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Complete healing from a Klonopin cold turkey!


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I never read your signature before Pamster, sounds like we were on about the same amount of Klonopin prescribed. I was also prescribed Valium on and off while taking Klonopin. Over the course of 20 years nonstop.

 

I was prescribed Ambien for a while as well, but the last thing I was taking was primidone. I quit taking the primidone about 2 months ago because I think it was holding up my klonopin withdrawal. So now I'm doing rapid healing but I think I still have another couple of months. 17 months out with a couple to go if I had to guess.

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Hi Pamster

 

This is the first time I have read your success story.  Thank you.  For your courage and your truth.  And sticking around to support everyone here.

 

I believe in total healing.  I trust that healing happens.  It is the foundation for my own journey. 

 

Your story is a testimonial to that.

 

 

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I was on Klonopin for about 5 years, I took it on a as needed basis but as needed turned out to be quite often.  My dose at the end of my use was between 6 to 10 milligrams a day.  My behavior and personality had changed, I knew I had to stop so I did, on October 10, 2007.  I checked myself into a rehab facility on Oct 12, I was beginning to feel very ill.  They gave me 2 doses of Klonopin that day along with 2 doses of Phenobarbital, as I was told me there was a danger of seizure. That was the extent of my detox, I was to join the general population of the facility to learn the 12 steps the next day.  I knew nothing of benzodiazepines, didn't know they must be tapered, but somehow knew I was in trouble.  I checked myself out against medical advice that night with a prescription for 5 Phenobarbital in my pocket.  The next day I tried to find a Dr who could help me, but they all referred me to the facility I'd just left. 

 

Thus my nightmare began, one filled with unimaginable pain and agony.  The first days felt as if my internal organs were being shredded, I could only lay on my couch and writhe in pain.  As the days passed my extremities, all of my muscles were being twisted and shredded.  The pain was relentless accompanied by no sleep, nausea, trembling, twitching and the darkest, most fear filled thoughts I'd ever known.  I was too sick to research what was happening to me, I could only guess I'd been poisoned by the drug.  I made frantic calls to the facility I'd left, asking for help to understand what was happening to me.  They thought I was drug seeking, thought I wanted more Phenobarbital, I wasn't, I just wanted to know how to help myself. 

 

I finally got on the Internet after 3 weeks of torture and found an article about a rock star who'd withdrawn from Klonopin, she said it had taken her 45 days to heal from her nightmare.  I was disheartened, how could I endure this for 45 days.  But as the days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, I finally found BenzoBuddies; 5 months after my cold turkey and learned the truth.  It isn't days, or weeks it's months before healing takes place.

 

I'm writing this story because I know the hopelessness you feel, I know the fear and the pain, but now I also know the joy of complete healing.  The relief I feel each day is something I'll always cherish.  I've returned to who I was before benzo's, but I'm so much better than I was then because I've learned a valuable lesson for which I will always be grateful.  I have joy in my life again, I can feel emotion and love. I know peace and relaxation, and I'm free from anxiety and fear.  I told myself I was completely healed at 14 months past my cold turkey, but I'm not sure that's true now because my life has continued to improve since that time.  I don't know if it's still healing from the Klonopin or if my gratitude to be well has given my life new meaning. 

 

I did this the hard way, I stopped cold turkey but this only proves that however you do it, whatever works for you, we call all heal from this.  Don't give up hope, it will happen for you too.

 

Pamster

 

Pamster:  I could not find any information on how long it took you to recover from cold turkey.  I was on clonazepam for 20 years nightly for insomnia and it turned on me in 2018.  I am completely unfunctional and bedridden.  I was suffering from tolerance withdrawals for 1 1/2 years and now a cold turkey for 9 months.  So in total, I have been severely disabled for 2 years.  My question to you is what month after your cold turkey did you start to get better?

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I told myself I was completely healed at 14 months past my cold turkey, but I'm not sure that's true now because my life has continued to improve since that time. 

 

Pamster:  I could not find any information on how long it took you to recover from cold turkey.  I was on clonazepam for 20 years nightly for insomnia and it turned on me in 2018.  I am completely unfunctional and bedridden.  I was suffering from tolerance withdrawals for 1 1/2 years and now a cold turkey for 9 months.  So in total, I have been severely disabled for 2 years.  My question to you is what month after your cold turkey did you start to get better?

