[Kiya]

I've been on 2 benzos fora decade... a new pill doc says if I work with her, there will be no titration off them. She does not do titration. She will not prescribe them for any reason. They are "palliative care" and I will never "cure" DID.

I have the understanding that cold turkey off benzos is very dangerous and can cause seizures...?

She said if I choose to go the titration route, it is very dangerous to try alone- that I would need to go to a drug rehab place and do it.

[raspberrytorte]

No no no. Do NOT do it cold turkey! It feels bad enough when you DON'T do it cold turkey!

[Kiya]

That's what I figured. I'd tried to titration on my own once before - suuuuper slow- and it was awful.... I went back to my regular dose.

[raspberrytorte]

Yeah. I had a moron pdoc who didn't prescribe benzos, so she took me off of 4mg of clonazepam (that I'd been on for four years) in two months. Way too fast. It was one of the worst experiences of my life. I think I blocked most of it out. It just stopped when I started gabapentin. I cried twice during the withdrawal. I didn't think I'd be able to make it through it!

Anyway, so I'm scared for you! Can you get a different pdoc? Or would your GP help you out at all?

I was on benzos for 2 years before I tried quitting them. I tried tapering, and I had very severe panic attacks that caused me to be hospitalized twice due to severe withdrawals.

I would do it under the supervision of a doctor, and taper slowly and make sure you'll have enough to get you through.

Benzos withdrawals can be bad (and even fatal from what I've read ). They're an aweful med IMHO and I'm glad I'm free of them.

[Kiya]

Ugh clonazepam is awful. A drug and alcohol counselor I know had said some 30 years ago when she was kicking heroin inpatient, others were trying to kick clonazepam. She said she'd rather kick herion over clonazepam any day. It was awful for them.

Yes I have also heard it can be fatal to just stop- much like severe alcoholism. I can't understand why this pdoc with 15 years experience would not know that.

This is the pdoc my gp sent me to (same clinic). After all I'd gone through with 3 ER visits, a pseudo seizure during an eeg, a stand off with a nurse and security treating me horribly bad staying the night in psych- causing me to be late to my intake with her, you'd think there might have been some compassion.
She came across as very aggressive and with a nonnegotiable agenda (as well as declaring all people with DID to be "volatile and often violent").

I do have another provider- I was just supposed to meet this one, lest I be "non-compliant". I really hate that term.

[Kiya]

"Quitting depressants can be very difficult. A person who tries to stop taking the drugs can have tremors, breathing problems, and seizures, go into a coma, or even die. Because the body's systems get used to the drugs, doctors have to be involved even if they're helping people stop taking the drugs for medical purposes."

It scares me how little providers know 😳

[DowdyTheFifth]

My provider took me off of Doxepin and Buspirone cold turkey, but I had only been on them for 2 weeks and they did not help me at all. I think with you being on it for 10 years that cold turkey would most definitely negatively affect you. Best of luck to you!

[Deejay14]

If you want to get off of benzos google Same Heather Ashton. She is in the UK and advocates no more than a 10% decrease in dosage at a time. Iam currently on a titration schedule of a decrease every ten days. When I get to a 75% reduction I will move to a 10% every two weeks. My psychiatrist believes the slower the better on this.

[Teddy Bear]

Why are you going off?

[Deejay14]

Because I don't think they work for me anymore and I do not want to keep taking increasing doses. Think I can do other non med self care things

[Nammu]

Benzos actually made me more unstable going off the benzos was a step in the right direction toward stability. Who said you can't cure PSTD, that's wrong, you can.

[Mountaindewed]

Does it matter if they are only as needed? I take Ativan as needed. I took 4 last week, but I haven’t taken any since last Friday. I feel really anxious but I think it’s because of my PMDD. Is it considered going cold turkey if you took 4 and then none for over a week?

[tecomsin]

This pdoc sounds dangerous.

[WildcatVet]

I was in rehab with 3 people coming off benzos...the withdrawals were worse than the heroin and crack addicts. NEVER try to go cold turkey, but DO try to get off the nasty stuff.

[Kiya]

Originally Posted by Bozdickens

Does it matter if they are only as needed? I take Ativan as needed. I took 4 last week, but I haven’t taken any since last Friday. I feel really anxious but I think it’s because of my PMDD. Is it considered going cold turkey if you took 4 and then none for over a week?

