CD57
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11749
posted
Hello, I'm trying to wean off .5mg/Klonopin/clonezepam and have been shaving off minute pieces of it. I'm wondering how people have had success in doing this, and how long it took to get off. Please no horror stories about seizures, etc. And yes I'm working with a doctor.
Just wanted to hear how others did it and how long it took. Thanks!
Posts: 3528 | From US | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
I had a friend seek a doctors help for withdrawal from Xanax. Her slowly switched her to Valium in an dose equal to her Xanax and then followed a dose reduciton schedule over several months. She had very few problems with this program and had been using the Xanax for about 19 months.
NanaDubo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14794
posted
I don't necessarily suggest doing this but a few years ago, I just stopped. No seizures, no problems. Keep working with your doctor though. I could have just been lucky.
Posts: 1129 | From Maine | Registered: Feb 2008
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posted
Stick with what your doc thinks. Using something shorter acting can cause you to have rebound anxiety because their action is quick and short. The idea of switching to Valium is because it has an extremely long half life so it leaves the body very slowly.
Posts: 37 | From kansas city,mo | Registered: Aug 2007
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posted
I think I have read that the general rule is to decrease the dose by 10% per week.
Hubby would like to stop his Ativan but so far hasn't been stable enough symptom wise to try this. Don't think he needs this since he is also on Lyrica, but I could be wrong. Getting up every 4 hours to give him his meds has really gotten old.
His doc suggested he first increase the time between doses from every 4 hours to every 6 hours but we haven't tried that yet. That would cut his dose from 3 mg per day to 2 mg per day.
Klonopin is much stronger than Ativan, but I forget by what multiple. And yes, Valium is weaker than Ativan.
One supplement I have seen suggested to help lessen any anxiety during detox is l-theanine. Hubby has taken this and it did seem beneficial.
This is not medical advice, just my opinion based on hubby's experiences.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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CD57
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11749
posted
thanks Bea! i did get my doctor to order a liquid, compounded form of it, which comes with a little syringe which will allow me to titrate down by very small increments. I have had difficulty with the pills.
I am also on Lyrica and really want to get off the Klonopin.
Posts: 3528 | From US | Registered: Apr 2007
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oxygenbabe
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5831
posted
Water titration, baby! Heather Ashton's work. There is a yahoo group devoted to it, with spreadsheets etc. It works!
Posts: 2276 | From united states | Registered: Jun 2004
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lymeHerx001
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6215
posted
Ive been taking ambien for 5+ years almost everyday. I have gone a couple days with no problems.
I think I am really psychologically addicted.
Ive also added Xanax to the mix, and allthough it feels like it helps and I have taken it almost everyday for weeks, I can skip a dosage.
Actually I have been taking it for months now. I really dont have any problems with going off.
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
I read a paper that extensively quoted Dr. Cheney on the subject of klonopin.
He said it was really hard for people to come off it when they are put on it for anxiety, because it causes anxiety to come off it.
If the person is put on klonopin because their brain waves are revved too high to allow for deep wave sleep, then they don't seem to have the same trouble coming off it when they don't need it anymore.
He also said it's neuroprotective for those who have a revved up central nervous system, because they would be a little on the seizure side of the balance, and the coma side of the "middle" is healing. When we sleep, and our brains slow down, it's a little on the coma side.
(Imagine our brains in the middle of a thread, and on one end is coma, and the other is seizure. We're in the middle when we're awake.)
I hope all this is true, because I'm on klonopin and have been for several months. Before that I didn't get deep sleep for about 20 years.
So, while I may have a nightmarish time coming off klonopin, I'm sure enjoying my sleep now, and feel I'm healing better because of finally getting deep wave, delta sleep.
Posts: 559 | From New Mexico, USA | Registered: May 2007
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Cass A
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11134
posted
Dear Friends,
I'm glad you're getting off the Klonopin.
You could try increasing your B Complex vitamins and B1 also. Either pills or brewer's yeast. This helps with the mental side.
Taking walks and looking at the environment also helps with sleeping. You walk out until you feel tired, then walk back.
I believe there's a website called "The Way Back." That group specializes in helping people to get off psychiatric drugs safely.
The drugs can cause permanent brain damage, as well as uncontrollable movements that don't go away, obesity, diabetes, heart problems, body temperature dysregulation, etc.
Hope your titration solution works out!
Best,
Cass A
Posts: 1245 | From Thousand Oaks, CA | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
Methylcobalamin shots for some reason REALLY helped me wean off of klonopin. I had tried many times before with the tapering with no luck -- horrible symptoms whenever I would cut back -- but the methylcobalamin shots (daily, fairly high doses) helped enormously. I hardly had any side effects.
Some people also use valium to get off of klonopin -- ask your doctor about this option as it might be a possibility.
