My clonazepam story: More regulation seems to be coming

Posted by jackt @jackt, Dec 10, 2019

Serious auto accident 18 years ago. Operated on for a double subdural hematoma. Started experiencing extreme myoclonus a few months later. Put on clonazepam 1 mg/day to control it. C worked very well. Never had to increase dose. Still on 1 mg/day today and very happy with the results. No myoclonus.

Physician I have been with these last 18 years now is starting to increase visits. When all this started it was once every 6 months, then a few years ago increased to once every 4 months, then 3 months, now a year later he just told me he has to do it every 2 months. I can see the writing on the wall. Pretty soon it will be once every month. It's grueling to go to an appointment, usually takes 2.5 hours to get through the whole thing just for a 10 minute "What's new?" friendly chat and then the prescription. It's private pay so this is going to cost quite a bit if I have to do once a month, not to mention the 20 minute drive and $10 parking.

Long story short, hopefully. I'm very happy with the status quo. I have no side effects. Haven't had any to increase the dose. I'm 69 and what's my life expectancy, 8 years?? I'd be very happy to just stay on the C until I die of natural causes presumably around 78 according to life expectancy actuarials. It's the DEA that's upsetting the applecart with this witch hunt they're starting on benzos after having decimated hundreds of thousands of CPP's lives with their opiate crackdown by intimating doctors with prison and loss of their license. My pharmacist suggested my doctor is probably trying to ease me out his door to get rid of me. I tend to agree. But going to a new doctor is going to be very difficult with the climate against benzos now. Channel 4 Evening News is already labeling benzos, "The Next Opiate Crisis?" in a series of reports.

I'm in California and the laws are not too strict here, but is the DEA going to start forcing doctors to get their patients off benzos now like they did with the painkillers? What about people who need this medication because of TBI (traumatic brain injury)? is there anybody else out there who is thriving on the benzos but is being pressured by their doctors to either taper or leave? I would like some guidance on how to weather this storm.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Addiction & Recovery Support Group.

@lacy2

Yes wont repeat story here but pressured and cut off Benzo.. didnt even know it was one til Feb.2019.... wanted me off after last 5 pills afterover fifteenyears one a day and no questions asked. then gp put me on half a day and i spilled drink over a FEW and needed before end of month and he refused. Pharmacist came to my rescue as he knew I dont abuse meds. After a couple of months he, gp, got mad at me , long story, i telephoned ontario college of physicians and surgeons to get advise not about pills but he raised his voice and discussed my case in front of people in waiting room, one of whom was my ex husbands ex wiife! Was in office later just he and receptionist and he again lambasted me. College was great i did not put in complaint but they phoned him, next visit he let me go from practice and there is more. My pharmacist said i was not addicted but body now dependent on it... for sleep. Long story short a specialist in another field has renewed my one a day pill and at 77 I hope it takes me to my death. I have a laundry list of other physical illnesses and had depression for past 2 years etc. ... WHY all of a sudden get rid of those pills.. have you read the information sheets in with some of the medications they are now prescribe for all kinds of ailments....some side effects being blindness, neuropathy, seizures etc etc etc.., no worse than Clonazepam in my humble opinion. There is more to the story.. I think they want us of inexpensive Clonazepam and put us on higher priced drugs? Not sure... but there is a reason behind this and I would love to know what it is. J. Canada (excuse typos typing quickly)

Jump to this post

Life is just to darn complicated. Sounds like a bit of a mess. What to do???CDB helps with anxiety in my case, though I rarely take it. Wonder if I can take it after the vaccine. Too calm the fear.

REPLY
@lacy2

....yes Sears and many hundreds of medications worse than bonzos and worse than anti-depressants: even my eye drops , long term use especially its frightening what "could"happen. The fact some of us have been on Clonazepam for over 15 years and are still here to talk about it says something! Now I discover my neuropathy and internal tremors MAY have been caused by dental freezing! Nothing is 100 per cent without chance of someone somewhere getting serious side effects - even from peanut butter!

Jump to this post

What the heck is dental freezing?😬

REPLY

@sears Oh! Well its the medication they inject into your gums before drilling or extracting a tooth. Quite often it is Lidocaine and epinephrine.... am just searching it all as this combination was used months ago when I had stitch put in hand at emerge and after couple of hours sleep woke up to body shaking...... now am going to have to find out if five recent dental fillings and an extraction,... what they used to freeze mouth as started to have internal shaking... ugh, hours spent on on this so far and not feeling well ad am a little bit scared of what I will find! J.

REPLY
@lacy2

@sears Oh! Well its the medication they inject into your gums before drilling or extracting a tooth. Quite often it is Lidocaine and epinephrine.... am just searching it all as this combination was used months ago when I had stitch put in hand at emerge and after couple of hours sleep woke up to body shaking...... now am going to have to find out if five recent dental fillings and an extraction,... what they used to freeze mouth as started to have internal shaking... ugh, hours spent on on this so far and not feeling well ad am a little bit scared of what I will find! J.

Jump to this post

LOL! Here in the Midwest we just call it “numbing your mouth”.

REPLY

I was told by past drs that they’re weaning me the clonazepam. I was very happy about that. I told them it’s the only thing that helps my anxiety. I’ve been told so many different stories from different drs about the kind of med it is that I’ve got to where I let it go in one ear and out the other bcuz I don’t know what to believe anymore. Recently I was told that the state of Oregon is advising all drs to take their patients/clients off clonazepam. It really confused me. I was told they were coming out with another med. if the drs would’ve told me this to begin with then I would’ve kept my mouth shut about talking them into keeping me on it.

REPLY
@lorihager57

I was told by past drs that they’re weaning me the clonazepam. I was very happy about that. I told them it’s the only thing that helps my anxiety. I’ve been told so many different stories from different drs about the kind of med it is that I’ve got to where I let it go in one ear and out the other bcuz I don’t know what to believe anymore. Recently I was told that the state of Oregon is advising all drs to take their patients/clients off clonazepam. It really confused me. I was told they were coming out with another med. if the drs would’ve told me this to begin with then I would’ve kept my mouth shut about talking them into keeping me on it.

Jump to this post

I meant to say that I wasn’t very happy about the idea of the drs weaning me off the clonazepam

REPLY

Take this Clonazapam and you’ll be fine but in the end I will take your soul.

REPLY
@shake

Take this Clonazapam and you’ll be fine but in the end I will take your soul.

Jump to this post

Hi. The same with xanax and fioricet. No on tells you that prior to beginning these meds. The struggle is real.

REPLY
@shake

Take this Clonazapam and you’ll be fine but in the end I will take your soul.

Jump to this post

Unlike our doctors the Devil at least gives us a heads up. Gonna ask a lawyer what if I get 1000 people will you then start a class action legal suit?

REPLY
@shake

Unlike our doctors the Devil at least gives us a heads up. Gonna ask a lawyer what if I get 1000 people will you then start a class action legal suit?

Jump to this post

I’m in. You won’t have any problem getting one thousand people. People will be signing up right and left. I’ve tried with lawyers, none were interested. These doctors and pharmaceutical companies need to be held accountable. I hear the same stories over and over about doctors not being upfront with their patients. Same with antidepressants.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.