# Getting off of Klonopin (Clonazepam)



## KindredSpirit

Hello everyone,

I wasn't sure which forum to write this in but I really need some help getting off of this horrible drug called Klonopin and anyone that is an ex-klonopin user I would really appreciate your advice. I've been taking K since June of 2005. I went up to 1 mg 3 X a day back in Febuary of 2007 (Big mistake) 
I started a tapering down on Friday November 6th of this year. I'm reducing at a rate of .25 mg a week and now I'm down to 2.5 mg.
I have some questions for the people that have gone down this road before. I would just like to know if I should be cutting back .125 mg a week instead of .25 mg a week. 
I was actually seeing an addictionologist to help me out with this back in October and she turned out to be a real drug pusher. She told me that I had Bi-Polar 2 or Type II Bipolar Disorder which I don't have and she wanted to put me on Depakote.(She actually wanted to put me on Seroquel first) When I refused to take the Depakote she pretty much kicked me out of her office. (If you want more details on that fiasco just PM me)
I just recently met this guy on Y.T. that's coming off of Klonopin too and he's been on it for like 18 years, so he's really goin through he** right now.
He's come up with a special tonic that consist of 4 oz of warm water,
1 -1000 mg capsule of Calcium and Magnesium, 3 - 100 mg capsules of
L-Theanine, 100 mgs of 5-HTP and a few drops of Organic Vanilla extract.
Does anyone think this is unsafe or is it harmless?
I would greatly appreciate anyone's input because I have a long road ahead of me.


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## n1kkuh

I know that all those supplements you posted have been used and seem to be relatively safe, but unfortunately, I haven't found any of them to give me any powerful effects, although I've never taken them all together. I heard pregabalin and gabapentin can be used for withdrawal, maybe you can ask your doc about that, although those have dependency issues as well, just not nearly as bad as benzos I've heard. I say if you wanna go the "natural" way then this is certainly worth a shot.


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## Vini Vidi Vici

KindredSpirit said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I wasn't sure which forum to write this in but I really need some help getting off of this horrible drug called Klonopin and anyone that is an ex-klonopin user I would really appreciate your advice. I've been taking K since June of 2005. I went up to 1 mg 3 X a day back in Febuary of 2007 (Big mistake)
> I started a tapering down on Friday November 6th of this year. I'm reducing at a rate of .25 mg a week and now I'm down to 2.5 mg.
> I have some questions for the people that have gone down this road before. I would just like to know if I should be cutting back .125 mg a week instead of .25 mg a week.
> I was actually seeing an addictionologist to help me out with this back in October and she turned out to be a real drug pusher. She told me that I had Bi-Polar 2 or Type II Bipolar Disorder which I don't have and she wanted to put me on Depakote.(She actually wanted to put me on Seroquel first) When I refused to take the Depakote she pretty much kicked me out of her office. (If you want more details on that fiasco just PM me)
> I just recently met this guy on Y.T. that's coming off of Klonopin too and he's been on it for like 18 years, so he's really goin through he** right now.
> He's come up with a special tonic that consist of 4 oz of warm water,
> 1 -1000 mg capsule of Calcium and Magnesium, 3 - 100 mg capsules of
> L-Theanine, 100 mgs of 5-HTP and a few drops of Organic Vanilla extract.
> Does anyone think this is unsafe or is it harmless?
> I would greatly appreciate anyone's input because I have a long road ahead of me.


i took Klonopin for 4 months, and Xanax for 3 months. the best thing to do is too taper down as slow as possible.....supplements that helped me were Valerian, Chamomile Tea, Sleepytime extra tea....Kava kava could also be used too. kava was very effective for me but i never used it do get off Klonopin. its effects are very similiar to klonopin....you could try taking more L-theanine.... Also Lyrica and Gabapentin can be very helful in withdrawling from Benzodiazepines. Also, Carbamazepine is used frequently and can be really helpful. (Its an anticonvulsant like K-pin, but has much less addictive potential). the Depakote would probably have helped a little bit, not a whole lot, but a little. but unfortuantely it can cause some weird brain ammonia imbalances in some people. K pin works by raising/strengthening the effect of GABA on GABA-A neurons. Anything that strengthens/raises GABA should help with the withdrawal


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## Redefine

When I withdrew from klonopin I went too fast. I went down .125 mg every 3 days. I was taking 2mg a day at one point so it took me the entire summer to come off. The worst parts were the last few weeks of tapering and the first few weeks off. I never took any natural supplements besides magnesium. I really don't know if it helped at all. The worst part of the withdrawal was the insomnia. I still have an extremely hard time sleeping without sleep aides. I also had a lot of nausea during my withdrawal. The only med that helped with both of these was remeron. It put me right to sleep and gave me my appetite back. I would definitely recommend remeron for benzo withdrawal. 

