Q: i m facing brain zap after quiting revotril .5 after using it for 6 moths and quit it by tappering off 1/2 and 1/4 th for 2 weeks..now i cant talk to much and i cant plan, icant think.i m not getn en
The majority of benzodiazepine users (those of us who take retrovil/clonazepam, ativan, xanax, etc) need smaller dose reductions and longer periods at each dosage step to minimize side effects.
Knowing how benzodiazepines work may be helpful in understanding why a slow, long tapering process is important.
Put simply, benzodiazepines act like a 'volume control' on the CNS (central nervous system). More benzodiazepine puts more of a neurotransmitter called GABA at our nerve endings, which results in lowering the CNS 'volume'. Turning down CNS 'volume' means the strength and speed of almost all signals flowing thru the CNS are lowered. These signals include those that control thoughts, muscle contractions, and recognition of sensations.
When we take benzodiazepines, our thoughts, muscle contractions, and recognition of sensations are reduced. This often gives relief from anxiety symptoms because our brains receive fewer thoughts about worries and annoying body sensations.
Side effects: It may also reduce our ability to retain new memories, which can be frustrating. (It is for me.) They may also make us sleepy. (I rarely experienced this side effect after the first two weeks.)
So, as one reduces the dose of a benzodiazepine, the level of thoughts, muscle contractions, and sensations increase because there is less benzodiazepine-induced GABA. If we turn the 'volume control' up too quickly, we become overstimulated and anxious by the sudden rush of signals. This rush of signals can also induce what is commonly called 'brain zaps'.
The slower we reduce the dose, the less likely we'll experience significant side effects (brain zaps, overwhelming thoughts and sensations that rob us of the ability to focus/concentrate).
The longer we stay at each lower dosage step allows our bodies to begin generating its own natural GABA which replaces the artificially-increased GABA created by our consumption of benzodiazepines.
While your dose reduction steps sound reasonable, perhaps you should have stayed at each step longer than 2 weeks. Your body may not have had enough time to adjust its natural GABA levels to compensate.
In cases where I've been in the same situation, I went back to the previous dose step and stayed on it for as long as a month.
FYI, I speak from 15 years experience as a person being prescribed various benzodiazepines to treat panic disorder. Since my condition has become treatment-resistant, I have been taking clonazepam at varying doses every day since 2008.
Rarely experienced more anxiety upon waking, and never felt depressed while taking clonazepam or any other benzo. You and I may be different in that I am not diagnosed with depression. Also, one side effect of taking benzos by those with depression is a possible increase in depression.
Xanax, however, was like a bad rollercoaster ride when it came to controlling anxiety symptoms. Xanax, in general, is very unforgiving if one doesn't take the next dose on time since it rapidly wears off. Worse yet, it appears I metabolized xanax a little faster than most folks so I had to stay up a little later to take my last dose of the day to reduce morning symptoms. This cut down on restorative sleep. I don't have that issue on clonazepam.
Side note: Even though benzos successfully reduce CNS signal flow enough to quiet one's mind for falling asleep, they also alter sleep cycle timing. This side effect is well documented and is why experienced docs won't prescribe them as a long term sleep aid. Even clonazepam occasionally messes with my ability to stay asleep.
I agree with you that everyone is going to react differently to the various medications. I don't use the Clonazepam every night and that seems to help with decreasing the side effects. I do take Xanax but only sparingly for airplane rides (I am phobic) and it works very effectively for me.
Thanks for your comments. They are very helpful.
now i dont want to go back again to that antidepressent...coz i can sleep at ni8 for 7/8 hours....and i have already passed 1 and half month and passed a lot of symptoms....my anxiety as well as my headache has vanished...i could not sleep but i can now...i cant talk but i can now a little bit... i am just facing brain zap 9am t0 4 pm and when i talk too much or when i go under sunlight....
u just tell me whether that symptoms will go or not if i wait for a month...should i take any medicine for that withdrawal problem or will those problem vanished without medication....?
First, retrovil is not an antidepressant. It is an anxiety-reducing drug with mild sedative properties.
Second, the 'brain zaps' are likely because your taper process was not long enough.
Third, most people's natural GABA level will eventually increase, substituting for the loss of GABA as the retrovil was reduced. The natural GABA increase will reduce/eliminate the withdrawal symptoms. The amount of time until withdrawal symptoms are eliminated is unpredictable because each person's ability to adjust to the reduction of retrovil is different. Some people adjust faster than others. There are so many variables that affect withdrawal timing.
And finally, I can't think of a medicine (other than a very low dose of retrovil) that will help relieve the brain zaps. If retrovil is not desired, I can only suggest you avoid things you described that trigger brain zaps and other uncomfortable symptoms until they eventually pass.
owao...thanks for you reply....yes i took revotril for anxiety and negative thoughts...for this i cant sleep at night...but now i can sleep at night....and reduce a little bit of anxiety that means i can control it,but how time does it take to remove brain zap,and strength problem....
by the by this problem happened when some of ma friends give me cannabis with smoking and inject me something....i had no idea about that totally....i lost my body control as well as thinking control...now i give up smoking for 6 months and revotril 1.5 months ago....so should i wait more time to recover? coz i have to think about my career...i m only 26......
now what should i do to clear my brain zap and strength problem ? does it vanish automatically...? or need i something to do...? i have lost 8 months from my life...i dant want to take those medic again...coz i cant ruin my life.....plzzz just advice me what i will do for that problem...?
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Hi there
I am quite interested in your detailed answer. I am taking clonazepam for sleep now. But I have noticed that I feel more anxious and depressed upon awakening if I take it continuously. Have you ever had this experience?
Great reply here...please feel free to comment and/or post about your experiences. We would love to hear your story.