Klonopin Half Life and Withrawal

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Hi - I have been prescribed Klonopin 0.5mg 1-2x a day on an "as needed" basis about 1.5 months ago.  I was having occasional panic attacks because of a situation (I am going thru a divorce), and I was given them to take during those occasions so that I could take the edge off and get on with my day, productively.  My Dr. told me that K-pin had a half life of about 12 hours and that I should take them for sleep every night (now we're going from as needed to every night), plus, whenever I have a panic attack or am overwhelmed.  She prescribed a maximum of 2 pills (1mg as each pill was 0.5 mg) to be taken each day (.25-0.5 at night and the rest as needed). 

 

Because I don't like the way they make me feel, I had only been taking them during the panic - every time I took one at night just to fall asleep I was drowsy the entire next day and couldn't function.  Last week she got wind of the fact that I wasn't taking them every single night, and she was very aggressive, encouraging me that I should - that I NEED to take them every night because she wanted to see how they would impact me .... Well, out of respect for her professionally I took one on Wed. night (I was in her office and she was insistent that I take it), I felt awful on Thursday, then my next appt. was Friday  - I didn't take one on Thursday night because of how bad it made me feel - and, again, she was insistent that I return to the regime ... so, I took one Friday night - was knocked out all day Saturday to the point where I slept all day, couldn't hold a conversation, and basically only left my room 2x to eat.  Because I slept all day, by sat night I was wide awake, and took another 0.5 mg to fall asleep ... then, again on Sunday ... slept all day, drowsy, foggy ... all doped up - totally unproductive, "LOST" weekend .... By Sunday night I was irritable and cranky, angry feeling unlike myself .. like I needed another pill ... but, I DID NOT TAKE IT ... Is she trying to get me addicted to this stuff because she wants me to get sick or because the pharmaceutical company is paying her too much to get people hooked?  Or maybe she's just incompetent -- So, I missed the dose last night ... and have been feeling doped out, cranky, drowsy and irritable all day ... like in a rage; I have body aches and pains (withdrawal symptoms)

 

I called her up and read her the riot act "WHY DID YOU INSIST THAT I TAKE THESE PILLS EVERYDAY?  I TOLD YOU HOW SICK THEY MADE ME FEEL ... AND NOW I AM HAVING WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS B/C I MISSED ONE NIGHT, WHEREAS the FORE WHEN I WASN'T TAKING THEM REGULARLY I COULD SKIP A WHOLE WEEK??"  Sorry, just venting here .... Bottom line - I am never taking them again ... stopping cold turkey ... I just started getting addicted to them, thanks to her, and I am cutting this out right now before it's too late ....

 

Then, I found this website for support ... and low and behold ... these things have a 24-50 hour half life, not 12 hours!!!!  No where on the internet did I find anything saying that these klonopins were only 12 hour half life ... again, what the heck?  Last pill I took was about 48 hours ago - 0.5 mg, I took 0.5 mg the night before and 0.5mg the night before.... can someone please tell me based on the half life (the accurate half life) how much of this stuff is still in my system???  I am really angry right now that I now have this issue to deal with on top of everything else ... I can't afford to be bed bound and out of it for 3 days in a row because someone wants to see how the stuff impact me!!!  Sorry I am venting - but, I already told her they make me feel lousy ... and on top of it, she was wrong about the half life!!!!!!

 

Could someone with more experience than me please help - I am scared to death and the person I went to for help is apparently, incompetent, ignorant or evil - so I don't know where to turn ... I cancelled my appointment with her this week ... so angry that I go to someone for help getting thru a painful personal experience and they create another major problem for me!!!!

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Hi  B52  Welcome to BenzoBuddies!

 

I am sorry to read what you have gone though with your doctor. I don't think I have ever heard of a doctor so persistent. They sound like they made you feel pretty lousy not better.

 

You might like to check out The Ashton Manual it is an authoritative source on what to expect in withdrawal and recovery.  Dr. Ashton is an expert in the field. 

 

Please feel free to post to any of the dedicated boards, we have a wonderful community of people here, who will give sound advice. Members have been through all aspects of benzodiazepine use and withdrawal and are more than willing to share their experiences.

 

Members discuss their symptoms on the Post withdrawal recovery support. This is a great board to post any questions on in regards to your withdrawal.

 

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! 

 

benzos-R-cruel

 

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The half life is up to 50 hrs. Its kind of a godsend that they make u feel so poorly, other wise u would have kept taking them for who knows how long and then been in a real mess like many of us possibly. Hopefully you will not suffer to bad from withdrawl.

 

Im sure the doc might have said something like...they arent addictive. We all wonder what the intention is, kick back from the pharma co. or ignorance.

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Thx!  and, I especially appreciate you pointing out how lucky I am that they made me feel so bad.  I don't what their problem is - I told the lady how bad they made me feel - she actually told me they have a 12 hour half life? Unbelievable!!! 

 

I am a little confused by the math -- in my case, assuming I took 0.5 mg for 3 nights in a row (not counting some intermittent use before that), with a half life of 50, how long b/f they are out of my system?

 

Also, I read a lot on here about how you should never go cold turkey - I am just hoping that I haven't been on them long enough and can just tough it out for a day or two more as if this NEVER happened

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Im not sure how long exactly, there are other factors like amount of body fat you have cuz they store in fat tissue.

 

If i had to guess i would say in 7 days everything you took would be out of your system. Just guessing.

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thx again!  you made me feel so much better --- I am 5'3 and 112 pounds, not a lot of body fat - drank 3 gallons of water today!!

 

just venting, but I cancelled my next appt. with that lady who is a psychiatric nurse practitioner - not a doctor.  I wanted something for the occasional panic attack, and someone to talk with once a week - it's amazing to me how everyone out there tries to influence others - she was actually bullying me into taking them regularly!  Just counted the pills leftover -- within 6 weeks I took 35 0.5mg pills.  Thx again  -hoping and praying it's not too late!

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Its never too late, sooner is better so good luck.