Clonidine/Neurontin for Benzo Withdrawals. Help!!

[Max1973Max]

Hello everyone. Love this site and have been a long time lurker.

In a nut shell I with Detoxed off of 5-6 years use of Klonopin. About 4mg to 8mg's of K, give or take. Was horrible after the detox as they did it in about 5 days. Then went to rehab and was given Valium for about a week and was back to normal. After the Valium taper I was a basket case. Horrible anxiety, twitching, CNS stimulation overload etc.

Well it has been about 6 months. Have not take one benzo or drank any alcohol. Things were ok and manageable. Some days better then other.

Then I started a new job after being out of work for over a year. About a week and half into the new job, I had a MAJOR flare up. Horrible twitching, tweaking, body felt like on fire, dizzy etc.

Went to the ER and they put me in a Psych ward for about a week! I think they thought I was on drugs again because I was twitching so much. Well the tested me right away and saw I had ZERO in my system. They had a Neurologist check me out and I was diagnosed with having a "Mild Tick". Dunno if I believe it, but it is what it is. None of the blood work came back with any conclusions. I personally think it is PAWS from the Klonopin and the new stress of a job and long hours sent my body into shock. ( I did stutter somewhat as a child and always had a slight eye twitch. They think the Klonopin masked it for years and now that the neurons are firing a full blast it came back with a vengeance. Who knows0

So they gave me a.1mg Patch of Clonodine and  900mg of Neurontin/day.  I started them both about 2 nights ago. Does anyone know how long it may take for both of these medications work? I was ok today for the most part. Then went out with some friends to a coffee house and was near a full blown panic again! Ugh...twitching tweaking, could not look anyone in the eye with out feeling like I was going to pass out etc.

I really hope this starts working. I dunno if I have this "Mild Tick" or is it Benzo withdrawal?? They all agree it has been 6 months and I should not be withdrawing from Klonopin....but all the stuff I read on the medical sites all say the same basic thing........I tapered waaaaay too fast for the time I as on Klonopin and it would take much longer to stop all withdrawal symptoms as well.

Any advice!?!

Thank you all for your help in advance!

[Zorrbabe]

I went from 3mg kpin to 40 mg Valium a day had major wirhdrawlnso I know what your feeling neutontin clonidine great combo!

[Chopins11th]

Despite this being an old thread, the truth of the matter is that benzo withdrawals, be it post acute withdrawal syndrome or by any other acronym, can last months and months. Overwhelming evidence and testimonials support that to the point that it's a fruitless effort to say otherwise or point to other causations and treat as if you have underlying issues many times. The global statement I would make regarding something like PAW Syndrome is; If you are worse than BEFORE you ever were prescribed any benzodiazepines for any lengthy time periods, it's almost guaranteed that it's withdrawal from them. It WILL end. Many have had them for months after and some even for close to a year. Science IS catching up to this but the bureaucrats and lobbyists in the pharmaceutical industries who's sales could be effected by this realization push just as hard as the tobacco industries did in keeping a tight lid on this FACT. I am not a physician so take this as you please but I would be very weary of treating what are signs  or are more than likely post acute withdrawal syndrome with other drugs. The symptoms you describe are EXACTLY what I and many many (thousands of others) went through. Again, some people who've been on say...Klonpin at doses even higher than 6mgs/day and longer than 2-3 years have only had withdrawal symptoms for maybe a month while others experience them for 6-9, even a year long. The MOST important thing to remember is that they most likely ARE NOT other problems on their own but rather directly a result from your long intake of benzodiazepines. Sorry, I digress. THE most important thing to remember is that they WILL go away. It may take a year, or it may only be a month but they will subside and you'll slowly get your life back.
Remember, you were on a drug that completely filled your gaba receptors and forced your brain to re-map itself completely. Up to 75% of your body's functions are the equivalent of being stripped naked on the fast lane of the freeway once you cease to take them any longer, even despite a long and smooth tape. Your brain has to re-set all the synapses it stopped sending for the amount of time you took benzo's. It is sometimes a wonder to me in the opposite direction in the sense of: Why would someone believe that their brain and gaba receptors SHOULD be back to all their regulatory functions inside any less time than you spent WITHOUT them? Just because Opiates do? Just because Alcohol symptoms can subside in a shorter time?  That's totally illogical syllogism as a solid metaphor in my opinion. One canNOT gauge the length of Benzo Withdrawals by the time ON Benzo's. It is different as their are different fingerprints on humans as the brain and gaba receptors are not like rocket science because  they're like neuro-science, or just AS involved. Give yourself all the time you need because you have no other choice unless you don't figure out that this is a long hike and end up back on them. Run, don't walk away from any physician who tells you that you NEED to be on these as part of the rest of your life for anxieties because although it seems worse than before you started them, they WILL eventually CEASE to EXIST and you'll get your life back.

