Bad withdrawal from klonopin

I hope you are doing better. I went off my Klonopin after taking it for two years, one pill a day, every day. I did not see a doctor about how to get off the stuff, but I did know that it had to be done gradually. Maybe that is why you are having such symptoms? did you suddenly stop taking it or gradually go off from it? I too had a difficult time getting off the stuff even when I was cutting back. I had chest pains/difficult breathing, increase of panic attacks. I also kept getting twitches in my brain, which are kind of hard to explain. that was the worst of the withdrawal symptoms, I believe. it was like a popping sensation every time I moved my head. Unfortunately I have relapsed back into using the medication again to help me sleep, but I wish that I hadn't. I do not take it regularly, and I've been having weird symptoms. the worst one is this throbbing sensation in the side of my head, a very localized pain. I do not understand it, but believe that it is caused by irregular use and thus could be a withdrawl symptom. I feel like I'm suffocating a lot of the time too. If you are still having problems, you may want to talk to your doctor about how to cut back gradually and safely, but I do hope you are better now, as that post was written almost a month ago. I think when I quit the first time, my withdrawal symptoms lasted just about two weeks.

Hi, although this reply is a few weeks after your posting, I hope it gets to you and maybe helps. I had a particularly bad experience withdrawing from Klonopin. I must be overly sensitive because I only took 0.5mg, in the evening, for about three weeks. After about two weeks its benefit seemed to be diminishing and I stopped taking it abruptly (at the request of my doctor at the time, but no longer my doctor any more). I have to say it may have been the most frightening experience of my life. But I made it. I'm sure you know all too well what this feels like. Please don't give up, it DOES GO AWAY!! It took me a couple months though. The best advice I have for you is this: Taper off VERY slowly. I ended up taking 0.25mg in the evening, and 0.25mg in the morning, spaced 12hrs apart. This worked well with the half life of Klonopin in the body, seemed to keep me on an even keel throughout the day. Then, I reduced the morning dose by about 25%. I found the first few days were difficult, but then I would stabilize. After I stabilized, then I thought I could reduce again, but this was a mistake. I found it was necessary to maintain at this dose for a full week, even though I felt good. Then after the week, reduce the morning dose another 25%. Then I took 25% off the evening dose, etc. It took me a full month and a half to come down this way, but I did it. In the mean time, get as much aerobic exercise as possible, it really helps. For sleep I used sublingual meltonin spray (whole foods market) to help me sleep. Use it conservatively, as needed. Make strong connections with friends and family, tell them what's happening to you, and enlist their support. Doctors don't seem to have any understanding of this hell, it is extremely frustrating. So it helps a great deal to have somebody you can call at 2am to talk with when you are at your worst. Sounds silly, but I found it to be helpful for sleep if I took a relaxing shower, left on some very light relaxing music, and believe it or not, sleeping with my socks on. I also found peppermint and chamomile teas mildly calming. Passion flower extract helped to calm anxiety, but valerian root did nothing for me. Also, I learned that Kava is to be avoided, its safety is questionable. Avoid alcohol like the plague, it acts on the GABA-A receptors same as Klonopin, and will have your system in a real confused mess, more than it is already (they give benzos to alcohol withdrawal patients to bring them down, their symptoms can be quite similar in extreme cases) Strictly avoid caffeine and excess sugar. The idea is to keep your system as calm as possible, and give it time, like months, to restabilize. It will happen over time. You should definitely check with benzo.org.uk, and print a copy of the Ashton manual. Learn it. And when you get through this my friend (and you WILL get through this), do not ever take another benzodiazapine as long as you live. Good luck. You are not alone, and my best wishes are with you. Hang in... It's hard, but you will make it.

is 6 aday concidered alot 6ml klonipin

My daughter was prescribed 3.0 mg of klonopin 3 years ago and it has caused some horrific side effects....She has been off the drug for 1 week now and has horrible withdrawals, jittery, anxiety attacks, emotions running rampant. It is the most horrible drug she has ever taken and she did not sleep for days.

Yes!! Read the post after yours. This stuff does help when you really need it. Keep your dosage low because it can cause more problems down the road. Maybe try haf in the morning and half at night. GOOD LUCK!!



Deb

I am so thankful to have found this site. I took klonopin for 18 years, about 6mg a day. I took it to supposedly help with a severe stuttering problem and anxiety and panic disorder. I finally decided to come off of it and went into a treatment center to come off of it safely. It has been the most horrible experience. I am now drug free for 4 and 1/2 months and still experiencing the most awful withdrawal side effects. I am told that it could take me anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to fully recover and all I can do now is pray that I will feel better than I feel now in a couple of months b/c I honestly don't see how I could handle this for 2 years. I am experiencing a lot of the same symptoms already mentioned like trouble breathing, feeling like I am having a heart attack, (I know this is anxiety, but it is AWFUL)...much worse than the anxiety that I was experiencing BEFORE ever trying klonopin!!! There is no comparison. Since I stutter, my speech has been so much worse, to the point that I really cannot PHYSICALLY speak or form syllables. Then the mood swings are not even what I would call a "swing." I am pretty much almost always on the brink of losing my temper. I hope that no one else has to go through what I have been through, but if you have, I would greatly appreciate any feedback. Like, when should I feel better. I have not met anyone who took benzos for as long as I did. Most people took them for months to a couple of years and I feel really stupid for taking it as long as I did, but that is irrelevant now! Any insight? Thanks!

My sudden stop of Klonopin landed me in the hospital. 7 days of no sleep... Every muscle cramping, twitching, hurting. Stomach cramps. Temporary high blood pressure. The shaks. I could barely walk.

The doctor knew exacly what it was. Said it's normal drug withdrawal.... especially with Klonopin.

