Klonopin How To Wean Off?

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How long can a person take this medication? I've been taking this drug for 3 years for anxiety. If I run out of this medication I panic. I don't believe I am addicted to this drug even though it can become an addiction. I want to get off of this medication so bad. I see and feel different things, such as behavior and mood swings while being on this medication. Even though it helps me with my attacks. I fear this medication has taken over me in some ways. It makes me see things, heart palpitations, forget things etc. Without it I feel at times that I am having a heart attack or something. I've been to the E.R. more times than you can imagine and I'm only 35 years old. I want help getting off this medication Klonopin. I understand that you cannot just stop taking this medicine suddenly, you have to be weaned off, but how? I've tried. Any suggestions or advice?

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My mother is in Detox at the hospital right now coming down off of Clonazempam. It is not an easy drug and you may need some medical help. My mom's had the shakes really bad, headaches, anxiety, high blood pressure. The hospital can monitor this and help.

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2

Yes, while what you are facing is not considered addiction, it can stil be just as bad to try to stop. What you have is called dependence, an addict abuses a drug, they can't live without it, they continue to take more and more, because they enjoy the high effects they get from them, and as their body adjusts to a dose so those side effects wear off, they have to keep upping their dose to get those feelings. They are usually out of meds way before they should be and are scrambling to find ways to get their next fix.

A person who is dependent on a med, doesn't do that, their bodies are just used to taking their regular dosage, for whatever length of time they have been on it.

Even though you don't abuse the drug, your body still gets used to it, our bodies can get used to, and dependent upon anything you use, eat, or drink regularly for a long period of time, from your morning glass of orange juice, to your nightly snack of cheese and fruit.

And you will suffer some problems and adverse effects anytime you abruptly cut off any of them, so it is always best to be careful about it.

You will probably need to do a slow taper, so it is best to talk to your doctor, they will know the easiest way for you to do it, and avoid experiencing the worst of the effects from stopping.

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3

I was prescribed all kinds of pills at one point. Seroquel, Geodon, a few I can't remember and being a past drug abuser I always felt the doctors weren't giving me the proper scipt for my problem. I finally went back to my old ways of self medicating bacause I just got tired of all the crap involved with the docs. I started taking kaladopins because they made me feel the way I thought I should feel. GOOD. I don't abuse them I take 1 2mg pill in the morning sometimes if I feel real anxious I'll take 1 & 1/2 but nothing to where I really feel any different UNLESS I don't take anything at all. Then I feel like the world is collapsing around me and I honestly cannot deal. I will just sit and stair at the ground or if I have to go get the pills I try to hide myself in the car and go get them. So apparently I have a problem because I can't get a perscription for them and I feel I need them. How does a past drug abuser tell a doctor that he isn't abusing a drug he's not prescribed but he needs them? Oh and to boot that I've been told that the long term effects are cramped muscles, uncontrolable jaw twitches and various other fun sounding HELLS. Is this true or is this person talking out the side of there neck like they usually do? Please help. . .To quote someone I never thought I would have to but I'm starting to think I wanna a new drug. Huey Lewis . I must be sick if I am quoting him.

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4

I am sorry to say it, but it really sounds like you do have a problem. Regardless of your reasoning, if you are taking something that isn't prescribed for you, then you are once again abusing drugs.

There are reasons your doctors didn't presribe it, and no one should be taking a drug just because they think it makes them feel the way they should. That is not what drugs are used for, and no one should rely on drugs, prescription or otherwise, in order to feel normal and deal with life.

You really need to speak with a counselor or someone that can help you, there are other ways to cope and deal with life.

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5

have parkinsons disease and was prescribed clonazapan. i feel it has altered my emotions in many ways, including creating anxiety, paranoia and aggression. has anybody else felt any of these emotional side effects?

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6

Dude ive been diagnosed with schizophrenia..i know all about this drug. you want to know how i was able to stop taking it??
i told my self to stop being a pussy and take a pill every time something little happens. then i grabbed a 6 pack and started drinking.so now i drink a couple of beers to realax. you know the best thing about being able to relax with beer .. you dont need no dam docter to give you a perscription. and dude youll never run out of beer lol peace out and chill out later

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7

another thing about addiction. you know that if you stop taking your medication.then only take it when you freak out or rally need it...they like to call that addictive behavior.is that a load of s or what.

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8

s*** i think xanex is harder to come down off of than clonzap.but maybe thats just differnt for every one.

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9

If you are still alive and not in a Rehab clinic, you should absolutely discontinue use of Clonazepam and perhaps file a mal-practice suit against the prescribing doctor. This is a Schedule IV controlled substance but is much more dangerous than led on. I've never heard of doctors prescribing any form of benzodiazepine for years at a time. It is highly addictive like Xanax and should be taken for as long as you have. You are absolutely having withdrawal effects when you do not have it.

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10

Okay, that post sounded scary and perhaps overboard. A mal-practice suit may not be in order, but you should ween yourself off of this medication as soon as possible.

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11

There is an interesting comparison between dependence and addiction, I too, ike whoever else it was posted believe that there is a vast difference between the two. I was for a long time dependent on Xanax. But how do you call it addiction when I could drop it at a whim and have no side effects and not miss it? Yet I definitely was dependent on it for those occassional panic attacks.