Other than that, nothing else is going to make you better besides time. It's going to take some time for your brain to return back to normal and repair your receptors. It's really the only way you're going to get better. I still have a hard time sleeping after three months of my last klonopin.


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## 99x

I don't know about the supplements. I've never tried those. The best advice is to taper slowly. I'm at .5 mg klonopin a day. Last week I got impatient and stopped taking it for 3 days. That was a big mistake and I still haven't stabilized.


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## mark555666

rubyruby said:


> 10% every 7 to 10 days. Go to the Ashton Manual in the UK for more info.


This sounds like a good plan. :yes


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## shy797

I am trying to do the same thing. I took Klonapin 0.5mg for about a year in 05' and just stopped one day with NO problems. Then I would only take it as needed if I had a speech or interview with a beta blocker. Recently with the stresses of school, work, and being in a bad relationship I have been getting panic attacks several times per day so I would take 1mg here and there for speeches. Now I can barely make eye contact with someone unless I have the Klonapin otherwise I'll start getting a panic attack. I've also started blushing way easier than before...I've tried 5htp which works great for the depression but still doesn't help much for the panic attacks. Also taking gaba and magnesium. Niacinamide in high doses is supposed to work really well, I have taken it in small doses before and was going to try getting of the Klonapin by using that, look it up and let me know what you think. They all help a little bit, but I still get panic attacks unless I take the .5 of Klonapin. If you figure anything out let me know...Starting to think maybe my SA is just getting worse and maybe its not even the Klonapin, either way Klonapin is a really bad drug and I want to get off of it too!


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## Vini Vidi Vici

shy797 said:


> I am trying to do the same thing. I took Klonapin 0.5mg for about a year in 05' and just stopped one day with NO problems. Then I would only take it as needed if I had a speech or interview with a beta blocker. Recently with the stresses of school, work, and being in a bad relationship I have been getting panic attacks several times per day so I would take 1mg here and there for speeches. Now I can barely make eye contact with someone unless I have the Klonapin otherwise I'll start getting a panic attack. I've also started blushing way easier than before...I've tried 5htp which works great for the depression but still doesn't help much for the panic attacks. Also taking gaba and magnesium. Niacinamide in high doses is supposed to work really well, I have taken it in small doses before and was going to try getting of the Klonapin by using that, look it up and let me know what you think. They all help a little bit, but I still get panic attacks unless I take the .5 of Klonapin. If you figure anything out let me know...Starting to think maybe my SA is just getting worse and maybe its not even the Klonapin, either way Klonapin is a really bad drug and I want to get off of it too!


dude u should try Kava Kava....apart from the possible liver damage and skin deteriorating (both of which only occur with long term use) it helped me quite alot, especially with panic attacks, social anxiety and all that stuff. it was really strong for me.


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## shy797

Vini Vidi Vici said:


> dude u should try Kava Kava....apart from the possible liver damage and skin deteriorating (both of which only occur with long term use) it helped me quite alot, especially with panic attacks, social anxiety and all that stuff. it was really strong for me.


Thanks, think that's the only one I haven't tried...I'll pick some up this week!


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## euphoria

Some that should help:

Magnesium (one of the types that work)
L-theanine
Taurine
L-tryptophan

Maybe consider these:

St. John's Wort (I don't recommend mixing with other serotonergics)
Kava (I don't recommend non-root preparations)
5-HTP

Also I would recommend avoiding calcium in general. Definitely don't supplement it.


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## sweetcakes

mm, complicated... i took clonazepam but in my country the name for it is "ravotril", 2grams, the strongest there is of it. once i took a whole box, used to overtake it and lie to psychiatrists just to get big dosages, but one day i just decided to stop because my life was pretty much sleeping and laughing for no reason and being a zombie, and that was it. i simply stopped going to the doctors, they said i'd die without the pills, i didnt die... i even stopped cutting and all the stupid things i used to do, i grew up, and never looked back, all this supplement things sound so new to me. Sure i have trouble sleeping at my time, but i practice self control and that's it... 


good luck with all of it =)


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## complex

Right now I am taking 2mg a day I want to stop taking it I have been on it for almost 3 years but have just been through a bad break up, school, work its all really hard right now so might not be the right time but i want to find something natural to help me when i do decide to stop taking it. My doctor wants me to find the right time so I guess asap trying to cut back would be a great idea... anyone with suggestions please let me know thanks.


