Using either CBD and/or THC during Clonazepam discontinuance

Posted by lisabass @lisabass, Mar 19, 2019

Hello Everyone - I’m presently tapering off of Clonazepam. I was taking 1mg twice a day for years. Over the course of the last several months, I have gradually moved down to 0.5 mg, once a day. My last decrement was two days ago and I am now feeling moderate discontinuation symptoms. Does anyone have experience and advice using either or both CBD and THC to help lessen the discomfort? My heart is racing. I am sweating have a headache, and my head is in some kind of fog. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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@colely

Hello. Cannabis based drugs for depression and anxiety are coming. Drug trials at major hospitals, in states that allow it, are, or have been done. After the presidential election, the federal laws regarding Cannabis will be changed, to allow these drugs.

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I agree. Some of it is here that I use for neurophia.

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@con123

I am also tapering off clonazepam - presently at .25mg from 1mg at bedtime (occasional .5 if I woke at 2 or 3am). This last taper has been the worst by far. I'm sleeping poorly about half the time, sweating, jittery. My biggest frustration is that my psychiatrist offers nothing to help the problems that were managed with this medication for 20 years. I asked about CBD and he gave me a resounding no. He said it is intoxicating and will eventually make me more anxious. He gave me an antihistamine that doesn't help and offered a very low dose of Remeron, but that is an antidepressant and I am not depressed. It also causes weight gain, had to be taken every night and also requires a taper to get off of it. I am hoping these issues improve. His advice is to just rip the bandaid off and stop taking it now. I feel like I need to adjust to the dose and do a final taper at .0125mg.

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I take 6 pills a day to keep the depression and a nxiety at bay. I have panic attack black outs so I am so grateful for ALL my medicine. I never think about getting off my meds. I've been taking medicine like this since 1997. What's the problem with meds? I thank God every morning for my meds.

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I’m coming off of a lot of various medications that should probably not have been prescribed I’m the first. The discontinuation is and I expect will unpleasant.

The last time I did this on my own I tried to us THC . Bad idea for me. Then I decided to add alcohol to this mix, REALLY bad idea. I ended up in prison (never broke a law in my 50 yr life) for 2.5 years.

Lessons Learned:

Don’t do it alone, I have two docs helping.

Diet and exercise seem to be the most effective solutions.

Be patient, it takes time for the body to adjust.

I wish you joy on you journey,

David

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@floralou

I take 6 pills a day to keep the depression and a nxiety at bay. I have panic attack black outs so I am so grateful for ALL my medicine. I never think about getting off my meds. I've been taking medicine like this since 1997. What's the problem with meds? I thank God every morning for my meds.

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If they work for you and you don't have side effects thats good! Unfortunately many have negative side effects from various meds. Everyone is different of course. Sounds like you are one of the lucky ones. All the best!

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@arthur57

If they work for you and you don't have side effects thats good! Unfortunately many have negative side effects from various meds. Everyone is different of course. Sounds like you are one of the lucky ones. All the best!

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It took 8 years to get my meds right. I was desperate to not feel so bad. Then I started having panic attack black outs which look ally like epilepsy. Treated for seizures. One doctor reduced my meds without telling me and I had a terrible set back. Now with all the meds right I'm having a time of being ok. I emphasize with everyone struggeling!

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@floralou

It took 8 years to get my meds right. I was desperate to not feel so bad. Then I started having panic attack black outs which look ally like epilepsy. Treated for seizures. One doctor reduced my meds without telling me and I had a terrible set back. Now with all the meds right I'm having a time of being ok. I emphasize with everyone struggeling!

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I understand, it's a battle at times, but you will overcome! Just believe and have faith. All the luck moving forward, sounds like you've made good progress!

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@falon

I am currently withdrawing from clonazepam as well. I was originally on 2mg (1mg twice a day) and I'm down to just over 1mg in total, split into three times a day. Horrendous side effects like headache, flu-like feeling, extreme fatigue and the list goes on. Would be interested also if anyone has used CBD to help with the withdrawal symptoms. Good Luck with your taper. And thank you for bringing up this topic. Blessings

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i tapered down from 1mg every night for 20 plus years....wow wow wow....yes horrible withdrawals. just horrible. if I were in a good setting I would of def. did cbd. it was awful and I def had withdrawals from it. took me a good 1 and a half.

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@dfb

I’m coming off of a lot of various medications that should probably not have been prescribed I’m the first. The discontinuation is and I expect will unpleasant.

The last time I did this on my own I tried to us THC . Bad idea for me. Then I decided to add alcohol to this mix, REALLY bad idea. I ended up in prison (never broke a law in my 50 yr life) for 2.5 years.

Lessons Learned:

Don’t do it alone, I have two docs helping.

Diet and exercise seem to be the most effective solutions.

Be patient, it takes time for the body to adjust.

I wish you joy on you journey,

David

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wow im sorry....and they didn't consider the fact that you were having a hared time mentally...hope you didn't have to be incarcerated long...not right...of course unless you did something really awful not a good way to heal. but looks like you are doing better now...

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I met with my provider today and we are making progress. So far my 14 meds are down to seven. The decrease is a little misleading as for every psych med I've gotten rid of I have also gotten rid of at lest one med treating a side effect.

The problem is that as I changed doctors, for a variety of reason. the new provider did not do their own evaluation. All of them save, the woman I am seeing now just maintained the same regimen or added to it.

I took a look at the warnings that the pharmacy provides with the prescriptions today. I have had every warning sign and most of the side effects and all my providers knew it, because I told them. No one ever thought to question the medication, until now!

I will never put another pill in my mouth, vitamins included until I have researched it throughly. Of course if one is in crises that may not be an option. Anyone that has a computer can do their own research. Simply type your question into Google and everything comes up, right on the first page. How, my providers did not know this is beyond me. There is saying in the investment business "he knew or should have known". Not knowing is negligence.

Please, please do your homework before taking another medication and read every disclosure you get.

As for prison most people who are there belong there; I did not!

That you for your comments.

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@arthur57

If they work for you and you don't have side effects thats good! Unfortunately many have negative side effects from various meds. Everyone is different of course. Sounds like you are one of the lucky ones. All the best!

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It took 8 years to find meds to help me. 12 years of counseling and shrink appointments. Started in my late 20's. I'm 71 now. I feel better now than I had in decades.i don't eat carbs I swim 2 times a week. I don't have anxiety blackouts any more. Keep working on you

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