How Is This Posssible, Someone I Know Stopped Klonopin NO Physical W/D

My Case Worker at one of my support services told me that he was on Klonopin for two years, .5mg twice a day (same dose I was on, but only for 15 months), and he had practically NO physical W/D after a two month wean which consisted of stopping one dose, then stopping the other a month later. He did have some of the mental symptoms, and the insomnia, but nothing else. HOW IS THIS POSSSIBLE??? I told him I envied how easy it was for him, because I have had horrific physical W/D symptoms after a 1/2 mg cut from 12 mg Valium. The debilitating headaches, rebound anxiety, brain zaps, alternating between chills and sweats, lower back spasms. This guy was off 1 mg Klonopin a day after two years of use, in only two months, and had minimal W/D. His experience flies in the face of everything Ashton knew and wrote about Benzos. 

Sometimes I think starting and stopping is a cumulative effect. What I mean is they may be able to do that once in their life, maybe twice but let's say a couple years later they start and stop again..... and bingo....

 

 

I used to be able to start/stop benzos cold-turkey all the time at first.

I did this multiple times in my early years:

 

Jun 2001 - put on Klonopin

Sep 2001 - got off Klonopin with about a week taper

Jan 2002 - back on Klonopin

July 2003 - got off Klonopin with a 1-2 week taper

August 2003 - back on Klonopin

September 2005 - got off Klonopin with 1-2 week taper

October 2005 - back on Klonopin

March 2006 - off Klonopin with 1-2 week taper

April 2006 - back on Klonopin

2017 - attempted taper, got down to 0.5mg and ran into some heavy DP/DR and said screw it

2019 - attempted taper and it was hell

 

As you can see, I got off many times and often from high doses (3mg of Klonopin) with relative ease.  I think I was put on mirtazapine all but one of those times when I used magnesium.  The reason I kept getting back on was because I had always used Wellbutrin for depression and I had trouble tolerating the revved up/caffein like side effects without a benzo.  I have never liked the way serotonergic drugs made me feel with brain fog, etc.  Frankly, the Klonopin had less side effects.  If I could go back in time, I should have just taken lengthy time off without medication for my brain to return completely back to normal.  Instead, I was young and stupid and wanted to party.

I stopped clonazepam several times with basically no withdrawal.  The first time, after 9 years of .5 mgs every day, I tapered for 3 months and jumped off at .125.  No problem.  The second time (6 years later), I took it for 3 weeks and stopped cold turkey.  No problem.  The third time (2.5 years later), I took it for 1.5 years, tried to taper.  Ouch.  Reinstated.  4 months later started the taper over and it took 14 months more to taper.  I had withdrawal this last time.  Also, many many years ago I was on valium for 6 months and stopped cold turkey.  No problem.  I will never again be able to take a benzo.  Some people do not have a problem stopping.  But it is not worth the risk.

Boy, I wish I was one of those people.

Boy, I wish I was one of those people.

 

Me too! I couldn't believe what he told me. 

I wonder if these people don't have depression?

 

I knew someone who doesn't have depression but went on benzos for a bit due to anxiety flares, and stopped benzos C/T with no issues. I was very jealous but thought maybe it's just because they're so bubbly and happy to begin with

I wonder if these people don't have depression?

 

I knew someone who doesn't have depression but went on benzos for a bit due to anxiety flares, and stopped benzos C/T with no issues. I was very jealous but thought maybe it's just because they're so bubbly and happy to begin with

 

I don't have depression (I have been screeened multiple times at Dr visits). But in another thread someone commented that there are are people who have little to no W/D and the rate may be as high as 50%. This guy had mostly mental W.D and recovered in only 2 months of 2 large dose reductions. He told me he still suffers from anxiety but has developed coping strategies and non pharmacological altenative to cope.

I would’ve bet money that 99.9% have W/D. I’d be curious to know they’re diets at the time

I wonder if these people don't have depression?

 

I knew someone who doesn't have depression but went on benzos for a bit due to anxiety flares, and stopped benzos C/T with no issues. I was very jealous but thought maybe it's just because they're so bubbly and happy to begin with

 

I don't have depression (I have been screeened multiple times at Dr visits). But in another thread someone commented that there are are people who have little to no W/D and the rate may be as high as 50%. This guy had mostly mental W.D and recovered in only 2 months of 2 large dose reductions. He told me he still suffers from anxiety but has developed coping strategies and non pharmacological altenative to cope.

 

Is it ANXIETY that the case worker still has? Or a side effect from the benzo he stopped? This is where it gets confusing. Even practiontioners miss it.

 

My mom died and that's how I ended up on a benzo. I was sad and stressed about it because it happened suddenly and my Dad was cumbersome to deal with after she passed. All of these things are normal when there's a death of a loved one - grief and stress. I should have left it at that and went through the natural grief process. - But, because I was told it was "as safe as drinking a beer" by my family doctor, I started on Ativan. Medicating normal as we know it to be.

