54fiftyfour: trazodone WD

[ChessieCat]

1 hour ago, 54fiftyfour said:

NAC - N-acetylcysteyne

 

nac-n-acetyl-cysteine-or-n-acetylcysteine

 

Please note that when trying anything new it is better to start with a small dose to see how you react.  Also, it is better to only make one change at a time.

 

the-rule-of-3kis-keep-it-simple-keep-it-slow-keep-it-stable

 

[54fiftyfour]

Thank you, Chessie.

 

Some time ago, Shep advised me to shift all the dosage of clonazepam at night, gradually advancìng the current morning amministration (0,15 mg.) by one hour. The daily dose is particularly unpleasant for me, but I read that, doing this, someone can have severe interdose symptoms. If this symptoms occur, what can I do to avoid or reduce them? Is it worth a try? Are the risks high?

 

Shep and Chessie, thanks again for your help.

[ChessieCat]

Interdose withdrawal generally only happens with drugs that have a short half life, ie shorter than 24 hours; so you start to get withdrawal symptoms before the next day's dose and then as the dose builds up again the withdrawal symptoms ease.  Clonazepam has a half life of between 30-40 hours so that should not be an issue.

 

And Shep is an expert when it comes to benzos and has taken them herself, and she would not have made that suggestion if she was concerned about interdose withdrawal.  If she was concerned about interdose withdrawal she would have suggested splitting the dose and taking it twice a day.

 

I suggest you go back and re-read what she posted about moving the dose time for the clonazepam.

[Shep]

On 7/12/2022 at 2:17 AM, 54fiftyfour said:

Please, consider that I had strong motor-agitation symptoms even before taking clonazepam and also when I was taking a regulare dosage of it (morning and night). In my opinion, they result from trazodone withdrawal cold turkey.

 

@54fiftyfourJust a reminder of something you noted earlier. If you do move the clonazepam to taking it all at night and you still have symptoms during the day, some of this may be from trazodone withdrawal, as you noted earlier when we were discussing when you take the benzo. As ChessieCat noted, it may help to re-read your thread. 

 

Hopefully the symptoms of trazodone withdrawal will fade out and your journey will get easier as time passes. 

 

Let us know how you do if you move your dose. The goal will be to improve sleep, which will help you handle whatever the daytime symptoms are. With clonazepam's long half life, many people find they only need to dose once a day. But this is individual. Your results may vary, as they say. 

[54fiftyfour]

Trazodone WD symptoms are still there and vary every day for intensity and form. During this period I developed strong autoimmune symptoms with subcutaneous pains. There's a lot of inflammation in my body. Do you think it could be a vicious circle?

 

Two more questions:

- is it too risky to shift the whole morning dose at the night at once, without moving one hour per day?

- if I have daily symptoms from trazodone WD, what else can I do to relieve them without clonazepam?

 

Consider that, when trazodone WD symptoms arrive, clonazepam is of little help, not so effective. In this period, for example, I have lost some hours of sleep, compared to a short time ago. I have the impression that Rivotril is losing effectiveness for insomnia, or may be the trazodone WD symptoms on sleep are more intense again. Difficult to understand.  

 

 

[Shep]

22 hours ago, 54fiftyfour said:

Two more questions:

- is it too risky to shift the whole morning dose at the night at once, without moving one hour per day?

 

 

By moving the dose gradually, you'll allow your nervous system to adjust. Also, if you notice problems, you can stop moving the drug and hold, letting your nervous system rest before continuing to move it. Or, if symptoms are severe, you can move it back to the morning. 

 

22 hours ago, 54fiftyfour said:

if I have daily symptoms from trazodone WD, what else can I do to relieve them without clonazepam?

 

Please see:

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

[54fiftyfour]

I'm slowly proceeding the process of clonazepam tapering, while knowing how risky it can be without normal trazodone WD. By november 6th, I hope to arrive at 0,58 mg. per day from 0,62 mg. one month ago (-6,5%). It's very difficult, but I'm looking for a compromise between time and Rivotril side effects.

