Social Anxiety Support

LEO123 · 11-04-2009, 08:16 PM

Hi to all, hope all is well. I'm currently taking .5 mg of klonopin 2 times a day. I'm thinking of withdrawing from the drug but I would like to know, which are the best options to successfully withdraw from the drug. The medication has work but I see myself needing more in the future and I don't want to go that route because at the end it will be more diffucult to withdraw & add another DILEMA to my situation. It seems I learn more about medications, their pros and cons from the web than from the phyciatric doctors I've had. Anyways, When I google "how to withdraw from Klonopin" the information and guide I get back is a tapering from Klonopin guide with Valium. Unfortunately that's not an option for me because I know my doctor wont prescribe valium. When I first decided to get on a benzo I asked for valium because I heard it was easier to taper off but he prefer to put me on klonopin because it was "less addictive and safer." Anyways, I asked him if I decide to withdraw from Klonopin how he would do it, (just to hear what he would say & how updated he is with benzos withdrawal) He told, he will slowly decrease the dosage every 3 days until I'm completely of the medication. I'm no doctor but I know that's not the best option to successfully withdraw from klonopin. Is there another alternative to successfully withdraw from klonopin besides tapering with valium? If there is an alternative please inform me about it. Your help with be greatly appreciated.

John_in_SF · 11-04-2009, 10:02 PM

Why don't you believe your doctor? Slow tapering is the usual way to get off a med. Using a different med is a last resort. If you think 3 days is too fast ask for a slower pace.

Vini Vidi Vici · 11-05-2009, 01:04 AM

taking Lyrica might make it alot easier to get off the K-Pin. Lyrica works in a completely different way, but it is strongly GABAergic. If you took a low dose of Lyrica, it would enable you to taper faster. Although Lyrica does have withdrawl symptoms, they aren't as bad as benzodiazepine addiction. If you just wanna go of the Klonopin by itself....the best option that i see is to just gradually reduce the dose until you only take 1 pill at night. Klonopin should last all day....and keep reducing the dose every 3-5 days......i stopped Klonopin cold turkey, but i would not recommend that approach. it would probably be wise to get something to help you sleep.....I didn't sleep for about 4 days at least when i stopped xanax, and i had insomnia for 2 months afterward. Seroquel helped me sleep better after stopping xanax

jim_morrison · 11-05-2009, 03:43 AM

I think reducing the dosage by .25 mg every 2 weeks is the usual way it's done. Will probly depend how long youve been on it for. After taking 1 mg for a month, my pdoc was happy for me to take .5/1 mg on alternating days for 8 days then repeat until off completly when I asked how to get off.

LEO123 · 11-10-2009, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John_in_SF

Why don't you believe your doctor? Slow tapering is the usual way to get off a med. Using a different med is a last resort. If you think 3 days is too fast ask for a slower pace.

It's not that I don't believe in him, it's more that from my experience some doctors are not as caution with these kind of medication withdrawal as they should be. I been through hell in the past withdrawing from SSRI's & SNRI's by going by the doctors recommendations. I know that using a different medication to counteract a bad withdrawal isn't the best option, that's why I asked on here if there's another method than the common method thats online, which is tapering of klonopin with valium.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vini Vidi Vici

taking Lyrica might make it alot easier to get off the K-Pin. Lyrica works in a completely different way, but it is strongly GABAergic. If you took a low dose of Lyrica, it would enable you to taper faster. Although Lyrica does have withdrawl symptoms, they aren't as bad as benzodiazepine addiction. If you just wanna go of the Klonopin by itself....the best option that i see is to just gradually reduce the dose until you only take 1 pill at night. Klonopin should last all day....and keep reducing the dose every 3-5 days......i stopped Klonopin cold turkey, but i would not recommend that approach. it would probably be wise to get something to help you sleep.....I didn't sleep for about 4 days at least when i stopped xanax, and i had insomnia for 2 months afterward. Seroquel helped me sleep better after stopping xanax

Thanks for your input. I'll look into that. Believe me I don't want to do it cold turkey, I been through that with ssri's & snri's and it was hell. I Imagine with klonopin it can be worst. I just want to know which was the best option from people that successfully withdraw from klonopin

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim_morrison

I think reducing the dosage by .25 mg every 2 weeks is the usual way it's done. Will probly depend how long youve been on it for. After taking 1 mg for a month, my pdoc was happy for me to take .5/1 mg on alternating days for 8 days then repeat until off completly when I asked how to get off.

