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I have been in Clonazepam 0.5mg TID for 18 years
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: May 15 8:15am | Replies (223)Comment receiving replies
I’m sorry you’re feeling so stressed about your need for this medication, the stress is what causes sleepless nights and the medication helps you so you’re in a bad place. It’s not uncommon that the dosage went up over time especially with this type of medication, if you really want to stop then a new drug might help you get more sleep and then tapering down your dosage will be more tolerable. I’ve been taking the same medication, albeit a different brand for many years, I use it for anxiety and ptsd and it works well for me, I don’t understand why doctors give it to people who have sleepless nights because there’s better options available, I can say the same for me but this is what I use for over 20 years. Many people especially seniors are the most likely to have this issue but it will eventually be phased out with younger doctors who won’t prescribe it, sadly they are putting unnecessary pressure on the seniors by forcing them into a withdrawal which will probably cause more harm than good.
Replies to "I’m sorry you’re feeling so stressed about your need for this medication, the stress is what..."
My dosage never went up over 18 years. I was on Ambien for sleep 5-10 mg hs prn. My psychiatrist managed and watched that my dosage wouldn’t go up. Then he retired and All Hell broke loose. I was tapered down two drugs at the same time. I finally tapered off the Ambien but still had insomnia even though thePA wanted to continue tapering the Clonazepam. I quit going to her, found another PA in a different clinic with the same philosophy. I walked out of the appointment. I found, on my third try, another PA . She has allowed me to stay on Clonazepam TID and I am doing fine. I take the third dose close to bedtime and it acts as a sleeper.
Everyone is different, and I was told a bunch of hogwash when they said the Feds in Colorado were regulating the drug to twice a day. I was in high anxiety and developed social phobia because of it for an entire year. I agree that these drugs should not be started on new anxiety patients. However, being on a drug for 18 years, it is cruel to try and titrate them down.
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I would also like to add that issues with sleeping well is a huge problem for many seniors but also for the younger people. I found that those who sleep well never had any problems in doing so and those who need help with sleep have been struggling for many years, eventually it will lead them to asking for help. We trusted our doctors and didn’t really question the medication they prescribed but now we know better. It’s an outrage that we’re forced into stressful withdrawal because they want to remove this medication thus creating another crisis. There’s no reason for them to hurt innocent adults who have never abused their medication.