 

Just a "technical" question with two premises.

 

1 - I really worry about reading that, even if a guy can have success in finishing the whole gradual tapering process, then he will probably continue to suffer for an indefinite period (months or years) from abstinence symptoms. In other words, it seems the hard part begins later. 

 

2 - I also read that, in particular with long term use of clonazepam, there may be people who can develop abstinence symptoms after a long period from the date of drug discontinuation, despite their gradual process of tapering.

 

In your opinion, is it possible or likely? 

 

 

 

 

[Shep]

@54fiftyfourPlease cite the sources you are reading for your information. 

[54fiftyfour]

You're right, Shep, but I don't remember, now, all my hecting researches on Internet.

 

I can rapidly cite https://americanaddictioncenters.org - Section "Klonopin WD Timeline" and the Rivotril leaflet: "During long-term treatment, WD symptoms may develop after a long period, especially with high doses or if treatment is stopped suddenly".

 

I have also read other sites (don't remember which ones now) where it was said that slow tapering does not guarantee the absence of WD symptoms after discontinuation of use.

 

Even if I worry, I don't trust blindly of everything I read, so I ask for your opinion.

[Shep]

On 10/28/2022 at 7:19 AM, 54fiftyfour said:

I can rapidly cite https://americanaddictioncenters.org - Section "Klonopin WD Timeline" and the Rivotril leaflet: "During long-term treatment, WD symptoms may develop after a long period, especially with high doses or if treatment is stopped suddenly".

 

A lot of what comes off addiction center cites isn't very reputable. Their experiences with people on benzos is different - they're dealing with the craving form of addiction. People who join sites like Surviving Antidepressants are dealing with dependency. Also, the addiction centers deal with people who are using benzos along with street drugs. 

 

So what they deal with is likely different. 

 

Also, a lot of these centers will move people from street drugs and benzos to antidepressants and antipsychotics. Who knows what is causing what at that point. 

 

On 10/28/2022 at 7:19 AM, 54fiftyfour said:

I have also read other sites (don't remember which ones now) where it was said that slow tapering does not guarantee the absence of WD symptoms after discontinuation of use.

 

We agree with that here. Many people still have withdrawal symptoms after slow tapering. But the withdrawal symptoms are much less severe than for people who do a rapid taper or cold taper. 

 

The slow taper is for harm reduction, not harm elimination. The goal is to be as functional as possible with symptoms that are manageable, not extreme. 

 

I hope this helps with some of your concerns and fears. 

[54fiftyfour]

Believe me, I appreciate a lot your help. You're a very good person and your patience and support are really important.

 

What you write, however, makes me think that the nightmare, even if less severe, will never end. I resolved my first crash with six testosterone injections and then, for 13 years, I was able to recover all my good emotions and never suffer from anxiety or depression symptoms. Now, on the countrary, I feel condamned to suffer from this symptoms for all my life.   

 

To manage clonazepam, for me, is very difficult. Today, for example, I have a lot of agitation, anxiety and mental confusion, despite taking the morning dose. It also kill my emotions and interest for life and I have good reasons to correlate this drug to my strong weight loss. Besides, recently, it doesn't work so well for my sleep and, as I said, I suspect it is losing effectiveness. So, if I take it, I feel ill and depressed and, if I don't, I will strongly crash again. What a disaster! 

 

 

 

[54fiftyfour]

Today was a hell of a day, as I think many of this forum have been through. The effects of clonazepam tapering have been very strong, continuated and almost unbearable: extreme anxiety, chills, strong depression and suicidal toughts, derealization, muscle trembling and weakness, burning on the skin, mental confusion, tinnitus and so on. I don't know who to lean on, I feel I don't have the strenght alone, my family is too distressed and there is a serious risk I will end up in a clinic, where "meds" can further ruin me.

