Post-Benzo Self-Care

[probablyanxious]

Regarding post-benzo life, what is some advice or are some insight/tips you would give to others? Specifically:

How do you regulate the anxiety and irritability?

What about avoiding kindling? Is alcohol out of the question?

Can you sense if a seizure is coming on? Are they totally random or do they typically occur in known predispositions? Do withdrawals in and of themselves show you have a lowered seizure threshold?

Any ideas about excitotoxicity? How do you navigate glutamate storms? How do you avoid them to begin with?

Nine days post clonazepam. Jumped from 0.5mg. I had been tapering but the timing wasn’t by choice.

I’ve been taking 900mg of gabapentin a day. I cut my caffeine intake to one half caffeine k-cup per day.

So fearful of the great benzo withdrawal, I took to a novel theory (to me) of trying to keep an even blood sugar level as I could.

It hasn’t been too bad. The anxiety gets to be a lot at times. I think I experience excitotoxicity at times. Not a pleasant feeling. Never had a seizure but I’m super afraid of one occurring.

 

[lost weekend]

I stopped cold turkey 4 months ago after 5 years of daily clonozapam use
I took my last one at the airport before flying to Thailand
That did me till we got settled in at hotel ,went straight to pharmacy and bought pregablin and gabapetin which masked all acute withdraws for the full 2 weeks ( I bought loads as well as kratom)
Thought I was cured until the flight home when I felt anxious, shaky etc
Once home full withdrawls kicked in ,had to take 3 months off work ,was tearfull
Hands constantly shaking and mental torture you couldn't imagine
Never had a seizure
Regarding alcohol my wife would buy me vodka or beer at 10am just to give me some relief but it dosnt help in long run
Never slept for 3 weeks solid
But at least your tapering

 

[lost weekend]

Regarding post-benzo life, what is some advice or are some insight/tips you would give to others? Specifically:

How do you regulate the anxiety and irritability?

What about avoiding kindling? Is alcohol out of the question?

Can you sense if a seizure is coming on? Are they totally random or do they typically occur in known predispositions? Do withdrawals in and of themselves show you have a lowered seizure threshold?

Any ideas about excitotoxicity? How do you navigate glutamate storms? How do you avoid them to begin with?

Nine days post clonazepam. Jumped from 0.5mg. I had been tapering but the timing wasn’t by choice.

I’ve been taking 900mg of gabapentin a day. I cut my caffeine intake to one half caffeine k-cup per day.

So fearful of the great benzo withdrawal, I took to a novel theory (to me) of trying to keep an even blood sugar level as I could.

It hasn’t been too bad. The anxiety gets to be a lot at times. I think I experience excitotoxicity at times. Not a pleasant feeling. Never had a seizure but I’m super afraid of one occurring.

Your gabapentin could be masking withdrawals from your clonozapam
Pregabalin certainly does ,no doubt

 

[probablyanxious]

Your gabapentin could be masking withdrawals from your clonozapam
Pregabalin certainly does ,no doubt

Did you lose access to pregabalin and gabapentin when you returned home? How are your withdrawals now? Better?

What do you typically do to cope? I usually go into my room and read or maybe something else, if that’s an option.

 

[nznity]

I stopped cold turkey 4 months ago after 5 years of daily clonozapam use
I took my last one at the airport before flying to Thailand
That did me till we got settled in at hotel ,went straight to pharmacy and bought pregablin and gabapetin which masked all acute withdraws for the full 2 weeks ( I bought loads as well as kratom)
Thought I was cured until the flight home when I felt anxious, shaky etc
Once home full withdrawls kicked in ,had to take 3 months off work ,was tearfull
Hands constantly shaking and mental torture you couldn't imagine
Never had a seizure
Regarding alcohol my wife would buy me vodka or beer at 10am just to give me some relief but it dosnt help in long run
Never slept for 3 weeks solid
But at least your tapering

Wowww that's a recipe for disaster. 5 years is a long time.
I recently quit a 5 year 2mg/daily use but I tapered to 0.125mg over the course of 4 months. I've been clean for 100+ days and I couldn't feel better to be off clonazepam.
im curious how do you feel now? And also whst was your daily dose?
Quitting like that is not recommended cause it can trigger BIND( benzo induced neurological neurological dysfunction)

