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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

Need advice on klonopin withdrawal

Klonipin Is By Far, The Most Unsettling, Frightening, Cold Turkey Detox* For People Who Have Become Dependent On These Addictive(Long Half-Life)Benzo's; I Have Been On These Medications For Approximately 8 Years In Total. I Was First Prescribed them For restless Legs & Arms, plus 'Clenching My Jaws While Sleeping'.

The Klonipin Improved My Jaw Clenching, However Did Absolutely Do Nothing For My RLS. It Did However' Helped My Tensed Muscles In Neck & Back Relax. I Used To Suffer From Extreme Panic Attacks That Caused Dangerous or Harmful Things To Happen To Me Physically, which then Triggered Off Incidents Such As Driving To Work and Could Feel and See The Bridge Joining 2 Cities. I Lived In One City and Would Have To Drive Across The Bridge! No Fun...Yikes.

I Continued To Work As a Waitress and Hostess at a Popular Restaurant Chain. I Eventually Quit After Too Many Mishaps and Trips To The ER. My First Panic Attack(Full Blown..To Me, This Means It Happens Fast-No Warning That I Recall. I Do Recall a Horrible Freezing or Seizing Of My Entire Body; A Feeling That Made Me Want To Drop All The Plates I Had Just Lifted From a Table. Thank Heavens, There Were No Customers Who Seen. I Felt That Everything Was Surreal. My Hearing Was Hollow Sound. I Walked As Fast As I Could With The 4-5 Plates and Barely Made It To The Dish Washing Area. I Was Taken To The ER. My M.D. Got a Copy of My Report. She Immediately Put Me On Paxil. That Was 23 years Ago. I Read a Book During That Same Time. To This Day, I Feel The Paxil Did Not Work. The Book's Material Was Very Mindful. Common Sense-Yoga-Meditate & Channel Negative or Toxic Thoughts To Positive Thinking and Healthy Positive Sleep Hygiene-Proper Nutrition-Friends-Support etc.

Later In My Life, I Was Put On Klonipin For Anxiety and Night Terrors From PTSD. It Worked and Solved Both Problems Up To 75-85%. I Had No Idea The Addiction Was As Severe As It Is. I Will Likely Stay On These Medication Because It Does Help. I Just Wanted To Let Others Know That For Me The Withdrawal was brutal. my Doctor Went Away. I Went Cold Turkey. I Thought I Could Talk Myself Out of The High Anxiety(GAD). After all, I Felt I Got My Panic Attacks Under Control. This Was Not The Case. During The Summer of 2010, I Did Not Sleep For Weeks, I Could Not Eat, I Was Weak, I Could Not Move On The 8-9 Day. I Was Speaking In Tongues, Nausea, Feeling Tortured, Losing My Mind. Always Try To Taper With Help Of a Doctor. Seizure Can Be Fatal.


I AmNew Here.I Am Extremely Happy To Be a Part of Blue light. I Love Everyone's Attitude. Thank-You To The Moderators and Administrators. Great Job, Take Care Everyone.
 
Hi Jill,

I am new here to Bluelight, but have come to read up on new meds that are prescribed for me. I am a long-time Klonopin user for Multiple Sclerosis spasms and anxiety caused from the disease. At times I have had to go off of them because tolerance built up and it simply wasn't working. I can't recall feeling a withdrawal, but everyone's brain chemistry is different and I was on other meds that may have helped me experiencing withdrawals.

I'm really sorry you are going through this sort of hellish experience! Was there a reason you had to quit cold-turkey? Is it possible for you to find a new doctor and explain what it going on and get some new ones prescribed? You shouldn't have to continue suffering like this.

Another med you can try is Valium if you cannot find a doctor who prescribes Klonopin. It will calm your CNS, and relax you. Best of luck to you, and keep us posted on how you are doing.
 
Clonazepam Withdrawal Hell

I read the quoted message and have this to add. To begin a 2/mg dose per day is not all that small for clonazepam, Its eqivelant in lets say adivan would be 5-7mgs a day. Side effects severe panic and social anxiety, fear, epileptic seizure and death on withdrawal. Go see a dr. Tell them how long you've been on the drug and what you plsn on doing, hell prescribe you a tethering dose.I definitely would. Also alcohol will help you alright. It will help you go into those all to terrible seizures sooner. Check with your doctor or another doctor besides myself and again I do not recommend cold turkey. Tryst me from the point of both a one time addict of every drug out there and a medical practitioner as well as a Reverend and psychologist. Yes I have a Double Doctorate as well as a masters degree. PhD, Dr.Div.M.Psych.
Syd_Barret said:
You prolly won't sleep at all for a long while, as well as being extremely anxious/panic attacks maybe.

