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I stopped cold turkey a month ago...now what do I do?


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I hope someone here can help me.  I have been taking clonazepam 1mg. tablets (sometimes 2 mg. tablets) for two years or so.  My doctor is just a nurse practitioner actually.  She told me nothing about the pills other than they will help my mind to stop racing at night so I can sleep.  The prescription actually said to take a pill in the morning, at noon and then 2 at night.  I never did take it like that though.  I usually take 2 at night and not every night necessarily.  Sometimes I have taken even 8 or more when I really felt I wanted to sleep.  There were alot of days when I took none at all too.  I basically thought I was taking a sleeping pill.  For the past several months I experienced sexual dysfunction and my wife figured it was a side effect to the pills.  I travel all over the US for work, so I really have not talked to my doctor much at all other than to call her and have her call in a prescription for me when I would be close to running out of pills.  About a month ago, I figured I was sick of the sexual problems so I simply stopped taking these pills.  Within a week after stopping them, my body went back to normal as far as the sexual dysfunction.  Great, I thought.  Within about 9 or 10 days though, I started to feel sick.  My mouth tasted like metal, my jaw hurt, I felt dizziness and disoriented, pins & needles so bad in my arms at times I can't stand it, nausea, etc.  My wife worried that possibly I might have high blood pressure that somehow was kept under control with the pills I had been taking and that since I was no longer taking them...I may have a blood pressure problem.  We had my blood pressure checked, it's a little high but nothing to panic over.  My wife then started to research the clonazepam and what she has read about the cold turkey withdrawal is terrifying.  I have so many of the withdrawal symptoms including my heart racing.  Our situation is that we are in a city far from home and know nothing of doctors in the area.  I don't know if I should reintroduce the clonazepam back into my system now at this point since its been a month...or what???  And since I never regularly took a 'set' amount...how much should I even start with to try to get on track and then slowly taper myself off from there?  Any advice at all would be helpful.  I am 40 years old. 
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Hi Tileguy!

 

Welcome to BenzoBuddies! Someone with more experience should be along soon to help you out with your questions!

 

 

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Welcome to BenzoBuddies, Tileguy.  I'm so glad your wife is so supportive and found this forum.

 

I'm not an "expert" stopping by to help you, just another accidental addict getting this junk out of my system.  Perhaps being Easter weekend there won't be as many moderators around to post but just keep checking back for a knowledgeable reply. 

 

I'm pretty sure you won't be advised to reinstate the drug since it's been a month since you've taken any.  Just so you know, generally only people who have had problems getting off of a benzo end up posting; we seldom hear from people who stopped taking it and had few if any problems.  So, even though going off cold turkey (c/t) isn't advised, you will live through the withdrawal and your brain will heal.  Also, I've seen several posts from other people who have c/t'd off their benzo and are coping.  My memory isn't great but I think one of the moderators c/t's off of 6mg of klonopin.

 

You mentioned some of the symptoms you started having about 10 days off the pills.  How are things now?  Some things you just have to endure, sure in the knowledge that every day you are one day closer to being through with this process.  I'm glad you are able to check your blood pressure.  One of my biggest enemies is the anxiety/fear over what might happen.  ("My heart is racing and I have pain in my back; am I having a heart attack?", etc.)  The members here with more experience than I can tell you which of your symptoms are likely part of the healing process.  One symptom I have from time to time is very blurry vision.  If it didn't clear up every so often, I would surely get myself to an eye doctor.  But, it does clear up once in a while so I know it's from reducing my benzo usage.

 

Hang on, help is on the way!

 

 

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Thanks so much for your support.  It helps so much knowing that I am not alone and that real people who are going through or have gone through this same thing can offer me some advice.  In answer to your question, Beeper, the symptoms started around the 10 day mark...however, I have not had a 'good' day yet.  Sometimes I feel like I am just progressively getting worse.  Today, I can't seem to get up without feeling dizzy.  My heart beats rapidly and my entire body tingles to the point that I can't lay still.  I lack any sort of energy today.  I slept for a total of 2 hours last night.  Not knowing any better, I had several beers last night...now to find out that this is not a good idea while withdrawing.  Some days have been 'not so bad', but most days this is hell.  Again, thank you for replying and I appreciate your encouragement.
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Hi tileguy, I am so sorry you are going through this.  You are having withdrawal symptoms from the clonazepam, everything you are experiencing is very normal.  It's very unpleasant but totally normal. 

 

Clonazepam is a very small pill but very powerful. Since you have already been off a month I don't know that I would start taking them again, but that choice is yours. I don't know what level you would have to take to stabilize since you didn't have a set dose.

