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Hello! My Story-


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Hello! I am a 52 year old male and have been on Klonopin for 25 years. 1mg  (.5, 2x a day) for the most part, 2mg a day during rough times such as when my mom passed away. Last summer I underwent a colonoscopy and was hospitalized due to complications. The physician overseeing me was shocked to see I was on Klonopin for so long, AND that I also have Sleep Apnea. They wanted me to go from 1mg to zero in 2 weeks. Not a chance. I was able to get down to .25 (Half a .5, daily) over a 6 month period. With horrible side effects at every drop. Insomnia being a constant side effect to this day. The smaller the dose the more intense the side effects. From here- I am totally STUCK. Any drop lower is torture. EXTREME Panic and Anxiety. Trips to the ER- where they would throw an Ativan at me (1mg) I went home & slept like a baby for the first time in months. Immediately went BACK to .25 a day- still feeling wiped out with bursts of Panic /Anxiety, and intense fatigue. -- I am also on 40mg of Celexa. Which I feel may be too much as I suffer from dizziness and heart palpitations- side effects of being on too high of a dose. I hope this forum can help!
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Hello Bosbruin4  (a Bruins fan, I'm guessing??)

 

Welcome to BenzoBuddies.  Thanks for joining us.

 

Twenty-five years is a long time to take klonopin.  I can understand why reducing your dose has been difficult for you.  I'm glad you've been able to reduce your dose, and am sorry that it's been such a struggle to get where you are.  I hope that you can connect with individuals who can help you finish your taper.

 

If you haven’t already done so, please take a thorough look at the Ashton Manual.  It is an authoritative guide to benzodiazepine tapering and includes sections on what to expect during withdrawal and recommended tapering rates.  The manual can be found at this link:  http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual

 

Here's a link to the Withdrawal Support section of the forum.  It's a good place to discuss tapering rates and approaches.  Withdrawal Support (during your taper)

 

Please take some time to Create a Signature. This will help other members understand your history so they will be better able to support you.

Go to the top of the page and select Profile, then choose Forum Profile, insert drug history/timelines into the text box and click Change Profile.

 

Again, welcome!

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Hi bosbruin4,

 

Welcome between us!

 

I have been under Clonazepam, the benzo of Klonopin, for 3.5 years at 0.5mg/day. It took me 9 months to get rid of the last dose.

 

The recommendations are to reduce the daily dose by somewhere between 5% and 10% every 10-14 days. When you cut a tablet (1mg?) to 1/4 equal parts and remove that quarter you just cut 25%! When the same 1/4-tablet cut comes from a current dose of 0.5mg then it is 50%! It's FAR TOO FAST!

To handle reductions smaller than 0.25mg, consider the Liquid Titration Taper method. As you can remove really tiny portions every day, your body will not feel significant differences. This taper method has been key in my healing.

Wish you a smooth journey towards freedom  :smitten:

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Thank you. The problem i now face is that my doctor will no longer prescribe ANY Benzo for me. This has resulted in trips in agony to the ER only to get 1mg of Ativan thrown at me. I take it. I sleep well, but within the next 2 days I am back at square one. I have enough pills squirreled away for about the next month @ .25 a day. (Half a .5) when I try and reduce that at all- EVERYTHING gets set off and the torture begins. I have no problem getting OFF the benzo's as long as it isn't hell doing it. As a matter of fact, i will be SO MUCH better off when I am done with evil little pills. Doing it in a way that wont torture or kill me though is what I'd like to achieve.
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Hi bosbruin4

 

I am sorry you are having problems getting a prescription.  Can you not find another doctor?  You could try copying some pertinent pages from the Ashton Manual to show the doctor. Some members have been pleasantly surprised by their doctors willingness to support a taper, It’s worth a try!

 

The Ashton Manual.  is a great resource for understanding the effect benzo’s have on our body.  It provides Tapering and withdrawal information and includes a list of common symptoms.

 

Jim has posted some tapering information.  Tapering slowly is the best way to withdraw from these drugs. Your body usually dictates the pace. Whatever feels comfortable, the aim is to keep symptoms manageable.  Withdrawal is very challenging but worth it to be free.

 

Good luck

 

Magrita  :thumbsup:

 

 

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[4c...]

