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Anxiety and Klonopin Withdrawal Success?


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Hi, I'm new here and have spent hours looking for success stories from people who actually got on Klonopin for anxiety rather than insomnia or some other reason. I have come across stories from people who developed anxiety while on it but that isn't why they got on it in the first place.

 

Anyone know of a success story that just wasn't written about? I'm just wondering if it's even possible.

 

I tried cutting down from .5 mg about four months ago. I got down to .25 and was doing quite well for a couple of weeks and then I started having 12 hour long panic attacks. I put up with that for about a week before going back to .5 mg, but .5 mg was no longer working and I'm allowed 1mg/day, so I took another .5 and that also didn't work. So for the first time ever the klonopin stopped working and for all I know it's now making things worse.

 

Anyway, any Klonopin/anxiety success stories out there?

 

Oh I should add that I started Klonopin about 25 years ago and during the last 9 years I have taken it daily.

 

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Hi butterfly,

 

Success is a subjective concept on here I think so be warned.

 

I was on Clonazepam for 7+ months at 0.5mg for anxiety and panic attacks and tapered over four weeks (why so quick? ignorance).

 

Now in M7 and the symptoms come and go, wax and wane as Ashton says. So some days I feel like a total success and some I feel like it’s never going to end. And anxiety is not often one of my symptoms, even though it is today.

 

I am eating good food, no alcohol, exercising well, sleeping for 8+ hours per night (not always as restfully as I’d like due to limb pulsing) and meditating and using CBT. So I reckon I’m doing it the right way now but it’s still with me. But IT IS BETTER THAN IT WAS.

 

I have just about accepted that it’s non-linear in its recession but what is linear is that over time it improves, so every day is a day closer to the end.

 

My view is that off must be better than on so I would suggest reviewing Ashton for a tapering schedule and as Ashton says “proceed in good heart”

 

Good luck, I’m sure you can do it. It’s a goal worth fighting for and nothing worth fighting for ever came easy. And some days it’s harder for me to say that than others.

 

Back to your question. I think my story is a success story because I’ve never gone back on them. As for total success - not yet.

 

G

 

 

 

 

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This is great, thank you. Did you start your taper while you were still dealing with anxiety or had that subsided first?
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The Clonazepam stopped my anxiety and panic attacks with the first tablet. It was a miracle tablet and I should have realised it would have a big downside. But my neurologist said otherwise and I believed him. Mistake.

 

I was lucky then that my anxiety had stopped. If you still have yours I don’t know what to advise

 

Have you read Ashton? You absolutely must.

 

Let me know how you get on.

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I have yet to read the Ashton manual but I will soon. I also found Klonopin to be a miracle drug in the beginning. Looking back I really only needed a few doses to get over a serious panic attack caused by another prescribed drug. Of course I didn't know that back that.
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B,

 

That’s a common story.

 

I have another suggestion for you. Search for Sofakingdone and then have a good read of her advice (there is a lot of it!). I found it priceless and I am sure you will do too.

 

I will be here if you need anything and you can PM me if you wish.

 

Love the photo btw

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  • 4 weeks later...

:smitten:

 

Hi Butterfly ~

 

Yes, I took Klonopin for anxiety for years and years.  Towards the end I was taking 2 - 3 mg per day and am currently taking .25 and every once in awhile I take a .5.

 

The year of tapering was a total nightmare with every symptom under the sun.  My anxiety multiplied times a million and I had vertigo so bad i could hardly walk.  I was put on Lexapro to help stabilize me,  but recently realized this was the cause of my on going anxiety.  As I tapered the lex down to .5 mg my anxiety began to dissipate, and I am happy to say I am totally off the Lexapro.  It never worked for me and made me worse!!!

 

I take L-theanine, and magnesium which I studied off you tube videos etc and they both really help me.  I take Ibuprofen for my back pain at night.

 

I have yet to write a success store as I am still taking small amount of K.  One day I may be totally off this but in the meantime I am at least enjoying life. 

 

Wish you the best and feel free to PM me anytime.

 

Thanks,  Wolfie    :smitten:

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Hi, I'm new here and have spent hours looking for success stories from people who actually got on Klonopin for anxiety rather than insomnia or some other reason. I have come across stories from people who developed anxiety while on it but that isn't why they got on it in the first place.

 

Anyone know of a success story that just wasn't written about? I'm just wondering if it's even possible.

 

I tried cutting down from .5 mg about four months ago. I got down to .25 and was doing quite well for a couple of weeks and then I started having 12 hour long panic attacks. I put up with that for about a week before going back to .5 mg, but .5 mg was no longer working and I'm allowed 1mg/day, so I took another .5 and that also didn't work. So for the first time ever the klonopin stopped working and for all I know it's now making things worse.

 

Anyway, any Klonopin/anxiety success stories out there?

 

Oh I should add that I started Klonopin about 25 years ago and during the last 9 years I have taken it daily.

 

Hi butterfly19. I'm not completely healed yet, but I'm almost there, after 22.5 months off Klonopin and Wellbutrin. I took Klonopin for anxiety for 9 years. I actually started on Ativan, but was quickly switched for the longer half-life benzo.

