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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by cubbybear on July 12, 2003, at 7:18:46
I'd like to hear from anyone who has had withdrawal problems coming off Klonopin, even when going at a very slow rate of reduction (like .125 mg. every 7 days).
At first--about a year ago-- I was at a high of 4 mg/day and over the course of the last four months, I've been able to come down to 1.75 mg. I (naively?) thought I'd be done with it all in about 4 months.
I had experienced withdrawal anxiety once before-- when at the 2.5 mg. mark, had to backpedal to 2.75 (I was then decreasing at a rate of .25 mg every week), then realized I had to go at increments of .125 mg every week. All was fine for awhile until I got to the 1.75 mg. mark. About 6 days later (last Tuesday), I started getting unusally short-tempered, snapping at everybody, then the anxiety set in and seems to be getting worse. I didn't think I'd run into problems at such a small rate of decrease as .125 mg. every 7 days. (The anxiety might also have been exacerbated by the fact that my stepfather had a cancer relapse.)
But I wonder, have many people run into problems while tapering off at such a slow rate? I have a feeling that I'm going to have to go backwards again (to the 1.875 or even 2.0 mg dose) and extend the time interval between reductions. Does this sound like the way to go? Any input, empathy and good old fashioned help would be appreciated.
Posted by Viridis on July 12, 2003, at 8:21:48
In reply to Klonopin Withdrawal--I don't like this, posted by cubbybear on July 12, 2003, at 7:18:46
Do you think it's withdrawal, or are you just going back to your pre-K anxiety? Sometimes it's hard to tell. K provides such relief from anxiety for me that when I've gone off it, I wonder if I'm just recreating my previous high-anxiety self.
That's just me, of course; your situation may be very different. But I wonder if some "withdrawal" is just the result of people forgetting how bad anxiety can be.
Posted by cubbybear on July 13, 2003, at 4:42:06
In reply to Re: Klonopin Withdrawal--I don't like this » cubbybear, posted by Viridis on July 12, 2003, at 8:21:48
You definitely raise a good question, but in my case, the Klonopin was originally prescribed to help me sleep during a period of spiralling down into depression. The first thing "to go" when one is depressed is sleep, and since my anti-depressant was beginning to poop out, my pdoc back then prescribed the Klonopin primarily for my sleep problems.
Posted by Janelle on July 13, 2003, at 14:34:16
In reply to Klonopin Withdrawal--I don't like this, posted by cubbybear on July 12, 2003, at 7:18:46
I've been on Klonopin for years and was about to start tapering off (I'm on 1 mg twice a day) when I went into a depression, but noticed that the anxiety which usually accompanies it took awhile to get started so to speak, and then was far less than ever before. I'd like to attribute that to both Klonopin (which I thought I'd become habituated to since it's a benzo and I've been on it a long time) and Buspar (I'd stopped that one and within days needed to go back on it!). So, I'm not thrilled but will remain on Klonopin.
As far as withdrawal from it, I have read many places that because Klonopin is slow acting (compared to say Xanax or Valium which goes into the body, relaxes you and is out within a few hours) and Klonopin has the longer half-life, that it is the *easiest* benzo to withdraw from.
So, I don't know why you're having such problems with this. I do know that one does get rebound anxiety as one goes off Klonopin, so perhaps this is part of what you're feeling.
My suggestion, and I know it's difficult, believe me, I know(!) is to taper off as slowly and little by little as you have to and you WILL make it off! Everyone is different, and you may just need a long(er) time for getting off this med than other people.
Good luck 2 U.
This is the end of the thread.
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