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## desk

*read this*

Well, you may actually want to think about getting on the depokote, you may or may not be bi-polar, but if you have head aches or anything like that it will help you and can help you feel better,---you may want to consider why you want to get off the cloazapam though, it is a attictive drug, yes, but in a lot of instances it can help you live a very carefree, easy going lifestyle. I'm not a neurologyst but I know for me 1mg a day was fine, and for me it deffinatly took away my anxiety. I am unfortunatly off of it now, I was able to slowy get off of it by breaking 1mg tablets in half and taking the larger half, and then slowy working my way down, I found that a small alcholic drink in the morning was very benificial(the equivilent to one beer) but I don't know if this could cause prblems for some people, for what its worth i don't see it as being a bad drug,--on a seperate note I strongly recomend that people don't go on effexor. I was on that drug about 10 years ago and it was horrible, the addiction is worse than herion(I think) and the side effects are terrible, they are literally nightmareish. If your doctor wants to put you on a greater does get a second opinion(or get off of it), if you are deprest or suicidle change your life in a major way, move to a new city, jion a church, go to the carribean, go sky diving, but suicide is not the answer, life is long, and it can get very good


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## shyguydan222

I am currently taking 1 mg of Clonazepam. My psychiatrist recommend that I start to taper off the drug slowly but surely. As long as you and your specialist have great communication I don't see why you can't reduce it altogether. I wish you good luck with coming off of the addictive drug


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## Klonii

Just out of curiosity - for the people that klonopin is working for - why do you want to stop?


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## seafolly

Klonii said:


> Just out of curiosity - for the people that klonopin is working for - why do you want to stop?


I'm sure this varies with every individual but for me, it's because I've been on it for 9 years worked up to 1 mg/day. I was pushed by many doctors to go higher but by the time I hit 1 mg I was studying pharmacology and the little that I read terrified me and I didn't budge, thank goodness. Plus the memory loss side effect is really difficult for a science student. Originally, 0.25 mg was enough for me but I simply grew a tolerance to it.

I'm really happy to have this thread handy and this group of people available. There never really is a good time to start weaning off a benzo. I weaned off Trileptal which wasn't all that bad actually but I understand this will be much, much worse. The longer you're on it, the more difficult it is to get off. My situation doesn't look too great. : / Unfortunately my anxiety is not at a point where I can wean off. I wish I had taken advantage of my healthier years to at least reduce the dose.