 

You advice me not to continue the tapering in absence of normal trazodone WD, but clonazepam, sorry if I repeat, is really destroying me. Since I take it, not before, I had altered my entire metabolism: I lost 16 kilos in four months, I'm skeletal and don't have fat anywhere on my body; every night I feel pain in my liver area and in all my gut; I have constipation and more difficulty to urinate, insufficient breathing, loss of voice, itching and allergic reactions to the skin, fibromyalgia and autoimmune pains, etc. This is the reason for which I'm forced to continue tapering, but at the same time I find it too difficult and substantially impossible.

 

I quote this piece of post from Altostrata (https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1024-why-taper-by-10-of-my-dosage/😞 "EXCEPTION: IF YOU ARE HAVING A SEVERE ADVERSE REACTION TO A DRUG, YOU MAY WANT TO GO OFF FASTER. Some adverse reactions, such as abnormal liver tests or strong allergic reactions, indicate potential organ damage. You may want to accelerate a taper or, in extreme cases where the adverse effects are as great a risk as severe withdrawal syndrome, quit the drug immediately".

 

I haven't had liver or other tests yet, but I clearly feel I can't continue to take clonazepam for long becouse of its adverse reaction to my mind and body. It's damaging me, no doubts about it. At the same time, its WD symptoms are increasingly unbearable. Are there really no alternatives to this drug, except the very dangerous ones (antidepressants, antipsychotics or to quit it suddenly)?

 

Edited November 2, 2022 by ChessieCat
Resized font

[Shep]

6 hours ago, 54fiftyfour said:

I haven't had liver or other tests yet, but I clearly feel I can't continue to take clonazepam for long becouse of its adverse reaction to my mind and body. It's damaging me, no doubts about it. At the same time, its WD symptoms are increasingly unbearable. Are there really no alternatives to this drug, except the very dangerous ones (antidepressants, antipsychotics or to quit it suddenly)?

 

54, this forum should never be a substitute for medical care of you feel you're in a crisis state with an adverse reaction. 

 

All we can do is provide information on a harm-reduction approach to tapering. 

 

We don't know of any alternatives to this drug or any easy fix to withdrawal. I wish we did, for you and everyone else on this forum. 

[54fiftyfour]

I have an infection with gum abscess and will need to go to my dentist. It is possible/probable that I will have to take the anesthetic before doing the internal cleansing of the bacteria. Can I have dangerous consequences on my debilitated nervous system?

[ChessieCat]

dental-surgery-dental-medications-tooth-discoloration

 

cipro-levaquin-azithromycin-z-pack-and-other-antibiotics

 

If you are having a local injection/anesthetic:

 

On 7/30/2020 at 5:14 PM, ChessieCat said:

One suggestion I would make is to get the injection which does not have adrenaline in it.  I've had dental treatment with both types and there is a huge difference in how I have felt.  When given the adrenaline injection I spend the whole time in the chair trying to calm myself down.  With the non-adrenaline injection I have felt very calm, still having to use coping techniques but not having to "fight" down the anxiety caused by the adrenaline.  The injection does not last as long but if you have a good dentist they will know how/what to do and know and can always give a "top up" if needed.

 

[Shep]

39 minutes ago, 54fiftyfour said:

I have an infection with gum abscess and will need to go to my dentist. It is possible/probable that I will have to take the anesthetic before doing the internal cleansing of the bacteria. Can I have dangerous consequences on my debilitated nervous system?

 

54, is the infection being treated with an antibiotic? ChessieCat you the link to the antibiotic thread, but I just wanted to add additional information because you are taking a benzo. 

 

Please note that the fluoroquinolone antibiotics are dangerous for people tapering benzodiazepines because they displace benzodiazepines from their binding sites on GABA-receptors and can send you straight into acute withdrawal. Here is a list of fluoroquinolone antibiotics to avoid if possible - Fluoroquinolone antibiotics.  Even for people not on benzos, the fluoroquinolones are dangerous as they have many toxic side effects (http://www.saferpills.org/). 

