Klonopin Withdrawal.

Anxiety? Insomnia? Of course you do.

You likely would prefer to cut to the chase and find out what you can do to get relief quickly.

Neuro Day is formulated for the daytime anxiety and most other daytime side effects

Neuro Night for sleep and body aches

JNK Formula helps bring a gene back to balance the medication has altered.

Go to the manufacturers web site Click here and purchase  JNK Formula, Neuro Day and Neuro Night.

The web site you are on now, The Road Back, offers information on how to get off Klonopin and reduce Klonopin withdrawal side effects. Many of you taking Klonopin were prescribed Klonopin for anxiety, general anxiety disorder, panic attacks, and possibly for other reasons.

The Road Back is a member of California Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors (CAADAC). Since 1999, The Road Back has helped thousands of people off Klonopin and has helped as many people that wanted to stay on Klonopin reduce the side effects of taking this medication. The Road Back is the largest outpatient drug withdrawal program in the world. We are based in the United States, with additional locations in Europe and the United Kingdom.

“Jim, here is my testimonial. Feel free to use however you wish.  God bless you! WARNING: KLONIPIN IS A VERY ADDICTIVE AND DANGEROUS DRUG  SIDE EFFECTS can be serious and harmful to overall health. WITHDRAWAL from this drug is dangerous and might very well kill you 

This is what any physician should be required to advise patients upon prescribing Klonopin. I began my journey to Hell a little over 6 years ago while going through a nasty divorce.  I was experiencing major anxiety, panic attacks, and insomnia.  These symptoms did improve.  However, over the years I developed hypertension and steadily gained weight which I had never had a problem with.  I began taking Lisinopril for the hypertension.

I made the decision to go off of the Klonopin after seeing my gynecologist and discussing these issues with her.  She said that she felt the K was the culprit.  I asked how to taper, she told me to talk to my family doctor who prescribed it to me.  I was not told of the horrible withdrawal so I didn't think it would be a big deal.  I began tapering....and did a complete taper within a month.  I had been taking 1 mg 3X daily for 6+ years.

At first I did not attribute my symptoms to the withdrawal.  It was subtle at first, smells and the taste of food was very strange.  Hands and feet numb and tingling.  Unable to carry a train of thought and to complete a task.  I googled withdrawal from Klonopin.  I was shocked at what I read.  I prayed that I would not experience any of it.....and really did not think this would happen to "me".  Little did I know that I had just begun my descent into Hell.

I do not feel that I can adequately convey the nightmare.  You just about have to go through it to know what it is like. There are exceptions, as Jim is proof of.  I thank God for his dedication to overcoming addiction and The Road Back.  I will get into this a little later.

Here is a list of  what I experienced, not in order and not to the degree of each symptom, there is really no way to do so: major anxiety and panic attacks,  insomnia,  hot/cold spells,  severe sweating,  no appetite,  sensitivity to noise/ light/ movement, pain in extremities,  blurred vision,  ringing in ears,  fullness in head, vertigo, high bp even on lisinopril,  increased heart rate, confusion, disorientation, de-realization, depersonalization, detachment.  I was completely unable to function.

About two weeks into this horror, my daughter visited and started researching online.  She found The Road Back program.  I was willing to try anything.  My husband placed an order for the Neuro Endure Mini.  Of course it would be a few days to receive it which doesn't seem long.  But when you are living a minute to minute nightmare it is a very long time.  And I was not certain it would even work.  I was at the end of my rope.  I had not slept in 4 consecutive days and nights.  My heart rate was 130+ constantly.  I felt like I was going to die.  My husband thought that since I had read about these withdrawal symptoms that somehow I should miraculously be "alright", bc it was "normal" and I would eventually be okay.  He told me to "get a grip".  I began to cry, uncontrollably.  And scream...it seemed as though it was not even coming from me.  I did not even feel human,  I felt like an alien.  I could not take anymore.  

