stopping klonopin

Hi, is it safe to stop klonopin cold turkey to start taking xanax instead.  I am on 0.5mg klonopin 2 x a day. Will be taking .25mg xanax 4 x day. Or do I have to wean off the klonopin while taking the xanax. I would appreciate anyone with a lot of knowledge on this issue to please answer.
Thank you

[greenlydia]

It is NOT safe to cold turkey Klonopin when switching to another benzo, you DO have to taper or do a "step out/step in" crossover. And the most knowledgable person you can discuss this with is your doctor.
Peace
Greenlydia

[cj29]

I have to second greenlydia here.  It is NEVER safe to take medication issues into your own hands, especially with benzos like these.  Talk to your prescribing doctor...not only can it be dangerous, it can be much more trouble than it is worth.  Keep us posted!

[GettingOlder]

0.5 mg is not a huge dosage. That said, I would still try and wean off by going once a day with that dosage for about 3 days and then making the switch. Best wishes!

[skepticool]

Hey there-I agree that it's always best to go w/what ur doc says. But I'm pretty sure ur safe as long as you keep some kind of benzo in ur system. I went cold turkey off Klonopin and had seizure 3 days into it. They gave me Xanax in the ER, and was sent home w/Ativan. So-it's been my exp that as long as you have some sort of benzo, you'll b good. Good luck & be safe...

[Roster17]

Thank you all for your comments.

[greenlydia]

GettingOlder...........she is not on 0.5mg qd, she is on 1mg qd, and while, as you say, this may not be a huge dose, you don't know how long she has been on it. And when it comes to benzos, tapering/switching can be problematic if it's 1mg or 10. Irregardless, we do NOT give specific taper schedules or dosages.


Roster.........please consult ONLY with your doctor regarding tapering from the Klonopin and beginning the Xanax.

Greenlydia

[reviews25]

Klonopin and Xanax require psychiatrists to prescribe them and scripts are written.  They are not over-the-counter medications. So what does your psychiatrist recommend?

[greenlydia]

Perhaps where you're from Klonopin & Xanax must be scripted by a p-doc, but in Washington State, anyone with a few initials after their name can perscribe them. But then, it's also legal here to grow "medical" marijuana if your doctor will write you a note stating you have anything from cancer to lumbago!

It's a veritable psychedelic Oz around here!

Greenlydia  

[conegallery]

I started on Clonazepam about a year ago this coming November. My PC Doc put me on it after experiencing 8 days of ongoing panic attacks one after the other.

Over this period of time, I've learned alot of things about myself I never knew before, and have been using bi-aural beats, guided imagery, Cognitive Behavoiral Training (changing the way I think and perceive things), meditation and deep breathing. Improved diet, sleeping more exercising.. (walking) counseling etc... and basically doing what I can to take better care of myself

I've been pacing off Clonazepam/Klonapin for months now. I maxed at 2 mgs per day and it was causing a lot of side effects... I'm at 1.25 mg per day now ( I take it 3 times a day instead of two)

From what I understand, (reading as much as I've been able to find out about the subject is) The slower you taper off of Benzo's the much greater likelihood of not needing to go back on them in the future.. Esp. if coupled with all the various self-help tools I've been using to pro-actively overcome this problem.

My taper or pacing down is at a rate of 1/8 mg per 2 to 3  week intevals... meaning I'm  reducing at a rate of 1/8mg (it takes approx 3-4 days to clear your system) and add to that about  2 weeks my your blood plasma levels to stablize before I reduce another 1/8 mg per day.    

It's slow going, but I use that ~ 4 day withdrawl (withdrawal) period when the 1/8 reduction is clearing my system ~ to address whatever comes up behaviorally, psychologically or emotionally ~ and each time it's been something different, which has been very insightful.

One of the best tools for reducing the symptoms of withdrawl (withdrawal) during these tapering periods are the bi-aural beat programs I listen to by headphone ~ they give the brain something else to do and calms the nervous system at the same time.

Interestingly I've also found that it's not uncommon in women who are post menopausal to have a lack of GABA (which is basically what Clonazepam is replacing or aiding) and will be starting a regime of health aides that are natural and cross the blood brain barrier somewhat like the Clonazepam does only naturally to help support my bodies own production of GABA (without any known negative side effects) so I don't need to go back on this or any Benzo medication again...

Kathy

[conegallery]

One thing I wanted to add.... Klonopin is a long acting - lasting type of Benzo where as the other Benzo you mentioned (I think) is considered a short acting Benzo... Going from one to the other is likely to have side effects such as break-through anxiety unless you reduce slowly one as you add the other.. Your Doc or even the internet via reputable sites like the Mayo Clinic can likely offer a schedule showing you how much to reduce while replacing one Benzo for another... but to go cold turkey from one Benzo medication to another is not wise esp since one is long acting and the other short acting and may require you to take alot more of the short acting medication to make up for the long acting Klonopin... Read ~ Read ~ Read everything you can about the subject before making any kind of judgement when it comes to Benzo's. Esp if they have been given to you by your Primary Care Doc and not a Psychologist or Nurse Practioner who are trained to know how to deal with this kind of change over. In fact you can see a Nurse Practioner (a specialist in medication applications) for a good run down on 'How' to best deal with your particular set of symptoms and side effects etc.

But if you are not pro actively doing the things you need to do to get at the root of why you are having the panic problem in the first place, you may find yourself on medications for years to come.. which is never good... if it can be addressed and avoided.. IMO..

Kathy

[conegallery]

Thank you for your wise advise to Roster 17...

I found that my PC Doc (who put me on Clonazepam for good reason at the time) has no idea how to taper properly off the medication. I think often PC Doc's don't understand what they are doing when trying to help a patient with emotional and/or psychological challenges..

His response to me when discussing reducing my intake (because I was obviously needing to constantly increase the meds to get the same effect, thereby increasing the side effects) was to say something to the effect that 'when I was feeling better we'd cut the medication in half'. which sent up red flags to me.. since I'd been reading a lot on the subject and the common result of doing something like that is to later make it so that I end up back on the medication at a much higher dose in order to control the resulting effects of sudden withdrawl (withdrawal) ie. panic attacks again....

So, although he is a good General Practioner / Doc and caring ... we often need to be our own best friend and learn as much as we can about what ever our Doc's are prescribing to us. The old adage "Physician Heal Thyself" comes to mind!

But I completely agree with your strong suggestion,  that consulting a 'qualified' medical person, who understands Benzo's is a very good idea... I think a 'Nurse Practioner" is more than qualified to explain and create a pacing chart.. to go from one Benzo to another.. that is if any person is not seeing a psychologist or mental health speialist they can confur with.

But I honestly think Primary Care Doc's are often clueless when it comes to psych meds like Benzos. Meaning meds that cross the blood brain barrier and alter the balance of the GABA in the brain... whew.. nothing to mess around with .. IMO.

Kathy

[Roster17]

I certainly know these are not otc meds.  I also know a psych is not required to prescribe these meds.

All others:
To all the rest of you who offered advice, thank you. The truth of the matter is I was originally on xanax, but my doc switched me over to klonopin. I want to go back on xanax. I had some leftover xanax and was going to try it on my own. I decided to post here for some advise first and I'm glad I did. I will be calling my doc to get the proper method of switching. Again,thank you all.

[cnote]

My therapist told me I could stop taking the ativan and just go straight to klonopin since they are both benzos? I had no issues. But listen to YOUR Dr. or therapist! Do what they tell you to do.

But I've weaned on and off ativan several times with no side effects... BUT, that's how MY body responds... some people may have different reactions.

Hang in there. You'll be good. Just call your Dr. or call a pharmacist. =)