I think I have found the answer !

Hello everyone.  My name is Linda and I live in Arkansas. I have suffered from depression off and on for 17 years but have only  been on Ad's for the last 5.  August of 2007 I decided to make some major changes in my lifestyle hoping it would take care of part of the depression.  I had also been taking Clonazepam  for 3 of those years which was prescribed to help me sleep.  I stopped taking clonazepam in June or July of last year because they stopped working and was switched to Ambien.  In August I went cold turkey on Ambien and the Ad's and went through hell for about six weeks.  I did a major detox and thought I had finally got all the drugs out of my system.  I was doing pretty good and sleeping at least 5 to 6 hours a night without any help from meds. until Nov. 

I then started having Major anxiety with tension headaches that still to this day haunt me.  There is not a day that goes by that I don't feel horrible.  I went to the doctor in Dec. and guess what he prescibed for my anxiety? Clonazepam and Xanex or however you spell it.  I was so out of it that I never thought for one minute that the anxiety was being caused by withdrawing from benzo's.  I didn't even know what benzo's were until I found this site this weekend.  Even though I only took the Clonazemam and Xanex about every other day I think I have been feeding the addiction this whole time.  I took the last Clonazepam last Friday and haven't had anything but ambien since.  I tried not to take it but I have to sleep considering I am up and working by 7 each morning.  It seems like a new symptom crops up every week.  Before I stopped taking the Clon. the first time I started having discomfort in my jaw and went to several dentists all of which said they thought it was a muscle problem.  I read that this could be one of the symptoms and may have been tolerance withdrawal.  My symptoms now are horrible tension headaches everyday along with anxiety. Numbness in my face.  Jaw pain that feels like a dull tooth ache. And just this last week started having urinary problems.  Like I said, I just found this site this weekend and even though my symptoms are bad, I now have a little hope that this will eventually go away.  I have to be honest with you, I thought I was losing my mind and prayed every night for god to either help me or end my life.  I could see no end in site .  Any advice on how to deal with the symptoms would help and also I would love to get off of the ambien.  I have tried over the counter but nothing works.  I want to go give my doctor a good kick up the backside but I'd be willing to bet you that he would deny that any of this is being caused by the meds. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks

Welcome to BBO! You've come to right place! Someone will be by to help with your concerns!

Hi Linda, welcome (I'm linda too by they way, but go by eljay.  )

 

You have been on clono and xanax since Dec. You don't say how much. But you have taken both every other day and stopped last Friday?

To be honest, it might be a good idea to reinstate some. Even every other day, you have probably built up a dependancy again, and you might be in for some nasty wd. And if you have been on a fair sized dose, there is also a minor chance of seizures. Don't want to scare you as this is pretty unlikely, but it's something to consider. If I were you, I would reinstate a partial dose on a daily basis. Stabilize on that for a week or so, then taper from that. We can help you with your taper size and rate.

Let us know what dosage of each you were taking every other day.

It's also a good  idea not to take ambien with benzos.

Hi Linda!!  Welcome!!

 

I typed out a post to you and now it is gone..poof!!  LOL  Ambien didn't help me at all...only slept about one hour.  Are you having a lot of symptoms?  I agree that you may want to reinstate and taper off.  It's not good to stop C/T on these drugs.  Make yourself at home here...you are not alone!!

 

 

Love,

 

Jen

Hi eljay, I really wasn't taking that much this last time.  I was only taking maybe .5 mg of clonazamam when I felt I needed it, maybe one pill every other day and the same with xanex.  Neither did much good so I didn't feel like they were helping.  I think I had already built up a tolerence to the clonazapam.  But I think all I was doing was just delaying the withdrawals.  Like I said, I was having symptoms before I stopped taking the Clonazemam the first time.  At least thats what I think I'm going through.  I did a search on my symptoms this weekend and when I read about benzo withdralal, it just clicked.  All my symptoms were described.  Do you think this is what is wrong with me. I have had an MRI on my brain and a chemical stress test over the last month and they can find nothing wrong.  No other reasons for having these problems.  I feel my doctor has given up on my and thinks its all in my head. I told him it feels like my head is in a vice and is being squeezed from both sides and alway is accomponied by a smothering horrible feeling in my chest.  I just wish it would go away.

