Two/three weeks ago, my psychiatrist decided to lower my clonazepam dose. She wants to taper off until I don't need benzos as a sleeping aide, and will wait until late Feb before tweaking my medication.

I've been on clonazepam for a year, and this transition has been difficult. The quality of my sleep has declined, I wake up every few hours during the night. My dreams are very vivid and unpleasant.

Consequently, I'm a tired zombie throughout the day. Paradoxically, even though I'm tired, actually falling asleep is a chore and incredibly difficult. My body resists my attempts at simple bedtime relaxation techniques (e.g. deep breathing and meditation).

Does anyone have suggestions for coping with benzodiazepine withdrawal? I understand that it's a difficult process, and that my doctor thinks it necessary to wean my body away from addiction/dependence.

[gayleggg]

I really don't have any suggestions, but am interested in your post because I'm considering lowering my clonazepam.

Maybe you could taper off a little slower. That might help. Is he not going to give you something else to help you sleep?

[jesusplay]

I take my benzos as needed, screw that and good luck.

[winter4me]

I too would appreciate information on the same subject.

@gayleggg: My psychiatrist is tapering off pretty slowly, although I might give her a call if I don't see any improvements by the end of the weekend. She isn't giving me anything else to help me sleep.

If anyone on this forum has suggestions regarding alternative, possibly non-addictive sleep aides, I would love to hear about them. Maybe I could bring those suggestions up when I next meet my psychiatrist.

I've been on k-pin for nearly 20 years 2mg/day). I've tried to come off it a few times with no success (felt horribly sick and severely anxious). The only time I came close to being able to get off k-pin was when I took a full year to taper it down. I'm serious. Slllllowwwww is the only way to go with benzos.

There are some great teas that can be helpful to some people. Tension tamer and sleepytime tea both work for me. Not 100% but better than nothing! I also make sure I have a good night time routine, no caffeine during the day and I try to be active during the day so my body is tired enough to sleep. Too little activity and I will sleep, but not well. What makes it so hard for you to fall asleep? Is it thoughts or restlessness or something else?

@Supanova: Thank you for the suggestion. Were you weaned off benzos too? I haven't tried the teas that you mentioned, although I've recently started drinking Nighty Night tea. Not sure if it works, but I like how it tastes And yes, I don't drink any caffeine either.

I can't pinpoint why it's hard for me to fall asleep, or to stay asleep for more than 3 hours at a stretch. My body is extremely exhausted at bedtime, because I'm a college student and my days are pretty busy. I keep a regular sleep schedule: bed between 10-11.30pm, and wake up between 6-7.30pm. Recently however, I struggle to transition to sleep no matter how tired I am. It probably has more to do with restlessness than intrusive thoughts.

[Buffal0gal]

my psychiatrist has me on a small dose of Trazadone and it really helps the quality of my sleep. For the first time in a long time I wake up feeling refreshed. I don't believe its habit forming either but you would have to check. I take 100 mg.

[bluemountains]

I can't offer advice, but I understand your weird dreams and waking up constantly. Recently I was taking oxycodone and Benadryl after an operation. I figured it would not be a good idea to continue klonopin with the other drugs.(only 1.0-1.5 mg daily). I didn't check with either dr. to see if this was a good idea. I could not sleep any longer than 2 hour stretches, and I woke up in a sweat each time after the strangest dreams. I am not sure which side effects to attribute to the oxycodone, but it amazed me that I couldn't sleep with a painkiller and the Benadryl. As soon as I could, I got off of that regiment and back to the klonopin. Now my sleep is pretty regular, but I am still not back to solid sleep after two weeks. Strange!
My thoughts are that even in small amounts, benzos are very addictive. This scares me because as a bp person I unfortunately suffer from the higher possibility of addictions. Good luck with the tapering down. I hope it gets easier for you. Keep us posted.

Bluemountains

[~Christina]

You can go inpatient and they can get you off the benzio in about 5 days and no withdraw issues .. Just a thought ~

Originally Posted by ~Christina

You can go inpatient and they can get you off the benzio in about 5 days and no withdraw issues .. Just a thought ~

Thanks for the suggestion. What would the inpatient procedure entail, and how does it work? Would I have to stay at hospital the entire time? Would I be able to do anything, e.g. college assignments, while I'm there? I've never heard of inpatient services for weaning off from benzo. I don't know if it's a feasible option, either, since I'm in the middle of a semester at college.

[~Christina]

Yes you would need to stay there the entire time..

Everytime I have been inpatient there has always had many people coming off Benzios in patient they can get you off them quickly and without withdrawls. You could take your school work with you .. will help pass the time . Ask your Pdoc about IP detox .

Originally Posted by psychehedone

@Supanova: Thank you for the suggestion. Were you weaned off benzos too? I haven't tried the teas that you mentioned, although I've recently started drinking Nighty Night tea. Not sure if it works, but I like how it tastes And yes, I don't drink any caffeine either.

