[earthangel1]

So I've been off klonipin for a couple weeks. I feel very spacey and sometimes feel like I'm floating outside my body, which may be the PTSD. I tapered off the last few months. I was on 1 mg 2x day. I also had a few panic attacks so far. I feel like doctors trying to get everyone off of benzodiazepines is kind of a fad. I think I need them but at the same time, in some ways I feel better not on them. My doctor called in a prescription for .5 mg of klonipin which I break in half and take twice a day because he realized my anxiety is terrible. Anyone have expierience with coming off benzodiazepines?

[Moose72]

No my Pdoc won't even consider writing me a script for them.

[Nammu]

I found I like propranolol much better. It targets the physical symptoms of anxiety without leaving me drugged.

[Wander]

Coming off benzo's can be a nightmare for some but others do it easily. I have had awful experiences in the past coming off them and am now tapering slowly off Clonazepam after being on them again for about 7 years. It has been a good drug when I have been very ill but I wonder if it is worth it in the end. I doubt that small a dose would be the cause of your symptoms. It is most likely dissociation from the PTSD but I am not a doctor. I guess it is up to you and your doctor as for what is best for you now. Maybe you could use it PRN for emergencies?

[*Laurie*]

Hi, I've been on Klonopin for twenty-plus years and am in the process of very, very slowly coming off it. Or trying to, anyway. When K-pin was prescribed for me it was the 'Trendy Med' (*rolls eyes*).

If you can avoid going up past 1 mg./day it would probably be the smartest way to take K-pin.

[Moose72]

Originally Posted by Nammu

I found I like propranolol much better. It targets the physical symptoms of anxiety without leaving me drugged.

I take that. Huh. I thought she prscribed it for lithium tremors.

[Wander]

Originally Posted by Moose72

I take that. Huh. I thought she prscribed it for lithium tremors.

It works well for both. When I have been on really high Lithium doses I had bad tremors and beta-blockers like Propanonol work well. I find when extremely anxious it doesn't work as well as benzo's but is the safer choice.

[bioChE]

I used to take 0.5mg Klonopin 3x/day. Did it for about a decade. Came off it about a year ago, and didn't have much trouble with withdrawal.

These days I take a relatively high dose of gabapentin, and like somebody else posted it takes away the physical side of the anxiety equation without leaving me dependent on a benzo. I still take the very occasional Klonopin, but find I really don't miss them. I think the Latuda also does a number on my anxiety.

[BipolaRNurse]

I took myself off Klonopin awhile back after about a dozen years of being on benzos. I did it because my then-psych nurse practitioner would not prescribe them for me and I was coming to the end of refills from my old pdoc. I did it pretty slowly, and I still use them on rare occasions for sleep and/or anxiety (and my current pdoc does prescribe them), but never had any bad withdrawal effects.

Overall I think I'm better off without taking them every night. I'm on a lot of other psych meds that work together well enough that I'm rarely so anxious that I need something to get me through it.

[lavenderbrat]

My psych wanted to increase my dosage which is already 3.25mgs a day to help calm me down during what is my first supposed mania. I always just thought this was me.

I was on 4mgs a day and took it very slowly to get to where I am and refused to take more as I know once I get over the Pristiq withdrawal and settle down I'd like to try lowering the clonazepam again and it never is a pleasant experience withdrawing off any med for me..

I react so badly I basically have to lower it in shavings and find each very small drop in dosage is done over 3 weeks. Some people have a high tolerance to meds and need to really do a slow an small withdrawal to be successful and not suicidal during it. Good luck.

[Travelinglady]

I weaned myself off of Klonopin over a long period of time. My pdoc switched me to Xanax when the dosage got really low. I hate the side effects of these drugs, especially memory problems.