I take 2mg/ 2x a day. I've had a few doctors say that they are surprised I'm even awake. I've also been warned of cognitive problems from long-term use and even early on-set of Alzheimer's disease. Has anyone else gotten this response from a doctor??? So far Klonopin has worked great for my panic disorder and I hesitate to discontinue the drug right now.
Klonopin - Worried about physical dependence?
- Posted:
- 11 Aug 2009 by buddhaslight
- Topics:
- klonopin, anxiety, panic disorder
Details:
Responses (14)
Robert_32511 Aug 2009
Taking 2mg twice daily longterm is GUARANTEED to make you addicted. 4mg per day of klonopin is a high dose. NO doubt about it. I used it 25 years and I surely wouldn't want to be you if and when you ever decide to stop using it. Sure it's working good for you. You're physically dependent to it. Stop it for a few days and see what happens. You won't like it I promise. Good luck.
doxipups11 Aug 2009
I have been taking 3 to 4 mg per day and was never worried about any addiction potential until I came to these boards. It all depends on how YOUR brain and nervous system work. If you feel that you are overmedicated or that this may not be the right drug for you, talk to your health care provider. I feel normal on my dosage. I will share with you that my partner came home after a really lousy week at work - very frustrated, agitated, and on the verge of losing it, We have a three year old and we did not want her to see Daddy out of control (nor did he want to feel out of control). He took 1 mg and he was sedated. His CNS does not release the hormons/chemicals that result in anxiety that mine do. He could not believe that I could function on 3 mg per day and was worried that it would make me a zombie. Not true in MY case. It has made me more like myself than any other benzo out there. And I don't get freaked out if I'm a few hours past my dosage time, I don't feel addicted, and I have been taking them for 19 months.
buddhaslight
11 Aug 2009
I can go several hours past my dosage time and not feel a thing as well. Unlike Xanax, I don't feel the need to increase my dosage either. I knew that Klonpin is a physically dependent drug, but it has worked so well for my panic disorder. It is my psychiatrist that has me worried that I need to take off for detox or something. If I were to ever come off this drug, it would not be "out patient".
doxipups
11 Aug 2009
My sister works in a puff unit - a psychiatric urgent care setting - and she said basically the same thing - the docs there are always questiong physicians that have patients on either what they consider to be high doses or long term uses of benzos. I think the psychs should be talking to the prescribing docs if they are concerned and not the patients, or at least include the prescribing docs and the patients instead of giving someone with anxiety and/or panic issues something else to deal with. Can you get your prescribing doc and your psychiatrist together? Or was it your prescribing doc that sent you to the psychiatrist for a med consult?
superstressed11 Aug 2009
I don't think that you would be in for inpatient detox as a certainty. There have been people who have come off o much higher dosages of benzos on an outpatient basis. Will it be fun, probably not at all, but it will be better than the rapid 1-2 week detox they will give you in an inpatient setting, where they will basically give you phenobarbital or depakote to make sure you won't have seizures, then when the chance for that side effect occurring is over, they will let you out, a full-fledged detoxed--yet extremely dependent-on--benzos.
Here, check out this info... it is the most comprehensive information out there involving empirically-based out-patient withdrawal of benzodiazepine-dependent individuals (just add the normal "www" before the following to go to the link:
benzo.org.uk/manual/
You will get the best info from there, not some long-term forum poster who has no medical degree whatsoever.
Hope you find this helpful, and good luck with everything.
Take care,
Kiera
buddhaslight
11 Aug 2009
Thank you Kiera. I'll check out the info.
Anonymous 7 Dec 2009
I was on valium and was changed to klonopin for anxiety. The fast heart beat feelig of heartattack etc... the dr. changed me to klonopin 0.5 twice a day now im worried about withdrawal after reading this. I also have had chest pains for the last4 months now but dont think its caused by the klonopin by reading drugs.com. My pharmacist says klonopin is a better medicine than valium and was glad the dr. switched me any comments please... have a blessed day^^^ I can get thru the day on these...
izzothecat
23 Dec 2009
Hi titans-
In my own opinion (which doesn't count for more than just that... ha), 0.5mg twice a day is not anything that I would be worried about. As far as BZDs are concerned, that is actually a relatively low/moderate dose, and if (as you say) can get by on that, I would not worry about it whatsoever (and I would think that your doctor would not find that amount to be of any concern as well). There are A LOT of doctors out there who are always going to say "I'm uncomfortable prescribing this dosage" or "this dose is too high," but they are looking at the picture from only one angle... their own (and usually through an eye-glass that is overly-suspicious, or merely because they want to cover their own a$$ against anything that may happen... even if that means not helping their patients to their best ability).
