withdrawal from clonazepam

[headbangerone]

My husband was on .5 mg of clonazepam for 4 years for sleep deprivation and anxiety.
It has been two weeks since he has stopped taking it.  He has headaches, some severe, stomach problems and his body aches.  He was given Fiorinal for the headaches and then fiorcet instead because the Fiorinal was making his stomach hurt.  Now he is taking Ambien for sleep and has decided to discontinue the useage of the Fioricet because he thinks this too is making his stomach hurt.  the dr. put him on Prevacid for his stomach but it does not seem to be helping.  What can I do and what should he do because I am at my wits end.  he keeps missing work too.

[kteen16]

Clonazepam is very additive, and I only took it when needed.

[barfer]

Was your husband having problems with being on clonazepam and that is why the doctor took him off or was it a situation that he (the doctor) felt he had been on it too long even though it was working for your husband?  I'm curious about this because sometimes doctors do this without considering that the patient might go through shear hell just because the doctor doesn't like benzos.  This has happen more times than I can count.  This situation sounds like something that Ryan should weigh in on.  I'm sure he will have an opinion and options for your husband.

[AJWS6]

Hi,
I'm sorry your husband is not feeling well.  I was prescribed .5mg Klonopin for sleep, I took it 8 months, tapered, crossover to valium then got off the benzo's, and my life was a living hell through withdrawals for a very long time, up to a year.  

What your husband is experiencing is common Klonopin withdrawals, I had severe headaches daily for nearly 3 months, I've had stomach issues now 15 months off the medication, I had an upper GI & endoscopy in Jan 08, results returned normal.  I had bad stomach bloating, constipation, pain, etc....  

The only way to recover from the withdrawal symptoms of these types of medications is to completely stop taking them.  Medicating the symptoms will only prolong the withdrawal suffering.  I have learned from experience.  

Your husband will be experiencing different levels of withdrawals as his system tries to readjust without the medication.  Patience is the key.  Hope he feels better.  
  

      

[headbangerone]

Thank you both for your comments.  He did gradually cut down for 4 weeks.  He cut his dosage down by half in the morning and take the other part of the pill (.25mg) at night before going to bed.  
Then he took just .25 mg for the day and then none.  I just hope that the headaches soon subside.  The doctor decided he should go off of it and he put him on Ambien.  He gave him xanax for the times when he should feel anxiety.  The only problem now is if he stops the Ambien over time, I am thinking he will have withdrawals again.
I just wish this could all be over.  As for the stomach problems we found out yesterday that now he has a spastic colon.  What will happen next?
This is just so frustrating.

[barfer]

Why did he go off the meds in the first place?  Was it his decision or that of his doctor?  I would like to know this before I comment on what I think he should do.  By the way, MrGreen is so right!  One should never go off clonazepam cold turkey.  It doesn't surprise me in the least that he is having problems.  Write me back and I'll give you my two cents on what I would do in his position. (for what it's worth)

[MrGreen]

Number 1 rule. Never just stop taking any tablets. Bound to be withdrawls. He should have cut it down over a period of time. Given his body time to adapt to the lesser dose each time. We might think we don't need a tablet any more. Probably don't by way of we are feeling better. But we continue to take or face some bad withdrawls. They can be nasty. I'm no doctor myself, but I would assume he just needs something stronger than the withdrawls now. Something to combat them. Then he can slowly come off the new tablet he is put on. Be it over a period of a month or two. Others might have other views. So keep us all posted.