Help! In Benzo Withdrawal!

[mieux7]

Wow have I got myself in a mess! I'd been having tummy troubles and in trying to figure out what was causing them (beyond the usual Dysautonomia IBS fun and games), I ended up radically lowering my daytime dosage of benzodiazpines waaaaaay too fast. I'd started out taking 1mg Diazepam 2x day, which worked for a long time. Then I went through a really stressful period (disability, almost homeless, moving, etc.) so started taking 1/2 mg Clonazepam (I take 2mg at night) whenever I felt stressed out. I didn't realize how high a daytime benzo dosage I was getting to - probably equivalent of 4-5mg Diazepam, but not consistent. Then I started messing with that, treating these drugs like aspirin ("take when needed"). Duh. They're not like that, are they? Given that messing around with them made me feel terrible, I blamed the meds and basically within 4-6 weeks cut all the way down to 1mg diazepam, then tried to go without any one day. Yikes!!! Finally looked up benzo withdrawal symptoms online and realized that's what had been going on all along. Too much, too fast.

Needless to say, with Dysautonomia/POTS, I have no need to withdraw from benzos, and thank goodness never messed with my nightime dose of C-pam. But now I'm in between withdrawal "heck" and trying-to-add-back "heck" - my body's not liking either one. I'm (like almost all of us) incredibly sensitive to meds. My goal is to get back to my original 1mg Diazepam 2x day, but my body's screaming "Can I please have a little more?" A little more makes me feel awful. Too much, too fast.

Anybody have any experience with this? My inclination at this point - since I'm already in withdrawal - is only to increase to the dosage I want to be at and tough it out. The last thing I want to do is force myself to a higher dosage, then have to taper back off. I don't feel good right now either way. But at least in the morning (on my "goal" dosage) I feel more stable and generally am beginning to be more functional. Boy do I feel like a dumb-dumb. Did this with my other meds too and you'd think by now I'd learned my lesson. These are not aspirin!! Thanks thanks thanks for any word of advice, insight or just support!

[issie]

Sorry, I can't help with this one. This is a job for TXPOTS. Just wanted to acknowledge your distress and hope that you get it figured out and feel better soon.

[firewatcher]

I am doing the Klonopin withdrawal thing right now. I know all about the body screaming for its "fix." All I can say is take it slow and gentle and don't taper down again until you have no side effects from the last taper. It takes me six weeks minimum to come off .75mg a day. They are nasty little drugs. I feel for you! Just be as good to yourself as you can and take it REALLLLLLY slow!

[mieux7]

Thanks - you mind if I ask why you're doing the Klonopin withdrawal? I find it really helps me (at night). But definitely a strong drug. Before I started it, though, it was like something in my brain was constantly clanging and I always woke up in the middle of the night with terrible "hot flashes" (I'm way past menopause.) My (diagnosing) doc said I had a really really strong Sympathetic Nervous System. I think C-pam calms it down, puts it to sleep at night like it's supposed to. I just got into playing around with daytime dosages and messed myself up. I can't even imagine coming off C-pam! Good luck to you - if you're feeling anything like I am, my deepest support and sympathy!

[firewatcher]

I began taking Klonopin for the persistent daily headache that occurs with my POTS. It was the only thing that helped, but I kept having to up the dose for the same effect. My neuro kept telling me to "just increase the dose...." and you know where that will get you! Addicted and in the same mess you were in to begin with! I am trying to come off since acupressure/acupuncture is having good results for the pain without the addiction. My acupuncturist is also a TCM "doctor" (not a MD here in the West and uses herbal pharmacy instead of "drugs.") He thought I might have better symptom control with fewer side effects. I am going to give it my best shot before I resign myself to a lifetime of drugs, which is all my current MDs are offering. The beta blocker has helped me with the sympathetic surges, but it really doesn't work as well without the C-pam. I can always go back on it, but I want to try this route before I just accept daily pain.

It is really hard....I feel your cravings!

Edited August 27, 2010 by flop
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[TXPOTS]

Thanks for the shout out, Issie.

