Klonopin and Butal Apap addiction

[Blondie1955]

I've been taking Butal Apap w/o caffiene or codeine for approx. two years.  Most days I take between 4-7 tablets and some days less and some days none; but the days I do take them are much more frequent and becoming increasingly more so.  My prescribing doctor as well as my former psychiatrist both assured me they were not addictive.

To add to the mix, my former pyschiatrist prescribed .5 Klonopin at the end of Jan. (2011) thinking it would relax my jaw and help with the morning migraines.  I had no idea what I was getting into with THAT drug.  The dose was upped to .5 mg. 3 x per day in late May...I have not taken it consistently except at bedtime.  

I desperately want off both drugs...I've had addiction issues in the past and had I known these were addictive (esp. the nature of Klonopin) I would have asked for alternatives.  Although, I was upfront with my p-doc about my problems in the past with vicodin and xanax and she gave me klonopin anyway.  I should have done my research before taking it.  I learned too little too late.

My question is this:  how to I come off both drugs at the same time or is that advisable?  I've done extensive reading about the side effects of both.  I don't want to end up in the ER by withdrawing too quickly.

Any help would be appreciated.  The threads I've read here have given me much hope.  I just do not know where to start and want to withdraw safely.

Thank you so much for this site.

[J T Junig, MD PhD]

I congratulate you on your decision;  both medications often lead to dead ends, where the person is tolerant and craving something only to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Your tolerance is not yet real high, and so the risk of seizures-- the greatest risk when coming off either medication-- is only moderate.  But it would still be a good idea to taper them one at a time, with a couple weeks in between to 'catch your breath.'   Butalbital is a barbiturate, and it works at the same receptors as do benzodiazepines like clonazepam (Klonopin) and alprazolam (Xanax).  The withdrawal from both meds should be done over 2-3 weeks;  there is no special way to taper, but generally you would go down by 25-50% every week, with the bulk of the daily dose at bedtime, to reduce insomnia.  The main symptoms during the taper will be insomnia, anxiety, edginess-- maybe some jerking limbs when you are trying to sleep, that startle you to awake.  

There will be psychological cravings as well, and a desire to treat the 'anxiety'-- in quotes because it is really more withdrawal than anxiety.  Some people do better if someone else manages the medications.  You've been through this with Xanax-- so you likely know the options.  

If you are like most people that I have treated, you will have less anxiety and headaches off the meds than on them-- AFTER you go through a period of increased symptoms for a month or two.  Good luck-- I hope you can stick with it.

[Blondie1955]

Dr. Junig:

Thank you so much for your insightful and honest reply.  I was hoping that my tolerance level would not be high and perhaps with that in mind I will not experience severe withdrawal.  I've decided to try the Ashton method of water titration; from what I've read it allows for more exact measurements when getting down to those last little slivers.

On the Butal Apap...I'll just begin to taper the number I take after detoxing from the Klonopin.

Yes, someone else has the drugs and they are under lock and key.  Having had addictions to first vicodin and than xanax I know I cannot be trusted to take the right dosages.

I'm a life-long migrane sufferer, so will need to seek alternatives to the Butal Apap; but I'm sure there is something out there for me.

Looking forward to be free of these substances.

Again, thanks for your professional opinion...what a wonderful service to this community!