Klonopin taper

Posted by dawgbone @dawgbone, Jul 31, 2017

I have been on some kind of benzo for almost 40 yrs. I am trying to taper from 1.5-2 mgs of klonopin daily . Began in mid may 2017 and my last cut was very small on 7-2-17 to get to 1mg. Honestly feels like i am dying. I also take trazodone 75 mgs and 4 drugs for high blood pressure. I have been researching gabapentin and seroquel to help with the withdrawal symptons. Please offer any suggestions or help. I am 69 yrs old and cant even leave my house to visit my kids and grands. Thank you for any help!

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Justin McClanahan, Moderator | @JustinMcClanahan | Dec 7, 2019

In reply to @scruffy1 "https://benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s5" + (show)

@scruffy1, Is this a schedule that was suggested to you and that you followed or is this something you found after your poor experience tapering too quickly?

sears | @sears | Dec 7, 2019

In reply to @scruffy1 "DO NOT stop quickly. My doctor's mistake in a 2-week taper produced the worst 6 months..." + (show)

Any doctor that would put someone through a two week taper needs to have his medical license revoked. That’s inhumane.

janopal | @janopal | Dec 7, 2019

I don't think any doctor care about senior citizens no matter haw much we suffer. I am 71 with the same problem as you had 2 years ago dowgbone. We are about the same age. Did you managed to get off clonazepam?

janopal | @janopal | Dec 7, 2019

In reply to @oakbourne "I've been on Klonopin for decades. I have Spasmodic Torticollis with inner shakiness, head tremors, head..." + (show)

@oakbourne, do you have any king of hissing sound like activity in your brain from clonazepam? Is that your electrical activity you are talking about?

Jim, Volunteer Mentor | @jimhd | Dec 8, 2019

In reply to @repeterb47 "Thank you for your reply! My son has been taking 1mg of clonazepam daily for over..." + (show)

@repeterb47 I've been taking 1mg daily of Clonazepam for 14 years. I thought I'd try tapering off it, but after reducing the dosage to .75mg for a week I gave up because I couldn't sleep. It's one medication that my wife wants me to keep taking because, aside from the reason I take it, it has a side advantage of keeping my legs from running or kicking in my sleep. She was almost ready to make me sleep in the guest room.

So, I concur with others who have said that it's important to taper off it very slowly, and if his doctor could prescribe another medication that would make it easier, I'd say to get right on it because 3 months is barely enough time to be completely off it. The doctor might be interested to see the chart that scruffy shared about tapering off Klonopin.

Jim

scruffy1 | @scruffy1 | Dec 8, 2019

In reply to @JustinMcClanahan "@scruffy1, Is this a schedule that was suggested to you and that you followed or is..." + (show)

I found it AFTER my tapering too quickly, unfortunately. It was suggested by someone on this website.

marlaj | @marlaj | Dec 8, 2019

So sad. Is medical society unaware of the connection between alcohol and social anxiety/panic disorder? Of course people will self medicate when they are paralyzed from such a horrifying condition. And how many end up in jail for it? ;( My son became an alcoholic as a teen due to severe anxiety/panic disorder and he also began cutting himself. I was able to help him stop drinking 7 years ago. He has been taking lorazepam for three years, but the way it is effecting his memory is terrifying. Is anyone aware of studies or clinical trials for treatments other than benzodiazepines? SSRI's did not help him.

ainsleigh | @ainsleigh | Dec 8, 2019

In reply to @marlaj "So sad. Is medical society unaware of the connection between alcohol and social anxiety/panic disorder? Of..." + (show)

Hi @marlaj- When I was first ill my doctor put me on Elavil which is a tricyclic anti-depressant. It helped both my depression and anxiety.I don't know if this is of any help to you but I think it is different from SSRI's. For some reason I don't hear anything about it anymore so am not sure if it is still being used. You may want to check it out.
Best wishes
Ainsleigh

Jim, Volunteer Mentor | @jimhd | Dec 9, 2019

In reply to @ainsleigh "Hi @marlaj- When I was first ill my doctor put me on Elavil which is a..." + (show)

@ainsleigh Tricyclic meds are pretty common, and used to treat various things. Years ago I took amitriptyline for tmj pain, and now I take Imipramine. I think it's usually used to treat depression, but I'm taking it for sfn pain, and it's the first non-narcotic that has had any effect on the pain without intolerable side effects. It's certainly worth a try

Jim

oakbourne | @oakbourne | Dec 9, 2019

In reply to @janopal "@oakbourne, do you have any king of hissing sound like activity in your brain from clonazepam?..." + (show)

Hi @janopal, No, I haven't experienced any hissing sounds in my brain. Without Klonopin, I have tons of electrical activity from the brain to my body..Klonopin calms my nervous system. I get so sick without Klonopin, I feel like I'm having a seizure. Lights on white paper and certain colors drive me into madness. I saw a green metallic car and I had to look away. I started feeling like I was going into seizure mode.