How fast can you safely get off Klonopin?

[GreenGal]

I know this can be a really hard drug to get off of, but for unforeseen circumstances I need to get off it...and as fast as possible so that I can see how my body functions without it and possibly start getting my life back. I'm currently taking 0.25mg twice a day and 1.25mg at night, and I was thinking of going down by .25mg at a time but I don't know how fast I can do it safely. Can anyone advise?

Also, any advice on how to make the whole process easier would be much appreciated...I've been on one benzo or another for at least 5 years now...and the Klonopin for about two.

Thanks!

[melli]

I know this can be a really hard drug to get off of, but for unforeseen circumstances I need to get off it...and as fast as possible so that I can see how my body functions without it and possibly start getting my life back. I'm currently taking 0.25mg twice a day and 1.25mg at night, and I was thinking of going down by .25mg at a time but I don't know how fast I can do it safely. Can anyone advise?

Also, any advice on how to make the whole process easier would be much appreciated...I've been on one benzo or another for at least 5 years now...and the Klonopin for about two.

Thanks!

Go to this site - http://www.benzo.org.uk/

It has lots of info about withdrawing from Benzos. As with you, I am trying to withdraw right now. YMMV (your mileage may vary), but it appears it can take anywhere from 6-18mths to get off Benzos, given the length of time you have been on them. This is by tapering every so slowly. Lucky us, it one of the most addictive meds to be on. Again, you may be lucky and have limited withdrawal effects.

I started withdrawal 6 weeks ago (I was not very informed). I decided to try cold turkey (DO NOT DO THIS), but quickly went to taper method. Again, not very well informed, I took my daily dose and cut it in half (0.5mgx2 to 0.25mgx2). I was strong at the beginning, but now I am beginning to crack...not sure if I can stay the course. If I make it, my next taper will much smaller. The withdrawal effects are something else. Of course, I wish you the best and strongly advise you take it slowly. I am not an expert by any means....

[ally1966]

I was forced off Klonopin 3 mg. cold turkey by an inexperienced Dr. DO NOT DO THIS!!!!!!! I was in pure hell for a few days until a more experienced dr came on duty. Even then their taper was too quick. I wound up on Librium (a old style benzo) and tapered off it. I would say took at least eighteen months plus.

I also suggest benzo.org.uk. Could not have done it without them. The people have knowledge and they have the experince.

I had a manic episode 2 yrs ago and was inpatient. Once again I began Klonopin after a big battle of wills. I now take .5 2x a day. My dr has tried to up it but I always refuse. One day I will try to taper again.

I have to say that even with a slow taper, I often went slower than suggested. Every cut was hard for me about the third day. I often thought I was a junkie of the highest kind. Perhaps some of us are just more senstive to how benzos affect us.

Good Luck, Ally

[under-the-ink]

I know this can be a really hard drug to get off of, but for unforeseen circumstances I need to get off it...and as fast as possible so that I can see how my body functions without it and possibly start getting my life back. I'm currently taking 0.25mg twice a day and 1.25mg at night, and I was thinking of going down by .25mg at a time but I don't know how fast I can do it safely. Can anyone advise?

Also, any advice on how to make the whole process easier would be much appreciated...I've been on one benzo or another for at least 5 years now...and the Klonopin for about two.

Thanks!

Go to this site - [link=http://www.benzo.org.uk/"'>http://www.benzo.org.uk/" target="_blank]http://www.benzo.org.uk/[/link]

It has lots of info about withdrawing from Benzos. As with you, I am trying to withdraw right now. YMMV (your mileage may vary), but it appears it can take anywhere from 6-18mths to get off Benzos, given the length of time you have been on them. This is by tapering every so slowly. Lucky us, it one of the most addictive meds to be on. Again, you may be lucky and have limited withdrawal effects.

I started withdrawal 6 weeks ago (I was not very informed). I decided to try cold turkey (DO NOT DO THIS), but quickly went to taper method. Again, not very well informed, I took my daily dose and cut it in half (0.5mgx2 to 0.25mgx2). I was strong at the beginning, but now I am beginning to crack...not sure if I can stay the course. If I make it, my next taper will much smaller. The withdrawal effects are something else. Of course, I wish you the best and strongly advise you take it slowly. I am not an expert by any means....

that website is very helpful, thank you for sharing! I have been trying to wean off for almost 5 months, ran out and had no dr. to refill, and had THE WORST 9 days of my life (total insomnia, numbness, dizzy, crying non-stop) until I found an old stash of the meds and hopefully the new dr. I see June 5th will be able to help- it's just a general health care place for all low-income people in my town, i certainly am hoping for a miracle and get someone who knows about this stuff.

[Velvet Elvis]

It can contribute to depression, FWIW

[N&P]

I've seen patients withdrawn off short-acting benzos within a week or two and long-acting within 2-3 weeks. It wasn't overtly "unsafe" but I'm sure the patients would rather have taken it slower.

I hope the taper goes well.

[under-the-ink]

I experimented with this a bit. I wanted to see if it was the large dose of clonazepam that was causing me to feel depressed. I went down to 2mg/day from 6mg/day in about 2-3 weeks. I didn't experience any withdrawals. I didn't feel any better either, so I'm up to 4mg/day or 6 as needed. I do not recommend anyone to go down that fast. It was probably unsafe. But the stuff has little if any effect on me, so there.

-Tom

thanks for sharing. I was up to 5 mg at one point, and it did work at first, but for the last 2 years it doesn't do much except keeping away the withdrawal, so I'm going down from 2mg a day to 0.5mg a day and then 0.25 until I run out. I have no medical insurance now and the "free" clinic won't give out medications like this. One website said it can take 6-18 months and you should switch slowly to Valium instead but I want off all the medications. I did get GABA powder, Holy Basil, and 5HTP at the health food store which has helped with sleeping and helping me breathe and be more calm. There's a formula that has all three of those plus a couple more things (all these herbs or amino acids work on the serotonin and benzo. receptor sites which is why it is helping me with the withdrawal)- it's called "Theanine Serene" by Source Naturals. Just FYI for those who may read this and be interested in getting off the benzos. for good.

-Heather

[under-the-ink]

I've seen patients withdrawn off short-acting benzos within a week or two and long-acting within 2-3 weeks. It wasn't overtly "unsafe" but I'm sure the patients would rather have taken it slower.

I hope the taper goes well.

Thank you, it's good to hear that it may only take a few weeks not months like the website from the UK said. That was worrying me. It's also good to know that the depression I thought I had under control may just be a temporary symptom of withdrawal.

[N&P]

I've seen patients withdrawn off short-acting benzos within a week or two and long-acting within 2-3 weeks. It wasn't overtly "unsafe" but I'm sure the patients would rather have taken it slower.

I hope the taper goes well.

Thank you, it's good to hear that it may only take a few weeks not months like the website from the UK said. That was worrying me. It's also good to know that the depression I thought I had under control may just be a temporary symptom of withdrawal.

Just a thought..

If you have the option to taper slowly, I'd do it. The faster the taper, the worse the withdrawal. Experiencing really bad withdrawal may cause you to want to stop the taper completely.

Why not take a month or so?

[Guest Peter]

This is best done under the care of an ADDICTION PSYCHIATRIST! The proper way to taper Klonopin is by every week reducing the total daily dose by 0.125mg (an eighth of a milligram) , until you reach zero. For example a person taking 1mg of Klonopin per day, would need eight weeks to safely taper off. There is no fast way off it. In fact, overly quick withdrawal from Klonopin can cause a prolonged withdrawal syndrome, persisting for months!

