Anyone have experience with tapering or going cold turkey off of benzos?

[missj]

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[catherine73]

I was hooked on benzos back in the 80`s. I ate them like sweets because I believed the doctors when they said that they were`nt addictive. I managed to get off them with the help of a new gp in 1990, but it wasn`t easy or pleasant.

[jptk]

A rapid taper or quitting cold turkey is not a good idea the withdraw symptoms can be very severe. They even have the potential to cause seizures if you quit cold turkey. If your doc is not supporting you, go to another one. Tapering should be a slow process to minimize any withdrawal.

[icicledreamz]

Do not go cold turkey off benzos or a quit taper on your own. it can be very dangerous. As JKL said. I have my own story with benzos, ive been taking them for about 4 years, about a year and a half ago i began taking ativan daily, and i was on the highest dose 2mg. as time went on i became addicted, mentally and physically. I would go through a precription of 30 pills in maybe 9 days..i would find myself trying to trick doctors into prescribing more(ie- telling them i lost the pills)..or trying to find them through someone, and buying them off the street. i could not go without, the withdrawls were horrible. Now i finally talked to my doctor, told her the situation and how i was addicted to ativan, and didnt want to be on it anymore, but didnt think i could be without something to calm me down. She prescribed me clonazepam instead, which is what i see you are on, I'm precribed to take 1 mg twice a day, but i do not take that much. The advice im going to give u is the same im going to be using myself. These drugs are a crutch, they only take away symptoms, do not solve problems. You need to seek therapy. In my own opinion the benzos have made the panic attacks much worse. i cant remember before taking them, them being as bad as if i get one now. It'll take time, but it can be done. I am trying to do the same thing, its hard, and yes i have had horrible panic attacks. You need to taper slowly, if u have setbacks, don't let it get you down. stay strong. im going through the same thing right now!. Also, Clonazepam is different to taper from because it has such a long half life then any other benzo.

[missj]

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