# I want to quit Benzo's



## York (Feb 26, 2008)

It's taken me forever to realize that my extreme light and sound-sensitivity comes from having Benzo withdrawal!!
I'm still on the same dosage I've been all along, but of course (it seems so obvious now) I've been getting used to it. I always feel really terrible later in the day and I'm so sensitive to light and sound it kills me. I've never had this earlier in my life which has puzzled me, but again.. of course...

I've long suspected some of my other symptoms of dissociation is from the benzos, and now I just have to find out.

I have no idea how I'm going to manage, last time I only had half the dosage I had the worst irregular heartbeat for 24 hours.
I also feel very weird psychologically when I delay taking it. The light/sound-sensitivity is so bad I can't stand the pain right now, so I just have to try and get off them.

Anyone with any experience out there?


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## kate_edwin (Aug 9, 2009)

*do not* just stop them. How you go down on the dose will depend on what dose you're on and how long you've been taking it. Stopping it too quickly can result in seizures. I had an idiot dr stop mine cold and I got really really sick. This is one type of medication that you should stop under direct care of a dr


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## Victor Ouriques (Jul 15, 2011)

Boy I did withdraw 2 times,now I'm on it again,and I won't to get it out once more.

I Take Klonopin,drop type.

It's been 2 days since I'm simply stopped taking it.I was with 8 drops,but I already used 5 drops,and 2,3 as dosages.

My advice is:If you're really having difficulties to take out your benzo,try to take it very slowy.

It's easier with drop ones,you can take 1 drop each 2 days,and u won't have any withdraw sympton I swear.

And I can relate to you.I Use Benzo's because I've got Panic disorder,but It gives me so much derealization sometimes,and sounds and lights are really a hell on it.Speacially when I'm on the street,and a big bus or a truck passes through me.It pisses me so much! It seems like it's on my head!


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## Mandy L. (May 24, 2010)

I don't have much of an experience with any Benzos because I never took them everyday, but I do know that if you take them away abruptly you can really damage your heart. 
My brother was mistakenly diagnosed and prescribed some medication that he also couldn't take off abruptly. It was in drops so much easier to control. 
But if you take pills
*here is what you can do*

If you take pills:
Put the usual dosage in a cup of water and let it dissolve, when it's dissolved throw 1 table spoon of the mixed water away. 
Keep doing it for some days, like 5 or 7 days, then take 2 etc, etc.

_Note: the more water you have the less you will take off when you throw the spoonful of "water" away_

good luck


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## kate_edwin (Aug 9, 2009)

Disolving your pills like that is goin to be terribly innaccurate. Please talk to your dr. Stopping a benzo can lower your seizure threshold (they are seizure drugs), this is not a
drug you should just stop on your own


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## Guest (Sep 5, 2012)

Jesus loves you.


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## Guest (Sep 5, 2012)

i want to quit benzos too but I gotta admit that I would be in for one HELL of a fight if i did especially now with me working 25 hours a week and going to college full time....so I eventually plan to quit but probably eighter in 6 months or when I have a solid career or something i dont know lol


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## kate_edwin (Aug 9, 2009)

Red if you did it really slowly there shouldn't be a problem, you cut the dose down a Tony hit for two weeks, then again and again, if it's hard try higher dose / lower dose every other day for a week then the lower dose for a week.

It could be harder to stop in 6 or 9 or more months, could be worth it


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## cbeck (Feb 8, 2008)

Amanda L. said:


> I don't have much of an experience with any Benzos because I never took them everyday, but I do know that if you take them away abruptly you can really damage your heart.
> My brother was mistakenly diagnosed and prescribed some medication that he also couldn't take off abruptly. It was in drops so much easier to control.
> But if you take pills
> *here is what you can do*
> ...