 

What is really hard about this tileguy is that there are no rules to go by. Everyone's experience is different with this withdrawal, so I can't say yes or no to reinstate.  I cold turkeyed off 6mg of clonazepam so I know what you are going through, if there was some way I could give you an absolute answer I would.

 

There is a manual out called the "Ashton Manual" and it gives guidelines about what to expect.  I will try to find that link and get back to you.  At some point you will think you have something other than withdrawal, but trust me, it is withdrawal.  If you were not having health problems before you stopped then what you will be experiencing is withdrawal.  It can mimic many illnesses.

 

You can hang in there and tough this out, and I will not kid you, it is tough, but it is also something you can do, or you can reinstate.  Often when someone tries to reinstate off a cold turkey the pills no longer work for them.  The decision is yours to make.

 

Hang in there.  You can count on support here in whatever decision you make.  If you decide to start clonazepam again someone can help you with a tapering schedule. 

 

Keep in touch.

Tropicalsoul

 

 

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Hi tileguy,

I thinks Ts is right, I've read all types of opinions about reinstating and some believe that after a couple of weeks off you should not reinstate. I just wish there was a way to make doctors give you information about the drug your taking as well to what class of drugs is belongs to. There are so many generic (and many many brand names) out there that it's almost imposible for the patient to know what the heck he was giving other than to research it.

 

Btw, I did my homework on Paxil and other anti-psychotic drugs I was prescribe to help with benzo w/d, but thought I was better off without them.

 

I kept Lyrica because it's so new and I didn't find any information about it and most everyone on the Internet was giving it rave reviews. Months laters, I know that Lyrica will be tough to come off to as well.

 

Lately I've become more interested in integrative medicine, but that's another topic onto itself.

 

Welcome aboard!

 

Jarocho

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I hope someone here can help me.  I have been taking clonazepam 1mg. tablets (sometimes 2 mg. tablets) for two years or so.  My doctor is just a nurse practitioner actually.  She told me nothing about the pills other than they will help my mind to stop racing at night so I can sleep.  The prescription actually said to take a pill in the morning, at noon and then 2 at night.  I never did take it like that though.  I usually take 2 at night and not every night necessarily.  Sometimes I have taken even 8 or more when I really felt I wanted to sleep.  There were alot of days when I took none at all too. 

 

Tileguy could you tell us more about how much clonazepam you were on?  If you were taking 2mg did you take 2 at night?  When you took 8 was it the 1 mg or 2mg?  If you can remember, what was the average mg per day?

 

A nurse practitioner should not even be allowed to hand out these drugs, they just don't know enough about them.  I got mine from a shrink and he refuses to acknowledge the dangers of them.

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Hi Tileguy!!

 

First and foremost...remain calm.  What you are experiencing is classic benzo withdrawal.  Every symptom you mentioned pretty much everyone here has experienced.  I know it is scarey...I know it is horrible...and I know you desperately want to find a way to fix it and make it stop.  Unfortunately the warnings on these pills don't clearly state the hell you will go though trying to get off.  It is going to take a little while for your body to heal...but it WILL heal.  I cannot emphasize enough the importance of not going through the internet trying to find diseases that match your symptoms.  You will find them..and they will scare the holy crap out of you...LOL  I did it...many others have done it...and it sure doesn't help the whole withdrawal healing process.  The best thing you can do for yourself right now is to try and stay as calm as possible, realize that this is withdrawal and no permanent damage has been done, educate yourself about what is going on and why and stick around for stupport from others who have been through it.  You are not alone.

 

Love,

 

Jen

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I cannot even begin to express how thankful I am to have found you wonderful and caring people.  It amazes me how quickly y'all responded to me, especially with it being Easter week end.  Thanks a million! 

In answer to the question about my dosage...Now, after talking with my wife - we think its been more like 3 or 4 years that I have been on the clonazepam.  Once, a few years back I took about 20 pills (1 mg. I think).  I was depressed and out of it.  I slept for two days.  When I have taken up to 8 pills, my guess is that they were the 1 mg. pills too.  I think I started off with the 2 mg pills and then (only because the pharmacy was out of the 2 mg. pills) I got 1 mg. pills.  I remember taking one pill for a while and then taking 2 or more when I thought I really needed them to sleep well.  Obviously, I didn't know it then...but I had built up dependency on them.

I don't think I ever had anxiety problems...yes, I get stressed out alot, but who doesn't?  My only problem was that I couldn't stop thinking at night and couldn't sleep and if I awoke in the middle of the night, I couldn't get back to sleep until morning.

