Tapering off clonazepam (Klonopin, Rivotril)

Well welcome sheila...this is the first sight i have ever gone on but soo happy I did....I have gotten so much great advise and ways to better wean me off this klonopin that isnt so tough...my dr is insane the way she wanted me to come off and people here care and are so willing to share their experiences and ways to help you...please read the blogs and ask questions...alot of wise people here...I wish I the best...can i ask how you are weaning off your med??💖

Hi, @bvgrammy - back in 2016, you may recall, you started a discussion called "Going Off of Xanax," https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/going-off-of-xanax/. It might be interesting for you to read what members have posted since that time and maybe ask any new questions there, too.

Before discovering the wonders of CBD, tapering from Benzos have been difficult, to say the least. I've experienced almost all of the classical symptoms with the brief exception of nausea. CBD has helped alleviate, irritability, headaches, muscle pain and stiffness let alone the anxiety for which I was taking clonazepam. I was taking 3mg – 4mg at my peak and I'm now down to 0.75mg. I've been taking these drugs since my early 20's and I'm now in my early 40's. For whatever reason, I simply came across some online resources which were spelling out the benefits of quitting these drugs, mostly feeling ALIVE again and not in a constant state of drowsiness and emotional blunting. You don't know how deeply these drugs affect you until you get off of them. I'm also aware that I still have a substantial journey ahead of me but this is an amazing beginning.

I just started the most recent taper (1mg to 0.75mg) 5 days ago and I'm feeling OK. I do have a bit of trouble sleeping, especially after waking in the middle of the night. I should also add that I quit sleeping aids at this time also (Unisom specifically, 5 days ago). Through help from this forum (thanks @annfsd), I've switched Unisom for melatonin. It knocks me out at night but as I mentioned, I'm working through falling back asleep after waking in the middle of the night. The fact that I've been able to maintain such a low dose of clonazepam (for me) along with complete elimination of Unisom is nothing short of remarkable for me and I'm quite proud of that. I've gone from 3mg to 1.5mg without CBD and it was extremely difficult with a very high level of irritability and insomnia. This most recent taper from 1.5mg to 0.75mg (in 0.25mg increments) was done with the help of CBD and there is a tangible difference.

CBD (tinctures/oil, caps and or dry flower (High CBD, negligible THC)) has helped tremendously to help deal Benzodiazepine withdrawal. If I'm having a particularly difficult day, I will use one of the above delivery methods depending on my environment. For example, if I'm at home, I will vape it as it's the quickest delivery method (seconds). If I'm traveling, I will use either the tincture or gelcap. I should also add that I live in Canada so I have access to regulated CBD flower, oils, and gel caps, although at a steep price. For those us actively trying to taper from these difficult drugs, I think we can all agree that it's difficult to put a price on alleviating withdrawal symptoms.

Hope this helps and please note this is my experience only.

Marijuana is the only thing that helps

Clonazepam
If you stop slowly enough you won’t need the marijuana.
Jake

I am new to this site too. Until tonight by researching on my own- I didn’t know you had to taper off using Clonazepam. My doctor never told me how serious this drug is or that one day I’d have to taper or detox from taking it. I feel like I have been violated because I had no idea or information and clearly these types of drugs are being overprescribed or given without explaining to patients just how SILENTLY addictive they are until you need to come off of them.
I was prescribed Xanax and Prozac for about three years following a physical assault for anxiety and depression. They were not effective or lost effectiveness so a year ago my doctor added chlonazepam. I used it for a year only as prescribed-.25 MG three times a day. Within the first three months, I felt so much better. I stopped taking the Xanax pretty quickly; then a month later I stopped taking Prozac cold turkey and was fine, feeling good; then another month later I stopped taking my adderall cold turkey that I had taken for years for ADD. I felt great and was down to only taking one medication. I felt like I was on the mend with Clonazepam- probably because I didn’t know how strong it really was. After six months I just felt so flat and lifeless. I continued with it another six months and knew I wasn’t anxious/depressed anymore but had become just on autopilot not enjoying anything and lacked any motivation or creativity which I never had an issue with before. I knew I wanted to stop taking all medications since they weren’t working and seemed to make me feel worse.
Since I had zero issues or withdrawal symptoms when I stopped taking my other medications, I decided to stop taking my Clonazepam cold turkey. When my prescription ran out I decided to just not refill it. No one had ever told me it had to be tapered or would have such severe side effects. So I just stopped. It’s been two and a half weeks of agony and I just learned tonight why! I have felt for the last two weeks that death would be better than getting through another day of symptoms and luckily at almost three weeks, I feel like I’m functioning at the 50% level. I still feel horrible but finally see light at the end of the tunnel. I hope this continues.
Please do not take this drug or allow a doctor to give someone you love this drug. I’ve never used an illegal drug in my life or abused prescriptions and know about not taking pain meds and those risks. I had NO IDEA whatsoever that my prescribed anxiety medicine I only took for a year would end this way with me feeling like a junkie. Please warn others!