I been on it for about 4 month. Thanks for your input. It sounds better than decreasing the dosage every 3 days to me.

Everyone that replied to this topic thanks for your inputs.

Vini Vidi Vici · 11-10-2009, 09:57 PM

yeah if you do it slowly enough and are aware of the mental effects of withdrawl, its really a ton easier than doing it cold turkey. the first time i experienced it, i had no idea what withdrawl was...such a weird feeling. but i was ok once i figured it out that i wasn't dying.

pretty much anything that raises GABA levels in the brain could help with withdrawal (some of these havent been tested but would theoretically help.....Lyrica, Carbamazepine, Topamax, sodium valproate*, ...Kava Kava and Niacinamide could also help too, but they can very rarely cause liver damage.

*this might cause elevated ammonia levels in the brain/body, which can cause alot of problems.

jim_morrison · 11-11-2009, 04:36 AM

Your best bet is to just taper down really slowly, take your time and you'll be ok.

Positive · 11-11-2009, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LEO123

Hi to all, hope all is well. I'm currently taking .5 mg of klonopin 2 times a day. I'm thinking of withdrawing from the drug but I would like to know, which are the best options to successfully withdraw from the drug. The medication has work but I see myself needing more in the future and I don't want to go that route because at the end it will be more diffucult to withdraw & add another DILEMA to my situation. It seems I learn more about medications, their pros and cons from the web than from the phyciatric doctors I've had. Anyways, When I google "how to withdraw from Klonopin" the information and guide I get back is a tapering from Klonopin guide with Valium. Unfortunately that's not an option for me because I know my doctor wont prescribe valium. When I first decided to get on a benzo I asked for valium because I heard it was easier to taper off but he prefer to put me on klonopin because it was "less addictive and safer." Anyways, I asked him if I decide to withdraw from Klonopin how he would do it, (just to hear what he would say & how updated he is with benzos withdrawal) He told, he will slowly decrease the dosage every 3 days until I'm completely of the medication. I'm no doctor but I know that's not the best option to successfully withdraw from klonopin. Is there another alternative to successfully withdraw from klonopin besides tapering with valium? If there is an alternative please inform me about it. Your help with be greatly appreciated.

What are withdrawal symptoms?

11-04-2009, 08:16 PM	#1 (permalink)
LEO123 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 24	Is there a alternative to withdraw from klonopin besides tapering off it with valium? Hi to all, hope all is well. I'm currently taking .5 mg of klonopin 2 times a day. I'm thinking of withdrawing from the drug but I would like to know, which are the best options to successfully withdraw from the drug. The medication has work but I see myself needing more in the future and I don't want to go that route because at the end it will be more diffucult to withdraw & add another DILEMA to my situation. It seems I learn more about medications, their pros and cons from the web than from the phyciatric doctors I've had. Anyways, When I google "how to withdraw from Klonopin" the information and guide I get back is a tapering from Klonopin guide with Valium. Unfortunately that's not an option for me because I know my doctor wont prescribe valium. When I first decided to get on a benzo I asked for valium because I heard it was easier to taper off but he prefer to put me on klonopin because it was "less addictive and safer." Anyways, I asked him if I decide to withdraw from Klonopin how he would do it, (just to hear what he would say & how updated he is with benzos withdrawal) He told, he will slowly decrease the dosage every 3 days until I'm completely of the medication. I'm no doctor but I know that's not the best option to successfully withdraw from klonopin. Is there another alternative to successfully withdraw from klonopin besides tapering with valium? If there is an alternative please inform me about it. Your help with be greatly appreciated.

