Withdrawal and Klonopin.

[samuel]

Since I used to drink excessively I suffer from withdrawals when I drink.  The only way I can drink these days is if I take an antianxiety drug the day after I drink.  I drink very infrequently.  Anyway, is Klonopin a drug that I can just take every once in awhile after having drank?  Or is Klonopin a drug which you have to take according to a specific regimen?

[samuel]

I hardly ever drink and when I do it is only a beer or two at the most.  The only time I drank a lot was when I was in college.  I don't know if I became addicted to alcohol during that time which was four years ago or my body can just not handle alcohol.  Samuel

[Lynn]

I'am a ex Herion user and right now I'm on the Methadone program. I'm just wondering what kind of damage will this drug to do me if I stay on it to long? I've been on it 2 years now and I do have problems with my digestive system (irritable bowel)constipation. My finger nails and toe nails are getting thin,plus my teeth aren't doing to good either. I don't know if the Methadone has anything to do with this,that is why I'm asking. There is one more concern,at the age of 43 I'm all so starting to put on weight and that is not good! If you can help me out here I sure would appreciate it! Do you think I should come down on my dose?, right now I'm on 70 mg,what do you think I should?

[jennifer]

I HAVE BEEN TAKING KLONOPIN FOR THREE YEARS. I TAKE 1/2 MG IN THE MORNING AND 1 MG IN THE EVENING. I NO LONGER WANT TO TAKE THIS DRUG. WHAT IS THE BEST SUGGESTION FOR THE TERRIBLE WITHDRAWEL HEADACHE I GET FROM THIS DRUG?

[Sandi]

Jennifer, be careful coming off this drug, my Mom did the seizure & halucination thing bad coming off of a combo of klonopin & oxycontin. I searched on klonopin & the seizures can be caused from just coming off of it. Good luck to ya!

[tamara w.]

I TAKE KLONIPEN.FOR ABOUT 5MNTHS IM A RECOVERING VICODEN ADDICT.NOW IM WORRIED IF I WILL BE ADDICTED TO THIS MEDS?? THANK YOU...TAMARA W.

[Sandi]

Yes, Klonopin is addictive too.

[Cher]

I have been on klonopin for 3 years for restless leg syndrom (syndrome), I was taking 2mg at night before bed, 9 months ago it quit working I think my body got immuned to it so I told the Doctor I wanted off it, so he cut it down to 1mg for 2 weeks and 1/2mg for 2 weeks then stop. I went through major withdrawal, my stomach went nuts. I went through alot for 2 weeks  couldn't even leave the house. i  went back to my Doctor he said i was having a majott anxiety attack and put me back on the klonopin. So in March he said to quit taking it again so I took 1mg for 10 days then 1/2 every other day for 10 days. It didn't work. i was off it a total of 6 days  not sleeping, head foggy, irritable, and shaky.  I called him and he said it would take 7 to 10 days to get out of my system. On the 6th night I had a major anxiety attack. So now I am back on the Klonopin 1/2mg every night before bed, I sleep now my head is foggy my jaws hurt and I still feel shaky inside and nervous. I want to go off this and will try again. I wish I new more about this before I went on it. i was told it was a safe drug to take. It worked but will I ever be the same??

[Brian to Cher]

Yes, you will be the same.  You must, at some point, bear with the withdrawal symptoms until they go away.  I know it is hard, but the only way to get beyond this problem is to stop the Klonipin and wait out the withdrawal.  Although it is uncomfortable it is not something you can't deal with.

[To Brian from Cher]

So how long does it take to get off the klonopin how slow should I go?

[Brian to Cher]

It is hard to say how long the symptoms will last.  You can't really taper down from 1/2 milligram because even if you can break it to 1/4 it will probably just prolong the withdrawal.  I know anxiety is very hard to deal with but it won't kill you.  Perhaps your physician can prescribe Buspar to help with the anxiety.  You might want to wait the few weeks until the Buspar has a chance to work and then try to stop the Klonopin.  You might also try adding in some Valerian or Kava to assist in calming you.  Take care.  Brian

[keith bright]

Has anybody tried to get off klonopin by using natural products analogues  such as GABA or Phenylalanine?  Any commnents?