Goodness, no wonder you are in benzo withdrawal heck. 10 mg of Valium (diazepam) is equivalent to 0.5 mg of Klonopin (clonazepam). You must be miserable, poor thing. How are you feeling now? Different physicians have different tapering protocols, but as a pharmacist and fellow Klonopin user, I find it best to taper very slowly. The half life of Klonopin is long (24-72 hours) , and it can take 5 days of therapy to reach a steady state. When I reduced my dose from 0.5 mg bid to 0.125 in the morning and 0.25mg at bed time, I reduced the dose by 0.125mg every 4 weeks. This is way conservative, but I still experienced mild withdrawal symptoms. I think with POTS benzo withdrawal is especially difficult because we live day in and day out with high adrenaline levels. Well, now you know the dangers of benzo withdrawal. Live and learn. Honestly, it is a blessing that you did not have a seizure (one of the worst consequences of severe benzo withdrawal). I hope you are feeling better, but give yourself time, and do not reduce the dose further while you are having withdrawals side effects. I would let your physician know what happened. You may be able to map out a better plan and dose strategy. Best of luck!

[comfortzone]

Do be careful ~ withdrawing from Benzos too rapidly can cause many undesirable things such as panic attacks, psychosis or siezures.... So GO slowly....very slowly.... Dr. Laura Ashton has more than one utube video on this topic.... If you listen to one - listen to ALL of them (they are very short) -- there's some good info there (but it's spread btw the videos). Also Dr. Peter Breggin's books on 'your drug might be your problem' etc. (THE guru on trying to help people without psychiatric medications) used to have a schedule for taper somewhere in the book & on his website I thought - though I couldn't find it just now. Anyway the thing with Klonopin is that it is a LONG acting benzo -- so a person can quit taking it -- and think they are doing absolutely fine with no withdrawl symptoms for up to 11 days to 2 weeks and THEN get severe symptoms. Because it lasts so long in the body.... Dr. Ashton has good common sense too - like using extreme slowness to withdraw because 'what's the hurry?' Sometimes it takes months to a year to have a comfortable withdrawl.... Leading to 1/4 tabs and tiny amounts like that over weeks and weeks. BUT every person is individual and their needs and reasons for the medication are individual -- so it's best for the patient to work with their doctor together for what works best for them..... But slow is the way to go from my limited perspective --- not going slowly is asking for trouble and discomfort.... Best Wishes for you to meet your goals!

[mieux7]

Thanks, TXPOTS, for your insight and support. Most useful is the advice to go slow slow slow ... unfortunately, that ship has sailed. I think my original post may not have been clear (no wonder since benzo heck makes brain fog even more foggy). I never messed with my nightime dose of C-pam, thank goodness. Otherwise, I probably would've gotten into seizure territory. My withdrawal is related to my daytime dosage, which had consistently (for a year) been 1mg D-pam 2x a day. But I started taking C-pam "as needed" then like an idiot decided I didn't want to take it during the day and cut back waaaay too fast and inconsistently - some days I take it, some days not, some days a little, some days a lot.

Now my problem is to get to a moderate daytime dosage without getting back to such a high and inconsistent dosage. I'd rather not take C-pam during the day. So I'm trying to get back to the 1mg D-pam 2x a day that worked well for me for so long. My body is both wanting more and not wanting any because it's so confused.

At this point, I think the best thing - and I believe this is in line with your basic insights - is to CONSISTENTLY take that goal daytime dosage of D-pam and just tough it out. I don't want to "taper up" to any more than that, then have to "taper down" - that seems stupid. I think I'm just going to have to be patient and realize that these withdrawal efx are going to last for a while, only gradually settle down.

Does that make sense? Any other ideas? For better or worse, the pharmaceuticals work better for me than herbals or supplements (long story). Everyone's body's different - some people love florinef, some people hate it. I know people who swear by Cymbalta and to me that's the nastiest med on the planet. Tomato, tomahto!

