Clonazepam withdrawal

Use this section to discuss your experiences with prescription drugs, iron injections, and other medical interventions that involve the introduction of a drug or medicine into the body. Discuss side effects, successes, failures, published research, information about drug trials, and information about new medications being developed.

Important: Posts and information in this section are based on personal experiences and recommendations; they should not be considered a substitute for the advice of a healthcare provider.
maddielouise1
Posts: 61
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 1:26 am

Post by maddielouise1 »

Charlene,

Are you going to talk to your doctor about this worsening in both legs? That really stinks, and I'm sorry to hear it.

I'm with you in that I'm also now at .75 of the Clonazepam. Last night is the first night I really slept at that dosage (only woke once, which I consider a good night). I'm going to try going to .5 on Sunday and see what happens (ugh!). My PDOC thinks I should just can the Mirapex and try Requip, but I guess my neuro. doesn't want to give up on it yet. Don't you hate all the experimentation?

Sincerely,

Maddie

ctravel12
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Post by ctravel12 »

Hi Maddie I saw my neurologist just last Wed and when I told him he suggested maybe upping the dosage but do not want to do that. I would love to get off of mirapex and just take clonazapem but not too sure what would happen.

I can probably take less of the mirapex as he did up it just a small amount since April.

The .75mg of clonazapem is working for me; however I thought that I was sleeping for 5-6 hrs straight but found out that I am not. I wake up alot but have my clock turned around so I do not see the time; however hubby has mentioned a couple of times when I got up as he was just going to bed.

What a vicious circle. I just do not want to start augmenting on mirapex as I did on a requip and it was a nightmare.
Charlene
Taking one day at a time

Rubyslipper
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Post by Rubyslipper »

I have been on 1mg of Klonopin for over 3 years to help me sleep and with the RLS. My new doctor has told me that it will help me get to sleep but then disturbs the sleep patterns so that I am not getting the restful sleep I need. So he is weaning me off of it. Cut in half for ten days, then 1/4 for 10 days then off. I am substituting another med in it's place and right now can't remember what it is!

Anyway, it wasn't too bad at first except for fatigue and small headache. Today I have the shakes (still on the 1/2 dose) and feel really out of it. It is scary as I am at work and feel really strange. I may call doctor to see if this is part of the withdrawal. This is my 10th day, tomorrow I am supposed to cut dosage to 1/4 but don't know if I can handle it.

Sleep isn't too bad so far, except grandbaby has been sick so I've been up with her. Guess I don't really know if my sleep is good or not, come to think of it. :?
You've always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself! (Glinda of Oz)

Scarlett46
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Post by Scarlett46 »

My new doctor has told me that it will help me get to sleep but then disturbs the sleep patterns so that I am not getting the restful sleep I need.


Well, that sort of concerns me... since the whole reason I went to the doctor in the first place was because I was fighting sleep during the day at work.

I do feel like I've been sleeping better since taking Klonopin (.5mg)... at least getting up less often during the night. But I'm not sure it's addressing the RLS at all. I think that I would like to attempt to control the RLS without meds... I can handle the jumpiness (I have all my life).

It's the daytime sleepiness that I'm most concerned about.
"After all... Tomorrow is another day!"

Sojourner
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Joined: Tue Dec 05, 2006 5:56 am
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Post by Sojourner »

M, Sorry for the late reply (computer unavailable). Currently, I am taking neurontin and vicodin as needed. This has been a relatively good regimin for me. Was previously also on Ultram but found that this med exacerbatted my insomnia. Vicodin does this to some extent. Best wishes.

M.
This post simply reflects opinion. Quantities are limited while supplies last. Some assembly required.

ViewsAskew
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Post by ViewsAskew »

Scarlett, this is the problem with many "sleep" meds. They get you to sleep, but they don't promote the same type of sleep we need. Often you spend more time in Stage 2 and less in Stage 3 and 4 - slow wave sleep, and less in Stage 5 - REM.

So, you sleep, but you aren't necessarily refreshed or rested the same as if you'd gotten naturally induced sleep. On the other hand, it's still better than getting really fractured sleep....or no sleep.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

maddielouise1
Posts: 61
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 1:26 am

Post by maddielouise1 »

Well, I tried going to .5 Clonazepam last night and really had a bad night, so I gave in and took another 1/4 tablet. I have a call in to find out if I can stay at .75 because it does help me get restful sleep and at that level I'm not sleepy during the day. I don't really know the overall goal here, but I'm going to find out if she is trying to keep me only on Mirapex and see if that resolves the problem or keep me on a combination. Interestingly, one of the algorithms from the Mayo Clinic recommends the combination of a benzo. and a dopamine agonist, so why are all these doctors taking us off the benzo. I'm confused by that.

ctravel12
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Post by ctravel12 »

Hi Maddie I would not decrease the clonazapem that quick. Like my neurologist took me from 1mg to .75mg and will probably stay there until I see him in three months. This drug needs to be lowered very slowly.

