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I have been in Clonazepam 0.5mg TID for 18 years
My psychiatrist retired and I was left to find a replacement. It seems there are a majority of nurse practitioners these days taking patients as providers, many do not take insurance. I found a nurse practitioner with a very good educational background. I saw her in person and she renewed the medications I was in for 6 months. Next month we had a zoom meeting and she told me she wanted me off the Ambien and Clonazepam because I would get dementia or Alzheimer’s with long term use. She insisted I start tapering against my will. I had school phobia in grade school, began having depression symptoms in my 20’s, and in my late 20’s had two major panic attacks. I have been depressed with anxiety most of my adult life. I have been hospitalized twice because of this. I have never asked for an increase in dosage of Ambien or Clonazepam fur 18 years after I found a wonderful psychiatrist who was so good at medication management.
Now, tapering Ambien and Clonazepam I have started self mutilating by picking my fingers raw until they bleed. I can’t sleep at night, I have become socially phobic. I have become isolative and often think of suicide with no plan. I am 73 years old and I think it is so cruel to put me through this when all I want is to have quality of life, not quantity. I live with my husband in adult senior living which I have not adjusted to. Taking these meds away has decreased my desire to exercise and my endurance is decreasing. My new provider told me if I didn’t want to taper my medication that I should find a new one provider. I did manage to taper the Ambien but I am down to half of the Clonazepam and feel like I can’t go on. Please help me. I am on Paxil and Wellbutrin for depression but it is anxiety and insomnia making my life miserable. I am not the same person I was a year ago.
I feel miserable, she has destroyed any quality of life I had. I really don’t want to live anymore.
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Sorry to hear of your protracted withdrawal issues with the tremors etc. Just curious, have you noticed any improvement with these over the last 5 years, maybe not as intense as before? I researched the protracted withdrawal issues pretty deeply and everything indicated that these symptoms could indeed last for several years but were not permanent so hopefully they do ease and disappear over time. Evidently the chemicals from this drug can linger in our system and body tissues for a long time. I was at a much smaller dose of only .5MG and mine literally lasted 18 or so months, although I did notice slow improvement after first year or so. Wishing you all the best as I know how frustrating these issues are. Thought this might be helpful to some:
Klonopin (clonazepam) withdrawal can cause protracted symptoms, including body tremors during sleep. Klonopin is a benzodiazepine, and prolonged use can lead to physical dependence. When the medication is reduced or discontinued, the central nervous system can become hyperexcitable, leading to various withdrawal symptoms.
Protracted Withdrawal Symptoms (PWS): Some people may experience withdrawal symptoms that persist for weeks, months, or even years after discontinuing Klonopin. These symptoms can include:
Tremors: Trembling or shaking, which can occur during the day or night.
Sleep disturbances: Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing restless sleep with physical symptoms like tremors.
Anxiety: Heightened anxiety or panic attacks, which can exacerbate physical symptoms.
Muscle tension: Stiffness or spasms, which can contribute to tremors.
Autonomic instability: Symptoms like sweating, palpitations, and tremors can be part of this dysregulation.
If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms, it’s crucial to consult a healthcare provider. They can help manage withdrawal symptoms safely and may suggest a gradual tapering of the medication, supportive therapies, or other treatments to alleviate discomfort.
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2 ReactionsHe is off the radar since he retired so I doubt that his help will be accessible.