 

I acknowledged full recovery 14 months past my cold turkey but I state in my signature that I believe the Ambien I was taking after my cold turkey delayed my recovery.  When I finally stopped taking Ambien I was well within a week so I likely didn't take 14 months but I'll never know.

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  • 4 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...
I've also been worse than ever the last couple weeks, and I'm at 22 months off of Klonopin cold turkey. Hopefully this is the worst before the better that everybody talks about on here.
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  • 2 weeks later...

Thank you for sharing your story and for helping so many people here on the forum.

 

I am very happy for your recovery.

 

:smitten:

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  • 3 weeks later...
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I stopped my last dose this morning and have been feeling horrible for a few week s but know my body no longer needs it and taking it longer makes me sicker. I just need to get through the rest of this nightmare to fully heal from this. I was encouraged by your post so much. Thank you. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I already eat clean and take supplements that I work with someone to help me with naturally.
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Pamster,

 

I am just now reading your success story and I am so happy for you that you healed from that nightmare. I am not having the severity of symptoms that you had because I have the luxury of a taper. I have a couple bad symptoms but not a whole list.

 

It's wonderful to see people heal from benzo's! It is possible and you're proof :)

 

HM

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  • 3 weeks later...
Your story is making me cry. I am on day four of the cold turkey. You’re giving me hope that I just have to wait it out.
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  • 6 months later...
  • 1 month later...

I have not read a success story in a long while. Thank you, for sharing!

 

I am happy to know you made it through the hellish ordeal.

 

After such an experience you can now trully appreciate more in this world, which in turn makes for a better life.

 

We greatly appreciate your support on the forums.

 

:thumbsup:

 

 

Fonz

 

 

 

 

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  • 1 month later...
  • 2 months later...

Hi Pam , Sounds like you had a rough time. Thank God you quit your addiction. You're truly blessed ! Take care.  :thumbsup:

 

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  • 11 months later...

Thank you for this story.

 

My memory is shot and I don't know what I did with a 1 month leftover supply of benzos over December to March. But I am sure I was 100% clean in April 2023. So I just consider myself a cold turkey victim.

 

I've been looking for success stories of those who CT and got their lives back. I've been disheartened and really envy those who got to taper.

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You found me, but even though cold turkey is brutal in the beginning, we can still recover so don’t be envious, you’re off the drug and into recovery mode.  :thumbsup:
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Hi Pamster,

 

Your story is very inspiring. I remember you mentioned you took Lexapro, do you remember how many mg you were taking, did you taper after you healed? How were you able to tell that you healed while on Lexapro? Hope you can respond.

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I don’t remember the dosage of Lexepro but I quit it cold turkey like I do everything.  The Ambien I started while recovering from the Klonopin was keeping me sick but when I quit both it and the Lexepro at the same time, I felt great within days.  I don’t think I suffered withdrawal from the Lexepro, I may have but I felt so much better being off the Ambien, I didn’t notice.
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You’re so lucky you didn’t get any wd from ambien and Lexapro. I feel so polydruggred with prescribed meds that there’s no hope for me to rewire my brain back to normal.
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I’m very lucky and I’m grateful but just because you’re having difficulty doesn’t mean you won’t recover, your brain know’s what to do, we just have to allow the time to make the repairs. 
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I’m very lucky and I’m grateful but just because you’re having difficulty doesn’t mean you won’t recover, your brain know’s what to do, we just have to allow the time to make the repairs.

Pamster,

I hope you can reply to me, did you have daily sui*** thoughts & ideation even on Lexapro & Ambien? I see posts from people do better when they start an ssri but I’m not one of those cases.. I don’t know if it’s the gabapentin 100mg.. or benzo wd.. I don’t know

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Pamster, thank you so much for your modding here. You’ve literally saved lives, including mine, and I hope that when I’m fully recoveres I feel the kind of balance and warmth that moves me to help folks like you have.
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  • 3 months later...

Thankyou pamster for providing your cold turkey experience it's so good that you are healed and continue to do so.. I wish I was out of the dark tunnel of withdrawal but it just takes the first step 

Much blessings🙏

 

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