 

More information is here:

 

Hidden Dangers Of Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics In The Benzodiazepine-Dependent Population

 

A WORD OF CAUTION REGARDING FLUOROQUINOLONE ANTIBIOTICS

 

There are many alternatives to the fluoroquinolones that work really well. If your dentist does recommend your take an antibiotic and suggests a fluoroquinolone, ask if there is an alternative. 

[54fiftyfour]

I updated my current dosage of clonazepam in the appropriate section (0,58 mg./day). Due to the damages that this drug is doing on my mind and body, I'm not proceeding to taper it in an acceptable baseline condition (normal trazodone WD). I know this can not be a good idea and I would like to understand how high the risks of crashing are. Is there, on the forum, a series of people who have crashed for this reason? Probably I should stop to taper, but the drug - sorry if I repeat - is surely damaging me. I'm uncertain and torn with myself.

 

I must say that, adopting this method, I'm experimenting tinnitus in the left ear one or two times per day (never had before), some day of unbearable mix of symptoms (as I already said in a recent post) and an evident reduction of clonazepam good effects on my sleep. I don't know if this last bad "news" can be due to the taper or to a normal loss of efficacy after the sixth month of taking the drug. Have you some opinion?

[Shep]

6 hours ago, 54fiftyfour said:

I updated my current dosage of clonazepam in the appropriate section (0,58 mg./day). Due to the damages that this drug is doing on my mind and body, I'm not proceeding to taper it in an acceptable baseline condition (normal trazodone WD). I know this can not be a good idea and I would like to understand how high the risks of crashing are. Is there, on the forum, a series of people who have crashed for this reason?

 

The forum is full of people who've crashed on these drugs for any number of reasons. What do you mean by "I'm not proceeding to taper it in an acceptable baseline condition (normal trazodone WD)"?  What percentage are you reducing it? 

 

You may want to stop tapering until you get your dental work done. That may be all the stress your nervous system can handle right now. It's possible the reason you're feeling worse right now is because you have a gum abscess. This likely is also making it hard for you to eat as much as you need to keep up your strength. I wouldn't confuse that with thinking you're having an adverse reaction to the benzo. Your body is fighting off an infection. I would stop tapering until you get that cleared up. 

[ChessieCat]

When I hurt my back 2 years ago, I stopped tapering.

 

And just before I was due to stop my dose completely I was diagnosed with diabetes and was changing my diet.  I decided to continue tapering BUT I reduced down to 0.0025mg before jumping off because I didn't want to be confused about what might be causing any issues if they arose.  I had been on new eating plan for 3 weeks when I stopped.  When we change our diet we can sometimes get bad effects, so at least I gave my body a chance to adapt to the new diet before stopping the AD.  It was definitely worth extending my taper for a bit longer than planned.

[54fiftyfour]

9 hours ago, Shep said:

What do you mean by "I'm not proceeding to taper it in an acceptable baseline condition (normal trazodone WD)"?  What percentage are you reducing it? 

 

Shep, I mean that I'm reducing clonazepam while my nervous system is still destabilized by the adverse reactions to trazodone WD. The taper of clonazepam could be a further destabilizing factor, or not?

 

I summarize my percetages of taper by month, starting from the initial dose (0,7 mg./day from July, 12 to August, 14):

- first four weeks (August, 15 - September, 11): 0,63 mg./day (-10%);

- second four weeks (September, 12 - October, 9): 0,62 mg./day (-1,6%);

- third four weeks (October, 10 - November, 6): 0,58 mg./day (-6,5%).

 

In the first and third phase I strongly reduced the morning dose (-20% and -18,8%), while in the second one I left it unchanged. Basically, in three months, I gradually passed from 0,2 mg. (morning) + 0,5 mg. (night) to 0,13 mg. (morning) + 0,45 mg. (night).

 

What is changed? My symptoms continue to be very intense and some days are unbearable. It's very rare, for me, to go through a day with low anxiety, agitation, mental confusion, derealization, depression, etc. I feel that the "hit" of trazodone is still very strong and will be for a long time. I don't know how much clonazepam tapering can aggravate the situation, but this drug is destroying my body and does't help so much. I noticed that, in the last four weeks of clonazepam taper, I slept less and worse (awakenings and agitation). Previously there had been a time when at least sleep was preserved (even 8 hours).

