Benzo withdrawal (Rivotril, aka Klonopin)

[decca]

"Decca said "..help n3r0x1k to reinstate to her.."

Oops sorry mate - I should have looked at your prof. first, anyway I'm glad I was of some assistance to you.
All the best
Decca

[Cathy V]

Hi there, as you prob aware by now that the forum has been down most of the afternoon, so only just got to your reply. Its cool that you want to try and come of the meds a bit slower and without the cross over drug, good for you. What i meant by talking to me anytime is either this way through the posts...coz then you'll get more than one opinion, or you can send a private message to me or to any of the others you want. Also when youve been a member for about 5 days (unless theyve changed it) you can go into the chat room. I dont really use it but theres always someone around to talk to if you feel like hell. But you sound like you're doing so great...be proud of yourself ok?

Cathy xxx

[n3r0x1k]

Thanks. Actually I'm not doing too great, I always end up taking an "escape pill" cuz I get too much shaky and panicky, but then again, great again maybe considering my escape pills I only take 0.5 mg compared to the usual 2 mg's I used to take.

[Cathy V]

Hiya, hey dont feel guilty about taking the escape dose. If it takes the edge off the anx do it, coz i think your psychiatrist did take you off them cold turkey and your doc didnt agree with that either, not after so long on them. If this 0.5mg is enough to make you feel better then stay with it til you can talk to your doc. He might put you onto 1mg to start a longer withdrawal but please dont think of it as failure, you have still done really well to get down to this point, and you will get there believe it. Yep you will feel like cr*p sometimes, but you will be free one day if its whats you want.

When i was a volunteer for Mind way back, there was a fantastic little booklet that we gave out to ppl coming off benzos called something like..'Freedom from Tranquilisers--Crawling out of the Bottle' or some such thing, and there was a little sketch on the cover of someone halfway in and halfway out of a bottle of pills. The boolet was a little gem and full of info about the effects of benzo withdrawal. I dont know if its still around so i might try and google it and let you know. Meantime you have us on nmp

Keep posting coz you're not alone ok?
Cathy xxx

[n3r0x1k]

Thanks alot Cathy V.

Actually I've taken the decision to go on and not "reinstate" (if that's the correct term) back to Rivotril. I talked to my pharmacist this afternoon as I was renewing my Celexa (an SSRI) and he said it was normal to feel the way I did, which I already know, but that it was a shot to give and that even he prefers the quick method because yeh I can get shakes, heavy anxiety, shivers and sweats for a big 15 days, then less worse, but that it's a "shot to give". I was skeptic but afterall, I can't always be terrorized by documentation, of course they always include the percentage of people who develop almost chronic symptoms, but afterall, like my pharmacist said, he'S seen alot (I guess that's their method here in Quebec, Canada) of patients get off that quickly even with a long history and/or high doses, but that after their 15 days, 15 days after symptoms start to wear off and eventually you feel great, and they didn't end up with anything bad. Afterall I've come down to 0 and 0.5mg shots and still am alive, so I just have to live through the "hell" when the rushes come by, cuz he said it's like quitting smoking, some people will feel like they almost wanna kill when they stop quickly, but they feel fine quicker afterwards. Anyhow, I'll see how this goes and try to keep a positive attitude, no matter how hard it is to keep one with the symptoms :P And I'll post here when things feel to bad.

[Cathy V]

Ok n3 i understand and will be thinking of you on your 'mission'! and talk to you when you need it.

Take care for now
cathy xxx

[n3r0x1k]

Thanks
alot...
I'm really grateful
take care too
xxx

[Cathy V]

Have been looking on the net for some books that might help and there are quite a few around these days. One author stands out for me because ive read her work and shes really good. Her name is Shirley Trickett and the book ive seen is called Free yourself from Tranquilzers and Sleeping pills. Might be worth a look

TC
Cathy V xxx

[pete69]

im currently on rivotril,and find it invaluable for my social anxiety.i havent found a drug that can touch it.
this may be the problem..its one of the stronger benzos and hence you going cold turkey was an absolute no no.
as decca said get on to them weak pills like diazepam and gradually wean down.
personally i dont lose to much sleep the fact i need to take this med pretty much 5 out of 7 days 2mg average dose.
have tried all the so called non addictive ssris and they give so much hellish side effects its unreal.
and they think klono is bad?? will take it over any ssri med.

good luck with your withdrawal.
but what are you going to replace it with? anxiety conditions dont just "go away"

pete

[n3r0x1k]

good luck with your withdrawal.
but what are you going to replace it with? anxiety conditions dont just "go away"

pete

Well my psychiatrist said we tried them all, including neurolepics called Seroquel (mainly precribed to schizophrenics) but that one I really had a hard time and had visual hallucinations so discntinued them after 14 days of hell, and the Rivotril, my body got too used to it, which is why he decided to take me off of it. But your "anxiety conditions don't just go away" kind of discourages me, although it might be true. I'm trying to convince myself that I can live without it, although it's hard for now. And there'S also the fact that I'm not stopping my SSRI (switched to Citalopram since 2 months)

Yesterday I went to the ER, I litterally felt like I was dying, and my blood pressure was at 150/90... and last year I checked once and it was at 139/102... which kinda scares me. Is it possible that during periods of high anxiety, the blood pressure goes up without having a hypertension condition? I'm asking that in general to anyone. Cuz other times, I can go and my pressure will be at 113/67 or whatever which can be as low as that.

@Cathy V: thanks for having checked around for that book. I'll have a look if I can find it. Thanks.