Jump to content

Benzo Free for 11 & 1/2 years


[pi...]

Recommended Posts

First of all, let me say that Benzo Buddies was a huge part of my support and recovery.  Thanks for being here! 

 

I want to share that I was really scared about being Klonopin free since I had been prescribed it for 18 years.  I thought my anxiety would overwhelm me.  It turns out, the dependency on the bento is what was causing so much anxiety.  Sure, I'd had anxiety my whole childhood and teenage years, into my 20s - and had a panic attack when I was about 25 - the kind where you want to go to the hospital because you think you're having a heart attack.  Boom, instantly prescribed Xanax.  That was a terrible experience so let's give her Klonopin. Every. Day. Knowing what I know now, that Dr and all of the subsequent doctors who just looked at my medication chart and kept prescribing Klonopin should be have their license suspended.

 

The good news is I have had only 2 major anxiety bouts since I stopped taking Klonopin.  Once I had bronchitis and my inhaler caused what mimicked a panic attack.  I actually wish I'd had a Klonopin that night but I breathed through it, recognized that if I wasn't passing out, I was breathing, took a hot steamy shower - and toughed it out.  It sucked, but I had bronchitis, so there was that.  Now I know you can take a Dramamine to get through something like that. 

 

The other time I was traveling and just landed in a not so optimal hotel in a foreign country, alone.  I felt the panic coming on and took a dramamine.  Within 20 minutes, the symptoms subsided and I fell asleep.

 

I have been benzo free since March 2011.  It has changed my life.  You can do it but I do suggest medical supervision.  My Dr had a great regime for me that took 6 weeks.  You can check it in my profile.  It did take awhile for my Gaba receptors to heal and grow back.  4 months of pretty gnarly neck tightness, but you learn ways to deal.  I had one of those pillows that is a roll.  That helped immensely.  If I could afford a deep tissue massage, that helped too.  Now they have those massage guns that will probably do the same thing.  Ibuprofen as much as could be safe, knowing this would pass.  it was worth it - I got my life back and I was able to quit a miserable job I'd been at over 10 years (because I was benzoed out and complacent) and start my own business.  We have 6 people on the team now and while there is stress - and there are always challenges - including my Bi-polar II disorder, I am functioning exceptionally well and overall, I'm very happy.  Sunshine and vitamin D help too. And if you can get your hands in dirt - even just get a plant.  If you read up, there is something released when you dig into soil that gives you a seretonin boost.  https://www.forbes.com/sites/lauratenenbaum/2020/01/29/digging-in-the-dirt-really-does-make-people-happier/?sh=764366c931e1

 

If anyone has questions, I'm here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi there,

That's an amazing and encouraging story. You bet I have questions! It sounds as if your withdrawal symptoms were pretty mild and the worst of them lasted about four months. Were you spared the anxiety, the burning skin, the dizziness and inner trembling? If you were, that's super. If you weren't, how dod you get past it? Did anything especially help you

Thank you for posting!

:thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  Congrats on your breaking free from this poison. My profile is on here somewhere, so I'll spare the details. I'm on Alprazolam 7 years and I keep finding excuses to put off tapering. I also drink a few beers on the weekends, so I'm sure that isn't helping things. Burning skin and inner trembling are part of my symptoms also.

      Thank you for sharing and continued success in your recovery.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...