[MarkP]

Ashton's advice is to taper as fast as possible, but let one's symptoms be the guide, and never go backwards.

Most of the charts and examples she gives on the websites are for doses of various benzodiazepines that are at the higher end of what is therapeutically recommended.

That's not to say that people don't experience withdrawal effects off of the lower-end of the range of benzodiazepine doses -- of which, <2mg of clonazepam daily can be... But its a much better situation than someone who is popping 2mg Xanax (alprazolam) bars 4-5X daily, and trying to kick that habit.

[Guest George S.]

I've been on Klonapin for over five years now . Of course the doctor who perscibed it

for sleep said it had no addiction ! . What an idiot , he's caused me and my family more

stress and frustration than you can imagine. Shortly after taking it " I didn't know" I was

diagnosed as having depression and went thru the gama of lets try this from the doctors.

I have lost six jobs in the last four years due to either being mentally not with it or that

I looked stoned from antidepressants . " my conclusions " . This drug sneaks up on you so slowly

that you don't realize whats happening to you untill someday you read enough info on it to scare

the hell out of you.

Here I sit , unemployed because of this drug and still have to take 1.5 mg daily to stay stable.

Doctors !! DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE PERSCRIBING THIS PRODUCT !!

Stay Away Klonapin !

[crtclms]

George S, here is a difference between building tolerance and and getting addicted. When it is abused, it is addictive. When it is used correctly, for medical purposes, and is not abused, you may need to raise the level from time to time. But may I point out, that is true of many, many, medications, both psychiatric and non-psychiatric.

It is very damaging to patients' treatment if they confuse addiction with tolerance. I am sorry you had a bad experience, but is it possible that the underlying condition that led to your being put on benzos might just possibly have contributed to your employment problems?

I have been on 2mg Xanax daily, with a 3rd mg available for emergencies. That may sound like a lot, but it is what I started with three years ago, and has not gone up. In fact, I started out on 3 mg to treat an acute mixed episode, and then dropped to 2mg daily.

Doing research on the internet is not the same as going to medical school. Don't be such a fear monger.

[Guest Jody Hoglund]

My son was hospitalizied and was put on Klonapin, he was then transferred to a half way house and they took him off his medications immediately saying they could not prescribe them to him. He went three days with out his medications and immediately begin to have side effects that were horrible. The half way house let him out on a pass on the third day, but that night first he did go to the hospital and was given a dose of Klonapin and w3as released from the hospital the next day, then the half way house let him out on a pass and he went to the top of an old building where he use to go and mediatate and a witness see him sit down and a few seconds later he just fell backwards and died he was only 28 years old does anybody out there have any advise for me. Please reply all I am lost on wahat to do.

[gizmo]

My son was hospitalizied and was put on Klonapin, he was then transferred to a half way house and they took him off his medications immediately saying they could not prescribe them to him. He went three days with out his medications and immediately begin to have side effects that were horrible. The half way house let him out on a pass on the third day, but that night first he did go to the hospital and was given a dose of Klonapin and w3as released from the hospital the next day, then the half way house let him out on a pass and he went to the top of an old building where he use to go and mediatate and a witness see him sit down and a few seconds later he just fell backwards and died he was only 28 years old does anybody out there have any advise for me. Please reply all I am lost on wahat to do.

First off, I'm extremely sorry for your loss. As the mother of two children, it is indescribable to me what you are going through right now.

If you feel the medication (or withdrawal thereof) might be to blame for your son's death, I suggest talking to the hospital your son was in and requesting a full copy of his medical records for his visits there. Also request any records for his stay in the halfway house. If you have trouble getting these records, you may need to employ a private detective or a lawyer, though you shouldn't need to.

However, please be prepared for what you get with those medical records. It may be difficult to read that your son was going through tribulations and experiences that you may not be able to understand why he was feeling.

Edited January 23, 2010 by gizmo

[Guest Jody.Hoglund]

My son was hospitalizied and was put on Klonapin, he was then transferred to a half way house and they took him off his medications immediately saying they could not prescribe them to him. He went three days with out his medications and immediately begin to have side effects that were horrible. The half way house let him out on a pass on the third day, but that night first he did go to the hospital and was given a dose of Klonapin and w3as released from the hospital the next day, then the half way house let him out on a pass and he went to the top of an old building where he use to go and mediatate and a witness see him sit down and a few seconds later he just fell backwards and died he was only 28 years old does anybody out there have any advise for me. Please reply all I am lost on wahat to do.

First off, I'm extremely sorry for your loss. As the mother of two children, it is indescribable to me what you are going through right now.

If you feel the medication (or withdrawal thereof) might be to blame for your son's death, I suggest talking to the hospital your son was in and requesting a full copy of his medical records for his visits there. Also request any records for his stay in the halfway house. If you have trouble getting these records, you may need to employ a private detective or a lawyer, though you shouldn't need to.

However, please be prepared for what you get with those medical records. It may be difficult to read that your son was going through tribulations and experiences that you may not be able to understand why he was feeling.

Gizzmo, Thanky-You for your advice though I aready contacted the hospital and di receive his medical records, but am having trtouble finding a lawyer to take the case. If you have any more suggestions I am willing to listen to any of them. Thank-You a Concerned and Worried Mother in despair!

Edited March 9, 2010 by null0trooper

[Guest VIV]

His experience is very normal. This medicine should be a banned substance as it has just about destroyed my life

George S., your experience is far from the norm. I would guess that it's more than Klonopin or other meds that's caused you to lose so many job.

[crtclms]

His experience is very normal. This medicine should be a banned substance as it has just about destroyed my life

George S., your experience is far from the norm. I would guess that it's more than Klonopin or other meds that's caused you to lose so many job.

First of all, no, it is not the norm. The implication that someone cannot hold a job when they are using benzos properly, under the supervision of a p-doc, is pure bullshit. I cannot put it more straightforwardly than that.

My husband uses benzos for seizures, and he is neither addicted, nor has it affected his job performance. Repeated seizures are more damaging to both his health and his work than taking 2mg of lorezapam prn.

I personally am more of a danger to myself when I am having a mixed episode, than the benzos I take to help pull me out of it, and continue to use to stabilize me. I am neither addicted (in fact, I have leftovers every month), nor has it affected my job performance. I know many, many people (my dad is a p-doc) who would not be able to hold a job *but for* benzos.

Secondly, it is fortunate you are not the arbiter of which medications are useful for mental illnesses (or any other type of illness), and which should be banned. If you have problems with benzos, that is your issue, not the general population's. Some medications would kill me, so I don't take them. Others are helpful to me, so I do take them. I am glad you are not an MD, because you are letting your ignorance about benzos shine through the fog of your faulty thought processes. Your "guess[es]" are merely that, and not supported by the literature.

Not to mention, why don't you rub salt into the poor woman who lost her son's wounds? Oh, that's right, you already did.

[Guest dh11tc]

This is a very hard drug to get off of. I tried to get off .5 x 3 a day and ended up in a psychiatric facility. I was extremely uncomforatable having chest pains and tremors and numbness and nasea. You will likely have to go into a detox center to get off them safely because I learned you could have a seizure going off them. Good luck and I hope the best.

[gizmo]

This is a very hard drug to get off of. I tried to get off .5 x 3 a day and ended up in a psychiatric facility. I was extremely uncomforatable having chest pains and tremors and numbness and nasea. You will likely have to go into a detox center to get off them safely because I learned you could have a seizure going off them. Good luck and I hope the best.

[/quote

yet another untrue "fact" posted by a guest. Proper tapering can be safely accomplished at home. Hell, even cold turkey unsafe tapering can be accomplished from home. It all depends on your desired level of uncomfortableness.

