Who's Stuck on Benzos?

[Cal18]

I've been on Klonopin for almost 3 months now and have certainly developed dependance. Since my T is stress (benzo/antidepressant) induced, I do not see any way to get off of these without a major worsening of my T even with a very slow taper. I also know that the longer I'm on, I will reach tolerance or at the very least an even worse withdrawal as time goes by.

Wondering if anyone else is in the same position and if you have any plans of stopping.

 

[Coyotesheaven]

I am also on klonopin (1 mg/day, over 2 daily doses). I started in late May and still have not gone off of it because my panic disorder will return (with dangerous consequences for my co-existing health condition(s)). It has been very effective for calming me down and avoiding panic attacks, but it is no good for anything else and I am worried it has damaged my nervous system over time.

I am also considering coming off of it for fear of health effects. I too am terrified of withdrawal symptoms and am angry I was prescribed this crap. If I do stop, it will have to be a very slow taper; withdrawing by taper from 2 other meds in the fall led to disastrous health complications for me, but my tapering was not directed by a medical professional.

If you are planning to stop, talk to a medical professional who has experience with patients undergoing klonopin/benzo withdrawal and get the best advice and monitoring as possible. It must be a very small taper no matter what, but that is about all I can advise.

 

[linearb]

I took kpin for 5 years and getting off it took years more and was awful. That said, I think about going back on it, because while I was actually on it I was basically fine.

If I ever go back on, though, it'll be forever.

3 months is a short enough time frame that you probably haven't really damaged yourself in any way; getting off it may not be fun, but it should be doable. benzobuddies.org is a decent resource.

 

[Alue]

I kind of want to try Klonopin, but dependence worries me. What if your doctor is an idiot and decides to abruptly stop prescribing it? That and I'm not sure who would prescribe it to me now. I recently lost my GP (he retired) he was awesome and really listened to his patients.

 

[Cal18]

I had a reaction after 3 doses of an antidepressant which caused a hyper-sensitized nervous system reaction. Then I took weeks two of Valium 5mg. Stopped, after 3 days the T and H hit and it's severe. I'm over 2 months in now on the Klonopin at .375mg. I also had a severe Paxil withdrawal which caused my initial T but it had mostly healed (but left me predisposed to T).

@linearb When you came off after 5 years, did it start with a CT and then a reinstatement with a slower taper? I feel like that's what happens with most people (we learn the hard way because we have no idea how these drugs are rewiring our brains). I was considering a 3% taper but I'm still scared of that.

If I had such a reaction coming off a smaller dose, I can only imagine what will happen from this dose. It's really scary. Then I have a friend that was taking 2 sticks of Xanax (4mg) a day for years - huge dose, came off it CT, 3 weeks of discomfort and now he's fine. Some people are just wired differently I guess.

@Alue That can very well happen. That's when you show up at the hospital freaking out and get labeled as a "user'.

 

[Kelvin]

I kind of want to try Klonopin, but dependence worries me. What if your doctor is an idiot and decides to abruptly stop prescribing it? That and I'm not sure who would prescribe it to me now. I recently lost my GP (he retired) he was awesome and really listened to his patients.

Reading these posts makes me shiver...

Please ALL be careful with any Benzodiazepine ( drugs who's medical name ( not commercial name ) ends in 'azepam' - e.g. lorazepam, clonazepam, Diazepam etc.

These may be necessary and indeed life saving in some very limited instances, but should never be abused
and always stopped under medical and psychological supervision over a very long time.

I was prescribed Ativan ( Lorazepam ) twenty years ago ( 1997 ) for neck and back pain.

It was given out like smarties in the 1990's, as the doctors were getting 'incentives' to prescribe.

No advice, just take this as and when you need it, and it will relax you and your muscle pain will disappear.

So off I went with a three month supply in my pocket. Bingo...my muscle pain disappeared within hours and I started sleeping like a baby and was permanently happy. My family jokingly called them 'happy pills'.

Three months later my supply ran out and I was feeling like a King, with no pain, so I just stopped overnight.

What happened about Two days later would take a lifetime to describe, and the psychological part lasted for over TWO years for me. But basically you will probably ( varies from person to person ) get a dramatic reversal of all the body processes that have been altered. Now called a REBOUND.