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## subfl0wer

*You can ALL do it!*

Hey there!
I am new to this forum. I have been clean of pills/drugs all my life up until recently. Ive always been skeptical of traditional medicine but so much as happened in the past few months.
First thing - I have GAD. I knew this all my life but never really did anything about it. It wasnt interfering with my life so I just went and lived my life - never had depression or anything.
Then I moved across the country, lost my cat to a coyote, spent thousands of dollars on my other cat as he got sick, financial probs etc. I was normally able to handle these things but because everything happened at once - my blood pressure rose pretty highly.
So I went to a CRAP doctor. He diagnosed me with hypertension. Im 30! And generally pretty healthy! I work out, eat all organic etc. Does NOT run in my family. SO I started these blood pressure meds. Totally ruined my life. I had constant vertigo, for a MONTH, couldnt focus, felt like crap - it was just ANOTHER thing to add to the list of stressful events. Am I going to have a heart attack? I started having insomnia scared I would have a heart attack in my sleep!!
TURNS OUT - I met a psychiatrist, CHANGED DOCTORS, saw an internal medicine doctor - all said I have GAD and thats what causing my pressure to rise temporarily. They took me off the BP pills asap (thank GOD!!) SO - I decided okay. I need help. This is it. Im not getting any younger. Ive seen several counsellors - all which I DIDNT like. The last one was okay but I couldnt afford her.
My psychiatrist started me on clonazepam (klonopin) 0.5 mg. Told me to take it ONLY for a week to get me back on my feet. I did - but then kept thinking "what if I become addicted? what if I have a reaction when I stop?" sure enough all those things happened because I was THINKING THEM. (GAD). After a week you CANNOT get addicted to this drug. Especially on such a small dose. I know this NOW as I educated myself finally and asked a lot of questions. So sure enough my doctor told me to continue taking it only he doubled the dose! So I was on 1mg. I took that for a few days as I felt like a stoner and did NOT feel comfortable. I weaned down to .75, then .875, and so on I kept cutting my pills in quarters. Finally after a week of being on .875 my doc said to cut it 50% every 4 days! This was about a month taking the drug. Of course I freaked out. But it was ALL IN MY HEAD. 
So my psych said I was weaning too fast. So we went back up to .75, he put me on 20 mg of prozac to help control my GAD, and advised I wean a quarter every 2 weeks. And he actually told me its NORMAL to feel SOME anxiety and some side effects with ANY drug when stopping. So I sort of prepared myself.
I am currently back down to .5 and have had a few rough days but Im still sleeping like a baby, going to work (work helps - keeps my mind off it) and Im moving in a few days so Ive been too busy to think about it.
I am still "unsure" and scared as to what might happen when Im officially off the drug -- so far Ive been told as long as I continue weaning this slow the withdrawal will be at the very minimum. I also do yoga every morning, and meditate. Im seeing a new counsellor in a few weeks to do cognitive behavioural therapy (she is covered with my work) and looking forward to it.
So the best thing I can say to everyone is THINK POSITIVE. Easier said than done but BE STRONG. Its a temporary rough patch in your life but we can all get through this. A LOT of it is psychological and of course we will experience physical withdrawal but we gotta tough it out otherwise we will never get off this drug. 
I am also not against those who decide to take it for life - the only problem with ME is I am afraid Ill need more and more eventually...thats why Id rather just stop and do LOTS of therapy to train my mind in not worrying so much.
I wish you all the best (and myself! lol) and if you ever want to talk email me or PM me!
Take care.
XOXXOXOXOXOX


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## KindredSpirit

Klonii said:


> Just out of curiosity - for the people that klonopin is working for - why do you want to stop?


Because it only works for so long, and then you build up a tolerance for the dose you're taking and you have to increase the dose. 
It's just a vicious cycle.
All Benzodiazepines are like this. You're better off not taking them in the first place.


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## Arisa1536

Stick with it, it does get better.
I have been on and off this drug for a long time and even though withdrawals from any benzo cause bad side effects, well for me they have been all over the place :afr, its best in the long run. I love them but i also hate them because they are so difficult to stop taking and u also need more and more to feel the same effect u felt a few months ago.

I would try tapering it with something else though
a beta blocker? Sedative like zopiclone or something perhaps?
I have managed to be off clonazepam for three weeks now with only mild side effects thanks to beta blockers and zopiclone, although i know i will need to be off zopiclone soon, coming off them as i have done is not half as hard as coming off a benzo


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## Waldessa

*Getting Off Klonopin*



Klonii said:


> Just out of curiosity - for the people that klonopin is working for - why do you want to stop?


Well, I just discovered that I am pregnant, and with research I have found that there are high risks for birth defect and heart complications, organ development with the fetus. I've been on Klonopin for over 8 years, and it has helped me in the greatest way. My anxiety was so bad, I couldn't sleep and wanted to avoid all people, and tear my hair out to say the least, my mouth would shake when speaking, and I ran out of the room everytime I was called on in college.

Just recently I was hospitalized twice for an immidiate lowered dosage when I moved to another state. Now I am back in my original state with the proper dosage: 1MG 3x's a day (I usually take two or less depending, to keep away from building an extreme tolerance).

So, getting off of this drug will not be fun, or easy, and if doctors allow you to be on these meds for so long, then why can't they come up with a safe equivalent? A drug that is comparable in a different class.
I'm taking folic acid and eating the best foods possible for the baby-to-be, but I'm still worried about the health and development.

My doctor is doing research right now to come up with something to take over. 
I am so sure that he'll come up with some anti-depressant (that usually makes me more depressed) and I'll still have really bad withdrawls.

Has anyone been through this, or know of someone who has?


