claudius introduction

[[cl...]]

clonazepam for 14 years.  withdrawal is hideous and impossible to bear.. has landed me in hospital with seizures several times..  it seems now that i will never be able to.  trying adjunct meds with no success.  looking for folks to lean on and trade stories and investigate new regimens that are being attempted.

[Guest [Si...]]

claudius,

 

Welcome to BenzoBuddies,

 

Sorry to hear about your experiences with the Klonopin.

 

You will find plenty of support here.

 

Sigma.

[[Be...]]

Hi and welcome to BenzoBuddies, claudius.

 

I'm sorry you have had such a tough time trying to get off clonozepam.  We find that for most people, making really small reductions over a period of time seems to work better than a rapid withdrawal or even, heaven forbid, a cold turkey.  If you could let us know a bit more about your clonozepam use, how you have tried to get off in the past, we might be able to suggest some alternatives. 

[[cl...]]

Thanks for the support, guys.

 

I am ditching the idea of reducing it right now.  I walked out on a psychiatrist who insisted that since clonazepam has a "90 hour half-life" (it's 20-50) it can always be discontinued with no ill effects.

 

He has a doctorate in organic chemistry.  I know the pharmacology.. I couldn't believe my ears when he said that.  I didn't argue, but I won't be seeing him again.

 

I'm working with a much more competent neurologist who has had me on a decent taper schedule (it's from 3mg/day) with Tegretol as an adjunct (I asked for that because I have read a few papers about successful withdrawal using it, and it supposedly can re-enervate parts of the GABA system that are 'modified' by long term benzo use).

 

I have a host of other problems that make it too much of a challenge right now.  I've tried like five times to taper off, even once with Valium substitution.. that ended up in a psychotic depressive episode that lasted 6 months.

 

I am afraid of being one of those people who takes benzos for their whole life.

 

I'm probably just going to be aggressive about keeping up with new methods, and try them when they show some efficacy.

 

But my story:  prescribed Klonopin 2-3mg in 1998 for panic disorder, kept on it to control tics and anxiety at about 3mg/day since then..  never have needed the dosage upped.

 

Most of the doctors I have worked with are appallingly ignorant about the severity of the withdrawal, so I am going to try to find a specialist in the medical college here, with specific experience.  I'll share anything I learn.

[Guest [Si...]]

claudius,

 

You may find success by titrating the Klonopin.

 

When you had the seizures, where they rapid tapers? Cold - Turkey?

 

Many find that titration, and slow elimination is the key, as Beeper suggested.

 

Sigma.

[[cl...]]

The seizures were during a bad situation where I ran out and couldn't get any refills because of having no insurance / being between docs.  They happened about 8 days after I ran out (disturbing). 

 

One on the episodes was unremitting seizures and I ended up in the ICU in a drug-induced coma for a few days.  I think benzos must cause -profound- changes in the brain..

 

And kindling is definite (where it's worse with every successive withdrawal attempt).  I dunno..  as I said in the other message, I'm going to sit back and wait for some more research to come out.

 

Tegretol does not help with slow titration whatsoever for me, so that's one checkmark in the 'no' column for Tegretol.

[Guest [Si...]]

Tegretol does not help with slow titration whatsoever for me, so that's one checkmark in the 'no' column for Tegretol.

 

I have been on Tegretol, it actually eliminates the Benzo.

 

I was told by a doctor to cold turkie Klonopin, and ended up having a seizure as well.

 

I had to reinstate and taper, and now below 1mg, but using valium to do it.

 

I read you can't use valium, you had a bad experience with it.

 

IMO, you may benefit by titrating the Klonopin.

 

Sigma.