how long do withdrawl symptoms last with klonopin?

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how long do withdrawl symptoms last after stopping Klonopin? I have a friend who had sever sideeffects while taking this drug and had to stop taking klonopin abruptly. She is feeling dizzy, lightheaded, and her balance is off like she is drunk. How long does this last? Question

derrickM. · Silver Member Joined: 16 Dec 2005 Posts: 182

The severity of Klonopin withdrawal effects of course depend on the dosage and the time they were taken.
Klonopin may cause all sorts of side effects including those your friend is going through. Klonopin is usually not stopped abruptly but should be stopped gradually or at least be substituted with another drug.
If the drug was taken for a long time for preventing seizures, it certainly shouldn’t be stopped abruptly as it may lead to seizure.
The withdrawals usually don’t last more than a few days. They may start two days after stopping the drug and the first few days would be the worst like in all drugs. In some people they last longer but you never can tell with certainty.

jodi · Newbie Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3 Location: Eastman, GA

I just wanted to let you know that withdrawals from klonopin are indeed dose dependent and also vary according to the length of time taken. However, because this particular benzo is longer acting than others such as xanax, it means that it remains in the body much longer than others. It's so called advantage is that the potential for abuse is less, however it is nasty stuff to come off of. I can say this from my own experience and from my professional training as a pharmacist. I took klonopin for years and I am still withdrawing after being drug free for over 4 months. I have consulted several specialists and I was told that I could continue to experience this anxiety for 6 months to 2 years....I hope to God that I will get much better after the six month mark and not the two year mark, but everyone is different. In my opinion, if you aren't dying this mess isn't worth it! And I was one of the ones who had a medical reason for being on it, but my worst day back then was not as bad as a good day coming OFF of it! My prayers are with anyone struggling the way I have been. I can only thank God for getting me through this and for giving me the will not to give up! I welcome any feedback.

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mmurray05 · Newbie Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 1

Klonopin is a benzo which is a hard drug to get off of. If you just quit taking it without tapering, it can cause seizures and a whole lot of symtoms. I have been trying to get off benzos for 6 months and it has been killing me . In August a doctor decided to jerk me off my Ativan which is in the same drug class.benzodiazapine---it can take 6 months to taper off or longer and even after you can have withdrawls...there is a group on yahoo benzo@yahoogroups.com --and a website www.benzosupport.org I think anyone trying to get over benzos examples "ativan(Lorazapam), valium(diazapam), xanax(alprazolam), lithium, Klonopin(Clonazapam) and there are a few more..if you need off any of these my only suggestion is find a phsyc doc that can help you they understand about these medicines..

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I was taking clonazepam for about three months, three times a day. Though a problem occured and I couldn't get anymore. I was taking it for anxiety. It has been over a month now and it feels like everyday is getting worse even more than before I had taken the clonazepam. Could this be a withdrawl affect? I was only on it for 3 months could it last that long?

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Hi, until February of this year, I had been on Klonopin for eleven years at 0.5mg, 3 times a day. I was having black out spells, dizziness, slurring of words, poor balance and the list goes on. My Neuro suggested these symptoms might be caused by the Klonopin, my personal doctor disagrees.

Could these symptoms be due to withdrawl and if so how long should I have these feeling? While on the Klonopin I was having blackouts on a daily basis. Since stopping the med. the blackouts have stopped. I still have the slurring of speech and balance problems. Two MRI's and EEG's and they are nornal. These symptoms started in the early part of 2006. I was taking it for anxiety.

Thanks. Rosci

sondra52 · Newbie Joined: 30 May 2007 Posts: 3 Location: South Dakota

Jodi, I definitely agree with you. Had I known 30 yrs ago what I know now, I'd never have taken anything for my agorophobia. This drug roller coaster is worse than the agorophobia (and I still have that anyway!). I've been on Klonopin for 20 yrs., and have been @ 4 mg daily for a good share of that time. I'm weaning myself off of it, or trying to, 1/2 mg. monthly, and am down to 2 mg., and swear I have had the granddaddy of all headaches for 2 wks solid, constant agitation, no desire to do anything, etc. I was in our local supposedly great mental institution in july '06, because about 4 yrs I was blindsided with terrible depression, plus the agorophobia and panic attacks were so much worse. I get asking the psychiatrists, pharmocologists, etc. if it could be from the extremely long term use of Klonopin (prescribed initially to get me off Xanax), and none of them would give me a straight answer. My Dr. just can't figure out why I would want to get off of it. Well, I suppose because it's ruining my health, and not doing any good anyway. He said if I wanted to get off of it, and was so nonchalant about it, to cut it 1/2 mg monthly, and it would be no big deal. Easy for him to say! I realize I had some responsibility, as they do put in that 10 page tiny printed form with side effects, etc., which I asked him about, but he said those were worst case scenarios, and pooh-pooh'd it. I've had people suggest I should consult another Dr. to put me on something else to ease the withdrawal, but I have no faith in any of them after this 30 yr journey with a bunch of different "experts". Why would I want to get hooked on something else to get me off this? That's how I got hooked on Klonopin---to get me off of Xanax that another Dr. almost overdosed me on. Sorry this got so long and angry, but I'm sure all of you going through this know what I mean. Good luck to all of us, right? I WANT MY LIFE BACK!!!! Crying or Very sad

sondra52 · Newbie Joined: 30 May 2007 Posts: 3 Location: South Dakota

I forgot one thing---has anyone else experienced hair loss? I don't know if it's from the stress of the withdrawal, or the withdrawal itself, but when I wash or brush my hair, all of a sudden I seem to be losing a lot of it. Guess in the big picture of the physical withdrawal nightmare, that's not that big of a deal, but I was just curious. Thanks! Rolling Eyes

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HI yes I have been losing my hair and I just got off Klonopin about a week and half ago and I am not able to sleep at night and i am also having muscle jerks.I will never get back on that stuff again.

how long do withdrawl symptoms last with klonopin?

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