Barto

Anybody taper benzos rapidly, or quit cold turkey, and have long term success (off two years or more without lingering symptoms)? I’d like to hear anyone’s and everyone’s PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. It can be that of a friend, but I am NOT interested in anything cut and pasted from manuals or other websites, or any medical opinions unless YOU are a doctor or otherwise qualified.

I apologize for the capital letters in my humble request. I just don’t want a bunch of jargon and advice cut and paste here. I think we've had enough of that in other threads. I suppose links to such would be fine.

Advanced thanks.

ccgirl2

Barto, I cold turkeyed almost nine months ago; I had no side effects from the klonopin w/ds; I was on a low dose, I think about what you are on. I've had some anxiety, but that's what I started on them in the first place for. lol

windysan

I sent you a pm. For me it was quit or die. Medically-supervised detox, lots of brain meds I didn't want to take but did because I thought the nuthouse would keep me forever, then 28 days at a pretty nice place. Took a couple of weeks to learn how to walk and talk again. After my 28 I was in pretty good shape but it took a couple of years for me to get my head together totally cuz I'd been loaded for years.

I hope you can put it together, Barto. I'm cheering for ya.

Barto

CC, I hate you. Last time I went cold off .75mg, I went through hell. But, since I am having a hard time tapering further, I am thinking about a rapid taper / detox.

How much were you taking per day?

Barto

I just logged on. I’ll check out the PM. How much were you taking? What kind of brain meds did they put you on?

I know you remember what happened to me the last time I did it. But at least I was off. Argh!

PS. Thanks for the cheers!

windysan

I was on lots of stuff and lots of it. Opiates, benzos, somas. I don't remember the dosage only that it was a whole bunch and for quite some time. The shrink put me on lithium, zyprexa, neurontin, librium, and something else I can't remember. The doc misdiagnosed me as bipolar because my withdrawals made me depressed. duh

Barto

How long were you on the cocktail? Librium is a benzo right?

MNGirlyGirl

I wish you luck, Barto. I know how hard it is coming off of this crap. I'm just starting my taper, as you know, so can't off advice, just support.

ccgirl2

Barto, how could you hate sweet little me?


Remember, I think I'm in the minority as far as w/d symptoms. I had been taking .5 - 1 mg. per day of klonopin for 10 years. Hope it helps.

P.S. I still think you're fabulous even though you hate me, lol

Jane63

Good to see you posting Barto! You have been at this a long while!
I wish I had some good advice to offer but can only give my honest answer which is that if you were prescribed this for a reason and are not abusing it, then I hope you and your DR can work out something comfortable for you both.
I do understand the desire to just not take anything at all though...I think everyone who is on any type of prescribed medication wishes so.
Best of luck to you!!
Take care!!:ghug
Jane

windysan

I was on several cocktails for a few years. Pretty much all the opiates and all the benzos. As for the crap they gave me in the psych unit....I was on that mix for 3 days. I threw away the script to shrink gave me for more lithium. I stayed on the neurontin for a few more days. I stayed on the zyprexa for about a week into rehab because I thought it was some kinda antidepressant. The doc at the rehab(an old recovering junkie) told me that zyprexa was an antipsychotic and that he didn't think I looked psychotic so he said I could stop taking it. I stopped taking everything about a week into rehab. Things cleared up in about 2 weeks. It was weird....I soaked the bed with sweat 4 or 5 times one night and I eventually slept on some towels. I woke up, walked outside in the early morning, and I heard birds chirping and I saw green, I could feel things, I could smell things. Damned amazing. When I went to morning meditation and started talking everybody looked at me all funny. I was speaking clearly. The folks at the rehab told me that they thought I was ******** when I came in there. It did take some time getting used to being clear again. I mean, I'd been f'd up since around age 12 on something or another. It was scary and beautiful all at the same time.

ccgirl2

Wow, Windy, thanks for your share. That was wonderful!!!

