3rd attempt at coming off benzos

Medications
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First I tried cold turkey using l-theanine as a substitute, and that ended badly.

Then I tried halving the pills. That was worse.

Now I’m trying to take them ever other night, hopefully then every third night, etc.

I’m going through horrible withdrawals, and becoming a bit symptomatic. But it seems to be the best method for me so far.

Hopefully it’ll work. I feel I no longer need them as I feel l-theanine works as a good enough substitute (once you’re actually successfully off benzos) .

But it’s quite tough at the moment. My ability to cope has gone down and I have real world problems to deal with.

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Bless I’ve not tried l-theanine!

If your looking for something as a substitute I’d try Jasmine Green Tea, which you can get in the UK in most supermarkets. http://www.nursingtimes.net/news/behind-the-headlines-archive/jasmine-as-good-as-valium-claim/5017141.fullarticle

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Oh benzo withdrawal isn’t funny or fun at all. No, don’t do that.

You should not even half the pills, you should take like 1/4 less every two weeks.

Benzo withdrawals can make you have a seizure and die, don’t do them hard. Take that taper slowly.

I take a benzo. I’ve tried taking less, recently actually- mental breakdown the first day and full blown psychosis the next day. Had to go back.

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Yeah, I feel I’m becoming symptomatic actually. As you say, it’s neither fun nor funny.

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Try taking three fourths of a pill. That’s what my grandmother did when my grandfather had to stop ambien or Valium or something he was taking for sleep. Cold turkey landed him in not a fun time.

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I’ll try toughing it out with the ‘every x night’ method first. I’ll take it slowly.

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I made the mistake of telling my pdoc that I gave a couple of my klonopin to a girl who was jonesing for heroin. He took me off the drug. He did wean me off it slowly. It was hard for a while, but then I got over it. That kind of thing can be very individual, though. Some people have a really tough time coming off the benzos. Maybe you should enlist a doctor in your effort. He might have a better idea of when the benzo withdrawal becomes dangerous.

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I did. They advised cutting pills in half, and that just went horribly wrong. :tired_face:

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Try California poppies, which are a sedative that works the same way as benzos in the brain, for your withdrawal. And never stop benzos cold-turkey again.

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I tried reducing the dose once and was experiencing intense paranoia.

When I do decide to get off of them permanently, I am going to reduce the dose very slowly - a week at a time, with the help of my psychiatrist, she is also an Addiction psychiatrist.

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I’m on the same dose as you, so if my ‘every x days’ method doesn’t work out, I’ll be all ears as to what she says.

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Yeah, when I decide to get off of the Klonopin, I will post updates.

Good luck @everhopeful and remember take it real slow over a good chunk of time.

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Good luck! I’ve been really anxious, don’t see myself quitting anytime soon… :pensive:

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