nikicole1...4 Jun 2010
I was on xanax for 3yrs abused it iam sure u do to hard to admitt i didnt think i was physcically dependent on it but i was i stopped it on fast taper done by hospital had to get on klodopin to be able to function and i dont see y anyone would like this drug makes so i cant think straight and tired iam also on anti celexa doesnt help much my doctor told me celexa good for panic disorder i dont see much difference he also said therapy he told me no drug will really help long term go to www.benzo.org.uk and you will see what klodopin can do to u long term i had short term memory lose, shocks in my head , lose of smell and taste couldnt walk , legs shaky horrible get off while you can dont end up like me do slow taper if i knew what i know now i would do it over best wishes
christine...4 Jun 2010
Before I put my 2 cents, I always look up and read the precise or detailed version of the med in question. I am one of those "forum posters who has no medical degree whatsoever". Please don't take offense to that statement. We all know we aren't doctors here. However, I have been prescribed Klonopin in the past for anxiety. Fortunately, it was prescribed for a situation that was (supposed to be) temporary, and it helped quite a bit. The problem was that I took more than prescribed, couldn't remember a darn thing that had happened, and flushed the meds down the toilet. More recently, I had an accident and shattered my L-1 and L-2 vertebrates. I have horrific muscle spasms (post-op) and was prescribed 10mg valium 3X daily plus pain meds. They do help a lot and I will never abuse them. I copied this information for you...
christineATU
4 Jun 2010
I knew it!! Sorry, Nikicole!
grey_cypr... christineATU
4 Jun 2010
grey_cypress? did you get my question? Just wondering about the xanax.
26 Sep 2010
I am prescribed 3mg of klonopin a day and if you stop cold turkey after taking this for more than a couple of weeks you will definitely get sick. There are many withdrawal symptoms from anxiety to seizures and even death. You must taper off of them very slowly and this may take a few months, but it can be done. Talk with your doctor and if they do not help, go elsewhere, ask any pharmacist..but slow is the key and you'll do okay. I also find a monthly pill container to be very helpful, then i know exactly how many i take a day and not go over. I take only about 1 mg now and at my peek i was taking the full 3mg. I stopped abrubtly and it was horrible, upset stomach, EXTREME paranoia, luckily i was able to get my script refilled and from that point on i've always made a point to take less and less.
3 Dec 2010
You HAD better worry! I stopped 1mg x2 a day and withdrew 4 days later. What hell that was. THANK GOD for the Ashton Manual. It is your ONLY recourse. Nobody knows what to do with Anxiety? I stopped seeing the Doc that first prescribed ( out of rage) and the new one hesitated but then agreed to work with me on the titrate schedule of Dr Ashton.
My anger at the Medical Community for having a prescription pad on their lap and ready to write one, blows me away!!!
8 Feb 2011
I was taking the same dosage of Klonopin that you were taking for panic and anxiety. The drug worked for several months, then stopped working. Eventually, your body builds a tolerance to this drug, and in order for it to continue working, you need to continually "up" the dosage. I should note that I was STARTED on 2mg./2X per day. According to my Neurologist, that is a very high dosage. I am now down, as of last night to one mg. at night. My Neurologist told me to drop a mg. for a week. This is a living hell. I was only on the drug for 4 months. Get to a competent doctor and have them wean you VERY slowly off this awful drug!
Less Than Human
6 Sep 2011
Just because you had a bad experience does not make this an awful drug. This terrible drug, when used properly, gives people their lives back. Many people with panic disorders take 1-3mg daily for years, I mean over a decade, without issue. When prescribed, it is generally never more than 0.5 mg to begin, so your issue is with a possibly incompetent doctor.
6 Sep 2011
I take 3-5mg of Klonopin daily for my panic disorder. I have never had any issues with stopping or starting, and some days I don't take any. I've been taking it about two years now. I have a history of addiction as well, alcoholism and drug abuse in my past. That said, just because I don't have serious withdrawal symptoms from discontinuing use, doesn't mean you will not. It can cause very SEVERE withdrawal symptoms, so make sure if you experience them you let your doctor know! I believe you mentioned you have been on 4mg a day for 4 months, if you are having this hard of a time getting off of the medicine after such a short duration you may want to look at non-addictive alternatives such as beta blockers (Inderal) or low doses of Trazadone to help control anxiety. I was on both of those in addition to the Klonopin to help control my panic attacks. Talk about not knowing how someone can even walk and talk :p
sandallia...29 May 2012
My VA Hospital shrink prescribes my Klonopin, among other things and she put me on, what she said, was the highest dose recommended, which was 2mg. That was enough to cause an addiction. I got sick of withdrawal symptoms when I ran out and I asked how I could get off of it. She didn't recommend it so wouldn't advise. So I read up about it and I learned that long term use isn't a good idea because it becomes less effective over time, which is super annoying... being addicted to something that doesn't work well anymore. I knew that to be true for me because I had been on that dose for about 6 years and had noticed it wasn't helping much anymore. I decided to wean myself by cutting my pills into fourths and I removed a fourth every couple weeks until I got down to 1mg and couldn't seem to handle any less. I recently ran out and made it two days and almost two nights without withdrawals.
Anonymous 29 May 2012
Buddhaslight,
I have been on the same dosage of Klonopin, 2 mg twice a day for over 35 years. Am I dependent, yes. Do I care, no. Does it relieve my freaked out symptoms, yes. Can I taper off, yes. Do I want to taper off, no, when I do, symptoms come back with a vengeance . Will.I be on Klonopin until I die, yes, there is no cure out there for me.
