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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by joe schmoe on March 26, 2013, at 16:20:33
In reply to Re: Five days since my last klonopin (after 12 years), posted by Phillipa on March 25, 2013, at 18:18:02
Gonna go without my evening beers tonight and see how it affects sleep.
I happen to like strong beers so I usually have two Unibroues which are about 9% alcohol each. So they count as about 3.5 drinks for the two of them, going by standard measurements.
Seems to me I slept better in the past when I went without them. I do love the taste though, and the relaxation doesn't hurt either.
Posted by sigismund on March 27, 2013, at 0:50:41
In reply to Re: booze and insomnia, posted by joe schmoe on March 26, 2013, at 16:20:33
I sleep better without alcohol but when I get to 5pm sometimes I do not care.
Posted by joe schmoe on March 27, 2013, at 6:42:06
In reply to Re: booze and insomnia, posted by joe schmoe on March 26, 2013, at 16:20:33
> Gonna go without my evening beers tonight and see how it affects sleep.
Well I kept waking up anyway.I am going to stay off it for awhile and see how it affects things.
Posted by joe schmoe on March 28, 2013, at 6:42:34
In reply to Re: booze and insomnia, posted by joe schmoe on March 27, 2013, at 6:42:06
Didn't have a beer last night again.
Well, I woke up once last night. I felt hot, so I turned down the heat and went back to sleep. Didn't wake up again.
I remember reading that one of the causes of insomnia is the room being too hot, since the body likes to lower its core temperature during sleep. I will try turning down the heat tonight before going to bed - it's been pretty cold out lately which has made the heat run a lot, which ends up heating up my bedroom more than the rest of the place.
Posted by Phillipa on March 28, 2013, at 20:15:28
In reply to Re: booze and insomnia, posted by joe schmoe on March 28, 2013, at 6:42:34
I always sleep better in cool room. Sounds like it's going better? Phillipa
Posted by joe schmoe on March 28, 2013, at 20:17:51
In reply to Re: booze and insomnia » joe schmoe, posted by Phillipa on March 28, 2013, at 20:15:28
> I always sleep better in cool room. Sounds like it's going better? Phillipa
I just had a "hot flash" despite not having had a drink since Monday. Very odd.
I will try turning down the temp tonight and see how I sleep. No booze + melatonin + cool room = hopefully good sleep.
Posted by joe schmoe on March 29, 2013, at 6:48:02
In reply to Re: booze and insomnia » Phillipa, posted by joe schmoe on March 28, 2013, at 20:17:51
Well I woke up a couple of times last night but was able to get back to sleep quickly.
I have a feeling I am just going to have to deal with this for awhile.
Posted by Scars R. Stories on March 30, 2013, at 13:27:23
In reply to 10+ years of Klonopin, poop out, tapering?, posted by joe schmoe on December 8, 2012, at 14:26:40
I would "chip" it or bite chips off it when you need it, if I were you. I've been on and off Klonopin over the past 10 years, too. I'm on 8 mg now, though I often forget to take that many. When I was off it completely, I admit, I did NOT feel like myself and social interaction was INCREDIBLY painful, I felt like people were looking at me like I had toilet paper stuck to my hair or something :p ....
***I have read in a scholarly paper that for every year you take a benzo, it will take one month approx. more to "feel normal again"***
I don't know or care... I take them when I need them. Do try chipping though, and know that even small, small amounts of medication affect us. I chip Xanax sometimes and it works really well!
Posted by joe schmoe on March 30, 2013, at 13:38:52
In reply to Re: 10+ years of Klonopin, poop out, tapering?, posted by Scars R. Stories on March 30, 2013, at 13:27:23
> I would "chip" it or bite chips off it when you need it, if I were you. I've been on and off Klonopin over the past 10 years, too. I'm on 8 mg now, though I often forget to take that many. When I was off it completely, I admit, I did NOT feel like myself and social interaction was INCREDIBLY painful, I felt like people were looking at me like I had toilet paper stuck to my hair or something :p ....
>
> ***I have read in a scholarly paper that for every year you take a benzo, it will take one month approx. more to "feel normal again"***
>
> I don't know or care... I take them when I need them. Do try chipping though, and know that even small, small amounts of medication affect us. I chip Xanax sometimes and it works really well!
Interesting. I actually feel really good today.My concern with taking small amounts of it would be that it would trigger some kind of withdrawal symptoms, which I have read in one or two places, but I am not convinced that it is accurate.
