[bluemountains]

Hi,
Until recently I had been taking klonopin in the evening and morning, 1.0 mgs in the evening for sleep, and .5 mgs in the morning to help me with stress levels at work.
Since it is summer and I am on break, I have given up the .5 tablet in the morning. I have done this on weekends throughout the school year. Now I am experiencing weird headaches and I wonder if it is because I have completely given up the daytime dosage. Has anyone else experienced any side effects when lowering your klonopin dosage? My pdoc writes my prescription as up to 3 tablets a day, making it sound like a choice, which I thought it was; however, I know I am dealing with a benzo so I don't know what an adjustment might cause, if anything.
Bluemountains

[intergalactictraveler]

bluemountains, been on Klonopin for seven years, only because it's the ONLY psych drug I can tolerate. Been up as high as 4mg a day but that was when I was still trying to hold down a part time job after leaving full time work. Regarding headaches from deleting morning dose, don't know, though could be and we're all different in regards to how our bodies handle changes in medication level. I did, a few years ago, wean myself off it. Took 3 months and did okay until spring time, then sleep problems returned and reluctantly went back on it. It's a seriously addictive drug and for me it causes sexual functioning problems(male), irritability and anxiety(yes!) at doses over 1mg. Those are the side effects that are obvious to me. Who knows how it's messing me up in other ways. I'm sure you'll get some more responses.

[BipolarBabe81599]

I've been on klonopin for years. My psychiatrist is weaning me off of it. I have gone from 3mg to .5 over the past 6 months or so. If you reduce your dosage abruptly, (which it sounds like you are), you can suffer from klonopin withdrawal. I would talk to your pdoc and ask him/her how to reduce your dosage. It has to be done.... Gradually! I read one article that coming off of klonopin can be as hard as coming off of heroin....it has to be done in stages. Talk to your doctor and take the prescribed amount your doctor has prescribed---what you are used too. I bet if you do, your headaches will go away. Best of luck to you.

Originally Posted by bluemountains

Hi,
Until recently I had been taking klonopin in the evening and morning, 1.0 mgs in the evening for sleep, and .5 mgs in the morning to help me with stress levels at work.
Since it is summer and I am on break, I have given up the .5 tablet in the morning. I have done this on weekends throughout the school year. Now I am experiencing weird headaches and I wonder if it is because I have completely given up the daytime dosage. Has anyone else experienced any side effects when lowering your klonopin dosage? My pdoc writes my prescription as up to 3 tablets a day, making it sound like a choice, which I thought it was; however, I know I am dealing with a benzo so I don't know what an adjustment might cause, if anything.
Bluemountains

[bunnifoo]

The headaches could be withdrawal symptoms. I take it 1 mg at night for anxiety. When I started taking it I started with .25 mg then moved up to .5, then .75 then 1 mg because my pdoc wanted to taper me on it. From our conversations when it comes time to get off of it (at leas the goal is at some point in the near future to get off), I'd taper off the klonopin in the reverse - down .75, then .5, then .25 and none. So we could judge how my anxiety levels were and not worry about withdrawal.

[sandysay]

I have been on and off it for approx 15y. At one point, I was prescribed and taking 6mg/day b/c my other meds caused physical tremors. I have always been able to go off Klonopin w/no or little tapering and never a side effect. Last month, I was taking Klonopin as needed 1-1.5mg/day and stopped at the end of the month.

[bluemountains]

Originally Posted by sandysay

I have been on and off it for approx 15y. At one point, I was prescribed and taking 6mg/day b/c my other meds caused physical tremors. I have always been able to go off Klonopin w/no or little tapering and never a side effect. Last month, I was taking Klonopin as needed 1-1.5mg/day and stopped at the end of the month.

Wow, you're pretty lucky to make such adjustments with no side effects. I'm not sure if the klonopin is affecting me, but I have had some rough times with other drugs.

[Travelinglady]

By all means, do not try to taper down on Klonopin on your own. I am now in the process of a gradual taper, supervised by my psychiatrist. I've read that just being on a low dose for just a few months can cause withdrawal effects in some folks.

I am having headaches and some increased anxiety, even with a slow taper. I have been on Klonopin for years, although I never got over .5 mg three times a day. I am now on .25 in the a.m. and .5 at night.

My goal is to get off of it totally, since my psychiatrist believes it could be the culprit in my diminished cognitive skills.

[Anneinside]

taper off is slow decrease of dose of drugs... taper on is not part of the English language... just increase slowly or incrementally

[jadedbutterfly]

I take 1mg 3x day.... okay that's what my scrip says.
If I am in a depression side.. I sometimes do not take it correctly... and it does give me a killer headache after a few days of bouncing between the full 3mg and 1mg.
I definitely suggest tapering off slowly ... going back and forth between dosages causes icky withdrawal symptoms

[bluemountains]

Thanks for the input everyone. I think I can attribute the headaches to the decrease of klonopin. I see my pdoc next week and will get some guidance then. Meanwhile, I think I will begin taking .25 mg each day instead of completely dropping the daytime dosage, and then wait for some professional help. Klonopin seems so innocent, I guess because I have never decreased my dosage, and I don't take a big amount, but I forget it is a benzo. The funny thing is that I am prone to addictions, and because klonopin has never really made me want more, I forget its potency.
Bluemountains

[InfiniteSadness]

Klonopin has practically been the only med for me that has made a big difference... Which is good i guess, but also makes me feel hopeless about other meds working..

[gayleggg]

Thanks for all the info. It explains why when my pdoc took me all my meds at one time because of a blood clot and the med I was taking for it, he left me on Klonopin. I didn't realize it had such withdrawl potential.

[lany]

Originally Posted by BipolarBabe81599

I've been on klonopin for years. My psychiatrist is weaning me off of it. I have gone from 3mg to .5 over the past 6 months or so. If you reduce your dosage abruptly, (which it sounds like you are), you can suffer from klonopin withdrawal. I would talk to your pdoc and ask him/her how to reduce your dosage. It has to be done.... Gradually! I read one article that coming off of klonopin can be as hard as coming off of heroin....it has to be done in stages. Talk to your doctor and take the prescribed amount your doctor has prescribed---what you are used too. I bet if you do, your headaches will go away. Best of luck to you.

Hi,
Been on Klonopin for 25 plus years. One mg 4 times a day. I know I am addicted. Ran out over the weekend 2 times. Long weekend. Sometimes I can miss a dose and no problem other times I get chest pains, lite headed, breathing problems. If you can reduce it must be done very slowly.