[raspberrytorte]

I was on 4mg of clonazepam, and my new pdoc wants me off of it, so I've been tapering, and despite the taper (which is two months), I feel just awful. I have really bad rebound anxiety, feeling of impending doom, muscle spasms, sweating, chest pains. I'm at 2.5mg right now.

She gave me vistaril and propranolol, but the vistaril doesn't seem to be helping. It IS helping with my seasonal allergies though, which are usually very bad in the summer, and my complexion has never been clearer. So that's a plus.

I guess I'm just seeking some advice from anyone who has come off of a benzo. What did you do to help yourself cope?

I just want this to be OVER, and it's getting worse the further down I go.

Raspberry,

Two months is a very short taper time. I have been tapering my clonazepam, too, and I am having problems dropping from 3 mg to 2.5 mg. I have tried two times now and felt so horrible that I immediately went back to the 3 mg. I think I may have to try dropping to 2.75 mg or something in order to make the next drop.

Your side effects sound horrendous. I'm sorry that the vistaril isn't helping.

Will your doctor let you taper more slowly if you tell her that you're having all these symptoms? She should at least offer you something to help the symptoms if the vistaril and propanolol aren't working for you.

I went through a too-short taper several years ago. Some of the things I did to help were take walks, wear sunglasses, avoid noisy and over-stimulating places, use lavender aromatherapy, and have a friend go with me if possible when I had to go to stores and pretty much anywhere outside my house. I had a very bad year (yes, a whole year) until my nervous system seemed to get back to normal and I could go to the grocery store without worrying that I was going to have a panic attack.

[Angelique67]

Can you slow down your taper? The slower the better.

[SillyKitty]

That seems like a really quick taper. I'd be in withdrawals, too, and I'm on 3mgs. Maybe see if he'll go a little slower.

[-jimi-]

If I'd decide to taper I would taper slowly and really stop tapering to feel stable on each big step before going on. Tapering in chronic withdrawal is not for me and my anxiety.

IMO antihistamines do not usually work normally against anxiety so why would they work for both withdrawals and anxiety? Does not make sense to me...

[raspberrytorte]

Originally Posted by jo_thorne

Raspberry,

Two months is a very short taper time. I have been tapering my clonazepam, too, and I am having problems dropping from 3 mg to 2.5 mg. I have tried two times now and felt so horrible that I immediately went back to the 3 mg. I think I may have to try dropping to 2.75 mg or something in order to make the next drop.

Your side effects sound horrendous. I'm sorry that the vistaril isn't helping.

Will your doctor let you taper more slowly if you tell her that you're having all these symptoms? She should at least offer you something to help the symptoms if the vistaril and propanolol aren't working for you.

I went through a too-short taper several years ago. Some of the things I did to help were take walks, wear sunglasses, avoid noisy and over-stimulating places, use lavender aromatherapy, and have a friend go with me if possible when I had to go to stores and pretty much anywhere outside my house. I had a very bad year (yes, a whole year) until my nervous system seemed to get back to normal and I could go to the grocery store without worrying that I was going to have a panic attack.

I have an appointment with her on thursday. I think if I tell her I'm having a hard time she'll let me go slower. Starting on the 9th I have to go down to 2mg.

Thanks for the suggestions.

That sucks you had an entire year of badness until your nervous system got back to normal. I fear the same thing for myself.

I wish I'd never been put on this shyt! It makes me so angry.

Vistaril is AWESOME... for seasonal allergies. Lol!

[raspberrytorte]

Originally Posted by -jimi-

If I'd decide to taper I would taper slowly and really stop tapering to feel stable on each big step before going on. Tapering in chronic withdrawal is not for me and my anxiety.

IMO antihistamines do not usually work normally against anxiety so why would they work for both withdrawals and anxiety? Does not make sense to me...

I don't understand it either. It's not like if I take a benadryl it gets rid of my anxiety. Seasonal allergies though... big thumbs up. I've never taken anything that has helped so much with it.

Since vistaril and propranolol aren't working, she better have something else up her sleeve to help with my anxiety.