I went through some mild benzo w/d back in the day... I didn't get a single hour of sleep for about 1-2 weeks... it sucked ASS.
I do remember the first night of uninterrupted sleep that i did get... honestly it was the bests nights sleep I've EVER EVER had. So you have that to look forward to, haha.

In terms of what you can do.. I'm not sure honestly.... try to get your hands on some benzos.. and TAPER. Drinking alcohol could help a little prolly..

Also, use the search engine, covered countless times already.
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I have been on clonazepam for nearly a year now for restless leg syndrome and at first was messing with them trying a few to see the effects. I enjoy benzos but found these mild in comparison to diazepam and tamazepam. If I went a bit crazy with them and went a couple of weeks without they disrupted my sleep thats all just lay in bed watching late nite movies. My dose is only 1mg per night and for a buzz took 20mg in one go and just slept for a few days no memory loss like I get with Diazipam. 1mg just dont seem to effect me at all. Hope you come off them easy mate
 
Coming off Benzo's like Klonopin can cause insomnia, and myclonus jerks. Muscles jerking when trying to sleep. Your post is asking for Klonopin withdrawal advice. Just take 1/2 a 1mg tablet each night for about 6-7 days, then go to a quarter for the next week. then stop. Clonazepam is a longer acting med than most Benzo's
 
Thank you so much for all of the info. So sorry I didn't reply. I couldn't remember my password or get it. But I DID wean off and am doing great. Your advice was spot on. I am so much healthier and happier than I have been in 3 years. I went through hell, but now I know what I need vs. want. Only on 3 meds for MS, and ZERO benzos. You guys helped more than you know, and I am glad I found my password, although late, to say THANK YOU!

Warmly, Taz
 
Windsor said:
Coming off Benzo's like Klonopin can cause insomnia, and myclonus jerks. Muscles jerking when trying to sleep. Your post is asking for Klonopin withdrawal advice. Just take 1/2 a 1mg tablet each night for about 6-7 days, then go to a quarter for the next week. then stop. Clonazepam is a longer acting med than most Benzo's
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I Agree. Clonazepam is extremely popular in this area. It is the "Benzo" of Choice, it seems. Running out or having them stolen is not an option, either. Be sure to faithfully respect these long acting Benzo's. They will put you through HoRRiD Withdrawal. The withdrawal is the kind where you feel like you are being tortured. They affect you mentally and physcially too. Lock them up and take them for the rest of your life, if they work for a serious Medical Issue. Never Take The Full Bottle In Your Purse--Jacket or Pocket. If you get robbed---The police have to be notified etc. There is so much extra BS tangled into "Being addicted to these Lil f-----s , Stay away from them if you can. They will stab you in the back, sooner or later. ....... Good luck!
 
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Personally, if I were you I would stop the Tramadol first and take the Clonazepam till the withdraws go away. When the withdraws do go away you need to be extremely careful coming off of benzo's like that, it can cause seizures and you could die. I would slowly taper off of the benzo. Please be careful and talk to a doctor about all this. Best of luck!
 
So detox is not recommended ? I should taper with outpatient instead , risking seizures ?
 
I have been on klonapin and tramadol for 15 years . apparently for a condition I don't need it for . ( menigiomas ) sp. which are small non-cancerous tumors in my spine . Of course 15 years ago doctors had the liberty to give you whatever the hell they wanted . Now they have d.e.a. cracking down on them , and My current doctor wont prescribe as many as I was getting . I was taking 50mg x 2 with , 1/2 mg of klonapin x3 times daily . So thats 300 mg of tramadol , and 1.5 mg of klonapins a day . My current doctor as of 9 months ago cut me in half with my tramadol , and kept me the same on my klonapin ( for now ) . He wants me to go to detox . I call the detox center , and they want to give me librium . 7-9 day detox center . I have been without my klonapin for 3 to 4 days before , and remember crawled up in my bed feeling like I was gonna die without them . I dont know the best soulution for this problem . I want to be off them if I dont need them . ( which I feel I dont ) . I feel like a dr. just threw me some drugs 15 years ago , and sent me on my way . What is the safest way to detox ? What to do ? please help . I am a single father , and I HAVE to function in this world in order to take care of my son . Please respond using my name if addressing me please , as I am not very computer literate , and not to mention very new to bluelight . I'm sure once I start communicating on here , I will get the hang of it ... "hopefully" ...
 
