Benzo user who likes to stop Clonazepam

Dear Benzo Buddies,

I'm on Clonazepam for 3 years now. I started by taking 0.5 mg twice daily.

My anxiety and pain started back in 2012, when I had a lung inflammation and got operated. i was fully recovered but got these psychiatric problems. I was prescribed different benzos and also antidepressants but I wanted to cope with symptoms without them and managed to stop all with some random use of bromazepam. In 2018 I had an eye injury but luckily I recovered but anxiety came back. My MD put me on Rivotril 0.5 two times a day.

I'm currently taking max. 0.75 Mg Rivotril daily for my anxiety and muscle pain. I take 0.5 in the morning and 0.25 before I go to bed. Sometimes I take small amount of beta blocker bisoprolol to cope my heart racing when I have meetings:-).

I'm trying to reduce the doses but I feel withdrawal symptoms. I tried to make a crossover to diazepam as per Ashton manual but it made me dizzy and lethargic. I think it's better if I try to tapper it slowly.

I'd highly appreciate your support regarding the titration methods and using some simple tools. I also want to hear from you the success stories by tapering rivotril by cutting small pieces and how to manage the last bits. Supplements that help, i.e I used passion flora some time and tart cherry capsules.

My country is Kosovo and I don't know if there's any specialized medical facility to treat these patients other than state hospital.

Any recommendation from your side is more than welcome.

Best regards,

Ardian

Hello, stop-benzo - Welcome to BenzoBuddies!

I'm so glad you decided to join the forum - you'll find plenty of information and support here. Our members have gone through all aspects of benzodiazepine use and withdrawal, so you'll be able to connect with others who understand what you're going through and can tell you what has worked for them.

The withdrawal symptoms you are experiencing are normal.  You are correct about tapering slower.  Some say the slower your taper the more likely your symptoms will be more mild. 

Please feel free to post to any of the specialized boards, which can all be accessed from the BenzoBuddies Community Forum homepage. Based on the information provided in your introduction, the following links may be a good starting place for you:

General Taper Plans

Withdrawal Support During Your Taper

Again welcome,

JBen021

Hello Stop-Benzo,

Glad you are here and hope you'll find the support you need.

Please reach out and ask questions and check out different threads to get to know the site.

I don't have the specific experience to answer your questions, but am wondering when you mention supplements what side effects exactly are you looking for help with? Also, do you think you're muscle pain is related to medicines or is it something else? I believe I had years of very awful pain due to ambien but I never knew it at the time. Ambien is a Z-drug, benzo-like.

Here are a couple more links for you if you like, one is to create a signature so when you post people can see what you are taking and the details of your taper. I hope you can find the right doses and ways to cut your medicine. I am now at a point at the end of my taper and cutting a very small piece that hardly seems to be helping, so my sleep is mixed but I am very happy to be at the end after 9 months and feeling hopeful.

Another thought i had about what you shared is that we can get damaged by the meds they use in surgery, I know people who have had surgery and couldn't sleep for a couple of weeks due to the trauma and meds.

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Welcome,

Kachina