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Benzos I was on Klonopin for 7 years, got cut off cold turkey...

lalapanda

lalapanda

Bluelighter
Joined
Jan 30, 2013
Messages
160
Location
Portlandia
At the end of last month.
I feel like I'm going insane, I'm not acting like my normal self. I'm doing things I wouldn't normally do. I can't stop shaking. I was on 2mg, then 1mg but I'd sometimes take more than I was supposed to; getting it elsewhere. No one believes that I'm actually living in Hell right now and that i'll be okay and that I won't have a seizure (which happened to me before, when I tried quitting cold turkey in 2013.) Because I've made it this far... But I feel like it's getting worse. I spend half the time depressed and wanting to kill myself, and the other acting like a completely different person. I need help, anyone who's been through w/d from Benzos have any advice? My (ex) doctor is honestly a piece of shit and put me on all kinds of things that I reacted badly to, took no responsibility and just put me on something else. He randomly cut off the klonopin for no reason; and told me I don't need any pills. And that's fine, I don't want to be on anything anyway but how do I help this w/d bullshit? Did anyone else feel how I felt? Like a totally different person? I'm like evil now, and then when I'm confronted about it I just feel like I was possessed or something. It sounds totally insane, but I feel insane. I feel sick as well, but my mental health is getting worse than anything else rn imo.

Any advice would be much loved.
thank you
 
You were prescribed the clonazepam? Pretty sure it's highly illegal for your doctor to cut you off entirely without tapering you.

I'm very sorry you're going through this. Please try to get a hold of some diazepam for a proper taper, or go to a medical detox. It's not worth the risk of dying by having to go cold turkey.
 
Yeah, he gave it to me for like a year. Just stopped. I keep hearing that he wasn't supposed to do that, but what am I supposed to do about it?

What exactly is a medical detox? Like Rehab? and thank you for your advice; and well wishes.
 
As far as I am aware it is completely illegal to cut long term benzo use without a correct taper in place.
You really need to go back to see this Doctor and explain to him what you are feeling. No Doctor in their right mind could expect anybody to stop 7 months Benzo use CT never mind 7 years!
 
mysafehome01 said:
As far as I am aware it is completely illegal to cut long term benzo use without a correct taper in place.
You really need to go back to see this Doctor and explain to him what you are feeling. No Doctor in their right mind could expect anybody to stop 7 months Benzo use CT never mind 7 years!
Click to expand...

Last time I spoke with him he said it was unnecessary to see him since I wasn't he wasn't going to give me anything. (not even my antidepressant to help me sleep.)
It's so weird b/c he MADE the appointment and then was confused as to WHY I showed up to my appointment.
 
I went cold turkey after a ten year run with benzos in 2010. If at possible, I go to an acute care clinic and explain your situation. You may be able to get benzos to do a taper. I think doing a taper is less painful than going cold turkey. They may just give you some antiseizure meds and beta blockers (which do help some), but they are better than nothing. Regardless, you need medical intervention, as you can die from benzo withdrawal.

Find a new doctor asap - benzo withdrawal is hard, and you will need medication for the first few months to a year. I was sick and severely depressed for two years after my last benzo, and probably would have committed suicide without my support system and finally finding a good doctor.

Word of warning - it will get a lot worse before it gets better. IT DOES GET BETTER! if you're feeling suicidal DO NOT act on it - those feelings are normal and they will pass. I know it's hard (words are inadequate to describe how horrible benzo withdrawal is) - I've been through it myself. It really will get better so please don't give up! I am sorry you are going through this!
 
I had 2.5mgs clonazepam (RX) cut off at the same time as detoxing from 90ms of methadone. In fact I've never seen a doctor do a taper for a street user and rarely for RX users. just my experience 90% of docs may not be like this. I hate yo say it but maybe ordering diclazepam could be an option if a tapering detox is not an option. And it can be ordered overnight from US vendors- last resort though
 
Yeah, this doctor sounds like quite a douche. You should probably directly confront him about it and if he does nothing, look for some possible legal help on the matter. Stopping benzos CT from long-term use can be life threatening or, perhaps even worse, cause permanent brain damage.
 
Yeah, if you have money, or are good at talking to professionals a lawyer wouldn't be a bad thing. This kind of shit is common and needs to stop. People (not you) die because their uneducated "moral" whims.
In the meantime, try a community health clinic, doc-in-a-box, or new doctor (shrink would be happiest to help) and bring all of your records with you to see about getting on a taper, or at least something to help you keep as sane as possible. If your will is strong when it comes to not abusing your meds, RC benzos are a thing, and some are quite good, even if the profit comes from hooking people on them even worse than you are.
 
