![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by zuzu80 on September 25, 2004, at 12:55:20
Hello everyone,
I been experimenting with Clonazepam for my Social Anxiety and it looks like 1 to 1.5 or even 0.5 mg a day can do wonders to me! However I am worried about the withdrawal when I decide to get off it.
I am considering taking it daily and for a period from 6 months to a year or more. But I get discouraged by the HORROR stories of Clonazepam withdrawal. Is it true that one can never stop taking it ?!
From medical/scientific litterature it looks optimistic. One can discontinue taking it if withdrawal is done VERY gradually. Like going down 0.125 mg every 2-4 weeks. I am prepared for that but not to be forced to continue taking it for the rest of my life (I am just 22).
Please share your experiences and ideas...
Hugs,
Christine
Posted by Emme on September 25, 2004, at 13:10:06
In reply to Clonazepam - Really hard to get off it?, posted by zuzu80 on September 25, 2004, at 12:55:20
Some people have a really terrible time. It's not a given that you will. It wasn't that bad for me. I switched off to Xanax as I did it, so that probably helped. But if I'm not overly anxious, I can get away with skipping xanax, so I don't think xanax discontinuation would be terrible for me.
> Hello everyone,
>
> I been experimenting with Clonazepam for my Social Anxiety and it looks like 1 to 1.5 or even 0.5 mg a day can do wonders to me! However I am worried about the withdrawal when I decide to get off it.
>
> I am considering taking it daily and for a period from 6 months to a year or more. But I get discouraged by the HORROR stories of Clonazepam withdrawal. Is it true that one can never stop taking it ?!
>
> From medical/scientific litterature it looks optimistic. One can discontinue taking it if withdrawal is done VERY gradually. Like going down 0.125 mg every 2-4 weeks. I am prepared for that but not to be forced to continue taking it for the rest of my life (I am just 22).
>
> Please share your experiences and ideas...
>
> Hugs,
> Christine
Posted by yznhymer on September 25, 2004, at 14:17:19
In reply to Clonazepam - Really hard to get off it?, posted by zuzu80 on September 25, 2004, at 12:55:20
Hi there...
Of course I'm just one case, but my clonazepam experiences were very positive. Not only did it work well, but I never had the need to raise my dosage and never experienced any withdrawal symptoms as I went on and off it over the years. In fact, I used it more on an "as needed" basis, though I would take .5mg on a nightly basis to help me stay asleep over a long period of time. In fact, often half of a .5mg pill worked fine a good deal of the time.
About 2 years ago I switched to Ativan just because I would wake up sleepy on the clonazepam. The ativan seemed to leave my system faster. Recently, my new pdoc said he wanted me to ween off the ativan. I just stopped using it with no withdrawal whatsoever.
I guess the only advice I would give you is, if you decide to use it, don't worry about coming off it. Worrying about it now is not gonna make it any easier to come off it when the time comes, and odds are it won't be bad at all. Don't use any more than you need. If I found myself needing more and more of it, I'd be concerned about that.
Mark
> Hello everyone,
>
> I been experimenting with Clonazepam for my Social Anxiety and it looks like 1 to 1.5 or even 0.5 mg a day can do wonders to me! However I am worried about the withdrawal when I decide to get off it.
>
> I am considering taking it daily and for a period from 6 months to a year or more. But I get discouraged by the HORROR stories of Clonazepam withdrawal. Is it true that one can never stop taking it ?!
>
> From medical/scientific litterature it looks optimistic. One can discontinue taking it if withdrawal is done VERY gradually. Like going down 0.125 mg every 2-4 weeks. I am prepared for that but not to be forced to continue taking it for the rest of my life (I am just 22).
>
> Please share your experiences and ideas...
>
> Hugs,
> Christine
Posted by jlbl2l on September 25, 2004, at 14:33:55
In reply to Clonazepam - Really hard to get off it?, posted by zuzu80 on September 25, 2004, at 12:55:20
my experience with klonopin was great while i was on it, for about a year, i had to raise the dose slowly to about 4 mg. i eventually wanted to get off, and i slowly tapered. when i finally went off, i got photophobia, and phonphobia and other werid withdrawl symptoms, and a month later had a grand-mal seizure out of the blue. i fell on concerete unconsious and have had some brain damage from that ever since...
i will never go on a benzos again. i followed all thew precautions and now im messed up. im waitying for pregabalin which looks safer. i do not recomend benzos, i think they are only good for short term and its reckless to be on them long term.
jlbl2l
Posted by yznhymer on September 25, 2004, at 14:51:00
In reply to Clonazepam - Really hard to get off it?, posted by zuzu80 on September 25, 2004, at 12:55:20
Christine,
One other thing, cognitive behavioral therapy can really help with social anxiety. I'd recommend looking into it, especially if you have concerns about meds.
