Tapering off Klonopin, any info is useful!

[[Al...]]

No I want to just go cold turkey tapering is too stressful 

[[Al...]]

My doctor said people are prone to seizures at high dosages and she added that my body may feel discomfort but she assures me that I will be fine…  I get 14 a month and she is not willing to prescribe me more than that to taper. She is self convinced that I don’t need to taper

[[Pa...]]

I understand @[Al...], you trust your doctor and you're overwhelmed with the thought of tapering, so following her advice sounds like the right thing for you to do at this time.  She's right, its quite possible you could feel discomfort but if you're determined, you can do this.  I quit cold turkey and recovered just fine.

And again, I'm sorry I added to your fear, I'm a little passionate when I believe one of our members isn't getting the best advice but this process is so individual, I may have worried for nothing. 

[[Al...]]

Thank you ! What was your situation? What was your dose and for how long? Did you take klonopin? No you didn’t add fear I just was nervous about having a seizure ! 

[[Pa...]]

@[Al...], I used Klonopin for about 5 years in large doses, but I didn't know the drug had to be tapered so I just stopped it.  It was brutal but I was able to recover in about 14 months which is amazing considering I quit cold turkey.  Conventional wisdom around the benzo community suggests those who cold turkey will suffer protracted symptoms but that didn't happen to me, thank goodness. 

 

[[Al...]]

Yes I think I will be okay… thank you!!☺️ the storms I experience is just a change in mood, fatigue, sweating, anxiety but I don’t experience severe symptoms. I through myself into panic last night thinking I was going to have a seizure. When I have panic attack my body and brain goes cold and it’s hard for me to breath. But I had a panic attack like that before I even started benzodiazepines for anxiety it really sucks having that type of brain chemistry having GAD is a struggle! My anxiety makes me cry ): but I’m not scared of it like I used to be if I feel a panic attack coming on and I can control it I will but if I feel like I can’t then I take my medicine

[[Pa...]]

I'm glad you've found tools that help you, I never knew what anxiety was until I took benzo's and I feel so bad for people like you who have it.  This process taught me a lot about anxiety, depression, agoraphobia and many other conditions people have to live with, I walked in your shoes long enough to appreciate how difficult it can be. 

I hope you'll keep us posted on your plans, I want to see you succeed. 

 

[[Al...]]

Thank you, I will!! I feel bad for me too lmao!!! having panic disorder is awful I suffered a lot with out medication and honestly taking my medication as prescribed really helps me. I did start to abuse it just because of situational things over the past few months but the most I ever took in a day was only 1mg I never went passed that. When I take half of .5 or even a .5 I still feel the full affects of it. I don’t know if my body is %100 dependent on it…. Hard to say/tell but I do know that I need to go through the discomfort. As long as I know I’m not going to like die or have a seizure than I’m okay going cold turkey 

[[In...]]

On 20/01/2024 at 08:31, [[A...] said:

Hello to all. I’ve been taking klonopin for about a year now and notice that during that time I have not even gone a whole month without taking it, as it’s prescribed as a PRN. My dose is a 0.5 (low dose I know) but I would like some advice from anyone out there who did a taper and how they did it. I have a baby girl she’s 4 months and I’m also postpartum so my anxiety is coming from many places. I’m a young mom just trying to not take my prn unless it’s needed. I only have been taking it more because I experience rebound anxiety a two/three days after last dose. The longest I have gone sadly is only a week with out taking my medication but at that time I was only taking the 0.5 now I take 2 during the day (one in morning, one at night) please any advice helps. ❤️

Your babygirl is 4 months? So did you take Klonopin PRN while pregnant? I’m just wondering because I just found out I’m pregnant and am now starting to taper 

[[Co...]]

Hello @[In...]. Welcome to BenzoBuddies.

Congratulations on becoming pregnant.

[[Al...]]

Congrats! Yes I did. My OBGYN said it was okay. But my medication is a PRN which means I only get certain amount each month and take it as needed. When I was pregnant I would take maybe 2-3 a week… I even took one during my labor at 9cm, the delivery OB allowed it. I also had my epidural at 8 1/2 CM. Every doctor has their own way of practice and opinions of anxiety meds during pregnancy. In my opinion if you are on a low dose and are not abusing it than take it when absolutely necessary. My baby came out healthy, two days early and I had no issues during my pregnancy. If you are tapering due to your own personal reasons go for it! And no shade there at all but pregnancy takes a toll on a woman especially the 2nd and 3rd trimester! You just get tired of being pregnant the first trimester is the hardest I think emotionally and mentally. But you will adjust!! I hope you have a good pregnancy! But don’t suffer with anxiety if you don’t have to. I was also on Zoloft and that helped me a lot! Good luck ❤️

[[In...]]

Thank you so much for replying to me! This has honestly helped me so much. I was genuinely feeling defeated with all of this anxiety. I’ve been a ball of nerves and having panic attacks left and right. Not fun while pregnant  this group is so helpful and informative.