Benzo withdrawal...not starting until weeks off the med???? WTF...

[bdomihizayka]

Is it possible that benzo withdrawal doesn't start until weeks after dose dropage/ discontinuation? The benzo in question is Klonopin. I was taking as prescribed for one month, 1mg/ day.... stopped abruptly thinking it was no big deal, was hit with tunnel vision/ just felt out of it like a bad trip, reinstated, and taped down to .25mg in about 2 months. A few weeks later, my anxiety is heightened and I have been unable to sleep more than 5 hours a night. I am scared to death that I'm going to be one of those sensitive persons whos PAWs is going to last months/ years...... any insight? Thank you!!

 

[pasha]

Combine a slow metabolic rate, clonazepams long lasting metabolites, and high body fat there is a good chance that its sticking around in your system for several weeks after chronic use. The only thing that's puzzling is why the clonazepam would be active after several weeks, in truth though anything is possible.

In any case, your symptoms are classic benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms. The tunnel vision is a sign of mild psychosis and derealization, the anxiety is normal and so is the insomnia. These high levels of anxiety contribute largely to your excessive hypochondriasis leading you to believe your symptoms are never ending. This is essentially the main issue with the crippling aspect of benzodiazepine withdrawal. Five hours of sleep is excellent, the fact that there are no panic attacks or full blown psychosis is a positive.

It's just a mindwarping game of patience.

 

[SaY4cT]

Original poster, I think you're reading too much into it. Smoke a cig, have a cup of coffee, you'll be alright.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I think you're getting psychological manifestations of withdrawal put into your mind after reading a little bit too much regarding benzo withdrawal. Most of the symptoms and problems that arise from benzo withdrawal are really only applicable to long-term users or abusers of the drug. In your case, given you've only used it for a short period (a month) at a small dose, I don't think the withdrawal should be too intense. However, as stated you could be a slow metaboliser and clonazepam does have a relatively long half life. That being said though, a week after cessation of use it shouldn't be that bad. Can I ask - why were you put on your course of benzos to begin with?

I don't think it's much to worry about. You can't suffer any problems physically as you've gone a week without it. You will however experience rebound anxiety, which is very common, as you're not used to being in an anxious state of mind due to the sedative/calming nature of benzos.

Don't smoke a cig or drink a coffee as suggested either. If you're in an anxious state of mind those things will only make it worse, as they are stimulants. Make sure you're properly hydrated and if you're having real difficulty sleeping I'd suggest looking into buying some promethazine, doxycycline succiate (either or) to help you through the next few days. They will knock you out so be aware.

 

[JimRaynor]

It is quite normal that the withdrawal fluctuates in severity day to day, although it's unusual that it develops weeks after cessation. My theory is that the lingering symptoms after acute WD has subsided is almost entirely due to the placebo effect and/or benso-induced altered thought patterns. To put it in a different way: It's all in your head.

I believe this to be true due to my own experience from quitting bensos when the WD could be completely gone some days and quite crippling other days. I can only see how this is explainable by psychological and not neurological reasoning.

The placebo effect comes from you expecting anxiety after cessation and constantly "checks" wheater you have anxiety or not. Even a healthy person will get anxious if he constantly did that.

The other psychological explanation I can think of is that you (and by you I'm adressing all who have gotten dependent on bensos) have forgotten how to deal with everyday stressors since you haven't had to deal with them during your benso use. All or most of your natural psychological defence against anxiousness has athropied due to lack of exercise and needs to be rebuilt/relearned. This means that as long as you don't face any anxiogenic situations the WDs seem to be gone. But when you do face a stressful situation you get massive anxiety even though you have faced similar situations before without as much anxiety.

And then you draw the conclusion that the WD isn't over yet and you need to go home and sob in your bed yet another few days. But what you really need is the exact opposite: Start facing stressful situations again and begin to rebuild your forgotten natural defences. Laying in bed and not doing anything is actually a stressor in itself so the anxiety/WD's will only become worse as long as you do that. Trying to isolate yourself at home until the WD is completely gone is a surefire way to never recover from it.