 

[lost weekend]

Wowww that's a recipe for disaster. 5 years is a long time.
I recently quit a 5 year 2mg/daily use but I tapered to 0.125mg over the course of 4 months. I've been clean for 100+ days and I couldn't feel better to be off clonazepam.
im curious how do you feel now? And also whst was your daily dose?
Quitting like that is not recommended cause it can trigger BIND( benzo induced neurological neurological dysfunction)

I can't give you my exact daily dose because I abused them but only to deal with working life, nut I reckon 6mg a day during week and more at weekends ,tolerance builds fast ,that wasn't my only benzo just one of choice
I've been clean since mid April but I managed to obtain pregablin for 2 weeks on hols in Thailand which completely masked any acute symptoms
Wasn't till I got home I absolutely fell to bits to the point I had a kitchen knife pressed up against where I thought my heart would be but would never have had the courage to force it into my body (it takes a fair bit of force actually),this was because I had a job booked in but couldn't face it so felt that was a better option
Tried getting help from NHS but they were awful and fobbed me off to drop in clinic
Because of my ongoing alcohol history I was told it was to dangerous to taper with benzos
I feel much better now ,I still drink but have enough confidence to get through my day
Most nights I dream of scoring little blue pills but never seem to get them

 

[lost weekend]

Did you lose access to pregabalin and gabapentin when you returned home? How are your withdrawals now? Better?

What do you typically do to cope? I usually go into my room and read or maybe something else, if that’s an option.

No,pregablin is only available on prescription so complete cold turkey
I didn't cope ,not in the slightest ,I used alcohol early in morning just to calm my nervous system if only for 1 hour which was a blessing when your other 23hours are a living hell
Now I know alcohol makes things worse in long run and may prelong symptoms but any relief if only momentarily was a blessing
I listened to music ,never exercised as was scared to step outside
I am almost back to normal now but realise why I took benzos in the first place
Life is tough

 

[CalicoCatLover]

i went through the ugliest withdrawal of my life...klonopin...i thought i was dying. screaming, vomiting. the solution imo is to take it.

 

[lost weekend]

i went through the ugliest withdrawal of my life...klonopin...i thought i was dying. screaming, vomiting. the solution imo is to take it.

It's hellish, for a tablet that gives no euphoria or noticeable effects others can see its quite incredible how it reorganises your brain

 

[CalicoCatLover]

it gives me a quality of life, why dont you ask the government why they started charging for it

 

[lost weekend]

It does give you your life back ,and what's so wrong with being on medication for the rest of your life ,would the government rather we all sign on the dole

 

[lost weekend]

Regarding post-benzo life, what is some advice or are some insight/tips you would give to others? Specifically:

How do you regulate the anxiety and irritability?

What about avoiding kindling? Is alcohol out of the question?

Can you sense if a seizure is coming on? Are they totally random or do they typically occur in known predispositions? Do withdrawals in and of themselves show you have a lowered seizure threshold?

Any ideas about excitotoxicity? How do you navigate glutamate storms? How do you avoid them to begin with?

Nine days post clonazepam. Jumped from 0.5mg. I had been tapering but the timing wasn’t by choice.

I’ve been taking 900mg of gabapentin a day. I cut my caffeine intake to one half caffeine k-cup per day.

So fearful of the great benzo withdrawal, I took to a novel theory (to me) of trying to keep an even blood sugar level as I could.

It hasn’t been too bad. The anxiety gets to be a lot at times. I think I experience excitotoxicity at times. Not a pleasant feeling. Never had a seizure but I’m super afraid of one occurring.

