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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Cee on August 5, 2012, at 19:49:20
Hello
Doctor had me go up to 0.5 times 4 of klonipin to help me come of invega. Now iam having a hellish time coming of 3
Times 0.5 please help me how long does it take to stableize
I am really struggling
God bless
Posted by Lou Pilder on August 5, 2012, at 20:22:25
In reply to Hooked on klonipin, posted by Cee on August 5, 2012, at 19:49:20
> Hello
> Doctor had me go up to 0.5 times 4 of klonipin to help me come of invega. Now iam having a hellish time coming of 3
> Times 0.5 please help me how long does it take to stableize
> I am really struggling
> God blessCee,
You wrote,[...come of(f) invega...a hellish time...please help...how long...struggling...].
Posted by Moishe Pipik on August 5, 2012, at 20:55:44
In reply to Hooked on klonipin, posted by Cee on August 5, 2012, at 19:49:20
Getting off long-term Klonopin use is a bear, for sure. I feel for you. www.benzo.org.uk is a good source for info - there's lots of good stuff about benzo addiction and discontinuation.
It concerns me that all too often, with psych meds, the cure is worse than the disease.
From my own experience with Klonopin, I want to tell you to be prepared for the difficulty in discontinuation - it's not always easy and/or pleasant. It seems that many such things (cigarettes, for example) are tough to stop.
Posted by gadchik on August 6, 2012, at 9:09:29
In reply to Re: Hooked on klonipin, posted by Moishe Pipik on August 5, 2012, at 20:55:44
Cee, a poster suggested getting switched over to valium, and then stabilizing on it.Once stabilized, you can then taper 1mg per week or every 2 weeks.She said its much easier.I have tried sev times just to get from .5mg a day to .25mg,and cant do it. I'll keep giving it a go,maybe one day it will just work for me.Ive been thinking of going the valium route though. good luck
Posted by Phillipa on August 6, 2012, at 9:57:51
In reply to Re: Hooked on klonipin, posted by gadchik on August 6, 2012, at 9:09:29
I try and get off the xanax and valium and keep having temper outbursts. Really bad ones. Self destructive ones where I rip my jewelry off and break it. Maybe some of us need it for life even if it doesn't feel necessary. I just upped the xanax from .25mg to .5mg again against doc's orders as I was crashing bad. So maybe some have a broken "switch" so to speak? Phillipa
Posted by Lou Pilder on August 6, 2012, at 16:49:14
In reply to Lou's response- » Cee, posted by Lou Pilder on August 5, 2012, at 20:22:25
> > Hello
> > Doctor had me go up to 0.5 times 4 of klonipin to help me come of invega. Now iam having a hellish time coming of 3
> > Times 0.5 please help me how long does it take to stableize
> > I am really struggling
> > God bless
>
> Cee,
> You wrote,[...come of(f) invega...a hellish time...please help...how long...struggling...].
>Cee,
I am unsure as to what you are doing. If you could identify which of the folloeing, then I could have the opportunity to respond accordingly.
True or False:
A. You are taking a benzodiazepine (klonopin) in order to withdrawal from Invega.
B. Your doctor specified for you to do that and told you that it was an approved medical procedure to withdrawal from Invega
C. You are now addicted to Klonopin
D. You are now addicted to both Klonopin and Invega
E. Your doctor told you that Invega is a chemical off-shoot of Risperdal.
F. Your doctor told you that Klonopin could be addicting
G. Your doctor warned you that people kill themselves durrung withdrawal from benzodiazepines.
H. Your doctor told you that both drugs here are CNS depressants and respiratory depressants and could cause death taken together.
K. Your doctor told you that there are other ways to be free from a drug such as Invega other than taking another drug.
L. redacted by respondent
Lou
Posted by brynb on August 6, 2012, at 17:57:58
In reply to Hooked on klonipin, posted by Cee on August 5, 2012, at 19:49:20
Hi Cee,
I've been to hell and back from benzo use & abuse. I used 'em all and medically detoxed about 6 or 7 times. These are typically short detoxes (7-12 days or so) and IMO, useless for long-term benzo users. I finally kicked benzos by using Valium (I might have put this in another thread) and tapering the Valium over a period of 6 months. I did this w/ a doc, but the link that Moishe referred to is great for info. (It might have the Ashton method/manual listed there--she is a benzo expert who suggests using a Valium taper for all different benzo dependencies.)
You're actually not on a high dose of Klonopin, so you won't have to do as long of a withdrawal as I did. BUT that certainly won't make it any easier. The withdrawal will suck, but take it slow, and definitely consider switching to an equivalent dose of Valium--it's pretty much the same half-life as Klonopin (a long one!), but the dosing can be really precise, which makes it easier to gradually decrease.
Like Phillipa mentioned, it's not uncommon for people to become angry, enraged, violent, etc. There are many meds and things you can take during withdrawal to help mitigate the symptoms, but I don't know if you want to go that route. For now, work w/ your doc, switch over to Valium, and hang in there :). Good luck.
B
Posted by phidippus on August 7, 2012, at 20:57:02
In reply to Hooked on klonipin, posted by Cee on August 5, 2012, at 19:49:20
Make it easy on yourself, go down .5 mg every week. You can also take Lyrica to help you get off it.
Eric
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