Withdrawal off of Clonazepam

[HERE_I_G0_AGAIN]

1 week ago my doctor abruptly stopped my 5 1/2 mg. of Clonazepam and replaced it with 8 mg. of Lorazepam.  That was Wednesday.  Wednesday was great didn't notice anything, by Thursday started feeling uncomfortable, but he told me to expect that.  Friday all heck broke loose.  Rapid Pulse, Sweating, Metallic Taste in Mouth.  Today is Tuesday and I am a Train racing down the track and I can't stop.  When I called my doctor last week and the pharmacist they said I was not having withdrawl.  Now my doctor says I am.  Monday he told me to take .50 of Clonazepam which I did and I received a wee bit of relief.  Today I am so horribly sick, can't eat, shaking so bad.  What is the proper method for weaning off Clonazepam.  I had this happen several years ago with just a family physician as at that time I did not have a Psychiatrist for my PTSD.  I went from Friday evening until Tuesday when my dad raced me to another hospital.  Darn doctor could have killed me.  I definitely want off this and I understand that I will be a bit uncomfortable doing it, but I don't want to feel this awful.  For the record in March of this year I dropped from 8 mg. of Clonazepam to 5 1/2 mg. of Clonazepm in 1 month.  Uncomfortable and scared, but this is ridiculous.  No one should have to feel this ill.  Not to mention scared to death as I do have a heart condition.  My blood pressure is running higher then normal, but my pulse is heading to the 130.  I think this morning I set a record for the world's fastest bath and I am having extreme difficulty concentrating.  Please does anyone have a suggestion to get off this wicked drug properly.  Lorazepam isn't helping and I am losing weight and feel awful.  HERE_I_GO_AGAIN!

[HERE_I_GO_AGAIN]

Well I am holding still at 5.0 mg. of Clonazepam.  Spent most of my Saturday evening crying my eyes out.  During the day I was nauseaus and very anxious.  Going to hopefully get to my psych this week.  Maybe if he sees what he is doing he will back off.  He made mention the other night that he didn't want to receive a letter from I guess the College of Psychiatrists on my use of Benzo's, right now I am run down, sick both physically and emotionally and I want to know who is doing the complaining.  Where I get my medication is a small town 15 klms away.  My neighbor across the road is on Effexor, I know this does not effect me.  But if the local Pharmacist is the real person doing the complaining, he is in for a fight as my neighbor has been getting not only his medication from his doctor refilled, but also the shrink.  This is a total "NOT ALLOWED UNDER OUR RESTRICTIONS."  Maybe I am just being overly sensitive, but I just have a nawing feeling.  My neighbor whom I have known for many years isn't the person I use to know.  They have changed so much.  I am sorry if this sounds a bit angry, but I am.  My neighbor has over 700 mg. of Effexor being fill by the Pharmacist, from 2 distinctly different doctors (I had to talk with his doctor as during the summer months, he stopped his med abruptly and he was a mess and his dad asked me to call his physician, which I did)  (I also know that the family physician for my neighbor has been asking this person what the shrink is doing with his meds).  If he is the one causing the problem grrr.  Suzi-q I guess you need to understand in my farm area I am the one on the meds, but the abusers are getting away with everything.  My Pharmacist has been so wonderful to me for so long and just over the last while has changed, not only to me, but others.  Making mistakes filling meds, etc.  I just have that gut feeling that maybe either he is the one stirring the pop as I am not part of the elite society or my shrink has been passing out meds like candy.  Strange that everything has just come about so suddenly and without warning.  This is my meds right now - 5 mg. Clonazepam a day, 2 as needed Lorazepam when I get very out of control.  Extra Strength Tylenol and 1/2 Sleep Eze to sleep as I will not take Zopliclone.  Was on that for a while and tapered myself off as it wasn't working and on top of that for me it causes uncomfortable side effects.  I think that is pretty darn good for a PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, BPD, OCD.  Yes, forgot to tell you that I do have OCD and it is getting worse now, it was never great but I dealt with it.  I have routines that have to be followed throughout my day.  I am working on understanding that whether I do them or not (washing hands, counting, etc.) that if I change the routines nothing will happen.  I hope all this makes sense, I am so run down right now and feeling very stressed.  HERE_I_GO_AGAIN

[suzi-q]

I am so glad that I was able to help you.  Just to lend an "ear" from someone who knows does help.  You are never alone in this struggle although it feels that way many times.  Just take it slow and any reassurances or sharing stories you need, just let me know.

[ladywolf63]

I found another chart you may want to check out; it's on the web and it's free and you can d/l it.
http://www.theroadback.org/workbook.htm

This "train ride" we are all on that are taking benzo's is a hard one. It's difficult to get off, we find idiotic doctors that think that they can wean us off yrs of benzo's in high quantities in a matter of a month. (speaking from experience...on D.O wanted to get me off 6mg/day of xanax in one month by taking me off 2mg/day) NO THANKS been thru opiate withdrawl...not my cup of tea. It's hard when we have other health issues at risk in our lives to deal with along with getting off benzo's. TRY to keep a positive outlook, these meds are literally "head" meds...they will jack with your mind if you let them. The worst part of weaning is being scared of w/d, and yes w/d is AWEFUL, no wonder we are scared as ****!....sometimes maintenance is better than getting off all together.

I think I'll take a look at th is url and see if it can work, with my physc doc I think we can do this. We've got to find doc's we can trust and that are knowledgeable about benzo's and the lasting affects.