 

I consider myself about 90% healed. I'm still figuring out how to deal with all my mental issues without medication, but I'm definitely getting there. I started going to therapy again and it's really helped me work through the issues that led me to meds in the first place. Exercise has been amazing for me as well.

 

Almost all of my physical symptoms have eased up or disappeared completely. Some of the mental symptoms have eased up as well; it's getting better with time and counseling. Although this healing is definitely non-linear, I have, overall, gotten much better.

 

One thing I believe helped me immensely was executing a slow, self-paced taper. I took 13 months to go from 1.5mg/day to .125mg/day. I held my doses until I felt as stable as possible. By the time I was at the lowest dose for 2 weeks, I decided to just jump. It's difficult for sure, but my story isn't as intense as countless others here. I'm very grateful for that.

 

I'm not ready to write a success story just yet, but I am experiencing plenty of success. I just wanted to share with you. Hang in there!

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  • 3 weeks later...
I took Clonazepam, generic form, for 16 months from May 2017- July 2018. I just hit 10 months off and you can see my taper in my signature. 😊 Anxiety and panic attacks are almost non existent since I stopped taking the meds.
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I have yet to read the Ashton manual but I will soon. I also found Klonopin to be a miracle drug in the beginning. Looking back I really only needed a few doses to get over a serious panic attack caused by another prescribed drug. Of course I didn't know that back that.

Yeah, same with me. It seemed like a miracle drug at first. I took it for 11 years for severe anxiety and panic attacks until I became completely tolerant. Then, it would not work no matter how much I took.
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  • 2 weeks later...

I am sorry to read of panic struggles. Those are the worst. Hang in, mine passed. I also had to learn new techniques to help my mind deal with them should they come. That involved learning how to be a mental observer vs mental participant. Something that has helped me.

 

I started on 3mg/day klonipin over 30 years ago for strong panic attacks. At the time it was a miracal. Over the years no doctor ever challeged me to get off. With the opiate problems docs started pushing people off benzos too. I was caught in that net (no opiates for me.) My first year taper I did on my own and I did get new bouts of panic and anxiety I had not had in many years. I certainly questioned the wisdom.

 

I got refered to "neuro therapy" to help in taper and I think that really helped with panic and anxiety. I stopped Dec 18 as my therapist retired. I did about 80 one hour sessions during taper. Insurance paid for most of costs.  I finished out the last three months on my own, and since jump two months ago. I may find new neuro therapy clinic, but jump wd symptoms has mostly been physical not mental.

 

I wanted to share about the neuro therapy as I've not seen it mentioned. Good subject for a new thread.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I was on Klonopin for almost 15 years. I was put on Klonopin for anxiety. It worked liked a charm for years and then at some point my life began to unravel and I couldn’t figure out why. I didn’t know anything about tolerance withdrawal or the the side effects of long term benzo  use. I had NO IDEA Benzos are only supposed to be prescribed for short term use in very specific scenarios. I never had a doctor tell me I should work to get off or that they are harmful when used long term. Knowing what I know now about Benzos and the side effects I can see the havoc these tiny little pills wreaked on my life, my relationships and my mental health. I thankfully found a psychiatrist who helped me taper, it took 8 months, and they were the hardest 8 months of my life. I’ve been off Benzos now for a little over 3 months and I still have some bad days, but I can feel myself healing, I already have many good days too! I have zero regrets about getting off Benzos. I only wish I had done it sooner. While I’m not 100% healed, I consider myself a success since I’m off all Benzos and any prescription medication . I know I will heal 100% with time and lots and lots of hard work.

 

For anxiety these are some things that have helped me:

Using the calm app for guided meditation

Yoga and exercise (has 100% saved my life)

Bubble baths with Epsom salts, light candles and I put on a good audio book or podcast for distraction

Massages (when I can afford to)

Walks / hikes in nature

 

Feel free to PM me if you need to chat! Hang in there, you can do this!!!  :smitten:

 

 

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  • 6 months later...

Thank you everyone for responding! I'm sorry I didn't get back until much later but I stopped coming on here when I decided to go back to Klonopin which weirdly continued to work again at 0.5mg/day. Not sure why it stopped working initially but it could have something to do with the fact that I'm perimenopausal and I my hormones are interfering. Sooo it continued to work again until recently. It still works but not as well and I noticed yesterday that if I am late for my dose my blood pressure goes up a bit which freaks me out and so I continue to take my blood pressure all day like a hypochondriac.

 

So is it normal for blood pressure to go up if you are experience tolerance withdraws? Will it ever go down? Also, maybe now isn't a good time to get off of klonopin since I'm perimenopausal and even women with no history of anxiety often develop anxiety at this time which typically gets better after menopause. Men feel free to answer as well. I know this a female issue but you might still have some good insight.

 

Thanks again everyone. I really appreciate this group.

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I think getting off it while you're going through a crisis or dramatic hormonal shift might not be wise. You might be setting yourself for failure and waiting a year or so will most likely result in an increased success.
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