Mark
Posted by zuzu80 on September 25, 2004, at 14:51:11
In reply to Re: Clonazepam - Really hard to get off it? » zuzu80, posted by jlbl2l on September 25, 2004, at 14:33:55
> my experience with klonopin was great while i was on it, for about a year, i had to raise the dose slowly to about 4 mg. i eventually wanted to get off, and i slowly tapered. when i finally went off, i got photophobia, and phonphobia and other werid withdrawl symptoms, and a month later had a grand-mal seizure out of the blue. i fell on concerete unconsious and have had some brain damage from that ever since...
>
> i will never go on a benzos again. i followed all thew precautions and now im messed up. im waitying for pregabalin which looks safer. i do not recomend benzos, i think they are only good for short term and its reckless to be on them long term.
>
> jlbl2lJust wondering, over how long time you spread the taper off? Was it a very slow taper ?
Posted by jlbl2l on September 25, 2004, at 15:54:37
In reply to Re: Clonazepam - Really hard to get off it? » jlbl2l, posted by zuzu80 on September 25, 2004, at 14:51:11
it was 2 months. i went from 4 mg to 3, to 3.5 to 3 to 2.5 to 2 to 1.5 to 1 to .5 (for quite some time) then .25 for quite some time.
maybe im one of the unlucky ones. i can tell you that when i was on it, my life was wonderful. now my life is awful. after the seizure, everything has been so bad. =(
Posted by zuzu80 on September 25, 2004, at 16:02:50
In reply to Re: Clonazepam - Really hard to get off it?, posted by jlbl2l on September 25, 2004, at 15:54:37
Sorry that it went for you that way. But part of the reason for the withdrawal symptoms might be because of the relative fast taper.
In scientific studies with Clonazepam for social anxiety (treatment for only 6 months) such a reduction happened over a 5 month period. And I assume that toward the end reductions of 0.125mg every 2 week had been employed.
I think benzo withdrawal must be done VERY gradually and over long time esp from high doses.
Good luck with the new drug.
Christine
Posted by Gabbix2 on September 25, 2004, at 20:13:57
In reply to Re: Clonazepam - Really hard to get off it? » jlbl2l, posted by zuzu80 on September 25, 2004, at 16:02:50
I found it relatively easy to withdraw from Clonazepam. My Dr. made me go off it cold turkey.
(That of course was mind bogglingly stupid, but that's another story)
Even with that my only problem was insomnia for a couple of weeks.
I was expecting it to be awful, because I'd had a difficult time with ativan withdrawal before
but it was nothing really, and I'd been on it for
A year I think.
Posted by iris2 on September 25, 2004, at 20:53:13
In reply to Clonazepam - Really hard to get off it?, posted by zuzu80 on September 25, 2004, at 12:55:20
I found it easy to go off Klonopin. As I recall I went off it cold turkey, which I would never recommend to anyone. I read the story about the person having a siezure. I think considering that Klonopin is a long acting benzo that that person must have had an extreme sensativity to it. I would say his is the exception and not the rule. Some doctors even suggest taking Klonopin to get off the shorter acting benzo's like xanax.
I hsve not read much horrer stories about getting off of Klonopin. I myself would be more concerned with shorter acting benzo's. But if any of them give you the kind of relif you are talking about I would not hesitate for a scond to take them. Even if you did have a difficult time for a relatively short amount of time getting off of it it seems to me the positive affects you recieved from it would well outway a short lived discomfort. As for having to stay on it forever. I think that is way overworry. Who knows if you do that well on it you may not want to get of the drug!
irene
Posted by jlbl2l on September 26, 2004, at 10:34:47
In reply to Re: Clonazepam - Really hard to get off it? » zuzu80, posted by iris2 on September 25, 2004, at 20:53:13
considering klonopin is an anti seizure medicine, i would be worried. there are plenty of horror stories, search the net.
Posted by Dave001 on September 27, 2004, at 14:13:39
In reply to Clonazepam - Really hard to get off it?, posted by zuzu80 on September 25, 2004, at 12:55:20
> Hello everyone,
>
> I been experimenting with Clonazepam for my Social Anxiety and it looks like 1 to 1.5 or even 0.5 mg a day can do wonders to me! However I am worried about the withdrawal when I decide to get off it.