Please don't stop cold turkey.... Dangerous! Not to mention absolute torture.

I have taken Klonopin (clonazapem) for over 15 years for treatment of a seizure disorder. My wife for years has urged me to look into other medications that are more specialized for my disorder, since the side effects of the Klonopin have some somewhat negative side effects that I've noticed throughout the years. At the advice of my regular doctor, I saw a neurologist, who prescribed another medication (Lamictal) for the seizures and suggested a plan for gradual lessening of the Klonopin dosages that I was taking. We went for a few months halving the doses (I took three pills per day) one at a time (3,3,3 down to 3,3,2.5 to 3,2.5,2.5, etc.). It was going well until that final drop from .5 to none. Within two days I began experiencing several "withdrawal" symptoms: chest pain/heart palpitations, insomnia (three sleepless nights out of seven), emotional instability, loss of balance, and a couple of very minor ones. I was very excited to be off the stuff, just for the sake of getting my treatment more specific and losing the negative effects of the Klonopin--I had noticed some nice differences in just those few months. After a week+ of going the the "withdrawal," I contacted my neurologist, and he put me back on half a pill in the morning, half a pill at night for a month. We'll try reducing again from there. Hopefully it will go better this next time. . . .

What scares me is the violent dependency on this drug. I had resigned myself to being on some type of medication for the rest of my life to avoid having seizures. I don't mind being "addicted" for purely medical reasons, but I am very frustrated at being addicted just for "chemical" reasons.

I empthize with everybody in this posting and with anybody who is not. I have no idea how many people are in similar situations but have no idea that others are in the same boat, give or take. Whether short-term or long-term, taking this medicine seems to have negative effects, both while one is taking it and when one tries to quit. In my case it was very necessary at the time I began to have some way to control my seizures. This drug was a godsend. Now that I know another drug can do the same thing without some of the negative side effects, it is very frustrating to still be "addicted." I hope I was (or will be) even remotely helpful to somebody. Everybody's stories were helpful to me. Thanks.
RF

I am going through the same problem. 4 months on Klonopin and its hard getting off. I have started to gradually reduce my dosage. I also tried cold turkey and its a not a good idea. I take about .25mg, which is half of one of my pills, and usually take it once every 2-3 days.. My body asks for the pill, and the withdrawals are similar to everyone elses.. Hang tight, and we all can make it.

Hi!1 I am new to this board. I too am withdrawing from Klonopin. I took 1.5 mg per day (.5 3 times a day) I am now down to .25 3 times a day. I was cutting .25 per week. I think I will go a bit slower though. Feeling some anxiety, have had a couple of headaches, some muscles aches and feeling edgy and shaky. I am on 40 mg of Paxil for just over 2 weeks as well so that probably is helping. I have been on 20 mg Paxil for years then I think it stopped working so well. So I went on 30 mg for about 3 weeks and been on the Klonopin for about 3 months. No up to 40 mg Paxil for a little over 2 weeks. Wish me luck. I am praying for all of you as well!! 8-|

Im going through this , that why Im looking this up, I have the worse shakes and I stopped about 2weeks ago.Maybe we can help each other.

Boy am I glad I found this site I hust went off through the best hospital in the country and I am so out of it...they told me it was worse than going off herion...I never used herion so I can't compare...I feel dixxy, wobbly, my legs weigh a 1000 pounds...they gave me trazedone for sleep..but it gives me awful dreams...I also am twitching and have developed a twith when I speak...I keep hearing hang-in there...but it is so awful....

I have taperede off benzos 3 times. It can not be rushed. I believe in crossing to valium from Klon if you are taking over 1mg day. 1/2 mg equals 10 mg of valium. It is easier to taper off valium and you can get 2 mg pilss and break them in quarters. Also the long half life of valium 50-200 hrs makes tapering smoother. Check the Ashton Manual. Avoid Hospital detox. They get you off in 10 days but you are a mess for a long time depending on dose and duration.

Hi-

I too have been on Klonopin for awhile - about 7 months - I started noticing some strange side-effects while on Klonopin - an aching pain in the outside of my hips - As I have tapered off Klonopin this has gone away completely! (Proof that it was the Klonopin and not some other medication!) I have a wonderful doctor who has been very careful in trying medications as I had a precious baby girl last Feb. and had serious complications which pushed me into postpartum depression and panic attacks - Horrible!!! This past January I felt well enough to start weaning myself off the meds - with doctors guidance! I knew I didn't want to stop cold turkey - but wasn't sure what to expect. I was on xanax and klonopin - I started weaning myself from these and felt the xanax wasn't too bad during the weaning process - Oh! By the way - my doctor says The Recommended weaning dosage is .25 mg every two weeks - so even .25 every 1 week is too much for your body! I needed that time to adjust! After doing it slowly like that I have not experienced too many side-effects. The Klonopin was much worse than the xanas - probably because it was a 12 hr medicine. After tapering off both these med, and a sleeping pill at night - (all benzodiazapin drugs!) I did notice some withdrawals - mainly from the klonopin. When I went from .25 down to nothing (about a week and a half ago) it was about three days after dropping the med that I started feeling depressed, plus it was raining outside and that depressed me more - claustrophobic napping between my little girls in the bed, and anxious - not a full blown anxiety attack by any means, but a rapid heartbeat and an upsetting mood - it reminded me of my previous panic attacks. Each days since has been better - not drastically- but definitely better. It has been about 2 weeks now and I am still on my Lexapro (which is a great medication!) and will taper off that last. But I am totally off Klonopin - I have since been reading and researching this med and am finding out some serious negative stuff! I would definitely hesitate to use this in the future - even for an extreme situation!