Starting Klonopin Taper, Scared of the Horror Stories

@elwooodsdad hi I completely agree taking meds has nothing to do with strength or weakness. I don’t want to give the wrong impression or pill shame. I’m trying this because my psych recommends it and also bc I have ocd and my current fixation seems to be klonopin, so if I’m not taking it then I don’t have to worry about it and I think that would help me more than the med does (which it does). if I could take it without worrying about it like I do effexor and buspar id probably keep taking it, but for me and the way my brain works just can’t seem to do that. It’s a net stressor for me. But every body is different and needs to do what makes them ok.

Hi, Jim @thankful

I'll be 70 in August and I've been taking Clonazepam since 2016. My prescription is 1mg at bedtime and a second as needed. I rarely take the second one, mostly if I can't get to sleep. Initially it was for anxiety, and I suppose it's helpful for that, but along the way I found that it has stopped my flailing and kicking, acting out my dreams. It may not be doing anything for my anxiety, but it's really effective for my wife's anxiety. Of all of the meds I've taken, that's one she doesn't want me to stop.

I did try to taper off it a few years ago, cut down from 1mg to.75mg for a week, but decided that I needed sleep more than I wanted to be off Clonazepam.

Jim

Breathing air is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease, and whatever else lurks out there to escort us off this spinning orb...If medication is working, and absent sure and certain knowledge that taking them under care of a physician that continued use would absolutely cause an avoidable physical/mental issue, I support taking medication. Taking medication responsibly is not a sign of weakness any more than self tapering is a sign of strength. I get that some just have an issue regarding taking pills. They are prescribed for a reason...

@elwooodsdad- Well said!! Jim@thankful

@jimhd- Interesting. It seems that the vast majority of people taking this drug chose to take it in the evening before bed to help them sleep as well. For me I have always taken it in the morning because the daytime was when I experienced my anxiety & panis issues.
I have always sleep well and have been on Cpap therapy for as long as taking Clonazepam. Jim@thankful

@sears my main fear is that I will eventually will have to stop as my psych does not see it as a long term solution. So I am very reluctant to become too comfortable with it.

Jim @thankful I've taken a daytime pill when I knew something stressful was going on that day.