 

I'm very skeptical, in this conditions, about the success of clonazepam taper. I'm very afrid it makes me suffer too much. I would have planned a taper of -5,2% in the next four weeks (from 0,58 to 0,55 mg. - 0,12 mg. in the morning and 0,43 mg. at night), but I really don't kow what to do at this point. I don't think, anyway, that the problem could be due to the stress for dental problems. Symptoms were strong even before.

 

Chessie, I recently introduced more rice and some carbohydrates in my diet becouse I lost 17 kilograms in these months, but I don't see benefits in weight gain. Basically I eat eggs and vegetables in the morning with a supplement of vitamin C and a piece of cake with rice flour, little sugar, no cream and almonds, then I eat soups, fish and meat with vegetables and rice at lunch and dinner. I try to avoid gluten (not always) and don't drink coffee and very rarely ah half a glass of wine with water. Before trazodone WD symptoms, I was a daily wine consumer (high quality in my region), now I can not drink it becouse it hurt a lot my nervous system and interacts with clonazepam.

 

Please, consider also I'm very compromised for several factors:

1 - I have been tested without allopregnanolone and DHT in my brain (liquor), two very important steroids for the health of CNS (long term use of finasteride);

2 - I reduced serotonin receptors with the use of several SSRI and suffer since 15 years from a severe form of PSSD;

3 - now I'm reducing the GABA-A receptors with clonazepam.

 

These are all epigenetic changes which do not easily return to normal, probably never, even with the suspension of all the drugs. It's difficult to have an hope to restore my health in these starting conditions.  

[54fiftyfour]

I must add, to be precise, that the symptoms of anxiety and agitation have become even more extreme and frequent in the past month. Could this be related to clonazepam taper or to a loss of its effectiveness? Today this symptoms are very high and I feel something like a little form of akathisia becouse I find it hard to sit or stand without moving my legs rapidly and continously.

 

I have to get rid of the temptation to do a cycle of hormone tearapy (testosterone or some other androgen hormone). In 2009 it works a lot and gave me a good part of my life back, now I think it can be dangerous, also becosuse I'm taking clonazepam. The problem is that it is too hard to resist. I can't even do guided meditation becouse I'm too agitated.

[Shep]

4 hours ago, 54fiftyfour said:

Shep, I mean that I'm reducing clonazepam while my nervous system is still destabilized by the adverse reactions to trazodone WD. The taper of clonazepam could be a further destabilizing factor, or not?

 

Thanks for clarifying, 54. Yes, you're correct - tapering a second drug when you're still recovering from tapering an earlier drug can definitely make you feel worse. 

 

4 hours ago, 54fiftyfour said:

very rarely ah half a glass of wine with water. Before trazodone WD symptoms, I was a daily wine consumer (high quality in my region), now I can not drink it becouse it hurt a lot my nervous system and interacts with clonazepam.

 

When was the last time you had a half a glass of wine? How often is "rarely"? 

 

The reason I ask is because if you're drinking any amount of alcohol, that can definitely cause problems. Alcohol and benzos act on the same GABA receptors. We see people set back by even tiny amounts of alcohol and advise abstaining completely until you're 100% recovered.  

[54fiftyfour]

Shep, unfortunately I'm not gradually reducing a further drug other than clonazepam. I'm still debilitated from trazodone cold turkey and this is worse, becouse every further variation with clonazepam can be particularly dangerous.

 

I can drink a little of wine with water one or two times per month on saturday, but I feel it hurt my nervous system. What do you mean with "set back"? Long term reactions?

[Shep]

9 minutes ago, 54fiftyfour said:

I can drink a little of wine with water one or two times per month on saturday, but I feel it hurt my nervous system. What do you mean with "set back"? Long term reactions?

 

Yes, long term problems can come from even small amounts of alcohol. 