2ala2

Hello Barto,
I will only say that it was cold turkey for me in a looney bin. They locked me up and let me bang my head against the walls. I had major sweating, fake heart attacks. I would pace the ward for hours. Took about 14 days for major symptoms to clear. I was also withdrawing from a heavy Heroin habit. I was uncomfortable for around 6 months. Everyday was better though. Every single day was better than the one before. If I had a choice, I would probably choose that solution again and get it over with.
I hope you get over this soon.

Jane63

Those are amazing {and scary!} stories **{windy}} and **{ala}}!! I am so glad you BOTH made it through such horrible experiences and are here with us today!!
**{HUGS}}
Jane

Barto

Insurance won’t pay for detox because I am not abusing. Ironic, huh? So if I do it, it’ll be at home. This is what I am leaning toward.

The bad part is that I won’t be able to get much support from AA because the majority disapprove of the use of these drugs, despite that AA literature states otherwise. Also, I doubt I can get support from the benzo sites because of most will chastise me for not crossing over to Valium to taper slowly. I can see a shrink and a psychologist, my work out partner, and a masseuse (until the money runs out). I can also watch movies, and, of course, read and write on Sober Recovery. Still, it’ll be a pretty lonely deal for the most part.

I hope you guys are with me on this one because I don’t think I can do it again. Jane, I think this is the last time I’ll try to get off. If it doesn’t work, then I’ll probably just surrender, take what the doctor tells me to take, and go through life on the meds. If this happens, I think I’d have to get a different job, but it could be worse. Actually, it was. Thing is, I should probably be dead based on all the crap I’ve put into, and done to, my body over the years.

One more question. Did you guys that went off fast (2ala, Windy, & CC, et al.) drink caffeine while getting off? I’m so sick of depriving myself of it. If I’m going to go through hell, I might as well enjoy a little coffee.

windysan

I was so sick I really didn't think much about caffeine. I drank some coca colas and sweet tea at the rehab and I ate like a horse. I was around 140 pounds and I'm 6'1". I was just glad to be alive and I didn't notice much else.

Jane63

**{Barto}}...I'm so sorry your struggling with this still. If I may ask, why do you want off the meds so badly if your not abusing?

If your like me, there have been several times when I just got fed up with putting something in my system, having to be "on" anything at all and especially when I hear that others seem to cope so well with the things I struggle with.

It is not an easy choice but I honestly feel that some of us just need to stay on the meds our DRs advise us to take.
The way I see it...things could be alot worse if I wasn't on the meds I take, so why take the chance?
We are human and we have flaws. If we can help ourselves just to be alittle bit better of a human being by taking the {prescribed} meds, then do it with a guilt-free conscience, own it and move on.

You say that if you were to stay on the meds you would need to get another job. Again, if I may ask, why is that?
It sounds like you are making a good attempt to stay fit and all if you are working out. Maybe you just need to make some more positive life choices...things that make you feel better about yourself and the way you live your life?

I wish I could help you more. I can only give my own experience {as you know} and why I choose to stay on my prescribed med even though I can probably relate to many of the feelings you have.

Stick with us and let us support you! I wouldn't try any of the other sites you mentioned unless you want to argue or debate, which is definitely not beneficial to your well being!
**{HUGS}}
Jane

TiredMama

B I was on a cocktail too at one time. Benzos and opiates. I stopped the benzos cold turkey and I thought I was going to die. I didn't realize how dangerous it was. It was xanax.

Barto

I want to try living med free because I believe that the meds slow me way down. My doctor has given me the go ahead to try to get off, and has given me a fairly rapid taper schedule – cut .25 mg every 3 to 7 days (I’ll be off in 15 to 35 day range). It’s a bit too fast by benzo-board standards, but I can’t seem to taper slowly. I don’t feel guilty about being on the meds – at least I don’t think I do – I just feel bogged down.

I definitely need to make better life choices and some major life changes, but on this medication, I don’t feel like I can think clearly enough to make good choices. If it does not work this time, I’ll let the doctor put me back on the meds. Nothing ventured nothing gained, right.

Barto

I’m not going off cold, I’m tapering rapidly so as to avoid seizures. I guess I’ll just deal with the other stuff.

How's that sound Ala?