Coming off klonopin, very sick

[plc222]

Hello, I am new to this board.
I have been reading other posts for support, but what is happening to me now..I haven't found anywhere.

Fifteen years ago I was put on Klonopin for severe panic disorder.
When I first started on the meds, I was on 1mg three times a day.
Over the years I have managed to taper down to 1/2 mg once a day.
I was functioning fine on that dose.
Unfortunately, my doctor felt it was time to get off the klonopin completely, and refused to refill my prescription. Not having health ins. made it impossible to go to another doctor.

Once I knew I did not have any more meds coming, I tapered down to 1/4 a pill for a week, then to an 1/8.
Sixteen days ago I ran out of klonopin completely. A friend of mine gave me some .05 of ativan she had to help me through this.
The panic attacks that I thought were gone are now back in full force.
I have lost my job because of them and because of all the other physical symptoms. I am dizzy, nauseated, shaking..etc.
 Then 11 days ago, this happened..

 
Eleven days ago out of the blue, I started experiencing severe nausea followed quickly with vomiting and severe watery diarrhea. The next three days brought on a fever as high as 102.7. Along with the other symptoms.
By the fourth day the fever had broken and the vomiting had stopped.
What did not stop was the severe diarrhea. ( Going to the bathroom 10-15 times a day)
Now, starting again last night ( day 10 of this illness) the vomiting came back as well.

I am also extremely weak and dizzy. My legs feel as though they are made of rubber.
I also have a headache that at times feels as though something may burst.

Is this part of the withdrawal??
As stated above, I do not have any medical ins ( nor any money left at this point) So I do not want to go to ER if this is just part of the withdrawal.
I live alone and I am getting very scared.
Please...any advice?

[hope to be free]

I'm not a moderator but I think it is very much part of a cold turkey withdrawal...I have had a c/t myself 7 months ago, reinstated unsuccessfully and am trying to taper and am having similar symptoms as you right now and am homebound...have you had any seizures or vibrations or electric activity?  How long have you been off completely now?  I am so sorry you are going through this....Someone with more expertise can advise you but I would think if you can't hold fluids in and have that severe of diarrhea and vomitting you may need to go to ER to be hydrated. An ER doc might be able to resintate you depending on how long you ahve been off..one of the mods will help you more I'm sure with advice... Are you able to sleep or drink anything at all? can you hold ice chips down?  Love, Hope

[plc222]

Hi Hope,
Thank you for responding.
I have been completely off Klonopin for 16 days now. No, thankfully I have not had any seizures. But yes, I do feel like my whole body is vibrating. I have been drinking Gatorade to try to stay hydrated.
My urine output seems normal, so I think it's working.
This dizziness and weakness is like nothing I have ever experienced.
The nausea and diarrhea are a constant. The vomiting is intermittent.

[SUE]

Hello and Welcome!
Very glad after your reading for awhile you have decided to join us. What you are experiencing is reported by many and very typical withdrawal symptoms.
You always want to get things checked out and rule out anything serious. I understand your financial situation but going to the ER or Doctor can be very helpful. It will help you rule out anything else that might be going on. Once everything checks out normal you can chalk things more so up to withdrawal.
It sounds like you did a pretty fast taper which is closely considered a cold turkey and will result in symptoms such as you are experiencing.
It sounds like you came off in a 2 week period after years of long term use. This can be dangerous so you might want to keep in mind the risks of  a seizure.
With the symptoms you are experiencing you really want to make sure you keep yourself hydrated!
You will find much needed support here. Please feel free to ask any questions you might have.
Sue

[JimInMaryland]

  hi,
   I am not a moderator or doctor.  I can tell you that from personal experience, your friend helping you with Ativan
  has prob made your klonopin w/d s/x 100 x times worse.  Ativan is the worst of the lot.  If your weight is droping rapidly and you are climbing the walls.   please consider going to er and tell them straight out-  'I am having severe benzo with drawl'

  you need a different doctor, not one clueless enough to toss you into w/d and not help with a slower taper.

   hopefully, your body is not now an ativan problem.  it's 100 x worse and harder to get off of.

   i'm very sick but I wanted to tell you my experiences wiyh both dr's that have no clue, and ativan is MUCH worse.

    go to er if you have to. period.  they see it all the time.  the medical profession is screwed up and has no clue, especially at the gp level. klonopin better than ativan,  valium better than klonopin, for trying to reduce and stop.



  jim

[JimInMaryland]

pl,

  I had EXACTLY your problem several times with doctors playing with my meds.