The 'doctor' actually had me on paxil for about 3 weeks before I got the clonazepam.  She told me nothing about the paxil either and after taking it for that short of time, I had the sexual dysfunction and was so freaked out about it that I stopped taking the pills.  I had electrical shock feelings going through my body and all sorts of scary stuff going on from that.  I was out of town (I work away from home around 300 days a year doing tile work in hotels) at that time too.  This didn't last too long though.  Shortly after that, she prescribed this clonazepam for my sleeping problem.

Like many of you, I just was not informed properly about this prescription and the affects it has on people.  I feel like calling a lawyer or something but I know that doesn't help what I'm going through.

Today, I spent most of the day in bed because I was dizzy almost everytime I stood up.  I thank you for the information about the other link.  My wife spent most of her day reading about this.  For some strange reason, I crave candy something awful.  My eyes hurt today too.  More of the withdrawal symptoms I guess.  I took 2 Tylenol Pm's and I feel drowsy so hopefully I can sleep some tonight.  This lack of sleep is zapping the energy out of me.  Reading your stories and getting your support and advice is so helpful especially now.  Thank you so much.

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We're here to help those in need bro, regardless of holidays. Benzos are no respecters of Easter, Christmas, or any other special time. So we try to be here 24/7/365 to help our fellow sufferers. http://content.sweetim.com/sim/cpie/emoticons/00020151.gif

 

T

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Hi Tileguy,

 

Welcome to BenzoBuddies.

 

Everything you have experienced can be associated with benzo withdrawal, but you did the right thing by having yourself checked out. We cannot assume that the benzos are to blame. Also, by seeing your doctor about this, you at least now do not have the worry that a heart problem or similar.

 

Reinstating Clonazepam is not something to be carried out lightly. If it had been a week, then reinstating a small dose might well be the best thing to do, but after a month it could be backward step. Additionally, some people never do as well reinstating after a cold turkey withdrawal, so it is not without risks and downsides. My own experience with Clonazepam was that after I quit following an accelerated withdrawal (down from 4.5mg/day over six weeks), I'd become extremely ill (neurological effects much as you have been suffering), I'd have to reinstate 0.5mg per day after a day or so of being benzo-free. This did take the edge of the worst of the symptoms. I was in a different situation, where I had become very tolerant of Clonazepam's anticonvulsant effects, so needed a break to make again effective. This does not directly translate to your situation though, because I did this after about one day of being off.

 

What do you think was your average daily dose? If your symptoms are so bad that you feel the need to reinstate, you should do so for just a small fraction of the your original average dose, as your system will have been repairing itself since quitting. You might also consider taking Valium instead, as this has advantages over Clonazepam when tapering off. However, this is just meant as information. I think that unless your symptoms are unbearable, and/or are not improving, you would probably be better off staying off! The reality of the situation is that your GABA system will have been furiously trying to repair itself ever since you quit. Reinstatement is inevitably a backward step, but a valid step if the situation is extreme. Reinstating a small dose would require you to stabilise your dose (I'd suggest for a month) then taper off slowly. You are already off, so you see reinstatement of your benzos is not a great option.

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Hi Colin,

Thanks for your input.  The truth of my situation is that I have not gone to any doctor...just bought a blood pressure cuff and checked my blood pressure.  My withdrawel symptoms have been the worst this week.  My last dose was around Feb. 25th.  I never had a set dose.  Often, I would take 2 mg to 3 mg several nights a week to sleep.  The past 3 days I have found that Tylenol PM's have helped me sleep, but my withdrawal symptoms seem more acute than ever.  I hope I am just peaking.  This morning I felt terrible trembling inside.

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Hi Tileguy!

Just a caveat for tylenol PM or other antihistamines. Try not to take it every night as sometimes it will lose a bit of effectiveness. Take it only every 2 or 3 days, when you need to catch up.

Also, it's not neccessary to take the tylenol. You can just take benadryl or unisom or generic antihistamine. It's the same thing minus the tylenol. Unless of course you also have pain. 

