Diagnosed with GAD several months back. Started on Lexapro and was put on Klonopin .5 2x daily. After 2 weeks dropped down to .5 1x per day. So after a month, went to .25 1x daily for a week, then .125 1x daily for a few days. Have been completely off for a week. Continuing on Lexapro. The odd thing is I’m feeling terrible and appears that some withdrawal symptoms are occurring. Could I bring going through withdrawal from such small doses for a short period of time? I’m having surgery Friday and don’t know if the withdrawal symptoms are “true” withdrawal, or anxiety from pending surgery. Any feedback and insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Klonopin withdrawal? After only 4 weeks?
Question posted by Braveyank on 4 Aug 2019
Last updated on 8 August 2019
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Answers
LinnyD
8 Aug 2019
Yes, it is probably still withdrawal. Benzodiazepams, like Klonopin, will continue to give you withdrawal symptoms, even if you cut down to the teeniest dose. As long as there is ANY amount of Klonopin in your system, you will feel horrible. I went through the same thing, and I am sorry to say, I can no longer sleep without 1 mg. (which is what a sleep specialist/pulmonologist gave it to me for, in the first place. ) You'd have to stop altogether, feel horrible, and wait it out. I feel for you, I really do.
LinnyD
8 Aug 2019
(sorry, in my post above I said Klonopin was a benzodiazepam. I meant to write Benzodiazepine) My bad.
lorafter
9 Aug 2019
P.s. Good luck with your surgery. I would ask your doctor to not cut you off before your surgery. In fact some doctors give patients Klonopin to deal with anxiety before surgery. I'm starting to think that maybe your symptoms are more anxiety and panicky related then withdrawal. Withdrawal for me was a feeling of complete discomfort all throughout my body, head and senses. It wasn't the same as my anxiety symptoms.
lorafter
5 Aug 2019
I feel your pain. I was on Klonopin for almost a decade at a very high dose. Finally, it got to a point where I just felt like I was going through Dementia or Alzheimer's. Weaning off of Klonopin was the most difficult, excruciating and frustrating experience and in my life. The withdrawal symptoms are 100% real. All I can say is hang in there. I'm so sorry you're going through this withdrawal. I can't remember how long it took, but it will eventually get better.
Ellissee
8 Aug 2019
lorafter, how high a dose were you on and how did they wean you off? I went to a dr specializing in weaning people off Xanax by switching them first to Klonopin, saying it was easier to wean off. His time frame was too fast doing the switch, for me, so i’m still on Xanax. Glad you’re mostly off it. I doubt that will be possible for me.
Ellissee
8 Aug 2019
Lorafter, so reading your post, you’re totally off? No more anxiety symptoms? Are you doing anything else? Thanks.
Ellissee
8 Aug 2019
Lorafter, not sure if this will post, I tried it once and didn’t see, I have another question: you’Re completely off Klonopin? I know you don’t know how long it took, but do you remember dosage and what the taper amount was, how often you went down on dosage? Do you take anything else or do anything else and how are you today. Thanks.
lorafter
9 Aug 2019
I had to go back into an old file to try and answer your question. I was on 2 mg, 1 in the am and one midday. It looks like I tapered off until I hit .5 per day. Before I started tapering down, I didn't feel the medication was actually helping me. Our bodies get used to the medication and we either need to increase or figure something else out. I really didn't feel any effect, like I used to feel, except brain fog. I shouldn't say this, but my sister was really stressed out at one point, so I gave her one of my pills, and she was so out of it. She couldn't believe how I could function on it. It was weird seeing how strong it was on her. Then I just forced myself to stop. My prescription continue to be refilled, but I only took it in an absolute emergency. I was at a point where I just did not want it in my system, and head anymore. It was hard and I can't even explain how I felt.
The closest I can come is to say I couldn't really bear the feeling most of the time. When I was around somebody I felt like they must notice that I'm about to explode from the inside out. My eyes would do weird things. All I know is after being on it for so many years, my brain felt stupid. I remember one time I went to Hawaii. It was the first time I would be meeting my future in-laws. I forgot my prescription, and was a complete wreck. I felt like such a junkie going to the emergency room in Hawaii so I could get my prescription filled. It was a nightmare being out of state.
I wish I could say my anxiety was gone. My situation it's pretty rough. I have treatment-resistant bipolar depression, severe social anxiety, agoraphobia, ADD, and Fibromyalgia. I have been managing my symptoms by isolating. Unless the doorbell rings, the phone rings or I have to run to the store real quick, it is bearable. I know this isn't the answer to getting better, but after trying almost every possible medication, CBT Twice, ECT, DBT And TMS, the frustration got the best of me. 3 years passed until my husband threatened to leave me if I didn't get some treatment. I finally went to the hospital this past November. After more trial with meds, I talked to my treating psychiatrist into prescribing an old MAOI that I had researched. Somehow I knew in my heart that this was the one. I am finally feeling a lot better. I starting taking Parnate last January. After seven days, it kicked in. I am cycling a lot, but at least I have some good periods. Before I had none. I am also on Trazodone for sleep. I completely hate it and I'm going to find something to replace it with. I also take Adderall. I met with a ketamine doctor a couple days ago, and I am going to start treatment the next time I shift/crash into depression. Right now I am feeling pretty good to hypomanic. If I was like this everyday, and didn't have to worry about crashing, I could live a normal life. We're hoping the ketamine might trigger me back into a more elevated state. Good grief... I'm sorry for getting off subject.
Back to you, hang in there and just let your body clean itself out. I know it's easier said than done. Talk to your doctor about other forms of anxiety medication, like Buspar. That is not a benzo. And for sleep, I wood maybe look into Gabapentin. That works really well for me, even though it takes a little bit longer to kick in.
I'll be the first to admit that benzos are an awesome relief. The problem is long-term. I truly feel it set me back quite a bit. I kind of feel like it is a more fake way to live. That becomes very obvious when one stops taking it. I wondered who the heck I was then and am now. I hope that made some sense. Just my personal opinion.
Warm regards,
L.
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klonopin, lexapro, anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, withdrawal, diagnosis
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