Was I tapered too rapidly?
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 156
Was I tapered too rapidly?
Long story short, was prescribed Xanax for about 6 months. Went from .5 mg a day to around 2 mg a day by the end.
Drank heavily the entire time.
Was switched to Klonopin. Went ballistic. Drank massive amounts of alcohol and took maybe 5 mg of Klonopin a night for a week.
Woke up in the ER.
Was sent to detox for five days. First day was 4 mg Ativan, then 3, then 2, then 2, then 1, then none.
I am two days out of detox. I feel okay.
Was that taper medically appropriate? All the professionals I have talked to seem to think so.
Drank heavily the entire time.
Was switched to Klonopin. Went ballistic. Drank massive amounts of alcohol and took maybe 5 mg of Klonopin a night for a week.
Woke up in the ER.
Was sent to detox for five days. First day was 4 mg Ativan, then 3, then 2, then 2, then 1, then none.
I am two days out of detox. I feel okay.
Was that taper medically appropriate? All the professionals I have talked to seem to think so.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 156
Also, what can I expect in the coming days?
I have high levels of baseline anxiety, depression, panic, and some PTSD. So those will likely return full-bore.
But anything else?
Right now, I can exercise and my appetite is fine and I'm not shaking or feeling physically ill. Psychologically, I feel a bit "off" but I don't want to "talk myself into having symptoms."
I have high levels of baseline anxiety, depression, panic, and some PTSD. So those will likely return full-bore.
But anything else?
Right now, I can exercise and my appetite is fine and I'm not shaking or feeling physically ill. Psychologically, I feel a bit "off" but I don't want to "talk myself into having symptoms."
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
Then don't talk yourself into having symptoms.
We create our beliefs in our own heads.
Try believing that you feel okay.
I doubt the anxiety will get worse. The worst is over. Keep believing that and you can make it so.
We create our beliefs in our own heads.
Try believing that you feel okay.
I doubt the anxiety will get worse. The worst is over. Keep believing that and you can make it so.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 20,458
If the medical professionals who treated you in a HOSPITAL say that your tapering dosage is appropriate, WHY would you solicite any opinions on a public forum?
you do not feel physically ill, you can eat, exercise and function. count yourself very fortunate to remain this way.
you do not feel physically ill, you can eat, exercise and function. count yourself very fortunate to remain this way.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Western NY
Posts: 1,209
Kabu - first off, congrats on two days clean. Cling to that clean time because it is precious. Don't give it up for anybody or anything.
As far as the benzo taper, I honestly have no idea. Even if it wasn't against the forum rules I doubt anyone could give an intelligible answer based on the limited information.
I don't have personal experience with benzo withdrawal, but for withdrawal in general I found that worrying only makes things worse. That is easy to say and hard to implement though. If you have already made the decision to stay sober at this point then it has to be conditioned on a willingness to go through whatever lies ahead.
If you are able to eat, sleep and exercise then I say to go out and enjoy the day!
As far as the benzo taper, I honestly have no idea. Even if it wasn't against the forum rules I doubt anyone could give an intelligible answer based on the limited information.
I don't have personal experience with benzo withdrawal, but for withdrawal in general I found that worrying only makes things worse. That is easy to say and hard to implement though. If you have already made the decision to stay sober at this point then it has to be conditioned on a willingness to go through whatever lies ahead.
If you are able to eat, sleep and exercise then I say to go out and enjoy the day!
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,126
The doctors think it was medically appropriate, so it is what it is. Done.
Anticipatory anxiety is known by another word: Fear. We all have it, just to different degrees.
Ride it out. Let fear pass through you. And you had a six-month run on benzos so your having a lot of rebound anxiety, which again is to be expected.
The only thing you can do now is to get more space between your last benzo and now, and one day at a time of not drinking or taking a benzo accomplishes that.
So look at each day of discomfort as a victory toward eliminating discomfort down the road. It always gets better.
Anticipatory anxiety is known by another word: Fear. We all have it, just to different degrees.
Ride it out. Let fear pass through you. And you had a six-month run on benzos so your having a lot of rebound anxiety, which again is to be expected.
The only thing you can do now is to get more space between your last benzo and now, and one day at a time of not drinking or taking a benzo accomplishes that.
So look at each day of discomfort as a victory toward eliminating discomfort down the road. It always gets better.
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