No idea don’t think so. I take Valium three times a day, for the past 6 years, as well as Ativan as needed. Before the Valium it was Xanax.

[Kiya]

Originally Posted by Teddy Bear

Why are you going off?

I’m not yet, but they are being nearly taken away in the US like opiates and I may not have a choice eventually. This is the second provider I’ve fought on this. The last one (two years ago) gave me 30 days. We got into a yelling match and terminated with each other lol. “Good luck finding someone that will give them to you!!!” No prob- I did.., for now.

[Kiya]

Originally Posted by Deejay14

If you want to get off of benzos google Same Heather Ashton. She is in the UK and advocates no more than a 10% decrease in dosage at a time. Iam currently on a titration schedule of a decrease every ten days. When I get to a 75% reduction I will move to a 10% every two weeks. My psychiatrist believes the slower the better on this.

Thanks!! I will look that up!!

[Kiya]

It’s not ptsd she said couldn’t be cured (she said you can’t medicate it), she said DID can’t be cured with benzos... it is hard to medicate, too. She called it palliative care. She believes in treating it with anti psychotic meds, and also said DIDs are volatile and often violent. I also think she is dangerous.

[Neenagirl]

I have been on 3 mg of klonopin since 1998...very scared if I need to get off. So my question, why can't I stay on them? They are cheap enough that I can afford them when I am only on Medicare and don't have med insurance. Why not just stay status quo?

[Keyplayer]

Hi Guy`s ,

As many have mentioned "stopping benzodiazepines" would be like heroin withdrawal.

I don`t think the government should be involved , if in fact they are , and have plans to make them unavailable for prescription use , then it will be a sad day.

As it is , doctors today are taught that benzos are a bad drug , then why am I still here and not having a crippling panic attack somewhere ?

When my original doc died in 97 , I saw the dr. who was take his practice over , he immediately reduced my dosage , just a reduction is not good.

I looked around and the "Ask A Nurse" program had not shut down yet and they referred me to a doctor who might help , I have been see this doctor for 19 years.
Although he is not over joyed about prescribing Xanax & Dalmane to me , he does so because he know what would happen if I stopped.

Even after all these years they still work , your body dose not feel the effects like it did , but I can assure you they still work. My dosage has not changed since 1991.

I do not feel like they are working , but I do not have severe PA`s anymore either.

There are still a few compassionate and caring doctors out there , just be calm and take the time to look and ask for a consultation. Be direct , be honest and truthful , and state your fears , if a doctor truly cares and became a doc to help , then they will help.

Some doctors just should have never been given medical degrees in the first place , I have had doctors call me a drug addict , no better than a bum seeking heroin , just a complete failure , and these people are supposed to be doctors to help people ? Like I said , the world is full of people who are just bad at there jobs , it`s just that the medical jobs need to be filled with people who care , not hurt.

Be well . PM if you need me ,

Later,

Keyplayer 

[Kiya]

I’ve not had to raise my dose either since.... I can’t remember when. I had to increase the amount per day to get the debilitating panic under control, but as you say, since we found the right dose, it has stayed that way and I do not have the crippling PAs. I also feel like it’s “not working” because I do still have to take an occasional Ativan (I take Valium 3 tines a day), but I hadn’t thought about the fact that I’m still alive. “Palliative” care is after all about helping one live comfortably as long as they can. If it keeps me from sui, then I guess it is working.
The govt is watching those of us on benzos- I got that letter in with my script.
I was nervous today that the pharmacy filled a new one for Ativan just because the count changed; I just filled it last week or something and I don’t want to get dinged. I questioned the pharmacist himself and he said it was ok.

I talked with my current provider about all these options and suggestions. (Not the cold turkey). She asked why I would be considering stopping benzos when I’m not stable?!
I told her it wasn’t my idea. She thinks it’s a horrid idea- especially since Valium withdrawals really suck and will be v e r y slow. And only once I’m stable. (Define stable
Anyway, I’m glad I get to keep someone reasonable!!

[-jimi-]

Compared to heroin withdrawals, benzo withdrawals are way more unsafe. My doc also wanted to take me off it without any tapering and claimed the only thing would be mental discomfort, despite that it is in my charts I nearly had a stroke last time someone did that crap to me. I could just as well be dead now. And no it was not from a massive dosage, just 0.75 mg of Xanax.

Some docs deserve to be made cleaning toilets for the rest of their career!