Hey Guys,

I'm currently on Klonopin daily ... 0.5mg in the afternoon and 1.25 at bedtime. I may need to wean off it to have some testing done...my cortisol levels are being investigated and the Klonopin may potentially have an effect on them so the doctors are thinking about taking me off it. 

It would only be temporary to get the tests done but I still think it would be hard because even at that low dose I think it's doing something for my anxiety.

Anyways, I'd like to wean off as fast as possible and would love some advice.  I've skipped the afternoon dose before without any problems but I imagine the evening dose might give me more difficulty.

Thanks,
Kelly

I had no s/e when I had to stop them for about a week.  But we all know everyonr is different.  Why are you taking 1.25mg at night?  for sleep?

Yes the 1.25mg is at night for sleep...but to be honest doesn't help me sleep.  And then I take 0.5mg around 7-8pm as well (my sleep schedule is screwed up ... bedtime is 3 or 4 am)

I think it depends on your body.  I stopped klonoping cold turkey (2mg a day bidaily) without any noticeable ill effects.  I'm not on 2mg three times a day.  It seems klonoping only works for me for 6 hours max.  You shouldn't have a problem, just keep dropping your dose every few days.  Why are you continuing to take it at bed time if it doesn't help you sleep?  Maybe you can find something better.

Tom

I'm only continuing to take it right now as I haven't been offered anything better and my doctors think that even though it's not putting me to sleep, it may still be helping to some extent (i.e. I might be way worse without it).  So, until they figure out more what's wrong with me (they're starting to examine hormones - estrogen and cortisol) I don't think they want to change the meds.

my pdoc worries about quitting klonopin cold turkey.  she said it can sometimes cause seizures because it's an anticonvulsant.  when i said i had been using it as rx'ed, .5 mg 2x/day, and then didn't feel so stressed so i quit, she asked how long since i'd taken it (2 days) and asked me to take half a pill that day, skip a day, and take half a pill the next day.  maybe you should call your pdoc or whoever rx'ed it and see if they think you need to taper off slowly or what. 

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/  Read that.  Probably won't be using dizazepam to taper as most US docs don't like it and if you're wanting to go quickly, I would suggest cutting out .25 mg for a week, mostly at bed, until your morning and bed doses are equalized and then do the remaining .25 mg, which would take you almost two months.  You could try .5 mg a week, but I wouldn't recommend, particularly if there's even a small seizure risk (such as Wellbutrin). Hope I've helped. 

OK,

  I had to go off cold turkey and just about jumped out of my skin. It was awful. You need to get your p-doc to help you with this if it is temporary. I will never do that again. So I am the one who is different.

  This is a very strong benzo. You are taking the same amount I am. I also take Nuerontin at night for sleep. The two seem to do the trick.

  You might ask about Ativan for the inter rim. I have some of those for emergencies and they work pretty well. They are not as strong and don't last as long, but they might help while you are off of Klonopin.
 
  People's experiences may have to do with the length of time they have been taking Klonopin. I have been on it for several years.

Breeze

Kelly,

Why are you taking k to begin with?  Maybe put the .5mg and 1.25mg together at bedtime.  I would suspect that you odc could rx something that actually works for you.  No reason to put a benzo in your system just for sleep.  Now if you're taking it for anxiety thats one thing.

Hi Bianca,

I'm taking it primarily from anxiety...which is why I take it mid-day as well.  I'd love to put the two doses together at night to see if it makes a difference and still have my mid-day dose but the doctors refuse to up my dose right now.  They *think* my sleep problems are stemming from anxiety so that's where the benzos are coming from.  However, they are starting to think there may be another problem so maybe in a little while I will have something more effective.  Right now the only other thing my pdoc has suggested is Seroquel...and because there is a chance my anxiety is physiologically based, I don't want to take such a heavy-hitter with the potential for so many side effects yet.

I've started to lower my klonopin b/c I always forget to take it mid-day... Why not try taking it at night and when you wake up?  Have you messed around with your daily dose at all?

Klonopin is not a sleep med. Something else might be in order. As well as a more regulated sleep schedule. We are meant to be awake when it's light and sleep when it's dark. It's hardwired in our biology. Screwing around with that (for whatever reason) causes all sorts of problems, including anxiety.

Are you in therapy for your anxiety? If not, you should be. Meds alone won't fix it.

Good luck

Croix
(edited for content)