Benzos Advice Needed for Klonopin Withdrawal

Hello To All...…….(Short Version Below)

I'm Decreasing my dosage of Klonopin (Clonazepam) FROM: 2mg, 3 times a day, TO: 2mg, 2 times a day (6mg a day, to 4mg a day), due to the fact that I took an "Extra" Klonopin occasionally when I was prescribed Cymbalta a higher (2 times higher) than the recommended starting dose, and the sudden introduction of that amount of Cymbalta into my system threw My Diagnosed (Yet Very Well Controlled) Anxiety/Panic Disorder into a Virtual "Tail-Spin".

Again Comes The Phrase "Everybody's Different", and this "Fairly Large, Athletic Person" (Me) was Knocked On His Butt By A Little Pill.

This Has Been A Humbling Experience Indeed.

Just a couple quick points: Taking more of an antidepressant(AD) than prescribed while concomitantly using other AD's can lead to Serotonin Syndrome(SS). I suggest looking into it as there's a list of meds that can trigger SS with multiple AD's being at the top of the list.

When cutting down on Clonazepam a taper is highly recommended as even mild benzo WD is a nightmare. But trying to chop off a third of the K-Pin AND cut out the Hydrocodone at the same time is known as Poly Drug Withdrawal, AKA the 6th layer of Hell.

If at all possible, slaying one beast at a time is usually much more effective and far less punishing. Let us know how it goes with your GNC friend and if he has something better than say Valerian Root extract, Passion Flower, etc. Stay away from St. John's Wort or anything MAOI-ish while also using AD's.

Aprophenea, Thank You For Your Input.


Does anybody have any other suggestions to add to the ones above?

I would suggest staying away from the phenibut as it will cause w/d worse in ways than the kpins. It?s also seems toxic in general. If I take it more than 4 Times a week it eats up my kidneys and stomach both while on or off it and causes opiate like w/ds. I?ve been stuck in a loop for quite a few years where I use benzos to get off opiates, then plan to just ween off the benzos but do to my natural insomnia I end up on phenibut and am never able to use less than 4 Times a week(2gs). After my stomach and kidneys are crying for help I end up replacing the phen with Kratom since it doesn?t actively tear me down. If you can moderate phen is a godsend but who do just choose not to sleep for 4 days out of the week? I’ve always wanted to try Mirtazapine or Amitriptyline to come off of benzos but was never given the chance

Do you have any chance to get diazepam?

I recommend diazepam due to its extremely long half life (up to 100 hours) + the active metabolites (notably nordiazepam, with a half life of up to 200 hours).Clonazepam has a long half life too but "only" up to 50 hours. Although in young, healthy persons who are active the half lives aren't really this long.

I was on 8-12 mg clonazepam a day 4 months ago and has gone through a horrendous inpatient detox and taper, but I was switched to diazepam and found it was easier to taper down with diazepam. It's also available in small tablets of 5 mg and 2 mg, so very suitable for a taper. The dose you take, 0.5 mg clonazepam, is equivalent to 10 mg diazepam, so definitely a too big dose to go cold turkey on.

I'm not a doctor but there are also other antiepileptic drugs that are effective, e.g. valproate and carbamazepine. Pregabalin (Lyrica) is very effective for benzo WD, but it's also addictive on its own. As you have some Lyrica, start with a small dose to see how you react, but it's very effective for anxiety and sleep and is an anticontulsant too.

If you have no other option, I'd recommend taking the lorazepam you said you can get your hands on. But, lorazepam is on of the worst benzos to get off and is prone to induce very strong WD symptons even on benzo standards.

I do not recommend Phenibut or any other GABA-B (I've tried baclofen too) agonist! IME they make benzo WD much worse. Phenibut has induced heavy twitching and jerking and seizure-like symptoms when I've taken it during benzo WD. And it has this strange stimulant effect that you really don't want.

For sleep, if you can get mirtazapine, it's a wonderdrug for sleep. It's one of the most hypnotic drugs I've ever tried, and it doesn't lose its effect as you don't get tolerance to it other than that the daytime drowsiness disappears after a few days. Neuroleptics like quetiapine are heavily sedating too but they carry the risk of a lowered seizure threshold and are just very nasty drugs in general.

again.