Seizures are a true, but uncommon, side effect of withdrawal.

Save the detox centers for those truly addicted to benzos, not just physically dependant.

[klingon001]

The only advice I can give is to taper in very small increments for at least as long as the Ashton (?) manual states. I stopped it abruptly, and I did this several times with varying unpleasant side effects, but not seizures. The last time I went off cold turkey, I got a grand mal seizure (and no, I do not have epilepsy - they tested for it at the hospital). Some people say that benzodiazepines are more dangerous to get off of than heroin - a registered nurse told that to me. I had no idea - I thought that insomnia for a few days was the worst side effect that I was going to have.

Just take it slow- very very slow. Allow yourself at least a year (or shorter or longer, depending on the dosage you are on).

I by no means am slamming benzos - they are great for anxiety if used properly and safely as prescribed.

[crtclms]

I once lost a whole brand new bottle of my Xanax. I had almost a month extra of pills accumulated, because I so rarely take the 3rd mg. I am allowed to take, but not quite enough. So for the last 5 days of the month, I had to do a fast titration to 0, before I could start back up again two days later. Yeah, I felt like crap. But it was survivable.

Since I knew beforehand what might be coming, I did make sure I had as little to do as possible during that week, though.

And we found the full bottle about two months later.

[j-ready to live my life]

i use 2 be on xanax 4 about ten years and i could not urinate well and i got myself down to 3 quarters of a .05 then i finally told my doc i wanted clonazapam which is no better as far as urination goes,ive got myself down to a half of a .05 of that but i still cant quit. i know your gonna say im stupid cuz i am but i drink at night and i dont think i couldve got of the med as well as i did unless i drank.my doc said he had never heard of the side effect of not bein able 2 pee from any benzos,but i looked it up.someone pls help!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[Guest yhflkhg]

This is best done under the care of an ADDICTION PSYCHIATRIST! The proper way to taper Klonopin is by every week reducing the total daily dose by 0.125mg (an eighth of a milligram) , until you reach zero. For example a person taking 1mg of Klonopin per day, would need eight weeks to safely taper off. There is no fast way off it. In fact, overly quick withdrawal from Klonopin can cause a prolonged withdrawal syndrome, persisting for months!

I take that dosage, and it's taking me 8 months to taper off.

1/8 for every month.

Edited October 29, 2010 by null0trooper

[Guest Guest_001]

This is best done under the care of an ADDICTION PSYCHIATRIST! The proper way to taper Klonopin is by every week reducing the total daily dose by 0.125mg (an eighth of a milligram) , until you reach zero. For example a person taking 1mg of Klonopin per day, would need eight weeks to safely taper off. There is no fast way off it. In fact, overly quick withdrawal from Klonopin can cause a prolonged withdrawal syndrome, persisting for months!

I think Klonopin's PI sheet says .125 mg every three days. Don't rely on what I say, but check the PI sheet and if possible talk to your doctor.

[Guest Gwen]

I have been on klonopin for 4 months and it is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I truly needed it to help me out. I feel wonderful (in a normal way) and have my life back. No side effects whatsoever. Take .5 at night and .25 morning. I am under the care of a wonderful, caring, knowledgeable doctor. We plan to do a very SLOW wean in about a month, even though my dose is quite low. I believe my wean will be uneventful and, after that, I may need to take one now and then, as needed. So there are some good stories out there. Just because some people have bad experiences (for many number of reasons), people like me should not be made to fear something that has helped me so much. I trusted my doctor and am glad I did.

[gizmo]

No one ever said benzos were bad or unhelpful. In fact, many of us couldn't function without them. But it is a basic fact that the more you take benzos, there increases the chance of withdrawal symptoms. And whether you've been on the drug two months or 20 years, the withdrawal is equally suck ass. Once again, this is not scare tactic, it is fact. That's why slow tapers are so crutial to avoid w/d effects.

[Guest Ferdy]

His experience is very normal. This medicine should be a banned substance as it has just about destroyed my life

George S., your experience is far from the norm. I would guess that it's more than Klonopin or other meds that's caused you to lose so many job.

First of all, no, it is not the norm. The implication that someone cannot hold a job when they are using benzos properly, under the supervision of a p-doc, is pure bullshit. I cannot put it more straightforwardly than that.

My husband uses benzos for seizures, and he is neither addicted, nor has it affected his job performance. Repeated seizures are more damaging to both his health and his work than taking 2mg of lorezapam prn.

I personally am more of a danger to myself when I am having a mixed episode, than the benzos I take to help pull me out of it, and continue to use to stabilize me. I am neither addicted (in fact, I have leftovers every month), nor has it affected my job performance. I know many, many people (my dad is a p-doc) who would not be able to hold a job *but for* benzos.

Secondly, it is fortunate you are not the arbiter of which medications are useful for mental illnesses (or any other type of illness), and which should be banned. If you have problems with benzos, that is your issue, not the general population's. Some medications would kill me, so I don't take them. Others are helpful to me, so I do take them. I am glad you are not an MD, because you are letting your ignorance about benzos shine through the fog of your faulty thought processes. Your "guess[es]" are merely that, and not supported by the literature.

Not to mention, why don't you rub salt into the poor woman who lost her son's wounds? Oh, that's right, you already did.

My PDoc scribes me 3mg per day of K---but I only take 1mg/day. .5mg at bedtime and .5mg mid morning. He thinks that I am taking the entire script, but I have never felt the need to take more, and he is none the wiser. For an event that I KNOW will cause an anxiety and/or panic attack, I will take an additional .5mg an hour before the said event. Needless to say, I have built up quite a large stash, since I have been on this Rx/dose for 3 years now---

[Guest BOBBY A]

I initially went to my doctor when I was about 22 (7 years ago) complaining of muscle soreness around the lower back of my neck/shoulders (upper trapezius) and inability to sleep at a proper time, accompanied by thoughts (not worries, just a racing mind but not scattered thoughts either). He nonchalantly prescribed 1 mg of Klonopin and diagnosed me as having generalized anxiety disorder. I had just graduated with high honors with a premed major. I then went to med school, but found it hard to keep up with my work, or to regulate my sleep. I left med school after a year, but was still able to get accepted into a PhD program for Neuroscience, which I am currently in. I had been taking 3-4 mgs of Klonopin for at least the last 3-4 years (7 on it total).

I've studied it from all different aspects. Benzos have a lot of downsides. Spatial memory is something I also noticed being effected, seeing as how there is much literature to show hippocampal shrinkage with long term use (a brain structure for learning and memory).

I've gone cold turkey a couple of times, only to crack and go back to the same general physician who prescribed it like it was candy, because of my inability to sleep, waking up too early and feeling unrested when I did get to sleep, and have restless muscles at night as well. Over-exercising caused muscle soreness and worsened insomnia.

The proper way to taper is very gradually, as Mark said above. I believe one can go a bit faster, and the standard rate for any dose is .25 mg every two weeks.

I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THIS ADVICE WHICH I NEVER SEE AND WOULD LOVE ANY FEEDBACK. I BEGAN STUDYING COGNITIVE THERAPIES THAT HAD TO DO WITH ATTENTIONAL STRATEGIES. WHEN I WENT COLD TURKEY AT FIRST 7 MONTHS AGO, MY BODY WENT IN TO AN AUTOMATIC MODE IN WIHCH A LOT OF THESE ATTENTIONAL STRATEGIES WOULD SEEM TO SORT OF 'KICK IN'. ALSO, I WOULD GET RELIEF FROM MYOFASCIAL RELEASE AT MASSAGE THERAPY CLINICS. THIS WAS VERY EXPENSIVE THOUGH.