I have every psychiatric diagnosis there is except schizophrenia and sometimes I wonder about that.
I have been sick since i was 13, I'm 56 now. I can still think. If I get Alzheimer disease, Oh just add one more. I don't care. My quality of life would be poop without my psych meds and that's my story. And I'm sticking to it.
Sorry if I sounded abrupt.
Peace and don't tell me what I do and don't need,
Sweet Happy Hippie
24 Sep 2012
I was taken off of 3mg of Klonopin while in the hsp 9 months ago. I went through hell on earth! However, I was on it for 20 years, but I will never take a benzo again. I thought I would never get out of that hsp. Till this day I am still going through crap at times. I would never take a benzo again. I am now on Zyprexa and I hear that is difficult to get off of too... LOUSY! I am not trying to scare anyone... just my experience.
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You are certainly no help. Even suggesting for me to abruptly stop this drug for a few days is simply stupid and dangerous.
Anyone who reads this post and is on Klonopin, please do not try to abruptly stop this medication. Consult your physician.
I don't think I ever told you to stop abruptly. My point of stopping a few days was simply to impress on you the level of dependency you're currently at. That seemed an appropriate subject to question based on your post.
I don't need to convince you of my experience helping people get off benzos on a daily basis. I've been here for a while now. My record speaks for itself.
You probably do need a rehab with a controlled environment with that defensive attitude when someone offers help who knows how to do this. And the advice you received to check out www.benzo.org.uk is a good site. Check out Dr Ashton's manual there for benzo detox. That is the basic process we suggest using as well.
Robert's advice is just stupid - yes it is a high dose but through a disciplined taper under a doctors supervision - very manageable. Find a good doctor - you can look at The Ashton Manual but 4 mgs = 80 mgs valium and doubt many people can function at that dose. Klonopin is a mood stabilizer and does offer more clarity through the day - as you get lower - a switch to valium (Librium is better) but I wouldn't switch until under 2 mgs
As good as you are at this I believe every word of anything you say and respect your opinion faithfully. I was on valium and the dr. switched me to klonopin and the pharmacist says he was glad the dr. made that move. I am on .5 twice a day for anxiety and it really helps. was at the walkin clinic last week and had an irregular heartbeat. Is that something that goes along with klonopin. please respond and have a blessed day
NEVER STOP TAKING IT ! without tapering slowly ... can kill you
I was on 2 mg 2X per day for anxiety. It worked. Initially... but your body develops a tolerance to the drug, and it WILL stop working. My shrink refused to help me taper. Therefore, I consulted with my Neurologist, who put me on a very, very slow taper. She was shocked at the amount I was being pre-scribed. I didn't have any trouble functioning at that dose, as I am a high-energy person anyway. My Neurologist, who is an Epileptologist, said the FDA came very close to putting a "black box" warning on the label. This is a very addictive drug! I am coming down to .5 mg as of tonight, and I can tell you... even a slow taper is hell on earth.
I have been prescribed Klonopin since 1996. It started off with 0.5 mg. per day and within a few years my dosage had gone up to 20mg. per day plus the neurologists precribed 10 350 mg. pills of Soma per day as well. The medication was not prescribed to me for any anxiety, but rather to control muscle spasms due to a small lesion that resulted in my childhood either as a result of stroke or some kind of viral infection. I then had a neurostimulator implanted (these devices work best for patients suffering from parkinson's than Dystonia which I have). My bettery ran out on the neurotimulator and got it changed once within 18 months because the settings were so high. I was then prescribed 3 10 mg. pills of oral Baclofen. Then one of the best neurologists that I've met (totally on the cutting edge of new medical developments. If you need to know his name shoot me an e-mail), suggested I get ITB Baclofen pump, which I did. After this my stimulator battery died again.
Expand this post...
Due to the pump, I can now live a normal life with just 6-10 mg. of Klonopin. I have given up Soma (which was hard to do) and do not use my stimulator.
However, my high tolerance still exists and don't get drowsy even with 20 mg. of Klonopin all at once, but chose to take only 6-8 mg. at bed time and wake up totally refreshed. The down side is that due to my high tolerance many meds. don't work on me (like valium, hydrocotizone, morphine etc.)
Bottom line Klonopin can be used for other disorders not just anxiety.
Hey Robert I've heard a lot about you from other people and I was gonna ask you some questions about subs.. I don't know a lot of this site on how to work it. But I am wanting to know how to get off subs I cut a lil pc off like a lil strip but I don't know how to tell how much I do, I can make a sub strip last for about four to five days.. I've been on pain pills from the doc since 2008 I'm a nurse and I do a lot of lifting and I have a bad back problems for ten yrs and then the hrydo 5's didn't work for my back so I took more and then I got off those since April and now I do subs but I don't like the withdrawls and I want off but I don't know what I'm gonna take for my back I have a lot of damage in my neck and spin. Should I stay on the subs or go back on PAin pills. And my husband is gonna hold the medication so I don't abuse it, either subs or not ... I take less on subs and I'm scared cuz I know I'm gonna have to take something cuz teaching a CPR class put me down on my back for three days...