Bearing in mind I was only a person with a painful neck and back, and no other problems. When I stopped I was a complete mess. I had rampant anxiety, insomnia, crushing depression, dangerously accelerated heart rate, accelerated digestion and on and on. Not much of what was me was left untouched

My advice ( Im not a doctor ) is only take these drugs if absolutely necessary, and then only for a day or two. If you have been taking them longer then you WILL need help to withdraw and you must do it very very slowly. This may take years. If your Doctor won't help there are organisation that will help in the UK - Google - benzodiazepine dependence and withdrawal.

I am now a complete drug phobic.

Go easy @Cal18 and make sure you get good medical and psychological support, you will be able to stop and life will return, but take it easy don't just stop. X

 

[maltese]

Guys do you know of any "safe" anxiety medication?

I hope to avoid it but just in case - what should I ask my doctor for?

 

[Capricornus]

@maltese A member on the forum recommended these to me:

https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Anxiety-Stress-Relief-Supplement/dp/B017B2N86C

 

[PaulBe]

I took it two years, then after a couple of false starts (stops?), I stopped. I had some odd symptoms like that neuropathic chewing that Ecstasy and amphetamine users always seem to do the day after, but apart from about 24 hours of that it was OK. I did bring my dose down evenly over the course of two months prior, and mentally I had to prepare myself, because the reason I'd started on it still hadn't gone away of course.

 

[Cal18]

Yeah, I know I need to go slow, I'm just mad about getting on them in the first place. So even if I'm on them for 3 months, it may take me over a year to taper off? @Kelvin Just wondering what dose you were on. I think my dose (.325 Klonopin) is fairly low. I was planning on my slow taper taking at least 6 months. I was reading the benzo forum and I noticed that the people who CT tend to suffer for a longer duration. I tried to ask them some questions but they don't seem to respond on that forum - I've found everyone here is a lot nicer. Maybe it's because they're all feeling crappy in every way possible.

@maltese I don't think any prescriptions are fully safe. I would exhaust supplements before turning to a prescription. Try everything if you have to before going that route. The supplement L-theanine works pretty good. If you must get a prescription as a last resort, gabapentin is a little better than a benzo but must be tapered slowly and with caution. Propranolol can also block the cortisol related to anxiety but it is ototoxic and can cause T (usually doesn't but it definitely can).

I wish I knew this much about T before getting it, I could have prevented a lot of things.

 

[RaZaH]

I quit cold turkey after a year or so on Rivotril ....completely messed me up , ruined my hearing.
The horrible comedown is nothing compared to the aftermath ....ruined hearing and massive tinnitus.
I would suggest a careful taper ...and then never touching this poison hell pill.

 

[bill 112]

I was on 2/4mg of Diazepam daily between December and January when my doctor just stopped me cold turkey, I didn't feel comfortable about it but was this dangerous?To think I was such a drug phobic but yet I openly took these monsters, only reason I took them was because I was an anxious mess after a sound exposure.

 

[Pleasure_Paulie]

Guys do you know of any "safe" anxiety medication?

I hope to avoid it but just in case - what should I ask my doctor for?

5htp
Pharmagaba

Both cross the blood brain and effective. Available without prescription. I suggest trying 5htp first but you can't take with any other SSRI antidepressants. Pharamagaba works "similar" to benzodiazepines, but without the side effects. Don't expect the hit you get from Xanax or the bluntness from say Prozac, but they will mellow you out and give you a positivity to life. Both are great substances.

There are others like Picamilon, but it's hard to get now and some people seem to build tolerance, nor have I had experience like I have with the above substances.

 

[Kelvin]

Yeah, I know I need to go slow, I'm just mad about getting on them in the first place. So even if I'm on them for 3 months, it may take me over a year to taper off? @Kelvin Just wondering what dose you were on. I think my dose (.325 Klonopin) is fairly low. I was planning on my slow taper taking at least 6 months. I was reading the benzo forum and I noticed that the people who CT tend to suffer for a longer duration. I tried to ask them some questions but they don't seem to respond on that forum - I've found everyone here is a lot nicer. Maybe it's because they're all feeling crappy in every way possible.

@maltese I don't think any prescriptions are fully safe. I would exhaust supplements before turning to a prescription. Try everything if you have to before going that route. The supplement L-theanine works pretty good. If you must get a prescription as a last resort, gabapentin is a little better than a benzo but must be tapered slowly and with caution. Propranolol can also block the cortisol related to anxiety but it is ototoxic and can cause T (usually doesn't but it definitely can).

