I am 61 and just started clonazapam for GAD. I cannot take SSRIs, can't tolerate side effects. I managed to not need a benzo for 21 years by taking Buspar, but it is not strong enough for my recent problems. I have to be on something lifelong now to keep from relapsing. I am hoping to find members who are my age and need to be on clonazapam for life, as I feel alone in my age group. I do not have panic attacks, just GAD. I hope to live into my 90s and wonder if I can take this at that age? Hope so, I am very healthy otherwise and my mom is 91 and grandma died at 97. I really like the clonazapam and how it makes me feel, if I could just stop worrying about it. I would like only positive feedback as I don't want to add to my anxiety. Thank you for listening.
How many years have you been on Klonopin? Who is the oldest person you know taking Klonopin?
Question posted by iamalady on 22 July 2013
Last updated on 27 April 2025
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
208 Answers Page 2
I will be 73 March 5th, and Ive been on Klonopin for at least 15 years. I was prescribed 1 mg., twice a day, but take only a half every day unless Im going somewhere for a long period of time. I do suffer from severe anxiety and sometimes from panic attacks. I have never abused this medication or taken more than I was prescribed. I dont feel any cognitive decline. I have to have something also and cant see going off of this at my age. Good luck to you!
Hi. You only takes Klonopin for anxiety but takes antidepressants?
I’m 79 and has been at 2 mg for last 30 years. Every time I tried to wean off is awful. If a new drug that replaces clonazepam I will try it
at your age plus, if it’s really helping you why bother reducing it?
I wanna start off by saying that you’re not alone.
I feel your concerns about taking Klonopin long term. However compared to other benzodiazepines like Diazepam and Clorazepate which have a 200 hour half live due to their main active metabolite desmethyldiazepam. Clonazepam is considered a lot safer in that regard in terms of being used in the elderly. I myself am only 26 but have been on Klonopin 1mg daily since age 15 due to panic disorder and PTSD. No negative side effects in my experience taking it. Compared to others I was prescribed first which were not effective long term due rapid tolerance I would develop to them (Alprazolam and Lorazepam). Clonazepam has not stopped working over the years at all. Possibly attributed to its longer half life.
Hope this helps.
I think I answered before, but this question popped up again, so just in case I didn't, here it is. I have been on clonazepam for 15 years now and am 71 years old. Don't ever plan to stop. I need it. It make me feel and react more normally. The real me.
I’m 71, on 10 years, don’t plan to stop either. Agree with what you said…
I’ve been off & on depending on my anxiety. Despite efforts to really reign in my health, I had a heart scare and now feel my demise is imminent. I’ll make each day count but Klonopin has been very helpful at calming my anxiety down which is in middle of night. I’m working as hard as I can on diet and exercise and lost 15 lbs recently(need another 35). Thx for posts as I can feel weak when relying on Klonopin but it definitely helps. Happy Holidays to all.
I am 60 years old. I have been on clonazepam for about 17 years. It's the only thing I take that has no side effects I can see. I'm sure I'll be on it for the rest of my life. I suffer from GAD.
What dose are you taking and do you take it everyday?
What dose are you taking and do you take it everyday?
What dose are you taking and do you take it everyday?
30 years this month. Works very well for me with GAD.
Such reassuring proof of long term success…
I'm 74 and I was taking xanax for about 18 years. I have PTSD, major depression, and GAD. I never took more than prescribed and I thought I was in a good place mentally. My doctor took me off and put me on Klonopin, was on that for about a year and she took me off that, just stopped it cold. She said she wasn't comfortable with me taking it because of my age. I really wish I was back on it, I was more active , could go outside and I talked to people. I don't do any of that now. If it makes you feel better , take it and don't worry about it . Enjoy your life , be active and do what makes you feel better .
WA
Hope you can get back on it!
at 74 if you are doing well and feel well stay on it Spending month of agony and pain to get off is stupid plus you may end up back with major depression, and GAD.
Thanks for that responses. I did tell her that I wanted to go back on Xanax and she won't prescribe it to older patients anymore. I don't think they see the person asking for help , at least that's my experience.
Hello iamalady,
I can remember when I first came on this site I was in my 50's, and you were 61. I am 61 years old. In January 2024 I will be turning 62! Like I said before about Clonazepam I have been on it for 30 or 40 years! I was taking 1mg then! I have gotten the dose down to 0.5mg.