P.S. I Can Use All Of The Advise I Can Get On Cutting Back On Klonopin This Fast, Including Any "Natural Remedies", Etc. (Klonopin, 2mg tablets, 3 times a day, to nearly 1/2 of that dosage) Any And All Advise Would Be Greatly Appreciated.

P.S. I Can Use All Of The Advise I Can Get On Cutting Back On Klonopin This Fast, Including Any "Natural Remedies", Etc. (Klonopin, 2mg tablets, 3 times a day, to nearly 1/2 of that dosage) Any And All Advise Would Be Greatly Appreciated.

Klonopin withdrawls getting bad - advise?

Update:

The Klonopin withdrawls are getting worse, and the Lyrica I started for this has me feeling drunk, but not in a good way.

I started the Lyrica yesterday (?), with the hopes it would help with the withdrawls, and yesterday it seemed to do that.

I'm also concerned about the possibility of having seizures, even though I'm taking some Klonopin (I went from 6mg's a day, to 4mg's for a few days, and I' now at 2mg's a day, and I don't have much choice but to cut down this fast,).

I'm wondering if I should go to the Hospital, but the wait in the Emergency Room, Etc., and all they would probably do would be to give me some more Klonopin, and tell me to make an appointment with my General Practitioner, and I really don't want to have him know about my taking some "extra" Klonopin, Even If It Was To Combat The Bad Side Effects My Newly Prescribed Cymbalta.

I don't want to repeat every detail of what's, as the full story of this is in my posts above.

I want to thank all those that replied, and would be very appreciative for any and all other replies.

Thank You.

R.

Hey there,
Don?t worry about re explaining the details. 99% of people replying read the original post before they scroll down (at least I assume so).

I know how it is being in that state because I?m in a similar state right now with my opiate addiction to street heroin

I had to quit klonopin recently after my street connection cut me off... at that point I was taking 2-3 mgs a day for a year, and had to utilize like 8-10 k pins I had left to taper. I can tell you I had gabapentin, clonodine, and heroin (although the heroin does nothing but make me feel normal really) and it still wasn?t fun tapering.

If I read that correctly you said you?ve been taking benzos for how long?? 17 years ?? Or 47 years?!?!

I can?t imagine 47 years.... my god you really might need professional help.
I had a lot of strength coming off the klonopin and knowledge on how to safely cut down without medical supervision but at the same time I was only addicted for 1-1.5 years at that point never beyond 5+ years like my heroin habit which is a lot harder to stop.

Whatever you do, DONT, leave yourself with a very small amount of klonopin before you call for help. Don?t wait till you run out helpless only then to call a rehab or emergency room to start the process to get help because it could leave you in big big trouble.
Especially if you?ve had legally prescribed benzos (not street benzos) I doubt you?re meddling with street people who have a way to find benzos if you do run out, so save yourself bad withdrawals/seizures and get help while you?re capable of doing so.

This is just my advice. I was lucky to have been expecting my connect to cut me off and started tapering before it happened and saved an ?emergency stash? of 8-10 k pins in case that would happen and it did. I can tell you I would have been 100000% fucked if I didn?t plan like that

Regarding my "re-explaining the details", your point is well taken. Thank you for pointing that out from a "Reader's Perspective".​

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Perhaps my High Level Of Anxiety played a part in that.
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I understand what you mean about me keeping on explaining the details of taking, and now withdrawling from, my Klonopin.
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I was trying to enable everyone know Exactly Why, And What, I am going through, in whichever one of my posts they might happen to be reading.
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Maybe I was doing that a bit too much.

This post will more than likely get somewhat lengthy, to clarify everything that led up to my current abrupt Klonopin reduction, and subsequent withdrawl, with the hopes I can generate more replies, from people who accurately understand my current situation.