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12

Ive been on Klonapin for 6 years now for restless leg syndrom and anxiety. i too want off this drug and have tryed to be weened off and cannot get off. i sound like you for the fact that im not mentally addicted to it, but when i dont have it in my system im dizzy, confused and shake. its a terrable feeling. ive tryed many drugs pres. by the doc to get me off and i cant. i forget a lot of things also and im starting to feel like im losing my mind. not all the way. lol

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13

I agree with the fact that you have withdrawal symtoms when you do not have it. my husband was on rivitrol-as we in South Africa know it, for 4,5 months. he went cold turkey-not weening off- because he was on a constant confusion-anxiety-losing his mind-state! going cold turkey gave him heart palpitations, more anxiety, tinnitus, confusion, cramping legs, etc. After 2 months he went back on Serlife- for 1 month, and then Seroqual- for only 1 week. What a disaster! In August 2007 he went cold turkey on that too, and then all hell broke loose. I thought I was loosing my husband because of all the withdrawal symptoms. In 2 weeks he will be OFF ALL Benzo's for 10 months!! And off alcohol and sigarettes for 13 months! And still battling with joint pains, heart palpitations and confusion at times. But at least FREE! But please do not try go cold turkey if you do not have the support of someone who will stick to you night and day. he did not want to ween, because that would have taken another 3 to 6 months. It differs from 1 person to the other, but even though very dangerous, we made it!! It is better for him now because he sorted out the things that made him anxious, and he is constantly teaching his brain to handle stress-without taking tablets! Blessings to all of you!

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14

I think everyone has a very different experience with this medication. You seem to have developed an addiction and I wish you the best of luck with doctor's and therapy to help you overcome this dangerous drug. Personally, I have not developed an addiction to it but I have developed a tolerance. I will not sepcify the amount I take some days but I can tall you that there are many days I do not even take Klonapin. I have been on it for 6 months. I've gone through Celexa, Lexapro and Zoloft, the latter staying on for 8 months and going up tp 100MG w/o success. The previous two had immediate and extreme negative side effects. The only recomendation I can make is to go to Walmart and get the paperback copy of Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now (about $8) and read a chapter before bed time. It has helped me more than any other drug or therapist. I have read and re-read his books and I always feel much better, clamer, less anxious, more positive and stronger. When I put them aside I find myself slipping and having increased anxiety and taking Klonapin to make the world go away, which is no way to live. So if you need something on a regular basis, I believe a one time investment in The Power of Now is a viable solution. Good luck.

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15

Sorry for the grammatical error on doctor's and typo on specify. I also suffer from insomnia and I haven't slept a full night for going on 4 days. Again, good luck with however you choose to handle your situation.

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16

Well I think everyone whom needs to take klonipin has there own reasons. I would talk with your doctor to see what is your best treatment options. If you need the medication then so be it. It is your life, and your mental health. If you had heart disease and required a certain medication to live,I would think you would take it. No different having a mental ailement and require medication.

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17

Back in 1987 my doctor put me on xanax & in 2002 I took it upon myself to stop taking it trying to wean myself without asking the doctor & within a week I had a seizure, I will never stop taking any medicine unless I talk to the doctor first, I remeber the withdrawl when I was doing it on my own & it was awful-I would tell anyone taking any med--please tell your doctor before trying it on your own,if my son wasn't there I could have really gotten hurt, I don't remember anything until I got to the hospital & they kept asking me all kinds of question, my son said they asked me what year it was & I told them 85. He was only 16 when this happen but he brings it up still from time to time cause he thought I was dying ! Don't put yourself or a loved one through this-when a medicine says do not stop taking without first talking to your Dr-listen to it or what happen to me can happen to you also. & I have never had a seizure before that & thank God I have never had one again.

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18

Anxiety and depression are a couple of old dudes that seem to have been following me all my life. They only crop up after a major illness or accident but I have gotten to know them well. I'm one of these guys you don't hear much about who wakes up in surgery. The loss of control and helplesness trigger a sort of post traumatic disorder that always takes its toll. I can tell you the classic symptoms I am familiar with are: fear of the drugs you are taking because you always fixate on the bad side effects you hear about, adopting a victims mentality to the point of letting the disease control your life; fear of doing things you think will trigger episodes, the manifestation of physical symptoms such as being aware of your heartbeat, shortness of breath, all kinds of pains and running to the ER or your doctor's office. I have taken Klonapin for years and find that I easily went to less than 1/2 the dose the doctor prescribed. It works as well for me now as in the beginning. The doctor that first prescribed it did so because of the side effect of sleepiness. When I have episodes of PSD insomnia is my major enemy. Klonapin has and continues to work well for me with infrequent episodes of vivid dreams. I have found these a worthwhile trade for the regular sleep. I am over 65 and have become addicted, in a physiological sense, to a number of drugs over the years but have found overcoming this when the need for treatment of the condition I begin to take them for was past was not nearly as bad as putting up with the condition I begin the drug for. My best advice is find a doctor you feel you can trust, do things to take control of your life no matter how small to start and try to have faith that nothing lasts forever.

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19

klonopin is a half life drug its a little mellower than zanax or valium but it stays in your system longer. its just as effective as the other benzos and also its used to help people come off xanax and valium.of all the benzos klonopin also is best for not getting nightmares as well. as oppsed to xanax which kiks in 5minutes klonopin takes a little longer to kick in but it releases a steady dose to your body so it stays in longer. and it really is your best option for anxiety for the long hall.it comes in 1 and 2 milligrams good luck to anyone out there email me and let me know how it works for u the withdrawls are also much lighter than xanax valium and also ativan. peace. matty m delray beach fl

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20

At one time I was taking up to 15-20 mg's a day of Xanax. Detox from alprazolam is the most difficult detox I have ever experienced.....delusions, paranoia, no sleep for days ect. ect. I could go on and on. It is more difficult in my opinion than detoxing from Methadone and that itself is another story. Benzo's create more problems than opiates where detox is concerned. Good Luck....

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My Doctor just took me off klonopin cold turkey after 14 years. I in my second month coming off and still feel terrible. Don't know any Dr iin this small town where I live Florence SC. If someone has any Dr. they know or idea I would appreciate it. Thank You God Bless
I

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