SO HERE'S MY ADVICE. BASICALLY, ALL BENZOS ARE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSANTS. THEY RELAX YOU BY INHIBITING BRAIN ACTIVITY IN GENERAL, MEANING THEY ALSO DECREASE MOTOR/MUSCLE ACTIVITY, INCLUDING INVOLUNTARY MOTOR ACTIVITY SUCH AS BREATHING.

YOU MAY NOTICE THAT EVEN WHILE YOU ARE READING THIS, YOU ARE BREATHING IN A VERY SHALLOW MANNER, IF IT ALL. WHEN YOU TYPE OR FOCUS, YOU MAY ALSO NOTICE YOU ARE HARDLY BREATHING.

TO COUNTER THIS, BE AWARE OF YOUR BREATHING, AND FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION ON A PATTERN THAT IS SIMILAR TO THAT WHEN YOU ARE SLEEPING. MIMICK THE PACE AT WHICH PEOPLE SNORE OR DEEP BREATH WHILE THEY SLEEP. ITS VERY SLOW, AN STEADY LIKE A PENDULUM. ALSO, THE MASSAGES HELPED BECAUSE IT IS ESSENTIALLY WORKING OUT MUSCLE KNOTS (OR MYOFASCIAL TRIGGER POINTS) THAT COMPRESS VASCULATURE AND DONT ALLOW FOR GOOD CIRCULATION. BLOOD FLOW GETS OXYGEN TO YOUR BRAIN! OXYGEN IS NEEDED IN THE CYCLE THAT MAKES THE ENERGY MOLECULE (ATP) THAT YOUR CELLS USE FOR ALL THERE PROCESSES.

SO HERE ARE MY SUGGESTIONS.

MASSAGE OR EVEN SELF-MESSAGE, WITH A 3 PRONG MASSAGER, WHILE BEING AWARE OF BREATHING DEEPLY, MIMICKING A RELAXED STATE.

CONTINUOUSLY BREATHING LIKE THIS WHILE DOING MOST DAILY EXERCISE. YOUR BRAIN NATURALLY WANTS TO SYNC UP MOTOR MOVEMENTS WITH BREATHING. BECAUSE OF THIS REASON, WHEN YOU REACT TO THINGS THROUGHOUT THE DAY YOU BREAK THIS PATTERN. START AT FIRST BY TRYING THE SIMPLE TASK OF HOLDING YOUR FINGER UP ON ONE SIDE OF YOUR BODY, AND SWEEPING IT ACROSS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT VERY SLOWLY, OUT OF SYNC WITH THE DEEP BREATHING- MEANING START THE MOVEMENT DURING THE MIDDLE, NOT BEGINNING, OF YOUR INHALATION, AND CHANGE DIRECTIONS WITH BRINGING YOUR FINGER NOT WHEN YOU EXHALE, BUT OUT OF SYNC, CLOSER TO THE MIDDLE OF YOUR EXHALATION. DON'T BE TOO OBSESSIVE ABOUT WHEN YOU DO THIS, AND DONT TRY TO FORM A PATTERN. THE POINT IS TO CHANGE YOUR DIRECTION OF YOUR M;USCLE ACTION AT A TIME THAT IS OUT OF SYNC WITH YOUR BREATHING. PRACTICE BREATHING THIS WAY THROUGHOUT THE DAY, AND YOU WILL SEE THAT YOUR DAILY ACTIONS WILL BE FORCED TO BE OUT OF SYNC WITH YOUR BREATHING.

ALL OF THE ABOVE WILL HELP DEEP, RELAXED, HEALTHY BREATHING BECOME SECOND NATURE TO YOU ONCE AGAIN, AND WILL HELP DRAMATICALLY WITH THE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS.

ALSO, THE ATTENTIONAL STRATEGIES ARE VERY USEFUL. SOME CALL THESE MINDFULNESS STRATEGIES. FOR EXAMPLE, INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON SOMETHING THAT IS DIRECTLY WHERE YOU ARE LOOKING, USE YOUR PERIPHERAL VISION TO FOCUS ON THINGS (COVERT ATTENTION). TAKE SOME TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY TO JUST JUGGLE THINGS IN YOUR PERIPHERY WITHOUT LOOKING DIRECTLY AT THEM. THIS TAKES STRAIN OFF AREAS OF YOUR BRAIN THAT ARE CONSTANTLY ACTIVATED, AND ESSENTIALLY SPREADS OUT NEURAL ACTIVITY TO OTHER AREAS, STRENGTHENING NETWORKS THAT 'REWIRE' THE WAY YOUR BRAIN PROCESSES INFORMATION THAT IS LESS TAXING ON BRAIN CELLS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKED TO DEATH OVER THE YEARS, TRYING TO COUNTERACT THE SEDATIVE EFFECT OF THIS BENZO DURING THE EVERYDAY DEMANDS OF A JOB OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

ALSO, PUTTING ATTENTION ON ANY SENSORY STIMULIS, LIKE FOCUSING ON THE SOUNDS IN THE ROOM, OR WHEN TRYING TO SLEEP 'LOOKING' AND FOCUSING ON THE COLOR SPOTS YOU SEE IN YOUR EYELIDS, OR WHATEVER SPECIFIC THING YOU MAY SEE WHEN YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES (OTHER PEOPLE TELL ME OF LITTLE DIGITIZED LOOKING SQUARES OR RED DOTS), WILL HELP TAKE YOUR MIND OFF WHATEVER YOU THINK ABOUT IN TIME LOOPS, WHICH WILL OCCUR WHEN YOU ARE COMING OFF OF A BENZO WHOS PRIMARY FUNCTION IS TO INHIBIT BRAIN ACTIVITY.

WHEN YOU COME OFF OF THIS MED, YOUR BRAIN GETS OVEREXCITED BECAUSE IT DOESNT MAKE THE CHEMICAL NATURALLY THAT USUALLY INHIBITS BRAIN ACTIVITY WHEN ITS TIME TO REST, AND THE MEDS ARE NO LONGER THERE TO DO IT, OR YOU HAVE BECOME DESENSITIZED (ITS CALLED GABA, AND YOU CAN TAKE OMEGA 3S OR EAT TUNA TO GET A NATURAL SOURCE OF THIS).

SO, THIS MAY BE A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT MASSAGING STUFF MUSCLES TO INCREASE CIRCULATION, CONSTANTLY KEEPING A RELAXED STEADY BREATHING PATTERN THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF, AND ACTIVELY TAKING YOUR MIND OFF ANXIETY-INDUCING THOUGHTS BY USING YOUR ATTENTION TO FOCUS ON THINGS THAT ARENT IN YOUR DIRECT LINE OF VISION, OR FOCUSING ON AUDITORY STIMULI AND TACTILE (TOUCH) SENSATIONS ARE THINGS THAT ARE ALL VERY HELPFUL.

IVE BEEN ABLE TO TAPER FROM 4MG TO 2MG IN LESS THAN 3 MONTHS WITH ESSENTIALLY NO WITHDRAWAL SYSTEMS, WHILE I WORK ON MY DISSERTATION, AND I ALSO INSTRUCT CHESS ONCE A WEEK TO LITTLE KIDS.