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## McSwiggens

*uhhh*

got any left? ill help you quit heheh:evil


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## nolaluv

Waldessa said:


> Well, I just discovered that I am pregnant, and with research I have found that there are high risks for birth defect and heart complications, organ development with the fetus. I've been on Klonopin for over 8 years, and it has helped me in the greatest way. My anxiety was so bad, I couldn't sleep and wanted to avoid all people, and tear my hair out to say the least, my mouth would shake when speaking, and I ran out of the room everytime I was called on in college.
> 
> Just recently I was hospitalized twice for an immidiate lowered dosage when I moved to another state. Now I am back in my original state with the proper dosage: 1MG 3x's a day (I usually take two or less depending, to keep away from building an extreme tolerance).
> 
> So, getting off of this drug will not be fun, or easy, and if doctors allow you to be on these meds for so long, then why can't they come up with a safe equivalent? A drug that is comparable in a different class.
> I'm taking folic acid and eating the best foods possible for the baby-to-be, but I'm still worried about the health and development.
> 
> My doctor is doing research right now to come up with something to take over.
> I am so sure that he'll come up with some anti-depressant (that usually makes me more depressed) and I'll still have really bad withdrawls.
> 
> Has anyone been through this, or know of someone who has?


 I see u wrote this back in March and its now September so I hope everything is well w/ you and your baby. I was on this drug too, for 5 years and found out I was pregnant back in 06, I had just moved out of state and my new doctor made me quit cold turkey and would not prescribe it to me at all. I took what i had left and weened myself off it the best I could but I got very very sick, I had panic attacks and Anxiety allll day for like 2 months.. I could not think clear and even had virtigo, I pretty much hid on the sofa the whole time. I was only on 1 mg a day, I was prescribed more but knew better than take a high dose when the 1 mg was working to treat my panic attacks. It was horrible and I got through it though. I never got back on the drug I just dealt w/ the attacks. Now 4 years later I feel like I am going through withdrawals all over again and having panic attacks left and right. I got on this forum hoping to find more info on ppl that have been off it for a long period of time. I can't believe pot is illegal and this **** is not. Unless the company that makes it can give you a life time supply no one should be places on it, I can't believe they have not been sued!! My son came out healthy, he is almost 4 now, at least as far as we know, he could very well develop a problem in adulthood.


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## seafolly

" I can't believe pot is illegal and this **** is not. Unless the company that makes it can give you a life time supply no one should be places on it, I can't believe they have not been sued!!"

I cannot tell you how satisfying it was to be presented with an essay question on my neuroscience exam a few weeks ago that dealt with this. It was open ended. Something like, "List the hazards and effects of an illegal drug and a legal drug. Draw conclusions." Vague, no? So I took the opportunity to write a few pages on Clonazepam as the legal drug and compare it to heroin. I was pretty descriptive in terms of my opinion on the matter, backed up with all sorts of figures. I'm certain the professor was scratching her head as we only briefly covered benzos but I did ace that exam.


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## PsychiatricSurvivor

*Klonopin: Poor Choice to Correct Anxiety*

Besides a multi-vitamin, I honestly think that taking "special" anti-anxiety supplements, sleeping pills, etc., to combat or alleviate the withdrawal symptoms of Klonopin just prolongs your brain from going back to normal. Unfortunately, with this highly addictive and destructive drug, Klonopin, approved by the FDA and highly prescribed by your doctors who "know precisely how it works in the brain" (not!), you need to go through a degree of pain (slowly titrating) in order to achieve "gain." I've slowly, but successfully tapered down from 1mg Klonopin (taken for a year), down to .125mg (1/4 tablet of .5mg), and I feel A HUNDRED TIMES better/smarter/more alert and with MUCH BETTER memory. Can't wait to chuck the final .125mg's! Klonopin, even when taken as needed for the first time, throws the brain in a tizzy when it's pulled. And because this happens a day or two following a dose, people think the withdrawal symptoms are a result of their own "chemical imbalance." It's the Klonopin that causes the post panic and anxiety--very often worse than the original panic. And you don't need to be taking it for several weeks to experience this, even a first-time user can experience these withdrawals. Just remember, science knows VERY LITTLE about the brain's workings. And stay in touch with your body because doctors cannot. Doctors are no different than hiring a carpenter. Some are good, some are mediocre, and some are bad. There are many fools out there with degrees, don't get caught up with labels.


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## PsychiatricSurvivor

*Titrate Off & Stay Away From Benzos*

Naivety, ignorance, denial and fantasy turn anxiety sufferers into Klonopin addicts. Klonopin's negative side effects tremendously supersede it's ability to correct anxiety. Slower brain function, poor memory, a general "stupid" feeling... Titrate off and stay away from benzos.