>
> I am considering taking it daily and for a period from 6 months to a year or more. But I get discouraged by the HORROR stories of Clonazepam withdrawal. Is it true that one can never stop taking it ?!
>
> From medical/scientific litterature it looks optimistic. One can discontinue taking it if withdrawal is done VERY gradually. Like going down 0.125 mg every 2-4 weeks. I am prepared for that but not to be forced to continue taking it for the rest of my life (I am just 22).
>
> Please share your experiences and ideas...
>
> Hugs,
> ChristineHi Christine,
There are horror stories all over the Internet concerning nearly every medication. What you have to keep in mind is that the people who don't experience any dramatic problems discontinuing aren't going to spend time creating anti-drug web sites and complaining endlessly on message boards, so what you are reading is really coming from a very vocal minority. The degree of withdrawal is directly proportional to the rate at which it is withdrawn. I doubt anyone whom has reduced their dosage by 0.01 mg/day has experienced any withdrawal effects. Sure, that's an extreme, but it illustrates my point. It also helps to switch to an equipotent dose of Valium prior to discontinuation, because it is extremely long acting. Some places that cite its duration don't take into account its active metabolite, nordiazepam, which has an even longer half-life than its parent compound.
Dave
Posted by terrics on October 2, 2004, at 20:25:43
In reply to Clonazepam - Really hard to get off it?, posted by zuzu80 on September 25, 2004, at 12:55:20
Hi, I take a really low dose, .05 to .1 max daily adn I have run out and never had a withdrawal problem. I also have heard terrible withdraw problems, Maybe on larger doses??? terrics
Posted by Michael Bell on October 3, 2004, at 19:47:37
In reply to Clonazepam - Really hard to get off it?, posted by zuzu80 on September 25, 2004, at 12:55:20
>
Hi Christine,Like with a lot of things, the difficulty one experiences trying to get off klono varies per individual. According to my doctor, who specializes in anxiety disorders, people who have severe anxiety as their primary dx should actually be less prone to becoming dependent on klono than others. Don't know why this is the case, but this is something I've heard repeatedly before.
Klonopin is NOT addictive, by the way. All addictive drugs share the common trait of stimulating the reward centers in the brain, which klonopin does not do.
I've been taking klonopin for SP for close to two years, and I've never had to go over 1 mg per day. In fact, my dosages have decreased, rather than increased, so that I now take about .5mg every 2 or 3 days. Then again, I also take picamilon and tianeptine, so they may explaint the ability to take infrequent doses.
Hello everyone,
>
> I been experimenting with Clonazepam for my Social Anxiety and it looks like 1 to 1.5 or even 0.5 mg a day can do wonders to me! However I am worried about the withdrawal when I decide to get off it.
>
> I am considering taking it daily and for a period from 6 months to a year or more. But I get discouraged by the HORROR stories of Clonazepam withdrawal. Is it true that one can never stop taking it ?!
>
> From medical/scientific litterature it looks optimistic. One can discontinue taking it if withdrawal is done VERY gradually. Like going down 0.125 mg every 2-4 weeks. I am prepared for that but not to be forced to continue taking it for the rest of my life (I am just 22).
>
> Please share your experiences and ideas...
>
> Hugs,
> Christine
Posted by iris2 on October 3, 2004, at 21:01:36
In reply to Re: Clonazepam - Really hard to get off it? » zuzu80, posted by Michael Bell on October 3, 2004, at 19:47:37
Kind of off the subject but what do you take picamilon for? What type of medication is it? Is the Tianeptine an antideprssant? I actually took it one time but I do not remember if that was what it is supposed to be for?
irene
Posted by olysi79 on October 4, 2004, at 19:33:53
In reply to Re: Clonazepam - Really hard to get off it?, posted by Dave001 on September 27, 2004, at 14:13:39
Hi dave, I agree, a well said and reassuring post.
> Hi Christine,
>
> There are horror stories all over the Internet concerning nearly every medication. What you have to keep in mind is that the people who don't experience any dramatic problems discontinuing aren't going to spend time creating anti-drug web sites and complaining endlessly on message boards, so what you are reading is really coming from a very vocal minority. The degree of withdrawal is directly proportional to the rate at which it is withdrawn. I doubt anyone whom has reduced their dosage by 0.01 mg/day has experienced any withdrawal effects. Sure, that's an extreme, but it illustrates my point. It also helps to switch to an equipotent dose of Valium prior to discontinuation, because it is extremely long acting. Some places that cite its duration don't take into account its active metabolite, nordiazepam, which has an even longer half-life than its parent compound.
>
> Dave
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.