I WONT SAY ITS EASY, BUT WITHOUT THESE TECHNIQUES, ESPECIALLY THE CONSTANT ATTENTION TO CONTROLLED, RELAXED BREATHING, HAS BEEN ESSENTIAL. NO TREMORS THIS TIME, NO CRAZY MOOD SWINGS, AND THE ATTENTIONAL TECHNIQUES REALLY HELP ME FALL ASLEEP RIGHT AWAY. IT'S ALL ABOUT CONTROLLING AN OVERACTIVE BRAIN AND EXCITED MUSCLES (BASICALLY OVERRIDING YOUR AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM BY INDUCING A RELAXED STATE), BY MODULATING YOUR FOCUS.

I COULD EDIT THIS AND MAKE IT LOOK CLEANER, AND MORE WELL PRESENTED AS SOMEONE TO GIVE ADVICE, BUT I'M NOT TRYING TO WIN POINTS HERE. THESE TECHNIQUES WORK, AND I HOPE TO HELP OTHERS, AND AM BREATHING AS I TYPE THIS WHICH ISNT AN EASY TASK. TRY IT! AND LET ME KNOW HOW IT GOES!

-BOBBY A.

[Billyboyboo]

My son was hospitalizied and was put on Klonapin, he was then transferred to a half way house and they took him off his medications immediately saying they could not prescribe them to him. He went three days with out his medications and immediately begin to have side effects that were horrible. The half way house let him out on a pass on the third day, but that night first he did go to the hospital and was given a dose of Klonapin and w3as released from the hospital the next day, then the half way house let him out on a pass and he went to the top of an old building where he use to go and mediatate and a witness see him sit down and a few seconds later he just fell backwards and died he was only 28 years old does anybody out there have any advise for me. Please reply all I am lost on wahat to do.

I'm very sorry to hear this, if you're still around. The hospital should have weaned him off the medications in my opinion.

Just my opinion, I don't know exactly what happened, but I'm sorry for your loss.

[Billyboyboo]

Just to add, I tried going off 5mg of klonopin in 2007 and had a seizure, it was hell on earth to cold turkie..don't do that! I quickly reinstated to 5mg, now I'm at 32mg of Valium and my mind is so much clearer than it was.

But do not cold turkie, I had a seizure and was in fear that was unthinkable!

I would personally cross to valium and go that route, I've had a time with Klonopin, it ruined me for a long time! I thought the tolerance I was in was a new diagnosis.

Read Stevie Nick's story on it, she said it was sheer hell.

If you taper slowly, you should be ok, may not be withdrawal free, but anything is better than a cold turkie, I wish I never seen a Benzo.

They initially help, but coming off them is ridiculous.

[Guest Jackie]

It can contribute to depression, FWIW

[Guest Jackie]

I experimented with this a bit. I wanted to see if it was the large dose of clonazepam that was causing me to feel depressed. I went down to 2mg/day from 6mg/day in about 2-3 weeks. I didn't experience any withdrawals. I didn't feel any better either, so I'm up to 4mg/day or 6 as needed. I do not recommend anyone to go down that fast. It was probably unsafe. But the stuff has little if any effect on me, so there.

-Tom

[Guest Jackie]

Tom,

I think maybe getting off some of the anti-depressants might help you feel better in the long run ....Its so sad that these doctors just shove whatever pill they can down our throat. I cant even remember the medications I have been on Best of luck

[Guest Burman]

Hi everyone. I've been diagnosed with bipolar 1. I also suffer from severe depression and anxiety.

I've taken Celexa which drove me into my 1st major manic mode. Also just about every SSRI there is.

My last pdoc had me on Zoloft and Adderall, which drove me to my 2nd manic phase.

I've also taken Seroquel, Depakote, Lamictal, Geodon and Abilify.

I still suffered severe anxiety on all these meds. .

I've been on Klonopin for 2 years now and I titerated from 6mg a day to 3. 1.5 x 2 times a day. I came down 3mg titerating 1/2 mg a week for 1 month and had no problem cutting down. .

It's helped my anxiety tremendously, along with 300mg of Lamical, which is helping with my depression.

Klonopin also helps with my social anxiety.

I want to titerate the Klonopin to .5 2x a day to see if it still is effective for me.

Klonopin was developed for siezures just like Lamictal was. Weird.

People react different to meds, so talk to your pdoc.

Buspar didn't help my anxiety at all.

Hope this helps.

[Alpam]

I was on 6mg of Clonazepam for over a year, I had to change pdocs from my regular one to one who is an alcohol addiction specialist among other things, needless to say he didn't like benzos and wanted me off them quick smart.

He put me in a detox place and took me from 6mg to nothing in two weeks. After that I had to go back to work and the next two weeks were pure hell, I had what felt like a constant panic attack, could hardly talk and couldn't stop shaking. It took me about three months to get over the withdrawals.

[Guest joe c]

Hey guys---I've been on Klonopin for 3 months and am weaning slowly off it. .25 every 2 weeks in the last month. My doc said 10 more days on .25 then on .125 then done---Anyone else with the exdperience of going from .25 to zero.. Just want off this stuff so I can sleep on my own

[Guest scorty]

I just withdrew from 15 mg oxys 4 x a day. My doc gave be 1mg klonopin 3tomes a day for the process 90 month 3 months. I'm 98% done detoxing. Now the klonopin is making me tired. I've neon them for 2days. I think I should stop but don't know. Help

[Guest scott]

I've been on 15 mg oxys for 6 years. Just xeroxed 17 days feel way better. My doc gave me 1 mg. Klonopin 3x day for 3 months. I've only taken 6. I get tired and want to get off klonopin too. Help

[Guest Megan]

My bf's trying to go cold turkey from klonopin on his own. He's been on Klonopin for 10 years and has recently been taking 5 mg a day. (He's also a recovering alcoholic who has been chronically relapsing for the past 2 years. In frustration over the relapsing, he tried to kill himself a few months ago. He was told by a psych evaluator in the hospital that the klonopin is why he hasn't been able to stay sober.) After 7 weeks on a waiting list for detox, they called him and he had a panic attack and didn't go. Now he's decided to go cold turkey and use depakote and vistaril to cope with the withdrawal. I'm really nervous about this. Any advice?

[Anna]

Aahhh... try to talk him out of it? Call his medical team and report your concerns? Run?

Anna

[Guest texan194]

I was forced off Klonopin 3 mg. cold turkey by an inexperienced Dr. DO NOT DO THIS!!!!!!! I was in pure hell for a few days until a more experienced dr came on duty. Even then their taper was too quick. I wound up on Librium (a old style benzo) and tapered off it. I would say took at least eighteen months plus.

I also suggest benzo.org.uk. Could not have done it without them. The people have knowledge and they have the experince.

I had a manic episode 2 yrs ago and was inpatient. Once again I began Klonopin after a big battle of wills. I now take .5 2x a day. My dr has tried to up it but I always refuse. One day I will try to taper again.

I have to say that even with a slow taper, I often went slower than suggested. Every cut was hard for me about the third day. I often thought I was a junkie of the highest kind. Perhaps some of us are just more senstive to how benzos affect us.

