Tapering off of Clonazepam???

My dr said, “that ship has sailed” when we discussed this.

Unfortunately, I have had some recent anxious responses that my dr saw in person (and has read in portal messages).

At my last visit, I asked if she would like to try something else (we’ve discussed it more than once over the years. She gave me a month of Ativan and it didn’t seem helpful, so she switched me back).

Perhaps you are no longer suffering from unbearable anxiety. Mine has gotten a wee bit worse in the last year.

My heart and kidneys are not functioning well enough to quit on my own.

Be sure to check your vitals regularly because quitting can cause organ problems you may not realize. But I’m sure you know that already.

Please post how you are doing with it…. I hate requiring controlled substances. Especially when the “control” is decided by some overpaid big Pharma executive. And the FDA works for Big Pharma….imo

I 86 years old and have been on Clonazapam for about 4 years. The doctor who performed spinal surgery put me on it but my internal medicine doctor said I really did not need it so she reduced it to 1.0 mg per day. Well, I really did not want to be on it, so I reduced it to .5 per day without her permission, In fact, I
reduced it without anyone’s permission, However, I
have had some strange symptoms such as hearing music playing and sometimes people talking in another room. I was freaking out until my daughter told me those sounds were from the Clonazapam so I started ignoring them. I have not heard the sounds recently but now I am concerned about stopping it completely. However, at the age of 86, does it really matter? I doubt whether I will live past 90 and since the sounds I hear on occasion aren’t life threatening, I think perhaps I should just keep taking the .5 every evening. Anyone disagree!
PS. Until I read your post, I was not even aware that there was a dose lower then .5 mg. In fact, my local drug store told me that they no longer carried any .5 and I had to call around to see if any other drug store kept the .5 in stock and I finally found one that did. Strange, isn’t it!??

Don’t remember how long you were on 1 mg but reducing from 1 to .5 is very dangerous. These drugs need to be reduced very slowly. The songs you are hearing are probably from withdrawal. You are playing a dangerous game as you can have a seizure if you don’t come off slowly.
They do sell a .25 disintegrating tablet but not regular. I broke my .5 pills in half and only ever took .25 at one time. You were taking three times as much. Please be very careful.

Hello, I have been taking .5 mg for years. I was put on it, because I was hearing digital Christmas card music, and it was really intrusive. My old school Psychiatrist told me it was caused by a reverberated brain circuit, which no one seems to have heard of. Clonazepam worked very effectively., and the music stopped. A year or so ago, I wanted to switch to Lorazepam for other reasons. My Doctor made the change, however, she did not taper me off, and I had the worst withdrawal effects. I had been taking eight tablets per day, and it was like coming off heroin or something. As I have three brain injuries, I have forgotten now exactly what those effects were, but I can tell you it was one of the worst experiences in my life, and I do know that it affected my nervous system. I had to go on Clonidine to help with the withdrawal symptoms. It helped tremendously. I ended up not being able to wean off Clonazepam entirely, though I take half of what I had been taking, but I’m still taking 0.1 mg of Clonidine. I don’t want to go through an experience like that ever again. It should be noted that I am taking a lot of medication for various issues, including narcotic pain medications. I hope this helps somewhat. I wouldn’t come off it, but that’s your choice. If you do want to, then ask your Doctor about what he or she thinks of Clonidine to lessen the severity of the withdrawal effects. Best wishes!! 💜

If I were your age I would just stay on the Klonopin. I wouldn’t put myself through the tapering process. God bless.

I think you are right! At the age of 86, I think I will continue taking the .5 mg pill of Clonazapam before bedtime together with 200 mg of Gabapentin because it helps me to sleep for about 7 to 8 hours each night and I need that sleep. Even though I am quite old, I still have a lot of energy, I still clean
and decorate my 2 bedroom townhouse, cook my own meals , attend weekly Bible Study at the Club House, attend Sunday Mass, play my favorite game of Scrabble at the Club house,continue to visit my 62 year old developmentally disabled daughter every Tuesday and last Thanksgiving I flew down to Bell Buckle Tenn, all by myself (with my Rollator) and I continue to keep busy (with the help of God) and live a rather happy life. My only regret is that I am no longer able to drive due to my right leg still being too weak but with the help of friends and a local cab company, I still get around. And so, my suffering friends, it is all about attitude. Try to be thankful for what you can do and not dwell on what you cannot do and try to live as busy and happy a life as possible. Don’t be bitter,,,…. ………..
be better.

I am so pleased for you, that you can do all kinds of wonderful things and enjoy your life. Unfortunately, I am not so lucky, and I am not bitter. You don’t even know me. I have been left with conditions for which they can do nothing about. I have been housebound for 25 years, and I can’t do anything now. I don’t have the luxury of having a life. I will be having MAiD sometime within the next couple of years, so that’s what I have to look forward to, but I don’t whine and complain to anyone. It is what it is. I’m glad you have a happy life. I won’t bother you with the details of my miserable existence.

I am so sorry if I offended you, by saying “Don’t be bitter…be better”. I know you must be suffering and I will
Keep you in my prayers and hope that things will get better for you.
@yvie

I am 73 and tapering off of Clonazepam. I have been on this medication for well over 20 years.
I was taking 1mg twice daily for a long time and in the past several years have reduced the dose to .5mg a day over time.
Soon I will be taking .25 daily and then will taper off more, just takes a long time to get it out of ones system.
I will win the game and be off of the medication over the next year.
I have had no withdrawal symptoms. I hope this helps anyone who is tapering off and it can be done slowly.

O yvie!
First, my sense is for you to continue taking the .5 mg. of Clonazapam and don't worry about.
Pay no attention to noises or music you hear. The brain is a "funny" thing...memories are possibly being "remembered" again.
Second, wonderful for you at 86 years young you are so active and engaged in life!
Listing all you do, perhaps not really necessary, but I give you a pass there. I'm sure it was fun to write it all down 🙂
But I am with smegant here. To "assume" she is bitter is not really right nor helpful to her.
What is that saying?? Don't judge another until you have walked a mile in their shoes.
I am glad you did say you were sorry to her. And hope you will understand...everyone has different blessings in life. Some have many, some not much and some, sadly, not at all.
I believe you understand. Continued good blessings!