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## baranok

if i dont take klonopin i think i am more tired, it makes the opposite to me, and also i hate it, really stupid med, but i have somewhere deeply written in my head that i need to take it before i go somewhere out....
i could choose xanax but that's cool way to get ****'d up in long term, was there

but one cool effect it has yet, it lowers body tense, cool!

also i agree with the PsychiatricSurvivor
reading about how everything is super addictive really makes you psycho about it, was there too


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## seafolly

PsychiatricSurvivor said:


> I've slowly, but successfully tapered down from 1mg Klonopin (taken for a year), down to .125mg (1/4 tablet of .5mg), and I feel A HUNDRED TIMES better/smarter/more alert and with MUCH BETTER memory. Can't wait to chuck the final .125mg's!


Awesome! How did you taper? My doctor is talking about 0.25 mg off at a time but I personally feel that may be too drastic for my body.


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## 49 and all loan

i have been taking 1mg of xanax 3 times a day for over 2 years and now it does nothing for me and he wont raise the dose. would like to get off this drug but sounds really hard. if i knew this when he first talked about it i might not have started using it. feels like i have to take more than the 1mg for it to have any affect on me


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## jonny neurotic

As I understand it the withdrawl from benzo's isn't so much to do with GABA receptor downregulation but with a reduction in the amount of neurosteroids the brain produces. Perhaps taking DHEA and pregnenolone would help with the transition. IDK...


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## PsychiatricSurvivor

*.25mg @ A Time Realistic?*



seafolly said:


> Awesome! How did you taper? My doctor is talking about 0.25 mg off at a time but I personally feel that may be too drastic for my body.


I am evidence that .25mg at a time is realistic. However, where most people screw up, they do this .25mg tapering too soon (i.e. every 3 days!). It's been my experience that the brain takes a while to readjust and needs, at a minimum, 2-3 weeks before another titration. My first titration (1mg to .75mg), I stayed on .75mg for two months before lowering to .5mg. Be a connoisseur of your own body. If you feel you're not ready for another titration, and it's been 2-3 weeks, then stay on for another week or two.... Or however long until you feel comfortable to do a another titration.... But try NOT to increase your dosage, you want to go down, not up! You will definitely feel better with time. Common withdrawal side effects I experienced: Insomnia and mild paranoia/fear. Good news: Both of these go away once the brain adjusts to the lower dosage. Good luck!


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## PsychiatricSurvivor

*Stopping Klonopin Abruptly Is A Bad Idea*

Getting angry about your Klonopin and stopping it abruptly is the equivalent of a child throwing a temper tantrum. It does no good. You MUST taper Klonopin gradually to avoid unpleasant (disturbing) withdrawal effects, such as panic attacks or worse yet, paranoia.


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## tnasch72

*Inspirational.....*

I took 0.25 mg of Klonopin after 30 mins. seems like im having tachycardia. I was soooo afraid that i'll die of heart attack and nobody will find my body coz i live alone. It adds to my panic but its true that you must divert your brain to something else. It takes practice to do that by the time you know it you already pass out or dead. SCARY. 
I dont want to be dependent on Klonopin. I texted by MD and he responsed to take another 0.25 mg. I really need to see a therapist coz im having chest pain coming out from nowhere. I ran 3 miles/3 x wk and my MD told me I have no heart problem. Probably from pent up stressful work environment for 6 years. I quit recently and I go to school. 
I just took Another 0.25 mg of K, is it safe to drink a cup of chamomile tea? I need to be ZEN right now, i have a nearly jump tomorrow..SOmebdy pls advise..


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## InfiniteSadness

Ive been on 4 to 6mg og Klonopin for five years. 

My husband got tired of paying for it, because he felt it did me no good, so he stopped picking it up at the pharmacy. ( my husband controls our finances...dont get me started). After four years of taking 6mg of Klonopin, I was forced to stop, COLD TURKEY, I hurt like hell. I managed to start feeling better after about four months without it, but my anxiety was still there, and my legs hurt for some reason, like neuropathy. And, I jerked, and ground my teeth when sleeping.


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## InfiniteSadness

Oh, and I'll add, I am BACK on Klonopin. Have been for three months now.


