Clonazepam 2mg Side Effects

My father has been taking Clonazepam for years. He takes 4mg a night to sleep and he also takes Amitriptyline along with it. About 6 months ago he lost his bottle of Clonazepam and could not get it refilled for another 2 weeks (controlled substance law would not allow it until 30 days from the last refill). After about 5-6 days of cold turkey, he being having high blood pressure, vertigo, clammy skin, numbness in left arm, etc. We thought he was having a stroke. We went to an Urgent Care Clinic and the MD there said he believed it was the withdrawal from the Clonazepam. He prescribed a different Benzodiazepine that he believed would keep him from complete withdrawal and so we all assumed these symptoms would go away. Most of them did ease up, but not 100%. When he restarted the Clonazepam, we just knew the remaining symptoms would go away, as well. We were WRONG!! He now experiences constant vertigo, along with that, he also has been experiencing weight loss, severe depression, and migraines. Has anyone ever experienced something similar to this? What would the suggestions be to help eleviate these symptoms? We are running out of options. He cannot work and is falling deeper in this depression.

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It is is highly probable that not all of the symptoms have been caused from the withdrawal, there may be other reasons for them, seeing as they have no disappeared.

Has he consulted his doctor? He should do so, as soon as possible, to get to the root of the problem and find a proper solution.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Clonazepam/­

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He has been going to the doctor and he has multiple tests, included an MRI and the ear test to see if his crystles were out of place but they have all come back negative for anything and his doctor is just as clueless as we are....I am the one that is doing all of the research and giving suggestions to his doctor. I'm not even quite sure what type of MD would be best for his condition since we're not even sure the root of the problem. I just had a feeling it was because of the Clonazepam since that is when all of these problems started.

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With the type of symptoms he is having, a neurologist would probably be the best doctor you could consult.

They often have more ideas of what can cause these types of problems and they have better knowledge of the solutions than a general practitioner does.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Neurologist/­

The other alternative would be an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist.

Please let me know if there is any other information I can help with.

Does anyone else have any suggestions to add?

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We have seen a Neurologist, he was the one that ordered the MRI and all he told us is "it's Vertigo...it's just got to run it's course". His primary doctor gave him the typical medications for it but all he does is sleep when he takes them and he doesn't like the way he feels when he is takes them. The little hope we did get was from a Neurological Chiropractor who showed us that he knew how to help him...he did a few small exercises that had him standing up without balance issues but he said he could do that with the small fee of $8000!!! We just don't have that kind of money b/c of him not being able to work. If it's not the Clonazepam, I may need to find a different discussion forum to see if anyone else has had this problem before...we are just tired of waiting for this to "run it's course"...we want to make it stop now!!

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I understand your frustration.

How about my other suggestion about possibly trying an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist?

Sometimes the vertigo symptoms can be caused by fluid in the ear, a blockage and other issues. If the test he had wasn't done by a specialist, it may not have picked up on the problem. There is also a type of vestibular neuritis that can be hard to detect, but can cause these types of symptoms.

Other possible causes could be Meniere's Disease, Acoustic Neuroma, Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes complications and quite a few other possibilities.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Vertigo/­

Does anyone else have more ideas?

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yes i have nd a also went into seizures cause i lost mine as well and awful migraines and i was so crabby as well

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IT IS BECAUSE OF THE CLONZAPEM WITHDRAWELS WENT THROUGH THE SAME THING AN BECAME SUICIDAL I WAS CRYING ALL THE TIME

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i also went through a sudden withdrawal and re-started clonazepa. this was 2 years ago and am still having withdrawal symptoms and deep depression. i have seen psychiatrists and they are clueless. i am going to have a seratonin test to see if my seratonin has been depleted from the withdrawal. i am desperate for help.