 

This was written by moderator Brassmonkey: 

 

On 11/30/2018 at 2:56 PM, brassmonkey said:

Through out the years I've been involved with the ADWD community I've seen it time and again, people who have been diligently tapering and having a very successful time of it get carried away during the holidays and lose years of progress in the process.  It has shown me that drinking is the best way possible to derail a successful taper and recovery.  It doesn't take a weeks long drunken binge to do it either.  A single beer or glass of wine is enough to push ones recovery over the edge and cause severe damage.  While drinking things will seem fine, but the hangover from h*** hits during the following days and will take weeks or months to resolve.  It will also leave a person with an increased sensitivity to not just alcohol, but to everything that they are putting into their body, food, the drugs they are tapering, water and air.  The results are just not worth the few minutes of "social pleasure" that the drinking provide.

 

It's not just at the "Holidays", but any time.  Drinking is one of the worst things a person can do for themselves while they go through ADWD and the continued healing that follows reaching "0".  So this year really give yourself something to celebrate, all the progress you've made, and don't throw it all away.  Remember, drinking is a choice.

 

[54fiftyfour]

Every night I use to take a chamomile, also with two flower files, before taking the clonazepam dose. Can this be a problem?

[Shep]

@54fiftyfourWhat are "two flower files"? I think something's getting lost in translation or there's a typo. 

 

Here's some information on camomile:

 

Herbal teas: Camomile, ginger, mint, etc. What helps you?

 

From that thread:

 

On 6/19/2011 at 11:00 AM, Punarbhava said:

Chamomile may increase the amount of drowsiness caused by some drugs. Examples include benzodiazepines, such as lorazepam (Ativan); barbiturates, such as phenobarbital; narcotics, such as codeine; and alcohol. Caution is advised while driving or operating machinery.

 

[54fiftyfour]

Sorry, it means "two filters". 

[54fiftyfour]

Anyway I'm losing my capacity of fight. Clonazepam is stronger than me and, over these months, put me more and more in a strong depression and suicidal condition. It's two days I'm not able to go to work and can't feel any interest or emotion.

 

Today I reduced the morning dose to 0,11 mg. (from 0,12 mg.) becouse it kills my mood every day. I would like to have your strenght and resilience, Shep. You have been really brave.

[Shep]

On 11/11/2022 at 10:42 AM, 54fiftyfour said:

Sorry, it means "two filters". 

 

You may want to decrease to just one filter and see if you feel any different. 

 

On 11/11/2022 at 11:04 AM, 54fiftyfour said:

Today I reduced the morning dose to 0,11 mg. (from 0,12 mg.) becouse it kills my mood every day. I would like to have your strenght and resilience, Shep. You have been really brave.

 

You're also doing good, 54. It's a hard fight to get off these drugs. 

 

Let us know how you do with this last reduction. Also, please update your signature to reflect your progress. 

[54fiftyfour]

On 11/12/2022 at 11:32 PM, Shep said:

Let us know how you do with this last reduction. Also, please update your signature to reflect your progress. 

 

First of all, I would say that clonazepam, for some time, is losing its sedative effects. I'm experiencing light and poor sleep, continuous awakenings and cold shivers during night, event though I'm heavily covered. How should I interpret these symptoms? Are they sign of tolerance or abstinence?

 

During days I feel agitation, in addition to the usual devastating depression. I'm really afraid that this agitation, along my taper, transforms into akathisia. I read and watch videos of many people that, after developing addiction from benzodiazepines, can experiment this terrible symptom. Shep, I know that you also had nine awful months of akhatisia after stopping clonazepam.

 

I wonder how high the risks to develop akathisia can be, even a person make a slow taper. Is it possible to experience it just while reducing dosage in a hypersensitized CNS (and not only after stopping abruptly)? This is very important to know, becouse psychiatrists don't know what to do and, often, make the situation worse with antipsychotics and other medications.

[Hibari]

Hi @54fiftyfour

 

I just wanted to offer some encouragement. 

