I tapered very quickly and I’m not sure if I should reinstate.

In Sept. 2015 I was prescribed .5 xanax/daily and it was increased to 1.5mg/daily within the next six months.  In February 2017 I began seeing another doctor who prescribed 2mg Klonopin daily and cut out the Xanax.  In 2017 I was also prescribed 20mg zaleplom / nightly for sleep issues.  Early 2018 the doc added an additional .5mg Xanax as needed.  I received 30 pills a month so I pretty much took one each day.  Occasionally I would skip days so I could take multiples on another day.  I have also been a daily drinker throughout this time.  In late October 2018 I decided to stop taking benzos so I stopped using the .5/daily Xanax.  I held two weeks on 2mg klonopin and the 20mg zaleplom each day.  Around the second week of November I went down to 1.5mg Klonopin and two weeks later (day after Thanksgiving) dropped to 1mg Klonopin daily w/ zaleplom.  I stayed on 1mg Klonopin 4 days then went back up to 2mg for one day on Nov. 27.  I stopped everything cold turkey on November 28.  Drinking, zaleplom, and the 1mg/klonopin.  The doc prescribed me 300mg gabapentin x 3 daily to help with the withdrawal.  Last Thursday night was pure hell and the doc added a 900mg gabapentin kicker at bedtime.  I had some minor hallucinations Friday, DP/DR, muscle aches, twitching, paranoia – but none of the panic from Thursday night.  I slept decently Friday night and mainly just had emotions all over the place on Saturday with my face going numb on occasion and problems breathing.  Lots of sensory distortions continued.  Once I woke up Saturday I did not go back to sleep until 4am Tuesday (except for a 1.5 hr nap on Monday).  When I woke up Tuesday around lunch I felt pretty normal except for a back ache.  Driving around I noticed my vision was still blurry and the sensory distortion continued, as well as DP/DR.  Tues. evening and up until now I’ve been tasting metal, and I’m having pretty intense spasms all over my body.  I know I tapered very quickly and withdrawal symptoms suck, but I am concerned about doing CNS damage and creating a PAWS scenario.  I’m also concerned I’m trying to find an excuse to reinstate.  Drinking was always my vice, and I liked that the pills augmented the drinking and lessened the hangovers.  I never “enjoyed” the pills, though, so I’m not craving their effects… I just want to stop seeing shit and spasming.  Anybody out there who’s stopped at the equivalent of 1mg klonopin C/T that can chime in?  Also, I drank roughly 5-7 beers daily (to put a number on it).  Hopefully this made some sense.  I’m a little out of sorts right now.  I’ll be glad to answer any questions if my post is confusing.  Thank you.

Why did you stop to begin with? Were you experiencing tolerance wd?

I went CT off Klonapib 6 mgs plus Ambien in 2012. I had a purewly awful withdrawal. BUT - I took (used and abused) benzos for 30 years and length of use seems to affect how bad WD can be.

 

Most people who use benzos seem addicted to the idea that if something feels "wrong", some pill will help. Society and TV have taught us this. And it is a HUGE mistake.

 

Some drugs work directly on the brain. Benzos, narcotics, amphetamines, anti depressants are some of those drugs. ALL of them can cause a nasty withdrawal.

 

I am not sure how to advise you. I DO know you need to get off all brain affecting drugs ASAP. Withdrawal can be very unpleasant, but the pay off is HUGE. Read my Success Story...I am a true survivor, having gone though one of the worst cold turkey withdrawals known here. And I did survive it.

Feel free to private message me, okay?

east