[possum220]

Years ago I was taking 10mg of Klonolpin per day. I have cut down to 4mg and have been at that dose for many years.Last week I dropped 2mg on the floor and didn't realize it until the next night.So I thought I may as well just stop taking 2mg every night. So I am still taking 2mg at night instead of 4mg.

I have just checked wikipedia in relation to withdrawal. Klonolpin has a half life of 100 hours. Wiki said that withdrawal symptoms may not kick in until two or three weeks have passed.

I am not sure what to do. I did tell my p'doc what I had done. I feel ambivalent about being on this medication. I felt like have been doing okay with a minimal increase in anxiety. The fact that the worse may be yet to come makes me worried.

Has anybody come off Klonopin with no withdrawal symptoms?

[Altered Moment]

10 mg's is a lot. If you went from that to 4 that is pretty good. I don't think everyone gets withdrawals from it. For some reason I never seem to get withdrawal from things. Even Effexor. I can go from drinking a ton of strong coffee everyday to drinking none at all and have no headache or effects at all. We are all different. I did stop taking pretty high doses of valium once without any trouble but I had not been taking it long.

[lilypup]

I just can't believe you were taking 10mg per day. I would seriously be in the hospital barely breathing. (I mean I BELIEVE you, I just can't imagine it.)
I take Klonopin about 20 days out of the month...from .5 to 1.5 and get along fine.

[possum220]

Originally Posted by lilypup

I just can't believe you were taking 10mg per day. I would seriously be in the hospital barely breathing. (I mean I BELIEVE you, I just can't imagine it.)
I take Klonopin about 20 days out of the month...from .5 to 1.5 and get along fine.

Yes it was a lot but some how I tolerated it very well. A little too well. I have had 100mg of Seroquel added to help me step down to 4mg of Klonolpin.

10 mgs is a lot. If you went from that to 4 that is pretty good. I don't think everyone gets withdrawals from it.

That is great to hear zinco.

[ChipperMonkey]

Not everyone gets withdrawals, but when you do, it is hellacious! I would definitely do a taper, otherwise you may really regret it as some have withdrawal symptoms that last the better part of a year. Best to be safe rather than sorry. There is a benzo forum out there that can help you through the withdrawals.

[possum220]

Hi Chipper Monkey - Where is the benzo withdrawal forum please? Should I go back up to 3mg per night or 3.5? My p'doc didn't say anything about what I had done.

[NowhereUSA]

i don't really get klonopin withdrawals. I take .5mg every night for restless leg and i can just stop. i'll have some trouble sleeping (but RLS LOL)... but then my body finds a fitful slumber after about a week (had to come off for pregnancy last time). my pdoc also said i could take .5mg or .25mg during the day for anxiety. .25mg is more than enough. originally he'd giving me 1mg and that was WAY too much. and i've never had to increase the dosage even after years of use.

i think people have varying sensitivities. i get total caffeine withdrawal but nothing with klonopin. go fig. :: shrugs ::

[metamorphosis12]

The half life of klonopin is in the 40 some hours mark. You should starts feeling w.d. within 24-36hrs when reducing that fast. Thats too fast and dangerous, usually it is reduced .5 mg every other week. If you were on 10mgs. You were on a mega dose. Pdocs rarely go higher then 4 mg for a patient. Thats like the ceiling there. You need to talk to your pdoc about this. Benzodiazepines can be addictive and have serious w.d. at the amounts you have been on and the length of time.
Google safely withdrawing from Klonopin or benzodiazepines and you'll see some good explanations. Still talk to your doc. asap!

[possum220]

I spoke to my P'doc yesterday and he said that it may take even more that 3 weeks for w'd symptoms to show up. He didn't seem concerned. He said that next time I drop it I can go from 2mg per day to 1mg per day. I did google w/d about benzo's and the only response I got was "If you haven't had any symptoms yet you wont get any".

Maybe I will be one of the lucky ones. So far so good. 11 days after dropping 2mg I don't feel much different at all. Or am I being naive?

[metamorphosis12]

Wow, that is surprising! To drop that fast (2mg) and not have w.d. symptoms. Usually you will have w.d. much quicker. I have been on klonopin before and had w.d kick in by 2 days. Good for you! You may be an anomaly. Also if you are on another anxiolytic like lyrica or gabapentin. Any other type of med. that regulates glutamate and increases GABA will help.
Keep me updated!

[possum220]

That makes sense. When I made the decent from 10mg to 4mg my p'doc put me on 200mg of Seroquel. Since then I am now on 100 mg of Seroquel as well as the Klonolpin. Maybe the Seroquel is stopping the w/d symptoms.

Cheers

Hi Possum220, that was my thought as I read your last post, the seroquel (quetiapine) is definitely very sedating and is going to make you sleep. Also helps anxiety. I've been on it for guessing around 8 years or more. My problem is it makes me hungry and messing with blood sugars. Take care, best wishes

[Altered Moment]

I have been taking .5 mg twice a day for nine months now. Klonopin. I was out of town all week and missed three doses. I didn't have any withdrawal symptoms that I can find listed anywhere. I did however feel feint like four times and felt like crap. I have been sick with some bug for awhile so I dunno if it was withdrawal or not. I need to scale back my use and see.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[possum220]

It's been 2 and a half weeks since dropping from 4mg of Paxam to 2mg of Paxam. My neck spasms happen more frequently. Today my p'doc had to unstick my neck spasm that was pointing my head south. I am not feeling so good.

[possum220]

Originally Posted by needarealitycheck

Hi Possum220, that was my thought as I read your last post, the seroquel (quetiapine) is definitely very sedating and is going to make you sleep. Also helps anxiety. I've been on it for guessing around 8 years or more. My problem is it makes me hungry and messing with blood sugars. Take care, best wishes

I didnt realize that Seroquel messes with blood sugar. This is not a good thing either.

Hi possum, that sounds awful about your neck spasms. I think you are reducing the clonazepam too quickly, after such a high dose, being used to that much would relax your muscles and you will be having that sore neck
Don't worry about the blood sugar, it is just bad for me because I had diabetes before starting it.......it can cause it but not always, and just have your doctor check your med interactions maybe too.

[possum220]

I got the impression that my p'doc is more than happy for me to stay on the same level of Klonolpin. He said the spasms would get lessen, eventually. I hope this is true because they are very tiring.

I was diagnosed with diabetes after I had been taking Seroquel for a while. Diabetes runs in my family.

[metamorphosis12]

The side effects of the APs and even the AAPs can be very serious. When dealing with those, you should have a competent pdoc. That you trust and have a good rapport with.

[possum220]

Things seem to be in a holding pattern at this stage. It seems like have had neck spasms forever. I was in the Supermarket yesterday and my head was all aver the place. Which makes it hard to locate and item on the shelves. I was at the deli counter and the man beside me asked "You alright?". What else could I say but yes.

My pdoc does seem competent and I get along with him really well him. I always do my own research via google on any med changes that he does. I often find that I am having side effects and then I tell him what it is. Then he looks it up in his mims book.

Of the hundreds of psych meds that are available it's hard to expect a doctor to remember the possible thousands of side effects.