You could probably sue the Doctor, but that's going to take time.

If you're still experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms you should be able to get treatment at the Emergency Room. Benzo withdrawal can be fatal, though since it's been nearly 3 weeks you're through the worst of it (but should still be under the care of a Doctor).

Once you're feeling better, talk to a malpractice lawyer, and discuss with them calling the State Medical Board to report that Doctor.
 
You can sue this fucking incompetent cunt,if i were in your position i would do it right away.Could be seen as a killig attempt,cutting someone off cold turkey after 7 years of benzo use with no real reason.This guy should lose his job because he has many other patients too and pose a risk dor many people
 
I was on 8mg/day for 5 years and i did an a inpatient detox wound up in the psych ward, that was with a pheno taper...

It took about 2 months for me to find any normalcy to life but month by month after that I got better.

Hope the best for you panda
 
first off....Hit an emergency room....two weeks is not out of the woods by far on such a long acting benzo. They will at least stabalize you and direct you to a doctor, or psychiatrist that can treat you. That seizure can come out of nowhere, and if noone is around it can be fatal.

second: doctors take a hippocratic oath...the main point of this oath is to do no harm. This doctor through his gross negligence is harming you and your quality of life. Sue him. If not for yourself, but for the people that come after you that he does this to. There are lots of people who have made successful cases against such doctors...unfortunately a lot of them are families suing posthumously due to either their family member committing suicide, or having a grand mal seizure.

LastlY: I am detoxing from an 8mg a day xanax habit. My doc has me on a slow taper. I am almost at 2mg. He is going to get me a special oral solution so that I can go down .1 mg every couple weeks. Xanax taper is possible, but only because I am also on temazepam for sleep...so I can still sleep. This stuff is no joke! Take care of yourself and keep us posted.
 
manboychef said:
first off....Hit an emergency room....two weeks is not out of the woods by far on such a long acting benzo. They will at least stabalize you and direct you to a doctor, or psychiatrist that can treat you. That seizure can come out of nowhere, and if noone is around it can be fatal.

second: doctors take a hippocratic oath...the main point of this oath is to do no harm. This doctor through his gross negligence is harming you and your quality of life. Sue him. If not for yourself, but for the people that come after you that he does this to. There are lots of people who have made successful cases against such doctors...unfortunately a lot of them are families suing posthumously due to either their family member committing suicide, or having a grand mal seizure.

LastlY: I am detoxing from an 8mg a day xanax habit. My doc has me on a slow taper. I am almost at 2mg. He is going to get me a special oral solution so that I can go down .1 mg every couple weeks. Xanax taper is possible, but only because I am also on temazepam for sleep...so I can still sleep. This stuff is no joke! Take care of yourself and keep us posted.
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You must be redosing quite often, having to taper with alprazolam.

I'm glad I was able to switch to diazepam for my GAD, if I ever need to taper I already have the best benzo for it.
 
I have never read about somebody dying from benzo withdrawal .. anyone got a link or something? I know it causes seizures but death? Or is it death caused from seizures (falling and hitting head, etc)..
 
Atmozfears said:
I have never read about somebody dying from benzo withdrawal .. anyone got a link or something? I know it causes seizures but death? Or is it death caused from seizures (falling and hitting head, etc)..
Click to expand...

Yes, it is because of the seizures, exactly as you are thinking. Especially if you are by yourself and have one.
 
hatrix said:
You must be redosing quite often, having to taper with alprazolam.

I'm glad I was able to switch to diazepam for my GAD, if I ever need to taper I already have the best benzo for it.
Click to expand...

Yeah....it has been torture. I try to push myself, so I end up in mild withdrawals a couple times a day. I am on 6mg right now. Taken in .5mg increments and 1mg at bed. I was going down to fast at first....and my mentality really slipped, but I am doing much better. This is going to be an extremely slow process...and the last 2mg may take like six or seven months
 
Atmozfears said:
I have never read about somebody dying from benzo withdrawal .. anyone got a link or something? I know it causes seizures but death? Or is it death caused from seizures (falling and hitting head, etc)..
Click to expand...

I had a seizure in the psychward. I was coming off 400mg diazepam....they wouldn't give me my meds. Then they thought I was faking...fell and smacked my head. I actually only remember being at the desk and demanding my meds and the next thing I realized I am on the floor and a patient has his hand in my mouth, and the other cradling my head to keep me from breaking my teeth and hitting my head again. Thank god the patient knew I wasn't faking.

It happens so fast and you don't really feel it coming. I only felt really uneasy and panicky at that point....then BOOM on the floor wondering how I got there.
 
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