46 minutes ago, Need to End said:

@Gaucho is it normal to be a little panicky the first day?

Not sure if you're asking because you are planning to do a trial Klonopin reduction or if you've made a reduction already. Feeling panicky can occur, so it's within "normal" as what can be expected. But you have Prozac in the mix along with daily fluctuations in how you feel due to sleep, diet, thoughts, and other factors so it may take a little time to sort out and see if there's any pattern.

Pls keep us updated on plans or decisions you make for adjusting either med.

Can I try not giving both down at the same time?

2 hours ago, Need to End said:

Can I try not giving both down at the same time?

Do you mean both Prozac and Klonopin? One at a time is usually best. Doing both at the same time could make it harder to figure out what is causing what and be harder on your system.

@Gaucho that should have read can I try to go down a little on both ?

Ok I just feel like these drugs are really messing my life up

5 minutes ago, Need to End said:

Ok I just feel like these drugs are really messing my life up

I'm sorry. I get it. Unfortunately, we have to be gradual with changes. You've made a lot of progress tapering your Prozac, even if it may not feel like it yet.

Ty. I appreciate you so much. I dropped Prozac to 1.8 today.

6 hours ago, Need to End said:

Ty. I appreciate you so much. I dropped Prozac to 1.8 today.

N2E I think you have had some really sound advice from @Gaucho . You can taper two drugs at once if you are careful but you have no way of knowing which has caused what!? If you want to reduce your Benzo, holding the Prozac is what I would do. You could focus on the Benzo for a while and keep the Prozac steady. If you are experiencing Tolerance or side effects from the drug, it would be good to get that dose lower, just need to careful and not do big cuts and rush down.

Ok I’m just really frightened and on edge constantly it’s ridiculous. I am at 1.8 now.

Thought this might be a great video for people going through this. It’s only 26 seconds

If it only took us that long to recover!

Saw some IG reel talking about how done guy is behind because of the things he hasn’t accomplished at 43. Spiral inducing as I’m 47 and feel like I’ve got a lot to rebuild and had it all in my 30’s and early 40’s.

4 hours ago, Need to End said:

Saw some IG reel talking about how done guy is behind because of the things he hasn’t accomplished at 43. Spiral inducing as I’m 47 and feel like I’ve got a lot to rebuild and had it all in my 30’s and early 40’s.

Sorry N2E, remember to not think along these lines, one day at a time, having these kinds of thoughts doesn't serve you. Just focus on you and stay off IG perhaps!

How do we know that getting off these meds isnt making things worse?

16 minutes ago, Need to End said:

How do we know that getting off these meds isnt making things worse?

Here’s what’s going on. You are catastrophizing every thought that comes into your mind. @Chippy , @Gaucho , I and others have given you useful advice on using coping strategies and more importantly, avoiding actively searching for more reasons to be fearful. Try to work on not thinking of new reasons to worry about things that haven’t happened yet and most likely won’t. People come off meds and recover from WD. That’s a fact.

Edited June 13Jun 13 by mstimc60

I used to get these thoughts not long ago. If we Imagine ourselves back before we started taking meds, genuinely asking ourselves “what if starting these meds is a mistake” we would’ve never taken these drugs. It was a leap into unknown. Based on the information I’ve gathered from others and my own experience I can tell that once the nervous system has been destabilised, no drug is going to put it back together. So our only choice is to make a leap again.

I know it’s not at all comforting but what choice do we have.

Thoughts like this are just another way anxiety tries to control you. It sows doubt about your ability to recover and wants to keep you trapped in indecision so you’re locked in a fear loop. Don’t give it that power.

Ty guys. I know I had none of this type of anxiety or depression or fear before my fast taper and it’s all just lasted since then even now at 1.78mg. It’s eaten at me for 2+ years constantly making the 2 years very difficult. Rarely if ever a calm moment or one where I feel “safe” or like I have a future when before it was the opposite - I had anxiety but nothing at all like this. I guess I hoped it would have eased by now somewhat. I guess it’s also the worst combo to go through a divorce and lose a lot of money and have my industry be under enormous pressure the entire time and have to close my business all during this so I get worried it’s those things pushing me down. I would like to think my previous self would have plowed through those challenges - I always did but never faced these exact challenges so who the hell knows.

It is a lot to take at the same time. Life throws unpleasant surprises at us all the time, and it doesn’t care if you’re going through withdrawal. The best we can do is take one thing at a time as it comes up. Try not to dwell on future struggles that may or may not happen. Deal with today. And as Chippy said, try to step out of the loop of dwelling on the past and worrying about the future. Now is all that matters because it’s all that’s real. And you have a safe place here.

Ty. I’m down to 1.77mg and .875mg. Just at the house today so far by myself.

Admire your bravery

Ty :). Bravery or blind ambition. Not sure which just don’t feel right staying on this med.

Hi @Need to End I'm replying to your messages here so other experienced members can add their wisdom. You used the term "paralyzed" and that's the perfect analogy. Anxiety has you trapped so you feel you can't do anything--there are no good options. But that's how anxiety maintains its control, as I said on the Symptoms Forum.

That paralyzed feeling is what is taking any meaningless or minor remark or event and blowing it completely out of proportion. Its magnifying everything and turning it into a catastrophe.

My suggestion for beginning to break the loop is to go into the Recovery Forum and find one or two things you can do--just simple, easy things at first. Then take the word "but" out of your vocabulary. Don't tell yourself "I want to recover but I'm scared". Instead, say "I'm going to recover and I know It will be difficult. I'm ready". Don't let the negative looping maintain control. You can recover!

Edited June 18Jun 18 by mstimc60

Ty for this. The metaphor makes sense. I’ll keep trying - I also think getting this out of my system is important because it’s ramped me up from the beginning. I’m at 1.68 now.

I don’t know how hard it was for you guys to just “let go” but I totally understand it’s important in this.

Edited June 21Jun 21 by Need to End

9 minutes ago, Need to End said:

Ty for this. The metaphor makes sense. I’ll keep trying - I also think getting this out of my system is important because it’s ramped me up from the beginning.

Venting can be very therapeutic, and this is the place to do it!