I had been trying to get off but, I see that my doctor will be making that decision! The doctors call Clonazepam a control substance so, it's hard to get the medicine now! My doctor told me that I need to come off now! I told my doctor why would I come off now after all of these years! So now I'm scheduled to see a therapist who will decide another medication! The doctors are saying after you get a certain age, Clonazepam is not any good! This medicine has been the only medicine that work for me through the years! I just learned that my uncle who is 86 years old has been taking Clonazepam for years! My uncle claim he didn't know that it was a medicine for panic attacks, anxiety, etc! The medicine must be doing him some good because, my uncle gets around better then my siblings and I!
I lost my mother last year to COVID-19-19 it was a big blow! I guess I will be on Clonazepam for the duration of my life now! I don't really know what to do. I will be talking to the doctor and therapist about this and pray all will be well!
BR
Hi, 10 years went by fast, good to hear from you! I’m 71 now still on same dose. A half mg a day split am and pm.
I work a part time job at night, feel good, feel young, thanks to finding the right medication for my anxiety problems. I wish you the best in the future. Good to hear your Uncle is doing so well too
many RX are control substances. If the Dr has a license to prescribe there should be no problem. As far as doctors are saying after you get a certain age Clonazepam is not any good is his opinion. . I don't really agree that it is "bad" to be on this Rx long term, if it is a necessary medication to manage anxiety. The only real concern about long term use is the difficulty tapering and stopping the Rx and the risk of abruptly stopping from high doses.
I am 66 and last year developed GAD(probably always had but got worse) due to personal issues. First thing my sleep and insomnia got worse until no sleep at all. I don't really agree that it is "bad" to be on this Rx long term, if it is a necessary medication to manage anxiety. The only real concern about long term use is the difficulty tapering and stopping the Rx and the risk of abruptly stopping from high doses. FDA says you May get this or that as they due with all medications. I talk .5mg day and 1mg night. I sleep well, feel well. I want to enjoy my life now to the fullest. Getting no sleep will for sure cause physical and mental issues. If by chance I do get a side affect later in life at least I am living now. BTW I did try to taper off slowly because of all the horror stories I heard about long term use on clonazepam. I ended up worse than before I started. STOP getting on the internet and reading and thinking about it your anxiety will go through the roof. Enjoy your life now.
Exactly
Agreed!!!
Agreed!!!
Agreed!!!
You will be fine. God Bless you.
Hi iamalady,
I am a 70 year old female who has been taking Klonopin for 15 years. I have no problems with it and have never needed my dosage increased. I am very cautious because I have a history of addiction on my Dad's side of the family and did not want to take the chance, but my doctor convinced me to try it as my anxiety was taking over my life. I have GAD with emphasis on social and performance anxiety. I also have jumpy legs which the Klonopin has greatly helped as a bonus. I will be on this forever. I have suffered anxiety since I was a little girl and I don't see it going away ever. It's the only thing that has helped.
DB
I feel the same way, it’s not going away, ever. It’s a chronic illness that needs correct treatment just like any other chronic illness. Stop treatment, no thanks. Whatever life I have left it’s so much better now that I found relief on Klonopin.
I also started Klonopin. I was taking Xanax, but this is longer lasting where you don’t need to take extra Xanax. You’ll be fine bless your heart.
I also started Klonopin. I was taking Xanax, but this is longer lasting where you don’t need to take extra Xanax. You’ll be fine bless your heart.
I also started Klonopin. I was taking Xanax, but this is longer lasting where you don’t need to take extra Xanax. You’ll be fine bless your heart.
I also started Klonopin. I was taking Xanax, but this is longer lasting where you don’t need to take extra Xanax. You’ll be fine bless your heart.
I have taken Klonopin, several times a week for over four years and then every day since last March. I have been withdrawing for several months doing a water taper and have a little less than a month to go. It stopped working, was making me more anxious, etc., classic tolerance withdrawal symptoms while you are still on the drug. I decided that since I am 75 some doctor somewhere is going to want me to stop and I would be pulled off on their terms. I made the decision to withdraw gradually on my own. I had no idea how badly I was feeling on the drug. Since withdrawing and bei8ng so close to jumping off I feel like a different person. I sleep better, I am less anxious and my head is much more clear. I never really had cognitive issues per se but as I withdraw I see it was a real downer for me. So, I feel very confident in my decision as I want it on my terms not some stupid doctor who doesn’t understand the ramifications of withdrawing someone too quickly.