Time is the only real cure ,I can't comment on tapers cos never got the chance but stopping cold turkey expect 3 months for your brain to rewire itself
I'm no expert but even reducing your kpin dose will surely bring on withdrawals when taper is over
Before I new you could get pregablin otc in Thailand 2 years ago I felt constant impending doom and terrible anxiety, never had a seizure but I did drink an awful lot of alcohol which calmed me until bed time but made me ill all night .
Regarding gabapentin it certainly lessons the effects of benzo withdrawal especially taken together based on my own experience so something to be mindfull of
Regarding regulating anxiety I guess it depends on an individual bases (how tough your personality is)
If you are still taking gabapentin then that would surely help stop any seizures but as always check with your doctor

 

[probablyanxious]

Wowww that's a recipe for disaster. 5 years is a long time.
I recently quit a 5 year 2mg/daily use but I tapered to 0.125mg over the course of 4 months. I've been clean for 100+ days and I couldn't feel better to be off clonazepam.
im curious how do you feel now? And also whst was your daily dose?
Quitting like that is not recommended cause it can trigger BIND( benzo induced neurological neurological dysfunction)

May I ask the reason you started taking clonazepam regularly, and what do you do now to quell said reasons? Is there anything you wish you had known when you jumped off the taper?

The thing that affects me most profoundly, I think, is “anxiety.” It’s not a normal anxiety feeling; it’s significantly more intense. I suspect it could be excitotoxicity. I really never thought gabapentin did anything for my anxiety but it sure can put down a glutamate storm.

 

[nznity]

May I ask the reason you started taking clonazepam regularly, and what do you do now to quell said reasons? Is there anything you wish you had known when you jumped off the taper?

The thing that affects me most profoundly, I think, is “anxiety.” It’s not a normal anxiety feeling; it’s significantly more intense. I suspect it could be excitotoxicity. I really never thought gabapentin did anything for my anxiety but it sure can put down a glutamate storm.

In my case I think I needed em at the time, I had too many personal problems at the time and I couldn't sleep at night. I was also abusing em with opiates at the time, I was taking from 2mg up to 4-8mg some days( from 2020-2024).
I started tapering in late 24', switched from 2mg clonazepam to 40mg diazepam. Then over the course of like 4 months I tapered to 2.5mg and I attempted to quit.
I got to like day 40 until I couldn't handle the wds anymore and had to reinstate. I had tapered too fast
I had some health problems unrelated to benzos and while I resolved this i went back to 1mg clonazepam for like a year.
It was like 6 months ago that I decided to quit benzos for good, this 2nd attempt I went from 1mg to 0.125mg clonaz in a span of 2 and a half months. This time It was successful, I've been benzo free for the past 100+ days and I feel great.
Its been a hell of a ride but it was so worth it, probably one of the toughest drug wds I've had to endure.

 

[probablyanxious]

Time is the only real cure ,I can't comment on tapers cos never got the chance but stopping cold turkey expect 3 months for your brain to rewire itself
I'm no expert but even reducing your kpin dose will surely bring on withdrawals when taper is over
Before I new you could get pregablin otc in Thailand 2 years ago I felt constant impending doom and terrible anxiety, never had a seizure but I did drink an awful lot of alcohol which calmed me until bed time but made me ill all night .
Regarding gabapentin it certainly lessons the effects of benzo withdrawal especially taken together based on my own experience so something to be mindfull of
Regarding regulating anxiety I guess it depends on an individual bases (how tough your personality is)
If you are still taking gabapentin then that would surely help stop any seizures but as always check with your doctor

I was on about 2mg a day for 6 years. Within that time for about a year, I took probably 100 halcion pills for sleep. I knew I had a problem when 2 things occurred within a month: I read about BIND for the first time ever simply by opening up the newspaper, and I had a dental procedure where I was given halcion again for sedation (2 pills I think 0.25mg each) and I was alert the entire procedure. I recall vividly the dentist and the assistant having a conversation they would not have had if they knew I was so alert. It was not super inappropriate or anything, it was just very personal stuff.

So like 13 months ago I began a taper. Did not know what I was in for. I did not know about the Ashton manual. Got down to 0.5mg in January. Paused due to extreme withdrawals. Stayed at 0.5mg. Then my refill got lost by UPS. So I was forced into a jump. I was kind of glad because I front I needed a push. I’m still glad but this is absolute hell.