The cure is then to figure out a way around the placebo effect i.e. to always think of something else than potential symptoms of WD and to engage in normal life again bit by bit to rebuild the anxiety defence again. A good way to keep the mind of off WD is to exercise

TLDR: You are most certainly not experiencing real withdrawal but instead is creating the anxiety yourself. Try to stop with that.

 

[euphoricc]

hey i came off 2mg klonopin for 1 year all was fine i stopped cold turkey a month went by then bamm i was driving with my 6month old daughter and had a fucking seizure driving with my baby in my car now im on 3mg daily i hate it but o well i will never stop ive had 2 seizures i dont want no more they hurt. so please be careful i almost died twice

 

[Pagey]

Yeah, this might be a placebo effects of sorts considering you were on a low dose for a short amount of time. Expecting horrible withdrawals will make them happen (especially when it comes to anxiety). Don't start freaking out about very prolonged withdrawals, that's very unlikely. Just try to relax about it and maybe take some light sleeping aids for a bit

 

[pally pete]

I can relate to a lot of what's been said as i have heavily abused the full variety of Benzos since September 2009, and having withrawn several times only to go back to using as life without Benzos didn't feel a great deal better than life with them.

I'm struggling through another withdrawal as we speak (5 weeks clean) yet i'm still suffering lingering Physical symptoms - headaches, sleeplessness, GI problems, sever sweats etc Along with intense Psychological craving to the point where ALL my thoughts are consumed with using again.

Many people mention using sleep aids like 1st generation Antihistamines, yet i found them all useless. You say you get 5 hours of sleep, well that's about what i've been managing (albeit broken sleep) I pray that this will return to normal as it's the one thing that could tip me back over to using. I also see many many people mention exercise, yet i cycle around 10 Miles everyday, 5 days a week (roughly 50 Miles) and this does not help, I also see somebody's post mentioning not to sit in and hide away, yet this is the only way i find controls the Anxiety, any Social situations send my Anxiety through the roof. (Including work, but I have to go!)

I hope (you) & i can stick with the straight path however difficult it is and hopefully come out the other side.

 

[Pagey]

^But you also have to remember you used benzos for MUCH longer - so of course what would work for a month-long habit might not for a 3-year one.

 

[Toz]

I've used it longer and in higher dosages (5mg daily). Eventually I got frustrated with all my addictions and just decided to end them all with one swift blow (cold turkey everything). I just seem incapable of tapering, I feel horrible anyway, better get it done fast I thought (yes I know it could be dangerous and I'm not suggesting it). It took 3 weeks of physical withdrawal and anxiety hell but after that it subsided. Unfortunately, it kept coming at me with different symptoms of varying severity for the next 3 months, I'd get crawling skin and horrible anxiety out of nowhere when I'd least expect it. Then it would dissappear and come again. It was frustrating but it faded away too after 3 months or so. I used clonazepam for 1.5 years straight, before that I was prescribed nitrazepam for sleep for about 4 years or so but never became dependant on it.

Edit: I think you are unlucky to suffer these symptoms, even having been dependant on benzos before, I usually stay clear of withdrawal symptoms if I don't use more than 3 weeks in a row. Or maybe it's me who is lucky. I could stop at that dosage and length of use and shrug off the anxiety in a few days. I would not taper such a short period of use as a month, in my eyes that's just prolonging the suffering. Actually I've changed my mind, low dose short time use, don't bother tapering, I think it would be easier to just stop. Well, to me at least it would be.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

Considering you only took low doses and only for a total of 3 months including a taper, I highly doubt you will be one of those people who have post-acute withdrawal symptoms lasting months or years. And worrying about that remote possibility is not going to do you any good - the brain is very powerful and it could be a self-fulfilling prophecy. In fact, I doubt you are getting withdrawals that started a month after your last dose of 0.25mg. It is more likely the return of the symptoms you were using the clonazepam to mask in the first place. If you felt ok when you stopped, I really can't see your withdrawals beginning weeks after stopping. There are lots of things you can do other than taking benzos in order to help with anxiety and sleep, let me know if you want any tips

 

[pillboxskid]

Personel opinion maybe a little amount of physical withdrwl.The rest phychsomatic at its best hell why would,nt it be you found a medication to elivate the distresing symptoms of anxiety this is your minds way of saying i want more of this my savior.Personaly i would speak to your doctor to discuss viable future options good luck buddie!!!!