10 years and 4 months off...

I think I wrote a success story here before several years back, but I will write another.

It's been 10 years and 4 months since I detoxed, and I'm healed and have been for years.

The timeline of healing was not linear at all: the first 2 months were terrible (I had psychosis), but I waited it out. I had no choice.

I was on klonopin a good 9 years at anywhere from 0.5mg to 4mg/ daily. Sooo, I suppose that's why my withdrawal was torture AND I pretty much detoxed. Never! Never do that. I was tapered fast! Very fast! Over just a few weeks I was cut down to zero from 4mg Klonopin.

The withdrawal was so intense, and there are too many symptoms to recall.

But know this! I got better and healed. It was actually around 10 months off, I started improving. Around 16 months, I was pretty much myself with some lingering symptoms.

Since, I've traveled by airplanes, worked, drink loads of coffee and soda lol. It's life. I actually stopped smoking during my withdrawal, but unfortunately smoke again.

I just live an ordinary life as ppl do.

If I can get through it, anyone can. It was nothing short of brutal, but I just laid there and let whatever eating at me do so. You do heal, and even if you have some lingering symptoms after a couple years, you know what they are...and can handle them.

Things that helped me was drinking loads of water, no cigarettes, staying calm as possible, using a heating pad, sleeping as much as possible and time. Also eating as healthy as possible, especially in a time where your nerves are healing.

That's what I recall. It's been 10 years, so my memory of it is faded.

I think overall, the memory that sticks out the most is: my back burning off from nerve pain, and having to use a heating pad.

It was terrible.

 

It gets better and life goes on. I know! I've been there. I get it.

 

Would be nice to see doctors educated more on benzos, so they know how to help those desiring to come off the drug. Back then, all my doctors were clueless. Smh

 

Keep going, and don't let the withdrawal fool you. It works like a magician: puts up this illusion nothing will ever be the same. It lied to me, because here I sit having a coffee with no symptoms. It's deceiving as withdrawal, or even anxiety is.

 

I wish you all well.

Congratulations, I love to hear it when somebody beat the benzo.

Did you have insomnia as one of your symptoms? If so when did it start getting better.

Hey Xray,

Actually I didn't have much insomnia; I slept anywhere from 5-10 hours a night in those days.

What's strange, I do have restless nights now, since I entered my 40's. It's definitely not withdrawal related lol. It's because of just stress or drinking too much caffeine. 

 

I'm sorry I have no good advice for insomnia.

I know some talked about using melatonin. I didn't try it, because as I said...I had no insomnia much in withdrawal.

Hey congrats!  Love to hear success stories.  The question that so many people on here have is can you tolerate other drugs like antibiotics, steroids, alcohol, lidocaine and other drugs that work on gaba?

Hi there,

I'm not so sure about alcohol because I'm not much of a drinker.

I can tolerate ibuprofen, lol. I do know that. I take them for headaches.

I can tolerate any food or drinks.

 

Hmmm...I know I took some antibiotics the dentist gave me, and yeah I tolerated them. I tried a hydrocodone and tolerated that.

 

I'm not sure about some other medications.

 

I'm sure I could drink alcohol if I wanted to and tolerate it. I smoked pot and tolerated that.

 

 

 

Ps I was administered lidocaine, and yes I tolerated that as well.

 

Thank you for coming back and sharing your story.  You've shared lots of wisdom and encouragement.  It's truly a gift to members who need words of hope. So glad things are going well! 

Thank you for coming back and sharing your story.  You've shared lots of wisdom and encouragement.  It's truly a gift to members who need words of hope. So glad things are going well!

 

Very welcome.

 

What's odd, not a single person on this forum these days look familiar (the names).

 

They all healed.

 

Everyone will find their way in life. Even after you heal, challenges still come and go...

 

Meh after going through what I did, I can go through anything. It was just meant to be.

 

Take care.

This is great to hear, congralations 

 

People need to hear encouraging stories like this, that everything will be alright 

 

Have a great life!

No problem!

I can promise it gets better.

 

In fact, you will forget all about it because life goes on.

 

Just don't detox unless you have to. It was doable, but very terrible. I couldn't taper, as I just wanted to be done with it. I was in such tolerance, I couldn't take it anymore.

 

When the derealization goes away, your healing becomes much more manageable.  I truly believe a good 75% of my withdrawal was derealization. Once that left, it was much easier. In fact, it will surprise you just how silly your thinking was beneath the derealization once it goes.

By 3 years off, I was already going out and traveling. 

 

It definitely gets better. I'm bucket loads much better than back then. Lol I hope so! That was 10 years ago. 😳

 

The only remaining symptom I have is very light nerve pain, but it's nothing compared to the way I burned up after I detoxed.

 

Everyone will make it! You will go on! Your brain has no choice but to heal. Let it do so.

 

Good luck to all.

 

Did you struggle with a rapid cognitive decline, lack of reasoning/rationale or memory issues?

Did you struggle with a rapid cognitive decline, lack of reasoning/rationale or memory issues?

 

Yes.

I had memory loss from the derealization I was clogged with: was like time distortions.

 

No. I could actually keep my mind in tune with reason that I recall.

 

So, memory...yes.

Reasoning...no.

 

The first two months I was off, I was in psychosis. I probably couldn't reason then.

 

Seems so distant, been so long ago. 😪

 

You'll be fine. Trust me!