PS: or any non-diazepam antidepressant

[keith bright]

Has anybody tried to get off klonopin by using natural products analogues  such as GABA or Phenylalanine?  Any commnents?

PS: or any non-diazepam antidepressant

[Andrew]

I am happy to write I am free of Klonopin Addiction. The
withdrawal was beyond horrible. I was medically detoxed in a treatment center but continued to have withdrawal symptoms for months.I became suicidally depressed. I then made the most important decision of my life, I became a member of Narcotics Anonymous.I started going to meetings daily , and got support from other addicts. I need to take Prozac for my depression and
I also have had success with KAVA KAVA. I feel Klonopin is a highly addictive, dangerous drug- especially for people with the disease of addiction

[Paul]

I have been taking 5mg of klonipin a day for going on 6 years.  I was diagnosed w/panic-attack anexiety disorder, and believe me, I had it bad.  The next day....20 years of anexiety hell went away instantly.  I also tried all the SSRI's and currently am on 150mg/day of Effexor, which seems to keep my moods fairly even.  I think I can cut the klonipin use down to
mabey 2mg/day, but I "freak" when I'm out and am concerned about
liver damage from using this stuff.  But HEY....I guess I have to be on something since this panic stuff is so bad.  I have learned
this much about klonipin.....the key to reducing intake is to do it VERY gradually.  Another thing, anyone who drinks while taking this stuff is playing with fire!  It stays in your system
longer for a very long time...I would suggest anyone wanting
to get off this stuff to taper the dose by .25mg a week.  Plan
for a long tapering-off period.

[Sara]

I HAVE BEEN ON KLONOPIN FOR YEARS AND I HAVE TERRIBLE WITHDRAWAL  SYMPTOMS.  WHAT TYPE OF TREATMENT IS THERE?

[Brian to Sick and Scared § ALL you guys]

Essentially the only way to get off the drug is through tapering the drug down slowly, giving your body time to adjust to lower dosages.  Eventually through this process you can at least decrease your withdrawal symptoms.  There is no "quick fix" and you probably will have some withdrawal symptoms.

[G-Dog]

I got down to 1/4 mg of Klonopin and I quit last Friday from there. I had been on a regimen of 1/2 mg Klonopin for at least a month. This is a medication to watch. I took it exactly as perscribed and I have to admit that I just got the craves. Went up on the boards and I am calming down. Don't know how long this will last but I need to get off this.

[brownie03]

I was on klonopin for almost 3 yrs. I suddenly stopped taking them. there was about 3 to 4 weeks of withdraw. I still crave them, so sometimes it gets almost unbearable, but i get through. The only side affect that i feel from this is hard to describe. It almost feels like a electrical shock, in my brain and through out my body. It comes and goes, jarred feeling. Before that , i was addicted to xanax that my doctor had prescribed, that was a horrifing experience coming off that. so the withdraw of klonopin was nothing compared to that. Has anyone felt same side affect as me ?

[Nikki74]

I've been on klonopin for almost a year. I recently went from 1mg to .5mg. I started this a few days ago. I've been having bizarre dreams & stomach cramps. I was originally put on this for post partum depression & now I feel like I don't need to be on the meds anymore. I used to be addicted to cigarettes & was able to quit them. I hope I can get through this & be done with the klonopin soon. Reading other peoples stories have helped me get through this. Thanks!

[shelley1977]

i went cold turkey off of klonopin after taking for about 2 1/2 years.  I got pregnant and could no longer take it.  I have had some horrific side effects.  My anxiety it severe and all i want to do is take a klonopin.  I have been off it for 2 weeks and one day now.  Does anyone know how much longer i will have to go through this withdrawal.  I don't know how much more i can take.

[No name22]

I have been on klonipins for 6 yrs and have a 3 yr old...My dr. wanted me to switch over to buspar I tried it, but didn't like it. So she ended up giving me one 0.5mg of cloninpin a day...She was a very good dr. also a high risk dr. ( not that I needed one) and was at one the best hospitals in the country... I know that doesn't answer anthing to do with w/d, but maybe you can run it by you're DR. and see if they agree, I know how it is to live w/anxiety...NOT FUN!

[Savas]

If you've been taking klonopin that long and you stop, you're probably suffering rebound. It's actually a fairly dangerous thing and should be watched accordingly. If your blood pressure spikes to high from the physical withdrawal you can suffer stroke or heart attack. Have your doctor deal with it accordingly.

