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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by madge on October 4, 2003, at 17:25:56
I was on Klonopin 1-1.5mg a day for anxiety for approximately 9 months. It really worked well to soothe my anxiety and I had very few side effects except that it made my body feel dry. During that time I was getting frequent UTI's, and got one at the end of July this year. I finally looked up the side effects of Klonopin only to discover that it can be dehydrating. No wonder, I was having problems. I am very sensitive to drugs that are anticholinergic, and had discontinued many antidepressants over the last year because of this. I ended up with lasting symptoms from this bout of a UTI, and decided to go off the Klonopin. This has been the most horrendous month of my life, and it is continuing. I had NO IDEA, the withdrawl was going to be so nasty. The withdrawl symptoms are worse than the original problem for which I was being treated. My Pdoc suggested Neurontin as a substitute for the Klonopin, and as an aid to discontinuting the benzo. I tried 3 times over the last month to tolerate the Neurontin at various doses, but it was an awful drug for me. I ended up with slurred speech, headaches, nervousness, dizzyness, and ataxia. In between times, I was weening off the Klonopin, and having insomnia. My pdoc perscribed Ambien for sleep. This worked initially, and with the Neurontin, but then it quit working after 7 days. The Ambien was also contributing to my body's dryness, and I have turned into a prune over the past two weeks. Everyplace that is supposed to be moist, isn't. It's awful. Last weekend, I stopped the Klonopin after weening for a month. I didn't sleep more than 5 hours a night from Sun - Wed. And my sleep was 2 hours here, then 3 hours there after being awake for 3 hours. I went to my doctor who does accupuncture on Wed eve. I was able to go to sleep without the Ambien, and although I woke up after a few hours, I was able to go back to sleep on my own. Thursday night I slept for 8 beautiful hours only waking up once to pee. Last night I was back to having the same Klonopin insomnia; waking suddenly after 3 hours; awake for 2, asleep for 3, awake again. I feel terrible. I have a very high pressured sales job, and it has been all I can do to go to work, try to function at a high level feeling awful, and then go home. I feel disabled, because I am so exhausted every night that I have no energy to do anything when I get home. I was wondering what other people have experienced trying to discontinue Klonopin and what solutions worked to ease the withdrawl. Thanks for your help.
Posted by Guy on October 4, 2003, at 21:46:37
In reply to Klonopin withdrawl, HELP!!, posted by madge on October 4, 2003, at 17:25:56
I recommend that you try to stay off the meds. The sleep will improve with time, and you will be thankful to be off the meds merry-go-round. You can EASILY manage with 5 hours of sleep per night...many people with insomnia go for days without sleep. Just relax and wait for you body to adjust.
Posted by HIBA on October 5, 2003, at 0:29:01
In reply to Klonopin withdrawl, HELP!!, posted by madge on October 4, 2003, at 17:25:56
It is not klonopin withdrawal, but an underlying disorder is being unmasked. Stay on klonopin, rather than trying to get rid of it. This is not the appropriate time for you to go off a medication that helps you. Or try mianserin which usually relieves the anticholinergic symptoms of illness and drugs. Mianserin is not available in USA but is a widely used antidepressant + anxiolytic in Europe.
Good Luck to you
HIBA
Posted by cubbybear on October 5, 2003, at 6:17:02
In reply to Re: Klonopin withdrawl, HELP!!, posted by Guy on October 4, 2003, at 21:46:37
This is probably not going to be easy for you, having 3 posters give you three different pieces of advice, but here's my two cents' worth. I myself am presently weaning off Klonopin after a high of 4 mg/day last year. This week I'm down to 1 mg. I've been doing generally OK, but for the first time, I've been experiencing some insomnia--primarily trouble falling asleep. It's probably also the result of the stimulating qualities of the antidepressant I'm taking (MAOI Parnate). It seems to me that a one month tapering schedule was entirely too fast for you. That comes out to about .25 mg. per week. For some people--like me--that's much too fast. I've been tapering at the super-slow rate of .125 mg --initially once a week, now about once every 10 days. You were on Klonopin for quite a while and obviously built up a dependency. If you make the decision to stop taking it, the best thing I think you can do is get back ON it, i.e. go back to your original dose, and start your slow tapering. It will take you about 2 months or longer, perhaps, but general consensus is that the slower the taper, the better.
Posted by madge on October 5, 2003, at 19:01:33
In reply to Re: Klonopin withdrawl, HELP!!, posted by cubbybear on October 5, 2003, at 6:17:02
Thank you all for your suggestions. I am actually going to take Hiba and Cubybear's suggestions and go back on the Klonopin and then wean off very slowly. I also think I went off too quickly, and I can't tolerate the type of insomnia and withdrawl effects I have been experiencing. I talked to my therapist last night because my Pdoc is out of town. She has weaned lots of people off benzo's and suggested I go back on and get a very slow titration schedule from my Pdoc. Last night, I was feeling so afraid because the side effects from withdrawl are much worse than the side effects I had while on Klonopin. Last night, I took .25 of Klonopin and slept 8 hours. I took .5 today and feel much better. I will tolerate the anticholinergic side effects until I can wean off. Hiba, thank you for your suggestion of the Mianserin. I will do somemore research on it. Were you ever on it, and if so what are your experiences? Thanks again all of you for your support.
Posted by HIBA on October 6, 2003, at 2:16:12
In reply to Re: Klonopin withdrawl, HELP!!, posted by madge on October 5, 2003, at 19:01:33
Yes, I have been on it for quite a long time. It is highly sedating and it's anxiolytic effect is comparable to that of diazepam. The usual anxiolytic dose is 20 mg at night right before retiring. Morning heaviness will be a problem to some patients.
Unlike mirtazapine (which is the US equivalent of mianserin) mianserin will not cause any troublesome anticholinergic symptoms, but surprisingly it will improve those symptoms. Dry mouth is usually a symptom of anxiety and depression and mianserin relieves it effectively.
Good luck to you, take care
HIBA
Posted by madge on October 6, 2003, at 13:41:13
In reply to Re: Klonopin withdrawl, HELP!! » madge, posted by HIBA on October 6, 2003, at 2:16:12
HI Hiba,
It seems as though there is no difference between Mianserin and Remeron unless I am missing something. I was on Remeron for awhile, and it was not anticholinergic for me. The weight gain was horrendous though. I could not lose the weight no matter what I tried. If there is a difference between the two, please elaborate, but it seems like Mianserin was the daddy to Remeron.Thanks
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