Has anyone had success weaning off of Klonopin? How did you do it?

[mistiblue]

I am wanting to wean off of Klonopin. I am currently on 1 mg before I go to bed at night. I do not like the fact that I am on it and think it causes adverse effects. One of those effects is, not being able to think clearly. Ever since I have been on them I feel like an idiot!!
I have 4 kids and cannot be like this.
I want to wean off of them, but I am SO scared of the withdrawals and seizures scare the life out of me.

Any advice would be SOOO appreciated!!

[Enduronman]

Thought I already replied to this..You'll be looking for a member named S r m 1135 I think...He came off of 8mg a day.

The 1mg per day in the evening is very doable and without these seizures that you mention too....

E-Man..:)

[Dahila]

oh I seen you replying to it , too. Or maybe we have two the same threads

[alankay]

I came off ativan years ago and it was not too bad(both are benzos, very similar drugs). The simple key is to slowly reduce the dose over a long period. Took me just a few weeks. Klonopin should not be that bad with it long half life. You could just split the pills and take 1/2 a dose and see how it goes. Maybe take 1/2 in the AM and 1/2 in the AM. Then just half at night for a week or two.
If you have trouble ask your doc for .5 mg tabs and use the same process. Or switch to valium or clorazepate as they have super long half lives and finish tapering off using the longer acting med which is easier to taper off of. I think you will be OK as 1 mg is not a large dose and klonopin has a long half life. Slow taper if the key. Part of this is psychological at that dose. Well it was for me. Larger doses is where true physical withdrawal is a big issue just IMHO. Just my take. Alankay

[staceatarian]

I am on a super low dose, .5 klonopin 1x a day, but I've been on it for over 6 months and am wondering if I'll have trouble as well. I get you completely when you describe.how it makes you feel. The brain fog is not nice.

Are you on any other medications?

[Dahila]

What brain fog are you talking about, I am on it and I do not have the symptoms you talking about, I stop sometimes the meds and have no effects, I stopped benzos so many times, no withdrawals. There is a time of withdrawal with antidepressants.

[staceatarian]

Like I'm not fully present in situations and have a hard time focusing and absorbing information.

[Enduronman]

Get some L-Glutamine from the local dept store, get some Green Tea, and or L-Theanine....(all supplements) and take them all together..This will help with the brain fog...and have a cup of coffee too. (caffeine in small amounts is great for us) just not 8 energy drinks! :)

[Dahila]

I am not sure the brain fog is caused by clonazepam...What do you think Eman? What can cause it? Did you do blood test, are your tests ok?

[staceatarian]

No bloodwork since I've been on it. I have cut out caffeine since the panic attacks started as I was having extreme anxiety. Kind of apprehensive about caffeine. I only drank 1 cup a day. I will look into those supplements.

[Dahila]

I asked my GP to check my blood for the minerals and vitamins, it came back Iron deficiency.... now I know what is the reason that I am dizzy, :))

[Enduronman]

Anemic..DAHL!!! When now??>>

Are you doing ok?

That IS an easy fix though...supplements!

[staceatarian]

My mom has that, especially when she has her monthly... Which is around that time for me. I am also vegan. This sounds like something I should look into.

[Dahila]

I should not have it , eating the way I eat. So much veggies and fruits. She gave me supply for over 6 months 2 pills a week, the name :FeraMax150. I am on it for a month and it must work because I am not dizzy anymore. ;)))

[Perses]

Dear Misti,

I've been on Clonazepam for 18 years. .5mg twice a day. I did go off of klonopin for about 2 months. To be perfectly honest, and this will sound hard to believe, I didn't bother looking into the side effects nor did I know of its addictive qualities. Therefore, when I went off it, and Xanax, I didn't really experience any side-effects. In other words, I didn't know I would have a problem, and, therefore, didn't, except that, as might be expected, I was a bit more anxious. Now, I will say that I did decide to go back on it, but, decided to take .25mgs in the morning and .5 at night.

So, a) you are taking it at a small dose. Generally, people who have trouble, take the doses in much larger quantities, and it is often when they've used it in combination with illegal substances or alcohol. I had no seizures.
b) If you think the drug is contributing to "brain fog" -- and I have to say that I got my PhD on the drug, so I don't view the drug as deleterious to my intellect -- then break the pill in half and take .5 at night. Honestly, I don't think it makes people stupid.

[mistiblue]

Hey guys...thanks for all the replies. I am on day 4 of lowering my dose and feeling okay so far. I have just been cutting about 1/8 of the pill off. Tomorrow night, I am going to try and cut a little more off for a couple days and see how that goes. I will just keep cutting back until I see some sort of withdrawal symptoms. I am praying that I will be one of the lucky ones and can just get off of it.
I have read and talked to many people who say they feel "off" while on Klonopin. I didn't start feeling "dumb" until I got on it, so that is why I thought it might be from the meds.
I also take a blood pressure pill once a day.....
So far, so good. Thanks again for all the support :)

[Dahila]

Really you can quit it now, no side effect , did you read the post above?
The withdrawal with such small doses does not exist, it really is in our head, good luck :)

[EonBlue]

I just stopped taking it. For me I never had issues of addiction or withdrawal. It was a pure dependence on the drug. I just stopped taking it. ....

Like smoking I used to do it but I could just quit, no problem. Maybe I am different. It depends on if you are dealing with addiction/ withdrawal.

[Dahila]

The problem is we are scared of everything to take the meds, to stop the meds.
The world we live in is risky, it is risky to go to McDonald too, you have no idea what you eat. It's better that way. Fear paralyzes us, when we face it, it seems a bit foggy and not scary anymore. Eh the phobias we have.......

[mistiblue]

Thank you for the encouraging replies :)
I think I will just try to wean. Your right Dahila, I am scared and that's why I MUST wean, for my own sanity...lol. I think I will be fine, I am so far. I just read WAY too much!!!

[Dahila]

Thank you for the encouraging replies :)
I think I will just try to wean. Your right Dahila, I am scared and that's why I MUST wean, for my own sanity...lol. I think I will be fine, I am so far. I just read WAY too much!!!
Way to go Mistiblue:))

[mistiblue]

Thank you Dahila! :) still doing good, going on day 6. I have cut down to .75 mg now. I really think I'm going to be okay. There has been one symptom I've noticed and that's SUPER irritable! My poor kids, I gave them a heads up, so they'd know why mommy's so grouchy..lol.
Thanks for the advice and support guys!!

[jessed03]

I know people read these threads later down the line. If anyone's on some high benzo doses, a proven method for safe withdrawal is The Ashton Method... Google it, there's free advice on it. It's worth looking at if you can't see a doctor.

Anyway, down to misti! When I came off pain pills, it made me super emotional. Crying at The Simpsons kinda stuff LOL. Ah med withdraws can toy with the emotions.

At least you saved the grouchiness until after Christmas :D

[jessed03]

Keep on trucking! Hope the rest of withdrawals are pretty easy for you!

[mistiblue]

Just wanted to update y'all. I am still on the weaning journey, but each day that passes I get more symptoms :( My whole body is sore, I keep getting sharp pains throughout my body, and major stomach issues. I am going to do a 3 day detox tomorrow and see if that helps at all.
I was hoping it would be smooth sailing, but I guess that's not gonna happen!!!

[GeneAllen]

Mistiblue,

Effexor XR helped me, not the non XR though. At first it was up to 150 mg a day, now it's 37.5. I did stop that as well for a few years too, but anxiety has come back

up again so I am doing the 37.5 again. All my best, you are making progress even when you see you may need to not taper quite yet. Be proud, you're learning

what you need right now. Peace