Sudden Withdrawal From Clonazepam (Top voted first)

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is anyone still having symptoms from a sudden clonazepam withdrawal. could you get any help?

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10

In 2000 a VA psychiatrist put me on clonazepam for anxiety. I asked if it was addictive. He said no. Wrong. I also was a long time user of prescribed hydrocodone for chronic pain. In 2009 I was sent to see a VA pain doctor. All he did was to cancel both drugs with a few key strokes. I still don't know how one doctor can cancel the prescriptions of other doctors. Nine days after I ran out of the clonazepam I had to call 911 I was so sick. I was taken to an ER where a nurse told me, "we almost lost you." They corrected the situation by giving me the drug and sent me home with a small amount. This drug is deceptive in that what looks like a low dose, eg., 2mg is equal to or higher than another benzo at, say 20 mg. I went to see a civilian doctor who put me back on it and said I may have to take it for the remainder of my life. I am now 70. I recently bought a book, "The Ashton Manual." written by a British doctor specializing in benzodiazepines. She advocates that the patient must be in control of his/her withdrawal taper program, saying most doctors have little knowledge and experience in this area. I know I am in constant withdrawal because of the tolerance my body has developed over these long years of use. I know first hand that sudden stoppage can be deadly. And too, for me, I can forget to take mine and go several days with no side effects. It isn't like an addiction to pain meds. You know when you miss a dose of them. Several times I took myself off hydrocodone for a couple of years at a time. But due to my back pain always had to start up again. I've been of pain pills for three years this time with no withdrawal beyond the first month or so. Not so with the Clonazepam. It's a bad one. Good luck to others and do well my friends. Remember too, doctors can be killers too.

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6

side effects from clonazepam are benign. coming off it may land you in the e.r. again. beware, withdrawal effects can be fatal

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8

never took it for anxiety, but after withdrawal anxiety has become crippling

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14

Klonopin is a SEIZURE MEDICATION and it will mess with your brain. If you take it for anxiety or anything besides seizures you run the risk of brain function malfunction. I take it for seizures and it works fine for me BUT sudden withdrawl will throw my heart into a tizzy and I will be agitated and nervous to the point where I am bedridden not to say that seizure activity begins again. I have taken this for over 20 years and it is habit forming. You will need professional help to get off of it.

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1

Pretty much everyone who stops this drug abruptly without weaning off, is bound to experience some sort of withdrawal symptoms. A sudden withdrawal also carries the risk of seizures. In my opinion, the best way to avoid this situation would be to talk to your doctor about setting up a tapering schedule and following that for however long it takes to safely stop using it without any repercussions.

So to answer your question, yes, you can seek help from your doctor in so far as having him or her write a new script for you at a lesser dosage. Withdrawal symptoms can last weeks or even months for some people, so I think the sooner you're able to take action with your doctor the better.

I hope this helps!

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2

i went through a sudden, very traumatic withdrawal 2 years ago. i had to start taking clonazepam again to stop the withdrawal but have never recovered fully. i still have some withdrawal symptoms and my brain is damaged. has this happened to anyone else? should i see a neurologist?

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3

How is your Brain damaged? I almost died like you, but did rebound.

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4

somebody suggested brain damage, but probably psychological.

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5

Remember the Neurologist is just going to order tons of costly tests. Sure you could have done some damage that is more than just psychological. I am wondering why I am even considering making a switch to this medicine from Alprazolam? The last time I attempted a change I wound up in the E.R.

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7

I'm not worried this time because I have a bunch of Xanax. When you are sitting at home dying from a withdrawal, it is most noticeable. Not like all of a sudden you stroke out. Does Klonopin come on as quickly and control anxiety well?

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9

Clonazepam is, as you all know, a member of the benzodiazepine family of drugs, which include Valium and Xanax. Withdrawal from any benzodiazepine is likely when stopped abruptly. The Intensity of withdrawal isymptoms are often, but not always, related to the dose used and the length of time the drug is used. Severe symptoms include seizures, hallucinations, and temporary psychosis. Stopping any benzodiazepine should be done under medical supervision using a gradual taper. Sometimes this will prevent symptoms or at least minimize them.

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11

Thank you so much for your post. it was my then GP who almost killed me and left me to figure out what to do with no help. I started taking Clonazepam again and am still on it. I am too terrified to come off it. I was never right after that withdrawal and have been trying to get questions answered from doctors, psychiatrists, therapists. They are all clueless. You have answered those questions. Thank you.

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12

Dear Sabine, as I said below, a 2mg clonazepam (the largest size made) is equal to a 20mg diazepam. With such a small tablet as a 1mg or 2mg clonazepam tapering off can be tricky. About the best you can do is quarter a whole tablet. I've given this a lot of thought and come up with an idea that requires a razor blade and a very precise scale. When I get to a point with little stress in my life I plan to taper off this way:

Using the razor blade remove a small amount of the tablet and weigh the shavings. I'll record this amount in a journal with date and time. Wait a week and repeat the process by shaving off just a bit more.

You can see this is going to take a long time. I read one man's account that took him two years to get off the clonazepam. As I said before, I am 70 and have been on the drug for 13 years. My short term memory is just about wiped out. I doubt that I'll return to normal.

Nouns are the hardest to recall. I can picture an orange in my mind but can't say the word. Or I'll be talking with someone and stop in mid sentence because I can't remember what I was going to say. This is frustrating because the other person will think they know what I was going to say and start talking for me. Usually that person gets it wrong. Their words only make me more forgetful. Hope this can help. The Captain

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13

my memory is the same. been on it for 5 years. I think the damage caused from a withdrawal, however slowly, is worse than staying on it. read a lot of conflicting stories. can't make a decision.

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15

I've been on Clonazepam 1mg twice a day for 8-10 yrs or so. Recently, a year and a half ago, i had my dr put me on neurontin but he said he had to cut my Clonazepam to 1mg a day. I adjusted fine to that but I have found I have low dose benzodiazapine withdrawal syndrome if I stop taking it by tapering. I still feel sick after so I always start taking again. I had a seizure yrs ago from WD'S from a 5-8 Xanax bar a day habit so after that I decided to just take my Clonazepam as prescribed. If I stop taking them at any point, WD's aren't far behind. I get all self conscious and weird now off Clonazepam so I'm scared to live without them now, in fact, I refuse to stop now that it's been so long my brain just doesn't work without them. Neurontin WD'S are no joke either! But, if I take my meds like I'm supposed to, which I am, I feel normal, productive and I see no reason to discontinue either med. God forbid a disaster happens and I can't get my medications, Lol, I'll be screwed royally. I am content as long as I take my meds as prescribed.

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16

You did not say the manufacturer. I started having anxiety and panic attacks simply because the yellow .5 Sandoz brand had something wrong with them. If I broke a 1 mg in half, I did not experience the heat flush through my body and did not get the feeling of needles pricking my skin. If a person can tolerate a low say 10 mg of Paxil or 50 mg of Zoloft it makes cutting down Klonopin and Xanax a whole lot easier.

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