159 replies to this topic

[fishinghat]

100% with Gail here. The benzo can wait.

[Cheryl123]

I made it today with still cutting the .25 Klonopin in half. I didn't up it back to the .25 since I felt decent today. Definitely was my nerves getting to me, I think! Hoping tomorrow goes as well as today! Thank you both for all the encouragement!!

[Cheryl123]

I've been on half the .25 dose for 6 days. Is it ok to stop this dose? I've been on Klonopin for 7 and a half weeks. I still have the .25 dose at night and am up to 10mg of celexa since last Friday.

[fishinghat]

It is Ok but don't stop the morning dose and take the full dose at bedtime. That will jerk your blood levels of Klonopin up and down and you may see some unnecessary withdrawal. Take 0.125 in the morning and 0.125 at night so your blood levels are m ore stable.

[Cheryl123]

Do that's better than just stopping one of the doses? Just because doc said it was ok to try stopping the daytime dose but keep the night dose? Ugh.. so I didn't take the morning dose. It's 3:00 now, should I still take it. I take the night dose at 10pm

[fishinghat]

Go ahead and try stopping the morning dose. If you get some withdrawal it shouldn't be much. Normally you want to drop your doses during weaning evenly during the day so your blood levels don't spike up and down. Your dose is so small you may not feel a difference.

[Cheryl123]

Ok. Thanks fishinghat. I guess if it's bad I could take the .125 again. I just don't want to make anything worse. I've been getting pretty stable the last 5 days or so.

[fishinghat]

The bad thing about benzos is that going back up on dosage seldom works. I know the research shows that it only works about 1/3 the time and then you have to go back down again later. I still think you will be OK.

[Cheryl123]

Do you think I should reinstate the .125 tomorrow and then try lowering the night dose to .125?

[Mamtrish]

I know that everyone is different. I was put on Cymbalta because of back problems and sciatic nerve pain about 5 years ago,  and I MUST say, Cymbalta is a great medicine for those problems. That being said, I had such an issue with not being able to lose weight and excessive sweating that I decided to wean myself off 60mg. I did this very easily by opening the capsule and removing ONE little bead everyday until I was down to 30mg. I stayed on 30 mg for another year and still had the sweating issues. So I decided to wean myself completely off.I first started using CBD oil, then I started  removing one little bead every week, I did not have any withdrawal symptoms at all. I did this  until I was down to only 1 bead and after a week. None. With all the horror stories I was really afraid but, the day after the very last bead I started getting BRAIN ZAPS. Nothing SEVERE, just when I move my head down or turn fast it feels like my I am going to be really dizzy. I consider myself very fortunate that my withdraw was not so bad, maybe the CBD oil helped with that, not sure. but the brain zaps are a bit annoying to say the least and was wondering if anyone might have an idea as to how long they might last. This is my 4th day Cymbalta free.  

[Cheryl123]

All night I was a little shaky and tingly again. You think it was just my nerves again or from stopping the.125 of Klonopin. I tried not to get myself too worked up about it. Didn't sleep the best, but doing ok. Should I keep with no daytime dose again?

[fishinghat]

Cheryl.

 

I think you should switch to the 0.125 twice a day. If the tingling/shaky is from the benzo then it should pass in a few days.

 

I am sorry I didn't see your post in time yesterday. I usually watch the site closely from 8 AM to 6 PM but after that I try and spend time with the wife.

[fishinghat]

Welcome Mamtrish

 

It sounds like you have done a good job of handling your withdrawal. The brain zaps usually last around 4 weeks but obviously that varies. Members have found that Dramamine, meclizine or benadryl have helped with the zaps as well.

[Cheryl123]

So if I reinstate the .125 and drop the night dose to .125 how long should I wait to drop again? Would I just drop the daytime dose after that?

[Cheryl123]

Do you think if I don't reinstate the .125 the tingly feeling will still pass on a few days anyway. I'm tempted to not reinstate. I'm wondering if it's me ramping up my own anxiety because I'm waiting for something horrible to happen

[Cheryl123]

I went ahead and took the .125 this afternoon. I might wait after a good night's sleep tonight and then maybe try to reduce the nighttime dose. Scared of insomnia. Maybe I'll wait for the weekend? Think there's ok. I swear I felt better like 10 minutes after taking the Klonopin... That says it's probably me but the med, huh?

[fishinghat]

On that low a dose it probably isn't going to matter but I would say the tingling/shaky is probably not from the Klonopin. The first symptoms is usually nightmares, nervousness (restlessness and easily agitated. I would just go to the 0.125 mg in morning and evening and then after 4 or 5 days drop the morning one.

[Cheryl123]

Thank you fishinghat!

[Cheryl123]

Is it going to make it harder if I wait another week to start the taper again? This is the beginning of week 8 of being on Klonopin. The longer I'm on it the more it freaks me out. I'm trying to finish out the school year. I'm a teacher.

[fishinghat]

If my memory serves me correctly you are currently on 0.125 mg twice a day. if so another week should not hurt anything.

[Cheryl123]

I am on .125 during the day and .25 at night. Think I'll still be ok? Thought about waiting until school is out, but that is another 2.5 weeks.

[Cheryl123]

I asked my doc about what you said about reducing the night dose instead of completely stopping the daytime dose. She said that sounded like a good plan.

[Cheryl123]

Is it bad to go back up to .25 Klonopin twice a day again. I had panic attacks last night. Am I ever going to be able to stop Klonopin? I'm so anxious today

[fishinghat]

It is not bad to go back up, it just usually doesn't help and then you have to go back down again. The panic may be due to you worrying about the klonopin. I would not worry at this point. Give yourself a couple days if you can. If it is not to bad and it should pass. If we need to step back we can go to water titration which gives much better control.

 

You know I just noticed you said you had 'panic attacks last night'. Was that just before your evening dosage? After your evening dosage did they let up?

 

I have a routine dr appointment today but will check back when I return.

[Cheryl123]

It was after my evening dose when I was sleeping I woke up with one. I'm sure I'm freaking out about having to be on the Klonopin. The actual idea of being on it is giving me anxiety. I think it's all in my head! I feel like I'm falling apart. I have to make it two and a half weeks until school is out

[fishinghat]

If the panic attack was from withdrawal then it would have occurred just before your evening dose. You are alright, you are going to be alright and off the Klonopin soon. If you are fairly stable in 2 weeks I would consider cutting my evening dose in half.

[Cheryl123]

I ended up taking the .25 again during the day I feel like a failure. I was hoping the celexa would kick in better so that I felt like I don't need the Klonopin. Going to give it to weeks to feel stable. Anxiety sucks...

[fishinghat]

You really feel like you had withdrawal symptoms from that drop of klonopin?

By the way you are not a failure. You will make it.

[Cheryl123]

No I don't think it was withdrawal. It was probably me getting in my own head and it. It's just still scary because of all the horror stories I have read.

[Cheryl123]

Or maybe I was getting more anxious because my celexa isn't quite working yet. Maybe it wasn't the Klonopin but maybe the celexa hasn't quite kicked in yet? Or it was just my nerves. I just gotta get outta my Head when it comes time to cut the doses again.