Klonopin

I've been reading about klonopin and how bad it is. Ive been taking 3mg for four years. I am so scared to keep taking it but I have bad anxiety. What do I do?

[bmurphy]

Talk with your doctor about your concerns, but don't worry too much just yet. Medicine affects everyone differently, and if you haven't had any issues so far, you might not need to worry.

[Hidden in reply to bmurphy]

But it's really not helping anymore

[shrs3 in reply to Hidden]

It could be because you have built up a tolerance and so the 3 mg isnt working anymore. That would mean you would need to increase the dosage. However i would really try getting off of them and maybe just taking then for when you really need them. Im taking a low dose and ive become dependant on just that because i take them everyday. If i miss one dosage my body goes crazy. They really arent good to be on long term because you can build up a dependency for them. I already talked to my doctor about getting off them

[Hidden in reply to bmurphy]

I'm really scared

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I'm just coming off klonopin. But I've only been on it 7 months.

[Lsavadge]

I took klonopin for 20 years. The addictive quality is crazy. I tapered down until I finally went off of it in September. The withdrawal was terrible. Once going off I developed peripheral neuropathy in my hands, arms, legs and feet. That feeling has a tendency to increase my anxiety. I take buspar which does not cover as well as the klonopin did. I have found that to help with my neuropathy and anxiety it causes I take .5 milligrams of klonopin every few days. I am 38 and I know that if I want to try to get pregnant I have to not be on it. I am between a rock and a hard place. Only u know how u feel and if u want to switch meds or not. Benzodiazepines are a tough drug class to deal with. Like me, not everyone responds the same to any drug. I still have the want to take the klonopin everyday, but I know that would be bad. I am working with a neurologist for the neuropathy and I am hopeful that when I reduce it that I can stop the klonopin for good. I know that having other health problems makes things worse because having anxiety tends to make us more in tune with our bodies. Any strange sensation can start the spiral. Discuss your feelings with your psychologist to see what other options there are out there for u. Best of luck.

[Jillian51894]

Tread carefully with Klonopin. I was on it and I got addicted to it really fast and I've never been addicted to drugs before. It was really scary. I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder and I take a low dose of Zoloft and Gabapentin for my anxiety.

[BonnieSue]

I've taken klonopin for about 15 years ( and clorazepate for 14 years before that) and have not walked through life in a fog or not been present in the moment as you describe. It must happen to some people as you say but not to all people since I am one it didn't happen to and my father who takes a similar drug, lorazepam, daily isn't one nor my son who takes klonopin, daily also isn't one who has the side effects you've mentioned.