My husband drove me to the ER.  I was terrified that I would be committed to the psyche ward.  I feared that the doctor would not understand (who could???)!  Thankfully I was wrong.  After I had somehow been talking for quite some time, he finally looked me in the eye.  I did not think I had gotten through to him.  He disclosed that his son had been addicted to K and was hospitalized for seizures.  I was relieved and terrified at the same time.  He reassured me that I was most likely past the seizure stage.  He said that kicking the K would be the hardest thing I have ever done in my life but that it would be so worth it.  He did ask me if I wanted to go back on the K, that the majority of ppl could not make it through withdrawal and went back on the drug.  I will admit that I had thought about it......I somehow found the courage to say NO.  He was concerned about my bp which was 157/124 P132 upon entering hospital.  But he did not want to address it just yet as he felt is was a result of withdrawal.  He prescribed a 20 day of Lunesta for sleep.  I actually slept for the first time in days.  Thank God for this doctor.

I thought that maybe since I had gotten some sleep that my symptoms would improve.  I was wrong.  I thought about Neuro Endure Mini and began an agonizing wait.  I would sit outside and wait for the delivery, afraid that I would miss it.  I was a bit skeptical as I had the misconception that anything that wasn't prescribed by a doctor was worthless. But yet I was desperate and this man Jim Harper really seemed to know his stuff.  I finally received my NEM and had to restrain myself to only take the recommended amount. 

I had corresponded with Jim/The Road Back on occasion.  This was my lifeline.   He suggested keeping a journal to monitor my reactions and I did.  I am very thankful for this as now that I am better it is a little difficult for me to remember how debilitated I really was.

After only a few days I increased to 2 capsules 3X daily.  On about day five, I began to catch glimpses of "Jill".  Very brief but still........it was a start.  I also began taking the JNK 3 capsules daily, as well as Omega 3, vitamin E and biotin.  It was a slow and steady progression at first, but praise God I am happy to report that I am feeling human again.  I have control again!  I know without a doubt that these supplements work!  It seems like years ago that I first contacted Jim.  Hard to believe it has only been about three months.  Most with this degree of withdrawal report at least a year.  I do not think I could have endured that.  Occasionally I have a bad day,  and I found that even 1 glass of wine would set me back.  I avoid all alcohol.  My bp and heart rate have returned to normal! I no longer take Lunesta and I am able to sleep.  I am enjoying the things that brought me joy years ago.  I am discovering new and exciting things about myself.   

I want to encourage anyone going through withdrawal to Klonopin or other Benzo drugs to give The Road Back a try.  The information and support is FREE.  The supplements saved my life.  I read some reviews about the supplements being expensive.  Hello????????  I would have paid anything to be better, even rehab.  The ER doctor told me that his son had been to rehab several times to no avail.  I cannot confirm or deny rehab treatment as I have not had it.  But I can tell you that the supplements are a mere fraction of the cost of rehab.  I will continue with the NEM until I feel that I am completely well. 

I hope that my experience will help others that find themselves in this hellish nightmare.  I could never thank Jim Harper enough.  God bless him and The Road Back program.”

If you are already reducing Klonopin we know you are looking for relief from the Klonopin withdrawal side effects and you want relief fast. If you have already stopped Klonopin, the need of assistance is no different and relief needs to come quickly for you. You are not alone with these feelings and Klonopin withdrawal symptoms.

You can click How to Start  located on the top navigation line and read all chapters of How to Get Off Psychoactive Drugs Safely for free. You can even send us an e-mail to books@theroadbackprogram.com and we will e-mail you a pdf copy of the book for free.

If you are outside of the United States or Canada Click Here for distributors in or near your country.

Clonazepam 
Brand name (Klonopin and Rivotril)

Pharmacology

Anticonvulsant

Clonazepam's pharmacological profile is similar to other anxiolytic/sedative benzodiazepines. Its basic anticonvulsive properties are also similar to those of other diazepines. Clonazepam is capable of suppressing the spike and wave discharge in absence seizures (petit mal) and decreasing the frequency, amplitude, duration and spread of discharge in minor motor seizures.

Clonazepam is well absorbed orally with maximum blood concentrations occurring in 1 to 2 hours. Clonazepam is metabolized by the liver to inactive metabolites, which are excreted mainly in the urine. Less than 0.5% of a dose is excreted in the urine unchanged and from 9 to 27% of a dose may be excreted in the feces. The half-life of the parent compound varies from approximately 18 to 50 hours.

Indications

Alone or as an adjunct in the management of myoclonic and akinetic seizures and petit mal variant (Lennox-Gastaut syndrome). May also be of some value in patients with absence spells (petit mal) who have failed to respond to succinimides.

