Clonazepam (Klonopin) stops my symptoms almost completely

[Bergkamp]

I’ve been on clonazepam 1mg (4x.25) per day for about 7 weeks. I know many think it was a horrible idea but I was in such a bad situation that I was ready to end it all. My light and sound intolerance were just unbearable and we had construction starting at our house and I don’t think I could have coped with all that noise. The clonazepam worked pretty well and massively reduced my light and sound intolerance, as well as giving me more energy.

Anyways, 5 days ago I got very nauseous out of nowhere and been feeling a bit sick since. I have very little appetite, constipation, bloating and stomach cramps. Other than that I feel weak, more fatigued than usual and also on edge a bit. Could this be tolerance withdrawal, even after I’ve only been on this med for such a short time? My GI symptoms seem very similar to what they call ‘benzo belly’, is it possible that you get tolerance withdrawal with such a sudden onset? Or am I just freaking out for no reason and have maybe a mild stomach virus?

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

5 days ago I got very nauseous out of nowhere and been feeling a bit sick since. I have very little appetite, constipation, bloating and stomach cramps. Other than that I feel weak, more fatigued than usual and also on edge a bit.

is it possible that you get tolerance withdrawal with such a sudden onset?

It may have started very subtly before you were aware of it. All of us react differently to just about everything, and I'm guessing that benzos are no different in terms of variations among patients .....

Or am I just freaking out for no reason and have maybe a mild stomach virus?

It could be either.

Have you had twitchiness, kinda like restless leg syndrome but more or less all over Also, what the drug companies blandly like to call 'nervousness', which is really more like varying degrees of anxiety and/or panic is not unusual .... ditto trouble sleeping, which is one of the first places benzo withdrawl seems to attack ....

Or, yes, it could be a stomach virus/flu. Here's hoping !!!!

That's part of the fun ride ..... you never now exactly what it is until it hits you really, really hard ....

 

[Bergkamp]

Have you had twitchiness, kinda like restless leg syndrome but more or less all over

It started off with muscle spasms but haven’t had it since. I do have tremors in the morning but have had them before too so difficult to say

Also, what the drug companies blandly like to call 'nervousness', which is really more like varying degrees of anxiety and/or panic is not unusual

I am kind of nervous, but I’m mostly nervous because my health situation deteriorated again and I’m still somewhat traumatised by this massive crash I experienced 6 months ago. So can’t tell whether it’s because of the benzo

ditto trouble sleeping, which is one of the first places benzo withdrawl seems to attack ....

My sleep has been fine so far. Thanks for replying so quickly! Isn’t tolerance withdrawal normally something that creeps up on you very slowly? I really was feeling completely fine before I suddenly got this attack of nausea

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

Isn’t tolerance withdrawal normally something that creeps up on you very slowly?

Not always. Everyone reacts differently and as I said in my other post to you o this, you may hav had really subtle symptoms before you noticd the more pronounced ones .... who knows

I really was feeling completely fine before I suddenly got this attack of nausea

It could be what you mentioned, a stomach virus/flu .... keep your eye on it, if some of the other symptoms I posted start getting worse there's your answer.

I hope this clears away speedily, like a 24/48 hour flu !!!!

 

[Bergkamp]

Not always. Everyone reacts differently and as I said in my other post to you o this, you may hav had really subtle symptoms before you noticd the more pronounced ones .... who knows

It could be what you mentioned, a stomach virus/flu .... keep your eye on it, if some of the other symptoms I posted start getting worse there's your answer.

I hope this clears away speedily, like a 24/48 hour flu !!!!

Thanks so much for your quick help and support

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

You're totally welcome, and I hope it's the flu, or at worst, an easy ride off and to the other side ...

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

PS .... I have a cold or the flu and feel like crap, so am going to sign off the site now. If I dont answer quickly, it's because of that ....

 

[Bergkamp]

PS .... I have a cold or the flu and feel like crap, so am going to sign off the site now. If I dont answer quickly, it's because of that ....

Hope you feel better soon! By the way, would you recommend using gabapentin for a few weeks to help taper off clonazepam? I spoke to someone with ME who had a lot of success with that

 

[josephine2]

I’ve been on clonazepam 1mg (4x.25) per day for about 7 weeks. I know many think it was a horrible idea but I was in such a bad situation that I was ready to end it all. My light and sound intolerance were just unbearable and we had construction starting at our house and I don’t think I could have coped with all that noise. The clonazepam worked pretty well and massively reduced my light and sound intolerance, as well as giving me more energy.

Anyways, 5 days ago I got very nauseous out of nowhere and been feeling a bit sick since. I have very little appetite, constipation, bloating and stomach cramps. Other than that I feel weak, more fatigued than usual and also on edge a bit. Could this be tolerance withdrawal, even after I’ve only been on this med for such a short time? My GI symptoms seem very similar to what they call ‘benzo belly’, is it possible that you get tolerance withdrawal with such a sudden onset? Or am I just freaking out for no reason and have maybe a mild stomach virus?

