Clonazepam and Panic Attacks: What Users Say (Page 2)

• zio...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 1, 2015

For Insomnia "Yes indeed, Clonazepam is a 'wonder drug' for sleep (and anxiety); but beware... if I can just save one person from this drug... yes!!! I ended up on this drug for 18 years, and it took me four months of a slow taper to wean myself. During and after withdrawal, I had horrible side effects: nausea, insomnia, panic, loss of memory, etc. I have been totally off the drug for 8 weeks, and my side effects are slowly going away, but I still have a horrible metallic taste and smell. I'd try anything other than a benzo. It is not worth the side effects. Look at the drug warnings; they state the drug is meant for short-term use. Good luck."

• Jax...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 14, 2018

For Anxiety "I was stable on diazepam and was prescribed it off and on for 30 years. I had tried all the SRIs and selective SRIs with only worsening conditions. I tried them all, some more than once. Finally, it dawned on my new GP that I had serotonin syndrome with the SRIs. After 4 months of trying other things, nothing worked. My new pain doctor tried me on clonazepam. The first dose worked wonders. My constantly struggling with anxiety all day was gone. No more waking up with immediate panic attacks either. I am a different man. There is no high with a drug if your body needs it. Same with opioids. Benzos and opioids can safely be used together if you cannot tolerate SRIs due to serotonin syndrome."

• NIC...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 9, 2017

For Anxiety "I had debilitating anxiety, panic attacks, sometimes so bad I was constantly dizzy, out of it, and feeling like a completely different person. The pain in my chest would subside after taking this, and I would feel better. I'm so thankful my doctor prescribed this to me, and I only take it if I really need it, so when I get really bad panic attacks or increased anxiety. Different ones work better for different people, but I will never go on SSRIs again, they made my anxiety 1,000 times worse, panic attacks from morning until night, no sleep, couldn't eat. My quality of life was so bad I felt as though ending it would be better. So, I'm happy I have a doctor who listens and cares about my mental state and wants to improve my life."

• Sei...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 3, 2018

Clonazepam for Panic Disorder "I used to have a heroin problem for years and years. I was prescribed 2 mg clonazepam 4x a day (that is 8 mg, guys). My husband at the time would steal them and my gabapentin I take for seizures. He and I split, and I knew I was going to have to go to jail for my past. I had a doctor taper me down and was taken to the hospital 3x while in jail for my seizures. I don't know if they were just my regular epilepsy, stress-induced, or from the benzo reduction. In jail, they detoxed me over 10 days with Ativan... it took weeks to feel 'normal.' Anyway, horrible experience, but I am clean and sober now. I take Keppra, Lamictal, and gabapentin for seizures. Gabapentin is also supposed to help with my anxiety. Celexa seems useless, but I take it... and I reintroduced clonazepam orally dissolving wafers, 1 mg up to 2x a day. Noticing a tolerance. Sometimes the 1 mg does nothing. I want to avoid the benzo hell... but I also don't want to live my life afraid to leave the house and having panic attacks."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 13, 2022

For Benzodiazepine Withdrawal "In the fall of 2019, I was placed on 1 mg clonazepam at night for anxiety and panic disorder. After a year, I went down to 0.5 mg because 1 mg seemed too much. I was very happy and did absolutely great on this dose for about a year with no side effects, but getting the medication re-prescribed was always a mess. Doctors would take too long, and I’d run out of pills, which would put me in terrible withdrawals. I finally did a gradual taper to get off of the medicine, cutting down 1/8 of a pill at a time every two or three weeks. I’d experience withdrawals each time I adjusted down, and even now, even though I’ve been off of it for a month, I still get what I call “waves” of withdrawals that sometimes last days: headache, tremors, nausea, panic, shame, fits of rage, confusion, etc. They do at least go away eventually and give you a chance to breathe before the next “wave” occurs, but it’s no picnic."

• clo...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 1, 2017

For Insomnia "Took this for a decade for insomnia. Didn't realize until I tried to taper off that it was causing migraines. Although this drug did not seem like it was causing problems while I was taking it (I took it exactly as the doctor prescribed), trying to get off has left me completely disabled. I never had panic attacks in my life until trying to get off this medication, at which point I started having them daily for 3 months. Tapering off this medication has left me in extreme physical pain (the doctor said it is nervous system damage from being on Klonopin almost 10 years). My muscles ache, my skin feels like it is on fire, and my bones feel like they have been plugged into an electrical socket. It has affected my vision and my hearing."