Actually Amanda has the right idea. Titration has worked well for me. I was up to 2mg kpin and had been on it for 12 years and was noticing my dp/dr getting worse as time passed by among many other wierd symptoms of tooth pain, metallic taste in mouth, ringing in the ears and severe sleep disturbances. Then you eventually hit tolerance w/d and thats when it quits working and you have to either go up or taper down SLOW. Depending on what benzo you are on can make alot of difference and how long. I am going to post a titration video off of you tube that kind of explains it. I use water instead of Milk and I mix in 150 ml of water and draw out 1 ml per day with a syringe and discard, so day one draw 1 ml and toss drink 149, day 2 draw 2ml/cc toss and drink 148 and so on down the line if you reach a point where you feel like you are stuck just hold at that dose until you are ready to start dropping again, thats like 150 days or a 5 month plan give or take your holds. You basically drop your pills/dose that you are on now in the water, let it dissolve. Usually only takes 30 minutes or so, shake up well in a sealed pint jar and then you start drawing out what you want to dose etc. It is really pretty easy once you get the hang of it. The secret is to draw out what you are going to deiscard right after you have shaken it up well. I like water because you can see the sediment in it and you know you getting an equal draw each time you take out. I have an excel speadsheet if you want to message me I can work your dose up and send to you. You will also need a graduated cylinder that goes up to 100ml in 1ml increments along with some syringes. Klonopin is very hard to withdraw from beacause it is so potent, I dry cut down from 2mg to 1.250 by dropping .125mg every week or two then I hit a wall and started water titration and am down to 1.117mgs, titration lets you drop each day by miniscule dosages and dont jar your cns system so bad. 1mg kpin is equal to 20 mg Valium so that shows you how strong it is and why it is hard to dry cut. Here is the video 



 on titration, you dont need to grind the pills into powder as they dissolve just fine.You may want to also read up the the Ashton Manual http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/ and there is a wealth of info on the website http://www.benzobuddies.org with a forum of people withdrawing from all types of benzos, you can find out about anthing on there. Please feel free to im me if you have any questions and good luck! I have a freind on here that withdrew from his Kpin and after 2 weeks off now his last 4 days have been of complete clarity, dp/dr free. 
PS: As some of the others said you can get a suspension made of your drug and drop down slowly by the liquid form if you can get the script from your doc and find a compounding pharmacy, this also works well for some.


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## kate_edwin (Aug 9, 2009)

Or you could just ask your dr and get a pill splitter. Who wants to spend 15 minutes preparing their medication? No one included instructions on keeping a syringe clean and dry so it doesn't get nasty. Yes of course titration that's what everyones said. I'm fairly certain any dr or pharmacist would wince at the idea of patients just doing it on their own like this. Go to the pharmacy with the idea and get their advice at the very least. They would know for sure any problems to avoid or tricky areas


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## Guest (Sep 5, 2012)

Jesus loves you.


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## Mandy L. (May 24, 2010)

Well,

You can use always the same graded cup, grind the pill in dust, mix it and get some other graded thing that you can know how much you're taking but always;

TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR
but again if he says cut off 0,5 mg per day or something else absurd just do it slower as you feel like because the doctor might know on his papers etc but if you have a cardiac decompensation you're on your own, so NEVER stop it abruptly and well I know I didn't mention before but * try to go in therapy with a psychologist, because you will feel nervous and by the way you need to heal yourself, from whatever caused you disturb first place *
REMEMBER; the longest you've been the longest it will take to quit your body and also for the dosage you took.

*Recovering is a complex task that involves full engagement so it takes more than a magic step to heal yourself*










Good Luck you all!


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## York (Feb 26, 2008)

I've decided to stay on them a while longer.. I do however think it would have to be titration if I was to quit, I'm already on a very small dose and it's impossible to cut down more than 1/4 (I notice even that very well). Thanks for all of your replies!


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## hope.is.here (Nov 6, 2012)

Whatever you do, don't cold turkey. I cold turkeyd and had seizures. (I was on Ativan and Klonopin). Someone mentioned titration. Do that instead. Research tapering schedules (this all depends on how much you're taking and how quickly you want to get off-the quicker, the harder it will be for you) Be prepared to battle awful physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms (I personally hit almost every one on the list)
Good luck
Mila


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## DougRyan25 (Aug 31, 2012)

The titration idea was very well put. Otherwise, you could simply crush the pill into smaller bits and take them by decreasing milligrams, but you need to have a super accurate scale. These medications really need to be monitored carefully so you do not end up screwing your circulatory system, among other mechanisms in your body. Cheers!


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## ValleyGirl (Nov 10, 2017)

Anne- I was on klonopin and got to a point where I also suspected that it might be causing my symptoms to be worse. So I did the titration schedule and weaned myself off. I found that even when you get down to some rediculously small dosage, you will feel a little bit of withdrawl as it leaves your system. Things like that get stores in your muscle tissue and it takes a while for your system to flush clean.

I will say this, I did come to find that the klonopin was making my symptoms worse, specifically the detachment. I have taken it again recently for panic attacks and the difference is night and day as far as my mental clarity, ability to concentrate, and how connected I feel to the world around me. The benzos make you disconnected.


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