Benzos are tricky. You have been on CLOn for a relatively short time so, yes, it could be just a stomach bug but I have heard of quick tolerance and inter dose withdrawal. I am not sure why your RX would have you taking CLOn in 4 doses since it is more long lasting than, say, XAN or used prophylactically instead of just pRn. Even the FDA believes these drugs should not be used longer than 6 weeks. If it were me, I'd get on the benzobuddies.org forum and hop on their Klonopin Klub thread because those guys have seen it all. Whatever you do -- don't just stop the drug or go on/off/on. I am obliged to say work with your prescriber. You'll be OK

 

[Bergkamp]

Benzos are tricky. You have been on CLOn for a relatively short time so, yes, it could be just a stomach bug but I have heard of quick tolerance and inter dose withdrawal. I am not sure why your RX would have you taking CLOn in 4 doses since it is more long lasting then, say, XAN or used prophylactically instead of just pRn. Even the FDA believes these drugs should not be used longer than 6 weeks. If it were me, I'd get on the benzobuddies.org forum and hop on their Klonopin Klub thread because those guys have seen it all. Whatever you do -- don't just stop the drug or go on/off/on. I am obliged to say work with your prescriber. You'll be OK

Thanks for your reply. I took clon because of its anti-epileptic property which helped my light and sound intolerance massively. Xanax didn’t do the same for me. Taking 4x .25 was a decision I made myself because I found that taking 0.5 in one go would sedate me too much. I will definitely taper it and won’t start again after going off it. Will have a look on the Klonopin Klub thread!

 

[Davsey27]

Sorry to hear your going through this,

I know alot of pWME who have environmental sensitivities to Mold that find relief from benzos as it's also a Mast Cell stabilizer and nmda antagonist

Check for mold in your house through an ERMI test as sometimes mycotoxins can make the body more susceptible to viral infections

It's possible it's a virus or the Klonopin.I know sometimes benzos get a bad rap and for some it can cause tolerance withdrawl.Personally with the relatively long half life I don't think there's a need to dose more 2x a day.IMHO 4x a day is too much.Consider talking to your doc about .25 2x a day or .25 in the morning at .5 MG at night as it can be sedating.I understand the risk of dependency so if you can do without it that would be good

 

[dannybex]

Anyways, 5 days ago I got very nauseous out of nowhere and been feeling a bit sick since. I have very little appetite, constipation, bloating and stomach cramps. Other than that I feel weak, more fatigued than usual and also on edge a bit. Could this be tolerance withdrawal, even after I’ve only been on this med for such a short time? My GI symptoms seem very similar to what they call ‘benzo belly’, is it possible that you get tolerance withdrawal with such a sudden onset? Or am I just freaking out for no reason and have maybe a mild stomach virus?

I really doubt it. You're overthinking it, as we all do. It's much more likely to be some bug as you say, which can definitely cause all the issues -- including feeling 'on the edge'...

 

[Wayne]

By the way, would you recommend using gabapentin

Gabapentin can be very, very dangerous (ototoxic) to the ears. There are a large number of sobering comments at the end of the linked (short) article.

 

[josephine2]

#Wayne -- what link?

 

[Wayne]

#Wayne -- what link?

Gabapentin

 

[Bergkamp]

Personally with the relatively long half life I don't think there's a need to dose more 2x a day.IMHO 4x a day is too much.Consider talking to your doc about .25 2x a day or .25 in the morning at .5 MG at night as it can be sedating.

Thanks for your reply. Just out of curiosity, why do you think 4x a day is too much if the dose is the same as 2x per day .5? My doc said it wasn’t an issue although I’m not sure he’s an expert on taking benzos. Curious to hear your thoughts.

 

[Bergkamp]

I really doubt it. You're overthinking it, as we all due. It's much more likely to be some bug as you say, which can definitely cause all the issues -- including feeling 'on the edge'...

Thanks - that is reassuring. Last night I had a major adrenaline rush, barely slept through the night, high HR etc. Theoretically this could also be because of a virus, what do you think? I’m still not sure it’s the clonazepam because this whole episode started so suddenly…

 

[IThinkImTurningJapanese]

Clonazepam withdrawal symptoms can include:

• Headaches
• Stomach pain
• Nausea
• Tremors
• Sweating
• Hallucinations
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Confusion
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Seizures
• Thoughts of suicide

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

By the way, would you recommend using gabapentin for a few weeks to help taper off clonazepam? I spoke to someone with ME who had a lot of success with that

Using a drug to taper off another drug rarely works, even in the Ashton Protocol, tho that one is more successful than most others.

Gabapentin would have to be tapered off of, as well. It has some alarming side-effects, and works a lot of the same pathways that benzos do.

Proceed with caution.

In the final analysis, there's no easy way or effective short-cut to getting off that shite ....

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

Thanks for your reply. Just out of curiosity, why do you think 4x a day is too much if the dose is the same as 2x per day .5? My doc said it wasn’t an issue although I’m not sure he’s an expert on taking benzos. Curious to hear your thoughts.

I ca almost guarantee you that he's not. I'm betting that he's never read the monograph on Klonopin prduced by it's manufacturer, Roche Labs, nor does he know anything about tapering patients off of it when that becoms necessary.

What he does know is that at some point some years back, when Klonopin (which was designed to tap into the lucrative market for anti-seizure/epileptic meds like Dilantin) failed to produce the rich rivers of income that had been expected of it, the drugs reps, in their short-skirted, tight little black suits and rolling suitcases of free samples, quietly whispered in Drs ears that an off-label use had been discovered for Klonopin in the anti-anxiety, sleep-assisting area, and suddenly the sales almost tripled overnight, and have continued to grow.