[Max1973Max]

I think the Neurontin/Clonodine combo might be working. I am at work and a bit less twitchy then usual. Was concerned taking the patch as I am weary about it really administering .1mg a day, but I guess I will role with it.

I do feel a little woozy but I would rather that then twitchy and jumpy.

[Max1973Max]

Hi Rodbird. Sending you a PM. What are Benson Related Issues? Is it a disease? (Meaning Benson)

[Rodbird]

Medhelp wont let me give you thewebsite feel free to pm.

[Rodbird]

************

[Rodbird]

A good website I might recommend is ************.com cant hurt you. It has helped me. Its folks like yourself all dealing with Benzo related issues. Best of luck and God Bless you.

[Rodbird]

A ggod website I might recommend is www.************.or cant hurt you. It has help me. Its folks like yourself all dealing with Benson related issues. Best of luck and God Bless you.

[LeaAnn807]

Yes, the caffeine isn't helping the anxious feeling nor the twitching!!  All will settle down when YOU settle a little!  Maybe after you go back to work you'll calm a little! : )

[Max1973Max]

Hey LeaAnn,

Thank you so much for your encouragement. Yeah i guess I am impatient and just want to feel "normal" again. Hard to see couples out for a nice quiet night an everyone looks so...calm. LOL But I hope to get there. I am glad to hear it may take a few days for the clonidine to start to kick in. I generally feel a little woozy here and there. But a little less anxious and twitchy today. I know a lot is in my head as I keep thinking about going back to work Monday and terrified I am going to tweak out again. But the more I think that, the more it will happen!

When i first got off of Klonpin I was given about 1200 mg of Neurontin. I am pretty sure it had some effect. lol I have been through so much it is hard to remember what worked as I feel like none of them have.

I need to lay off that caffeine. Last night I had a decaf iced coffee, but usually I was drinking like a pot (10 cups) a day of iced coffee I would make in the morning. I need to stop that.

Thanks again!

[LeaAnn807]

Hi there!  The clonidine patch takes a bit longer to work than a pill.  A couple of days minimum for the best results, at least for me.  The neurontin should help all of the things you listed as far as neurological symptoms, I'd think.  If you aren't better somewhat by Monday, I'd call the doctor and ask about raising the dose.  900 mg a day is quite a bit to start off on, so just be careful of sedation.  Especially with the patch added to it!

The panic may be benzo withdrawal, but the rest doesn't sound like anything that I had a long time ago when I detoxed from them, and I was on an incredibly high dose per day!!!  ( could have killed an elephant!)  

Stay home and rest for a couple of days until the meds kick in!  No more coffee house.  The caffeine may be worsening it too!

Best of luck to you!  I hope you are better very soon!  And a big congrats on your clean time!! : )

[Max1973Max]

Hy Bkitty. Thanks so much for reading my story and commenting.

Ugh I don't know. Maybe I really do have some Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I am still upset about last night. I was feeling fine and in my mind, all the people and stimuli at the coffee house last night was setting off my tic's and made me so twitchy. :(

I have the week long Clonidine (.1mg per day on a one patch per week does) which I started today. My doc's did say to give it a little time to work. I had my BP taken the first two days on it and my BP did not come down much at all, so that is why I am hoping it does take some time to start it s effects. I read some other forums too after I posted this that it has been a huge relief for many people....but I think it was mainly with people coming off Opiates.

It has been a rough road off the Benzo's. I am sure countless people can agree they are the worst thing to get hooked on. I think worse because I never got "high" off them. Just took Klonopin to feel "Normal".

Maybe I need to learn some breathing techniques to come myself down or something.

Thanks again and hope I start to feel normal!!

[Bkitty]

Hi there! Do you have a history of any kind of generalized anxiety disorder? That can also cause you to have tics/spasms. Congrats on being 6 months benzo free!! The nuerontin and clonidine should work pretty fast. I dont believe you have to wait a few weeks for the levels to build up ( I could be wrong). It sounds to me that you have a anxiety disorder and there are medications that can help treat this that are not benzo's. Im sorry that you are going thru all this. Hoping that you feel better soon and again, congrats on 6months benzo free! Sending support and ((hugs))~Bkitty