 

I tapered Clonzapam very slowly like you are doing and when I stepped off, I had no akathesia. The depression lifted as I got very low. I had and still have a sensitived nervous system but I was okay.  The times I had agitation during taper seemed to be nervous system waking up from being sedated.  That's only my interpretation. 

 

Unfortunately, I'm now in a setback due to anesthesia after being well for 17 months post benzo taper.  I was also rapid tapered off of Trazadone after being on it a month and switched to Mirtazapine. So I'm in another battle right now. 

 

But I wanted to share my experience. You can do this and @Shep is one of the best people to get support from on this forum. 

 

Hibari. 

 

[54fiftyfour]

Thank you, Hibari. So, was your last dose of clonazepam 0,015 mg.? How did you taper it? Mixing with water and with a graduated cilinder?

[54fiftyfour]

Hibari,

did you have benefits with 1 mg. to stabilize trazodone WD symptoms? Maybe I could also try, but it can be' too late becouse I stopped it cold turkey in the month of March.

[Shep]

On 11/15/2022 at 6:08 AM, 54fiftyfour said:

First of all, I would say that clonazepam, for some time, is losing its sedative effects. I'm experiencing light and poor sleep, continuous awakenings and cold shivers during night, event though I'm heavily covered. How should I interpret these symptoms? Are they sign of tolerance or abstinence?

 

It's hard to say of it's tolerance or not because you're likely still getting waves from Trazodone withdrawal. 

 

On 11/15/2022 at 6:08 AM, 54fiftyfour said:

I'm really afraid that this agitation, along my taper, transforms into akathisia. I read and watch videos of many people that, after developing addiction from benzodiazepines, can experiment this terrible symptom.

 

I understand wanting to research and learn, but once you know about akathisia, I wouldn't spend a lot of time watching videos of people dealing with it. Actually, I wouldn't spend any time doing that. 

 

Just a reminder:

 

Dealing With Emotional Spirals

 

Health anxiety, hypochondria, and obsession with symptoms

 

On 11/15/2022 at 6:08 AM, 54fiftyfour said:

Shep, I know that you also had nine awful months of akhatisia after stopping clonazepam.

 

I stopped 6 drugs rapid taper and cold turkey. Not everyone goes through that. 

 

I would do as much as you can to avoid the worst of the worst outcome stories and focus on taking care of yourself, doing healthy distractions (watching favorite shows, listening to music, playing video games, taking walks in nature if possible, etc), and learning to float and breathe through uncomfortable symptoms. They will pass. Worry about the "what if's" is only making it worse. 

 

You may want to spend some time reading through other members' intro topics and if you see someone who has a similar story (not just the same drugs, but same age or live in your country), post some encouragement. This will help with learned helplessness - it's hard to think you're doomed when you're telling other people they're going to be okay. You may find you start internalizing that message of being okay. It will also help you find some friends on the site.

 

This experience is happening, 54. Don't let it pass by without getting something good out of it. We have so little control in our lives, even for people not going through withdrawal. What you learn from this experience can make you unbreakable when you recover.

 

Just some thoughts. 

 

 

[54fiftyfour]

I repeat that I really would have your fortitude and philosophy of life, Shep. Unfortunately I don't have it and I am very disheartened that I made the same fatal mistake twice, to detriment of my intelligence. This is basically unbeliavle and unaccettable.

 

It's fair I tell you, just to be objective, that an important part of WD symptoms is just the fact that I can not doing healthy distractions as watching tv or listening to music becouse this produces more anxiety and a strong rejection. Anything that remind me of my normal past produces these reactions in my soul. The only hobby I can practice is to take walks outdoors in the middle of nature.

 

Thank you, Shep. 

[Hibari]

23 hours ago, 54fiftyfour said:

Thank you, Hibari. So, was your last dose of clonazepam 0,015 mg.? How did you taper it? Mixing with water and with a graduated cilinder?

@54fiftyfour

I tapered using a scale and shaved my pills down with a metal nail file. 

 

I don't do so well wirh liquid tapering but will use it when I get low on my Mirtazapine taper, which I haven't started.