 

What happened after was the "tale tell sign" that gets missed all the time. I had regular grief and normal stress. The "anxiety" that ensued a few weeks after starting the Ativan should have been an indicator to my doctors that it needed to be stopped by a safe taper. These were symptoms that were not my natural anxiety ramping up at all (we all know that's bullsh**t) but indeed it was tolerance symptoms I was experiencing:

 

Not being able to drive on a highway

Insomnia almost every night

Not being able to go to a busy restaurant

Weird swallowing issues

Arms feeling weird and weak

Tinnitus

Vertigo

Waking up with the room spinning

 

These are all symptoms I never had pre benzo, but now were being seen to my doctors as "worsening anxiety" symptoms. I had already stopped the Ativan for a couple weeks  when I was seeing the doctor for the vertigo and insomnia, but unfortunately these symptoms did not show up until I had taken the medication for 3 yesrs already. At that office visit they told me to INCREASE MY DOSE. I am so glad I did not. This is when I decided on my own to stop the Ativan. Of course I still went through withdrawal, but if I would have listened to my doctor it would have been way worse.

 

So, is the case worker experiencing anxiety? Or withdrawal symptoms? Remember as we know those symptoms can go on for months or a couple years. If the withdrawal symptoms are not recognized they may start taking the benzo again later on for their "anxiety" that just won't go away, and like I said earlier on this thread it's a cumulative effect. It's not going to be so easy the next time they try to take it. Their symptoms will increase.

 

I dont think it's 50% of people have no issues stopping a benzo. I think by timing they have just not stopped and started again enough, or they just were not on it long enough to reach tolerance.

If someone coincidentally only took them for a short period for one or two bouts in their lifetime they will go to their grave thinking benzos are safe. If they used them just that one more time in their life span- they would have learned the hard way like all of us here on the Benzo Buddie forum know all too well. Everyone will reach tolerance on this drug eventually. It is not a matter of if. It is a matter of when.

 

 

 

 

 

Is it ANXIETY that the case worker still has? Or a side effect from the benzo he stopped? This is where it gets confusing. Even practiontioners miss it.

 

 

 

He was originally prescribed them to treat an anxiety disorder, he still suffers his anxiety disorder.

Hello everyone. My sister was on .5mgs of Xanax for 8 years and just quit! Last summer! She’s been on ad’s and has dealt with depression but was able to ct with no problem.

Hello everyone. My sister was on .5mgs of Xanax for 8 years and just quit! Last summer! She’s been on ad’s and has dealt with depression but was able to ct with no problem.

 

Did she stop the benzo AND stop the antidepressant?

 

Or is she still taking the antidepressant?

I never had depression.  I had anxiety disorders.  As said earlier in the thread, I stopped several times with no problem.  Yes, my anxiety returned because it was no longer medicated.  Years and years later, though.  Not withdrawal.  Honestly, how can someone begin to withdraw years after they stop benzos?  The timeline is too long.  I know the difference between anxiety and withdrawal.  For me they are night and day.  And I do believe that 50% of people can stop easily.  I don't think anyone should take a chance on being the unfortunate other 50%, though.

Just the benzo. I’m the only one in my family sensitive to meds. I’m the middle of 3 girls. We’ve all taken ad’s and benzodiazepines. I’m the only one that’s going through this mess. My older sister has been on and of benzodiazepines but never damaged. I don’t understand. That’s why it’s so hard for my family to believe what I’m going through. I’d believe that I was adopted but we all took Ancestry.com and are full sisters. But I’m the only right handed child. My dad has 8 kids and they’re all lefties except for me. But I sit here suffering, with my right handed self!

Did she stop the benzo AND stop the antidepressant?

 

Or is she still taking the antidepressant?

I stopped benzos and antidepressant cold-turkey back in 2010. Wasn't nice, but back then I didn't know anything about withdrawal and used to think it's just me having insomnia and depression because I was off the drugs. Then made a terrible mistake of going back to drugs in 2018. Had some brain zaps starting/stopping antidepressant, also horrible side-effects while on it. Used benzos PRN sometimes for months, and then would stop cold-turkey with no perceivable withdrawal symptoms (nowadays I'm aware I did have them, but it wasn't obvious it was from benzos, I had terrible flu-like symptoms, two fungal infections, hypersexuality, etc.). Then came the time I had to taper to get off. Was asymptomatic while I tapered. Just wish I had tapered one last time.

I really think it's the on - off - on - off over the span of a lifetime. Some get "hit" with tolerance/withdrawal symptoms sooner than others.

 

Like for example for some maybe they can take a benxo for 5, 10 years and stop with no issues, then maybe they can get away with it one more time, but then....that one more time .. And, some reach their grave with no issues. But, the reality is probably everyone will eventually reach tolerance. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when and everybody's "when" is different.

 

Here's an example:

 

I have a friend who took a benzo a few years during college in her 20's. Then she stopped with zero issues. Then she took it again in her late 30's for a while and she stopped, again no issues. Well, now she's 50. She started the benzo again in her late 40's (this is round 3 in her lifetime) this time she is not so lucky. She is in tolerance. When her dose wears off she starts with unrealistic fear. Her muscles stiffen etc. In the last year she's called an ambulance, and been in the ER numerous times with everything coming back normal - yeah we know the drill. The benzo isn't working as long as it used to and she's having tolerance symptoms in between doses. Now, if she would have lived the rest of her life benzo free and avoided that "round 3". She would have been one of those people who could "tolerate" benzos.