Since my doctor cut my meds 9 months ago , I have been seriously depressed at times , and feel like my body may be detoxing itself ?? by not getting as much as I once was getting ?? I guess thats the tapering method ??
 
Best advice possible

MethaContin said:
6 pills divided into quarters is 24 0.25mg clonazepam pills

and that equals 24 5mg Valium's.


PLEASE TRY THAT METHOD!!!!!!!! I DONT WANT ANYONE TO GO THROUGH WHAT I WENT THROUGH!
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I am also prescribed 1mg of klonopin a night, only it is supposed to compliment my other seizure medication because I have grand mal seizures so d/c ing the klonopin will be far trickier for me. I just spent 3 days in the hospital for a scheduled inpatient eeg where my klonopin and all meds were d/c the first night on. I was only told that they were going to do this 6 days in advance so I couldn't really taper that much, but I did taper by the 0.25 mg every two days and went into the hospital having slept the previous night and having only taken .5 mg of klonopin. However, it should also be noted that I had a grand mal seizure within 14 hours in the hospital; that was the goal though and I couldn't go home until I had a seizure so it was a strange kind of good news. My vitals were taken every 4 hours and I had a running ekg with my eeg, my blood pressure or pulse never went up the whole time I was in the hospital (except during the seizure of course), basically what I'm getting at is that the withdrawals get to their worst point often about a week into detoxing. The best advice I can give is to get down to 1 mg, and then reduce by 1/8 mg every week for 8 weeks to have minimal withdrawal effects if you do plan to entirely come off of them after you get your next script or not. Following those steps are only possible with smaller pill sizes and a generic form that is scored, I know I can't possibly cut my 1 mg ones into 1/8's but your any doctor is normally willing to work with a patient trying to get off of benzo's (assuming that you're not epileptic). GABA, which you can order off of amazon or get practically anywhere will help, as will 5-htp, valerian root, melatonin, l-tryptophan and an assortment of other herbs and supplements. The next best thing you can do to increase your chances of sleeping is to get as much early sunlight as possible, expose yourself to blue rays, the more seratonin you produce during the day the more melatonin you will produce at night. And STAY away from lights from the evening on. I have detoxed off of 6 mg's of xanax before, and I had the same thing happen to me, my friends stole most of my script and my doctor was on vacation and his partner was less than willing to help me out. I had to go to the emergency room each day for the first 5 days where they administered to me 1 mg of alprazolam, but klonopin has a much longer half-life, so the withdrawals will linger.
 
You really want to take your time tapering, switch to Valium. That shit lasts for a long time (metabolite wise). Get some Gabapentin. They are uncontrolled. That will be like heaven compared to cold turkey. Dramamine/ Diphenhydramine, is better then nothing, but Doxylamine succinate is smoother IMO, as far as OTC medications go.
 
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Tapering whether via Dr or other-wise makes a huge dif & should be the MO. As far as no benzo subs, Melatonin: 10-20 mg dual layer for sleep, Valerian root extracts (if this fits with the goal), Diphenhydramine however, watch the dose, or it can cause a form of anxiety such as restless legs etc. Gabapentin is used for restless legs. For natural relief, physical activity both keeps your mind occupied & burns up nervous energy.
Careful tapering, when an option should be a planned effort that's worked out w/the Dr's & is realistic. This can really help the process in success & comfort. Remove 1 med at a time is another best idea usually. Good luck all. I look at it, sometimes a trauma etc happens & these things have a role, but there may come a time when they help less. But no judgement here! Been there.
 
While I know that benzo withdrawal can be hell, as all withdrawal can. I am a former IV heroin user, who has been off that drug for more than a decade. I tried so many times, but ended up being completely forced into abstinence after kicking a cop in the balls, more than 10 years into my ride with the beautiful, demon Heroin. During my decade of riding this horse, I tried methadone and it worked really well, but some
 