Posted by joe schmoe on March 30, 2013, at 15:28:39
In reply to Re: Klon withdrawal and insomnia, posted by joe schmoe on March 29, 2013, at 6:48:02
Has anyone ever had their sense of taste impaired during klonopin taper/withdrawal? I haven't been able to taste much lately except salt and other really strong flavors like sour. Ordinary spices taste bland. I even had to salt some spicy Indian food to taste it.
Posted by Phillipa on March 30, 2013, at 20:27:20
In reply to Re: Klon withdrawal and sense of taste, posted by joe schmoe on March 30, 2013, at 15:28:39
Joe what??? I lost my sense of smell & taste 9 years ago. I taste nothing now. But not from klonopin withdrawal. Taste & Smell Clinics say a virus attacked the neurons in nose. Where the infection control doc who treated me chronic lymes disease with biaxin xl says the biaxin did it. Put see if you can restore it as it's so horrible. No appetite why eat with no taste? Phillipa
Posted by joe schmoe on March 30, 2013, at 20:41:20
In reply to Re: Klon withdrawal and sense of taste » joe schmoe, posted by Phillipa on March 30, 2013, at 20:27:20
> Joe what??? I lost my sense of smell & taste 9 years ago. I taste nothing now. But not from klonopin withdrawal. Taste & Smell Clinics say a virus attacked the neurons in nose. Where the infection control doc who treated me chronic lymes disease with biaxin xl says the biaxin did it. Put see if you can restore it as it's so horrible. No appetite why eat with no taste? Phillipa
I have had a lot of problems with sense of taste in the last few years. I posted about it before, in fact I looked it up and SSRI's increase the sense of "bitterness" for taste, so beers (hops) taste extremely bitter to me sometimes, other times not, which is very confusing.I am used to my sense of taste being messed up, lately I can taste some things (like salt, sour, sweet etc.) but not others (like oregano and thyme) which makes me salt all my food all the time.
Posted by Phillipa on March 30, 2013, at 21:07:09
In reply to Re: Klon withdrawal and sense of taste » Phillipa, posted by joe schmoe on March 30, 2013, at 20:41:20
Well this is a stange side effect of SRRI's? Post a Thread about this. How strange? Phillipa
Posted by joe schmoe on March 31, 2013, at 8:26:10
In reply to Re: Klon withdrawal and sense of taste » joe schmoe, posted by Phillipa on March 30, 2013, at 21:07:09
> Well this is a stange side effect of SRRI's? Post a Thread about this.
I did.
Posted by Phillipa on March 31, 2013, at 17:55:24
In reply to Re: Klon withdrawal and sense of taste » Phillipa, posted by joe schmoe on March 31, 2013, at 8:26:10
Wow two years ago? Phillipa
Posted by gadchik on April 3, 2013, at 16:10:50
In reply to Re: Klon withdrawal and sense of taste » Phillipa, posted by joe schmoe on March 31, 2013, at 8:26:10
When you began your taper of klonopin, did you reduce same amt. everyday, or reduce say twice a week,etc? I think you reduced by 1/8 of the pill?
Posted by joe schmoe on April 3, 2013, at 16:44:37
In reply to How are you doing, and...? » joe schmoe, posted by gadchik on April 3, 2013, at 16:10:50
> When you began your taper of klonopin, did you reduce same amt. everyday, or reduce say twice a week,etc? I think you reduced by 1/8 of the pill?
Doing pretty well. I have gained some weight from overeating, not sure why I am doing that, a combination of hunger plus my sense of taste has been very dulled lately which makes me eat more food trying to get some sensation of flavor. Not sure if the sense of taste thing has anything to do with the klonopin withdrawal or not. I am taking zinc in case it is due to zinc deficiency.
As far as my tapering schedule, I unofficially began it at some point in fall 2012. By that I mean I often taper up or down as circumstances dictate - if I am not feeling stressed I tend to take 1.5 mg a day, if I am under stress I go up to 2 till things get better. So at some point this fall I tapered down to 1.5, which I have often done in the past, and I don't remember when I did it. I just drop from 1 mg AM/1 mg PM to 0.5 mg AM/1 mg PM in one go. I have never noticed any withdrawal symptoms from doing this.
