Hello from Toronto! (EDIT: Need help deciding whether to re-instate clonazepam)

Greetings all,

 

I have been on clonazepam daily for the past 6 years and have gradually tapered to 0. (2.5mg per day for first 5 years then tapered down and was at 1mg and then slowly down to 0)....The transition from 1.0mg to 0 occurred a lot faster than I would have liked. (I have tried talking to my GP about a slower taper or a substitution quite a few times but she did not budge.   

 

Nonetheless I'm proud to say that I'm currently on my 13th day off of it. Despite being quite a bumpy ride, it feels so liberating!

 

I'm so glad that a community like this exists. Looking forward to getting to know you guys better! Thats all for now...

 

Cheers

 

Hello 416!

 

Welcome to Benzobuddies.  I'm glad you joined us.

 

Congratulations for tapering off klonopin.  I'm sorry that the final taper was faster than preferred, but I'm confident that you'll make a full recovery.  It just takes some time to get through this withdrawal thing.

 

If you haven’t already done so, please take a thorough look at the Ashton Manual.  It is an authoritative guide to benzodiazepine tapering and includes sections on what to expect during withdrawal.  The manual can be found at this link:  http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual

 

Since you've already finished your taper, here's a link to the Post-Withdrawal Support area.  I think it's probably a good place to share your story/progress and hear about the progress of others.  Post-withdrawal Recovery Support

 

Please take some time to Create a Signature. This will help other members understand your history so they will be better able to support you.

Go to the top of the page and select Profile, then choose Forum Profile, insert drug history/timelines into the text box and click Change Profile.

 

Again, welcome!

Hello 416!

 

Welcome to Benzobuddies.  I'm glad you joined us.

 

Congratulations for tapering off klonopin.  I'm sorry that the final taper was faster than preferred, but I'm confident that you'll make a full recovery.  It just takes some time to get through this withdrawal thing.

 

If you haven’t already done so, please take a thorough look at the Ashton Manual.  It is an authoritative guide to benzodiazepine tapering and includes sections on what to expect during withdrawal.  The manual can be found at this link:  http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual

 

Since you've already finished your taper, here's a link to the Post-Withdrawal Support area.  I think it's probably a good place to share your story/progress and hear about the progress of others.  Post-withdrawal Recovery Support

 

Please take some time to Create a Signature. This will help other members understand your history so they will be better able to support you.

Go to the top of the page and select Profile, then choose Forum Profile, insert drug history/timelines into the text box and click Change Profile.

 

Again, welcome!

 

Thanks for the warm welcome!

 

I've familiarized myself with the Ashton manual, I'm actually thinking of going back onto clonazepam and then tapering down even slower as I am having some very uncomfortable.

 

my doctor is actually not very "benzo-wise" and had me go through a bit of a rapid taper.  (she was not willing to a substitution taper from the get-go and repeatedly refused to decrease the taper speed because I have a bit of an addictive personality)

 

(which was a bit too fast and I'm experiencing virtually every w/d symptom)....including a seizure during the taper about a month ago (the other meds I take may have also contributed to this, im not sure)....

 

Right now I am on day 14 c/t and and I 'm not sure what to do now.  While it doesn't seem to getting worse anymore, these symptoms are getting a bit unbearable...I'm have extreme mood swings, immense anxiety and tension (esp. social anxiety), paranoid thoughts, 3-4 hours sleep a night (even after physically exhausting days), nightmares, severe diahrea, sweating etc.....My doctor has advised for me to give it more time (and does not appear to be very well-versed on benzo withdrawal, especially from years of chronic use....she keeps telling me that "it will resolve soon")

 

With my mind and brain going insane and my patience running thin, I've countless spent hours on these forums, google, and reading medical literature for the past week and I'm considering switching doctors and asking to go back onto benzos (0.125mg-0.25mg of clonazepam a day?) and slowly re-taper down.....Thats my biggest question at the moment.

 

Any thoughts/insight/suggestions would be much appreciated! 

I pretty much never advise going back on the drug.  It can cause an effect called kindling which could make the subsequent taper even worse. 

 

fwiw - I did a c/t.  It was most definitely unpleasant, but I got through it.  It took a few months before I started feeling better, and several more months before I would claim to start feeling 'normal'.  That may seem like a very long time, but if you reinstate and do a proper (slow) taper, just the taper could take over a year.

 

I'm just one opinion.  There are varied opinions on what you propose.  Post your question to the main boards instead of to the Introductions page.  More people will respond if you post this in a different place.  Perhaps post to Withdrawal Support.  That's a very active section.

I recently did a rapid Klonopin taper from 2.0 to 0.25 over 2/3 months (see sig). And I just started a crossover taper to 10 mg Valium...but I really REALLY considered C/T after the 0.25 mg. I went back and forth and my decision had a lot to do with terrible physical withdrawal symptoms (and their side effects) combined with my family/household responsibilities etc.

 

If I were in your shoes and 13 days off, I’d probably stay off. At the same time, I feel too new on the forum to say that. I’m wishing you the best and either way, you’ll eventually be free. Hang in there. I’m feeling it now so I know it’s tough.

It is going to be a tough couple of months.. if you can settle in and accept that then I think this is your best option now. Been there.