Posted by Questionmark on April 26, 2008, at 23:59:55
In reply to Re: clonazepam withdrawal - help » JohnSky, posted by yxibow on March 6, 2008, at 3:32:16
If i'm not mistaken respiratory depression is very minimal with benzos unless combined with a significant respiratory depressant such as alcohol or esp an opiate.
> > My doctor has started to reduce my clonazepam. I was taking 3.5mg per day for about 9 months. He wants to get me off of it as it seems to be depressing me and messing with my breathing. In the last two weeks we have gone from 3.5mg to 2.5mg. Down to 3.0mg the first week. This is hard. I feel "wired" and it seems hard to focus and think clearly. I think we are taking me down too fast and I am wondering how long these withdrawal effects will last if we held at 2.5mg for now and then went slower later.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > John
>
>
> It is a bit fast, the general rule is around 10% per week.
>
> But, your doctor has presumably heard from you about respiratory problems and is trying to protect you from....
>
> ...Respiratory Depression which is the collapse of lungs and other smooth tissue breathing conductors. This can definately be fatal.
>
> So basically you're caught between a rock and a hard place -- I would have your doctor go over all your medications and see if anything interacts with Valium, and adjust accordingly.
>
> Or unfortunately you may have to suffer the anxiety of extreme withdrawals which may take a month or more to reclaim themselves.
>
poster:Questionmark
thread:816104
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080420/msgs/825738.html