Cold turkey withdrawal from Klonopin -- scared

Maybe you can give me some info about Klonipin. I actually take the generic clonazapem. I only take it when I am having anxiety. I only take .5 mg or maybe 1 mg depending on how much anxiety I am experiencing. I've been on it for a couple of years. Sometimes I go a week or two without taking any but sometimes I'll take it twice or even three times in a week. Not often though. It does seem to help my anxiety which in the past has been terrible. I suffer from bipolar with psychotic features, anxiety, and I also have epilepsy. I also take lamictal, dilantin, and lisinopril (for high blood presure). I do feel that some of this medicine has caused me to have memory problems.

Wow , my whole post got erased as I pressed the back button accidentally.

I believe that you're on the Lamictal(lamotrigine) to address the bi-polar(manic-depression), Dilantin to address the epilepsy, Lisinopril to address the high blood pressure and clonazapem for anxiety. However, all of these medications have anticonvulsant properties. So they're certainly working in combination with one another.

In regards to memory loss and Clonazapem -

Clonazapem can cause cognitive impairment when taking it long-term and on a daily, consistent basis. Though it effects everyone differently. Given that it's a mild tranquilizer, it's only natural that this would make sense and come as a possible SE.

However, if you're not taking it consistently, every day, and you're on the lowest dose, you should be fine. It may be the other medications, or maybe all of them together. I'm not certain as I haven't done research to know the drug interactions of all the medications you're taking and if it can increase SE'S when taken together. For example, a friend of mine is taking Lamictal and Depakote. The Depakote dosage had to be brought down when he was put on Lamictal, as this can increase the possible SE's.

I've been on and off Clonazapem for the past year. I'm back on it again, as January is one of the hardest month's for me(due to life altering events) . However, I don't notice severe memory loss or anything. I'm simply more relaxed, able to breathe both in a literal sense as well as emotionally, mentally.

If I may ask, do you notice if your memory decreases as you're feeling/getting more depressed? The reason for my inquiry, is because this is true for myself and for a lot of people. When we get sicker, and more depressed, our memory seems to fog over and leave us in a cloudy place. Thus our memory is there but very far away, and unclear.

I hope this helps in someway. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I'll help as much as I can.

If I may ask, how long had you been taking the Clonazapem?

I didn't experience such severe withdrawal's, as it took my body 7 days to get severe migraine's, etc. And, from what I'm reading above, most people experience the withdrawal's instantly upon not taking it. So I presume they must of been on it at a high dosage or over a extended period of time.

I've been on Clonazapem on and off for just over a year now. It's truly been my life saver and I wouldn't ever go without it. Though I never misuse it or abuse it. When I was taking 1mg 3-4x per day(daily limit of 4mg), I would then tapper myself back down to 1mg 2x per day for a week, then .5mg 3x per day for a week and then finally, .5mg 2x per day. And when I'm more stable, balanced and stronger, I use it for sleep and sleep only. I'll take it in conjunction with Trazadone(1mg of Clonazapem and 100mg of Trazadone).

I believe it's having the ability to know when to tapper off slowly, so your body doesn't build a tolerance to it. And I'll tell you, when I get down to .5mg 2x per day or even when I use it as a sleep aid, I can go a week or two(or more) without taking it and I don't experience any withdrawal's at all. Sometimes I'll go a week or two without taking it just so that my tolerance is brought back down thus when I take .5mg it works.

It's interesting hearing people's stories. But I have a hard time hearing people bash this medication. It's one that's saved my life. And, as with any other medication, you need to have the ability to know when to slowly tapper off and be brought back down, so you're body doesn't build a high tolerance to it. This applies to all, and any, medications. Even those OTC.

I greatly appreciate the information. Thank you very much.

I really haven't been taking clonazepam much at all lately. There have been a couple of times over the last year where I was having a lot of anxiety and I had to take 1mg twice a day for maybe two days. But normally I'm okay. When I feel a little anxiety I take a .5mg pill and it passes. I can go for 2 or 3 weeks without having any anxiety.My prescription of 30 will last me many months. But believe me I have had some serious anxiety. It's horrible and life threatening.