11-05-2009, 01:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
Vini Vidi Vici Status: altruistic philanthropist Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Minnesota Gender: Male Age: 18 Posts: 289	taking Lyrica might make it alot easier to get off the K-Pin. Lyrica works in a completely different way, but it is strongly GABAergic. If you took a low dose of Lyrica, it would enable you to taper faster. Although Lyrica does have withdrawl symptoms, they aren't as bad as benzodiazepine addiction. If you just wanna go of the Klonopin by itself....the best option that i see is to just gradually reduce the dose until you only take 1 pill at night. Klonopin should last all day....and keep reducing the dose every 3-5 days......i stopped Klonopin cold turkey, but i would not recommend that approach. it would probably be wise to get something to help you sleep.....I didn't sleep for about 4 days at least when i stopped xanax, and i had insomnia for 2 months afterward. Seroquel helped me sleep better after stopping xanax __________________ Please don't take or trust any medical advice from me...Consult a perffessional. meds taken for extended period of time: zyprexa, zoloft, risperdal, klonopin, temazepam, xanax, agomelatine, ambien, adderall, metadate, EMSAM, selegiline, paxil, lexapro, wellbutrin, seroquel, trazodone, clonidine, tramadol, remeron, vyvanse, concerta, Lunesta, Parnate. Current Meds: Parnate 30 mg, Diagnoses- Major Depression, OCD, Social Anxiety, GAD

11-05-2009, 03:43 AM	#4 (permalink)
jim_morrison Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Australia Gender: Male Age: 23 Posts: 1,027	I think reducing the dosage by .25 mg every 2 weeks is the usual way it's done. Will probly depend how long youve been on it for. After taking 1 mg for a month, my pdoc was happy for me to take .5/1 mg on alternating days for 8 days then repeat until off completly when I asked how to get off. __________________ Warning: I am not a trained medical professional. Any information provided by me is based on my own personal experiences and research and is not intended to be used as professional medical advice. Please contact a medical professional before taking any action that may be discussed on this board.

11-10-2009, 09:57 PM	#6 (permalink)
Vini Vidi Vici Status: altruistic philanthropist Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Minnesota Gender: Male Age: 18 Posts: 289	yeah if you do it slowly enough and are aware of the mental effects of withdrawl, its really a ton easier than doing it cold turkey. the first time i experienced it, i had no idea what withdrawl was...such a weird feeling. but i was ok once i figured it out that i wasn't dying. pretty much anything that raises GABA levels in the brain could help with withdrawal (some of these havent been tested but would theoretically help.....Lyrica, Carbamazepine, Topamax, sodium valproate, ...Kava Kava and Niacinamide could also help too, but they can very rarely cause liver damage. this might cause elevated ammonia levels in the brain/body, which can cause alot of problems. __________________ Please don't take or trust any medical advice from me...Consult a perffessional. meds taken for extended period of time: zyprexa, zoloft, risperdal, klonopin, temazepam, xanax, agomelatine, ambien, adderall, metadate, EMSAM, selegiline, paxil, lexapro, wellbutrin, seroquel, trazodone, clonidine, tramadol, remeron, vyvanse, concerta, Lunesta, Parnate. Current Meds: Parnate 30 mg, Diagnoses- Major Depression, OCD, Social Anxiety, GAD

11-11-2009, 04:36 AM	#7 (permalink)
jim_morrison Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Australia Gender: Male Age: 23 Posts: 1,027	Your best bet is to just taper down really slowly, take your time and you'll be ok. __________________ Warning: I am not a trained medical professional. Any information provided by me is based on my own personal experiences and research and is not intended to be used as professional medical advice. Please contact a medical professional before taking any action that may be discussed on this board.

11-04-2009, 10:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
John_in_SF Status: Good grief Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: San Francisco, California Gender: Male Posts: 261	Why don't you believe your doctor? Slow tapering is the usual way to get off a med. Using a different med is a last resort. If you think 3 days is too fast ask for a slower pace.