Brand name Klonopin sudden withdrawal symptoms

Hi. I'm hoping someone out there might be experiencing the same thing as me with the brand name Klonopin. I have been taking brand name Klonopin for about 8 years. I take 1 3/4 of 1mg before bedtime. I eliminated the early day dose long ago. I've been holding at 1 3/4's for the longest time and every time I try to cut down my dose, even just by a sliver, I begin to have severe issues with sleep. None of the Dr's I've seen have answers as to how to taper. Most have never hear of the Ashton method. So, I try to cut a little down myself, but usually hit a wall due to the severe insomnia.

My problem at the moment is since my refill the beginning of last month, I started having issues with my sleep at my regular dose. Waking up multiple time, profuse sweating, just overall getting very little sleep. I went to the ER after a few weeks as the lack of sleep was wearing on me, the Dr. told suggested taking the 2 full 1 mg pills until my upcoming appt with my Dr. Which I did and am still having the same issues with sleep, so 2mgs is not helping. I have contacted the manufacturer of Klonopin as I feel there is either something different with the medication or something is going on with me. My gut tells me it's the medication because the problems began shortly after the refill and still continues after this months refill. The reason I am on the name brand is for this exact issue, when I took the generic some months I would be fine, some months I would have severe sleeping issues. My Dr. told me generics can be stronger or weaker and the only way to truly know if my issues with the med are caused by the variation in generics would be to take the name brand. As soon as I started taking the name brand, I have been stable at the same dose, and have managed to taper to 1 and 3/4 but cannot seem to get myself lower than that. I don't want to take this med, I'm tired of my body being physically dependent on it, and having to pay so much for it. I'm not sure if anyone else has experienced this recently with the name brand Klonopin. But it would be nice to know I'm not the only one. I am dreading my Dr's appt because I am fearful he will try to change my medication, to what, I really don't know. I don't know of anything that is longer acting other than valium, and I don't want to take that as it makes me feel drugged (had to take it once before a root canal, and Klonopin does not make me tired or feel "drugged" at all) I was hoping to taper down this summer as I am usually more active and out and about and my usual low vitamin D levels go up as I'm in the sun a lot. So, it would be an ideal time to taper. I just feel like I'm taking a step backward when I really want to begin to get off this medication. At first the medication literally saved my life, however I had no idea I'd be on it this long and how difficult it would be to stop taking it.

Any feedback would be appreciated!

Hello Hamilton1622 Welcome to benzobuddies.

I’m glad you’re here with us.  I can’t help you with your question about the Klonopin brand but I am sure members who can help you, will post.  You are making a great decision to taper off. Slow is the best way.  Not everyone crosses to diazepam, many do a simple taper from Klonopin, some use titration method.  You’ve joined a wonderful supportive community, who will help and encourage you along the way.  You will get some symptoms, that’s normal, just keep in mind they are temporary.  Please look around the forum, post questions for members to respond.

The general rule of thumb is reducing between 5/10% every 10/14 days, this is too quick for some of us. taper at a rate you are comfortable with, always

important to listen to your body and adjust the reduction accordingly. 

I am glad you are familiar with the Ashton Manual  I found it reassuring, reading about the temporary withdrawal symptoms, this section took a lot of fear away for me. CHAPTER III

Here are a few links to resources:

The Ashton Manual 

Colorado Consortium Benzodiazepine Deprescribing Guidelines

Planning Your Withdrawal (Taper)

If you would like to add a signature (history of meds/doses etc) it will help members give you relevant advice.  Go to the top of the page and select PROFILE then choose forum profile then insert drug history into the text box and remember to click change profile

Welcome Aboard

Magrita

Do the tablets from your your latest refill have the imprint ‘ROCHE’ on the side with the score line or not?

If you have tablets from previous refills, do they have the imprint ‘ROCHE’ or not?

Hello Margarita.

Thank you so much for the kind welcome:)

I read your reply and appreciate the additional information and reassurance. I realize after skimming through the withdrawal posts, I am not alone with the awful withdrawal symptoms.

I'm just so confused why my dose suddenly not working for me, I feel like I do when I've done a taper except I didn't taper, and I've actually increased my dose as per the emergency room Dr's suggestion and am still having terrible sleeping issues, and breaking out in major sweats when I awake. I do see my Dr. tommorrow. So, I hope to have some answers then. I feel like if I'm not sleeping with 2 mgs, I might as well go back to taking what I was, 1 3/4 and at least not be increasing the medication.

Again, thank you so much for the warm welcome!

Hello Libertas,

Thank you for the reply! The way I cut my pill, I can't see wether or not it says Roche or not. I can see on my current pills, the number 1 on top, then Klonopin on the bottom.

I checked my old pill bottles and it looks like I haven't had ROCHE since early 2022. All of the other bottles from early 2022-current say either GENENTECH or H2 Pharma.

Also, I am new here, am I responding correctly, or is there another way to reply to messages directly to the responses. Thank you!

 

Also, I am new here, am I responding correctly, or is there another way to reply to messages directly to the responses. Thank you!

Hi Hamilton

You're doing great! If you want to reply to someone specific, then you can hit the "quote" button at the top of their post. It will then open the reply box with their response in it, and you can reply to their message like I'm doing to yours.