I haven't really noticed my memory being worse when I'm depressed. It's just bad all the time. I'm a master electrician. State licensed and all. I'm supposed to know the NEC, the National Electrical Code. I was tested on it in 2004 and did quite well. But I can't recall any of it now. I just about quit doing electrical work because I have to work with controls but I've forgotten how to wire them up. I can watch a movie and 6 months later I could watch it again and it would be like I was watching it for the first time. I wouldn't remember anything about it. The most embarrassing thing is I definetely cannot remember people's names or faces. I've gone to places such as WalMart and people will come up to me and tell me how good it is to see me. They'll act like we were the best of friends and I won't even remember who they are or where I know them from. I just try to act like I do.

Well anyway, that's what kind of memory I have. Being a hard part of the year for you please take care of yourself. I am a Christian man and if you would like I'll pray for you. I certainly don't want to offend you though.Let me know.

I'll have do some research on the other medications you're taking. I won't have time tonight but let me do some research tomorrow and I'll write some more.

Praying is always welcome. I'm certainly not offended by anyone showing compassion, empathy or a simple act of kindness. Thank you very much.

 

I'll write more tomorrow. .

It is impossible for others to understand the intensity of the suffering- if they haven't been there.
In my experience, almost all doctors recommend too fast a taper process from benzos.
I recommend you contact,"the road back" google them or google klonopin withdrawals. They will help you out.
They recommend tapering off the drug very gradually- 5% every 2 weeks, which takes about 9 months. but it is safe and ultimately you get OFF !!!! It is important to do this safely ! You will be OK !
They also have supplements, all tested and uses over a long period of time- that help. fish oil is important for the nervous system. hang in there ! also they are a free service and available for phone support. sandra.

"Roller coaster from hell" describes it well! As well as I could put it. Don't do it cold turkey! I was put in jail for 45 days on a BS charge. They don't do ANYTHING! Talk about scary. I made it once, but now going through it again with the knowledge to wean off slowly. Yeah, the Vyvanse, me too! I'm too scared to take that, which I have. An amphetamine withdraw is a piece of cake compared to the Klonopin. 

Good luck with this, everyone!

Yeah, you've got that right! After my "cold turkey" experience with Klonopin, and reading about other people's experiences, I was convinced that this type of drug, one of the evil Benzons, must rank way up there as far as worst withdrawals go. I've heard that even a heroin withdrawal isn't as horredous as one from K-pin.

I've told people there are no words to describe how truly, well, I guess "horrendous" is one word that only begins to describe how it makes you feel...basically, at the mercy of everything and everyone, and the very worst thing about it, is that you can't escape it because you can't get away from your own head. You're inside you, trapped and feeling scared to death. You want to die. At the least, you want NEVER to feel that way again. And you vow not to ever take any kind of Benzo again....if you indeed actually make it....You're not sure you will.

But you do, especially if you taper off slowly. Then you don't get into the terrible "protracted withdrawal" which happens when you try to get off the drug too quickly.

Basically, I relearned how to pray, REALLY pray, how to become dependent on God again. For that, I'm grateful. I stopped watching stupid t.v. shows, started digging into my Bible like never before, joined a great Bible study, started singing and writing again....had life again. Real life. Jesus said He came to give us abundant life. Unlike "religion" which says we can find truth, peace and joy in ourselves, Christianity says these pearls are ONLY found in Jesus Christ. How does a person get new life? He comes to the One who IS life.

I hope and pray each of you who has had a Benzo experience will come to the knowledge of the One who gave His life so that you could have life.

Hey Snooks2,

I just now got out of the hospital since I didn't have all my meds. They call the condition I had, "Hyponatremia" (sodium level too low). I was just weaning off the Klonopin because I didn't get my check this month, so I know about those from a cold turkey withdrawal I had. I had no idea that not taking all your meds could cause this. But they said, "a lot of things can cause this". Yeah, right. OK. Whatever. So, I had an I.V. of Sodium Chloride running through my vein all weekend. At least I was back on my meds for awhile and getting fed well. 

See, I get a Social Security check every month, and when it didn't get here, I had to go without (except for the Klonopin, which I weaned off to 1 a day). But yeah, people need to know this stuff. Yes, benzos are all bad. They told me at the hospital that if you miss Ativan (another benzo), you can die. But the hospitals use Ativan if you need an anti-anxiety drug. Does that make sense? NO! That's why I'm on here telling this stuff. What happened to my check? It was re-routed. I had a work injury 10 years ago that left me with my entire lower back being replaced and now need to finish my education so I can go back to work.