I have been were you were and know what you went through.

I do not like Mirapex as I have symptoms every night for the past two months and am trying to wean myself off. Do not know if this a good idea but am trying to do as little as possible. Ann gave me some good feedback and appreciated that. Like I told her it is a "Catch 22".

I hope that you get a better sleep tonight.
Charlene
Taking one day at a time

maddielouise1
Posts: 61
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 1:26 am

Post by maddielouise1 »

Thank you Charlene,

I'm just amazed by the advice some doctors give. My Psychiatrist told me to just immediately drop down to .5 and then come off of it completely, giving it a about a week at each amount. My neurologist said to also just drop to .5 immediately and I just decided on my own to go to .75 first. I know they must understand the withdrawal from this med! Maybe I expect too much. I honestly do like both of these doctors too.

ctravel12
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Post by ctravel12 »

Oh Maddie I am so glad that you did not listen to them. I can tell from first hand experience to please listen to your gut instinct. You know your body more than anyone else and how it will react.

Good luck to you and glad to hear that you are just going down to .75mg.
Charlene
Taking one day at a time

stitch
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Post by stitch »

Hi Maddie,

I guess I am really different. I know I am wired backwards because what helps make you sleepy bugs me up. But clonazepam has worked for me for years. It was given to me back in 1985 to help me get to sleep and that part worked but later I woke up with RLS.

Later I was given parlodel and everything worked fine. So over the yrs I have been on clonazepam 2 mg's at nite and then dropped down to 1mg and never felt anything. Right now I am taking Mirapex 0.5mg's 3 x's a day and 1mg of clonazepam at nite to sleep and it works great. I also take oxycodone .5mg's 3 x's a day for back pain and 1800mg's of neurontin 600mg's 3 x's a day.

I have told my doctor that I don't plan on going off the clonazepam ever because at my age 72 I feel I need something to help me sleep. But I guess the point I am trying to make is taking 2 or 1mg of clonazepam didn't make me feel different. Dropping from 2 down to 1 I never went through withdrawal. Maybe 1 day I can drop it down to .75 but right now everything is working just fine. If it ant broke don't fix it.

We are all different and what is working for me doesn't mean it will work for you. And if I can take 1mg of clonazepam and sleep and you have trouble dropping from 1 down to 0.5mg then it just shows you how we all react different to meds. Charlene has trouble with mirapex and I love it and it has worked great for me. We are so different. Jeannie/stitch

Aiken
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Post by Aiken »

That's true. Some people can withdraw from benzos with no trouble at all. I don't think there's any way to know which type you are until you try.

I was definitely the "with trouble" type. :)
Disclaimer: I often talk about what I do and what works for me, but these are specific to me and you should always consult a healthcare professional before trying these things yourself, lest you endanger your health or life.

ViewsAskew
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Post by ViewsAskew »

Aiken's point is right on. The statistic I saw was that about 50% have NO difficulty at all. None, nada, zero, zip. The other 50% however, varied from mild problems to huge ones. Like Aiken, I was in the huge side. It truly was one of the worst things I've ever gone through. I had an instant understanding of what it's like for a drug addict (physically, not psychologically) to stop a major addiction.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

SquirmingSusan
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Post by SquirmingSusan »

I'm clearly in the "no problem whatsoever" category. I stopped Valium many times cold turkey when I was taking it 3 times a day for vertigo, just to see if the vertigo returned. If it did, I started taking it again. A couple years ago when I stopped the Valium, the vertigo never returned, so I just stopped taking it.

I've stopped taking Effexor a number of times as well, and Effexor is supposed to have bad discontinuation syndrome. Not much effect there either, except the depression returns eventually and with a vengeance.

I'm not sure that I've ever experienced withdrawal from anything, or had cravings for anything after I quit taking it... I suppose when I quit caffeine years ago I had a headache for a day or two, but not too bad. And I certainly don't get instantly addicted to it if I have a cup of coffee one day.

Weird how we're all so different! Sometimes I think there's a part of my brain missing that connects the substance to the effects of quitting the substance, if that makes any sense.

In fact the only thing I ever really had cravings for was marijuana, which is not supposed to be physically addictive. :wink:
Susan

maddielouise1
Posts: 61
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 1:26 am

Post by maddielouise1 »

Weird how we're all so different! Sometimes I think there's a part of my brain missing that connects the substance to the effects of quitting the substance, if that makes any sense.


You are fortunate that part of your brain might be missing - ha!

Anyway, my neurologist says it's okay to stay at .75 and if I have to go back up to 1 mg. of Clonazepam, because sleep is vital for me. I know it's important for all of us. It's believed that a seizure I had in October was caused by severe sleep deprivation and dehydration. All other tests were normal, so she can really on theorize, and she is a seizure specialist. We do all react differently because I know many people who get much less sleep than I do and didn't react that way.

Sincerely,

Maddie

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