   You got ahold of Ativan.  It is an entirely different creature.  You are not just c/t off klonopin.. you are c/t ing off ativan....it is
   an instant (within 6 hours) gastrointestional disaster.  You are dehydrated.  You MUST go to the emergency room and say " I am in
   severe withdrawl from ATIVAN and Klonopin. I believe I am severely dehydrated. Please Help get me stablized and refered to a free or
   goverment paid doctor for follow up"

    How much weight have you lost?  A LOT I bet.  I lost 20% in days.  Ativan is no joke, it is the WORST benzo.  You can not play
    around here.
    Your friend giving you ativan because 'it's also a benzo' has just made the problem many times worse. Please listen to the long timers
   on here....they know what they are talking about.   I also know about jumping between benzo's....ativan w/d is serious.

    You must forget about any money issues....GO TO THE ER.   You are DEHYDRATED.  You are in Ativan Withdrawl...not just 'benzo'
    w/d...   Ativan w/d (yes it's a benzo too...but it's designed to be much stronger....and the w/d is extremely serious to your body
   mass.  Go to the ER.  If you are too weak, call an ambulance....an ambulance will get you past the lines of people with lesser issues...
   This is NOT a money issue.  It is your LIFE.

    Remember to say Ativan.     It is not just a regular benzo issue now..   Your friend did not do you a favor.

    just do it. call emergency 911.  tell them you are very weak, dizzy etc.  when you get to ER in ambulance.  Tell them "ATIVAN" and
    "MASSIVE BODY FLUID LOSS" 

    jim

[JimInMaryland]

PL,
   
  Call an ambulance. NOW.  Tell me after you get stable how much the bill is. You are in a severe Ativan withdrawl, I have been there too
  and had last rights given.  I barely survived.  Just CALL.  $%^^  the money,  the health care system is broken, 80% of ambulance runs
  to ER don't have ins or money.

   you can not eliminate that much fluid for that many days and think gatorade is all that is needed.


   Call 911.  State you are very weak and dizzy.(that's all you say at first)  Get to ER via ambulance.(this gets you in fast) Once in ER.
    State ATIVAN and EXTREME DEHYDRATION.   They see it all the time.  You will be taken care of.

    jim

[RUNVS]

The ER can help you find a new doctor for a follow up.  County Hospitals have a lot of programs to help the poor.  I am try to save you from a lot of withdrawal pain. The worst of it can be avoided.  The choice is yours. The good thing is your 19 days out with no seizure as the days pass your seizure risk goes down if you choose to continue this cold turkey.  I strongly recommend you to go to the ER so you can get stable and proceed with a slow taper.

I can totally relate to your story. 

[lasseter334]

plc,

I sure hope you followed the advice above and went to the ER. If you didn't, I absolutely agree with these kind folks who are trying to convince you to do it.

It's not too late to reinstate, get stable, and do a proper (gradual taper). The longer you wait, assuming you survive the CT, the less attractive that option becomes. You have a window of opportunity to do this thing right, but it's not going to last forever. Plus, your symptoms are really dangerous and potentially life-threatening. I don't like to write scary stuff like this to someone who is already suffering, but it's the truth. You need to be in a hospital, based on how you have described your condition.

Benzos are very inexpensive. There is a doctor in your community somewhere who will prescribe what you need to do a gradual taper. There always is; it's only a matter of being honest and persistant until you find one. Hopefully, the ER doc will help you with that.

I am doing a gradual taper. It is not pleasant, but I can honestly say I am not suffering. I go to work; I have a family; I live life. That's because I started my taper from a position of stability, and have adjusted the taper rate as necessary to minimize symptoms. There is every chance that you could have the same experience, but you need to jump on in asap or nobody is going to be willing to reinstate you.

All the best,
-tom

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