• Ang...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 26, 2022

For Anxiety "I have anxiety and panic attacks and insomnia. My doctor prescribed clonazepam. I've been taking them for 3 years and had no problem at all with them. Then my new doctor took me off them. Now I have sleeping problems and my anxiety is worse, and panic attacks came back. They had me on 4 different pills and nothing works. I want my clonazepam back because they work for me."

• Ser...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 21, 2019

For Panic Disorder "There seems to be a lot of polarization about this drug, clonazepam. To be sure, this is a drug you shouldn't take lightly. But in my personal experience, if you're careful and respect clonazepam, it will respect you back and is perfectly safe. I suffer from panic attacks daily even with this drug, but without it, it would be far worse. I owe my sanity to it. I'm not saying that the low reviewers here are irresponsible. It affects different people in different ways. Also, if you quit suddenly, there will be severe withdrawal effects. So yes, there is potential danger, but it's avoidable for most people if they are responsible. It has an unfair reputation as being dangerous because too many young people get it illegally, get hooked, take it outside a doctor's supervision, and then get in trouble. Be responsible with it, and you'll be fine. Abuse it, and it will abuse you back. But for me, I've taken it on and off for 20 years, and I don't know what I'd do without it."

• Zoi...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 4, 2019

For Seizure Prevention "I was prescribed this medication about 25 years ago, 1 mg, once a day for anxiety and depression, as I was going through talk therapy. It was like a miracle medication to me. It got me through the 2 years of therapy and changed my life for the better. I was severely depressed, and when I first started my talk therapy sessions, all I could do was cry. This medication helped me to realize that I didn't need to think so negatively about myself and my life. It took away my anxiety and helped me when I would have panic attacks, which were rare but I did have a few. I would say it has really helped me a lot for the best and helped me realize I am a human being who can be loved and cared about and deserves to live a happy life like everyone else."

• Ren...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 23, 2021

For Benzodiazepine Withdrawal "I was on clonazepam since 2019. I went cold turkey in October 2021, and it has been one of the worst experiences of my life. The withdrawal symptoms have been severe anxiety and panic attacks, paranoia, crying, depression, loss of appetite, lack of patience, and can't focus. Prior to taking clonazepam, I was taking Buspar for anxiety, but when it stopped working, I was put on clonazepam. I'd avoided benzos for anxiety for over a decade due to their addictive probability. When the Buspar stopped working, I crashed into a severe panic anxiety-filled meltdown, and I just wanted to feel better, so I agreed to the clonazepam-one of the worst mistakes of my life. Don't take this drug, it's horrible and should be taken off the market."

• Anonymous
• February 15, 2010

Clonazepam for Panic Disorder "Only drugs I find to be helpful from years of panic attacks were Ativan and Klonopin. I have been on many medications. I think you should start with Ativan and then be weaned down to Klonopin. I haven't found one antidepressant to stop panic attacks. I have been on many of them. Some of the medications they have listed here for this are unbelievable to me. They cause more harm than good. Many of them cause panic attacks."

• Kim...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 23, 2021

For Benzodiazepine Withdrawal "I have been on several benzos over the last 15 years. I have social anxiety and bipolar depression. I’ve gone back and forth with as needed to daily use. Started with Xanax but outgrew it, moved to Valium, and now clonazepam for the last… 8 years maybe? I’ve been on .5 twice a day for about 1.5 years now. I’ve been on and off many medications since my diagnosis, thankfully, the ones I’m on now have been working for a decade. Today is day 2 of weaning off. My doctor said to cut by 25% every 12 days, but I am going to listen to my body for the duration of time in between cuts. In the morning, I am taking .25 and at night .5. This morning, I was panicky, restless, slight headache, nothing severe. If you know what’s coming, you’ll be better equipped to handle it. Basically, anything you feel is normal. Just go slow. I think tomorrow I will try and make it more even by taking 3/4 of a pill am/pm to keep it balanced. I will update!"

