Feeling Low Today

[Woolybluecurl]

Hi Guys....just need to get this stuff out of my brain (again). Been working to taper off Clorazepam for a couple of weeks and apparently tapered too much a couple of days ago.....and it wasn't pretty. There are reasons we need to go slow!!! Even though I added the amount back for now, I don't feel great. This is such a slow and frustrating process and I'm feeling added pressure because my husband is having shoulder surgery in 2 weeks and I want to be at my best when that happens (it's just me taking care of him). Still not sleeping well.....the Clorazepam is supposed to help with that, but it doesn't really. I'm also taking some supplements my doc recommended with it at night, along with magnesium. I've been following a sleep program on line which included a relaxation meditation, which helps me relax and sometimes fall asleep. Doing my best, but today I feel the old "I must not be trying hard enough or I'd have better results," stuff from childhood showing up. I know intellectually it will all be ok, but the kid in me is scared and feeling kinda lost and hopeless. I talk to my doc in about a half hour and will try to get a better plan together for tapering that has an actual end to it.....right now it seems to be going on forever. Thanks to all of you for being out there....I certainly wish none of us were dealing with these kinds of things, but it does help to know I'm not alone. Sending hugs.....

[Agora1]

Depending on the dosage as well as the length of time you were on this Benzo,

it differs in how slow and safe you can wean down. Please listen to the advice of

your prescribing physician. He knows what will be best for you considering your

health history. Good Luck dear xx

[Woolybluecurl in reply to Agora1]

Thank you

[quicksite]

Hello, I understand the difficulty of weaning off clonazapam. (You're clorazapam so maybe that's a variation for the brand name Klonopin ?) I don't have a suggestion re effective tapering down. I do want to mention a different anti-anxiety sleep medicine that is supposedly non addictive, which you may want to ask your doctor about.

Trazadone . This has been around a long long time but used to be RX'd for depression. Then doctors recognized it has a sedating effect, and it has been RX'd as a mind relaxant or sleep aid. I take it at night along with clonazapam. My goal and desire is to get into a more stable place with my other meds, and then try to gradually reduce the dosage of clonazepam to see if I can wean off it, but keep the trazadone. Good luck to you, I understand you are preparing for taking care of your husband following his surgery, so it must be very difficult dealing with a medicine titration down at the same time.

[Woolybluecurl]

Hi! Thanks so much for your message.....yes, I have tried Trazadone and it didn't work for me. I was able to talk to my doc yesterday and we've decided that I should stay on the Clonazapam (yes, it's Klonopin) for another couple of weeks until after my husband's surgery. Then she's going to switch me to something else that may be easier to come off of. It helps to have a plan.....I feel a lot better today. I was also able to discontinue the supplements she had suggested, which I think may not have helped with my sleep. I slept so much better last night! Thanks again for reaching out.....I appreciate your kind words so much! Take good care.....blessings to you!

[Toddzen]

I have tapered off Klonopin. It has to be done very slowly and can take a few months depending on the dose. I went back on Klonopin 12 years ago and have no interest in getting off it again. It works for my anxiety.

[designguy]

My suggestion is to quit tapering off the klonopin until after your husbands surgery so you are not putting more stress on yourself. The other thing is to wait until you are more mentally stable for a good period of time before you try tapering off again. The other thing I found and read is that most doctors/psychiatrists don't really know what tapering off of it is like and they recommend way too fast of a taper so double or triple the amount of time they recommend. You can buy a pill cutter at your local pharmacy to cut the pills smaller if needed.

What can help with sleep is to give up trying to sleep and trust that your mind/body will put you to sleep when it's ready. The more you try or worry about going to sleep, the more pressure you are putting on yourself which just increases your stress and cortisol which keeps you awake. I've been amazed at how little of sleep I need to function adequately on. I have found Valerian Root tincture to be helpful for sleep, I also found CBD with additional herbs for sleep that was helpful.

[Woolybluecurl in reply to designguy]

Thanks so much for your thoughts.....I talked to my doc yesterday and she agrees with you about waiting till after the surgery. And it immediately took a whole lot of stress off!

[designguy in reply to Woolybluecurl]

You're welcome, glad to help.

[elaine2447]

Are you tapering with diazepam. benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/204...