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## jockama

*strength in numbers*

i commend you in your battle to get off this insidious chemical!i am on day 3 now without symptoms.(usually i dissociate and dont sleep after 2 days).
i would like to say that i am trained in the art of chinese herbal medecine and can be of help to myself and others.chamomile tea is considered an anti-convulsive;(but you have to use a lot of it).
i found some of the suggestions here helpful.i bought some real vanilla.ive used this before but it didnt do much.maybe you have to use a lot of it too?
im used to a relatively high dose -3mg/day.ive gotten off it before,but i was on way smaller dose.i used librium,as it is a more primative drug (more herb like)whereas clonaz and xanax can really get into synapses etc at an atomic level(atom fitting into molecule).
i also take remeron.i decided i would take it when i felt like it,as it is easier to go to a clinic or doc and say you need some,whereas asking for clonazepam arouses suspicion as it is a big street drug here.
however remeron is 'hot'(if you are familiar with chinese or ayurvedic medecine.clonazepam is cool.i take goldenseal to counteract this.also i dont have the problem with calcium the one user had.i dissolve it in my coffee in am(at least half de-caf).
glad to meet you.i will come here tomorrow to see how youre doing and let you know how i slept.
thank you,
jockama


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## jockama

no you have to get youre own!!!!!


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## jockama

*remember:*



jockama said:


> no you have to get youre own!!!!!


 behind every disturbed person is a disturber!


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## jockama

johnny neuro - tell me more (please).


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## jockama

*mcswiggens*



jockama said:


> no you have to get youre own!!!!!


 that means you!!!


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## Jupasena123

I have read all that u have said I totally understand. But if I am doing well on 20mg then how do I go down. I did more. I want off this is a visious cycle. I wish I said no from the start


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## harrison

Jupasena123 said:


> I have read all that u have said I totally understand. But if I am doing well on 20mg then how do I go down. I did more. I want off this is a visious cycle. I wish I said no from the start


Tell your doctor you want to get off it and ask about starting to taper down.


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## starkrave

*exercise and lemon balm extract*

I have been on Clonazepam for over a decade. The side effects of being on a Benzo for so long are not great. I definitely can tell my memory has been effected.

I started dating a guy who has been sober from alcohol addiction for 5 years and has sold me on exercise as the only way to muscle through a benzo withdrawal. I haven't ever been one to exercise daily but I think he might be right. I feel tired if I really push myself. I've lost nearly 30 pounds. I'm stronger and I believe I'm replacing a bad addiction for a better lifestyle change.

I am in the last week of my decrease (.25mg) and I have had some difficulty sleeping and 1 panic attack, however I also feel more energetic and clearer. I am hoping that this will be the last time I ever feel like this again. That was over 10 years of feeling thick and not my sharpest.

So I recommend daily exercise, a group of people to talk with, positivity, lemon balm extract and sleepy time tea (extra). I'd love to hear some success stories in this forum.

good luck friends

strength be with you - and with me I guess.


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## So Lonely

Doesn't this belong in the Medication forum?


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## Harry111

*Tough Times*

I took Klonopin for 10 years. I have been off of it for 2 weeks now. It took me 6 months to get off of it slowly but I have done it. My problem now is sleeping. Wow, what a rough time but I will never take that pill again. I just need to find out how to sleep but they say it takes your brain to readjust somehow. The only way to get off of Klonopin is reducing it every month, very slowly. I was taking 1 1/2 pills a day at night for restless leg .05 mg. Just take it very slow. If anyone has a remedy for sleeping please let me know.


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## nofur4me

*There is hope.*

I came on this forum about eight months ago for advice on getting off of clonazepam that I had been on for seven years. I unfortunately only read failures that really got me down, but I want you to know that there is hope. I shaved my portions down every two weeks until I was not taking anymore. The first step down was the worse, I had trouble sleeping and felt onset of panic attacks but the rest of the time wasn't to bad. I just wanted to give any one out there hope. God Bless.


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## housebunny

I'm down to about 1/8th mg per day now. I shave a tiny bit off every day or every other day. I have a tiny scale.


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## Noca

housebunny said:


> I'm down to about 1/8th mg per day now. I shave a tiny bit off every day or every other day. I have a tiny scale.


Great! I am sure that is much slower than what Dr Dumbass would have suggested. It is always best to taper off a drug at your OWN pace, not Dr Dumbass' as he/she will not be the one going through withdrawal, you will! Good luck to getting off the drug.