I can't pinpoint why it's hard for me to fall asleep, or to stay asleep for more than 3 hours at a stretch. My body is extremely exhausted at bedtime, because I'm a college student and my days are pretty busy. I keep a regular sleep schedule: bed between 10-11.30pm, and wake up between 6-7.30pm. Recently however, I struggle to transition to sleep no matter how tired I am. It probably has more to do with restlessness than intrusive thoughts.

Sounds like you are doing all you can to try and get through this. And no I have never gone through long term benzo withdrawl, I have personally never known a good doctor here (not in the US) to prescribe a daily benzo dose as an outpaitent. Just too dangerous by the standards of the private health system. The suggestion of teas was all I could think of to try and help.

I am appalled at the amount of people that have to go through benzo withdrawl, and I really feel for the patients. I hope you can get through this with your brain and health still in tact.

[swheaton]

I've been taking K-pin for several years and no one has recommended that I come off of it. I know that it is a crapper to get off of and when the time comes that I am taken off, I expect a bumpy ride.

[Beepee]

Trazodone (an older anti depressant) works very well for me if I am not anxious. Tapered off benzos a while back and it is hard.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[IndieVisible]

Not trying to be a smart-azz but what does benzo withdrawal feel like as I have never encountered it? I've been on klonopin for almost a year stopped no tappering and was not aware of any withdrawal. I've been on valium, and atavan too, also xanax at one time and another for periods ranging from 1 month to 8 months, never tappered just stopped. So what's it feel like?

Originally Posted by IndieVisible

Not trying to be a smart-azz but what does benzo withdrawal feel like as I have never encountered it? I've been on klonopin for almost a year stopped no tappering and was not aware of any withdrawal. I've been on valium, and atavan too, also xanax at one time and another for periods ranging from 1 month to 8 months, never tappered just stopped. So what's it feel like?

Different people react to medication differently, and perhaps some people don't experience withdrawal. Many people do as benzodiazepines are highly addictive. I listed some of my withdrawal symptoms in my original post. If others want to chime in, please feel free to do so. There's also a lot of information on benzo withdrawal if you search on Google.

[IndieVisible]

All I read was you had trouble sleeping and have vivid dreams. Are you attributing that as withdrawal? The reason I ask this is I often wonder how much of this "benzo withdrawal" is real and how much is physiological. I even read about AD withdrawal. I'm 58 been on AD's and benzos of various kinds thru out 3 decades. I've never had withdrawal from ADs or benzos. I do get pissed off when a pdoc wants me to stop using them. But that's hardly withdrawal. I know how opiate withdrawal feels like that is verry real. I know what cocaine withdrawal is that is also very real. I have no idea how real benzo withdrawal or AD withdrawal is because I have never experienced it.

Originally Posted by IndieVisible

All I read was you had trouble sleeping and have vivid dreams. Are you attributing that as withdrawal? The reason I ask this is I often wonder how much of this "benzo withdrawal" is real and how much is physiological. I even read about AD withdrawal. I'm 58 been on AD's and benzos of various kinds thru out 3 decades. I've never had withdrawal from ADs or benzos. I do get pissed off when a pdoc wants me to stop using them. But that's hardly withdrawal. I know how opiate withdrawal feels like that is verry real. I know what cocaine withdrawal is that is also very real. I have no idea how real benzo withdrawal or AD withdrawal is because I have never experienced it.

What is your definition of "withdrawal"? Benzos are not the same as hard drugs such as opiates and cocaine, so the symptoms might be different for lower doses. I was talking to people on another forum, and one of them was on the highest possible dose of a benzodiazepine. Her doctor tried taking her off cold turkey, and she had intense heart palpitations, anxiety attacks, migraines, double vision, etc. and ended up in hospital.

Regardless of the definition of "withdrawal" and its constituent symptoms, the fact is that people struggle when taken off their benzos (and these are real, not "imagined", struggles). This thread is about seeking help. If you want to assert that every response to medication changes has a psychological and a physiological component - then yes, you're correct. However, it still remains that there is a physiological effect. These are chemicals, and they obviously affect one's body.

[ginaaa22]

ask for trazadone. its non habit forming and its like lunesta or drugs like that where you get used to it. it inhibits sleep by releasing melatonin. it works great for me. helps me fall asleep and stay asleep. much better than tylenol pm. as for the benzo...idk because im not dependant on them and take everything as needed.

[Phoenix_1]

I've taken clonazepam since 1987. From time to time I go off it in the hopes that it'll work better when I go back on. When I first started taking it, I could feel the effect right away. It felt so good, giving me good feelings and confidence. Now I feel nothing when I take it, but my pdoc wants me to stay on it. When I've gone off it, I have headaches. That's it, just headaches.

[hamster-bamster]

I didn't have this problem, as I quit clonopil cold turkey after taking it for more than a year without withdrawal symptoms, but I just wanted to suggest drinking lots of tea, mineral water, or whatever fluid you like the most. Being well hydrated is always a good idea during difficult times.