Benzos Clonazepam withdrawal/taper

[Crake]

So I've been sober from alcohol and benzos for 4 years, and it used to be a big problem... I had a huge seizure from withdrawal once.

I relapsed on opiates and quit mid-November, and was taking clonidine, clonazepam, and pregabalin to cope with the withdrawal symptoms. Except I went a little too hard with the clonazepam. I was taking 6mg per day for maybe 3 weeks, then "tapered" quite rapidly to zero over like 10 days. This is my 4th day after my last dose, 0.5mg, and I am out of pregabalin which was helping my tremors and anxiety. I want to tough it out, but my tremor is getting worse especially when I'm anxious and I'm scared about seizures.

I've been off clonazepam for 4 days so I don't really want to go back on any kind of dose, but say I went back on 0.125mg per day for like a week and then jumped off, would that help lessen the severity of the withdrawal? Anyone with experience tapering and what dose you jumped off at, how bad was the withdrawal?

 

[GetMeOutOfThisCRAP]

It would but I don't know how well you would be able to taper at such a small dose without suddenly wanting to eat 6+ milligrams a day again lol. If you have a history of being able to taper off finely off of substances that are your drugs of choice--then okay of course it would. The danger is that its hard to "taper" off of drugs you really like and not relapse all over again. Is it possible to access gabapentin or phenibut?

I don't want to spread false information but 3 weeks at 6 milligrams daily? I doubt you would get a seizure from this dosage and for a short timespan like that. It would most likely all be strong rebound anxiety. At risk of a seizure occurring, I'd honestly risk the relapse *if I were you,* but if there isn't a possibility of seizures its better to tough it out without the benzos. The tremors would only get so much worse and worse if you accidentally did happen to like clonazepam too much and said "screw it" and had a benzo party again lol.

 

[OpiateKiller]

Stopping pregabalin with the benzos or in the same time frame isn’t ideal man.

Both act on GABA receptors and id agree not going back on kpins would be better.

Can you get another weeks worth of lyrica?

I’d say dropping both now is greatly increasing your risk for seizures. You need a slower taper. It’s not worth risking.

I just started experiencing seizures. They suck.

 

[Crake]

It would but I don't know how well you would be able to taper at such a small dose without suddenly wanting to eat 6+ milligrams a day again lol. If you have a history of being able to taper off finely off of substances that are your drugs of choice--then okay of course it would. The danger is that its hard to "taper" off of drugs you really like and not relapse all over again. Is it possible to access gabapentin or phenibut?

I don't want to spread false information but 3 weeks at 6 milligrams daily? I doubt you would get a seizure from this dosage and for a short timespan like that. It would most likely all be strong rebound anxiety. At risk of a seizure occurring, I'd honestly risk the relapse *if I were you,* but if there isn't a possibility of seizures its better to tough it out without the benzos. The tremors would only get so much worse and worse if you accidentally did happen to like clonazepam too much and said "screw it" and had a benzo party again lol.

Thanks so much for your reply. This is basically my plan, to tough it out unless it got so bad I felt like I would seize. No access to those.

 

[Crake]

Stopping pregabalin with the benzos or in the same time frame isn’t ideal man.

Both act on GABA receptors and id agree not going back on kpins would be better.

Can you get another weeks worth of lyrica?

I’d say dropping both now is greatly increasing your risk for seizures. You need a slower taper. It’s not worth risking.

I just started experiencing seizures. They suck.

Thanks for the reply. I probably can't get another weeks worth of lyrica till after Christmas. I've only been taking it a couple weeks at a dose of 150-200mg pregabalin daily split in two so I wasn't too worried?

edit- Do you really think I'll be through the worst of it in a week from now? I hope so~

 

[OpiateKiller]

Thanks for the reply. I probably can't get another weeks worth of lyrica till after Christmas. I've only been taking it a couple weeks at a dose of 150-200mg pregabalin daily split in two so I wasn't too worried?

edit- Do you really think I'll be through the worst of it in a week from now? I hope so~

Yes if you can make it 7 days the worst of it will be over. Your chances of seizures greatly decrease.

If you have the mental will power man just carry a clonazepam on you it might calm you knowing you can take it if you need it.

Be strong you can get through this

 

[Crake]

Yes if you can make it 7 days the worst of it will be over. Your chances of seizures greatly decrease.

If you have the mental will power man just carry a clonazepam on you it might calm you knowing you can take it if you need it.

Be strong you can get through this

Someone trusted is holding the rest of my clonazepam and knows not to give me any unless heading to the ER because I think I'm at risk from seizure.

Anyway, thanks for the encouragement. I did find some more pregab and feel better just knowing I have it. Just now I know I have something other than clonazepam to take if things got really bad and that calms my mind.

 

[Crake]

Yes if you can make it 7 days the worst of it will be over. Your chances of seizures greatly decrease.

If you have the mental will power man just carry a clonazepam on you it might calm you knowing you can take it if you need it.

Be strong you can get through this

Thank you to the both of you who replied to me.

I just wanted to post an update here because I'm nearing the home stretch and feeling so much better. Not normal by any means, but I remember how I felt when I created this thread and I'm so glad to be through that hell. Happy to report that I've been tapering off the pregabalin and only taking 50mg daily. And taking a few tokes before bed to help sleep. Really looking forward to being off everything completely.