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@youngsally- As I said in my earlier post I have been taking 1mg Klonopin or Clonazepam for over 20 years and for some reason without building up a tolerance. I started because of panic attacks that began robbing me of the many things that I took for granted doing on a regular basis. Whether it was driving on freeways or over bridges or flying to my favorite vacation spots, my panic attacks began to rule my life. After working with a Psychiatrist for about 6 months he introduced me to Klonopin and for me that changed everything! I love the fact that I am not aware I am on any drug and yet it seems to provide that edge that prevented me from doing the things I enjoyed. I started taking back my life one thing at a time. Even to this day there are still things that are still make me a bit uncomfortable, but as I am ready to take them on and suceed, it makes it that more easier and gives me the confidence to go for it! Often I will take a half a pill with me "just in case" but I seem to never need to take it. I think this helps again to reinforce for me I can do this. I do feel if I forget to take a pill in the morning that by early afternoon I am feeling a bit edgy like I had a double espresso, but once taking it within a 1/2 hr. I'm back to myself. I don't like that I "need" this little blue pill, but as I said in my earlier post "why fight what works for me"! Jim@thankful.
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I'm new here and am have many questions and thoughts. First, my doctor put me on .5mg of generic Klonopin 3 times a day 10 years ago when I was diagnosed with cancer. I've taken the same amount all that time and it's been a real blessing. Before Klonopin, I had what my gastro called Chronic Disease PTSD. I saw a doctor of some sort 82 times in one year after the cancer dx. I often got up 100 times a night to look at an old mole or check some symptoms out of fear of health / dying. After a year on Klonopin, I was able to rationalize that 'no my lips were not purple and me dying' type thoughts were anxiety and eventually I seldom had health fears. In 2012 I had a met to my liver and had 80% removed so Stage IV Colon Cancer and no cancer for 6 1/2 years since then. I've never needed a dosage increase and once in a while will forget to take the middle of the day dose. The doctor who prescribed Klonopin was my primary (now working at a walk in clinic) and my oncologist took over and wrote the scripts for 9 years. I'll be discharged from his care in 11 months. He gave me a script for 6 months of refills and suggested I try to wean off them and see if the health anxiety returns. His suggestion was to start by skipping the .5mg in the middle of the day for 2 months, then skip another pill .5mg for 2 months and then just stop. From what I'm reading, that's not a good wean! Also, Klonopin gave me back my life and causes no side effects (I'm 68). I take no other medications for anything except a small dose of levothyroxine for my thyroid. I do not drink at all. I'm on Medicare only and see just a new primary who wanted me to use Paxil and Klonopin to wean off the K, and then wean to something else, etc. That was scary to me. I refused. Thoughts?
If Klonopin controls my severe health anxiety/ hypochondria with no increase in dosage ever needed and no side effects, is there really a need to stop taking it? @thankful