I am very fortunate that at 73 I don’t have any problems with walking or balance and I have been taking the same dose of 1mg in the morning and 1mg at night for 35 years. I walked 9 miles yesterday in 30 degree weather and plan on doing the same again today. I have also spent two hours on an elliptical machine in my old fitness center while reading magazines or watching TV. Are there any seniors out there like me?
I would love to hear from them. I can’t be the only one.
I look forward to any and all posts.
I wish everyone the best.
I am 68 years old.I have been on this medication for way too many years. I am attempting to taper. I take .5 mg in the am and 1.5 mg at night. Last January, I was placed on 0.5 mg of triazolam, another benzo, for sleep. When I pointed this out to my doctor, he was rude to me and wouldn’t order anything else.
I walk daily- 2- 45 walks a day, rain, sleet, snow, hail, sun. I attend exercise classes 5 days a week and I also attend 2 yoga classes. At the present time, I do have some unsteadiness due to the gabapentin which I am weaning off. These drugs are not all good for us.
I took Klonopin for years to help with sleep and have tapered off until I was off. I was put on something else for sleep but have quit talking that but I cannot sleep without something. Melatonin isn’t working so I’ve been rotating benedryl and Tylenol pm. Has anyone else experienced sleep issues after coming off Klonopin?
I took Klonopin for 12 years, 1 mg at bedtime. It worked like a charm and also helped with anxiety and dystonia. Eventually doctors refused to prescribe it and a fresh out of med school psychiatrist forced me to taper off it. That resulted in 9 months of terrible insomnia, social anxiety and voice problems due to the dystonia. He offered nothing but an antihistamine for sleep which did nothing. OTC sleep aides didn’t help, gummies with a bit of THC gave some relief. Eventually I got in with a sleep medicine doctor who was going to reinstate Klonopin. However, after the he’ll I went through to get off it, I refused. I now take Lunesta for sleep and my other issues are slowly improving. It’s been 15 months since I took a benzo. I won’t go back to it. I can see that my balance was not great and I had some stupid falls. I’m mentally clearer. It is possible to live well without benzos, but it can take a long time for your nervous system to heal.
I took Klonopin for years to help with sleep and have tapered off until I was off. I was put on something else for sleep but have quit talking that but I cannot sleep without something. Melatonin isn’t working so I’ve been rotating benedryl and Tylenol pm. Has anyone else experienced sleep issues after coming off Klonopin?
Klonopin is a very dangerous drug for long term use. The half life is over 24 hrs...which means it takes 24 hrs for 1/2 of it to b metabolized and and 24 hrs for half of that to b metabolized and so forth...so it begins to build up in the system. As the body ages the kidneys dont work as well to rid it from the body. Please speak to the prescribing physician to properly wean u off.
I have absolutely no problem with balance, walking coordination, cognitive function and am on a benzodiazipine.
The reason that the physicians are reluctance to prescribe is due to the restrictions that the FDA, Government have put on the writing of Scheduled Drugs because of the rampant drug problem in the USA. To insist that a geriatric patient be "weaned" off a medication that they have been on for years is unbelievable. With that said, they must also take into consideration other related medical issues ie falls, cognitive changes, perhaps dose reduction from due to kidney disease etc. That does require physician assessment. However, that is not the case many times.....it's d/t the regulations that are placed on them. The government would best utilize their money and resources in taking a look at Fentanyl!
I respect your comment and views. Benzos remain a drug overprescribed. Psychiatry in the 1980s and 1990s is complicit in this. I am 64. I was successfully tapered off clonazepam in 2018. It took 7 months. Two doctors assisted me. My neurologist and primary care physician. My cognitive function improved. The pharmaceutical industry has way too much power in regards to facilitating prescription drug use. You need to do what is in your best interests despite the posts on this site.
I respect your comment and views. Benzos remain a drug overprescribed. Psychiatry in the 1980s and 1990s is complicit in this. I am 64. I was successfully tapered off clonazepam in 2018. It took 7 months. Two doctors assisted me. My neurologist and primary care physician. My cognitive function improved. The pharmaceutical industry has way too much power in regards to facilitating prescription drug use. You need to do what is in your best interests despite the posts on this site.
I agree that the posts on this site should be regarded with caution. Explore, research on your own. Some posts are spot on.....others not so much. I say this as being a healthcare provider for over 40 years.
My Gram was on a very very low dose of Xanax from her late 30's until my aunt flushed them down the toilet when Gram was in her it's. As far as I am concerned, my aunt caused my Gram's demise. Gram wasn't given anything to help her brain cope after it had been irreversibly changed due to being on Xanax for 40plus years. After her "nerve pill" was taken away, she very quickly declined. Wetting herself, falling, memory problems, and the inability to make sense out of situations. If you take are having problems walking due to Xanax, you are definitely taking too much Xanax and need to sleep it off and then lessen your dose.
I agree that the posts on this site should be regarded with caution. Explore, research on your own. Some posts are spot on.....others not so much. I say this as being a healthcare provider for over 40 years.
