Considering quitting Klonopin

Hi. 45M.

I've suffered from Anxiety/Agoraphobia since I was in my 20s.

The good news was, I had a run of well over a decade where I was on Celexa and essentially symptom free. However in summer 2019 it seemed to stopped working and nothing has helped since.

I've been trying many other SSRI/SNRI medications since then, and in late-2020 I started taking Klonopin 0.5mg 3x a day.

Admittedly it did help me function, but I'm not sure I'm getting any benefit out of it anymore. I've also developed a constellation of other problems such as depression, muscle tension, and akathisia. (Extreme akathisia in the mornings lasting for 3-4 hours, usually unable to leave bed)

I am doing research to see if i should attempt to quit Klonopin or if attempted that would that remove any semblance of functioning I have left. I had hoped to quit when I found a long term replacement for Celexa but so far that search has not paid off.

I have tried Viibryd, Lexapro, Effexor, Trintellix, Pristiq that all seem to make the akathisia worse, and Mirtazapine which didn't seem to do anything.

Hi.

Hello nb5656, welcome to BenzoBuddies,

I've heard A/D's can stop working, I'm sorry you haven't found an effective replacement.  It sounds like the Klonopin isn't working either, the problem with it is when our bodies become dependent on them they start to cause the problems we went on them to fix, only they make them 100 times worse.  Sleep, anxiety, depression and muscle problems and akathisia are common. 

I have to be honest with you, stopping this medication takes commitment and it's not easy but you can be successful if you have the right motivation to stop it.  We typically suggest reducing by about 5-10% every week or two but this should depend on your symptoms, they should guide you.

I'll give you some links to get you started but feel free to ask questions, we're here to help you make the best decision for your circumstance.

Pamster

The Ashton Manual

Planning Your Withdrawal (Taper Plans)

Withdrawal Support (during your taper)