Has anybody come off benzos?

I feel fine today, but the last week was hellish. I was on benzos for about a year and I’ve been benzo free for about 5 months (lost count) .

I’ve read on the internet that benzo withdrawal can come and go for up to a year. My psychiatrist seems to think otherwise, and thinks I should be clear of withdrawals by now.

I’m just wondering if anybody else was on benzos long term, and had a similar type of withdrawal. But maybe my psychiatrist is right, and it’s nothing to do with benzos.

I was on benzos for several years and came off them a few years ago. I had about two months of withdrawals and then it was pretty much over with. Never heard of them lasting that long. Sounds miserable.

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Thanks. My psychiatrist might be right, it may be nothing to do with benzos. :disappointed:

I was on Ativan for months (if not a year then almost a year). I was on 1 mg a day, though occasionally I took 1 1/2 or even 2 mg. I dropped cold turkey and had terrible insomnia for about 2 weeks, (I mostly used it to help me sleep) but that’s it.

What dose were you on?

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Just 0.5mg of clonaezpam . But it took me months to taper off it as the withdrawals were severe for me.

So I don’t know if I’m unlucky withdrawal wise or if my “bad days” are just getting more frequent.

That’s a really low dose to be having such drawn out withdrawals.

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My friend has been abusing benzo’s. From my understanding a lot doctors don’t know much about them as far as withdrawal is concerned. My friend had abused them for years and he now has major problems, lost his job, won’t leave the house and after a year there is not much sign of improvement. His ex girlfriend had them prescribed by a doctor and took recommend doses, after a period of time she ended up in a bad way with what started as anxiety being panic attacks.

I’m told that everyone is different when it comes to the withdrawal. It could be something else but I wouldn’t rule out the benzo’s even if it has been 5 months.

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It could be something else but I wouldn’t rule out the benzo’s even if it has been 5 months.

There’s something familiar about the way I’m feeling and the way I felt when I was first trying to come off them.

But I don’t know what’s going on in truth.

I remember in the hospital I had 1mg of Ativan a day for about 10 days. When they stopped them I remember laying in bed with my heart racing and breathing heavily and fast as if my body was in a panic but my mind wasn’t. This only happened once but probably shows that I would have bad withdrawals if I took them long term.

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I take Clonazepam for my anxiety, but about a year ago tried to come off it but struggled with anxiety attacks so I still take Clonazepam. Afraid to come off these medication. But wish to find a nonmedicinal more healthy way to help with anxiety attacks.

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Came off diazepam after being on it for six months. But it never really did anything for me so was easy to come off. Clonazepam would be a different matter entirely.

You still taking theanine?

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My first drug was a benzo only. And I have used benzo’s on and off as in my country they force you to use them in wards together with antipsychotics. Sometimes in high doses and sometimes for months. Never a year. I had very bad withdrawals - anxiety, depression, cravings, dizziness, psychosis, etc. Sometimes the withdrawal lasted as long as the use of the benzo: months. I feel the sensitivity to anxiety and flare ups of fear lasted a long time. So I don’t think it’s abnormal to suffer longer term symptoms, it can very well be the benzo still.

Good luck with coming off! It will get better, I’m sure!

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Yes, still taking L-theanine. I tried stopping that and it was a disaster. But that’s another story. So taking it everyday now.

Somethings not right, things have gotten pretty miserable. If it’s not benzo withdrawal , then I’m up the Creek without a paddle.

One thing that makes me think it’s benzo withdrawal, is I feel if I had one now, all the misery would go away.

I was put on Xanax (no generic at that time) in December 1988, and I’ve taken Xanax (alprazolam) every day since. It’s been hell, it really has. Psychiatrists loved benzodiazepines in the late 80’s and 90’s, so my dose quickly increased to 8 mg/day, and I stayed on that dose for about 15 years.

I’m down to 3.5 mg/day, but I can’t seem to go lower. About two years ago I had a TIA (mini-stroke) and was in the hospital for two days. I had no benzo. I went into withdrawal–big time. I had seizures and passed out. I almost died. I wish I never took that drug.

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Geez, that’s definitely a cautionary tale. Thanks.

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That is quite a low dose…and you only had it once a day? It could be your brain chemistry was very susceptible to it but it is unlikely you’d have such severe withdrawal for so long from it. What are your symptoms?

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I lacked the withdraws from this particular set of drugs…was on it daily for 6 months…quit cold turkey…now I take maybe 2 a week instead of 2…1mg…pills daily…

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I’ve been on benzodiazepines (Klonopin) for more than 20 years.

The thing is I never really exceeded going over 0.5mg a day - this is considered a low dose.

I’ve been on this dose, give or take everyday.

When I was in the Psych Hospital recently they refused to give me any Benzos.

I was without Klonopin for up to 3 days at a time till they finally gave me a low dose of 0.25mg a day.

They told me that at such a low dose of Klonopin that I would not experience withdrawals.

The truth is that they were right!

I did not experience any significant kind of withdrawals, maybe I was a bit more anxious but that’s about it.

Maybe it’s more of a psychosomatic thing with me.

Yes a lot of the “withdrawal” Symptoms that I experienced in the past when I tried to stoop was all in my head.

I seriously doubt that you are experiencing withdrawals now @everhopeful.

0.5mg of Klonopin for one year is nothing really.

Maybe it’s the Abilify.

I personally found Abilify to be a strange drug at times.

It gave me various degrees of anxiety which changed by the minute.

You should be fine.

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My symptoms are fatigue and depression, but It comes in waves. I.e. It’s not constant.

I’ve just had a blood test, so maybe that will show up something when the results come back.

Maybe my luck with abilify has just run out.

Thanks Anna.

I was on Klonopin for a few years. Then I stupidly told my pdoc that I had given a couple to this girl who was jonesing for heroin, and he took me off of them. He weaned me off them slowly. I was tense and uncomfortable for a while, but now I don’t miss them.

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