Klonopin addiction

[ladyjerrico]

My doctor has prescribed me 1mg of Klonopin per day, but I'm finding that I'm taking more of it just to feel relaxed and to get to sleep. He also prescribed Ambien which makes me tired and sleepy during the day at not at night.

How do I ween myself off of Klonopin without feeling too many side affects? I'm becoming addicted and I'm finding myself taking more of it, more like 2mg's. I've been on it for a little over 2 years.

[dogneedshelp]

Oh God bless your heart for starting to taper. Cutting pills in half is great. Look, already you have cut that one dose by 50% which puts you half way there. YES!!! a partial victory is still a victory and you have a victory under your belt. Don't stop. You realize there is a problem even if your Dr. doesn't want to open his eyes to it and you CAN take back control of your life.

Many of us here are very interested in your recovery and please keep posting so we will not worry about how you are doing.

Good luck to you darlin'.

[IBKleen]

I would start tapering the Klonopin and get off of them. This is the beginning of what could be a big problem. I have also seen so many people become dependent on the Ambien also. There are so many otc products that are less harmful. The idea is to use these products short term until your body is able to go through the cycles naturally.

Good Luck.

P.S. BOTS..she IS taking the Ambien at night. You misread the post dear.

[ladyjerrico]

Well, I cut myself off from all caffiene today and now I'm able to sleep a lot better, no anxiety or panic attacks today.. drinking water from now on.

[ladyjerrico]

Well, I am forced to be tapered because I only have .5 mgs left per day until I can get a refill again. I used too much of it when I was sick a couple weeks ago. :(

[CinCee]

Maybe your taper was too quick.  Klonopin lasts a really long time, so sometimes you don't feel the withdrawal until it's been a few days.

[ladyjerrico]

Last night I had a panic attack that lasted nearly 3 hours, I took .5 mgs of Klonopin, but it didn't do any good, so I had to take another one and an Ambien just to get it to stop. I was going through hot and cold flashes physically, shaking consistantly, I felt like I was going insane.
I have been drinking tea with a lot of caffiene in it, so I don't know if that's the culprit or not. I'm stopped drinking the tea after 8 p.m. and I seemed to calm down a little, but I still don't feel right mentally.

What is going on with me? I was also going through a bout of depression on Friday too.

I don't see my therapist again until Monday, and everything I do seems like a large task to me.

Any help would be appreciated.. thank you

[ladyjerrico]

Thanks mom, I have vitamins, but I always forget to take them. I don't have sleep walking issues, but frequent nightmares, especially from the hours of 5:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
I take warm baths daily, and I can't listen to music when I fall asleep at night because of my anxiety and panic disorder, I need total silence.
I've started myself on a diet already, so I was hoping to lose some weight this year (I guess you could say that is my New Year's resolution). I tried last year but had some complications with real life drama from my ex-husband. But it's all over with now.

Thanks for the advice.

[momwhosseenitall]

You definately should probably be taking a B complex stress vitamin everyday!  And there are other vitamins such a magnesium and zinc that were depleted in you body if you had a pill addiction.  Never c/t benzos, taper down as others said and Lunesta is another sleep med like ambien (for some, ambien opens up dormant parts of their brain and causes sleep walking and stuff)  Your brain is still short in some needed  chemicals if you've been diagnosed with those problems, search out some natural help like amino acids and vitamins.  Warm baths, warm milk, relaxing music may also help with sleep.  Eat healthy and exercise.

[ladyjerrico]

Thank you so much for your support dog, I've been doing this now for the past 4 days and hardly any side affects, although I will admit to having a major panic attack yesterday morning, but I didn't take any Klonopin, it lasted for about an hour, but I dealt with it the best I could.
I'm learning how to cope with them through therapy (which I go to once a week) and things like breathing techniques, laying down in a quiet dark room helps, and just laying still and trying not to move, things like that help, not as good as instant gratification from drug use, but it takes time to learn some of these skills and master them.

There are some things I've been reading about how to naturally help yourself without drugs and I've been using those skills instead lately to take Klonopin for them.

I am on disabilty for post-tramatic stress disorder, and if I had a job I think I would have a very rough time in trying to cope with myself as well as something else.. so right now I'm able to focus on what is really important to my recovery and myself.

Thank you again :)

[ladyjerrico]

Most drugs I've been on I found I need to taper off of, especially Paxil, the withdrawal symptoms on that were horrific for me, but I've been off of anti-depressants for a year now and I actually feel better without them.
Still taking .5 mgs of Klonopin at night because if I stop all together I know my body will hate me for it.

Thanks for the advice and Happy New Year :)

[road2recovery]

you are welcome...i wish i would of known to taper instead of c/t....I really don't know a taper for benzo's, maybe someone else does..

I really think when taken everyday your body and brain start really depending on it then it cause a panic attack that would not have occured before...but i think just keep taking less and less until u feel like you don't need it everday or everynite..
good luck
r2r

[ladyjerrico]

Thanks r2r, I am weening myself off of it slowely, and I have panic attacks mainly at night and everyday, which is why I'm taking it nearly everyday at night, but I'm not taking the full dosage, I cut it in half for the past 2 days. Even half helps subside my attacks, thank you for your input :)

[road2recovery]

Please don't just stop taking the klonopin...I had severe w/d's from going c/t and it lasted a very long time...this is a very dangerous drug and should only be taken for severe panic attacks ...not every day.
I went through pure hell 3 yrs ago going c/t..
r2r

[wait2long]

you should NEVER just stop taking klonipin...always taper off and slowly...just quitting benzos cold turkey can cause complications, like seizures..tapering is doctor recommended, so  glad to hear you are weening.

[ladyjerrico]

Thank you all for your responses, and I am starting to ween myself off of Klonopin, as for the Ambien I was just prescribed that, I do take it at night, but still have insomnia. I take it as prescribed every other night of 10 mgs.
The doctor did say it's only short term, but I'm just so wiped out in the morning.
Is there something else I could take that isn't addicting?
I have been diagnosed with post-tramatic stress disorder, panic attacks and anxiety disorder (which is why I am prescribed Klonopin), but there must be something else out there, I'll ask my psychiatrist next time I talk to him I suppose.
But thank you all for your input.
Happy New Year :)

[BlotOutTheSun]

sorry misread, never used ambien anyway just seen the commercials lol listen to ibkleen she definately knows what to do

[BlotOutTheSun]

well for one the ambien is suppossed to only be taken before bedtime, not during the day, and as far as the klonopins goes youll probably have to taper or just stop taking them, you may lose some sleep, but in a few days it will come back