Good luck to you in your endeavor, my prayers are with you.
Ladywolf

[debblum]

I have been on Clonazapam, the generic form for quite some time now, although my dose is much lower.  But, I can remember a time when I ran out of medicine and didn't take it for a period of about 48 hrs.  I got very severe withdrawal and was literally crawling out of my skin.  I know now that if you go over a 48 period without taking Klonopin, u will get withdrawal symptoms.  I also know that you can't go off of it all at once and that it must be done gradually.  Also, you can't replace one med.
with another.  That is ridiculous.  I would gradually go off the Klonopin and let your body adjust.  Don't use any other medications as a replacement.  I never heard of such a thing where you go completely off one med. and onto another, without doing it gradually.  I would think if you were changing meds. then you would go off one gradually and then start the new one.

DEBBLUM

[HERE_I_G0_AGAIN]

Suzi-q, I just wanted to say thank you so much.  You are a wonderful person, I can't seem to get onto the site where I can get the exact dosage and how to do everything properly.  I am hardly sleeping, and so run down.  I spoke with my Psychiatrist last evening, for some reason he was worried about receiving a letter from the higher ups.  I personally think my shrink may need a shrink.  When I seen him over a week ago, everything has been changed, so if you cancel more then 2 appointments in a row, you will be considered a walk in and no further appointments set up.  I burst into tears, I live over an hour from the City and I have no control over my fears or the weather.  He reassured me that it was just to stop the people that come in for their fix and leave.  Kind of didn't make any sense.  I can drive, but only short distance and while I am feeling like this I won't drive at all.  I don't think I should put myself and especially other people in danger with dizzy spells and like you said.  Sometimes I go to my shrink and come out feeling like why did I go in the first place, other days I come out feeling good, because I understand what he says and it makes sense.  I am going to try and get in next week to see him, my dad will take me.  I think I am going to ask him upfront why he is concerned about my meds.  I have never given him any reason to be concerned.  Now I am concerned, has he been in trouble possibly.  I think I need to let him know how I feel, because I can do this, but I can't do it on his time schedule which is now 1 mg. per week.   I told you I was on 5 1/2 mg. in one week I have come down to 5, I still take my 2 mg. of Lorazepam.  I think that is pretty good and when all the horrible feelings stop and I can feel sub-human, I will drop a bit more.  Suzi-q, he doesn't understand I am so afraid I only started seeing him 7 years ago.  It was 1993 when I was hurt.  For some reason the local country doctors at the time, just shoved meds into me left and right and yes, some pretty awful things happened and there were many miracles so-to-speak.  It is really nice having someone to talk with who understands and Suzi-g any help you can give me I will appreciate.  I am pretty much alone and scared and unless someone has been there or is going through it, they can't know how we are truely feeling.  Again, thank you so much, you don't know how much help you have been to me.  HERE_I_GO_AGAIN. : )  

[suzi-q]

Your symptoms are so like mine.  I used to have extreme symptoms as you do.  They are much less now thanks to all my meds!  Congrats to you to want to do it without medication. I think that is great!  I know the metallic taste, I know the nausea, I know the "band" around the head and that surreal feeling.  Just know that you are not alone. and that this too shall pass.....

[HERE_I_G0_AGAIN]

I will do that thank you.  Well this is really strange today I got up to rapid pulse, other uncomfortable things, feel like a tension band around my head and metallic taste in my mouth and so on.  My doctor did call yesterday and told me not to feel bad that I didn't let him down, which made me feel a bit better.  Yesterday I felt fairly sub-human.  Today, I feel panicky and I am feeling so rotten it almost feels like the Clonazepam is in a way rejecting in my system.  I got some toast in this morning, but I feel nauseaus.  Ugh!  HERE_I_GO_AGAIN  

[suzi-q]

I would suggest copying your last post and put RCA in the To: space...he is very knowledgeable on medications as well as withdrawing from them.  Best to you.  And please, don't feel like you let anyone down...you cannot help what you are going through and just the fact that you are taking control of your own situation deserves to be commended.  

[HERE_I_G0_AGAIN]

Thank you, yes I ended up at the hospital yesterday I could not come down.  My family physician said it was too much too fast and even though I have started it again at a lower dose I still feel very sick.  This morning I woke up to the shakes and feeling still ill ,pulse is rapid, but a little more comfort.  For once in my life I am going to take control.  The last 10 years of my life have been horrible, they have tried SSRI's, Tricy's, even anti-psychotics.  I even of my own will went into the mental hospital and stayed for one month.  Every doctor had the same answer, my mom's side of the family is extremely med sensitive.  SSRI's put me over the edge - I think everyone understands that, Tricy's cause extreme mood swings my doctor calls them manic bouts, although I have not been diagnosed as Bi-polar.  I have been diagnosed with BPD.  I am scared and I will read more on this site, it is early and I am quite teary eyed.  I feel like I have let down everyone.  This isn't the first time that they tried to replace Clonazepam with another Benzo.  About 2 years ago my doctor put me on the maximum dose of Diazepam and stopped the Clonazepam, the end result was a night staying in the hospital so they could monitor my blood pressure and put me back on Clonazepam.  Does anyone know what the Ashton Conversion Chart is or where I can find it?  I want to come off of the Clonazepam, but I don't want to be put on other Benzo's that doesn't make any sense.  HERE_I_GO_AGAIN (all over, my life's story)...      

[suzi-q]

That is a very very big drop in medication at one time.  I would say you would definitely have effects from that!  If you read through posts here on this website, you will see that this is a big issue and NEVER had I seem such a major drop.  Of course, I am not a doctor, but peruse through these posts and see if they can help...maybe some info you can bring to your doctor.