Need some thoughts or advice

I have been taking different kinds of benzos off and on for years.  About 7.    I stopped taking them for 1 year and then started back up on klonopin.    I realized that I get really raging and depressed while taking klonopin so I stopped cold turkey two weeks ago.      I had been taking 4-10mg every day before I stopped.      I got really sick and had diarrhea for a week.    Now I am tired, dizzy and can not concentrate.    Should I take the klonopin and again and then start to slowly reduce my dosage?    I need to be able to function at work and with these withdrawal symptoms, I am unable to.   

Hi silver67impala,

 

 

Welcome to BenzoBuddies!

 

Our members are a warm and caring community with a wide variety of benzo withdrawal experiences.  You'll find a lot of support here as well as information on the best way(s) of withdrawing from klonopin.

 

Up to 10 mgs of klonopin a day is considered a high dose, and I can understand why you're having symptoms after cold-turkeying off a dose that high.  Most people prefer to taper off benzos, and it's what we advise.  I've done it both ways, and for most people tapering results in a withdrawal that is easier to manage, with somewhat milder symptoms.  However, no absolute generalizations can be made, since everyone is different.  Here is a link to our General Taper Plans board.  Of course it's up to you whether you want to reinstate and then taper off, but if your symptoms are unmanageable it might be a good idea.

 

We also have a Withdrawal and Recovery Supportboard, where members discuss and compare their symptoms.  And, lastly, we suggest that you create a Signature giving a brief benzo history to appear on your posts.

 

Again, welcome.  Let us know if you have any questions.

 

 

megan918

I don't know if going back on klonopin and tapering off would make you functional - it might - but I am concerned about you having a seizure from dropping such a large amount.  Does your doctor know and approve of you stopping that way? 

I don't know if going back on klonopin and tapering off would make you functional - it might - but I am concerned about you having a seizure from dropping such a large amount.  Does your doctor know and approve of you stopping that way? 

 

No he doesn't know.  I don't see him till Monday.    I had no idea that klonopin could do this to someone till I started researching after feeling terrible for 2 weeks.  I had no idea what was making me sick till it dawned on me that it could be the klonopin.    I have decided to take .5 mg in the morning and .5 at night till I see him on Monday to see what he thinks is best.  I just want my life back and from reading, I know this is going to take some time.   

 

I stopped cold turkey because I drove my car through my garage door because I was raging so bad.    And have now found out, stopping cold turkey is bad bad bad.  I know better now.     

 

I'd much rather deal with my severe social anxiety disorder than to ever deal with benzos and the anger rage and depression it gave me again.   

considering that you have c/t from such a large amount and still able to drive, I'de say you are doing pretty well.  If you feel better taking 1 mg K, then that might be a good starting point for a taper. 

considering that you have c/t from such a large amount and still able to drive, I'de say you are doing pretty well.  If you feel better taking 1 mg K, then that might be a good starting point for a taper.

 

Actually I have been driving like a drunk person for 2 weeks.    It's scary.  I try to no drive at all right now but I have to get to work.    I am so glad it's not that far away.  My driving is scary right now.  I can't think and my reflexes are way off.        I wish my husband wasn't an OTR truck driver, so he could just drive me.      We don't have buses that go to my work either.    I also wish I could just take the whole month off of work because when I get there, I can't work.    I can't think.    In the past 2 weeks, I think I have done about 4 hours total of actual work.   

how do you feel now that you've reinstated on 1 mg K?

I just started today and I feel 50% better.   

silver67impala,

 

My story is very similar to yours, but I was taking 10 MG of Ativan a day, working up to that amount over a 8 months period.  I decided to go cold turkey also, just to get off what I considered a "dead end" drug.  I lasted about 3 days before my blood pressure shot up through the roof and I was in the middle of a panic attach with was 10x worse than any I have ever experienced.  I was either going to the ER or going to my doctor's office as a walk in. 

 

It was extremely hard to fess up to my Dr. that I was abusing this drug at such a high dose.  What we decided to do was to reinstate my dose at 6 MG (2 MG taken 3x a day).  After a couple of weeks I felt stable.  We then started a taper that would bring me down .5 MG every 14 days.  I am currently at 3.5 MG by following that schedule.  The worse problem I have had was severe headaches for 4-5 days after making each cut. 

 

My advice would be to work with your doctor an get to a starting point that you feel comfortable with and to work on tapering over a period of time that your also feel comfortable with.  It's not easy, but as long as you have a plan in place and you are seeing progress being made, it can be manageable.  I wish you the best of luck!