Good Luck, Ally

[Guest texan194]

KLONOPIN , WHAT IS THIS MEDICATION ? WELL TO ME ( IT'S A DAMN CRAZY BENZO ) I TELL YOU , THIS MEDICATION HAS TOOK A BIG KICK IN MY WELL YOU GET THE IDEA... IT'S SCREWING MY LIFE UP , I HAVE TOLD MY DOCTOR FOR 9 MONTH'S THAT THIS DAMN MEDICATION IS NOT FOR ME , AND HE LOOK'S AT ME ( MY DOCTOR ) LIKE IM A DAMN IDIOT ... WELL HIS EXCUSE TO WHY HE WILL NOT PULL ME OFF THIS MEDICATION IS THAT I HAVE SEIZURE'S, AND ANTI-ANXIETY... WELL THE THING IS , I WAS NOT HAVING NO PROBLEM'S WHEN I WAS TAKING ALPRAZOLAM = XANAX TIME 3 DAILY = 3 MG'S... THIS DOCTOR OF MINE PULLED UP MY OLD RECORD'S AND SEEN THAT I'D BEEN ON ALPRAZOLAM 1 MG X'S 3 DAILY , AND SAID THAT WAS TOO MUCH XANAX ... SO THE DAMN IDIOT PUT ME ON CLONAZEPAM = KLONOPIN , WELL FROM MY UNDERSTANDING AND STUDING THIS MEDICATION KLONOPIN , IT IS FOR A SHORT TERM USE ... CORRECT ME PLEASE IF IM WRONG... PLEASE... THIS MEDICATION AT 1 MG INN THE MORNING , AND 1 MG AT NIGHT IS FLAT AZZ NOT WORKING , AND YES AGAIN , I HAVE ADVISED MY DOCTOR ... BUT NOW HE CAME UP WITH THIS CRAP THAT IM A PROBLEM EPLETIC SEIZURE'S ... HE SAID THAT'S WHY MY BODY FEEL'S UN CONTROLABLEE LIKE MICHEAL J. FOX ... WELL AS NOTED ABOVE , I WAS DOING O.K. WITH XANAX , AND SOME QUACK TOOK OVER IN PLACE OF MY OLD DOCTOR THAT MOVED , WELL MY NEW DOCTOR IS A TOTAL AZZ ( YES IM LOOKING FOR A NEW DOCTOR RIGHT NOW ) , BUT WHY DO DOCTOR'S FEEL AS THEY CAN PLAY AS GOD WITH A PERSON'S LIFE ( AFTER ADVISING MY NEW DOCTOR FOR 9 MONTH'S OF THIS CRAP , THAT THIS MEDICATION IS KILLING ME... IT IS KILLING ME !!! THAT'S NO BULLCRAP OR POPPYTALK PEOPLE ... IM TRYING TO TELL MY DOC FOR RIGHT NOW THAT MAYBE I NEED A NEW SEIZURE MED , ALONG WITH MAYBE A NEW OR DIFFERENT BENZO FOR ANXIETY SUCH AS ( DIAZEPAM ) , WELL I ASKED THIS QUACK ABOUT DIAZEPAM , IT TOOK 2 SECOND'S , THEY QUACK SAID ( IM NOT GIVING YOU DIAZEPAM ) DUE TO THE FACT IT'S VERY ADDITIVE... WELL HELL LOOK AT ME NOW ... WELL I HAVE TRIED TAPPERING OFF THIS CRAP KLONOPIN BY 0.5 IN THE MORNING AND 0.5 MG AT NIGHT OR PRN , AND IT IS CAUSING SEVERE PAIN ... IF ANYONE HAS ANY IDEA'S BESIDE'S FINDING A NEW DOCTOR I WOULD BE VERY GREATFUL ... LIKE I TYPED , IM LOOKING FOR A PA-C PA , OR A NEW DOCTOR , BUT UNTIL I FIND ONE IS IT SAFE TO THROW THE CLONAZEPAM = KLONOPIN IN THE TRASH DUE TO THE FACT OF TRYING TO TAPPER OFF THIS CRAP MED IS CAUSING ALOT OF CHRONIC PAIN ?????? THANKYOU ALL , AND ANYHELP IS BETTER THAN NO HELP EMAIL IS [deleted]

THANKYOU ALL , AND GOD BLESS US ALL... TEXAN ...

Edited August 2, 2012 by sandorfalot
Deleting email address

[Anna]

Ok, first of all texan, you need to take off the caps lock. That was hard to read.

Second, don't post your email for everyone. I suggest you go back and edit it out. It's not good internet safety for one, and it's an invitation to get spammed. We have a perfectly good pm system here for people to send you private messages if you join, and you can also follow up to any responses to this thread.

3rd if you are taking this stuff for seizures, then no, I do not advise you to stop the stuff cold turky.

FInally, if you have a seizure disorder i suggest you see a neurologist, not a physician's assistant.

Anna

[Shortstuff]

I will be going cold turkey off klonopin. I'd started with my friend's then got my doc to to prescribe it to me. I had 2 full bottle a month...for a few months. some days i took 8 at a time sometimes 14..just depended.i confessed to my doc and he was proud i told him.the question now...what is going to happen as i stop taking it? any tips would be very very appreciated.-shorty

[netsavy006]

I will be going cold turkey off klonopin...

It's not safe if you've been taking klonopin regularly to be going cold turkey off of it. It could result in unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

[Shortstuff]

i was abusing it badly, taking between 12 and 14 .05's t a time. I was so messed up i finally told my pdoc and he took me off immediately....no tapering. Im on day 2 and already feel bad.what positives can i do for my body? lots of water? run when i can? any tips?

[Anna]

Lots of chamomile tea and if doc won't taper you (which I actually consider rather um, not so good practice really given seizure risk if you were abusing) then I guess you could try asking pdoc if there's another med he'd give you to help with the w/d i don't know what though.

rest. Don't try to do much of anything. Anna

[Shortstuff]

I'll try the tea and see if that helps. I'm not doing too much. Drinking lot of fluids.

[Guest hrukick3030]

To: ShortStuff

I two abused klonopin after I first started using it to come down from coke. Was prescribed it so was doing it w/ the coke probably did it's own number on my brain. Then just used as needed(klonopin), still going over the recommended and stopped the coke. I was then given Xanax also 2mg twice a day w/ klonopin. Dropped the Xanax and still going through withdrawl and down to 4mg a day klonopin. My pdoc told me that smoking marijuana helps and it does so much for withdrawl symptoms. I don't think I would still be alive without the weed lol. I am still going through withdrawl have no sense anymore what a normal me is or should be, I am unemployed due to trying to commit suicide last year, can't get a job not because of the economy but because I have two DUIS which were misdemeanors but they check everything but ur ass these days. Also have bad credit. But I'm still here I guess no insurance unemployment running out. I have faith but only see as far as tomorrow. What I'm trying to say is cold turkey off what u were taking amount wise is SUICIDE! Taper but what about us without insurance and money to be on more meds and for a year w/no guarantee. Yeah I think this shit is worse than any drug legal or illegal. But then again why is alcohol legal and weed illegal.

What a JOKE!!!

[Guest hrukick3030]

Oh and shortstuff running and drinking water were key to me getting cold turkey off Xanax. i drank 25 glasses of water a day 16oz. Vitamins esp. B VITAMINS

[Anna]

you have got to be kidding me that your pdoc told you to smoke weed to get off klonapin. KIDDING ME.

good lord. TALK about trading one thing for another....

i hope you are in CA and had a prescription for that shit.

this post has to be a joke. HAS TO.

If not, then please, people, don't let some guest talk you into not tapering of a prescribed benzo by downing b vitamins and weed. just to be clear.

Anna

[chris_noland]

Ok.... here Goes.

I NEED help! I have taken Klonopin for 10 years now. It started with .5 and went up to nearly 10mgs a day. I have tried inpatient, I have tried 4 times on my own with DR assistance in the past 4 years and i cannot seem to kick it. I get to a point when I am below 2mgs daily that I cannot determine whether the anxiety is me or the withdrawal....obviously looking back it is usually the withdrawal..... But my memory is half what it used to be and I cannot complete anything, it has rendered me disabled. It was prescribed because I had a social phobia with other children when I was a minor but I did not have a panic disorder ( I did not have panic attacks) I still do not but I am taking 4-5 a day as prescribed but I have moved so much in my life the DRs never really question why I take so much and I have been sailing along in this fog that its been doing me ok when it has ruined relationships with others, I have lost several jobs and now I can barely work a part time job.