Then in December I began my taper: (AM/PM in mg)
Baseline .5/1.0
Dec. 8 .5/.75
Dec. 23 .5/.5
Jan. 9 .5/.25
Jan. 23 .25/.25
Feb. 6 .25/.125
Feb. 16 .125/.125
Feb. 28 .125/0
Mar. 12 0/0
Apr. 3 Today :)
Posted by gadchik on April 3, 2013, at 17:03:31
In reply to Re: How are you doing, and...? » gadchik, posted by joe schmoe on April 3, 2013, at 16:44:37
Thanks,Joe. I really want to get on with this. I know I have said how much this drug helps me, but there are many things below the surface that keep pushing up for air. Things that need addressed w/o a benzo. Its important to me,and I hope to succeed as you have.
Posted by joe schmoe on April 4, 2013, at 7:03:26
In reply to Re: Klon withdrawal and sense of taste » joe schmoe, posted by Phillipa on March 31, 2013, at 17:55:24
Phillipa did you ever investigate zinc deficiency as a cause of sense of taste/smell.
Lots of stuff on the net about it, here's one example
http://www.how-to-boost-your-immune-system.com/natural-remedy-for-loss-of-taste-and-smell.html
Posted by joe schmoe on April 4, 2013, at 18:53:18
In reply to Re: sense of taste » Phillipa, posted by joe schmoe on April 4, 2013, at 7:03:26
Just came across this interesting blurb:
"Zinc supports the pineal gland in the brain, which secretes melatonin, allowing for deeper and more restorative sleep to help insulin work well. Adequate zinc also helps fight sugar cravings."
Zinc also apparently is essential to sense of taste and smell.
Would be interesting if zinc deficiency explained my carb cravings, insomnia, and loss of sense of taste!
Posted by Phillipa on April 4, 2013, at 20:28:36
In reply to Re: sense of taste, insomnia, crab cravings, posted by joe schmoe on April 4, 2013, at 18:53:18
Wrote down the type suggested liquid and will see if can find it. I was told never taste again. 9 years is a long time. But will try and see. Thanks for posting this. Phillipa
Posted by joe schmoe on April 4, 2013, at 20:41:00
In reply to Re: sense of taste, insomnia, crab cravings » joe schmoe, posted by Phillipa on April 4, 2013, at 20:28:36
> Wrote down the type suggested liquid and will see if can find it. I was told never taste again. 9 years is a long time. But will try and see. Thanks for posting this. Phillipa
I ordered some from Amazon myself today, will have it Saturday. Kind I got was "Designs for Health - Zinc Challenge" 8 oz
Apparently it can take months, or even a year, of taking zinc tablets to correct a deficiency. I am taking two 50mg tablets a day at this point.
Posted by Phillipa on April 4, 2013, at 22:30:36
In reply to Re: sense of taste, insomnia, crab cravings » Phillipa, posted by joe schmoe on April 4, 2013, at 20:41:00
I took l 50mg of zinc tablets I have already in cabinet. Will either see if health food store has the liquid or order same as you. A year? I didn't see this? Phillipa
Posted by Phillipa on April 4, 2013, at 22:35:55
In reply to Re: sense of taste » Phillipa, posted by joe schmoe on April 4, 2013, at 7:03:26
Joe I saw New Chapters Organic Zinc Food with the Challenge & know Vitamin Shoppe sells this. I think I might skip the challenge as know what it will shows and get the New Chapters as take this brand as MVI? Phillipa
Posted by joe schmoe on April 4, 2013, at 22:47:32
In reply to Re: sense of taste » joe schmoe, posted by Phillipa on April 4, 2013, at 22:35:55
The main purpose of the liquid is to assess whether you are deficient or not. Not only initially, but every once in a while to see if you have sufficient zinc, so you don't take too much. People who have trouble absorbing zinc or whatever, take the liquid test once in a while to assess their zinc status. If your zinc levels are normal the liquid tastes horrible, otherwise, you can hardly taste it at all.
I have read a lot of different sources in the past couple of days.
One mentioning length of time to get back to normal zinc levels, if you are taking pills:
"How long will you have to take this supplement?
This is not an instant cure. If the zinc depletion is marginal then taking supplements for a few months may cause the symptoms to disappear. However severe zinc depletion may take a year or more before all symptoms go away."
http://www.diabetesexplained.com/zinc.html
Is this reliable? I don't know, but there seem to be a number of scientific studies regarding zinc deficiency and sense of smell/taste.
Fortunately zinc pills are cheap and easily available.
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]
Script revised: February 4, 2008
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