Kolanapin Withdrawal Is Killing Me

[paruxhr]

Hello I'm 31 male 165lb

Was on a low dose of .25mg for 3 months while my Dr was switching me from escitalopram to setraline.

Then he told me to start getting off the kolanapin since I didn't need it. I said ok. Keep in mind my dose is small 0.25 twice a day.

He had me lower my evening dose by half. So instead of taking half a pill I took a quarter 0.125mg after 2 days I started to feel terrible. Shakes in the morning when u wake up. No appetite. Nausea. Weakness. Overall feeling shitty. I did some research and it looked like withdrawal symptoms of kolanapin. This terrible feeling lasted for about 2 weeks. Until my body got used to the lower dose. So I stayed with that dose for 2 more weeks so my body could adjust. Now he told me to drop my morning dose to match the evening 0.125 and again after two days on this dose I got withdrawal symptoms again but even worse then before. I'm constantly stressed out all day. I feel weak like I'm going to pass out any second. No appetite.

Is this normal for such strong withdrawal symptoms on such a low dose!?? I read that getting off is gonna be hard but this is almost unbearable. I can hardly go into work cuz I feel so bad.

Should I slow the taper down over a longer period of time?

[Deb4961]

You can do it slower if you feel it would help. I have taken escitalopram it was the worst medicine ever then went back to sertraline the only med that works. I went through so much anxiety until the sertraline kicked in it was horrible. So I understand that feeling. When I started back on the sertraline I did that slowly also.

Good Luck!!

[Dolphin14]

Speak to your md. Tell them about work. You need to be at work and can barely function.

Two weeks may not be long enough to taper down. Weaning off this type of med shouldn't be a sprint, it should be a marathon. Getting off is the goal, how fast you get there is individual.

[paruxhr in reply to Dolphin14]

I got a scale so I can weigh the pills and taper down very slowly and be more accurate with the measurements. I'm down to 1/4 pill am and less then 1/4 in tht night of.05 mg but there are waves that come where I'm ok for a week or two them out of no where the anxiety comes back for 3//5 days

[Dolphin14 in reply to paruxhr]

Sounds like you are doing well.

Yes that anxiety loves to show back up. If you notice triggers it's easier to work through.

When it comes back I rely heavily on exercise and meditation to get me through. Hopefully you have found some coping strategies for the difficult time.

Continue the good work. Best of luck to you

[Platesofmeat]

How are you feeling now? I was quickly put on Escitalopram after a long time on Paroxetine and felt like I was losing my mind, and had bad stomach problems, palpitations etc.

Have you considered it maybe the change in the anti depressants or the withdrawal of the Escitalopram?

It is really confusing what is causing what, I've been through it and it is traumatic.

Good luck.

[paruxhr in reply to Platesofmeat]

It's the klonapin withdrawal not the setraline

[Laurennnnnnn]

I went through the same thing and tapered just like you did, it’s hell 😭😭😭

All I can say is that you aren’t alone in your experience and that this will end (even tho I know it seems like won’t). And it will be SO worth it once you’re on the other side.

For tapering, do what you’re comfortable with. I ended up so over the withdrawals that after tapering like you did, I went cold turkey. I knew I couldn’t feel any worse than I did. And after a bit I finally went back to normal

[Laurennnnnnn in reply to Laurennnnnnn]

Omg I just noticed that your post is from a month ago so uhhh I hope tapering worked and that you’re doing well!! 😂💙

[paruxhr in reply to Laurennnnnnn]

No I'm still tapering and feeling like death

[Laurennnnnnn in reply to paruxhr]

I was on .5 and cut them in half for two weeks to taper. But I felt sooooo horrible after three weeks of trying to taper that I gave up and stopped cold turkey. I know that doctors never recommend cold turkey but I genuinely believed cold turkey couldn’t feel worse than I was feeling.

And I was right! Within a week of taking no klonopin I felt back to normal

[paruxhr in reply to Laurennnnnnn]

What does did u come off from? How long did the withdrawal last

[paruxhr in reply to Laurennnnnnn]

What dose did you go cold turkey from? I'm at 0.048 morning and. 0.037 night now. And I'm constantly stressed and anxious. Tremors when u wake up. Runny stool every morning from the stress.

[jonghee]

Check my thread regarding benzos being vilified. I don't know your particular situation, but you shouldn't be forced to do this. I would seek a second opinion. If you didn't need it, why was it prescribed in the first place? Obviously there was a reason you needed it in the first place, so what led to your doctor's determination that you don't need it anymore? Perhaps there is a good reason behind it, but many times these decisions to cut patients off benzos are arbitrary and unnecessary.