Thank God for gabapentin because it’s really helping. Really glad I had the accidental foresight to refill gabapentin prescriptions for the last year and barely taking it so now I have close to a thousand of these pills.

I still have weird, incongruent symptoms. Like a weird nerve sensation/pain in my feet and calves near constantly. Motor skills and executive functioning are affected. I’m often dizzy and lightheaded. Tinnitus is out of control but doesn’t bother me too much. Even my concept of time is heavily distorted. It feels way longer and way shorter at different times and it is difficult for me to quantify it. Sleep actually not bad. About 4-5 hours a night but straight through.

The two things I credit the most are gabapentin and switching to half caffeine coffee and limiting myself to one a day. Sure am tired but it’s all good.

Edit: typo

 

[lost weekend]

Yeh my motor skills were severly affected ,I kept dropping glasses ,plates etc so there was no way I could have trusted myself to work ,for my own safety and others
Never touched coffee could not stand the taste although I lived on it while using clonazepam
I'm not sure how long the human body can go without sleep but I went 3 weeks with only 1 hour at exactly the same time everymorning ,6 am
I then knocked myself out around 1pm using vodka or beer for an hour or so
Gabapentin would have definitely helped me sleep
I also came of kratom after 18 years cold turkey at same time so was a double whammy
I had constant diarrhea throughout especially at night
One thing that did help a little was a hot bath which I had 3 or 4 a day
My memory is fine for work but I have been experiencing some worrying issues with normal activities but hope that will improve

 

[lost weekend]

May I ask the reason you started taking clonazepam regularly, and what do you do now to quell said reasons? Is there anything you wish you had known when you jumped off the taper?

The thing that affects me most profoundly, I think, is “anxiety.” It’s not a normal anxiety feeling; it’s significantly more intense. I suspect it could be excitotoxicity. I really never thought gabapentin did anything for my anxiety but it sure can put down a glutamate storm.

Same reasons as yourself I suspect,clonozapam especially gives a false sense of confidence, makes social situations 10 times easier ,apart from the first few times you try benzos there is no recreational value to them no matter how much you take
What is strange although clonozapam eased face to face social anxiety, over time (5years of daily use) there were lots of times I would over worry about things especially work
I've slowly come to the realisation now if the shit hits the fan whats the worst that can happen ,that's a good mind tool to have but takes time .
I did try taking suggested supplements like magnesium etc but all they did was make my stomach worse but remember I constantly drank just for relief even if only for a few hours ,so I certainly don't suggest you do that
If your still able to refill your script for gabapentin it will help enormously, even though you might still have some anxiety
I didn't have some anxiety I had a full blown mental break down
Regarding now I just drink in the evening but I still feel a huge part of my evening relaxation is missing

 

[lost weekend]

In my case I think I needed em at the time, I had too many personal problems at the time and I couldn't sleep at night. I was also abusing em with opiates at the time, I was taking from 2mg up to 4-8mg some days( from 2020-2024).
I started tapering in late 24', switched from 2mg clonazepam to 40mg diazepam. Then over the course of like 4 months I tapered to 2.5mg and I attempted to quit.
I got to like day 40 until I couldn't handle the wds anymore and had to reinstate. I had tapered too fast
I had some health problems unrelated to benzos and while I resolved this i went back to 1mg clonazepam for like a year.
It was like 6 months ago that I decided to quit benzos for good, this 2nd attempt I went from 1mg to 0.125mg clonaz in a span of 2 and a half months. This time It was successful, I've been benzo free for the past 100+ days and I feel great.
Its been a hell of a ride but it was so worth it, probably one of the toughest drug wds I've had to endure.

Well done
I know exactly what you've went through
I used clonazepam daily at ridiculous doses but if I could get my hands on other benzos like 10mg temazepam, 10mg diazapam ,alprazolam and lorazepam I'd take them along with my normal dose of clonazepam ,and still be able to perform at work the next day
I did some bizarre things when drinking alcohol, especially at weekend
I found xanax the worst for irrational and aggressive behaviour although I'm proud to admit I've never been physically violent at any point in 20 years of marriage but I'm ashamed the same could probably not be said for emotional turbulence I caused her