Posted by cubbybear on April 25, 2003, at 2:17:45
Sorry for the long post, but please read on:The benzo withdrawal problem is so common and now it's my turn. Last July, I started on 4 mg/daily of Klonopin at bedtime to help me sleep. Then I got down to 3.75 in December. I stayed at that point for 3 more months until my depression went into remission. Then, agreeing with my pdoc, we decided to proceed with the decrease once again. I did fine for a while, from 3.75 to 3.50 the next week to 3.25 the next week to 3.0, 2.75, to 2.50, then OOPS! I felt totally ill, anxious in a way I never felt before, and my entire sleep mechanism shut down. Disgusting feeling.
My %$*!~!!!! pdoc was hell-bent on continuing the reductions, with no chance to let me get accustomed to the 2.5 dose, let alone going back to 2.75. His attitude was--would you believe--these were NOT withdrawal symptoms, it's your own personality because you're so sensitive and worry about everything! And he refused to write a script so I could maintain the 2.5 dose or backpedal to 2.75. So I got myself another pdoc in another hospital who is much more amenable. She wrote a script so I could go back to 2.75; and so last night, I finally slept the night away and feel better. But what about the future? Some day, I'd like to be off this medication.
I realize that everyone is different, but I'd like to hear from all of you who had difficulties coming off Klonopin. What kind of ultra-slow reduction plan did you use? What about .25 mg. reduction every 2 weeks instead of every week? What about going in increments of .125 mg (impractical to break tablet however), or what?
Please, let's share experiences.
poster:cubbybear
thread:222237
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030423/msgs/222237.html