Topic Title: BENZOs (ie klonopi, valium) = Evil, read this
| |  "BENZOs (ie klonopi, valium) = Evil, read this"
, Wed 15 Mar 09:46:
Just a warning to all those who take or will be confronted by the opportunity to take benzos like klonpin. When the doctor gave me klonipin to help calm me down it was great. Sure it was addictive, but no biggie I could taper it off and prob just have a little anxiety, besides i was at a low dose, .5 - 1mg a day. It seemed like no big deal at the time It made me feel so much better, but if I only knew.
Fast forward 4 months of on and off use at a low dose. I had found St. Johns wort and it seemed to be working. Time to stop taking that klonopin. I soon found out that even at a very lose does and short amount of usage I was in for a nasty withdraw.
I am two weeks in and here are some of the withdraw symptoms i have had (yes i did taper it off not cold turkey) I would also comment that after doing research these withdrawal effects are quite common, and many ppl have it worse than i do. Sore stiff muscles, sensitvity to light, headaches in the temples, muscle twitches, derealisation/depersonisation (the scariest), soreness in the eyes, twitching of the eyelids, stiffness in the neck shoulders, stomach/digestion problems,ear aches, loss of cordination (ie dropping things for no reason), hard to concentrate or take in a lot of information. St. Johns is deffinatly helping with the more emotional withdrawals. Just beware, a lot of people dont know that withdrawal from these drugs can be worse than heroine. There is nothing you can do except try and relax, take hot baths, massage etc. If you haven't taken Benzos for very long your withdrawal is normally a month or so long. If you have taken them for 2-5 years even at small doses, you painful withdrawal can last over a year! There is also a well documented phenomena of patients taking these drugs that have a protracted withdrawal and have been in pain for years and it doesnt seem to go away. I'm not trying to scare but i never knew how awful these drugs were until now. Peoples lives have been ruined. Visit Benzos.org/uk for more info (remmeber i was at a very low dose and on for only 3-4 months on and off) The withdrawals come in waves and varying intensity...if you are taking them or are curious benzos.org/uk has a lot of info and links to toher sites, and stories
here is an offical list of withdrawal symptoms:
- Double vision - Sore and tired eyes
- Blurred vision - Screwing up of the eyes
- Panic attacks - Fear of being alone
- Tiredness - Tension between the eyes
- Dizziness - Agitated sight
- loss of control of the movement
of the eyes - Brain moving within the skull
- Buildings appear to be leaning - Speech appears to be two feet in
front of you when speaking
- Thoughts and feeling that
you are dying - Legs arms and head very heavy
- Difficulty in writing slowly - Rapid blinking of the eyes
- Tight band around the head - Sharp throbbing pain in the wrists
- Fear of water - Loss of concentration
- Hair loss - Tinnitus
- Speech difficulties - Inability to write
- Inability to read - Seizures
- Loss of interest in
people and things - Pupils of eyes become minute
- Iris in eyes changes colour - Agoraphobia
- Feeling of vulnerability - Feeling of extreme cold
- Extremely nervous and jumpy - Muscle wastage
- Impotence - Unable to walk
- Nightmares - A fear of insanity
- Loss of memory - Pains in the temple
- Depersonalisation - Derealisation
- Repetitive thoughts - Heartburn
- A feeling of impending doom - Loss of self respect
- Earache - Sinus problems
- Feelings of worms
under the scalp - Feelings of the spirit being out
of synchronisation with the body
- Depression - Problems of decaying
teeth and gums
- Insomnia - Vertigo
- Anxiety - Allergies to food
- Extremely disturbed - Twitching of the head
- Numbness, pain,
pins and needles - Saliva running from the
mouth while sleeping
- Neuralgia - Cracked and sore lips
- Pains in the neck to
the shoulder blades - Tickling and itching feeling
over the whole body
- Heavy pounding heart
when climbing stairs - Breathlessness
- Intense fuzzy feeling in the head - Cuts and abrasions take
weeks to heal
- Severe muscular rigidity all over - Demented and murderous thoughts
- Irrational rage - Extreme thirst
