Klonopin & Gabapentin for sleep

I took clonazepam for many years and cut back greatly from 1 mg daily to .5 daily to “as needed “.
I have found that I do pretty well with getting about 60 to 80 .5 clonazepam a year. I take .5 when I have anxiety episode, panic attack or restless leg/sleep issues.
Most recently my doctor wants me off of clonazapam!! WHY?? If it’s not broke why try to fix it, as the saying goes.
Now I’m being told that clonazepam is dangerous for people over a certain age because of fall risk and other things. I called BS!! Most friends my age drink alcohol or have a glass of wine at night, even smoke pot to relax…etc. etc. I don’t do any of that and I’ve never had a fall!! !! Why doesn’t the medical industry address THAT?? Anyway, has anyone else had a problem with doctors refusing to prescribe benzodiazepines? I’m sooooo upset as this medicine has literally saved my life when I’ve needed it. I meant, it’s 60-80 .5 a YEAR!!!!!
Now I feel like I’m on notice! I’ve already changed doctors and will see the new one in January 2026. It’s scary now to think I’ll have to keep changing doctors until I find one who is willing to allow me to continue treatment with this medicine!!!

I’ve taken clonazepam (aka Klonopin) for over 30 years. In the last 10 years I ended up going from 1 mg a day to .5!! then I started to give myself a chance to do a wellness check of whether or not I actually needed to take clonazepam in that moment or that day so I found that I could go a couple days without it. Finally after two or three years of doing this I have found that I only need about 60 to 80 clonazepam a YEAR!!! I think when I went down to “as needed” the medicine works better when I am in anxiety or panic mode. If I’m not having anxiety then I don’t take it. I think I was doing myself a disservice by taking it daily and I’m glad that I got to a place where I’m only taking it as needed. However my problem has been that it’s getting harder to get now that doctors are coming down on us “older folk” and saying that it’s dangerous and can cause us to be a fall risk and all of that. I’m 71. I know I always will have to take clonazapam for panic and anxiety disorder. Also sometimes I get restless leg really bad and it helps me at night. Maybe reevaluate when you take it. Don’t think about quitting just think about cutting back. It will work so much better when you don’t have so much of it in your system!!