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Suggest Ways To Wean Off Clonazepam
Question: I have been taking colozapam for 2 months and am trying to ween off of it. I was taking .05 one in the morning and one .05 at night like 12 hrs. apart. I cut down this past 5 days to one .05 pill and feel horrable. my hands burn, have a terrible headache . what do I do. is it to fast?
Brief Answer:
Consultation
Detailed Answer:
Hello, and thanks very much for your premium question.
Tapering off clonazepam can by tricky, so let me discuss your concerns and give you my suggestions.
First, this should be done under the supervision of your prescriber. Complications of benzodiazepine withdrawal include seizures, so this needs to be monitored closely.
Typically, I would start a taper by decreasing the dose by half but maintaining the same frequency. For you, that would be 0.25mg twice a day, rather than 0.5mg once daily. This allows a smaller amount to remain in your system continuously, rather than you getting all the day's dose all at once. This should cut down on withdrawal symptoms.
You describe burning in your hands, and headache. This could be from clonazepam withdrawal, but this could also be somatic symptoms of anxiety, which clonazepam is intended to treat. We need to make sure that the downside of clonazepam outweight the benefits. Do you feel this is the case?
Because this is a complicated and potentially dangerous issue, I encourage you to contact me at my private link below. After asking a direct question, it would be my pleasure to be your dedicated personal physician on this website. My name is Dr. Sheppe, and I am an XXXXXXX doctor working in New York City at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. For a personalized comprehensive evaluation, treatment recommendations, or individual therapy, ask me at HealthCareMagic at this private link: tinyurl.com/DrSheppeAnswers
Consultation
Detailed Answer:
Hello, and thanks very much for your premium question.
Tapering off clonazepam can by tricky, so let me discuss your concerns and give you my suggestions.
First, this should be done under the supervision of your prescriber. Complications of benzodiazepine withdrawal include seizures, so this needs to be monitored closely.
Typically, I would start a taper by decreasing the dose by half but maintaining the same frequency. For you, that would be 0.25mg twice a day, rather than 0.5mg once daily. This allows a smaller amount to remain in your system continuously, rather than you getting all the day's dose all at once. This should cut down on withdrawal symptoms.
You describe burning in your hands, and headache. This could be from clonazepam withdrawal, but this could also be somatic symptoms of anxiety, which clonazepam is intended to treat. We need to make sure that the downside of clonazepam outweight the benefits. Do you feel this is the case?
Because this is a complicated and potentially dangerous issue, I encourage you to contact me at my private link below. After asking a direct question, it would be my pleasure to be your dedicated personal physician on this website. My name is Dr. Sheppe, and I am an XXXXXXX doctor working in New York City at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. For a personalized comprehensive evaluation, treatment recommendations, or individual therapy, ask me at HealthCareMagic at this private link: tinyurl.com/DrSheppeAnswers
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Sonia Raina
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