[mattie120880]

I have been on Klonopin (and 2 antidepressants and 1 antipsychotic) for about a year and half now. I take 2 mg. of Klonopin a day. 0.5 in the morning, 0.5 in the afternoon, and 1 mg at night before bed. I have severe anxiety and experience my first anxiety attck previouse to takeing these meds. Anyways, my doctor is all of a suddenly wanting to cut my Klonopin dose in HALF of what it is now. I tried takeing the Half dose which equals only 1 mg. a day instead. For two days my anxiety got worse and I was going crazy! This was horrible! So what did I do...I went back to my regular doesing.I know he is trying to get me off this med because it is VERY addicting and wants me to slowly start getting off of it. But just for those few days I freaked! I have heard that getting off a benzo like Klonopin is one of the worst withdrawals because it is a controlled substance. My questions is has anyone had to go thru this? If so how did it go getting off the med? Or is anyone takeing it now?HELPBy the way during the time I have been on these meds I have been stable. The reasoning behind me haveing to start these meds (never took meds my whole life until now) is because of some horrible things that have happened in my life and just depression I went thru and MAJOR anxiety (always worried about something and anxiety attacks for first time) I made an appointment to see the doc to talk about what to do for next week. However I do not feel right unless I am on Klonopin. Have tried the counseling and it didn't work. The thing is I LOVE my life and I stay busy...nothing in my life right now that would make me feel bad. Just really scared about what is going to happen if I get off this med!

[Michele]

Try cutting down by 10-25% per week until you are completely off the medication (cutting down by 50% straight away may be far too quick for you). Benzodiazapines such as Klonopin are highly addictive, and require careful management during discontinuation.

[gjkishere]

I've had addictions to diazapram derivitives, abd yes they can be hard to get off of. These substances work with the very synapses of your brain, and when you've been doing them it takes a while for your brain's natural chemistry to get back to working functionally.Many of these substances can build up in the fatty tissues of your body and still affect you for months after you get off them, but if you're working with a doctor just be sure you tell him what changes you're going through.If you're cleaning up an illegal addiction to such substances and doing particularly heavy doses, checking yourself into a detox facility can make the process of kicking easier.

[phylobri]

My son takes clonzapam 1 mg 3x day. He suffers from paranoikd schizphrenia so also he is on several antipsychotics and antidepressants. I'm thinking that the doctors can give you something else for the anxiety since they want to take you off this drug. He was changed from Prozac to Zoloft and it has helped. Really I think the nurse is right- you should come off it very slowly, call and make an appointment to talk with your psychiatrist about this.

[Nickel555]

The key to cutting that dose in half is to taper off GRADUALLY. The anxiety symptoms you experienced is most likely a rebound withdrawal from cutting your dose too quickly. In all likelihood your anxiety can be controlled with half dose but you must, must get to that dose very slowly. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist to sketch out a plan on how to taper down to the half dose. Once stable at that dose you may even be able to taper yourself completely off the Klonopin and just have a benzo for when you have breakthrough anxiety only, taken on an as needed basis. But that is way down the road for now.Good luck with the taper and try giving counseling a second shot, it really can help, a lot, with the right therapist.

[Silverback]

I have been through withdrawl from Klonopin before and it was like I was being tortured by my own mind. I went back on them- 1 mg. twice daily. I suggest you reconsider dropping this med. It is a good med. It doesn't get you high on lower doses like 2 mg. per day. It also has a very long half-life, unlike Xanax, and can be a blessing for those of us who have anxiety so bad we feel like we are going crazy. I wish you the best. Take care of yourself because nobody understands you like you.

[Electrik D]

for me, and i just stopped the same thing last friday night, it cures anxiety but slows up the workings of the brain. i decided the cure for the panic attacks. i learned one thing about panic attacts several years ago -- it stops after awhile. so you have to gut it out. i decided not to step down dosage. some claim that best. that is what any shrink would have to say for legal reasons. i feel crappy and i went four days and a half with no sleep. finally took ambien. got sleep and still reisting the clonanzepam. it is a highly addictive drug i have found. it certainly gives relief but it makes you stupid and very forgetful. right? cold turkey is the way. if i took 50% i would forget and my resolve to quit would weaken immediately. i am dead certain of that. good luck. ask more questions and tell about your experience. share.