Damn phone. Not only with my state of alteration, but also mental state in general. And some talk about tinnunitis and how it drives them crazy! But for one who has lived with it since 18, assuming it was just a side effect of my bizarre hearing loss, it serves as a guide. For me, I am blessed to finally have my answers in the bottles prescribed by my psych doctor. Yeah- I went over my script and am facing a bit of withdrawal (thank goddesses for friends with benzo scripts, and in a few hours, I will be set right...but so much to do before I leave to make that drive from my house in the country). But- for me, it is like I have been waiting a long decade of sobriety, waiting, waiting, to finally be prescribed these things. I can't resonate with those screaming to rid yourself of these little demons called klonopins, as I have been waiting patiently for years to have the ability to get them. And these are meds that I need. I am a mess without right now/ husband in the hospital and looming due dates. But, I must say- it really is all worth it for me, to be able to have my meds most of the time. I have been waiting years to be able to legally take these things that I know now that I need. In those days of addiction, I was merely seeking a solution to my medical issues. And today- to be medically given these things I need, the only things that have seemed to work in this last decade of seeking alternative solutions. Sitting here, facing this withdrawal, I know that next week, I simply tell my doctor that I took more than prescribed, and she will work with me. She may up my dose, or add another medication. All of which I am fine with. I have finally come home. To a place where I have mental well being. And I place where I have my drugs to help wth my conditions. So many who have dabbled with this demon, may warn against these medicines that cause dependence. But, for me- these medicines are what I have been waiting for. Patiently biding my time until it was MY name on the bottle. So many years without insurance and without proper treatment, and I am thankful for my klonopins. Even if I feel these shitty edges of withdrawal, as I try the overcompensate with the other meds I have until I can get where I need to go to get a few pills in my hand. Thankfully I know where to buy a few benzos to get me through. And I have friends with scripts who will gladly give me a few, as I have done the same when their scripts ran low. Drugs are not bad, and dependence is not the worst thing out there, as I for one, am happy to have my benzos. Finally. Even if I face withdrawal every now and then. And I hope that I don't run short again, but it is all worth being able to get these meds I need. The only thing that has been able to put me in a place where my mental health is not all over the place. This driving angst from inside, an engine that is always turning, this pressure pushing down on myself, unrealistic in its expectations is soothed with these medicines. All this internal crap that will be there no matter what I do, because this is my chemistry is finally soothed with external chemistry and these drugs I need to thrive. Maybe I don't need them to survive, but I do need them to thrive. I need them to help my relationships thrive and to keep the balance in my head thriving and growing, not just stunted on its own repetitive rants. I no longer just want to survive, although more than a decade ago that was what I was doing as I stumbled into recovery- just trying to survive. And I tried this way and that, until I found what works for me and my recovery. And now I want to thrive. And I am thankful to be coming home and being given these medicines I have needed much of my adult life. And likely much sooner than that. The physical symptoms of anxiety were there when I was six, as I fervently picked at my mosquito bites, and my breath was often taken away with the sharp quick pain on my left side of the heart. And years of seeking a solution with illicit drugs and extreme routes of administration, I know that I need what is in these bottles. And I for one am thankful to have a Klonopin script. And have no intentions of getting off them. Ever. And I am great with that.
 
You really should cut the pills in half to taper off of them. I would highly recommend CBD oil to help with the withdrawals. I was on Kolonapin for 10 years and was able to get off them by taking less and less each week, and then each day. I got down to a 1/4 of a .25 mg. from 3 mg. Within a month. I found CBD at www.cbdhemphealing.com (use ESPCBD as a promo code to get 10% off every time you purchase something) and have never had anxiety or used Kolonapin again. CBD helps heal your internal organs and makes you feel calm due to withdrawals. Good luck!
 
I hate people that have the horrible horror stories of withdrawal. I understand if you are taking a seriously high dose of benzos withdrawal is fucking dangerous, and this doesn't apply to them, but some stories at low doses are just ridiculous. The people that say you will be in withdrawal for years is far fetched to me. I quit clonazepam after being on it for 2 years at 2 mg a day. In one month I just keep taking less and less and then was done. I had like 5 days where my brain definetly felt clogged up with headaches and all that withdrawal jazz, but it lasted one week. Then it was over. I was not in withdrawal for fucking months or years. Don't let the internet scare you, cause it sure as hell scared me. And I agree with ^ cbd def helped a lot. Indica is the way to go, I firmly beleive weed can help people with addictions. It helped me quit heroin and benzos. Im not all about complete sobriety as AA preaches and tells people into thinking they are fucking powerless. If I am powerless to it then I would be fucking using it, But because I am not powerless to it I now choose not too. I dono my logical thinking just doesn't fit with the 12 step doctrine. Im pro cannabis all the way for addiction. If i had a really bad craving for dope or something and I smoked a lil bud, I forget all about the craving and just chill.
 
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