klonopin withdrawal

[Guest [iw...]]

I've been experiencing withdrawal effects from my klonopin withdrawal, although I am now holding at .75 mg.  Mostly stabilized, although I still experience early morning anxiety and some windows of anxiety during the day, plus some emotional numbness.  In the past I have taken klonopin twice and c/t w/o any side effects.  Didn't even know you should taper.  My doctor now thinks that my withdrawal symptoms are really a reflection of an underlying anxiety disorder and is recommending an SSRI -- specifically, Zoloft.  Has anyone experienced a good result from a similar scenario?  I've heard that withdrawing from Zoloft can itself be complicated, moresothan say, Prozac.  Would hate to find myself struggling with coming off not one but two drugs.

 

Iwillprevail

[[su...]]

Hello,

 

Are you interested in reading about these medications? There are a couple of books I have found to be most helpful regarding understanding these medications. One book the author says, if you read this, you are fully informed and then as an adult you still decide to take it, at least you have been fully informed.

 

Most of us do not have informed consent about these drugs because so much is left out of the discussion when it is presented to us. I have fond that educating myself to be most helpful.

 

Let me know if you want the names of the books.

 

Love,

Summer

[[...]]

Hi all. Now, before I take any drug, I read about it and see the benefits, side effects and what it is like to stop or taper it. I educate myself before I take the drug. There is a lot of information on the internet on zoloft. I hope this is helpful.

Bear

[[St...]]

Heightened anxiety is effects of withdrawal and will decrease in time. I had anxiety issues before benzos but nothing compared to benzo anxiety. In fact now I'm calmer than while I was taking the drug. The AD's could make anxiety worse in the beginning so it's good to consider those very carefully. The other thing is that the AD's can come with their own set of symptoms and confuse the matter. Personally I'm leery of tossing another drug/chemical into the system and just let your body heal on it's own. You may not be able to avoid symptoms but you can hopefully learn to cope and not be afraid of them until they lift, and I promise you they will.  

[Guest [iw...]]

Thanks for the responses.  Summer, I'd love the book titles, as I've learned the hard way that I really need to inform myself better about what I'm taking.  I've realized, having harbored so much anger at my doctor, that it was my previous two experiences with klonopin w/o any problems that led me to this point.  It's hard to understand how I could have taken it before and c/t'd w/o any problems, yet this third time is proving to be terrible.

[[St...]]

My doctor tried me on Zoloft and buspirone at three-four weeks out to help with benzo withdrawals. After three days of taking them, I started to feel groggy but the anxiety was worse. I had to stop taking them. Maybe I didn't give it enough time but at the moment I was better off without them.

I quit Paxil c/t a few years ago after being on it nine months. The SSRI works well but I got tired of feeling drugged all the time. Definite increase in anxiety when I quit. I had to take one pill a week later and then I was ok from there on as the increased anxiety quickly went away. Nothing like the hell Xanax has put me into. I would have never believed it if I hadn't decided to try it for myself.

I'm normally a little anxious and nervous. I'm going to work on that naturally without drugs no matter how bad it gets from time to time. After this fiasco, that will be a very easy promise to keep.

[[su...]]

Hello,

 

Yes, I too had taken K many years earlier and no problem getting off of it. That is why I trusted it when my doctor prescribed it. I had to learn the hard way too.

 

Here are my favorite books. I will bold the ones that pertain to ALL Psych meds. Okay?

 

I am the type of person who seeks to know what is happening and why, it brings comfort to me. I hope it does the same for you.

 

I put together some information that may be helpful. If you are interested in reviewing a web site for information the best one is benzo.org.uk. It may be worth checking out.

 

 

1. “The Accidental Addict” by Di Poritt & Di Russell, 2006

2. “Benzo-Wise, A Recovery Companion” by Baylissa Frederick, 2009 (She has an updated version from 2010)

3. “The Benzo Book, Getting Safely off Tranquilizers” by Jack Hobson-Dupont, 2006

4. "Your Drug May Be Your Problem, How and Why to Stop Taking Psychiatric Medications" 2007 fully revised and updated edition, by Peter Breggin, M.D. (a Psychiatrist)

5. “Brain- Disabling Treatments in Psychiatry” by Peter R. Breggin, MD, 2008

 

I bought some of his books on Barnes & Nobel.com. They may also be available on Amazon as well yet, some of these books I was only able to find them at the web site below.

 

 

Benzo Book link:

http://www.benzo.org.uk/bzbz.htm

 

The Ashton Manual, you can print this out for free. There are 4 or 5 chapters, each one is printed out separately to get the entire manual.

 

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/

 

Peter Breggin M.D.  has a web site this research article is from there. I found this to be helpful as well.

"Intoxication anosognosia: The Spellbinding Effect of Psychiatric Drugs" (PDF), Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry, 8, 201-215, 2006.

 

If the link to the Spellbinding does not work, you can go to Peter Breggin’s web site and look under Scientific Papers.

 

I hope this is helpful.

Love to you,

Summer

 

[Guest [iw...]]

Summer,

 

Does any of the books have anything to say about this phenomenon -- how we can be fine on the drugs and quit them c/t w/o any problem only to find some years later that a later r/x produces dependency?  I'm astonished at how different this situation is for me this time, which also makes me wonder to what extent part of the dependency is a product of the mind.  I had no idea benzos were addictive when I was first prescribed K and therefore felt no problem coming off them; this time around, I was aware and worried about it, and thus at the earliest possible moment that my anxiety seemed under control, I tried coming out off, only to experience w/d symptoms. 

 

much love to you too,

will

[[su...]]

Hello Will,

 

I saw your questions and put together some information that might be helpful.

 

I am the type of person who seeks to know what is happening and why, it brings comfort to me. I hope it does the same for you.

