how to sleep when weaning off klonopin?

[appsandsuch]

About a year ago, my previous neuro put me on a low dose of klonopin when I started to have a new type of anxiety auras/seizures. I wasn't thrilled about it, but needed to get these under control.

I continued to have a bunch of problems, and it seemed the klonopin wasn't taking care of it, so I moved to a new neurologist, and played the drug roller coaster for awhile. Because of all the changing med variables, we were hesitant to take me off of the klonopin until I was more stable. It wasn't until I found the proper dosage of Vimpat a few months ago that thing seemed to be looking up.

I'm still not completely under control, but things are much much better now, so, at my most recent neuro appointment last week, I mentioned that I wanted to get off this damn klonopin. She gave me a slow taper schedule, and said to go at my own pace.

I'm going super slow (in my opinion.) I've been on .25 mg 2x per day. So I'm taking away .0625 mg every two weeks (this involves cutting the .125 wafers in half, which is no easy task, but I seriously want to take my time with this.) There's a lot of scary stuff out there on the internet, and I'm trying not to worry myself, but it's hard.

Now, I understand that I may experience withdrawal, but I'm hoping that the rate at which I'm going will help ease me and that my body won't notice as much. I'm not extremely concerned about seizure control directly because clearly the klonopin wasn't doing that for me before.

However, I started my taper yesterday morning and, by nighttime I had a LOT of trouble sleeping. I probably got 3 hours broken up throughout the entire night. I'm the type of person who absolutely needs sleep or my seizure threshold is almost non-existant. I feel like I can power through most of this (though I'm only one day in so what the hell do I know yet!) But I absolutely cannot go a week without sleep. I can barely deal with one night. I work a super stressful advertising job, and this is just a recipe for disaster. My taper (so that you don't have to do the math) ends in October. No way can I deal with sleep issues for that long.

So my question, after that entire story, is, is there anyone who has gone through this before and has advice? Or anyone who has trouble sleeping but doesn't use medication for sleep aids? I want to know what I can do to help myself sleep that doesn't require a) adding klonopin back on or b) taking extra meds.


Anyone who has a good-ending story to getting off of klonopin, your words are welcome. Damn these benzos

 

[Nakamova]

It's definitely a good thing that you're tapering so slowly. I hope the insomnia isn't a problem tonight. If it is, you could try progressive relaxation (basically deep breathing while tensing and relaxing muscles starting with the toes and ending with the head) and/or the Delta Sleep System (CDs designed to produce "good" delta brainwaves associated with sleep).

 

[Ruth]

You are smart in tapering off of Klonopin slowly. Three different neurologists tried to take me off of it in 3 days. I wound up in the hospital each time. They stopped doing it.

Then I had pneumonia and was in the hospital for awhile. My new GP took me off of 2 mg slowly. It was successful. I am on 4 mg now. I still have trouble sleeping once in a while and it has been 4 years. Klonopin is a very strong medicine.

There are 2 things to help you sleep. Once in a while I take Melatonin 3 mg. from the health food store. I do not feel sleepy in the morning. Another one is Sleepy-Time tea.
It is natural and helps let you sleep.

I hope this helps.

 

[appsandsuch]

Thanks Nakamova and Ruth- I'll take a look into all of those! Here's to hoping tonight's a bit better.

 

[JRuner]

I am doing this now and it has taken me a month of going very slowly and still I have had sleep problems and some increase in migraines slow is key(I failed to follow directions and slowed down too fast the first week)! Never stop fast according to my new Epilepsy Doc it is very dangerous. I am down to only a half a pill at night now and then going down to a quarter of a pill over the next two weeks since I have two docs working together and since I have frequent but decreasing siezures they do not want to trigger one by changing med's too quickly.

 

[appsandsuch]

Hey JRuner,

Yeah, slowly is absolutely key. Funny enough, the only night I had any issues was the first one- maybe it was my mind playing tricks. The last three nights have been fine (hopefully I didn't just jinx that). As far as I can tell, I haven't seen any other withdrawal symptoms, but honestly, to go .0625 mg, I wonder how my body can even tell.

Good luck to you! We'll be off this soon

 

[Ruth]

If you are having frequent seizures, I would not get off completely. I am still on Klonopin.

Three really good neurologists tried to get me off of it. Each time I was off, I landed in the hospital with having frquent seizures. They decided to keep me on it. I am on 4 mg from 6 mg. I am still have trouble sleeping.

I was in the hospital when my doctor took me off of the 2 mg. She could not get me off anymore. I started having too many seizures. They had to give me a shot to keep me from going into status. That stuff is adictive..

Whose idea was it to take you off? Yours or the doctors?

3 years later and I am still having trouble sleeping. I have Sleep Time tea or Melatonin.

Keep me posted. I hope it works for you. Slow is the key for this medicine, real slow. I care and am concerned for you.

 

[ddr1166]

Hi - besides talking to your Neuro about it, if you're getting desperate to sleep, you might ask if there's something that will help OTC or RX-wise. Agree on all counts anything natural and non drug related should always be tried first. But sometimes you just need something temporarily until your body adjusts (my opinion). Your Pharmacist is a great resource, too, and always available. Sometimes I'll ask him first then we'll check with the Neuro to confirm before trying. Good luck! Breathe deeply...Cheers, D

 

[Ruth]

Hi - besides talking to your Neuro about it, if you're getting desperate to sleep, you might ask if there's something that will help OTC or RX-wise. Agree on all counts anything natural and non drug related should always be tried first. But sometimes you just need something temporarily until your body adjusts (my opinion). Your Pharmacist is a great resource, too, and always available. Sometimes I'll ask him first then we'll check with the Neuro to confirm before trying. Good luck! Breathe deeply...Cheers, D

:agree:

 

[appsandsuch]

Thanks all for your advice. I have no idea what to expect in the long-term.

The first night was rough- didn't get much sleep, the next few days after that were great, then I had a mild simple partial on the fifth day (after a few months of only auras). I forgot that I'm clustering these days, and didn't take an Ativan, and ended up having a much much stronger Simple partial (may have even been Complex- not sure) that night.

The next few days were really rough, as I was coming down off of the Ativan AND the Klonopin drop. I was anxious up the wazoo. Woke up Saturday night in the middle of the night with a panic attack and had to take more Ativan. Didn't sleep much on Monday night. It's an odd roller coaster.

Yesterday afternoon was fine, slept really well last night, and today is so-far, so-good.

Slow really is key with this med. I can't believe that a drop of .0625 mg of ANYTHING could disrupt my life this much. I'm thinking I might go the water titration method that I've read about online.

The worst part about this is trying to function at work...this type of job was not made for anyone who functions as a normal human being!! Sigh.

I'm trying to stay positive, though On the good days, I think I'll be just fine. But on the bad ones, I'm not so sure.