I wish I knew this much about T before getting it, I could have prevented a lot of things.

It was 2mg of Ativan ( Lorazepam ) as and when needed.

He gave me a lot of those little 'Blue Perils' - as I now call them.

They are FILTHY drugs, but very effective. They do save some peoples lives if they are having a bad seizure for example. Just watch a film of someone having a seizure and being given a Benzo Like Ativan to see how powerful it is !!!

Like you I was so so mad that I wanted to sue my GP, but I found out its almost impossible and very expensive. He has since died young - Karma X

Its crazy they still prescribe this stuff in 2017 for longer than say Three days. They are being negligent as they know full well that lots of people suffer badly when they withdraw. It was less well know or reported when I withdrew in the 1990's

Just go real SLOW, even though you are probably dying to get them out of your system.

Hopefully you have a good GP and he will advise on the length of time and method.

Sounds like you are clued-up and you will be fine with a supportive GP.

I wish you a happy and smooth landing X

 

[maltese]

I would exhaust supplements before turning to a prescription.

May I ask what supplementation you have in mind?

5htp
Pharmagaba

Both cross the blood brain and effective. Available without prescription. I suggest trying 5htp first but you can't take with any other SSRI antidepressants. Pharamagaba works "similar" to benzodiazepines, but without the side effects. Don't expect the hit you get from Xanax or the bluntness from say Prozac, but they will mellow you out and give you a positivity to life. Both are great substances.

There are others like Picamilon, but it's hard to get now and some people seem to build tolerance, nor have I had experience like I have with the above substances.

Thank you. I'll look them up.

How soon aafter starting to take it did you feel the effects of 5http?

 

[RaZaH]

He has since died young - Karma X

Mine too ! Albeit old as fuck .

 

[Kelvin]

May I ask what supplementation you have in mind?




Thank you. I'll look them up.

I found L-Tryptophan good for sleep and I think its related to 5HTP - no side effects just great sleep #pharmafree

 

[linearb]

@linearb When you came off after 5 years, did it start with a CT and then a reinstatement with a slower taper? I feel like that's what happens with most people (we learn the hard way because we have no idea how these drugs are rewiring our brains). I was considering a 3% taper but I'm still scared of that.

No C/T. Cut by 0.5mg Kpin (starting at 2.0) per month, got to 1, hit a hard wall, then went back up to 1.5, cross over to 30mg Valium, taper off over 14 months. In 2010, noise trauma, worse tinnitus, back on benzos (Phenazepam this time) for a year, cross over to 8mg valium, which took another 14 months to get off. It was definitely harder the second time around, so if I ever go back on, it'll be forever -- which might be okay, but, I'm only 35 so that seems a little dubious. IDK.

 

[Cal18]

@linearb That's still a pretty big cut. There are a lot of different taper methods out there, there's actually a daily taper method with something like 1% cuts I think. I also have a theory that the brain freaks out when people CT or cut too fast then go back on for a slow taper, that they have a harder time than if they would have micro tapered from the start. I just feel so F**ked about this. I'm on 100mg of Gabapentin and considering increasing it to bring my Klonopin dose down by at least a little.

@RaZaH You mentioned it messed up your hearing - I haven't heard of benzo withdrawal causing hearing loss. How do you think that happened? Or is it just the loud T that makes it harder for you to hear. My audiogram kind of sucks but my ENT said it looks hereditary.

 

[linearb]

@linearb That's still a pretty big cut. There are a lot of different taper methods out there, there's actually a daily taper method with something like 1% cuts I think. I also have a theory that the brain freaks out when people CT or cut too fast then go back on for a slow taper, that they have a harder time than if they would have micro tapered from the start. I just feel so F**ked about this. I'm on 1mg of Gabapentin and considering increasing it to bring my Klonopin dose down by at least a little.

yes, it was too fast, but still nowhere close to cold turkey.

Do you mean 100mg gabapentin? 1mg is nothing, usual dose of that drug for seizures is 2-3000mg/day.

 

[Cal18]

@linearb Ha! I did mean 100mg. I corrected it. I know it has been used for benzo withdrawal successfully in many cases. I have to treat my situation like I have been on 3x the dose for over a year - very delicately.

