Coming off klonopin

[[Buddie]]

Hello, I believe I need help. I've been taking klonopin for the past several years, for the first three years it was roughly every three days, sometimes two. But for the past year it's been every day or two days. Two weeks ago, I noticed a very unusual side effect: Depersonalization. I would be fine for part of the day and then like a light switch, it would be turned completely upside down. Nothing would feel real, my body felt like it's not really attached, and I would slightly faint or dizzy. Yesterday I went to the hospital but there wasn't much they could do. I left feeling worse than when I got there.

My prescription for klonopin is officially 0.5mg three times daily, but I have never taken it that long. I believe, after researching, that I have the Kindling effect. During the side effects, I increased my seroquel from 300xr to 300xr + 50ir and it worked. For a little while. Then it came back a few days later and I increased it to 300xr + 100ir and again, it worked for a little while.

I never wanted to have this happen, I wanted to use it responsibly but it appears that this is not the case anymore. I hope to follow the ashton manual (without substituting klonopin for diazepam, is this possible?) and be off of it for good.

[[Buddie]]

This link explains the mechanism of benzo's, and is a great place to start self educating.
http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=66397.0

This is a list of withdraw symptoms:
https://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha03.htm#4
(interestingly, I share your list of symptoms, add terrible cold spells and we could be twins)

Tapering is the safest, and most tolerable method for getting off of benzo's. Here is our taper info:

The max recommended cut is 5-10% every 2 weeks. Many of us have to go slower, depending on our medication and what we can handle. Here are the boards on tapering. Feel free to print out anything you wish, and share it with your doctor. From there, you can formulate a plan, and, you are always free to change it up if it's not working. It can take some trial and error. What works best for me may not be what works best for you. Starting at a regular dose with regular intervals until you feel stable can help before you begin. As you don't dose everyday, that might mean every other day, this is something you may want to workout with your doctor, or even experiment with until you feel your ready to start tapering.
 
As to substituting, you don't have to crossover to another benzo to taper.

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=56.0

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=145.0

This is a list of withdraw symptoms:
https://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha03.htm#4

In the forums pertinent to your circumstances, you will find other buddies going through their own tapers. This is a good place to ask questions, and receive guidance.

Again, welcome to Benzo Buddies, you have come to a safe, confidential informative support group, and we are happy to have you as a member. You can do this, with knowledge and finding coping skills.

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.

We look forward to reading more from you over the forthcoming days and weeks.

Take care,
BB Team

[[Buddie]]

Thank you for your informative reply. I plan to use the ashton manual (starting at 1.5 per day) and I have a very precise gem-20 scale that can measure in .001 grains (I believe there are 15.4 grains to 1 gram, I mostly use it for reloading ammo on the weekends but it will be repurposed).

The symptom was very scary, for the past two weeks I thought I was going to die. Again, I would feel fine for half the day, then the next half was complete hell. It felt like a dream-like state, anxiety levels off the charts, I could not eat well. I walked all the way to the hospital yesterday and it was a terrible, terrible experience. There were no rooms available, I had to be placed on a bed in a crowded hallway. And I was largely ignored. 5pm had rolled around and nobody brought me my pills or even a bottle of water, eventually i saw a doctor who advised NOT continuing to increase the seroquel because it can lower the seizure threshhold. I was increasing it too quickly (50mg the first day, 100 the third) and it's a good thing he told me to stop because I was planning to keep doing it, believing it was the seroquel withdrawals. During the last four or five years I've had to slowly increase my seroquel due to it pooping out, starting from 50mg and currently at 300-350.

Another part is that there was a lot of uncertainty...Was it the klonopin? Was it the seroquel? (I took more seroquel and felt good for a few days, maybe that's the issue, I should keep doing that!)

I never intended for it to come to this, but after researching what kindling is and how it works, it sounds like what I did. I did not know this would happen.

[[Buddie]]

Your very welcome. I learned the hard way that seroquel has to be consistent, same dosage, reasonably same time frame for dosing.

[[Buddie]]

I know that feeling, sometimes I just want to take a 50mg for the heck of it. Seroquel is good for sleep but it also caused weight gain and cholesterol issues for me.

[[Buddie]]

Didn't know where else to post so I just found my introduction, but I'm still cracking away at it! Doing good, the last 0.5mg hasn't been as rough as I thought it would be.

[[Buddie]]

Hello [...],

When I read what you wrote in your first post it made me so sad.  You said "I never wanted to have this happen, I wanted to use it responsibly but it appears that this is not the case anymore."  I want you to know that from what I can see, you did use the drug responsibly, but as happens to most of us here, your body became tolerant to it and you needed more to achieve the same effect.  This is what happens and it's not your fault!  This drug is only recommended by the manufacturer to be taken for 2-4 weeks, not years, they know how powerful it is.

Your symptoms sound like Klonopin withdrawal to me, I don't have experience with seroquel but I have plenty with Klonopin and yours sound very familiar. 

If you're interested in hearing how our members are tapering their benzo's, you could start a thread on the Planning your Withdrawal (Taper Plans) board, just select the direct taper tab.  And it sounds like you could use some feedback about your seroquel use, there are many threads on that subject on the Other Medications board.  You could take a look at those, or start a thread of your own discussing your concerns.

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[[Buddie]]

[...]-

I have had to stop tapering the seroquel for now. I am really struggling to cut my xanax down, and don't need the extra distress to my CNS. Just a heads up to let you know to leave the sero alone when the z-drug cuts are not going well.


-Peace

[[Buddie]]

Just read these replies, much appreciated! Haven't messed with the seroquel, still at 350mg per day and I've been on 10mg of paxil for a very long time. Right now I'm at 0.3mg of klonopin and doing fine, the end is hopefully not too far away.

Looking back on it, I can see how it got out of control. I was taking it every 3 days for years and it was fine, but for the last year it was every 2 days, and sometimes the next day, and the doses were roughly 1mg each. Figure it was only a matter of time before I got hooked, I have nobody to blame but myself and I'm still honoring the commitment I made back in July. Assuming it all works out, the best part is not having to weigh the pills anymore. I do want to continue taking benzos because I recognize they have a legitimate use but the next phase is to be clean for a while then take it about once a week as needed, this is in contrast to the every 3 day schedule I was on. I like taking benzos because they work, but now that I have my mind back I don't want to lose it again. One concern I have is the itch in the back of my mind to take it more often, like how a drug addict will always be a drug addict. I was a cigarette smoker for a long time and quit 10 years ago but it's always in the back of my mind. I went to vaping and hookah and clove cigarettes and quit all that stuff (along with caffeine) earlier this year. The most I do now is eat a lot and drink decaf.

Good luck to you, [...]. I know you can do it, stay strong!

[[Buddie]]

Hi [...],

I'm glad to hear things are going well for you, it's nice to see someone who isn't having a rough time.  Yes, benzo's can be a useful medication, hopefully you can figure out the best use for them going forward.

I hope you'll keep coming back to let us know how you're doing, we love success stories!

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