Thank you. The problem i now face is that my doctor will no longer prescribe ANY Benzo for me. This has resulted in trips in agony to the ER only to get 1mg of Ativan thrown at me. I take it. I sleep well, but within the next 2 days I am back at square one. I have enough pills squirreled away for about the next month @ .25 a day. (Half a .5) when I try and reduce that at all- EVERYTHING gets set off and the torture begins. I have no problem getting OFF the benzo's as long as it isn't hell doing it. As a matter of fact, i will be SO MUCH better off when I am done with evil little pills. Doing it in a way that wont torture or kill me though is what I'd like to achieve.

 

That's not a good way to acquire or take these drugs.  It causes a situation known as kindling which makes it even harder to taper off the drugs.  I know how poorly you get to feeling after a couple of days without Ativan or sleep (I c/t'd 2mg Ativan and had horrible insomnia).  But heading to the ER and obtaining another single pill like that is not going to help you in the long run.  Maybe you can find a more sympathetic doctor?  Maybe you can show your current doctor the Ashton Manual and propose a taper plan to him?  Maybe you can use the pills you squirreled away to do a somewhat proper taper?

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  • 2 weeks later...
Another trip to the ER yesterday- and I have been holding steady at .25 a day... They threw an Ativan (1mg) at me again. The ER doc said after 25 years either I should stay on Klonopin, or be weaned off VERY slowly. My regular doctor wants me off now. He doesn't even know I still have a some Klonopin Left. I go in to see him Tuesday, and will show him what I have stashed away.
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Another trip to the ER yesterday- and I have been holding steady at .25 a day... They threw an Ativan (1mg) at me again. The ER doc said after 25 years either I should stay on Klonopin, or be weaned off VERY slowly. My regular doctor wants me off now. He doesn't even know I still have a some Klonopin Left. I go in to see him Tuesday, and will show him what I have stashed away.

For Gods sake! DO NOT SHOW OR TELL YOUR DOCTOR THE KLONOPIN!!  You already stated the Dr wants you off NOW, their going to label you . 'drug addict'' if they know your stashing them as they don't understand or care about the hell we go through to get off these drugs, lots of us stash them for that reason.

 

Never tell them you got spare ones as they can demand you hand them over as their a  controlled drug and there's a huge problem with them being sold on the streets, here in UK you can get into big trouble if you get picked up by the Police or end up in Hospital and are found to have Benzodiazepines on you that your not prescribed, or when your last legal prescription ran out as its look on. as ''Possession with intent to sell'. 

 

Your not thinking clearly how the hell do you think that any Doctor let alone one trying to pull the rug from underneath you immediately is going to prescribed Klonopin to someone who walks in the surgery and says'' Look at my stash???'  The first thing their going to think is ''junkie'' as that what junkies do except we're not junkies, we're the result of Doctors ignorance, lack of understanding and in some cases a Medical community that doesn't care.

 

Your cannot going get more by showing your already have some, and is there a possibility of the Hospital Doctor that said you need to either stay on them or get off them writing you a note to take with you or talking to your Doctor on the phone rather than you have to keep ending up in Hospital?  It won't hurt to ring the Hospital and try and have word with the Doctor they can track them down by your Hospital notes, that's what I would try next if your Doctor refuses to prescribe so you can taper.

 

 

Love Nova xxx  :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

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Another trip to the ER yesterday- and I have been holding steady at .25 a day... They threw an Ativan (1mg) at me again. The ER doc said after 25 years either I should stay on Klonopin, or be weaned off VERY slowly. My regular doctor wants me off now. He doesn't even know I still have a some Klonopin Left. I go in to see him Tuesday, and will show him what I have stashed away.

 

Yeah. Gonna second nova1 here: DO NOT SHOW HIM YOUR STASH. Do not admit you have a stash.

Once you demonstrate 'drug seeking behavior' you will be labeled an 'addict' and other doctors can be legally prevented from proscribing you any other benzo.

 

Instead get a referral to a psychologist or another doctor who can proscribe because the ER doctor is 1,000% correct - 25 years will require a gentle taper. Any long term user of benzodiazapines requires a taper and medical supervision.

 

Actual w/d - which you will absolutely qualify for - is only potentially lethal in two case: Alcohol and benzos.

 

Find someone willing to help you taper, possibly with anti-spasmatics to prevent seizures.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I appreciate your advice. I spoke with my doctor, and as I had heard from people, not just you, kept the few pills I have left at home.

 

I DID FIND A MORE HELPFUL DOCTOR!!!! A Psychiatrist with experience in this area. He is willing to keep me on the .25 a day for a few more months until I can work through a plan to get rid of these little yellow bastards permanently. Forward I Go----

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