I wish those of you who are “on it for life” well and hope you never experience what so many are now experiencing because these drugs are very unpopular and doctors have to go through many hoops in order to prescribe them.
I have a big problem now to. I am 55 been on klonopin for over 25 yrs. I started it for my panic attacks. I did great then yrs go by and they kept increasing the dose. I'm on 2mg 2x a day and recently noticed my anxiety is starting to get worse and this med is not doing anything. Just yesterday I saw my dr. I told him my anxiety is getting worse and now I also getting off of Adderall so that makes me feel worse and I asked him don't u think I need to get off of klonopin? He was shocked!! I told him I read that it's not a med that one should be on as long as I have. He just said we will talk about that soon. I feel like it went in one ear out the other. I wanted to try getting off but since I have been on it so long I am terrified of the withdrawal. Glad u are feeling some good and positive things. Keep me posted.
My advice from experience and since your story is almost a carbon copy of mine, including amount of clonazepam taken daily, years taken, and our age: DO NOT come off of 4mg per day without help from a treatment center or a mental health DOCTOR (not any kind of Nurse or family doctor (general practitioner).
I had my first panic attack in my late 20's while driving alone (I actually thought I was dying, like I was having a heart attack). It was one the most horrifying experiences ever. My general practitioner put me on CL the next day, very low dose, like .5 twice a day. Over the years, he gradually increased it, not because I asked for more but I'm guessing that my answers to his questions indicated I was needing more for same effect. Back then, I was young and dumb. I knew nothing about prescription drugs being addictive, as no one in my family had ever taken something like this (or so I thought) so my knowledge was 0.
He got me up to 2 MG twice per day after several years. One year a few days before Thanksgiving, I forgot to call in for new RX (which was due to be refilled) and I ran out of pills at the beginning of a long holiday weekend, PLUS my prescribing MD was out of town! Needless to say, I had to call all my family and lie to them that I had the flu on TG Day. I was single and alone, so it was just me I had to worry about. Talk about HELL that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. By Black Friday, I hadn't slept in two days. I was shaking uncontrollably, tingling, having brain zaps, and seeing/smelling things that weren't there. I forgot to add I called the doctor on call during this nightmare. He said there was nothing he could do, but I could go to an ER. Well, I couldn't afford that. So somehow, probably by the grace of God, I drove myself 30 minutes to the nearest Convenient Care Clinic. I was in BAD shape. Back then, they could still prescribe controlled substances. He prescribed me enough to get by until the following Tuesday. I'm probably lucky I didn't have seizures or worse. When I got an appointment with my GP the Monday before I'd run out again on Tuesday, I told him I wanted OFF completely. He said you'll have to slowly taper, but I don't have any suggestions on how slow/fast/how much to taper while doing it!!! So I got home, googled it and followed a plan. I got myself down to .25mg 2x a day, feeling like I did when I was at 2 mg. 2x a day! Fast forward MANY years later, and I have been going to a mental health clinic, taking .5 mg. 3x a day, and have been on that same dosage for close to ten years. I would LOVE to just get off of them. But my dosage is low now, and at 57, if it's worked this long at this dose, why do it, when I've had trauma-induced anxiety since I was 3 years old? I told my doctor, and even he is like "why?".
Sorry this was so long, but I had to share my experience, and hope that it helps you and others. Much love and good luck.
"A study of 50 patients found that, after several years of chronic benzodiazepine use, a large portion of patients developed health problems including agoraphobia, irritable bowel syndrome, paraesthesiae, increasing anxiety, and panic attacks."
Your doctor is spot on with their opinion.
"The long-term use of benzodiazepines may have a similar effect on the brain as alcohol, and is also implicated in depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mania, psychosis, sleep disorders, sexual dysfunction, delirium, and neurocognitive disorders.[35][36] 37] As with alcohol, the effects of benzodiazepine on neurochemistry, such as decreased levels of serotonin and norepinephrine, are believed to be responsible for their effects on mood and anxiety.[38][39][40][41][42][43] Additionally, benzodiazepines can indirectly cause or worsen other psychiatric symptoms (e.g., mood, anxiety, psychosis, irritability) by worsening sleep (i.e., benzodiazepine-induced sleep disorder). These effects are paradoxical to the use of benzodiazepines, both clinically and non-medically, in management of mental health conditions"
"For example, there is believed to be a link between the long-term use of benzodiazepines and the development of Alzheimer’s disease. The link is so strong that some studies have found those who have taken benzodiazepines for more than six months have an 84% increased risk for the development of Alzheimer’s disease."