I'll keep your suggestion in mind with future posts.
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As far as the "17 and 47 years", and "might need professional help", I experienced my 1st Panic Attack when I was 15 years old (47 years ago), and didn't know WHAT was going on. I went to my Family Doctor, and was prescribed something (?) that really didn't help. I also saw a Counselor/Therapist several times, and he eventually told me I didn't need those sessions, and that I was fine. ("They" didn't have the knowledge of "Panic Disorders" that "they" do today.)

I was prescribed so many different medications to help my "Panic Disorder", all of which didn't work (until I was prescribed a Benzodiazepine, as described below), that it was ridiculous.

Despite my continuing to have Severe "Panic Attacks", which would come out of nowhere, and which I hid very well, I continued forward for 5 years, Having An Active Social Life, Playing Sports, Graduating High School, Attending College, And Beginning My Engineering Career Successfully. As I said, I hid My "Panic Disorder" very well. I didn't know what was causing the weird feelings I was experiencing, And I Was Embarrassed About It, Although Very Few People Knew.

After that 5 years (42 years ago) a different Doctor diagnosed me as having "Nervous Tension" (which is what "we" now call having a "Panic Disorder" and/or an "Anxiety Disorder"), and prescribed 5mg's of Valium (Diazepam), to be taken "Every 4 to 6 hours, as needed for Nervous Tension", which worked VERY WELL AT 3, 5MG TABLETS, A DAY. I Was Both Amazed, And Greatly Relieved That SOMETHING Worked. I continued the Valium, seeing my doctor occasionally for "Med Checks".

The Valium never made me feel Tired, "High", Sleepy, Etc. It just barely "took the edge off", greatly reduced (or completely stopped) the Panic Attacks, and that's all that I wanted it do. If anything, I felt more energetic, and productive, while taking it, possibly because I didn't have my "Panic Disorder" draining my energy. Also, for some medications seem to work the opposite for me, than they do for most people.

17 years ago, there was a Physiatrist, who was associated with our Church, who I felt it wouldn't hurt seeing regarding my "Panic Disorder". When I saw him in his office, and described my symptoms, he said I had "text-book symptoms of having a 'Panic Disorder', and he replaced the Valium with Klonopin (Clonazepam), saying "Klonopin was Harvard University's medication of choice for a 'Panic Disorder'".

He put me on 2mg's of Klonopin, 2 times a day, referred his records of my "Panic Disorder" diagnosis and my treatment with Klonopin for same, to my current General Practitioner, who followed up on the same "successful treatment". A few years later, at one of my routine "Med Checks, my General Practitioner raised my dosage of

Klonopin from 2mg's, 2 times a day (4mg's a day), to 2mg's, 3 times a day (6mg's a day). This has been the Prescribed Dosage I've been taking.
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It has only been within the past couple months I occasionally took more of my Klonopin than prescribed, that being an "extra" 2mg tablet a day. I did this to directly combat the Extremely Heightened Symptoms Of Panic And Anxiety due to the newly prescribed Cymbalta (Duloxetine), one 60mg capsule a day, also prescribed by General Practitioner, for "Neuropathic Nerve Pain/Damage" from an injury I sustained while working. I was also prescribed Norco (Hydrocodone), 5/325mg's, 2 times a day, for severe pain.

I would have easily made up for the "extra" 2m's a day by skipping a 2mg tablet a day now and then, once my system got used to the Cymbalta. I've missed one of my daily doses before, without much of an increase in Panic or Anxiety, if any at all.

After approximately 2 months of taking the Cymbalta, I was still having undesirable side affects. I made an appointment with my General Practitioner, and we both agreed it would be best to stop the Cymbalta.

I didn't think coming off the Cymbalta abruptly after 2 months would have any strong side effects, but it did for me, in the form of very similar strong side effects as when I started taking it.

All that being said, I didn't have the days I expected to have for making up for the "extra" Klonopin I took when I began taking the Cymbalta, and I've had to reduced my Klonopin dosage very quickly in order to try to make my prescription last until I at least see my General Practitioner for my 3 month "Med Check", which is 4 days from now, and my actual "Klonopin Refill Date" is set at 6 days from now.

