2 months off klonopin, dry cutting the whole way down

Hi everyone!

 

Just wanted to give some words of encouragement to people who are just starting their titration...or to anyone who's struggling with getting off benzos, especially klonopin, which was my demon. I was really afraid when I started the process but this site helped me along in a big way. I admit, some of the stories and struggles I read about here scared me a lot. Some of them made it seem as if a "faster" titration was going to be especially challenging. But because I'm impatient, that was the way I chose to go, dry cutting by .125 mg every 2 weeks til I got down to the end.

 

The worst part for me overall was kicking that last 0.125 mg -- physically and mentally. But it's been close to 2 months since I've been free and it was all worth it.

 

I'm back to exercising again, running at least 3 days a week and scheduled my first 5K for Sept 15! It's really exciting to feel like I have the capacity to finally take something like this on. I genuinely don't think I would have had the mental (or physical) strength when I was in the thick of things with the klonopin.

 

Out of morbid curiosity, I'm planning to sched an appt with my PCP to ask him how to discontinue taking it. I kept the withdrawal process to myself the whole way through (maybe not smart, but that's how I chose to handle it anyway). I wonder what he's going to recommend -- just stopping? We'll see.

 

I'm still disturbed that drugs like these are on the market in such abundance. I blame greedy big pharma for not disclosing data on the hideous withdrawal sx I'm sure they saw in their trials. I know there are a number of petitions out there to stop data manipulation in the pharma industry and I plan to support them.

 

At any rate, please be assured that you will get through and that you can do it! Those sx are just a sign that you're healing. As scary and difficult as they are, they will run their course.

Thank you for sharing 

So glad to hear you are benzo free and doing pretty well at 2 months.

I hope to be you :-)

I'm missing my exercise, that's awesome you can 3 times a week again.

 

It will be interesting to hear what your dr says. 

There needs to be drug awareness!

 

This post is great encouragement!  Keep on healing

That is awesome and SERIOUSLY encouraging ....  :thumbsup:

Izzicus

Hi Scarlett,

 

I was reading your progress log. What many here may not know is that you also reduced/quit your alcohol intake while in withdrawal even though you craved it for some relief. That speaks to your courage, strength and determination. I'm so happy you got through this. Your story is going to help many members. Thank you for posting it. 

 

Btw, I'll be very interested to know what you doctor says when you ask him how to taper. 

Glad you've all found this encouraging! Hope others will too. 

 

Thank you so much for posting

 

I'm so glad to hear how good you are doing 2 months off Klon. That was my beast as well and I'm at 5 weeks off of it and I'm really improving but still have some wave periods but they seem to be less intense and shorter, still I'll be glad when they are GONE for GOOD!

 

Your post tells me that this is possible for me as well.

 

Thank again

good luck in the race too!

Stillstuck - congrats! Feels awesome, right? I still have waves, too. For me, the cog fog is the worst. Miraculously, the relentless GI stuff I struggled with seems to have calmed down. That was terrible (not to mention embarrassing). 

 

I'll keep all of you posted on my dr's advice. Hoping to call tomorrow to set something up.

 

And to tracycee, izzicus, and hope: thanks so much again for your kind words. Support has been absolutely necessary for me and this site has tons of it! 

 

 

Scarlett- thank you for your journal!

I need that today. I think I cut too hard last week ( from .625 to .5) and the neck pain, cog fog, fatigue, shakiness are horrid.

 

I may go back to .625 though and cut a little slower, trying to fix my marriage and participate in my daughter's senior year. Thinking winter I can be more aggressive when less going on!

 

I feel a bit guilty though since I sort of sleep- alot actually because my next battle is ambien cr. this is a long haul for me!

 

Now to get outside on this unusually warm, sunny, almost fall day! I am also a runner, outdoors helps me person so I will not add back until I try all my fave mood boosters!

 

Good luck, Butterfly! Exercise/fresh air is the BEST! It helps me remember what matters...esp since I still wrestle with insomnia and GI annoyances here and there. My knee jerk is to get really mad at the klonopin. But then I think about everything I did to drop it and it makes me feel strong. So that's the incentive.

 

BTW - I finally got around to calling my PCP about stopping the klonopin. And guess what? He told me I could just stop taking it. Didn't even get on the phone to tell me this, just relayed the message thru his receptionist! It was a really disconcerting (and alarming) phone call. I still feel a little sickened by it. 

Good luck, Butterfly! Exercise/fresh air is the BEST! It helps me remember what matters...esp since I still wrestle with insomnia and GI annoyances here and there. My knee jerk is to get really mad at the klonopin. But then I think about everything I did to drop it and it makes me feel strong. So that's the incentive.

 

BTW - I finally got around to calling my PCP about stopping the klonopin. And guess what? He told me I could just stop taking it. Didn't even get on the phone to tell me this, just relayed the message thru his receptionist! It was a really disconcerting (and alarming) phone call. I still feel a little sickened by it. 

 

Yeah, that's not good. 

I had the opposite today with my doc. If anyone needs a good doc in EL, Mich!

 

I did go back up but now learned how to dry cut and showed her my copy of instructions from a post that another shared with me- my doc made copies in case she needs to help someone do this slower in future- I slowed down to 5-10% cuts. made the first 5 % cut starting yesterday, not noticing much- whoo hoo!

Your story has given me much hope.  Thank you.

 

-SZ-

I'm having the same struggle with symptoms as you had/have.  I have Ulcerative Colitis so these GI symptoms are a bit scary.  The headaches are terrible & I never got headaches before. I'm taking it slow though & if I stick to my schedule will be done in Jan 2014.

Thank you for a very encouraging post!  Continued good luck and healing to you -

 

Ellen 

Scarlet9808 - thank you so much for the encouraging post.  Best wishes for continued success and optimal healing.