clonazepam withdrawl

[p_od]

I have been taken benzos for sleep for more than 12 years. Most of those years I took .5mg of xanax at bedtime. Which was very efffective for sleep for me. I never had to increase my dose, and never had a problem with periodical breaks. My md suggested that I  should try a "safer" medication, I agreed and was subscribed clonazepam.  Within a short time I had to increase my dose to 2mg at bedtime for sleep. After 4+ yrs i decided to get off this drug because it had lost its effectivness. I was prescribed ambien cr. After 3 days I started feeling this overwhelming anxiety, like a constant panic attack. Day 12 was just as bad as day 1. I assumed I was having a reaction to the ambien and went back to clonazepam. After my next md appt I tried once again, this time with a few xanax for sleep. Again, after day 3 the feeling came back, the best way I can describe it, is like all my brain nuerons are on overdrive, my brain is no longer my own, this is torture. The few xanax was of little benifit. I never imagined that I would have a phyical addition to this "safer" med. I'm on day 10 once again. The drug has been out of system for several days, why do I feel like this and how long will this last?  ps thanks lBKleen-this is all new to me

[Jennifermarielib]

Hang in there. The peak withdrawal from clonazepan for me was at about 14 days.  Then my body started to turn the corner. It does feel like your body and mind are on overdrive. My Doc told me that it was a result of receptors in the body not having that sedated  effect anymore so it was wide awake looking for it I guess. I hope you can stick it out.  It's not easy, but you sound like you know what you need to do.  Happy Tanksgiving.

[K527]

i have been on clonazepam for 5 months.  Before that i took ativan only when i needed it.  I was having a bad spell of anxiety and my doc put me on .5 clonazepam 4 times a day.  I was fine at first but then the past 2 months i have been in a total fog.  i don't know how else to describe it. I started having vision problems, muscle spasms...etc  just to list a few.  so i've been going thru tests and everything is fine.  Nobody ever questioned the clonazepam.  then a couple days ago in the morning i went to take my am dose and it hit me, so i researched it and realized not only was i on a much higher dose than needed for anxiety, but all of the brain fog and fuzziness and everything else are possible side effects of it.  I am weaning off of it now.  On day 3 but i can tell u i have been having withdrawl symptoms just by decreasing slightly it is horrible.  but my fog is lifting. and i can tell u that i will go back to just taking my ativan as a need it.  

[leanne_m]

I am appalled at what little i can read right now as i have been on clonazepam for 11 years at 1.5 and bumped to 2 mg. @bedtime for RLS...
I lost my meds on the city bus and have never had this happen so therefore never had to call my lovely doc to give my repeat early...
my lovely doc of 17 years w/o incident with me ever...
said flat out no and ride it out for 3 weeks...
last sunday was a week and we had to call 911 as i was convulsing and called in as a code 4...
my heartrate was 165 opposed to 85...
i have 4 days to go as the hospital sent me home on 2 valium tablets that last 60 hours and apparently that would take off the edge...
i am very ill every waking moment and haven't slept in days, and my time is spent walking on eggshells in the event it comes back full tilt...
i think my doctor is inhumane and damn near killed me once so far on this hell ride...
i don't have a choice with taking it or not as RLS has no cure and is not a controllable condition mentallyor physically or emotionally...
he put me on these horrible pills 11 years ago and told me straight up,that they weren't addictive...
my pharmacist called him twice to help me and won't return the calls to the pharmacy...
i cannot believe what i have been reading on the net about this drug...
and apparently when i go back on next sunday i will go thru hell for a few days re-adjusting...
i truly and sincerely hope that everyone in here and everywhere else going thru this,makes it to the other side as i almost lost my life and i am only 46 and i live young and i am scared to death now that my heart is damaged...
all the best