Hi Linda,

 

Welcome!  I'm sorry you have had such a hard time.  This forum can be the beginning of the end of drugs for you.  eljay is right about reinstating.    eljay tapered, I went cold turkey.  I was like you, I didn't know what the heck a benzo was until I had been off for 3 months, I was just too sick to get on a computer.

 

Think about it, it's your decision, we will support you either way.

 

Linda, I just read your post to eljay.  Everything you describe screams "withdrawal."  This will make you run to the dr. thinking you have some disease.  I thought they would find something unknown and it would be named after me!!!

Yes, it does look like withdrawal Linda. I went through all the same as you. I too asked God to take me home. But obviously I'm still here so I guess that's one prayer He doesn't answer. 

 

Just so you know, Klonopin and Xanax are among the strongest of the benzos. 1/2 mg K is like 10 mg Valium, so it really is quite a lot. Please clarify when exactly you stopped taking benzos. Also I understand Ambien is very closely related to benzos and I'm not sure what that is doing to you. The more and clearer the info you give us the better we will be able to help you to think all this through. OK? 

 

Tony

Hi Linda,

 

Your symptoms do sound like pretty typical benzo withdrawal symptoms. However, it is only sensible to have any symptoms that concern you checked out (as you did with your dentist), as all benzo withdrawal symptoms can have other causes.

 

For us to give you some meaningful feedback about how to proceed, we will need to know more about your benzo use. Approximate dates and doses, regularity of your dose, and details of any tapering you have already carried out. As a general guide, a regular dose, probably spread evenly over the day (although some people seem to do better taking their dose at a specific point in the day, just before bed, for example), and once a stable regimen is established, taper off slowly (cuts of about 10% every 7-14 days is typical).

 

The point is gain control over your use. Once you have done this, you will be better placed to taper off in controlled manner. Please get back to us.

 

Take care.

Hey guys, am finally able to get back online.  Someone asked me how long it had been since taking this crap.  I took a 1 mg clonazepam last friday afternoon hoping again it would help my anxiety since that was what it was prescribed for. But it didn't work and later that night was when I found this site.  I haven't had anything but anbien since.  I have been having all these horrible symptoms since nov of last year so I I'm really not any worse now than I have been since Nov.  That was when I stopped taking clon. the first time.  I had been taking 1 mg a night for 4 years.  But at least now I know what is wrong and have hope that it will someday end.  I don't think reinstating at this point would help me feel any better and only prolong the withdrawels.  The jaw pain and tension headaches are the worst.  I don't know why but when I exercise or when I'm eating or chewing, the anxiety seems to be less.  Whats up with that?  Suppose thats why I've gained 10 pds since nov.  Anyway, so glad to have found you and any help would be appreciated. 

 

Good luck to all,

 

Linda

Ambien is a very much less potent benzo than Clonazepam. 1mg Clonazepam is equivalent to about 40mg Ambien. Additionally, Ambien has very much shorter half-life (about 2 hours compared to Clonazepam's 18-50 hours). This means that its effects will be very short lived. What dose of Ambien have been taking in place of the 1mg Clonazepam?

I have been taking 12.5 mg of ambien.  I had gotten off of it also the end of last year and didn't have to go back on it until the major anxiety started.  I hate taking anything.  Any kind of over the counter pm meds give me restless leggs.  Just wish there was something natural to take.  I am going to start drinking this detox tea that helped me the first time.  Hopefully it will give a little relief again.  Will just have to see.  I have also been getting charlie horses real bad. Is this another symptom?  Some new symtoms that just cropped up last night were vived dreams.  Faces in the dreams that I haven't seen in years and if awake I wouldn't have remembered their name. I also had a lot of night sweating.  I woke up this morning drinched in sweat. And when I got out of bed my legs felt like jello.  I normally go to work at 7am but just couldn't seem to get up . I finally made it to work around noon.  I have already talked to my boss about and she is going to work with me.  I've only been there for 4 months and need to work but today was so bad I could't focus.  I'm hoping tom. is better for all.  I can't believe I'm an addict.

I don't crave the drugs at all and am looking so forward to a time when  I can have at least one day of relief.

 

Linda

I can't believe I'm an addict. I don't crave the drugs at all and am looking so forward to a time when  I can have at least one day of relief.

 

That's a very emotionally charged word Linda. We are addicted to, or dependent on, benzos but due to the way in which it happened it would be unfair to lump us in with alcohol or drug addicts. After all we most of us didn't do this recreationally nor did we abuse the drug. We simply followed the doctors' orders. We are not "addicts" in the commonly used meaning of the word. In a sense we are victims, but once again that is an emotionally charged word.

