lilylola Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I have been taking generic Klonopin (clonazepam) .25-1mg off and on (mostly on for the last 3 weeks, but at .25 dosage) for 7 weeks. I want to stop taking it daily, and just take PRN. Is this safe to do? Or will I have withdrawal symptoms from using it this short amount of time? I was using it to help with sleep, but it doesn't seem to be doing that, so I would rather get off it. I don't think I need to taper having taken it this short amount of time, do I? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lysergia Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 you're safe. it won't hurt you physically to stop at that dose. however, you might feel rebound anxiety and other unpleasantness. not everyone does. if you do feel very anxious stopping cold turkey, it's very appropriate to take your time and reduce your dose a little bit every few days, or as it feels comfortable. clonazepam isn't the greatest sleep med. you may want to ask your pdoc about options. there are meds that are great for sleep that don't create dependence like benzos can, and work much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilylola Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 I know it's not. I am taking Trazodone (100mg) and 5-20mg of Ambien per night. I am getting over a really extended bout of rebound insomnia from Seroquel use for sleep for 6 months. I want to not take the Ambien, but then I don't knock out...I just lay there tired from the Traz. I am trying to perhaps get my doctor to prescribe Lunesta. Also, tonight I will try to take more Trazodone (125mg) and 5mg Ambien. With Ambien, I awaken in the middle of the night, and wind up taking 1/2-1 pill just to get back to sleep after an hour of tossing and turning. Any thoughts? My goal is to get off everything and sleep on my own again in a couple/few months. Seems like Traz and Ambien/Lunesta are fairly easy to get off after that amount of time. In that, I mean the rebound insomnia might go on for a week and get progressively better each day, rather than months long. I had mild insomnia prior to starting Xanax 2 years ago, which turned acute/chronic when I tapered off the Xanax. Then, I got onto Seroquel, and the rebound insomnia has been just as bad as the Xanax rebound insomnia. Go figure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Tamazepam / Restoril seems to work well for me, but might not do anything for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilylola Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 You know, I had high hopes for Restoril. It didn't do anything but make me feel weird~no sleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilylola Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 No Klonopin yesterday, and so far (fingers crossed) no rebound symptoms at all!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Glad to hear it, Lilyola. I'm reducing my klonopin at the moment and not really having much of a hard time with it at all. Benzo tapers or cessations are not difficult for everyone. Anna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilylola Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 That's great news, Anna. How long have you been on Klonopin? I had a terrible, terrible withdrawal getting off of Xanax-which I was taking for sleep, 1mg a night for a year and a half. Nevermind the waves of terror, the worst part was the sleeplessness. So, I think the severity of the withdrawal also has to do with what you are taking the med for. My rebound insomnia with Seroquel has been just as bad as my Xanax withdrawal rebound insomnia, because I was taking Seroquel for sleep. Now, I don't know if others have had the same rebound insomnia with these meds as I have had. But in my opinion, a medication that can potentially cause 1-2 months of rebound insomnia should NOT be prescribed to someone with insomnia issues. Trazodone and the Z drugs just don't have that kind of rebound insomnia, and are therefore, much more doable options. Just my opinion... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 About 6 months or so I think. Yeah, I imagine getting rid of my temazepam, which comes next, is going to be slightly more tricky. Seroquel is incredibly hard to come off for sleep, yes. I've done it a few times and it has SUCKED. Fortunately it's my main AAP for now. Heh. Anna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilylola Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 Anna~how long did the rebound insomnia with Seroquel last??? It's been 2 months and I was only on it for 6! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 For me just a few weeks but I take other stuff for sleep as well. And I stopped it very very very slowly..... Anna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilylola Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 Yes, I stopped it suddenly. Funny thing is that I have felt so bad on occasion, that I attempted to go back on. Well, suddenly, the Seroquel only works half the time! I'm not going to take it again, but have just been prescribed Lunesta today. I'm hoping to god the Lunesta works, and that I can get off of that in a month or two. I've heard that getting off Lunesta is a piece of cake. Since I was on Xanax for a year and a half for sleep, and then Seroquel for 6 months, which I think had some kind of similar action for me, I'm betting it takes a few months for my sleep to return to baseline without meds. I'm in month 2...hopefully the light at the end of this tunnel is coming up for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Um do you have an ongoing sleep issue? You may need something ongoing if so...... Presumably there was a reason you started all these sleep meds in the first place? Have you had a sleep study done? That might be an option. Anna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilylola Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 I don't have insurance, so a sleep study is out for now. I basically think I had insomnia due to anxiety/stress about 2 days per week prior to starting Xanax. After Xanax and Seroquel, I seem to now have a physiological and psychological chronic insomnia issue, which my intuition tells me will return to baseline when I finally get off meds. Luckily, I am moving in with my beau in 2 months, and I won't have to work for a while, which means I have the space to sleep in indefinitely...which is what I need more than anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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