Anyway, thanks again for your help and support. Just knowing I'm NOT crazy to be feeling this way (though I was crazy to get into this mess in the first place - well, really just more ignorant than anything else) is a big help.

[comfortzone]

I wish I could be more help - and I feel your strong desire to 'right' things.... I am not clear if you are doing this with or without the help of a physician... If the doctor clearly understands a need for decreasing or eliminating a drug or radically changing a drug schedule as it relates to benzos sometimes you can be admitted to the hospital where they will do an intesive care kind of thing -- and provide you with support as you withdraw --- it may be something to look into. If you are staying away from doctors in all of this for a good reason I have know idea of what that might be.... But I do wish you well & hope you meet your goals in a safe way - probably best a doctor monitored way.... They are there to help you (or so they should be) I can't comment on how you are to achieve your goals -- but I do wish the best to you sincerely!

[dsdmom]

Ugh - so sorry! I went through this about 3 years ago with Klonipin. It was horrible. I wasn't even taking that much. Maybe 1/2 klonopin 2x day? For 6 weeks or so. Then i started to come off it and man, talk about withdrawal! I stuck it out and it only lasted a few days and then I felt much better. Is your doc aware of what is going on? I couldn't have done it without checking in with my psychiatrist because I was so miserable and it was good to hear that I would get through it...and you will too!!

[friday7]

Thanks, TXPOTS, for your insight and support. Most useful is the advice to go slow slow slow ... unfortunately, that ship has sailed. I think my original post may not have been clear (no wonder since benzo heck makes brain fog even more foggy). I never messed with my nightime dose of C-pam, thank goodness. Otherwise, I probably would've gotten into seizure territory. My withdrawal is related to my daytime dosage, which had consistently (for a year) been 1mg D-pam 2x a day. But I started taking C-pam "as needed" then like an idiot decided I didn't want to take it during the day and cut back waaaay too fast and inconsistently - some days I take it, some days not, some days a little, some days a lot.

Now my problem is to get to a moderate daytime dosage without getting back to such a high and inconsistent dosage. I'd rather not take C-pam during the day. So I'm trying to get back to the 1mg D-pam 2x a day that worked well for me for so long. My body is both wanting more and not wanting any because it's so confused.

At this point, I think the best thing - and I believe this is in line with your basic insights - is to CONSISTENTLY take that goal daytime dosage of D-pam and just tough it out. I don't want to "taper up" to any more than that, then have to "taper down" - that seems stupid. I think I'm just going to have to be patient and realize that these withdrawal efx are going to last for a while, only gradually settle down.

Does that make sense? Any other ideas? For better or worse, the pharmaceuticals work better for me than herbals or supplements (long story). Everyone's body's different - some people love florinef, some people hate it. I know people who swear by Cymbalta and to me that's the nastiest med on the planet. Tomato, tomahto!

Anyway, thanks again for your help and support. Just knowing I'm NOT crazy to be feeling this way (though I was crazy to get into this mess in the first place - well, really just more ignorant than anything else) is a big help.

I used to take Xanax when I was younger and I decided I was going to stop..And you guessed it major withdrawal symptoms..thought I was going crazy.

Never stop taking meds cold turkey..Or even try messing around with your dose by yourself.I even had trouble one time because i split a pill in half..I didn't know it was time release..So, when I split it in half I actually increased it's dosage..Made me so sick...What a horrible night.

So I learned as you did the hard way. It's best to discuss what you want to do with the doc fist..You're body is screwed up right now so it might want a higher dose but that doesn't mean it's best.

You already went through the worst part. It Usually doesn't last too long. If you feel too sick though get to the doc. Or an ER if you feel that bad.

You said you want a moderate daytime dosage. So can you talk to your doc about that?

If I'm hearing right he/she had you on a higher dose and you thought that was too much?

Do you feel that he/she will not want you on a lower dose? Cause you really should be able to decided how much of this kind of med is right for you. It's not like thyroid meds or something,where you need a certain amount. So, you doctor should understand if you want to decrease the dose.

I hope you feel better.