37 yrs on this drug

[[...]]

I was fine taking clonazapam as prescribed.

Out of the blue last June I  returned from a year overseas and all doctors refused to jeep me on them.

 

6 months ago a new primary care dr said they had experience with tapers.  Halfway off I left the US again and came apart.  With a new dr and plan to ask to be put back on the drug.  I have all of the withdrawal symptoms and cannot function.  I can't drive, tinnitus,  muscle twitches etc. 

 

I'm 67 yrs old. Read a paper published 6 months ago which confirms my thoughts.   There has been so little research into this.  It is not a proven fact that use leads to dementia.   I don't want to be doing a video about how this withdrawal ruined my life.

 

Anybody else have experience with 30 plus years of use.

[[Re...]]

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

I am so sorry you have to go through this, many of the members on this forum (including me) finds the forum only after their difficulties arose, but the important thing is you are here. 

Could you tell us what dose of clonazepam you were taking? Have you taken clonazepam only, or have you been taking any other psychiatric medications? You were cold turkeyed twice, am I right? Are you taking benzodiazepines right now? 

We have many senior members who came off the trug successfully, many others are tapering. 

We have a "Taper Strategies"  section with very helpful members, too. We also have a "Search" function on the upper right side of the screen, where you can read about others experiences. 

Please let us know how we can help you. 

We are glad you found us, I am certain other Buddies will share their experiences, soon. 

RR

 

[[...]]

I was on 1 MG am 2 MG pm for asong as I remember. In June they were tapering me 1/2 MG every 2 weeks. Back in CR I  couldn't take care of myself. I left my husband the month before when I understood that I was being abused. Long story.  I was in such bad shape that I  broke an order of protection not realizing it could get worse, which it did. My realtor came to the house and took me away.  There was fear for my life.  I was taken completely off in a rehab and begged to get back on. That Dr put me on full dose but it was too much so I took 2 MG a day. CA e back to USA and in 2 months have been on .25 am and pm. I took another .5 a while ago to see if I feel any better.

The oath the Dr's take is to first - do no harm.  I feel harmed. 

 

Thanks for your reply. The support and info is much appreciated. Other people just don't understand. ♡

[[Re...]]

The state you could have been experiencing happens to many people on the forum, including me, you are not alone with this. Good news, is that it gets better and better, however it is hard to tell when and in what rhythm this happens. This website is very informative, has quite a lot of information in general, and one of the most important publication out there is the work of the late professor Heather Ashton. It is worth reading, it is good to gather information. 

I hope others will way in soon, 

Take care, RR

[[...]]

I hope others respond, too.

 

Reading Ashton. Says 1. Patients should never be forced to stop benzos. I have been forced.

[[...]]

I hope others respond, too.

 

Reading Ashton. Says 1. Patients should never be forced to stop benzos. I have been forced.

 

I took 1 MG extra today. Doesn't seem to be helping 

 

Thursday doctor appointment online. This is so frustrating.   Been in USA 4 months going in circles. 

[[Be...]]

Hello MJA,

Sorry for what happened to you. 

What about sleeping can sleep without it at least?

[[kn...]]

I'm 72 and was taking benzos for 30 years before being told to taper 2.5 years ago.  I was just fine while I was on the medication.  Since tapering, not at all.  This is a tremendous undertaking that will change your life, even after your taper ends.  It's true, no one should ever be forced to WD from benzos, but having a Dr. write scripts for lesser and lesser amounts results in exactly the same thing. 

[[...]]

[[...]]

Resolving-Paradox-Long-Term-Benzodiazepine-Treatment-jcp-23com14959 (1).pdf

[[An...]]

IMO, anyone who has been on these drugs for many years and wants to remain on the drugs should be allowed and not be forced to come off them now, esp. at some of these advanced ages. What they should do is try to prevent new patients who have never taken these drugs long-term from using these things as medical management for some chronic physical and or psychological ailment. 

Some lucky ppl can take benzos for life. Sure, they are medically dependent but the drug still works and these ppl never seem to become tolerant to the drug's effect. I have seen ppl who have been on valium 40+ years. They say they are happy being on the drug and function fine. These ppl should never be forced by some well-meaning doctor to come off unless these patients want to come off.

[[...]]

I'm so glad that I found this group.  I'm reviewing the past 8 months of sporadic, taper.