[Savas]

*sigh* ignore the above post by me. I had one of those *poor attention span* moments where I did some word substitution. Klonipin for clonidine. I guess I'm having a particularly difficult weekend here, and it's causing me to be distracted.

[wait2long]

no savas..you did get that wrong...but i must strongly say it is NEVER safe to just stop taking meds like benzos, you have to gradually wean down...people who have stopped suddenly can have seizures and other problems...no one should just stop these types of drugs, its very dangerous...but savas is right about the clonidine also....lol!

[OhMy444]

I was on 1mg of xanax for ten years when they thougths it was not that addicting . In 1997 I was flipped to Klonopin because it was thought to be easeir to get off off. I took 1.5 mg. a day . I have been in 30 days of medical detox this summer and it has not done any good. A week after I am off the panic attacks come back and man to they come back. I become soaked from sweat, rapid heart beat, numbness in my fingers and just feeling detacted. I am conviced the only way is to use the Asheton method which tapers you off using valuim for over 6 months. The theory is that they switch you from klonopin or xanax to valium becuse it is easier to taper of of then it is done very slowely. You stabalize at a specic dose for two weeks before you go down. These detox centers to not have the time because of inusrance retraints to do it right. My attacts are so bad cannot make it to a meeting.  Just my story but is is real to me.

[OhMy444]

You do not just come of benz's  . You are put on phenabarbital for three days to get you out of the dangerous of seizuers and death. Two substances you can die from, alchohol and benz's. Never ever try coming off cold turkey, YOU CAN DIE.

[wait2long]

yes you are 100% right about that...and yet people try to do it home alone all the time..its really scary...

[Savas]

...as I said, ignore that post, I made a mistake, mixed up klonipin with Clonidine. And yes, benzo withdrawal is very dangerous. Sadly, they should give you pheno but tend not to. Usually they just taper you.
And you can die from any withdrawal. Just because a heroin addict has a stroke or heart attack while going through withdrawal doesn't mean it isn't caused by the withdrawal.

[wait2long]

so true savas, i beleive withdrawals are life threatening if not physically, then mentally..what about the number of suicides over not being able to obtain sobriety on top of complete despair and dysphoria and depression...i know of 2 people right now who said that had they owned a gun...that would have been it, scary ****...

[rockport12]

At my new psychiatrist's orders, I was told to stop taking Klonopin without tapering.  I was on 8mg and have been on klonopin for 13 years.  I went 9 days and my friend on the phone told me that he was going to call an ambulance to get me to the hospital, as I was so weak, confused, didn't make sense on the phone, had a psychotic break - talking to my dead father; visual hallucinations, on top of not being able to sleep for those 9 days and the other physical hell that goes with benzo withdrawal.  I fired that psychiatrist.  The NIH site says that you never want to stop benzo's cold turkey (or barbiturates or alcohol) as you can have seizures that lead to status epiletus = your body goes into a constant seizure and you die.  The scary thing is that the person having a seizure doesn't know that is what is happening to them after it stops.  I called the pdoc and he was surprised!!!  He told me to take .5mg q 2h until withdrawal subsided.  I'm at 4mg now.  I want off of it, but am going to do a gradual taper - very gradual.  From my research, especially from a UK hospital that only does benzo withdrawal, they recommend 0.125mg decrease q 2 wk/as tolerated.  They have a schedule that shows that at 4mg, it will take about a year.  However, I want to be as kind to my body and mind while going through this and hopefully avoid any permanent side-effects such as tinnitus.  

In 2003, a neurosurgeon had an accident during a micro-discectomy with a disc ronger (drill) and it went into my right thecal sac (strong tube that surrounds the spinal cord) and clipped my L4 nerve root.  It took me a year of PT to get my right leg "back."  The good news is that I have just finished withdrawing from the fourth and final pain med, MS Contin.  It's been about a month and I used Thomas' recipe, that helped tremendously.  Yet, I still feel so spaced out; like my front brain isn't talking with my back brain and I have zero energy and can still cry easily (not as easily as the first two weeks of withdrawal).  It's been almost a month - any suggestions on why or is this normal?  I took the meds as prescribed, have not ever craved them, am thankful to be off of them, and just want my life back.  I really would appreciate any feedback on the MS Contin "hangover" after a month.  