Up to nearly 33% of the patients in some studies have shown a loss of anticonvulsant activity, often within the first 3 months of clonazepam administration. In some cases, dosage adjustment may re-establish efficacy.

Contraindications

Significant liver disease, narrow angle glaucoma, sensitivity to benzodiazepines.

Warnings

Pregnancy:
Recent reports indicate an association between the use of anticonvulsant drugs and an elevated incidence of birth defects in children born to epileptic women taking such medication during pregnancy. The incidence of congenital malformations in the general population is regarded to be approximately 2%; in children of treated epileptic women this incidence may be increased 2 to 3 fold. The increase is largely due to specific defects, e.g., congenital malformations of the heart, and cleft lip and/or palate. Nevertheless, the great majority of mothers receiving anticonvulsant medications deliver normal infants.

Data are more extensive with respect to phenytoin and phenobarbital, but these drugs are also the most commonly prescribed anticonvulsants. Some reports indicate a possible similar association with the use of other anticonvulsants, including trimethadione and paramethadione. However, the possibility also exists that other factors, e.g., genetic predisposition or the epileptic condition itself may contribute to or may be mainly responsible for the higher incidence of birth defects.

Anticonvulsants should not be discontinued in patients in whom the drug is administered to prevent major seizures, because of the strong possibility of precipitating status epilepticus with attendant hypoxia and risk to both the mother and the unborn child. With regard to drugs given for minor seizures, the risk of discontinuing medication prior to or during pregnancy should be weighed against the risk of congenital defects in the particular case and with the particular family history.

Epileptic women of childbearing age should be encouraged to seek professional counsel and should report the onset of pregnancy promptly to their physician. Where the necessity for continued use of antiepileptic medication is in doubt, appropriate consultation might be indicated.

In a reproductive study in rabbits, clonazepam administration was associated with an increased incidence of cleft palate and other anomalies at 2 dose concentrations. Accordingly, clonazepam should be used in women of childbearing potential only when the expected benefits to the patient warrant the possible risk to a fetus.

Lactation:
Mothers receiving clonazepam should not breast feed their infants.

Children:
Because of the possibility that adverse effects on childhood physical or mental development could become apparent only after years, a risk-benefit consideration of the long-term use of clonazepam is important in pediatric patients.

Precautions

Although simultaneous administration of several anticonvulsants may be considered with clonazepam, such combined therapy may result in an increase of central depressant adverse effects. In addition, the dosage of each drug may be required to be adjusted to obtain the optimum effect.

Abrupt withdrawal of clonazepam particularly in those patients on long-term, high dose therapy, may precipitate status epilepticus. Therefore, as with any other anticonvulsants, gradual withdrawal is essential when discontinuing clonazepam. While clonazepam is being gradually withdrawn, the simultaneous substitution of incremental doses of another anticonvulsant may be indicated.

A paradoxical increase in seizure activity or the appearance of new seizure types has occurred in a very few patients during clonazepam treatment. When used in patients in whom several different types of seizures coexist, clonazepam may increase the incidence or precipitate the onset of generalized tonic-clonic seizures (grand mal). These phenomena may require the addition of appropriate anticonvulsants or an increase in their dosages. The concomitant use of valproic acid and clonazepam may produce absence status.

Occupational Hazards:
Caution patients receiving clonazepam against engaging in hazardous occupations requiring complete mental alertness, such as operating machinery or driving a motor vehicle.

They also should be warned against the concomitant use of alcohol and other CNS depressant drugs.

The CNS depressant action of benzodiazepines may be potentiated by other drugs such as alcohol, narcotics, barbiturates, nonbarbiturate hypnotics, anxiolytics, phenothiazines, thioxanthene and butyrophenone antipsychotic agents, MAO inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants.

Benzodiazepines have produced habituation, dependence and withdrawal symptoms similar to those noted with barbiturates and alcohol. Therefore, patients who may be prone to increasing the dose of drugs on their own initiative should be under careful monitoring when receiving clonazepam.

Periodic liver function tests and blood counts are recommended during long-term clonazepam therapy.

Clonazepam and its metabolites are excreted by the kidneys; to avoid excessive accumulation, exercise caution in administering the drug to patients with impaired renal function.