So, after yet another day of absently being stuck in my apt and totally forgetting to meet a prospective new client (until they emailed me asking where I was) I have decided it is time to end the Klonopin.

I am in a situation where i cannot really get medical attention for it (IE I cannot go into detox and I tried that i do not reccommend it unless its longer term care)

I am pretty much alone in this, I am in a foreign country where the meds are being prescribed now. (they were prescribed back home but I can longer get insurance there)

Since I need the meds to withdrawal with I have to stay here. So detox or moving is out of the equation even if you think its best, its not going to happen and I cant really afford it.

So I am taking 4 at bedtime and one in the afternoon, 5 MG a day. I need to know what a good long term schedule is to get off of them. 30 days was not long enough for me, i started convulsing and had thoughts of suicide. I need to ween off it slowly enough that i barely notice though I know there will be some discomfort to where I am only taking it as needed for the withdrawal or panic attacks that may ensue as a result of being on this medication.

My biggest problems in the past have been that when I get to a really low dose I cannot tell if it is the withdrawal or just me because it has been so long, so I also want to know what people are experiencing as they taper down.

If I need a different forum, please advise, because I cannot live like this any longer, its not living at all.

I was going to cut down 1/2 Mg every month and then take as needed. Would that be safe after taking it for 10 years? I am afraid I do not even know who I am without it anymore. I tried cold turkey once it was probably the scariest thing ever, I thought I was going to die. If anyone can help me, I would appreciate it.

[sleeper]

chris some would suggest you read the ashton manual - she crossed her patients over to valium and tapered them off from that but you would need to cross to 100mg of valium according to her charts...you can taper off the klonopin directly too. do you know about liquid titration ? there are some videos on youtube showing how to do it, you make a liquid from your pills and taper each day maybe 1/2 or 1%

listen you could do this to taper down you said you can make it so far down then get stuck well get down as low as you can then do a liquid when you hit the wall...when you only take a tiny bit off each day your brain and body don't feel the shock as much as cutting the pill. there is a new support site to help people check it out.

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[expander]

Hi , please don't quit cold turkey on Klonopin . It is dangerous . It is true that some of us can do it , but if you are not sure you can , talk to your doctor for a tapering schedule . I have been on Xanax for 9 years 3 x 0.5 mg 1-1-1 , and i did it cold turkey with no problems . I am on Klonopin now 1.5 mg / day 1-1-1 and i have a lot of troubles . I can't get rid of it and i feel like i am 100 years old and i am also having a 1000 pounds bag on my back . Everything is fine if i lay in bed , but as soon as i stand up , problems arrive . Increased heart rate , dizziness , unsteadiness , feeling faint and so on . I have had also trouble breathing at the beginning of the treatment . It's been a year since i'm on it and i want out . But it seems that Klonopin does not agree with this .

[meggie7]

My son was hospitalizied and was put on Klonapin, he was then transferred to a half way house and they took him off his medications immediately saying they could not prescribe them to him. He went three days with out his medications and immediately begin to have side effects that were horrible. The half way house let him out on a pass on the third day, but that night first he did go to the hospital and was given a dose of Klonapin and w3as released from the hospital the next day, then the half way house let him out on a pass and he went to the top of an old building where he use to go and mediatate and a witness see him sit down and a few seconds later he just fell backwards and died he was only 28 years old does anybody out there have any advise for me. Please reply all I am lost on wahat to do.

I am terribly sorry for your loss and I realize that you posted quite a while ago, but I am new to the forum and just read about your experience. If you are still unsure of where to turn and who to hold accountable for your son's death, I believe that the blame lays almost exclusively with the halfway house that denied him the meds that he was on and subsequently failed to monitor his physical health/withdrawal and failed again to ensure his psychological safety in the abrupt absence of the meds that had been keeping him stable. He should have been kept under observation for physical reactions to sudden medication withdrawal as well as to prevent him from self-harm or accidental injury.

The hospital also gave him a dose of medication and didn't keep him around for observation, which was irresponsible if he had never been treated with it in the past, so they may have contributed to the situation, but the living facility displayed gross negligence in this event. The medication wasn't the cause of this tragedy, it was a series of oversights- of doors that he was allowed to walk out of under medicated and unsupervised.

In the shadow of such a loss, even after the passage of some time, it's can be very difficult to think with any practicality, but I noticed that in the thread, someone had mentioned suing the pharmaceutical company. I think that it would be impossible to prove that a single dose of Klonopin contributed to your son's death, given that all of his other medications were stopped. Your strongest case by far is against the halfway house, and possibly the hospital as well, but bear in mind that the Statute of Limitations on Medical Malpractice lawsuits can be quite short and varies by state. It can take a really good attorney to try to get around that.

My thoughts are with you, and I wish you good luck in doing whatever you need to do to heal.

[melissaw72]

IMO, Klonopin is very difficult to wean off. My pdoc has me on the AM dose every other day, and keep the dose the same at night. He said I needed to go that slow for my body to go off it.

[crtclms]

If I ever titrate off the xanax, it is going to take me months and months. I don't mind, it has been such a beneficial med for me, it is worth the potential hassle.

[CrankyMe]

I felt like I had to chime in here for anyone reading this thread who may be completely freaked out by the horror stories listed here. I've been on Klonipin for over 2 years now, 1 mg 2xday.

A month? or so? ago, a series of events led to me running out of it and not taking it for 4 days. I posted about it here somewhere, probably in the People Suck forums. Anyway, aside from an increase in anxiety/irritability, I did not experience any notable side effects. I'm NOT advocating stopping cold turkey (I would never, for any med - always follow your doc's advice!) but just wanted others to know that it isn't always a nightmare when you do -- we all react different to going off or on any medication.

[colin]

Tragedies like the poor soul spoken of above need not happen. It is terrible how misunderstood the benzos are. They are terrible drugs when MISUSED and its a shame agnecies and hospitals are so damn incompetant.

I have been on benzo's for over 30 years, mostly prn but occasionally use for several months daily for rough patches. Each type reqires a that I use a different titration method. for instance, lorazepam with a short half life I can titrate down about every 4 days-like 2mg then 1.5 mg then 1 mg etc. each one every 4 days. Clonazapam is trickier for me. on that one I titrate once a week cause it takes that long to settle down to the next level. So then 2mg -1.5 mg would be one week then next week 1 mg. IOWs each level i stay on for one week. Going to a level and noticing a lot of anxiety means I'm going too fast so with clonazepam its easy to titrate cause of the slow 1/2 life. so for instance I might go from 2mg to 1.5 but if too fast I can take 1.5 one day and 2mg the next day. so the patteren is 1.5-2-1.5-2 and that should lead to 1.5-1.5 -2, 2 being each 3rd day. then 1.5 every day etc. That is just food for thought of course everyone is different and should be supervised by a doc who knows something, but many are ignorant and some downright incompetant.

[Nutty By Nature]

I'm confused. I was rx'd 1mg of klonopin to take 2x/day AS NEEDED. Some days I take 2-3, some days I take none. From the stories I'm reading here about seizures and w/d sydrome, I get the feeling PRN is not the way this med should be administered. What's up with that?

[melissaw72]

I'm confused. I was rx'd 1mg of klonopin to take 2x/day AS NEEDED. Some days I take 2-3, some days I take none. From the stories I'm reading here about seizures and w/d sydrome, I get the feeling PRN is not the way this med should be administered. What's up with that?