I'm also going to wait 45 days for a washout period before beginning the klonopin taper under a pdoc's supervision.  

Thanks!!

G.

[Savas]

w2l, you're right. And let me say, if anyone's tapering or trying to stop, and they've reached a severe state of depression, don't continue! Stop immediately, get settled emotionally, and try again differently. It's great to be clean, but don't push your mind and bodies past the limits they can take. Being "dead" isn't the ultimate answer to getting off drugs.

Rockport, THIS time your psych isn't being such an dumb*ss. It can take up to a year to start feeling normal, ther's some threads on here- do a search on "amino acids" to get the best description of things that can help (physically). You can also look into LDN, part of what's going on is your brain takes up to a year to start producing natural opiates again. Which is why you lack energy and get emotional. Some of the treatments in the "amino acid" thread will help with that.

Mentally, I've talked about this before. It's gonig to take some time for your mind to adjust and "relearn". Information is "input sensitive", and you've been getting all your input with an additional layer, the klonopin and ms contin in this case. Your mind has to adjust to accessing information without this layer there.
It's like...let's say you built a structure, a house. And some of the bricks you put into the foundation were flawed, but they still did the job. So you decide to pull out all the flawed bricks.
     The structure will still be sound (hopefully), but will need to be repaired, the bricks replaced. THEN, the new work will be a part of the structure, but foreign to it. The house will have difficulty dealing with water, heat, humidity. Cracks may appear, ventilation and heating may be imperfect and need adjustment. In time, the house will settle, and the new bricks will be a part of the structure, and all these things will fall in to place and work together smoothly.

In other words, it's just gonig to take time, and it will be frustrating, but it will work out.

[Trayceemae]

How long did that take you?  
thank you
T

[fuklife]

I would like to know if mixing alchohol and klonipin in sufficent amounts will end ones life. Can you die just from taking an overdose of klonipin? and how much would it take?

[firefly36]

I have been on klonipin for the past 3 three years.  about 2 years ago i started weaning off of it and failed 3 times to wean off.  All of the doctors I kept going to would just tell me to get back on it and i would have to take it for the rest of my life.  1 year ago I started the road of getting off of it again with a wonderful doctor that recently moved.  I just went to a doctor he referred today and their solution was to get on effexor xr to get off the klonipin!  I don't want to take another med esp after reading everyones post of the horrible side affects of effexor.  I thought klonipin was bad, I am now down to .05 once a day at night, but am tired all of the time my chest hurts where I can't breathe and am getting just plain tired and worn out but don't want to give up getting off this ****.  Has anyone actually got off klonipin and stayed off?  any suggestions of supplements to take that are natural also would be helpful.  Feel very discouraged and tired.

[shelby74]

The above post has already been reported.  Please everyone ignore it.

[yankee44]

My 17 yr old daughter came home from her friends house wasted.  When I asked her what she took she told me she had been drinking for for 8 hours straight and had taken 10 Klonipin and then she snorted 5 more klonipins. 15 total just to get a high with all the alcohol.  She hasnt been to sleep yet and she looks a wreck. Not to mention she can barely stand straight. Is she in grave danger?

[andyhyden]

I have had no money to get my klonapin and have been suffering from panic attacks.I was put on this for my attacks.Just like that guy said further up there this works.I suffered from anxiety and panic attacks for a long time and the day i was prescribed klonapin my life was saved.So who ever is trying to sue their doctors because of withdraws and other reasons you are ruining lives.I thank GOD for these.I finally can live life and be there for my kids and wife.

[christian1904]