Hypersecretion in the upper respiratory passages has at times been a troublesome adverse reaction during clonazepam therapy, especially in small mentally retarded children who ordinarily have difficulty handling secretions. Treatment with clonazepam should be instituted with caution in patients with chronic respiratory diseases.

Adverse Effects

The most frequently occurring adverse reactions to clonazepam are referable to CNS depression. Drowsiness occurs in approximately 50% of patients and ataxia in approximately 30%. In some cases, these may diminish with time. Behaviour problems have been noted in approximately 25% of patients and increased salivation in 7%.

Others, listed by system, are:

CNS:
Alterations in behaviour, which have been variously reported as aggressiveness, argumentative behaviour, hyperactivity, agitation, depression, euphoria, irritability, forgetfulness and confusion. These behavioural reactions are particularly likely to occur in patients with a prior history of psychiatric disturbances and are known to occur in patients with chronic seizure disorders.

Other adverse reactions involving the CNS have included nystagmus, unsteady gait, slurred speech, dysarthria, vertigo, insomnia, and diplopia. Isolated reports of akinesia, hemiparesis, tremor, hypotonia, headache and choreiform movements have been received. Minor changes in EEG patterns specifically low-voltage fast activity.

Gastrointestinal:
Increased salivation, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, constipation, diarrhea, encopresis, dry mouth, increased appetite, abdominal pain, hepatomegaly.

Genitourinary:
Rare instances of dysuria, nocturia, incontinence, urinary retention, enuresis.

Integumentary:
Nonspecific erythematous, papular and maculopapular rashes, swelling of the face and eyelids, urticaria, pruritus. Hirsutism and hair loss have also been reported, but drug relationship has not been established.

Musculoskeletal:
Muscle weakness, low back pain.

Respiratory:
Hypersecretion in the upper respiratory passages, rhinorrhea, dyspnea, respiratory depression.

Hematopoietic:
Anemia, leukopenia (WBC below 4000/mm(3)), thrombocytopenia, eosinophilia.

Liver function:
Slight, transient elevations of transaminase and alkaline phosphatase.

Miscellaneous:
Palpitations, coated tongue, dehydration, fever, lymphadenopathy, weight gain or loss, changes in libido, gynecomastia, hallucinations, dysdiadochokinesis, coma, aphonia.

Overdose

Symptoms:
The cardinal manifestations of overdosage are drowsiness and confusion, reduced reflexes and coma. There are minimal effects on respiration, pulse and blood pressure, unless the overdosage is extreme. Patients have recovered from dosages of up to 60 mg without special treatment. When the effects of the drug overdosage begin to wear off, the patient exhibits some jitteriness and over stimulation.

Treatment:
Gastric lavage may be beneficial if performed soon after ingestion of clonazepam. Supportive measures should be instituted as indicated: maintenance of an adequate airway, i.v. fluids and monitoring of pulse, blood pressure and respiration. CNS stimulants and vasopressors may be used if necessary. Dialysis appears to be of no value.

Dosage

Must be determined individually according to clinical response and tolerance and depends primarily on the patient's age.

Children:
In order to minimize drowsiness, the initial dose for infants and children (up to 10 years of age or 30 kg) should be between 10 and 30 mcg/kg/day and should not exceed 50 mcg/kg/day given in 2 or 3 divided doses. Dosage should be increased by no more than 250 to 500 mcg every third day until a maintenance dose of 100 to 200 mcg/kg has been reached, unless seizures are controlled or adverse effects preclude further increase. Whenever possible, the daily dose should be divided into 3 equal doses. If doses are not equally divided, the larger dose should be given before retiring.

Adults:
The initial adult dose should not exceed 1.5 mg/day divided into 3 doses. Dosage may be increased in increments of 0.5 to 1 mg every 3 days until seizures are adequately controlled or until adverse effects preclude any further increase. Maintenance dosage must be individualized for each patient depending upon response. A recommended adult maintenance dose is 8 to 10 mg/day in 3 divided doses. Dosages in excess of 20 mg/day should be administered with caution.

The use of multiple anticonvulsants may result in an increase of depressant adverse effects. This should be borne in mind whenever clonazepam is added to an already existing anticonvulsant regimen.