My problem at the moment is since my refill the beginning of last month, I started having issues with my sleep at my regular dose.

When you got your refill last month, did you use the same brand as before i.e. either generic or brand name as the one you've been using the month prior?

Hello Hamilton1622.

You are responding exactly the right way!

The reason I asked about the imprint was to determine if you might have experienced a switch from Klonopin manufactured by Genentech/Roche to Klonopin manufactured by H2 Pharma/Cheplapharm.

Based on what you’ve shared (great detective work on your part btw), you have been using the H2 Pharma tablets for a while so we can rule out a manufacturer switch as the source of your issues. 

In case you’re interested …

Cheplapharma (a global specialty pharmaceutical company headquartered in Germany) acquired the rights to Rivotril® (Klonopin® in the US) from Roche in January 2021.  Prior to the acquisition, Klonopin was manufactured in the US by Genentech, a subsidiary of Roche.  After the acquisition, the US manufacturer changed to H2 Pharma.  H2 Pharma is using the original Roche formulation — the only difference is that the name ‘Roche’ is no longer imprinted on the tablets.

Hello Hamilton1622.

 

You are responding exactly the right way!

 

The reason I asked about the imprint was to determine if you might have experienced a switch from Klonopin manufactured by Genentech/Roche to Klonopin manufactured by H2 Pharma/Cheplapharm.

 

Based on what you’ve shared (great detective work on your part btw), you have been using the H2 Pharma tablets for a while so we can rule out a manufacturer switch as the source of your issues. 

 

In case you’re interested …

 

Cheplapharma (a global specialty pharmaceutical company headquartered in Germany) acquired the rights to Rivotril® (Klonopin® in the US) from Roche in January 2021.  Prior to the acquisition, Klonopin was manufactured in the US by Genentech, a subsidiary of Roche.  After the acquisition, the US manufacturer changed to H2 Pharma.  H2 Pharma is using the original Roche formulation — the only difference is that the name ‘Roche’ is no longer imprinted on the tablets.

That's why I'm confused. I've been taking the H2 pharma brand name Klonopin and shortly after last months refill, I've been having issues. The symptoms are the same as how I feel when I try to taper down. I was hoping maybe I had a bad batch and that when I picked up this months refill, the problems would resolve. Even if I take the 2 1 mg pills, still have sweats and can't sleep. I even had a panic attacks the other day and I can't remember the last time I had one. It's been years.

Thanks for the info!

 

Also, I am new here, am I responding correctly, or is there another way to reply to messages directly to the responses. Thank you!

 

Hi Hamilton

 

You're doing great! If you want to reply to someone specific, then you can hit the "quote" button at the top of their post. It will then open the reply box with their response in it, and you can reply to their message like I'm doing to yours.

 

 

 

My problem at the moment is since my refill the beginning of last month, I started having issues with my sleep at my regular dose.

 

When you got your refill last month, did you use the same brand as before i.e. either generic or brand name as the one you've been using the month prior?

Hi Jelly Baby. Ok, I see the quote box and how to respond directly to someone. Thank you!

It's the same as previous months. I take the name brand Klonopin as I had issues with the generics. But it's definitely the same manufacturer.

Have you asked your pharmacist if your last two refills came from a different batch/lot than your previous refills?  Although brand manufacturers typically hold themselves to high quality standards, it’s possible there was an issue with the entire batch/lot (e.g. the amount of drug in the tablets is somewhat lower than that present in previous batches/lots).  Another possibility to consider is that you may be developing tolerance to the drug (see link below to learn more).

Link:

Tolerance - Benzodiazepine Information Coalition

https://www.benzoinfo.com/tolerance/

If you've had the same brand then I think you're probably in tolerance withdrawal, especially if you've been using this medication for 8 years. Libertas provided a link with explanation.

I believe I was experiencing the start of tolerance while on Clonazepam. I didn't realise it at the time but in hindsight I suspect it was some sort of tolerance. My symptoms at the time were insomnia, anxiety and memory problems.

Have you asked your pharmacist if your last two refills came from a different batch/lot than your previous refills?  Although brand manufacturers typically hold themselves to high quality standards, it’s possible there was an issue with the entire batch/lot (e.g. the amount of drug in the tablets is somewhat lower than that present in previous batches/lots).  Another possibility to consider is that you may be developing tolerance to the drug (see link below to learn more).

 

Link:

Tolerance - Benzodiazepine Information Coalition

https://www.benzoinfo.com/tolerance/

Unfortunately the pharmacy does not have the batch/lot numbers prior to my last 2 refills. Only for the refills that I'm having the problems with. I was hoping that might be the case, that the past month and almost a half I have received pills from a different lot. That would explain a lot. I'm wondering as well if I have developed a tolerance, but if I did, wouldn't increasing the dose (taking 2 full 1 mg pills vs 1 and 3/4s) have resolved the issue. It just doesn't make sense to me. I'm just so confused as to what is going on. Especially since I have been on the same dose for so long and was doing fine prior to the May refill. I wish I could find out the previous months lot number.

Thanks so much for the reply!