- Toe and finger nails change
colour from pink to grey - Feeling bloated
- Diarrhoea - Constipation
- Rashes and blotches on the skin - Pains in the lungs
- Pains in the chest - Flashbacks
- Severe cramping in the stomach - Electric shock and muscular spasms
- Swallowing difficulties - Dry mouth
- Hallucinations - Hypersensitivity to light and sound
- Inability to cope with a lot of information - Feelings of shaking inside and out
- Hyperactivity - Aching joints and muscles
- Restlessness - Restless legs in bed at night
- Paranoia - Overbreathing
- Arms and legs feel detached
from the body - Grinding teeth
- Intense jaw pain - Jaws clamped together
- Total loss of confidence - Hysterical and inappropriate laughter
- Waves, sparks and flashes of light - Body feels like jelly
- Sweating - Inability to comprehend
the simplest of things
- Obsessive behaviour - Suicidal feelings
- Nausea - Flu like symptoms
- Disorientation - Lack of co-ordination
- Metallic taste in mouth - Phobias
- Fear of losing control - Clumsiness
[this message was edited by collegekid on Wed 15 Mar 09:55]
Posts: 12 | | Registered: Thu 23 Feb 2006 18:49 |
| Replies:
|
| |  "Re(1):BENZOs (ie klonopi, valium) = Evil, rea"
, Wed 15 Mar 10:11
I disagree. While much of what you say is true, it depends from person to person. Klonopin has done wonders for me. Sure, if you can go the natural route, cognitive behavior therapy, yoga, etc. that's the best. But if not, you might give any of these drugs a chance. Benzos, essentially, have changed my life. And I haven't got addictive to them: I just take one once a week when I have a social occasion. Of course I don't plan to continue this indefinitely. One has to start taking measure OTHER than the meds, such as the ones mentioned above or many others. But meds can be a great transition period, if taken with caution. As for St. John's Wort, that has worked for me too, as you mention, on emotional anxiety. But I needed something stronger, and so I switched to Effexor, which has been working well. In combo with Klonopin, they have been a dynamic duo. But I totally support the idea that if SJW works for you, as it has fo rmany here, stick with it. The bottom line is that things work differently for different people.
Posts: 85 | | Registered: Tue 8 Jun 2004 21:12 |
| | | "Re(2):BENZOs (ie klonopi, valium) = Evil, rea" , Wed 15 Mar 11:06:
I think both of you have made some really good points . Sure benzos can be addictive and withdrawal DOES feel like ****, I've been there, it messes with your head. By the way that list of withdrawal symptoms/side effects is quite exaggerated I don't know where that came from.
From my experience taking it and from what I have read in books and online, I must say that I agree more with alx. I know what it means to suffer from paralyzing and debilitating anxiety to the point that you question if life is even worth living.I know how it feels to look for a cure and to try all this different stuff and nothing seems to be working...Like alx said things work differently for different people. One should not totally rule out benzos. I know how long I have been looking for a cure for my social anxiety and for a while Clonazepam made me feel alive again and able to function(It really changes your life). The reason that I stopped taking it is because I had some problems with my supply (I was buying it online), otherwise I would have continued with it. Now that I have health insurance I WILL definetely get back on it long term if, and only if, I do not find a natural alternative to it. Of course that I am totally for a natural alternative, and if you find it, you are truly blessed(your wallet will be more full also).
I have carefully studied and weighed the pros and cons of benzos(something that everyone considering taking benzos should do, get informed!)and I decided that, for me at least, the benefits far outweigh the cost(side effects, etc).
Here is a site that talks more in depth about Clonazepam and benzos and in this guy's experience benzos are not as addictive or as evil as some people make it out to be www.socialfear.com
[this message was edited by AaronLewis on Wed 15 Mar 12:15]
Posts: 5 | | Registered: Fri 3 Mar 2006 1:46 |
|
|
Home
email/admin 
SJW home 
forum index
