Posted by David Greenberg on March 22, 2004, at 20:53:53
In reply to withdrawl from Klonopin, posted by sheebies on August 25, 2003, at 8:54:49
Withdrawal from klonopin can take a while, but there's no need to become panicked about it.
The best course is to be patient and resolute, and draw up a long-term plan for withdrawal that mimics the amount of time (and dose) that you were taking prior to that.
For example, I took klonopin, up to 3mg/day, for three years, when I decided to begin withdrawing and lowering my dose. Actually, I wasn't entirely convinced of the need to get off the drug completely, only to keep the dose as low as possible.
After 4 more years, I was able to return to a relatively low dose of 1mg/day. This period involved some low-points, with lost sleep and reverse-insomnia (early morning anxiety), but that was about the worst of it. Usually, acute withdrawal wouldn't last for more than a few days. I took trazodone irregularity when my sleep was really difficult, but I haven't used it for a while.
I'm happy to give you some more suggestions, if you'd like. Just send me an email to davidg_888@yahoo.com.
Warmly,
David> Help please. I have been taking klonopin (.5mg taking one to two at bedtime) for almost a year. I started taking after a bad withdrawl from Metabolife (yes, I know very stupid). I also had really bad insomnia and diagnosed with having an anxiety disorder. Any way all of the sudden one day, my klonopin stopped working. I totally went through 4 days of hell - heart palps, huge insomnia, panic attacks (still taking the klonopin). I remembered that my doctor had said that you can get addicted, you will start needing more and it will stop working. That is what happened. I started taking 3 (.5mg each) at night to get to sleep. And my insomnia got worse. So I went to my Doc and told him I wanted to get off of them. After describing my huge panic, heart palps and mood swings during those 4 days. He perscribed Seroquel. When I asked him why he wanted be to take that - he said that he thought I might be starting to be bi-polor. This freaked me out and I didn't take them. I thought that those feeling might just be related to the klonopin, so I just started tapering off (.5 a night), then after a week or 10 days, I totally stopped. My insomnia got worse. I totally freaked out and had huge, huge anxiety/panic and depression feelings. I called him and said that I wanted to go off of the Klonopin and did'nt want to start taking the Seroquel, so he gave me xanax xr .5mg and told me to take 2 at night to help me sleep. Completely blowing off the idea about me trying to get off of every thing. So, thinking that xanax would be milder than the klonopin, and needing to get one night of sleep - I have been taking 2 (.5mgs) of xanax for the last 2 nights. Yes I am sleeping, but I dont' know what to do know.
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> My question is....has anyone been successful in getting off of klonopin and how long do the horrifing withdrawls last. Do you feel normal again? Or at least how you felt before starting it. I am wondering if I need an AD to help with the withdrawl? Any way I am going to my thearpist today to see what she thinks about his bi-polar comment and to get a name or a psych. for a 2nd opinion.
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> THanks.
poster:David Greenberg
thread:253823
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040319/msgs/327183.html