 

It would be interesting to hear others weigh on on this. If we aren't addicts, and we aren't victims, what word or words would best describe our condition? Anyone?

 

T

I tend to switch between the terms 'addiction' and 'dependency' depending upon the context and audience. Of course, I do agree that most of our members are not 'addicts' in that they do not take benzos recreationally, do not follow typical 'drug seeking behaviour', and generally take their medicines as prescribed. At the same time though, the word 'dependency' conjures up an image of people 'needing' these drugs to function 'normally' or are somehow weak in charcater. The advantage of the term 'addiction' is that it does at least indicate that there is a real physical problem resulting from the use of the drug (if only it didn't carry the negative connotations too). Prof. Ashton uses the term 'iatrogenic (doctor induced) addiction', and although a far better description, it is a bit of mouthful. Personally, I would like to see a new term created. I have suggested a couple of times the use of 'iaddiction' (a contraction of 'iatrogenic addiction'), but I didn't receive much of a response. There is nothing wrong with us creating our own term, as this is how language develops after all.

 

So, 'iaddiction', or some other term? Anyone?

I tend to switch between the terms 'addiction' and 'dependency' depending upon the context and audience. Of course, I do agree that most of our members are not 'addicts' in that they do take benzos recreationally, do not follow typical 'drug seeking behaviour', and generally take their medicines as prescribed.

 

typo alert: I"m pretty sure Colin meant "they do NOT take benzos recreationally". 

Also, I just want to add that we do have a few members who did become "addicted" through recreational use. and have obtained their benzos in non legal ways. These people are just as welcome here as anyone. Regardless of how they developed their dependancy, they came here because they need help and support getting off and that's what we are here for!

I tend to switch between the terms 'addiction' and 'dependency' depending upon the context and audience. Of course, I do agree that most of our members are not 'addicts' in that they do take benzos recreationally, do not follow typical 'drug seeking behaviour', and generally take their medicines as prescribed.

 

typo alert: I"m pretty sure Colin meant "they do NOT take benzos recreationally". 

 

Oops, yes, that's what I meant. I'm terrible for leaving out the word 'not' - and it is so important for meaning!!!

I tend to switch between the terms 'addiction' and 'dependency' depending upon the context and audience. Of course, I do agree that most of our members are not 'addicts' in that they do take benzos recreationally, do not follow typical 'drug seeking behaviour', and generally take their medicines as prescribed.

 

typo alert: I"m pretty sure Colin meant "they do NOT take benzos recreationally". 

 

Oops, yes, that's what I meant. I'm terrible for leaving out the word 'not' - and it is so important for meaning!!!

 

I"m sorry Colin, I feel like I'm policing you lately! 

Also, I just want to add that we do have a few members who did become "addicted" through recreational use. and have obtained their benzos in non legal ways. These people are just as welcome here as anyone. Regardless of how they developed their dependency, they came here because they need help and support getting off and that's what we are here for!

 

Absolutely. I'm not making a judgement - just trying to break down some of the arguments sometimes used against the 'benzo addicted/dependent'.

 

I know that we are not the best fit for many people that take benzo recreationally or have other dependency issues, but some do find us a help, and it is for the individual decide if we are a good fit for them. This place was formed by people that were prescribed benzos, so BBo is coloured by the founders' experience. Everyone experiencing problems with benzos are welcome though.

I tend to switch between the terms 'addiction' and 'dependency' depending upon the context and audience. Of course, I do agree that most of our members are not 'addicts' in that they do take benzos recreationally, do not follow typical 'drug seeking behaviour', and generally take their medicines as prescribed.

 

typo alert: I"m pretty sure Colin meant "they do NOT take benzos recreationally". 

 

Oops, yes, that's what I meant. I'm terrible for leaving out the word 'not' - and it is so important for meaning!!!

 

I"m sorry Colin, I feel like I'm policing you lately! 

 

No, not at all. Newbies, since they do not know me, could easily take what I wrote at face value.

The thing that gets me about being labeled an "addict" is that "professionals" then perceive "drug seeking behavior" in me where none is evident. I suppose there must be a whole list of behaviors that would be assumed and that wouldn't apply. Ah well. Not worth sweating it I suppose.

 

I am an Iatrogenic Addict!

 

http://www.freedominmessiah.com/t2.gif