I began taking it 3 years ago after a traumatic experience. The psychiatrist prescribed xanax and klonipin after expressing clearlyt I did not want anything habit forming but was desperate to get some sleep so I didn't even think twice to read about it. Wish I would have read about your experiences because YES the withdrawals are hell. Came off xanax two years ago and began cuttibg back the Klonipin over 12 months ago. Two mg in half for 6 months than 1mg in half for six months. Ran out of .5 two days ago and the withdrawals hit last night. I put some medicinal MJ in boiling water with a little butter and citrus. Calmed me right down. Headache hit today but not as bad as in the past....yet.
just wanted to add: It has been extremely difficult detoxing. Numbing worked for a while but it also slowed down the process of recovering from the issues at hand. Yoga, meditation, a healthy diet have helped along with no alcohol or caffeine. I've found that not rocking the boat is very important until the withdrawals subside. Wish me luck as I enter day 3....
OMG, I cant believe how bad this drug has turned out to be. I have been on it for 6 months taking 2MG every other day or sometimes every 2 days for insomnia and some bad mental trauma I went through with my wife.
My whole body just aches, my muscles and joints hurt so bad when I don't take it, I have been trying to stop taking it but the withdrawals are SO BAD !! My face and jaw muscles are as if I am biting down on something real tight sometimes, I am so fatigued and run down feeling, I get out of breath easy and have no energy. My hart is racing all the time and my whole body is shaking and weak. I just feel so doomed.......
If only my doctor had told me of these WICKED WITHDRAWL SYMTOMS in the beginning, I NEVER would have taken this EVIL medication !!!! Its just terrible because it actually did help me in the beginning after Xanax failed to do anything for me. Its such a viscous cycle because you at some point are forced to take it again to gain your sanity back !!!!
My expereince of clonazepam is quite a bit better. I am exteremely fatigued and unfocussed at times but that is it. Each person is different and the pace of symptom disappearance varies so hang in there as it should be woth it. There are masking meds that will help of course and if you can try to get help from a specialist (psychiatrist) because they see more of this than family doctors. In my experience, the depression can be a concurrent event, a hopelessness response to your Klonopin side effects, or just a physical response to the chemicals in the drug. My experience has been more in previous tapering off Xanax but Xanax symptoms were like getting sucked down a physical and emotional flushing toilet and then there was a break and it was over for each step. My ongoing clonazepam withdrawal is harder but in a general sense follows the same course. I wish you the best.
stopped a week ago still feel like i am on a bad acid trip. can't sleep or eat much. so am smpking cammel straits, smoking as much pot as i can, and watching the rolling stones on my pc. I am also drinking a lot of water and fruit juice. it is not a good plan. nothing seems to help. i was taking 5mg.s a day for fifteen yrs. Withdrawlls really suck
i have experienced the exact same thing.
MY MOM IS BEEN IN KLONOPIN PER 25 YEARS AND STILL FEELING GOOD. I HAVE BEEN 11 YEARS AND I HAVE 16 DAYS SINCE LAST DOSAGE AND LIVNG HELL.
I am six weeks free of Klonopin and I still am having symptoms, the worst is anxiety attacks. I get worried that I won't come out of them when they happen. It is like a wave that comes over me and its a terrible feeling. Should I give it more time, I am impatient after 6 weeks of this awful feeling. Thank you for your comments.
Yes to all of your symptoms. I am 8 weeks after withdrawal ended and am still having anxiety, rapid heartbeat, nausea, insomnia and trembling. My doctor tells me this is all normal withdrawal symptoms but it sure is hell. I don't know how long this will take to be free of this awful drug. I was only on it short term. Good luck
i have been on clonazepam for 14 years. two years ago I was only on 1 mg a day. then I started cutting them in half a few months ago. yesterday I stopped all together. And i feel very tired and I keep bumping into things. even at that low dose it still makes me feel weird stopping it. I haven't eaten yet today, just not hungry. I want to sleep but I just lie there awake but tired. It feels very spacy inside me. The doctor said I really didn't need it anymore because it's such a bad drug he didn't feel comfortable with me taking it all the time. I told him it was baically so I could wind down and be ale to sleep. I have bipolar disorder, so I was taking it in the afternoon and by bedtime I was ok. so I think I am just in the beginning. I hope it doesn't get worse.
You need a new primary care doctor. This is benzo withdrawl. I've been "withdrawing" since August 2012. My symptoms are better than they were, but they are still severe, leaving me unable to work or even leave my home most of the time.
Trazadone has helped with sleep after quitting klonopin and also hydroxazine for panic and or anxiety.
It depends on both dose and how "fast" you were taken off. A gradual "taper" is recommended even after 2-3 WEEKS of Klonopin. If you were forced to stop abruptly, this often leads to "protracted withdrawal that (I really hate to say this) can last up to 5 YEARS! And can have permanent cognitive effects, brain damage and a worsening of the original anxiety, additionally protracted withdrawals very often leave the patient unable to take other substances, supplements, vitamins, and food, sunlight temperature sensitivities. Please look up he Ashton Manual...and I pray you will see a psych med counselor asap!
I would not go to Phscy doctor. They are the ones that got me hooked in the first place. For me, and everyone is different go to your pcp. I am going through withdrawal right now. It is terrible. My vision is still messed up and it has been two months. I have pain and stabbing sharp pains shooting through my body. I can hardly type this. But really Phscy doctors are the worst! They tell to kept taking it. I took the drug for deep anxiety and panic. After 10 years on this at a total of 8 mgs a day just think of how much of this drug is in my system. I am surprised that I am still alive! I went off cold turkey. I realize this is not for every one to do.