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## Jupasena123

Bad mistake. I am on 25mg of klonipin for many years. I was getting caffiene and all artificial sweeteners. And was detoxing. Stupid oh what a good time to get off klonipin too. Oh my cold turkey. Stupid don't do it my hands were numb, my face was numb, I could not sleep, did not think straight and my face and mouth were numb. I was having trouble talking I couldn't make my mouth work my anxiety was off the charts. I am back on then today. I went to 4 pills a day instead of 5. I will stay there awhile and if I am okay at 4. I will slowly take a little chunk out about every month. I will never go CT again. Slow is better. I will keep u posted. I am not going to give up. A little set back but I am not going to let it get me down


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## melangefiesta

Klonii said:


> Just out of curiosity - for the people that klonopin is working for - why do you want to stop?


For me, personally, clonazepam barely does anything for me anymore. I have to take it now because my body is completely addicted to it. I went two days without adequate clonazepam once and the withdrawal was... well, I can tell you that I never want to live through cold turkey again. In fact, I think if I'd had to live with that for any amount of time, I wouldn't have lived at all.

I want to come off it now because clonazepam has cognitive and physical effects that are negative, even when you're like me and you think you're "okay" and "used to it". It's been so many years now that I honestly have no idea what I'd be like off the drug, but I read that things become more vivid in general -- more colorful, more enjoyable -- and a lot of brain function can come back (if not all of it). I'm also really sick of people always being suspicious of me when I'm trying to get a refill, doctors and pharmacists alike... they even give me crap at the ER. I want to be in control of my own body that way, and since it doesn't even work for my anxiety now, I want to come off it.

I'm doing it as slowly as I can, though, so the withdrawal effects won't be as bad. I take 0.5mg twice a day and I'm cutting them into quarters. Today I started 3/4ths of my first 0.5 and the whole 0.5 at night. I'll only decrease, maximum, once a week, so minimally I will get off the drug completely in 8 weeks. If I have bad side effects from coming off it that fast I'll go a bit slower.

Either way, though, residual effects of withdrawal can go on for as long as 2 years, or perhaps a bit longer than that. Usually spurts of anxiety or bad mood or whatnot, from what I've read. But it's so worth it to be able to get off these stupid physically addictive drugs (mentally addictive as well, though I'm not addicted that way).


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## ShyGuy57

KindredSpirit said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I wasn't sure which forum to write this in but I really need some help getting off of this horrible drug called Klonopin and anyone that is an ex-klonopin user I would really appreciate your advice. I've been taking K since June of 2005. I went up to 1 mg 3 X a day back in Febuary of 2007 (Big mistake)
> I started a tapering down on Friday November 6th of this year. I'm reducing at a rate of .25 mg a week and now I'm down to 2.5 mg.
> I have some questions for the people that have gone down this road before. I would just like to know if I should be cutting back .125 mg a week instead of .25 mg a week.
> I was actually seeing an addictionologist to help me out with this back in October and she turned out to be a real drug pusher. She told me that I had Bi-Polar 2 or Type II Bipolar Disorder which I don't have and she wanted to put me on Depakote.(She actually wanted to put me on Seroquel first) When I refused to take the Depakote she pretty much kicked me out of her office. (If you want more details on that fiasco just PM me)
> I just recently met this guy on Y.T. that's coming off of Klonopin too and he's been on it for like 18 years, so he's really goin through he** right now.
> He's come up with a special tonic that consist of 4 oz of warm water,
> 1 -1000 mg capsule of Calcium and Magnesium, 3 - 100 mg capsules of
> L-Theanine, 100 mgs of 5-HTP and a few drops of Organic Vanilla extract.
> Does anyone think this is unsafe or is it harmless?
> I would greatly appreciate anyone's input because I have a long road ahead of me.


I've been reading the recent posts here since I have a Klonopin addiction. No drug is safe! Alcohol is legal but it is worse than anything you can put in your body! Coffee is not safe, water, etc. As they say, "moderation is the key" with anything.

You have to be careful taking Klonopin! You have to SLOWLY wean yourself down to the lowest dose possible. I had to go cold turkey once for 45 days, and that was scary. I take .5 mg every night now (from 3 mg a day). If I feel like I'll get weird being around people, I'll take another .5 before I go out. That's my limit now. I'm going to try just taking .5 mg once every 3 days next. I've been taking Benzos for 30 years, so it's not like I don't know what I'm talking about. I've also read someone say they liked Ativan. When I was in the hospital for surgery, a nurse in the hospital and I talked about Benzo withdrawals. I told her what I went through on Klonopin and she said a withdrawal from Ativan can kill you.

For me, Klonopin works, but I know it's dangerous. Everything in life has its consequences.


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