Look, everyone seems to have valid points. I shot "smack"(heroin) for 10 yrs...got tired of trying to get the money just to stay "well". Used Methadone for 4 months every other day or every two days to come off the "H" so I wouldn't get strung-out on it(the Methadone). I've always been an anxious person and prone to being on the verge of "panic attacks"...so I got locked up and talked to a "psych" they diagnosed me with anxiety disorder, prescribed Celexa...enk! Didn't work.Then Zyprexa...enk! Nope. One other...I think Abilify or something...also ENK! Until the Doc finally broke bread and hooked me up with the "Klonopin"...WHAM! That was the ticket. Now being a heroin addict I had an almost "Hyper-tolerance" to any "narcotic" so I had to take about 4 or 5
2mg "pins" a day. Not having an outside Doctor(no insurance)...so I live in San Diego and I'd go to Mexico(Tijuana) to get my meds without a "scrip". The only way I could get 'em. But like the Methadone I don't take 'em every day for fear that I'll get strung-out on the pills. I haven't used "H" in over 13 months and the cravings are gonna' be there for awhile. When the urge gets really bad to use I'll hit the Methadone clinic once in a while. But the only way I'll be able to or anyone for that matter, get off the meds is to slowly taper ourselves off them. Stabilize on your dosage for 5 to 7 days then drop .5 or 1mg at a time and always keep a small supply around in case you feel an attack coming on...because usually you know when one is, not always, but most of the time. I can't speak for everyone but I've dealt with that "Monkey on my back" for a long time and I think I've just about kicked its ***. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it...lol Hope it helps someone.

[Mjet]

Are there any rehab facilities near you all, I know it can be expensive but many rehab facilities are willing to finance.  To come off a drug such a klonopin or heroin, it would seem to me that mental and physical support is in order so that you do not fall into such an extreme depression and the rehab facilities would be able to deal with your anxiety attacks.  Thats just my opinion though because I have never been addicted to drugs but my mom has and she never enrolled in an effective rehab center to deal with her specific issues.  Your primary doctor may not be able to handle your emotional addiction to your drug, only your physical addiction.  I know I am making it seem as if a rehab center is the answer and I do realize that you will still have your little demon following you but at least in rehab you will have the constant support you need for at least the first few weeks of withdrawal. I only have second hand experience with what you all are going through but I think if my mom had had proper support (medical and mental) she would not be the anxious, drug addicted, out of control bipolar woman she is today.  I am 23 now with a daughter of my own and my mom has been addicted to drugs such as lortab and xanax for a long time.  She does not know how to deal effectivly with anxiety or depression either.

[philtcbiaf]

Hi Everyone:

Thank God for the Internet. I have been addicted to 6 mg per day of pins for 11 years. Get this, I am an alcoholic that hasn't drank in 33 years. One year ago I decided to get off the pins and now it's one year later, yes it took that long to taper down to a VERY tiny chip. Maybe 1/16 of a mg. Then every other day on the 1/16 for about three weeks. Then, two weeks ago nothing. I thought I would be done in three or four days with the whole mess. It's been 13 and I feel terrible. Have not slept. My mind won't stop racing. Plus, things that happened to me over five years ago, like being fired, the feeling come back like it was yesterday. Bottom line: Stay away from Klonipin unless you want to be on it the rest of your life. Plus, my body aches my chest hurts and I just generally feel like s**t. Please take my advice and take plenty of time to taper down. At this point I am sure going to stay off of it. I will put this in my favorites and keep everyone updated on how long it takes before I feel normal again. At this point I don't even know, but I will.

[laurajmax]

Has anyone ever tried trazodone to get off the klonopin?  My doctor put me on it alond with a lower dosage of klonopin and it has helped me sleep, but has given me nasty headaches.  I would rather just take the klonopin.  Why do I have to stop?  It is the only thing that puts me to bed.  

[joann1975]

Welcome to the forum...you are posting on a very old thread if you will click post a new question and start a new thread you can get a lot more responses.... you can cut and paste it to save time.....also...seems like a slow night for some reason so it may be a while before you get alot of responses but you will get some! Glad you found us! JoAnn

[SusieQ12]