Posts: 929 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Oct 2007
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posted
Definitely read Professor Heather Ashton's Manual online free (benzo.org). She is likely the most experienced researcher in this area. She provides a step by step titration process for safely weaning off any benzo. It includes a bridge transition to a longer acting benzo, though I think Klonopin has a fairly decent long half life.
The toughest ones to discontinue is the short half life versions like Xanax. Her guide transition bridges shorter half life benzos over to the valium, the longest half life version. Makes it easier to wean off as it doesn't "drop you a cliff".
Whatever you do, do NOT cold turkey. Seizure risks are real. My mother had one from it.
Read up on Professor Ashton's website....tons of her research work is reported there. "The Ashton Manual" is the link to the weaning guidelines.
When I weaned off Xanax years ago, extra B vitamins and Calcium helped to buffer the anxiety.
Posts: 495 | From SF Bay area, CA | Registered: Dec 2007
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lymeHerx001
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6215
posted
Methylcobalamin is B12
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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tdtid
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10276
posted
CD57,
I was put on this drug by a neuroglogist that said that on my EEG, I was having mini seizures when the lights would flash. And since I tended to have anxiety...at the teim I felt due to the fact that I had been going years with all these diagnosis's did NOT fit together.
In any case,after five years of going from specialist to specialist, I found out it was lyme and my LLMD said that I should sty on the med until we got the lyme under control and knew what we were up against.
I'm on the same dose as you and was told to take it beofre bedime and perhaps it would heop me sleep. Looking at the clock, I don't think it is working for that since this is my second night in a row with horrid insonmia.
In any case, I have heard both sides, but most seem to say that weining off slowly is the right answer. That way if anything goes wrong, they can't be blamed later for taking you too fast.
I have been one that would often forget to take it daily anyway, so not sure if I would have the same problems, but I'm extremely interseted in hearing how you do with this.
I know at some point, I'm going to want to see how I do without this med. So many I wasa told I probably wouldn't need once we got the lyme and co's under control and my list is quite extensive.
Do you take just one a day or are you on more. I have to admit that I laughed when I heard you were shaving pieces of the med. ONe day I was really sick and my husband wne to find my night time meds for me. He looked in several bottles and found all these half/quarter and slivers of pills and asked me what was going on.
I told him I was weining off all these drugs and was doing it slowly. Ofcourse I got the big lecture about how that isn't in my best interest, but I swear, Ihave an entire pharmacy at my house and if there are meds htat could be pulled back on or discontinued, I'd sure like to get on that path.
I'm on too many abx both orally and IV and my brain is dead. I'm bordering on my beginning days here and fear I'm going backwards so I think the less meds that aren't directly related to lyme and co's may be in my best interest.
Please keep me posted.
Cathy
-------------------- "To Dream The Impossible Dream" Man of La Mancha Posts: 2638 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Oct 2006
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Yikes! Well, I've been on Klonopin for I'm thinking about two years now, maybe a little less and I got a little freaked out when I saw the stuff it cause but I did a search and could not find anything linked to Diabetes in there, which I have now.
My script is for .5mg and I cut that in half but I do take it every day. The reason I had to take this instead of some kind of anti-dep is because all the anti-deps give me a terrible stomach ache so that was my only choice because of extreme anxiety attacks.
I had asked for Valium and was told it was stronger and harder to get off.
If someone can point me to a site about Klonopin causing Diabetes, I would appreciate it.
Steve
Posts: 406 | From Rhode Island | Registered: May 2007
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feelfit
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12770
posted
Klonopin has been my lifesaver. And, actually, it is not a Psych drug, but rather an anti-seziure medication.
Like several other anti-seziure medications (Topamax for instance), it is used off label for some psych conditions. Anxiety and sleep difficulties are two off label uses of klonopin.
I have taken klonopin at low doses for the past 18 years on and off (before lyme dx). I never took it regularly until I began lyme tx.During that time I never had an issue w/ klonopin (before lyme)
I take .25 to .50 mg daily since lyme tx, depending on what is going on. I think it is far more dangerous to have debilitating symptoms that cannot be relieved in any other way than to take klonopin.
It has greatly relieved my suffering when I have welcomed the thought of not waking up in the morning.
I think that suffering is far more dangerous than low dose klonopin....at least for me.
Just my two, Feelfit
CD-57, I hope that you are successful in weening off of K.. Especially if you no longer have a need for it
Posts: 3975 | From usa | Registered: Aug 2007
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lymeHerx001
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6215
posted
Musicman I always thought that Klonopin was the stronger stuff.
I do know however that Valium stayes in your body for a very long time.
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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Cass A
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11134
posted
Deare Friends,
According to my most recent research, Klonopin does not directly cause diabetes, unlike Seroquel and other anti-psychotics. It can, however, cause weight gain that could contribute to diabetes.
Here's a link to the description of adverse reactions that have occured to patients taking Klonopin.