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Thanks for the advice on the Tylenol PM.  It has been helping the insomnia, but I wonder if it is somehow responsible for more acute withdrawal symptoms.  The mornings after seem to be worse.  Today I feel 'afraid' and the body tingling seems to be worse.  Yesterday I walked some and spent some time outside weeding the garden and felt fairly good...upon coming back inside, I had a dizzy spell that was relieved somewhat by eating a peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread and a glass of orange juice.  I seem better when I stay away from candy too - does that make any sense to anyone else?  I have not tried the chamomile tea or benedryl.  I have not experienced much 'panic' or anxiety really..but then, that never really was my problem to begin with so that is probably why.  Any other hints for feeling better would be much appreciated.  I am at the one month mark without any benzo now.  Physical symptoms seem to be less acute and happen less often...I hope it continues in this direction.  I think I may be past the point in my recovery where I need to worry about any seizures (never had one in my life)?  Anyone have any opinion on that?  I so much appreciate your input.  This is scary.  I have been going into your blogs and searching for answers...I know everyone is different, but it gives me greater understanding and hope to see where you have been and how you are progressing.  Thanks!
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TG, benadryl is the same thing as tylenol or advil pm, minus the tylenol or advil. ;)

 

Yes, it can give you a hung over feeling which may aggravate wd sx. (symptoms)

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Thanks Eljay!  I was wondering if I was imagining this...it's nice to know I wasn't.  LOL!  I think I will try to see if I can get sleep without anything tonight.  Since I need to be on the jobsite to run my crew, I have been apprehensive about not taking a sleep aid and try to take one early in the evening so I won't be in a situation where I take it in the middle of the night and end up completely groggy feeling for work.  Your advice helps.
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One thing I found that helps is go heavy on the protein and light on the carbs and sugars. The GABA receptors need protein to rebuild themselves and I found myself craving red meat and such whilst I was recovering. Even now I can go on a red meat binge, and I've been off benzos for over a year! Try to keep your blood sugar from dipping too low at any one time too.

 

rufus

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One thing I found that helps is go heavy on the protein and light on the carbs and sugars. The GABA receptors need protein to rebuild themselves and I found myself craving red meat and such whilst I was recovering. Even now I can go on a red meat binge, and I've been off benzos for over a year! Try to keep your blood sugar from dipping too low at any one time too.

 

rufus

 

Why didn't you tell me before I had tater salad for lunch? :2funny:

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Hi Tileguy!

Just a caveat for tylenol PM or other antihistamines. Try not to take it every night as sometimes it will lose a bit of effectiveness. Take it only every 2 or 3 days, when you need to catch up.

Also, it's not neccessary to take the tylenol. You can just take benadryl or unisom or generic antihistamine. It's the same thing minus the tylenol. Unless of course you also have pain. 

 

Hi TG,  I haven't been taking anything to help me sleep but last night I felt I would try some Tylenol PM, it helped me get a deeper sleep but caused restless legs.  I only took 1 and I felt more refreshed this morning but I hate that restless leg feeling and Benadryl does the same thing to me.  Just wanted to pass this along. :)

 

I have been keeping up with your post and you sound like you are doing really, really well.  :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

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Hi TS,

  Yes, the tylenol pm does seem to help with getting restful sleep.  The restless leg thing can drive one nuts!  I have always from time to time dealt with that but just for short periods of time (20-30 minutes) and my wife has even had this occaisonally.  I have not noticed personally a connection for me between that and the tylenol pm though.  I guess the test to see if it has any effect on my inner trembling (at times) and the tingling sensations will be when I don't take them for a night.  I do feel that eating more healthy and possibly the walking a mile might have helped with my having a good day yesterday.  I hope that by reporting my findings that in some way I can help someone else.  Hang in there.  We will get through it.

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    Re: On my Way Again,

« Reply #225 on: February 08, 2008, 09:44:44 AM 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

oh yeah..........also should mention I keep testing the bar of soap in my bed too.  changed my bed again and forgot to put soap bars back in and within 3 days I had my legs cramps and charley horses back big time.

 

put them               

 

 

TG, this actually works for restless legs!  Several people on the forum have tried it and have excellent results. I use small bars of soap, like the kind you get at a hotel, and put 2 on each side of the bed at the end.  It has done wonders for my husband.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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One thing I found that helps is go heavy on the protein and light on the carbs and sugars. The GABA receptors need protein to rebuild themselves and I found myself craving red meat and such whilst I was recovering. Even now I can go on a red meat binge, and I've been off benzos for over a year! Try to keep your blood sugar from dipping too low at any one time too.

 

rufus

 

Why didn't you tell me before I had tater salad for lunch? :2funny:

 

I think I'm seriously going to try to go on something like Atkins. After that tater salad (no I wasn't joking) I crashed so bad this afternoon it wasn't funny at all. And if I go on a high protien low carb diet I'll probably lose weight too, which couldn't hurt, even if I am on meds that make me gain weight.

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Tony,

 

I find if I eat some protein along with some carbs, it's okay. Should have had some chicken or other protein with that tater salad (now you got me craving tater salad)!!  :laugh:

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