I was prescribed 4 mg of clonapin daily for anxiety and a tremor and maintained that dose for several years.  Last Dec 2007 I had spinal surgery and due to a mistake in my chart, I wasn't given any clonapin for 1 week.  The first 48 hrs I was able to get to restroom with walker and was recovering normally.  By 72 hrs, I couldn't set one foot out of bed.  I was wracked with spasms in my back, abdomen, legs.  I have little recollection except of the horrible treatment by my Surgeon and a Palliative Pain Dr. who was called in to manage my pain.  I was put on methadone and percocet but it barely touched the excruciating pain.  No one believed my pain and because it was in several differant locations, they threw up their arms in despair.  On the 7th day, I called the local Police because I was sure a nurse and my roomate were going to hurt me.  I was completely paranoid.  After that I was put in a private room and treated like the "problem of the floor".  On the 12th day, my surgeon told me that he found the problem in an MRI.  I had muscle damage in my back that he had only seen before in trauma cases and asked "What did you do?"  I assured him I did  nothing since I was unable to get out of bed after the 3rd day.  By the way, this was a 1 hr surgery to remove hardware previously placed in my spine for scoliosis and I was to be released in 3 days.  I was there for 16 days and it was the worst experience of my life.  The Pain Dr casually mentioned to my husband that due to a mistake, I didn't receive clonapin for 7 days and he immediately started me back on 4 mg when I had already gone through the worst of the withdrawal.  It was a roller coaster ride that took me 3 mos to recover from.  Make sure you tell EVERYONE in the healthcare field that you are on clonapin.  I have since weened myself to 1 mg per day.  I took 5 mos to accomplish this but it has to be a slow process.  I felt like if this medication can have such a drastic effect on your entire body, I wanted off.  I'm not off yet but on my way.  Don't ever take a chance of going through withdrawal from this medication.  It is indiscribeable.  Good luck to you all.  by Susie Aug 6, 2008

[ENUFF4ME]

Hi I just ran into this page and decided to jump in. I read some many good and bad stories about klonopin, in my situation I have taken it for about 10 years with 40 mg Prozac. I started with 2mg's and I'm at 4 Mg's now. I had very bad panic anxiety disorder and i came a long way. I can do things that were dreadful to me years ago. the funny thing is that I never got buzzed nor euphoria etc... I cut my dosage in half Feb 2007 and just had headaches for 2 weeks. in which i blamed on sinus headaches. however my doc told me to stay at my dosage of 4mg because of the fact I was doing fine. sometime i forget to take it before bed and never realize it , i guess thats the 48 hour half-life.
but anyways sorry to hear the bad stories of the withdrawal and consider myself lucky so far.

[ScaredMom17]

I just found out my 23 year old son is addicted to Klonopin.  He is getting it from a hard core drug dealer.  He is stealing from me and lying, complains of headaches,  and he can't stop binge eating.  He says his arms are numb, his speech is slurred and he walks like a drunk.  This is the most devastation I have ever had in my life, I don't know what to dol  I want to get him help but he has to want to be helped.  By reading all these posts, it sounds hopeless.  Is this a death sentence for him?  PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GoingToMakeIt]

This is an old post. Please start a new post at the top 'Post a Question' button. You will get more answers that way.

[worried878]

do post a new question as this is an old post....he needs a doctor to help with his detox...and he has to want to quit as well....there is a site to learn alot about benzos called benzo dot org dot uk

[ScaredMom17]

This sounds like a horrible drug, all these horror stories are really scaring me.  Why is this drug given if it is so hard to kick?  I don't understand!!!!!  Are the users in therapy or just take it with no monitoring.  My son is taking it illegally, he is addicted, he is not the same person that he used to be, it has changed him into a horrible person.  Obviously he is abusing it, I just don't see a way out for him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Especially after reading all these posts...

[joann1975]

ScaredMom...you will want to post this onto your new thread...this will / can go unnoticed on such an old thread.

I take the same med...but I don't abuse it. It's hard to kick if it's abused like anything else. Frankly for me it's been VERY helpful with my panic attacks.

There is a way out for him if HE wants help...it is important you stay positive and stable for him to help him!

[brad2323]

Listen the state has us where they want us. No longer is Heroin Cocaine Marijuana or other street drugs the problem, the problem is prescription medications, the problem is when you get what is quote un quote addicted they cut you off no matter you might die until you wind up in the er this methadone problem this benzo problem is the government saying we no longer want the dirty end of the buisness the illegal drugs they got into the legal drugs yet if you look legal drugs kill more people a year then illegal drugs this problem is not ours although we have to deal with it it is the governments understand this between illegal drugs legal drugs 1 in 4 people are on them that is sick they predict in the next 25 years you might have 100 percent people on either a benzon a opiate methadone or other addictive drugs doctors will put you on these drugs for 10 years then cut you off i am living proof they should be imprisoned but instead we are for we do anything to get our fix once it is cut off you must understand the easiest way for a nation to control its people is drug use and america has done it very well amen