With me, IMO, I think it is better to take it regularly like with your other meds. When I took it PRN it did not work for me. I asked pdoc why and he said with klonopin there is a steady state in your system, as opposed to ie, xanax, which is fast acting and for things like panic attacks. Others on the board have said though taking it PRN helped. But for me, I need to take it every day on a regular basis to get the full effect of it.

[Wooster]

PRN is a valid way to dose klonipin if you have irregular anxiety, or if you have chronic anxiety that is being managed with other tools (including other meds).

If you have chronic anxiety, some pdocs will rx to try to achieve steady-state of klonipin in the system.

[Scotlynn]

I have read all the posts on this forum, and I have read how some people think they can cold turkey. NOT TRUE. I did this once on my own intentionally (3-4 mg/day at night) and on Day 4 or 5, I started to hallucinate. Fortunately, I had the wherewithall to know something was going on, and I called 911. I was taken to a psych unit and told, no, you have to taper off. I had a car accident recently, and I blame it on Klonopin. Now, here I am again, four years later attempting to get off of it. My PCP thinks it's okay to cold turkey - no way was he told via letter from me, after making me feel like a drug addict on the phone because I had run out early. Thank God, I found this site as it led me to the Ashton site, benzos.org, where I've learn lots of info that has been passed along to my PCP. I regret the first day I ever took this drug - which was a replacement of Ativan, which in my opinion is MORE addictive than Klonopin due to its half life. Ativan/lorazepam is banned in the UK because of this. I see my PCP Tuesday morning, after allowing him enough time to digest my letter about tapering off with diazepam. I told him I would like him to set up a taper schedule or I would go to a pyschopharmacologist, who can do it.

I had to add my $.02 after hearing all the stories about cold turkey'g. I fortunately didn't have siezures, but the hallucinations were enough. I canNOT strongly say enough that cold turkey IS NOT THE WAY TO GO! The Ashton Method seems to be the best.

Regards,

Scotlynn

[crtclms]

If you have been using them as prescribed, and your pdoc knows what s/he is doing, you most likely will not have to go to rehab to get off of them. The titration off of benzos is painfully slow, but it can be done without side effects. You risk seizures if you go off of benzos cold turkey, or too quickly, but that is very unlikely if you follow a proper titration schedule.

I have titrated off of 1.5 milligrams before (now I take 2mg, with 1mg PRN). It took me a long time, but I didn't even notice it. You should really go down a tiny amount every 10-14 days. In my case, I went down .25mg every two weeks. When I got to the last 25mg, after two weeks, I went to every other day for a week or two. So about 3+ months total. And voila. Not a symptom.

Please do not make alarmist statements. I am sorry you went through what you did, but you are in the minority.

[crtclms]

Oops, sorry Scotlynn,we cross-posted.

[Scotlynn]

Oops, sorry Scotlynn,we cross-posted.

Tis okay, CRT, I figured as much. So you titrated 25 mg every two to four weeks or was it 2.5 mg?

Thanks,

Scotlynn

[crtclms]

Oops, you're right. .25mg. Yes, and if you want to be extra cautious, you could go:

x-.25 grams 2 weeks

x-.50 odd days, -.25 even days (probably a week to 10 days would be enough)

x-.50 2 weeks

x-.75 odd days, .50 even.

etc.

That's how I did it, at any rate. You can probably go a little faster than this, but if you start to feel cruddy, go back up to the previous dose, wait a few days, then try dropping it again. And obviously, it doesn't matter if you take a particular dose odd days or even, that was just an example. When you get to the end, take whatever is left (usually .25.mg) and take it every other day for a week or two more.

As I said, it takes forever, but I had zero withdrawal symptoms. Good luck.

Remember, there's no rush.

[SpartanForce]

I have been taking this for about 5 or 4 months. How. Do. I. Get. Off!!!

I mean, I can't spend a day without taking. And is only 0.25mg at night!! If I don't take it, I become VERY hypomaniac, and when I take it I go straight to depression. I want to get off like NOW. I have a trip in 1 week and need to be fine. My vision is all blurred and my blood presure goes way high if I spend 3 days without taking this med. Fuck this drug.

Edited September 26, 2012 by SpartanForce

[Wooster]

Talk to your doc, definitely. Sooner rather than later if you have vision issues specifically from this med.

ETA: Sorry... may have mis-read your statement. Looks like you get increased BP and blurry vision when you stop taking it instead of when you take it.

Cold turkey is dangerous with benzos.

Edited September 27, 2012 by Wooster

[notfred]

which was a replacement of Ativan, which in my opinion is MORE addictive than Klonopin due to its half life. Ativan/lorazepam is banned in the UK because of this.

Addiction and dependence are not the same thing. This is alarmist. Banned in the UK ? The UK is well known as a forward thinker in matters psychiatric. Ha !

[crtclms]

Well, if that is true, a lot of seizure patients in the UK are screwed. No ativan to prevent or stop seizures? IF that is true, it is a bullshit decision by the NHS.

But I can't find that it is illegal in the UK. Wikipedia lists different dosages that are used in the UK. In fact, I am finding anti-benzo sites in the UK that list ativan as one of the problems.

Perhaps you could provide a link about ativan being illegal in the UK.

ETA: Um, this was directed at Scotlynn. I don't know what my aversion to the "quote" button is about.

Edited September 27, 2012 by crtclms

[WhiteFemale]

I honestly don't know. I went cold turkey after being on it for 2 months, but I probably just didn't build up a strong dependence. I had no side effects/withdrawl symptoms. And I was only on .5 two times a day.

[Monster28]

Here is my 2 cent....to add along with the rest of the 98% opinion here about withdrawls - if you have never went cold turkey - listen to us - DON'T GO COLD TURKEY!!!

I hurt for those of you who want to go this route.

 

I've been taking .5mg twice a day of klonopin for 4 years. I have decided to wean myself off by taking whole pill in the am & half pill in the pm for a month, then half pill am & half pill pm next month, then half pill a day the following month & hopefully just take half pill every other day the following month....until me & this hell drug are no longer "friends".

My doc & I have already discussed taking me off at some point & switching to something else. My 4 year date is coming up soon so I am going to start weaning myself down.

I only suffer from anxiety, depression. But it wasn't until the long term effects of klonopin have me paralyzed. I do not work or go to school. I wasn't sure if it was the recent extreme stress I've been through or this drug, I'm certain it's the drug. It has me convinced that I am not as resilient as I used to be and that the older I get the less I am able to handle stressful events (death, cancer diagnosis, murder trial of my aunt's murderer).

 

My memory is shot to shit. I cannot tell you what I did 3 days ago. I feel tired ALL THE TIME, my sleep is messed up, I feel crazier now than before, sluggish, recently I get confused & dizzy. I like the drug because it does give me some "pep" or motivation to get up and do shit around the house, while the drug is kicked in I can remember stuff that I need to do, I am less socially awkward & talk better. but it's so not worth it.

 

Last year I ran out of meds for 2 weeks & I can say I would rather die than go through that torture again. I hurt all over, I would jerk & twitch, loud noises scared me bad, i felt like i was trying to make it second to second. Amoung an ass load of other horrible symptoms that I cannot remember (Thank you klonopin) I probably don't want to remember them anyway. I. WAS. NOT. OKAY. HELL, HELL HELL!!!!! Kudos to those of you who are able to handle this - NOT FOR ME!

 

Wish me luck! Ima gonna need it Lt. Dan!!!