Best,
Cass A
Posts: 1245 | From Thousand Oaks, CA | Registered: Feb 2007
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sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
Why get off of it? Does it help you? I take Xanax 4 times a day; in the same family as Klonepin. I took it years ago before LD and it was easy to get off. As soon as I felt less anxiety I just cut back and witin a few weeks was off completely with no problems.
I have to take Xanax, it helps my brain relax and not feel that over stimulation feeling that some of us get with LD. My LLMD told me not to stop taking it right now. It is calming for our CNS.
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
Last year at this time I was taking the equivalent of 40mg of Diazepam a day, i.e. 4 mg Lorazepam. I've now managed to cut back to 1 mg of Diazepam a day, and hope to be completely off of benzodiazapines in a few months. I'm happy to say that I feel much less anxious in general on a tiny dose of the medication than I did on a higher dose - I had built up tolerance.
In my case at least I think the benzodiazapines were hindering my recovery. Even with a slow taper though, I had miserable withdrawal symptoms, but I feel it has been completely worth it.
Posts: 32 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Sep 2007
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posted
hi all. I have lyme and have been treated over the last 6 years with oral and IV abx, herbs and supplements, with varying degrees of success along the way.
Quite recently i was prescibed klonopin by my LLMD and took it for about 5 months. I was generally on a 50mg dose, but did at times take up to 100 mg / day. However, after realising how addictive it could be I decided I wanted to get off it - and went cold turkey. Its been about 6 weeks since i've been off it and I have had quite a lot of anxiety, depression, dark thoughts and panic like feelings. From researching this site I realise these are expected symptoms when coming off klonopin. Coming off it cold turkey could have been dangerous and was a bad idea, i realise it now.
I still have a full presribed dose of klonopin sitting in my cupboard. My question is, should i just stick it out now that i've got through this initial period? Or start it up again and come off it slowly?
Posts: 11 | From Doylestown, PA | Registered: Nov 2006
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kelmo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8797
posted
Carolyn, you should really consult a doctor. My daughter has tried to come off it. She hasn't had success.
Posts: 2903 | From AZ | Registered: Feb 2006
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Cass A
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11134
posted
You could check out the website for The Way Back or The Road Back--one of them specializes in helping people get off of mind-altering drugs.
Although Klonopin was not approved as a psychiatric drug, it does have "psychiatric" effects, and is often prescribed off-label to treat psychiatric "disorders."
Best,
Cass A
Posts: 1245 | From Thousand Oaks, CA | Registered: Feb 2007
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Rianna
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11038
posted
Thats a low dosage so you should not have too much of a problem - i personally would not consider this until all of my Lyme & Co's have been adressed as Its a bandaid that you need to get through that.
As our LLMD says once you have gone throug Lyme/Babs and bart herx's coming of a benzo will seem very easy in comparrison!!!!
Did he not mention switching over to Diazapam and weaning that way if your gonna do it - here is a convertion chart
Also everyone I have spoken to that was on Benzo's and got well said as you get less syptomatic and better you just naturally lessen your benzo dosage - i am a firm believer of that as I take Diazapam and on better days I totally forget to take it
posted
i read somewhere that klonopin causes anemia, have any of you experienced this as a result of taking klonopin? Radha
Posts: 392 | From New York | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
After reading these posts, I'm afraid to even mention how much klonopin I take every day! I would feel like a "druggie" or something.
I'm on it to help with my CNS and mini-seizures. I'm doing an Inner Ear/Vestibular test on Tuesday, and they don't want me to go off of it ------ even though it's suggested for the testing.
My doctor doesn't want me to, nor does the Center for Balance Disorders want me to for the testing.
Anyway, I just had to comment on this thread!!!!
Wish me luck on Tuesday!
Take care, terri3boys
Posts: 268 | From Texas | Registered: Aug 2007
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posted
Praying for you Terri3boys. I take klonopin for small seizures. It was the only seizures medication that helped and I have to take 3 mg per day!
I am not anemic.
It certainly has not caused me weight gain and does not seem to affect my sleep either way. Some nights I sleep well and some nights I do not.
I know I have built a tolerance to it as I had to increase the amount to lower the seizures.
Hiker53
-------------------- Hiker53
"God is light. In Him there is no darkness." 1John 1:5 Posts: 9450 | From Illinois | Registered: Aug 2004
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posted
Okay, Hiker53 ------- you make me not feel so bad! I have to take 3-4mg per day.
Thank you for your post, and your good wishes. You sound like me, because I haven't put on weight either due to the klonopin. I'm sure I've built up a tolerance as well.
I AM a bit anemic, but I was already anemic before the klonopin ------ so I don't know what to think about that.
We're doing this ENG (Inner Ear/Vestibular study) on Wednesday. Then on Friday, we're doing a repeat EEG due to an abnormal one back in May. Also on Friday, I'll have an EMG on both arms and legs.
It's going to be a fun week, huh???
I'll let you know how it goes ----- if I'm still "functional" after all of it!
terri3boys Posts: 268 | From Texas | Registered: Aug 2007
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