• PHh...
• October 3, 2019

For Panic Disorder "An allergy to SSRIs, which is very rare, PTSD, and Tourette's syndrome. I started on a low dose of 0.5 mg for about 3 years. Several traumatic events happened, I ended up on 4 mg a day. I was tapering down to have a second child under the care of a psychiatrist. I went to 3 mg, then got pregnant before tapering down to 2 mg. My original OB retired. I told a new OB I was pregnant and needed to take clonazepam but was tapering down ASAP. The nurse called back and said my baby would die at birth. I called the psychiatrist to taper down ASAP. The psychiatrist told me this was a bad idea, but I didn't want my baby to die at birth. That week, I lost the baby from panicking, I had already done damage to the baby. After all my work, I had to go back up to 3 mg. I was told to not stop taking the clonazepam, I got pregnant again. I delivered a healthy baby. Two years later, I was able to drop down to 2 mg a day. Both my children were born on clonazepam, very healthy, mentally advanced, and sporty."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 27, 2022

For Panic Disorder "I have been diagnosed with panic disorder, anxiety, and PTSD. I grew up in a broken home like many others. I was also involved in a physically and mentally abusive relationship with the father of my child for ten years. Don't get me wrong, the physical abuse was as bad as it gets, but I think the mental abuse was equally as detrimental. After leaving that relationship, I started having panic attacks several times a day. I also experienced severe paranoia about what people thought of me while in social settings. I just tried to hide from the world and go unnoticed for as long as I could get away with. I confined myself to my room, deleted all my social media accounts. I became very depressed. Then, my doctor put me on clonazepam. It changed my life for the better. I got married, I work my dream job, and I'm graduating from college this fall. Clonazepam relieved me from the imprisonment of panic and anxiety and allowed me to have peace in order to focus on the real and important things in life."

• Nat...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 26, 2024

"I have been taking benzodiazepines since I was 12, started with Xanax 1 mg for severe panic disorder, and then got off of it at 15 as my psychiatrist left. I tapered in 3 months. During those 3 months, all my symptoms came back with horrific panic and physical symptoms. Soon after that, my symptoms became so severe I ended up getting surgery to take an adrenal gland out as they thought I had a tumor causing so much adrenaline in my system and HR 180 while sitting and BP 176/118 at 15 years old! Come to find out, no tumor, I actually have dysautonomia and severe anxiety disorders and panic disorder. This medication is the only thing that keeps me alive. Without it, I would be dead, and that is not a joke. We tried all medications and treatments for my hyperadrenergic disorder and dysautonomia, and nothing worked. It didn’t help that I also have anxiety disorders, which makes my hyperadrenergic POTS flare. I have been on clonazepam for 10 years. The only thing that works. Life saver."

• BBR...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 27, 2016

For Panic Disorder "I have had panic disorder for years, thanks in large part to a serious medical condition that has since been addressed. Klonopin has helped tremendously, even at a fairly low dose (1 mg daily). I would add that this is not a drug to stop cold turkey; having tried, I can tell you that it worsens the anxiety and panic. I'm also not thrilled that I still take it after so many years. But it has greatly improved my quality of life, and for that, I am grateful."

• Han...
• December 26, 2019

Clonazepam for Panic Disorder "My Klonopin dose is a half of a 0.5 mg pill in the morning. It makes the panic so much worse, I can barely leave the house or get through the day. By the mid-afternoon, I have to take the remaining half a pill. I used to take a whole pill twice a day, then my doctor started reducing it. I am a mess. I see her next week, and if she reduces it again, I'll be in the hospital, and I have no insurance and am divorced."

• ann...
• May 28, 2021

For Anxiety "A couple of months ago, I ended up in the ER from stress. I was given Trazodone for sleep, 50-100 mg dose at night, and Klonopin at a dose of 0.25 mg three times a day. After one month, I quit the Trazodone and Klonopin, and five days later, I ended up in four different hospital ERs with the worst panic attacks, shaking, and despair. All they wanted was to give me tranquilizers and let me go. They checked my heart and took my blood test. Everything came back normal. I begged them to give me Propranolol because this is withdrawal from what I am going through, and they refused. Every time at four different ERs, they didn’t accept that I was going through the worst withdrawals from Clonazepam/Klonopin and from Trazodone. I understand now why so many people commit suicide. The torture was unbearable. My family doctor gave me the prescription for Propranolol, and the pharmacist told me clonazepam was the worst medication possible and that stopping them cold turkey was dangerous. I don’t recommend this drug to anyone."