I'm currently attempting to make 2-1/2, 2mg tablets (5mg's) of Klonopin last at least 4 days, or maybe more.

I have Lyrica (Pregabalin), 150mg capsules available, and have been opening the capsules to try to take as close to 75mg, twice a day as possible.

I'm also taking 50mg of Benadryl about 3 times a day for these Klonopin Withdrawl Symptoms.

SO FAR TODAY I might be feeling a little better than I did yesterday, but I'm definitely still feel feeling these Withdrawl Symptoms (Early Last Night WAS A "BEAR")

I Regret This Post Got So Long. I want to fully clarify My Very Unpleasant Situation, with the hope I will feel I'm able to make my future posts both easier to read, and easily understandable.

As I Keep Saying, Any And All Input, Suggestions, Advise, Etc., Anybody Has To Offer Will be Much Appreciated.

Thanks Again.

R.​

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Attempting A Brief Update Of My Klonopin (Clonazepam) Withdrawl.

​Hello All. I'll Try To Make This A Brief Update, And Request For Any Relevant Information.

I haven't had any replies since my last post. I hope that's not because it was so long that it caused anybody to ignore this thread.

My system is all Weirded-Out.
Any Questions, Comments, Or Even Any "Fleeting Thoughts", Would Be Much Appreciated!

Thank You.

R.

Seeing as your down to 2 days can you make an earlier appointment and state it's due to a full schedule on top of the bad effects of Cymbalta? The fact that you have 17 years of responsible use on your side should exhibit great compliance with dosage instructions.
Having been on benzos for the better part of your entire life just puts you at even higher risk for WD complications. I really wish there was a non benzo drug that could fix this but there really isn't. I think it would look worse having had a seizure trying to keep your doctor's trust vs trusting him/her to help you in this situation when they caused it in the first place by adding Duloxetine. It would seem your intentions are honorable, but becoming risky at this point. It's not like you copped benzos off the street that caused this. Sometimes benadryl can make WD worse, for sure in opioid WD. Lyrica is a plus though.

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Responses usually come in spurts and often it has nothing to do with your posting style, though everybody interested reads the first post so reiterating it just makes more work for you. Not that there's anything wrong with it.

Stay away from Valium, at least for. Now

It is a common misconception that Valium is a "long acting " benzodiazepine; it takes effect rapidly by any route, and hits somewhat hard(not like xanax or anything l) yet hard to the benzo naive, or at high doses. It also lacks the serotoninergic effects of Clonazepam, which contribute to its anti -panic properties.

Anyway, Valium and Clonazepam both have a mean t1/2 of 30-40 hours, yet Clonazepam last much longer, especially at those doses.
Valium is highly lipophilic, so it rapidly penetrates the CnS - Problem is that it rapidly exits, and then enters other tissues in the body, where it hides out, with the molecules slowly coming out and being metabolized. It's also highly protein bound. Clonazepam is poorly lipophilic, lending it a gradual onset, yet prolonged peak. Also it is 20-30x more potent

And finnaly it is well established that attempting a valium taper (or ti a lesser extent, likely nordazepam) protocol is extremely difficult when the patient is on Clonazepam, especially at high doses or long periods -
They attempt secondary medication along with a taper of the klonopin itself. People have mentioned secondary meds, you are in a fairly high dose thought, 4-8mg Clonazepam per day? That is over 100mg Nordazepam and valium, 7-14mg Ativan, ~ 200mg temazepam.. Blah blah

Point is, Dr appointment. You seem to have the means, so help yourself. Good luck

Thank You For Your Input, "Jekyl Anhydride", And, "Lorne???"

Reduce from 6mg to 4mg, so 2mg less in a strike is a very fast reduction. With clonazepam you must not reduce more than 0.5 or 0'25mg each two weeks. If you reduce too fast the withdrawal will do you take again the maximum dose. Read benzo.org.uk

Hey Flexure,

Hope things worked out with your doctor and the Cymbalta was cut out of the picture. At the very least dropping all the comfort/ support meds should be nice. Also how's the hydrocodone cessation going? Not sure if that was just for a week or maybe longer.
Hope your feeling better by now.