 

 

So, what percentage of Benzodiazepine users does suffer as a result of using it?

 

“The Benzo Book, Getting Safely off Tranquilizers” by Jack Hobson-Dupont, 2006

 

 

“Unfortunately, there is no clear answer to that question. According to Beyond Benzodiazepines, the manual of TRANX, a non-profit organization established in Australia to educate people about the dangers of benzodiazepines and help them safely discontinue use of the drugs, while “not all people become dependent upon benzodiazepines,” and “some long term users of these drugs stop taking them without ill effects,” a full fifty to eighty percent of those who have taken benzodiazepines for over six months “will experience withdrawal symptoms when reducing the dose.” Given the vast numbers of people who use such drugs, that such a high percentage of them will have withdrawal symptoms seems exaggerated. And yet, the assessment of TRANX is based upon their years of experience with actual people struggling with dependence upon bendodiazepines.”

 

What evidence is there that benzodiazepines are “Classically Addictive”?

 

"Benzo Blues, Overcoming Anxiety WITHOUT Tranquilizers" by Edward H. Drummond, M.D. 1997 (a Psychiatrist) 

 

"It is now widely accepted that benzodiazepines can cause a discontinuance syndrome with the usual therapeutic doses after only a few weeks of administration."

 

  "The severity of the symptoms varies tremendously in different individuals. Factors include the size of the daily dose, the length of time that a person has been on the drug, the speed with which the drug is metabolized in the body, and the rate at which the drug is tapered or stopped."

 

 

"Your Drug May Be Your Problem, How and Why to Stop Taking Psychiatric Medications”, Fully Revised and Updated Edition" by Peter Breggin, M.D. 2007 (a Psychiatrist)

"Tranquilizers can produce withdrawal reactions after only a few weeks of use. Studies of Xanax, for example, have indicated increased anxiety and panic upon withdrawal after only eight weeks."

 

 

“The resistance and denial have been documented in year’s past- notably, with respect to the benzodiazepines, the barbiturates, the stimulants, and even the opiates. Yet these very drugs are today considered “classically addictive.”

 

 

Why is there a Denial of Withdrawal Reactions?

 

 

“Your Drug May Be Your Problem, How and Why to Stop Taking Psychiatric Medications” by Peter R. Breggin, M.D. Fully revised and updated edition, 2007

 

Denial of Withdrawal Reactions. “When you talk to your doctor about problems stopping or reducing the dose of your psychiatric drug, keep in mind that your doctor may not know much about the problem or may even be irrationally denying its existence. Withdrawal reactions have been repeatedly documented. Yet some doctors seem completely unaware of the existence of these reactions.”

 

“Your doctor may also mistakenly attribute your withdrawal reactions to you “mental Illness”. Especially if you have unsuccessfully tried to withdraw from the drug previously, your doctor may try to convince you that you have a “chronic Illness” requiring lifetime drug use. The irony is that the longer you stay on the drug, the more likely you are to suffer something beyond a mild reaction when you attempt to withdraw. Your unsuspecting doctor, and even you, might see this as a sign that you “really need” your drug. In reality, what you really need is help in gradually withdrawing.”

 

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Reactions.  “Withdrawal reactions from benzodiazepines are extremely well documented. Tranquilizers can produce withdrawal reactions often only a few weeks of use. The longer you take a tranquilizer, the higher the doses, and the more abrupt the withdrawal—the more serious your withdrawal reactions are likely to be.”

 

I may have answered more than you were looking for. Does this answer some of your questions?

 

Love,

Summer

 

[[su...]]

Hello Will,

 

So, when you and I had taken K before we must have been in the 20 to 50% that did not have a problem. Now, maybe due to the exposure or the duration we are having sxs now.

 

Love,

Summer

[[sw...]]

While I can't answer if you should go on zoloft to help with your anxiety, I can tell you that I think it's ridiculous for your doctor to try and convince you that the absolute most fundamentally common of all side effects (anxiety) is somehow indicative of an underlying disorder.  I would, however, encourage you if you think that you can handle this without additional pills to do so because doing so will be adding more variables to the mix.  If the anxiety is more than you can handle, it might be more apropriate to taper at a slower pace than to add another med.  That said, zoloft is certainly an option, I would just advise using it with caution.

 

Best wishes whatever you decide.

 

[Guest [iw...]]

So, when you and I had taken K before we must have been in the 20 to 50% that did not have a problem. Now, maybe due to the exposure or the duration we are having sxs now.

 

Yeah, that must be it.  Plus, I can't help but feel that the reason for taking it changed for me.  In the past it was simply for insomnia.  This time it was for some serious anxiety issues.  So, I can't help but feel that the brain needed/wanted the klonopin more, and is now therefore very resistant to giving it up.

 

Really appreciate all the info/quotations from the books, btw.  I'm becoming a very informed benzo user.  

 

much love,

W

[Guest [iw...]]

While I can't answer if you should go on zoloft to help with your anxiety, I can tell you that I think it's ridiculous for your doctor to try and convince you that the absolute most fundamentally common of all side effects (anxiety) is somehow indicative of an underlying disorder.  I would, however, encourage you if you think that you can handle this without additional pills to do so because doing so will be adding more variables to the mix.  If the anxiety is more than you can handle, it might be more apropriate to taper at a slower pace than to add another med.  That said, zoloft is certainly an option, I would just advise using it with caution.

 

Best wishes whatever you decide.

 

 

Well, in all fairness, my doc recognized that there was both -- my original anxiety and anxiety from withdrawal.  He thought that the extent to which Zoloft helped the former, it might also help with the latter as we taper.  I'm holding off, for now, on the Zoloft, to see how well I can handle the stress of a new job, before I start adding another variable to the mix.