• alb...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 23, 2025

For Anxiety "Gave been using 2 years now. Tapered off .5 mg in 10 months and experienced extreme anxiety and panic, so reinstated. Had to increase to 1 mg, then 2, and just recently 3.5 once in a while. Tried 5 times to taper off and it is excruciating, so as long as I can still obtain it, I will be using it. Encountered 2 docs who would not prescribe it when my regular doctor had no appointments left. They were jerks. Asked doc what happens when he retires and I can't get it. He said I can always get Valium, but that stuff doesn't work on my issues. I find after 2.5 years it doesn't work as well, but I have to take it or boy do I suffer from withdrawals. I'm 68 and am not looking forward to klon as I age. Hope I can still get it as I age."

• Mar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 28, 2018

For Anxiety "I have been taking this medication for like 4 years now or close to 0.5 mg once a day. I took it in the past and stopped when I got pregnant, no withdrawals. I tried to taper off recently, and I had bad racing thoughts with anxiety and panic attacks, so I got back on them. I’m going to let my psychiatrist tell me when to wean off and do what’s best for me to wean off one day, until then, I’m taking them as needed if or when I do have a panic or anxiety attack."

• Tim...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 9, 2022

Clonazepam "My sister and brother were helped by Klonopin due to having depression and PTSD anxiety. After having suffered from severe leg pain due to my need for back surgery, I had a severe anxiety/panic attack that went on for 3 days, and I needed serious help or I couldn’t continue working through my constant pain. I was originally prescribed Xanax, which worked well, but still gave me too much of a high and then a low that followed, which I didn’t like. My wife found articles about Xanax that showed that it was super addictive, so I changed to Klonopin for those 2 reasons. After being prescribed Klonopin and it finally balanced my mood and life, even though my back and hip pain have been constant, even after 4 back surgeries and 20 years, my doctor recently changed my anxiety med while I went on a weekend vacation. But, after ruining my vacation with a drug that did nothing for me, I spent my weekend in extreme anxiety. My doctor immediately put me back on Klonopin. No issues since."

• Die...
• September 7, 2013

For Panic Disorder "Clonazepam makes it so I can leave the house in the morning. I always used to get bad panic attacks, shivering, throwing up, sweating, etc. But now I'm on 1 mg clonazepam twice a day, and I'm much better."

• dul...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2018

Clonazepam for Panic Disorder "I was recently switched from Ativan to Klonopin as I had developed a tolerance to my moderate dosage of Ativan. Three days of insomnia, severe panic attacks, and dissociation. I literally haven’t slept in three days and was having disturbing thoughts at 4 a.m. this morning. Was on the phone with mental health services for two hours this morning, and they said I needed to get off it now. Had to beg the doctor to switch me back to a higher dose of Ativan. Immediately felt better."

• Tex...
• October 7, 2013

For Anxiety "It works absolutely great for me, been about 4 months. I no longer have panic attacks when taking it. Unfortunately, the doctor only gives me 42 1mg a month when dosed at 2x a day. I just noticed that one. I will run out before my visit Thursday and am taking one a day so I at least have some productive time. Supposedly, it throws me happily manic and full of energy, but I'd rather be happily manic and running around cleaning things than being scared of everything, depressed, and just all around unbearable to be near. Right now, taking Effexor, Clonazepam, and Lithium. I am now pretty pleasant."

• Bar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 29, 2019

For Panic Disorder "I had trouble sleeping, resulting in hallucinations. I’m prescribed 1 mg clonazepam 2x a day, 1 mg for sleep and 1 mg in the daytime for panic attacks and bipolar disorder and social anxiety. For the first time, I was able to go with my mom to do grocery shopping, and it was busy. Usually, I would go into a panic attack being near a bunch of people. It does put me to sleep if I’m not moving around. Can’t drive a car on Klonopin, but my mom usually takes me places. I usually take 1 mg at least 8 o’clock because it's long-lasting."