyperself aware mode forever

 

Day 5 benzo free and frusturated..

 

Sending positive thoughts to all of you!

[[Sk...]]

The 3rd day, for me is almost always the worst.  But after that, it's smooth sailing until the next dose reduction. 

 

Hey folks.

How long after you start to tapper klo it`s usual to start to experience rebound effects or w/d sx?

[[Or...]]

I asked because I`m tappering fast (I`m on day 30 of klonopin usage). I decreased from 0,75 to 0,35 in 8 days and didn`t experience a sx so bad (only a increase in anxiety, that was expected because I was anxious when I start to use). So I was in doubt about continue to tapper or wait to see if I`ll have a w/d.

I decide to continue to tapper, I don`t think that I`m dependent yet.

 

Thanks

[[ja...]]

I'm back, all - sorry I've been scarce. I've just been really depressed about this foot setback and right now I'm praying that I don't have to go for surgery again.

 

But this is all pertinent because now at 5+ months some symptoms came back. I think it's circumstantial, between this storm that's supposed to hammer New Jersey and the fact that I'm not able to move at all (seriously, my husband is back to doing everything for me again - everything). Since my fall I've had really bad anxiety attacks - heart pounding in my throat - as well as some twitching and insomnia. I've also been crying a lot, feeling a lot of despair, especially since I was pain-free half a week ago.

 

So how am I handling this when I feel a true lack of strength this time around? This is important: IT IS TEMPORARY DISCOMFORT. It's not something I'm going to have to handle forever. It is temporary. Just like my addiction counselor said when I first got off Klonopin and the sxs were unbearable, I'm just in a temporary situation. I took Benedryl last night - just 1 - and Ambien to sleep. Also, I asked my husband to lie with me for a bit. I feel good today although I can't move.

 

BTW I'm still dragging myself to work. My co-workers are helping me this time around, which is awesome. I actually love what I do, so to sit all day and do it is a nice distraction.

 

So...in the spirit of tentative optimism, any suggestions on what to do after a second surgery? Besides write a lot in BB for the KK?

[[li...]]

I think it's natural, Jax, to feel more stress right now after what has happened  ............ but as you said, it is a 'temporary' setback. 

 

You will handle this one day at a time, with family support, your wonderful wit,  and the knowledge that you have come too far to just let

 

these challenges beat you.  Luckily, you also love your career, and know the wonderful power of meditation. 

 

This setback will pass - and so will that storm!

 

Take care now,

Gentle hugs,

Lizie

[[Sk...]]

Hello All!  Today I decided on a more rapid reduction of my doses until a final cut from taking Klonopin daily.  I am at 1mg/day now.  Today I jumped from 1.5 to 1 and I feel great. Instead of going down 0.25mg down every 14 days, I have decided to go down 0.5mg down every 14 days.  At this rate, I will be done taking the klonopin on a daily basis in about a month!  I have quit cold turkey before from taking 6mg/day for a year, without any withdraw symptoms and know I can do this.   

[[ja...]]

Morning, all! Anyone NOT  going to work today? Mine was called off because of the storm winds haven't been more than gusts so far in central NJ. We live in a brick apartment building and we have food and water. So it's cool.

 

Go Sky! You're cutting pretty fast. You probably know my philosophy as a very-fast-taperer: better to rip off the band-aid than prolong it. So I wish you luck...

 

Thanks for your wishes, Lizie. It means a lot to me. Gentle hugs back!

 

I'll catch y'all later...

[[Ly...]]

Good morning everyone - how are you all? I am on day 7 of no benzos

It seems like I'm having off and on Moments which I know is common .

This Saturday on day 5 I had horrible head fuzziness and dizziness and hyperawareness of my head and hands . Yesterday things got a bit better. Is the head tightness thing a common symtom? I feel like all the muscles in my head are constricted as if my head feels like a bobble head . Everything feels weird when I turn or move it..must be part of hyperawareness . Today I feel the dizziness sneaking back in... How is everyone else this morning ?