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I am taking escitalopram 10 mg. once daily along with clonazepam 0.5 mg twice daily initially at the advice of my doctor for last 12 yrs. I was recovering satisfactorily but I stopped abruptly taking the drugs feeling recovered. Within a few days my depression surfaced again and I started taking the drugs again. But in the mean time I developed resistance against clonazepam and was having problem with sleeping. For the last four yrs I started taking 3 mg to 4mg clonazepam daily without advice of my doctor. Last week I stopped taking clonazepam only, not escitalopram. From the next day onwards I couldn't think rationally and coherently, was having panic disorders and was having a feeling of hammering going inside my brain & a burning hot sensation inside my brain. Again I started taking clonazepam(3 to 4mg) and gradually came to my senses. But I always have constant headache whenever I take Clonazepam. I badly need your help in getting rid of this clonazepam addiction completely. Please help. Regards,

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I went through a sudden withdrawal from clonazepam a year ago which almost killed me. I restarted clonazepam but was never right after that. I am experiencing similar symptons including crippling anxiety. I have tried to get help and answers from my gp, psychiatrists, cbt therapy. Nobody knows what i'm talking about and have been unable to get help. I too am desperate with nowhere to turn.

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I was taking 6 milligrams of clonazepam for 16 years. My doctors at the VA decided for me, that I should be on something else, so I wouldn't get addicted. I was so upset and still am. My life was much better with the clonazepam. Now I can't sleep, I have anxiety attacks, and I wake with excruciating pain in my hands. And I have muscle spasms. I am miserable and sometimes contemplate suicide.

I never thought that I would be taken off my clonazepam. I need to find a doctor who will listen to me. I am not drug seeker. I was prescribed the clonazepam after my late husband took me to a doctor outside of the VA. He was so tried of me being up all night worrying about every, and anything that might happen. I have had a very hard life, I was sexually abused, and raped 3 times in my life. I have so much fear of people and certain places that I rarely go outdoors.

So clonazepam was a miracle drug for me. I was able for the first time in my life feel comfortable just enjoying a TV program or something, without freaking out about something. I felt peace for the time. So I don't want to be off my clonazepam. I have never experienced any side effects from it. I want to find a doctor that will listen to me, and prescribe it back to me. I live in Waco TX. If anybody knows of a GP doctor who is compassionate. I would really appreciate your input. Thank you for this blog. This is the first time that I am have found this. I think it wonderful that this is available, weather you are trying get off clonazepam or trying to get on it. It gives people a lot of good information and support.

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Re: Tammy (# 4)

Tammy, this exact thing happened to me. I was on .25 mlg twice a day. I ran out of medicine. I was on a tapering program. I took for one week a stronger longer acting benzo and when I went back to my .25 mlg klonopin I had all the same symptoms. I believe the valium raised the level I was at in my bloodstream so I went up to .50 mlg klonopin twice a day and all the symptoms went away. These medicines are dangerous. Our sensitive bodies don't take long for tolerance withdrawal. A lot of things such as foods and over the counter meds affect your bloodstream level and mostly they're almost impossible to get off of or to find a doctor that knows enough, and is willing to help you get off of them. I've been on a taper from 4mg total and it's taken me 2 years to get down to .25mg. My doctor died and now I'm back to .50 and can't get any help to finish the taper. I'll do anything to get off these. They are causing more problems than they help. These medicines should be used only as needed; after 2-4 weeks dependence begins. I know it was long ago but fill me in on what happened. {edited for privacy}. P.S... hope your dad is well now. If u want to learn about benzos withdrawal look up point of return or Dr ashton.

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Re: sunflower (# 7)

Good call sunflower verwow always sounds like he's reading the b's medical journal

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Re: sabine (# 10)

I believe your experiencing tolerance withdrawal like when an alcoholic quits drinking and stops for a period, then starts up again and feels tolerance right away. Hope you're ok. {edited for privacy}

Bless u

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4mg/day is a LOT. I'm surprised he still has a working memory. That is also a LOT if he doesn't have an emergency backup, which his doc *should* be able to either provide a script for, or if Dad isn't an abuser or suicide risk, maybe just give him a handful to squirrel away for such occasions. Cold turkey benzos aren't just really unpleasant, they can cause seizure, heart attack and stroke in people who already have a predisposition to those. Really, just try to get him down to at least 2m/day or even 1mg/day.

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