Benzos Klonopin withdrawal, horrible effects, please help.

[Mighty-oak]

Past: Prescribed Valium 20mg a day and Citalopram (Celexa) 40mg 18 years ago, both taken daily. Prescribed for anxiety/agoraphobia.
9 years ago, prescribed Klonopin at 1mg a day as I had a relapse in anxiety.

The last 2 years I have withdrawn from 1mg of Klonopin a day due to being in tolerance to it. I have been off Klon' for 7 weeks now and feeling strange. I am travelling more since I have been off, driving 10 miles away from home instead of 2 miles which I was doing this time last year so very happy with this. I need to loose a bit of weight, about 25lbs. When it comes to walking my dog I can walk about 30 footsteps away from my car or house and then my legs and body just seize still, I have to get either back to my house or car......I cant seem to overcome it, I really dont know what to do? Any ideas or natural supplements or therapy that may ease anxiety or help me in anyway? It is really starting to get me down.

Thanks for any help in advance.

 

[Scrofula]

Your legs "seize" because of anxiety you mean? Cause you can walk back to the house still.

At seven weeks this isn't withdrawal. This could be a post-withdrawal slump, or just a return to your previous disorder. If it's a slump it'll go away eventually, but it could take a long time. It happens to everyone who's been on a med for years.

You should talk to your doctor/psychiatrist. Find a therapist and look into CBT. For supplements, there's a ton of stuff on the search engine for calming anxiety.

 

[Lorne???]

Hmm... 1mg isn?t a huge dose(like 30-40 dzp, except it lasts longer and is more effective w/chronic use, although it has a delayed onset, typically)

If you been taking 1mg+ every day for years, it will still take time to for body adjust- they make 0.25 and even .125mg wafers,(0.25mg tablet also)

And you can split these easily; maybe <=0.5mg, then 0.375mg, and 0.25 for a couple days, and 1/8th for a day or two, and then jump, or go to ultra low dose like 50-70mcg for a day or so, and then stop

Just a recommendation, do not know full story

Be well, careful you know

 

[Lorne???]

Yeah 7 weeks shouldn?t be severe wd, although clonazepam is very long lasting and potent- though 1mg?

It couldn?t hurt get a LIMITED supply of 0.25 since most doctors will be confused or misdiagnose

 

[Mighty-oak]

Thanks greatly for the replies.

Scofula......Made me feel better saying it happens to everyone who has been on meds for years, thought it was just me!

It is so so strange, I get to a certain point from home or my car and my legs/body just wont go any further due to extreme anxiety, only way I can describe it is it kind of just stops, then I have to walk or sometimes run back to my home or car due to this overwhelming fear, my thoughts are "what if I cant make it back to my car or home", "what if I have a panic attack", so scared of having a panic attack as it may set me back to when I could not even leave my home.

I found Klonopin worked wonders for about a year then my anxiety started getting worse and worse. After much research I found out that long term benzo use actually increases anxiety thus me withdrawing from it.

Dr has prescribed me Baclofen as he said this would ease muscle tension and anxiety, but then there is a lot of reports that it is addictive aswell, dont want to get addicted to another med. I read l-theanine is meant to help and not be addictive?