"Certain parts of the brain that may be damaged by benzodiazepine abuse include areas responsible for motor coordination and memory. Those who take benzodiazepines for long periods of time may even begin to experience memory loss. Benzodiazepine use is also associated with overall cognitive decline."
"One study further showed that the risk of dying is doubled in patients prescribed BZD compared with controls [47]."
"Using benzodiazepines on a regular basis can lead to significant health problems, including: impaired thinking or memory loss. anxiety and depression. irritability, paranoia and aggression."
"The risks of the benzodiazepines are well-documented and comprise psychological and physical effects. Among the former are subjective sedation, paradoxical release of anxiety and/or hostility, psychomotor impairment, memory disruption, and risks of accidents. Physical effects include vertigo, dysarthria, ataxia with falls, especially in the elderly. Dependence can supervene on long-term use, occasionally with dose escalation. The benzodiazepines are now recognised as major drugs of abuse and addiction. Other drug and non-drug therapies are available and have a superior risk benefit ratio in long-term use. It is concluded that benzodiazepines should be reserved for short-term use--up to 4 weeks--and in conservative dosage."
"As mentioned before, benzodiazepines are not meant to be used for long periods of time. By using benzodiazepines for an extended time, there is an increased risk of the development of certain health conditions. The amount of time considered “long-term” in regard to benzodiazepine abuse is around three to six months."
"In fact, researchers found that the addictive power of benzos was similar to that of opioids, cannabinoids, and GHB—all substances with exceptionally strong addictive qualities. They believe that as benzos accumulate in the body, they actually alter the structure and function of certain receptors in the brain that make them more susceptible to excitable surges from other neurotransmitters, and further increase and intensify dopamine rushes.2 All of these chemical actions add up to a high many people do not wish to give up, and the progression from use to abuse to addiction can occur shockingly quickly. On average, tolerance can develop after just 6 months of use, though it is possible to become physically dependent sooner. It’s estimated that at least 44% of users eventually become dependent on benzos.3"
"In fact, researchers found that the addictive power of benzos was similar to that of opioids, cannabinoids, and GHB—all substances with exceptionally strong addictive qualities. They believe that as benzos accumulate in the body, they actually alter the structure and function of certain receptors in the brain that make them more susceptible to excitable surges from other neurotransmitters, and further increase and intensify dopamine rushes.2 All of these chemical actions add up to a high many people do not wish to give up, and the progression from use to abuse to addiction can occur shockingly quickly. On average, tolerance can develop after just 6 months of use, though it is possible to become physically dependent sooner. It’s estimated that at least 44% of users eventually become dependent on benzos.3"
Do you have anxiety? Have you tried these or are you just spouting a load of facts without experience of them.
Do you have anxiety? Have you tried these or are you just spouting a load of facts without experience of them.
Not much of an answer but concern. I am 57 years old. I have been on Clonazepam for 30 years. Dose has decreased to 3mg. I take 1.5mg in the morning and the same at bedtime. My new psychiatrist wants to take me off. He says it causes more anxiety. Has anyone experienced more anxiety after this long of usage?
I am 55 and been on klonopin for over 25 yrs. I am in the same boat as you. I have been experiencing more anxiety now then years ago. I take 2mg 1am 1 at 6pm. I am scared to death about all the withdrawal from being on it so long. I just wish I could be normal and had Doctors who really cared about me and what the long term effects will be.
I don't know that I've experienced more anxiety. I've gotten up to 4mg. twice per day and that was many years ago. I'm currently on 0.5mg. 3 times per day. But I can tell you I'm 57 and for the last 5 years, my short term memory is declining, like I can't remember names of aquaintences, and almost everytime I leave a room to get something in another room, I forget what it was by the time I get there . But I've also went through menopause and did not have to take hormones, and that alone can cause it too. Hope this helps you and/or someone else!
TO CLARIFY: I've been prescribed as much as 4mg PER DAY, not 4 mg twice per day!
TO CLARIFY: I've been prescribed as much as 4mg PER DAY, not 4 mg twice per day!
No. I have remained the same after 25 years on it. Never have felt the need to take more.
No. I have remained the same after 25 years on it. Never have felt the need to take more.
No. I have remained the same after 25 years on it. Never have felt the need to take more.
Related topics
buspar, klonopin, anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, clonazepam, side effect
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