PS - before tonight, I thought I was just very seriously ill with a virus, flu, etc. I didn’t make the connection of all of these debilitating physical symptoms with stopping the medication bc it took a few days of being off of the meds before I got really sick. For the first week, I thought I had a really bad cold or the flu. After one week of not feeling better, I went to urgent care and tested negative for flu or strep or anything they could tell. After another week, I went back and they thought it must be a sinus infection, though nothing showed infection on my lab work and no fever, so they gave me an antibiotic and said to come back if I didn’t feel better in three days. I also felt like I had a UTI but they tested and said no infection. No wonder- all of these symptoms are the result of an unanticipated drug detox, not any virus or infection. I seriously thought I was dying for over two weeks.
The only thing that took away the agony was marijuana. Otherwise I could not eat, sleep, or even sit up for more than a short period, and literally could not leave the house.
I was like a two year old child mentally and intellectually where I couldn’t find words or complete a whole sentence correctly, just lost in zombie state, and physically feeling like I’d rather die than do it again tomorrow. I am so hopeful now that I know what I’m dealing with. Good luck to everyone else that was probably on higher doses or took the drugs longer since I see some of their symptoms have lingered for a very long time. I hope I get back to 100% soon and guess it’s too late for me to turn back now since I am nearing week three and starting to feel a little bit better. The days were so bad that even a 10% decrease in symptoms seems life changing. I hope this post helps someone else bc it may have saved me.

PPS- I have only used marijuana at night in a small amount bc I was not eating at all or sleeping. After I would be able to eat half a meal maybe (I’ve had no appetite) and i would be able to sleep for a few hours. It made my headache partially subside for a couple hours but doesn’t at all take away all symptoms. I was limiting myself to once a day at night bc I’m not by any means a regular marijuana user. My friend was very worried about me and recommended it. I am a 41 year old, college educated, married, professional woman. I used to judge people that used marijuana though it’s legal widely now. No more. I think these doctors need to evaluate it and use it as a first line treatment effort BEFORE they are allowed to prescribe addictive pills.
No wonder we have so many people addicted to heroin after taking addictive pills.
After going through this withdrawal experience personally, I think that marijuana could likely be very effective as an aid in treating many withdrawal symptoms, whether from prescription medications or illegal drugs.

Thank you but I did not know about the need to taper. WISH I did! My psychiatrist prescribed the meds but never told me I’d have to taper or anything before stopping. When he prescribed he said it was to be for a short time - not long term and didn’t say how addictive it would be. I only see him once a month so still have another week plus before my next appt. I had no idea why I’ve been so sick and my urgent care visits didn’t ask about old medications just what I was taking currently which is nothing. I totally missed the connection and had no reason really to associate how sick I was with stopping a medication two weeks earlier. I didn’t know any drug could make you feel that bad- like dying. The worst point was the two week mark in hindsight. At any rate, and after two visits to urgent care and no answer but an antibiotic passed out to me as a guess, I don’t know that I’d be able to get through without the marijuana. It was a god send.

@clonazepamxxx
I’m not judging anyone. I personally don’t believe it should have ever been legalized. One reason is the 400 or so chemicals in it and how the molecular structure may be altered by heating, processing and chemicals used for pest control etc. Anything that alters the how it functions can’t be a good thing. Also a major concern is that people get high and drive and cause accidents. The death toll keeps rising but states still legalize it. How many more have to die? There is not nearly enough research proving it’s safety. Although there are thousands of studies, only a handful are backed up with scientific proof. According to the Federal Government marijuana is still illegal and banned in all National Parks and on Federal Lands. We live in a free Country and are allowed freedom of choice. Obviously I disagree with some of those choices. Unfortunately people are allowed to get high on various substances and jeopardize innocent people. That’s 1 of my 2 cents worth.
Hope your feeling better soon,
Jake