 

I attempted suicide and wished for death trying to will myself to stop breathing etc.

 

This morning I see it was ALL related to these attempts to force me off the benzos.

 

I consider this to be malpractice. 

 

If this doctor on Thursday will not supervise my getting back on a dose where I can function I will find a Dr who will.

 

Cruel and unusual punishment for an older lady.

[[...]]

I also realize that some people are pushing me to forgive an end date.

 

When I try to explain they don't believe 

Time to take back my power, tell them what they want to hear and get on with my life.

 

I've been put on antidepressants and seroquel. All of which I didn't take before this horrible experience.

 

I strongly agree that the focus should be on not getting more people dependant on this stuff versus punishing those of us who took as prescribed.

 

Being forced off doesn't work.  Ashton backs that up.

 

 

[[An...]]

Yes, Ashton did say ppl who are forced off don't do well. If tolerance never happened and the drug would always work as it did in the beginning, most ppl IMO on benzos would simply choose to stay dependent and take these drugs for life. From a purely medical standpoint, benzos are very safe drugs for one-off uses or very short-term use during some medical crisis. They are also used effectively at the end of life when the patient is dying and you want to keep the dying person as comfortable and as pain-free as possible until death occurs.

[[Ra...]]

I was on klonopin for 32 years. It was brutal to Get off of. 16 mos of hell and suffering. I am through it though at 26 mos now. I now function without it. 
I am 57. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. When you are fre thougj you are free!

[[Li...]]

@[...] 

Perhaps of interest …

(1) Maust DT, Petzold K, Strominger J, Kim HM, Bohnert ASB. Benzodiazepine Discontinuation and Mortality Among Patients Receiving Long-Term Benzodiazepine Therapy. JAMA Network Open. 2023 Dec 1;6(12); PMID: 38117495. Accessed online at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10733804/

This paper raises important questions about the risks of discontinuing benzodiazepines among stable long-term users, especially older adults (the dataset included individuals enrolled in US Medicare Advantage).  The authors note that the findings are "… at odds with the assumption underlying ongoing policy efforts that reducing benzodiazepine prescribing to long-term users will decrease harms," adding that future work should examine possible mechanisms underlying these findings.

(2) Benzodiazepines in Canada: Is a Withdrawal Crisis Looming?
https://www.madinamerica.com/2024/02/benzodiazepines-in-canada-is-a-withdrawal-crisis-looming/

Note the remarks about forced deprescribing by both Nicole Lamberson, NP (interim medical director of the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition) and Dr. Mark Horowitz (co-author of the recently published Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines for antidepressants, benzodiazepines, gabapentinoids, and z-drugs). 

[[An...]]

20 minutes ago, [[R...] said:

I was on klonopin for 32 years. It was brutal to Get off of. 16 mos of hell and suffering. I am through it though at 26 mos now. I now function without it. 
I am 57. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. When you are fre thougj you are free!

Kudos @[Ra...]. Did you want off or were you forced off? Just curious.....

[[Li...]]

[[Ra...]]

59 minutes ago, [[A...] said:

Kudos @[Ra...]. Did you want off or were you forced off? Just curious.....

Anti

it stopped working so, I was getting sick every 4 weeks. Tolerance withdraw. I went 6 years not knowing what it was. I then went to a detox center. 10 days and then nothing. It was super hard but I made it. !!

ranch 

[[An...]]

Thanks Ranch. That is the reason most of us want off these drugs. (tolerance).

I am happy you made if off these drugs and are doing better. Knowing what I know now, I would not have taken these drugs long-term for my GAD and PD management b/c of tolerance and the associated w/d syndrome.

Hope you are having a nice, relaxing weekend friend.

[[Da...]]

[[...]]

On 17/03/2024 at 09:04, [[A...] said:

Kudos @[Ra...]. Did you want off or were you forced off? Just curious.....

I was forced. That was last June.  Been thru hell, increased my dose to 1.5 MG each Day since Saturday. I didn't have any information about the whole deal until recently 

[[Ny...]]

[[ns...]]

On 17/03/2024 at 07:17, [[L...] said:

Thank you for sharing this paper with us, @[...].

Unable to open file.

[[Li...]]

20 minutes ago, [[n...] said:

Unable to open file.

Hmm … I just checked double-checked and am able download and open it from @MJA’s original post on my iPad.  Do you have a PDF reader on the device you are using?