Jaxnj sorry bout your foot- Sky good luck with your taper

Hope y'all east coasters are ready for Frankenstorm ... I'm from pa originally but escaped to earthquake paradise California 10 years ago .. I miss east coast Halloween .. Witches and ghosts just don't look scary amongst palm trees !

[[Ge...]]

SkyZone, I hope it goes well for you.  I'm so sick of being chained to this stuff, I can totally understand you doing a quick taper.  I don't think I can risk it, myself, but it's tempting...

[[li...]]

Yes, I agree with you, Genoa, it is tempting.  Feeling 'chained' is right!

 

I also wish you well with your plan, Sky.

 

Lizie

[[sk...]]

Hey all--

I am in the midst of a nasty beginning taper and I think I am in the right place but new to these boards so hopefully Im posting in the right spot. I started about 1.5 months ago tapering down from 1mg klonopin/clonazepam to .75 (3/4 tab).  I was ok till about a week ago when I tried to go down to .50, and that is when all of the bad stuff started.  I've been feelin terrible since then and barely making it through.  I am seeing the sleep specialist tomorrow again for fol-up and then on Sat. going to see a NP who specializes in helping people taper off of benzos and anti-anxiety/anti-depressants.  I hope she will help me, too.  The Sleep Spec did not give me a taper schedule, which is why I stupidly tried to taper too fast and now am dealing with the fall-out of it.  My worst problems are that I am having a lot of trouble sleeping at night and the anxiety is really awful.  I feel most of the time like I am having a panic attack and my muscles are so sore. 

 

The sleeplessness is really affecting me though and I am not sure of what to tell these doctors, etc --I am struggling to get through and I have a child, who I stay home with and I need to be myself for.  I have to fight not to cry right now, but im struggling.  I just want to be able to sleep so I can feel human again! 

I would love to know if anyone has told their doctors or specialists anything like this and had them help them in such a way that worked.  I don't really know what to say to the doc, and I am barely able to think. 

Any suggestions are welcomed  Thanks.

 

[[Sk...]]

Thanks, Jax, Lynn, Genoa, and Lizzie for all of your support and for not telling me I should be tapering for like a year or something and titrating.  oh my goodness!  I could not do that.  To me, keeping the meds in my system for a longer and longer period of time, is just prolonging agony and, could even be worse than the withdraw itself.  Currently I feel better than i have in over a year!  I can't turn back now.  Jax,.. You have always been a huge supporter of me.  Thank you for that.  Lynn, thank you too, I hope your taper is going well.  Genoa, You have been a huge support for me as well.  Thanks you and thanks Lynn to you as well.  I wish you all the best.  One thing that gets me through withis very well is doing things I enjoy that takes my mind off of the withdraw thinking.  That seems to help tremendously.     

[[re...]]

Hey, all -

 

I disappeared--just too much going on.  Jax, thank you for asking about my family; all's well, it was just a good time to visit.  Meanwhile, your poor foot--I'm so sorry!  And what's with these symptoms coming back all of a sudden?  Do you think the stress of reinjuring your foot brought that on?  One thing I'm pretty sure of is that, during the visit to my family week before last, getting a little too much into my dad's habit of pre-dinner cocktail and wine with dinner gave me a clonazepam flashback--UGH.  Alcohol's a tricky thing.  Plus I've been under stress because our formerly dry basement now ships water, AND we have a mold plantation down there, so we are going to have to spend $$$ getting all of that fixed, once Hurricane Sandy's finished having its way with us.  (Amazingly, Sandy hasn't filled the basement with water and sludge--yet.)  But to come back to your foot--TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.  Hope you've been able to put both feet up while the storm's been raging outside. 

 

Anyway, events in our damp house pretty much account for why I vanished off the radar screen, but I've been thinking about all you guys and wondering how everyone was doing.  One thing Sandy's done is given me a bit of time off work, hence a little time to check back in here.  Unlike Jax, I'm not so good at keeping close track of everyone's monikers and particular stories--they have recently proliferated at this thread!--but I send everyone warm wishes for progress, comfort, and strength in the recovery process. 

 

Rek

 

 

 

 

[[Sk...]]

You are in my prayers, Rek, dealing with that storm.  I hope all goes well once it is all said and done.