Do you prescribe long term benzodiazepine prescriptions to your patients? It appears that you do. How do you get around the DEA wanting doctors to stop prescribing Benzos?
@sears I find your post to be very judgemental, presumptive and insulting. First I do not prescribe medications to my patients as I am not a physician, NP or PA, but I carefully observe the responses that my patients may have to any medications that are given. To insinuate that in some way, whether I am a prescriber or not that I have illegally attempting to "get around" the DEA rules and regulations is WAY out of line and accusatory. I have given my views and feelings about the use of Benzodiazepines and the elderly. I will have no further conversation with @sears and reminder that this site is for information/opinion/experience sharing. Those that don't have healthcare experience have no business doling out advice on medication management.
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I am 68 years old.I have been on this medication for way too many years. I am attempting to taper. I take .5 mg in the am and 1.5 mg at night. Last January, I was placed on 0.5 mg of triazolam, another benzo, for sleep. When I pointed this out to my doctor, he was rude to me and wouldn’t order anything else.
I walk daily- 2- 45 walks a day, rain, sleet, snow, hail, sun. I attend exercise classes 5 days a week and I also attend 2 yoga classes. At the present time, I do have some unsteadiness due to the gabapentin which I am weaning off. These drugs are not all good for us.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI took Klonopin for 12 years, 1 mg at bedtime. It worked like a charm and also helped with anxiety and dystonia. Eventually doctors refused to prescribe it and a fresh out of med school psychiatrist forced me to taper off it. That resulted in 9 months of terrible insomnia, social anxiety and voice problems due to the dystonia. He offered nothing but an antihistamine for sleep which did nothing. OTC sleep aides didn’t help, gummies with a bit of THC gave some relief. Eventually I got in with a sleep medicine doctor who was going to reinstate Klonopin. However, after the he’ll I went through to get off it, I refused. I now take Lunesta for sleep and my other issues are slowly improving. It’s been 15 months since I took a benzo. I won’t go back to it. I can see that my balance was not great and I had some stupid falls. I’m mentally clearer. It is possible to live well without benzos, but it can take a long time for your nervous system to heal.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
3 ReactionsKlonopin is a very dangerous drug for long term use. The half life is over 24 hrs...which means it takes 24 hrs for 1/2 of it to b metabolized and and 24 hrs for half of that to b metabolized and so forth...so it begins to build up in the system. As the body ages the kidneys dont work as well to rid it from the body. Please speak to the prescribing physician to properly wean u off.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsI have absolutely no problem with balance, walking coordination, cognitive function and am on a benzodiazipine.
The reason that the physicians are reluctance to prescribe is due to the restrictions that the FDA, Government have put on the writing of Scheduled Drugs because of the rampant drug problem in the USA. To insist that a geriatric patient be "weaned" off a medication that they have been on for years is unbelievable. With that said, they must also take into consideration other related medical issues ie falls, cognitive changes, perhaps dose reduction from due to kidney disease etc. That does require physician assessment. However, that is not the case many times.....it's d/t the regulations that are placed on them. The government would best utilize their money and resources in taking a look at Fentanyl!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI respect your comment and views. Benzos remain a drug overprescribed. Psychiatry in the 1980s and 1990s is complicit in this. I am 64. I was successfully tapered off clonazepam in 2018. It took 7 months. Two doctors assisted me. My neurologist and primary care physician. My cognitive function improved. The pharmaceutical industry has way too much power in regards to facilitating prescription drug use. You need to do what is in your best interests despite the posts on this site.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI agree that the posts on this site should be regarded with caution. Explore, research on your own. Some posts are spot on.....others not so much. I say this as being a healthcare provider for over 40 years.
My Gram was on a very very low dose of Xanax from her late 30's until my aunt flushed them down the toilet when Gram was in her it's. As far as I am concerned, my aunt caused my Gram's demise. Gram wasn't given anything to help her brain cope after it had been irreversibly changed due to being on Xanax for 40plus years. After her "nerve pill" was taken away, she very quickly declined. Wetting herself, falling, memory problems, and the inability to make sense out of situations. If you take are having problems walking due to Xanax, you are definitely taking too much Xanax and need to sleep it off and then lessen your dose.
Do you prescribe long term benzodiazepine prescriptions to your patients? It appears that you do. How do you get around the DEA wanting doctors to stop prescribing Benzos?
@sears I find your post to be very judgemental, presumptive and insulting. First I do not prescribe medications to my patients as I am not a physician, NP or PA, but I carefully observe the responses that my patients may have to any medications that are given. To insinuate that in some way, whether I am a prescriber or not that I have illegally attempting to "get around" the DEA rules and regulations is WAY out of line and accusatory. I have given my views and feelings about the use of Benzodiazepines and the elderly. I will have no further conversation with
@sears and reminder that this site is for information/opinion/experience sharing. Those that don't have healthcare experience have no business doling out advice on medication management.