I saw an ENT today who wants to try me on 300mg gabapentin 3x per day. Off topic, but he was way better than the other ENT I saw. He didn't give me the normal "nothing you can do" line and referred me to another clinic who specializes only in T to have my jaw checked, possible therapies, etc. He also listened to my story and provided possible causes and things that might help (all stuff we've heard before but at least he tried). I didn't go in expecting much but it was kind of refreshing compared to the a lot of the disappointing experiences on here including my owm prior experience.

Now back to benzo bull crap topic

 

[linearb]

@linearb Ha! I did mean 100mg. I corrected it. I know it has been used for benzo withdrawal successfully in many cases. I have to treat my situation like I have been on 3x the dose for over a year - very delicately.

I saw an ENT today who wants to try me on 300mg gabapentin 3x per day. Off topic, but he was way better than the other ENT I saw. He didn't give me the normal "nothing you can do" line and referred me to another clinic who specializes only in T to have my jaw checked, possible therapies, etc. He also listened to my story and provided possible causes and things that might help (all stuff we've heard before but at least he tried). I didn't go in expecting much but it was kind of refreshing compared to the a lot of the disappointing experiences on here including my owm prior experience.

Now back to benzo bull crap topic

I do want to say, thanks for posting this thread. I have been considering just going back on benzos, and, reading all this makes me remember how completely messed up and out of control I felt when I felt stuck on them. Though, that was from the perspective of wanting to get off; if I went back on, I think it'd be permanent.

On the other hand, it does seem possible that I'd go on, have reduced tinnitus for 6-12 months, and then be right back to obnoxious tinnitus and also dependent on benzos. They "worked" fine for the years I took them, but that's no guarantee that the same thing would be true now. Crapshoot, I guess. Boo.

 

[Cal18]

@linearb You're welcome. It's just something that has been on my mind for some time now. For me, the Klonopin does not seem to lower my T at all so I think the only benefit I get is the slight sedation. I had wondered about being on them for life. Being on them long term makes me feel like I have less control over my T because I would have no idea if I reached tolerance (which causes T) or just having a spike.

Also, the more crappy people feel coming off of them, the faster they want off completely and it doesn't work that way.

My recommendation to everyone is still to try anything else before a benzo especially if your T is antidepressant or stress related.

 

[RaZaH]

I haven't heard of benzo withdrawal causing hearing loss.

Well, I can only say that I had highly developed/trained hearing after working for 20 years in audio.
A couple of days after quitting I literally heard my top end disappear, was talking on the phone and bumped into a cymbal in my studio and immediately noticed that it did not sound right.

You might not hear about it because
A: It only happened to me
B: Most people dont necessarily notice their hearing above 12 k much
C: For the same reason most doctors will say that Benzos will never cause T .

I know for a fact that it killed my top end.

 

[Cal18]

@RaZaH I believe it. I don't put anything past drugs in general. Yeah, antidepressants made me feel good for a while but I would never have paid this price.

 

[Pleasure_Paulie]

How soon aafter starting to take it did you feel the effects of 5http?

5htp took effect for me in about a day. Just a better mood and overall outlook on life. I actually think it's better in some ways to SSRIs Antidepressants because it doesn't blunt your emotions as much.

 

[billie48]

Then I have a friend that was taking 2 sticks of Xanax (4mg) a day for years - huge dose, came off it CT, 3 weeks of discomfort and now he's fine.

I also have a friend who has taken Ativan 1mg per day for 5 years. Then she went off it cold turkey. Suffered bad anxiety for a week and then she was fine.

 

[Cal18]

@billie48 Isn't that crazy? I'm sure there is a genetic difference maybe the MTHFR gene or something - it could also be the same connection as to why certain people get T and others don't. All the peeps with sensitive nervous systems, kind of makes sense.

 

[linearb]

@billie48 Isn't that crazy? I'm sure there is a genetic difference maybe the MTHFR gene or something - it could also be the same connection as to why certain people get T and others don't. All the peeps with sensitive nervous systems, kind of makes sense.

I do not have the MTHFR genetic issue; sometimes I almost wish I did, it would give me at least an avenue of attack.

 

[Kelvin]

I also have a friend who has taken Ativan 1mg per day for 5 years. Then she went off it cold turkey. Suffered bad anxiety for a week and then she was fine.

This can be true.
Different people apparently have very different withdrawals.
Some people have physical symptoms, some have psychological symptoms, some have both and some have none.
As always...its a spectrum.
You roll the dice and pray.
Point is @Cal18 you will survive and life will be good again.