Yeah, I know about losing the faith. I used to think that God was mad at me (saying it jokingly, but meaning it). I just came from people that were involved in church and they just reassured my faith. I guess I could write a book on my experiences because some are quite fascinating. I'm too busy taking online classes right now, though. I figured out long ago that Social Security was only enough to hold me over until I get my education. I don't like living this way, but what can you say about life but, "who knows?".

The trouble is that some of us need benzos because of a panic disorder (i.e. "panic attacks"). Just the fear of having another panic attack was making me take those. Did you get the neck and head jerking? I mean, jerking so fast, I describe them as "severe tremors". I finally had a seizure and was taken to the hospital by an unwilling party (the county jail) after a whole week without all my meds.

Take care of yourself and I hope people can find our posts about this.

I am ready, I think, to make the break from Klonopin. I have been having arthritic like symptoms, achey muscles and brain zaps being on it. I am taking 2 mgs a day for anxiety and I have been on it for several years. I believe at this point it is making my anxiety and depression worse, not better. I have suicide thoughts constantly. I keep telling my doctor I want to taper and he says I'm not ready. I'm losing my marriage over this drug.

 

Hi, scaredashell!

I want to encourage you to follow through with your wise decision to get off Klonopin. It is a very strange drug, in that so many US doctors prescribe it, usually for all the wrong reasons, and yet it can take a huge toll on your entire life. Basically, it promises so much, yet sets you up to fail. I know from personal experience. I was on 1.5 - 2 mg. of Klonopin for about a year and a half. At the suggestion of my doctor, I cold-turkeyed, and went through such a period of living hell, that I will NEVER go through that again, Lord willing. I think the doctor may have tried to set me up to fail in his own way, hoping I'd become even more reliant on what I now consider to be an evil drug. Yes, I realize drugs cannot in and of themselves be "evil." However, they are meant to be used, and so, far more than indirectly, they bring about evil into one's life.

Well, my doctor didn't succeed in keeping me on this drug - praise be to God! I realized if something could make me feel that completely terrified/vulnerable, that was something I needed to rid myself of - for good. But I did have my doctor prescribe a very SLOW taperping program, which I verified by doing my own online research. I am now down to .0625 mg/day and will be off COMPLETELY by May 8th. A day I plan to celebrate, believe me. My titration schedule has been very good because it has "erred" on the slow side. I have felt only the tiniest bit of anxiety on days 3& 4 following a reduction in my doses.

Here's what I've followed:
reduce your dose by one quarter per month. Any questions, please contact me!

I'm so happy I found this thread. I have been on klonopin for 15 years for panic/anxiety and also sleep with my fybromyalgia. I take 1mg at bedtime and sometimes as needed for anxiety. Last month I went over my prescribed allotment on my prescription and the pharmacy would not refill early unless they had a new prescription. Unfortunately, my doctor was on vacation and the covering doc would not prescribe even a few pills to get me through to my refill date. I thought I would be fine until next Monday when my doctor would be back.BIG PROBLEM! 3 days cold turkey and today I am in full withdrawal. Woke drenched with sweat, feel kind of like out of my body? Panic attacks, nervousness, easily agitated, feeling sick, full body trembles.I called my health clinic and raised holy hell. They are going to give me 7 pills to hold me over until my doctor returns and agreed that cold turkey after 15 years...never an abuser..the covering doctor should have prescribed. I am going to talk to my doctor when he gets back about weaning off of this or only using as needed instead of daily. I had NO IDEA I would have such awful withdrawals on such a low dose.I never want to go through this again. My heart goes out to each of us tht is deling with this. I had no idea! This is pure hell!

You can actually die from klonopin withdrawals/ OMG! I want off of these things. 15 years on 1 mg a day or as needed.Withdrawal is hell!

How are you doing now, bittybee? It's a little after 11:00 my time here in Alaska.
Elaine
Hope you have been able to take your K dose!
Prayin for ya.

I was notified you tried to contact me...I've "formally" registered now, so maybe it will work...Can SH give you my email?
Snooks2
(Elaine)