Klonopin Withdrawal Symptoms

[[Pa...]]

I realized a week ago after finding this forum that the worsening anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and other symptoms I've been increasingly experiencing over the past months have been due to the Klonopin I've been taking for almost a year.  It was prescribed to take "as needed" for anxiety I'd been having due to a shoulder problem.  For the past 11 months I've been taking either .25 mg. or .5 mg. every 2-4 days depending, i.e., didn't take it every day and only then in the small doses indicated.  Although I was able to limit my intake of the Klonopin (and I only had a limited amount) most of the time I was severely anxious and depressed.  I did have a few windows a few weeks ago, 2 separate days when I felt somewhat like my old self, but I didn't know that's what it was at the time.  I tried to get off the Klonopin a month ago by cutting back but only wound up taking more. 

      I think now I've been experiencing interdose withdrawal constantly because I wasn't taking the same amount every time and wasn't taking it every day.  Even as my shoulder problem got better I began having increasingly severe symptoms about 4 months ago, like agoraphobia, disinhibition, unclear thinking, insomnia, vibrating sensations, dry mouth, some neurological sensations, and irritability, as well as horrible depression and anxiety, and I basically lost the ability many days to function.  (Some of these symptoms I'd had before but they became worse and others I hadn't had before.)  I want to get off the Klonopin as quickly as possible but I know that will be a long process (have read the Ashton manual), and I'll need the advice and support of the members of this forum.  The psychiatrist I saw the other day thinks my symptoms don't have anything to do with the Klonopin, but are just my own anxiety and depression, but I know that's not true--thanks to you.    Thank you so much for being here, and for helping me find the answer to my problems.  I know I'll need your support in the coming months and I hope I can contribute to others' healing as well.  I have been reading the many success stories posted here and am trying to be positive that my mind and body can heal from this ordeal. I know there's no quick fix but it will take the passage of time, after a slow tapered withdrawal from the drug.

[[me...]]

Hello Papagena54.  Welcome to the forum, we're glad you found us!  Congratulations on deciding to get off klonopin.  If you're still taking varying amounts, it's important to establish a steady daily dose to taper from.  Then, we generally suggest tapering off at a rat of about 5-10% every 10-14 days.  Here are a few links you'll find useful:

 

General Taper Plans

 

Withdrawal Support (during your taper).

 

The Ashton Manual is an authoritative source on what to expect in withdrawal and recovery.  Dr. Ashton is an expert in the field.  She describes and explains withdrawal symptoms, and there is also a section with withdrawal/taper schedules.

 

Please take the time to Create a Signature.  This will allow others to see where you are in the process so they can better support you.

 

Again, welcome!

 

 

[[Pa...]]

Hi megan918,

Thanks for welcoming me to the forum.  I just posted a reply to your message and asked a question but can't find it on the forum.  I do have an important question I'd like to ask concerning how much Klonopin I should take on a daily basis right now--.25 mg. or .5 mg. I've taken .5 mg. the last 4 days but usually I only took .25 mg. when I did take the Klonopin so it would be better to have that as my regular dose.  Is it too late to go back to .25 mg. per day and see if that's enough to quell the withdrawal symptoms I've been experiencing?

 

Thanks for your help, and I'm inspired by your story of recovery. 

[[ME...]]

I would like to share to you what I am experiencing now.

 

I was taking 1 mg Klonopin for 2 years.  I decided to stop it by slow tapering.  So slowly I tapered, and withdrawal symptoms becomes bearable as the dose is decreasing.  Upon reaching 0.5 mg I was tempted to accelerate my reduction and reduced to 0.375 mg in just 5 days.  Now I am suffering from horrible withdrawal symptoms and in deep mental agony.  I think if the reduction is too fast or the dosage is not uniform, the brain balance is disrupted and it is not easy to get it back to bearable condition again.

 

I am in agony right now.

 

Just want to share and express what I feel.

 

 

MEexpat

[[De...]]

Hi megan918,

Thanks for welcoming me to the forum.  I just posted a reply to your message and asked a question but can't find it on the forum.  I do have an important question I'd like to ask concerning how much Klonopin I should take on a daily basis right now--.25 mg. or .5 mg. I've taken .5 mg. the last 4 days but usually I only took .25 mg. when I did take the Klonopin so it would be better to have that as my regular dose.  Is it too late to go back to .25 mg. per day and see if that's enough to quell the withdrawal symptoms I've been experiencing?

 

Thanks for your help, and I'm inspired by your story of recovery.

 

Hello Papagena54,

 

Firstly I' d like to welcome you to the form 

 

I know you directed your last question at Megan but as she is currently offline I thought I'd give you my opinion. We cant tell you exactly how much klonopin to take on a daily basis but what we do suggest is that you make a point of taking the same dosage daily to ensure that the benzo blood level remains as smooth as possible, this makes for a smoother taper. Inconsistent dosing or taking varying amonts will confuse your brain and can contribute to interdose withdrawal symptoms (between dose withdrawals) it sounds like this is what has been happening to you. If you feel stable enouugh taking the 0.25 mg a day, then I would take this dosage every day but it might be an idea to wait a week or so before beginning a taper until you're sure that this dosage is giving you stability. Once you do feel more stable I would then begin reducing slowly within the guidelines that Megan has given you.

 

I'm glad you found us and I wish you success with the taper.

 

Debbie