RoboDude: Thinking of quitting clonazepam, but I'm a bit worried.

[RoboDude]

I started clonazepam back on November 14. It was the middle of a semester, and I had been dealing with tinnitus for two months by that point and wanted some relief after discovering its effectiveness in a handful of clinical trials.

 

I was prescribed 0.5mg, once a day, for four weeks. And at first, the difference was huge. Over the next two weeks, I felt a significant improvement; at first I couldn't even walk outside without being distracted by my problem. After I started I could go outside and everything sounded nearly normal. The only side effect I felt was that it became a bit easier for me to start crying if I thought about anything I found nostalgic, but that was it.

 

The problem is, my tinnitus is also linked to a chronic jaw problem I suffer (TMD). And during the fourth week, my left jaw kept popping out of alignment, undoing the benefit I got from the clonazepam. I waited about a week before going for anther prescription, this time with refills. But I fear I've already either become tolerant to its effects, or that my jaw issues are too much for it to handle.

 

So, hear I am nearing the end of my second month, and now taking cyclobenzaprine along with physical therapy to help with the ringing. And now I've heard taurine might also help, but it apparently has very negative interactions with benzodiazepines. So I've been thinking of quitting, but there are two problems; I've been taking it at 0.5mg a day for nearly two months now, which as I understand it is already past the "safety zone". And worse yet, I've got my final semester starting in two weeks, so if there ARE withdrawal symptoms, I really can't afford to be dealing with them just yet. But if I keep taking it, that would also be upping my risk of dependency.

 

So I'm really feeling stuck between a rock and a hard place, especially since I hear taurine can also screw things up.

[Brandy]

Welcome, RoboDude,

 

The questions you ask are a little tricky, because responses to meds and also supplements can vary from person to person, and there are no hard and fast rules on things like timelines (they also vary among different individual body chemistries).

 

Since your question is mainly about a benzodiazepine, the mods may move this to the peer-support only benzo section on this group. But it's good that you did your introduction here, especially since you are on at least one other med.

 

I wondered - have you been on any other medications in recent years, or are you on any others now (even if for other medical condtions). And do you take any other supplements?

 

I'll try to reply more when I learn that other information about you. I don't want to give you any misinformation.

[RoboDude]

Thank you for your response.

 

These are the only two medications I'm taking at the moment. My supplements include Magnesium and Nicotinamide Riboside.

 

To be honest, after reading about a lot of people's lack of success with taurine, I'm actually considering just staying on clonazepam since, since it really did help immensely with my problem, and I haven't felt any of the side effects I had read it could cause.

[mammaP]

Hi Robodude, welcome to SA. Benzos are highly addictive and can be difficult to get off but tapering carefully

would help minimise any withdrawal symptoms.  In time there is a risk of interdose withdrawal, which is when

withdrawal symptoms are experienced when the drug leaves the blood stream.These symptoms go away when

the next dose is taken. When that happens it is best to divide up the dose so that the blood levels are steady.

It sounds like you are not experiencing that but it is good to be aware so that you know what it is if you start to

experience it. 

 

It would be helpful if you fill out your signature for us with the drugs you are taking and doses. It is something we

ask everyone to do as it makes out job a little bit easier when we can see it at the bottom of all posts.You can find

inrtructions how to do that here http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/893-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

If you do decide to taper you will find support in the benzo forum that Brandy mentioned. You can find that here. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/forum/29-members-only-benzo-tapering/