Benzos Three week clonazepam binge. Need advice....Cold turkey or taper

[Nogy]

Sorry for another "need tapering advice" thread when there is one already on the front page. Their situation is not nearly the same as mine though, so I felt it appropriate to start my own thread.


So like the title says, I've been on a 3-3.5 week clonazepam binge. I've always enjoyed benzos, but have only ever had sparing access to them. Recently though I came across quite a few clonazepam for fairly cheap, and pounced on it. Thus my current situation.


So I need advice on what to do from here. I'm really not enjoying taking them everyday anymore, and I'm scared to death of having a poly drug addiction. Yes, I'm addicted to opiates as well. But that's another story for a different time. Just about every night, there's been one maybe two nights which I haven't, I've taken anywhere from 4-12 mgs of clonazepam. I'd say my average dose has been 5 mgs. I've taken the 8-12 mg doses maybe 3 or 4 times in this binge.


So my question is, should I just cold turkey or do a short or long taper. I know that clonazepam has a long half life, so it's been in my system for the entire binge despite the couple nights off. The option I would favor is cold turkey, but I have a full time job in which it would be hard to be in withdraw and function at the fast pace in which is required. So if I need to taper, I am open to that option as well. I have more than enough, I think, 2 mg clonazepam pills to do this. I have 40 left.


Thanks very much to anyone who reads this, and especially to those who respond. I've dug myself into a hole it feels, but such is the life of a drug addict

 

[pinpoint]

If you've never had a physical dependence to a gabaergic before you probably won't be in bad shape. At least you aren't going to seize, but I would expect that you'll have some restless nights and heightened anxiety with a feeling as though you're plugged in to a light socket. Everyone is different though but in my experience I got off the hook pretty easy as I never had a past addiction to benzodiazepines or alcohol.

 

[Nogy]

Thank you very much for the fast reply.

No, I've never before had a physical dependence to anything but opiates. So you would recommend cold turkey then I assume? The heightened anxiety scares me, which is why I enjoy benzos and opiates so much in the first place. I feel myself to be very high anxiety prone. Both help with that greatly. I'll just live with it though, it's my own fault for being in this situation.

Once again, thanks for the response. If anyone else has advice to offer, that would be greatly appreciated as well.

 

[miltecnico]

Not certain what type of opiate you are taking now, but if you feel anxious that may help yet still be aware of w/d symptoms underneath and I'd bet taking lower doses of each more consistently would help

 

[CruelBri]

I would cold turkey and just try and have more opiates in ur system or on u so that u can compensate in a way :/ lol

 

[Dm4040]

DEF taper! Do not go cold turkey! And taper moderately slowly. 8-12mgs of klonopin is a pretty large dose and you should not go cold turkey. Espec if you don't want the rebound anxiety to be too overwhelming.

 

[Nogy]

Once again, thanks everyone for their responses. And as ever, any and all advice is appreciated from others

Not certain what type of opiate you are taking now, but if you feel anxious that may help yet still be aware of w/d symptoms underneath and I'd bet taking lower doses of each more consistently would help

I've been addicted to many opiates, from hydrocodone to suboxone(not technically an opiate I know) and heroin. I am currently addicted to poppy pod tea/grounds, have been for over a year now. No plans on quitting these, but full plans on quitting the clonazepam for at least a month.

I would cold turkey and just try and have more opiates in ur system or on u so that u can compensate in a way :/ lol

This was my initial thought. At the moment though I only have a supply to take the same amount every day, and no room for taking extras. Going through both withdrawals would drive me bat shit crazy. This may be an option a few days after the first though, as I recently got a pretty good raise and have lots of overtime

DEF taper! Do not go cold turkey! And taper moderately slowly. 8-12mgs of klonopin is a pretty large dose and you should not go cold turkey. Espec if you don't want the rebound anxiety to be too overwhelming.

I never mentioned this, but I have only been taking the clonazepam at night. I refuse to take benzos at work, it would not go down well at all. Not sure this matters though, with the long half life and all. Do you have a taper plan you would reccomend? If I taper, I want to take the lowest possible dosage just to stay out of withdrawal, or even just bearable withdrawal.

So the plan I've formulated thus far is to just try and cold turkey it. If the rebound anxiety gets too unbearable whilst I'm at work, I plan on taking 1mg to try and ease it so I can function better. I know I said I never take benzos at work, but with my current tolerance I HIGHLY doubt that 1 mg would significantly impair me, or that id even feel it at all (I was drinking with every dose whilst on this binge, but in the effort of HR felt it unnecessary to share this until now). Does this sound like a decent plan? Or would taking the 1mg just start the process all over again. I figured it would just be a mini taper or something of the likes.

 

[Nogy]

To the above poster, thank you very much for personal experience stories and advice. I am going to follow it.

My only remaining assistance I need is with a taper plan, if it comes to that. If there is anyone who has experience with tapering off of benzos, clonazepam would be great but isn't a necessity, could you advise a taper plan for me? I'll do some research on clonazepam tapering when I get home, but I am currently at work.

Thank you everyone who has responded in this thread. All advice has been greatly welcomed and has helped so much