[marcoleap]

Is it possible to experience benzo withdrawal even if you are taking an SSRI? I take sertraline (Zoloft) for anxiety/depression, and I have been on clonazepam (Klonopin) 1mg/day for the past 6 months. I tapered the clonazepam down to .25 mg/day over the course of 4 weeks, and I think I might be experiencing some withdrawal/rebound anxiety.

[*Laurie*]

Yes, you can experience benzo w/d regardless of whatever else you're taking.

[marcoleap]

Originally Posted by *Laurie*

Yes, you can experience benzo w/d regardless of whatever else you're taking.

Thanks, Laurie. I just read somewhere that you should only taper by 10% at a time. Have you had experience tapering off benzos? If so, how slowly did you go?

[still_crazy]

If your doctor will go for it, one easier way to taper is to switch to an equivalent dose of Valium. 1mgs/Klonopin=20mgs/Valium. Valium takes effect faster and has a long half-life. Its also available in a variety of pill sizes. I think there may be a liquid version, too.

Supplements help some people. I found that doing Orthomolecular--a combination of high dose b-complex, vitamin c, and niacin, plus some other stuff--helped me ease off Mother's Little Helpers. I've stayed on Orthomolecular, and now my "symptoms" overall are much, much better, and I get fewer adverse effects from the psych drugs I am prescribed.

l-theanine helps some people. Its an amino acid that comes mostly from green tea, I think maybe some mushrooms, too. Personally, I buy the "Suntheanine" brand version, because they have a patent on their version and they do quality control. A number of different companies sell Suntheanine at a variety of doses. I get mine at an online, discount vitamin store. Doctor's Best Suntheanine, 150mgs/per capsule. I take 5 capsules on an empty stomach w/ some green tea extract in the morning, and I do the same at night. Its an amino acid, so be sure to take it on an empty stomach.

I hope this helps. SSRI drugs do not help benzodiazepine tapers, neither does BuSpar. Gabapentin (neurontin), lyrica, some anti-seizure drugs (I seem to recall reading that Trileptal can be useful...) can help ease the taper.

Good luck.

[marcoleap]

Originally Posted by still_crazy

If your doctor will go for it, one easier way to taper is to switch to an equivalent dose of Valium. 1mgs/Klonopin=20mgs/Valium. Valium takes effect faster and has a long half-life. Its also available in a variety of pill sizes. I think there may be a liquid version, too.

Supplements help some people. I found that doing Orthomolecular--a combination of high dose b-complex, vitamin c, and niacin, plus some other stuff--helped me ease off Mother's Little Helpers. I've stayed on Orthomolecular, and now my "symptoms" overall are much, much better, and I get fewer adverse effects from the psych drugs I am prescribed.

l-theanine helps some people. Its an amino acid that comes mostly from green tea, I think maybe some mushrooms, too. Personally, I buy the "Suntheanine" brand version, because they have a patent on their version and they do quality control. A number of different companies sell Suntheanine at a variety of doses. I get mine at an online, discount vitamin store. Doctor's Best Suntheanine, 150mgs/per capsule. I take 5 capsules on an empty stomach w/ some green tea extract in the morning, and I do the same at night. Its an amino acid, so be sure to take it on an empty stomach.

I hope this helps. SSRI drugs do not help benzodiazepine tapers, neither does BuSpar. Gabapentin (neurontin), lyrica, some anti-seizure drugs (I seem to recall reading that Trileptal can be useful...) can help ease the taper.

Good luck.

Thank you so much for the info. Much appreciated.

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by marcoleap

Thanks, Laurie. I just read somewhere that you should only taper by 10% at a time. Have you had experience tapering off benzos? If so, how slowly did you go?

Yes. Once I tapered off Klonopin within a month. I had been at 2mg. I was horribly sick...literally so weak and shaky I could not walk around the block. Had to go back on the Klonopin.

I'm doing a taper now, also off 2mg./day. I'm doing this taper over almost 2 years. Seriously. It's taken me a year to get down to 1mg. with no w/d symptoms. I will take another 9 months or even a full year to come off the last 1mg. I've been on Klonopin for over twenty years, and I do not want w/d syndrome.

[marcoleap]

Thanks Laurie. I think I tried to taper too quickly: from 1mg/day to .25mg/day in 4 weeks. I've not only been feeling anxious but also, as you described, weak and shaky. I went for a run and had jelly legs. Also feeling moody and kind of depressed. I read somewhere that benzo withdrawal can include feelings of depression even though benzos are a central nervous system depressant.

[*Laurie*]

Yes, that's way too fast to come off of Klonopin. Check this out: http://www.benzobuddies.org/

[toomanycats]

+1 for benzo buddies

Klonopin is HARD to come off of -- no matter what you do.

[Guiness187055]

+2 for benzo buddies. I know people that have done a two year taper coming of off not a very high dose of Klonopin.